Per cabin · Cabins are sold individually — book just your own cabin, sharing the boat with a handful of other guests.
Queen Nefeer Dahabiya Nile Cruise
An intimate 5-star dahabiya with lateen sails, chef-prepared full-board dining, and access to quieter Nile shore sites.
The short answer
Queen Nefeer is a 5-Star Standard dahabiya. Embark in Aswan on a Friday for 3 nights to Esna, or in Esna on a Monday for 4 nights to Aswan. Prices start at $1,247 per person sharing a double cabin, including full board, guided sightseeing and transfers.
02Overview
A first look
By late afternoon, the Nile turns copper beside the lateen sail, and the riverbank slips past at walking pace. From the deck of Queen Nefeer Dahabiya Nile Cruise, you can hear the rigging move in the wind, watch village fields give way to limestone cliffs, and pause where larger cruisers cannot reach. The atmosphere is quiet and personal, with chef-prepared meals and time to linger ashore rather than hurry between major docks.
We arrange the vessel, shore visits, transfers, and the support of our Egyptologists before you travel. Your captain sets the pace on the river, while our local team remains available on land for practical help throughout the sailing.
Routes
Where this ship sails
Each route this ship sails. The direction changes the order of the temples, the number of nights and which city you fly out of. Embarkation days and prices are in the table below.
Cruise lengths, embarkation days and prices
Prices are per person in USD, from 2 people sharing a double cabin. Each price covers the whole cruise, the guided sightseeing program along the route, and your arrival and departure transfers between the ship and the local airport or train station.
| Cruise | October – Aprilcurrent season | Peak dates18 Dec – 6 Jan, 21 Mar – 4 Apr, 9 Apr – 23 Apr |
|---|---|---|
| 3 nights · Aswan → Esnaembarks Fridays | October – April: from $1,247double cabinsingle cabin $1,803 | Peak dates: from $1,443double cabinsingle cabin $2,136 |
| 4 nights · Esna → Aswanembarks Mondays | October – April: from $1,570double cabinsingle cabin $2,311 | Peak dates: from $1,831double cabinsingle cabin $2,755 |
Peak dates: 18 Dec – 6 Jan, 21 Mar – 4 Apr, 9 Apr – 23 Apr. Choose your cruise and date in the booking panel for the exact price.
Cabin allocation
- Nile vessels do not have interconnecting cabins.
- Book early and we will ask the vessel to place your party together — usually adjacent, or directly opposite.
- Cabin numbers are confirmed by the vessel at check-in.
Indicative rates only – pricing and cabins fluctuate. Please enquire for live rates on your specific dates.
On board
Detailed itinerary
- 1
On arrival at Luxor airport or train station, your Egyptologist guide takes you on a full day of sightseeing in Luxor: the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon and Karnak Temple. In the afternoon you're driven to Esna to board your dahabiya, welcomed aboard by the crew for your first night moored at Esna.
- 2
Breakfast at leisure as the dahabiya sails towards Edfu, arriving around midday. Visit the Temple of Horus by horse-drawn caleche — one of Egypt's largest and best-preserved monuments, its entrance flanked by two granite falcon statues — then browse the bazaar for spices, souvenirs and perfume.
After lunch on board, continue sailing towards the temple at Gebel el-Silsila, with dinner served in the temple grounds, on a nearby island, or on the sun deck.
- 3
Breakfast at leisure, then sail to Kom Ombo to visit the Greco-Roman double temple shared equally between the falcon god Haroeris and the crocodile god Sobek. Continue sailing towards Aswan, watching river life along the banks — water buffalo, donkeys and birdlife — and moor for the night close to the city.
- 4
After breakfast on board, spend the day exploring Aswan — the island Temple of Isis at Philae and the Aswan High Dam — with time to wander the Aswan bazaar. Return to the boat for your final evening and overnight in Aswan.
- 5
After breakfast, disembark and transfer to Aswan airport or train station for your onward departure.
- 1
On arrival at Aswan airport or train station, your Egyptologist guide takes you on a day of sightseeing in Aswan — the island Temple of Isis at Philae and the Aswan High Dam, with time to browse the Aswan bazaar. In the afternoon you board your dahabiya and enjoy lunch on deck as the boat sets sail for Kom Ombo, mooring there for the night.
- 2
Breakfast at leisure, then visit the Greco-Roman temple at Kom Ombo — a perfectly symmetrical double temple with matching halls and sanctuaries dedicated to the falcon god Haroeris and the crocodile god Sobek. Sail on to the quieter temple at Gebel el-Silsila, mooring alongside the rock-cut Speos of Horemheb; dinner is served in the temple grounds or on the sun deck, weather and mood allowing.
- 3
After breakfast, visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu by horse-drawn caleche — one of Egypt's largest and best-preserved monuments, its entrance flanked by two granite falcon statues — then explore the bazaar for spices, souvenirs and perfume.
The dahabiya moors at a quiet island for a themed Egyptian evening: dinner by the riverbank or on the sun deck, Arabic music, and the option to dress in a gallabeya for the occasion, before sailing on gently towards Esna overnight.
- 4
After breakfast, disembark at Esna and drive to Luxor for a sightseeing day — the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon and Karnak Temple — before your transfer to Luxor airport or train station for departure.
Add before or after your cruise
The ship sails between Luxor and Aswan. The Pyramids, and most flights home, are in Cairo. These short add-ons join the two.
After you dock
Aswan to Cairo flight and one hotel night
Two nights in Cairo with a day in Alexandria
3-Day Egypt Short Break: Cairo & Luxor
3-Day Cairo & Alexandria Tour
3-Day Luxor Tour from Marsa Alam
3-Day Cairo Tour from Sharm El Sheikh- 3-Day Luxor & Cairo Tour from Hurghada
2-Day Luxor to Cairo Post-Cruise Stay
3-Day Luxor to Cairo Post-Cruise Tour with Alexandria
Compare
Similar ships to compare
Ships of the same class with the closest prices. Prices are per person, sharing a double cabin, October to April.
- Amoura Dahabiya Nile Cruise
5-Star Standard dahabiya
Embarks Mon from Esna / Fri from Aswan
From $1,291 per person
- Akhnaton Dahabiya Nile Cruise
5-Star Standard dahabiya
Embarks Mon from Esna / Fri from Aswan
From $1,314 per person
- Three Pyramids Dahabiya
5-Star Standard dahabiya
Embarks Mon from Esna / Fri from Aswan
From $1,346 per person
The route
Esna and Aswan
- EdfuThe Temple of Horus
- Kom OmboThe Temple of Sobek
Choose your direction
- Esna → Aswan4 nightsupstream, against the current
- Aswan → Esna3 nightsdownstream, with the current
Snapshot
Good to know
- Destinations
- Esna · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan
- Guide languages
- Arabic · English · French · German · Italian · Spanish
Before you go
What to pack & wear
What to bring
- Valid passport and a photocopy stored separately
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sun protection: hat, sunglasses, SPF30+ sunscreen
- Lightweight layers for hot afternoons and cooler evenings
- Small daypack for site visits and water bottle
- Motion-sickness medication if you are sensitive
- Flashlight or headlamp for low-light tomb interiors
What to wear
- Lightweight, breathable clothing for daytime
- Long sleeves and long trousers or skirts for temple visits
- Shoulders covered when visiting mosques or conservative villages
- Sturdy closed shoes for uneven temple floors and quays
- A light sweater or fleece for early-morning and evening breezes
Children & families
Children aged 0 to 5.99 years travel free; children 6 to 11.99 years pay 50% of the adult fare; children 12 years and older pay the full adult price. Children must share a cabin with their parents, with a maximum of one child per cabin. Two or more children require a separate cabin. Strollers are practical for streets and hotel lobbies but not for temple approaches or narrow quays; most shore landings require parents to carry infants and pushchairs up short gangplanks. Please tell us the ages of any children at booking so we can confirm cabin bedding and safety arrangements.
Accessibility
Who can join this
The Queen Nefeer dahabiya route involves walking on uneven ancient stone, loose gravel, compacted sand and short gangplanks when boarding and disembarking. Many temple sites visited have steps, narrow doorways and uneven floors, for example at El Kab and Gebel Silsila; expect stair climbs and low lighting in some tombs. The vessel itself has narrow corridors and cabins that may have one or two steps between deck levels. Transfers use standard minibuses with one or two steps to board. Wheelchair users require a foldable lightweight chair and an able companion to assist at shore landings and site entrances, as there are no guaranteed ramps or lifts at the small quays and most tombs. If you use a mobility aid, tell us at booking so we can advise on feasibility and arrange the least-steps transfer where possible. Our Egyptologists and crew will assist when safe to do so, but we cannot promise full accessibility at all archaeological sites or fixed ramps at historic quays.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
This dahabiya itinerary uses wind-assisted sailing and quiet diesel for short manoeuvres, which reduces fuel consumption compared with continuous-engine Nile cruisers. We book small, locally owned dahabiyas that carry 8 to 12 cabins, and we prioritise crews and chefs hired from the nearby river communities in Luxor and Aswan. Shore excursions visit smaller sites such as El Kab, Gebel Silsila and Hagar Salsala quarry, where entrance fees support site conservation and local guides; we ask guests to follow site rules and avoid touching fragile surfaces. Onboard waste is segregated where practical, and single-use plastics are minimised; fresh food is prepared by the onboard chef using regional produce purchased in the towns visited. If you have specific sustainability preferences, tell us at booking so we can pass them to the supplier and suggest low-impact options ashore.
Licensed Egyptologist guides
State-licensed, and people we have worked with for years
Fair wages on the ground
Drivers + guides paid above market
Site preservation
We follow the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' site rules: marked paths, no touching reliefs
Local teams, real help
Our own offices in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh
If plans change
Cancellation and refunds
If you cancel, your refund depends on how early you tell us and on the type of trip. Read our current cancellation and refund policy
Last updated Product ID: CRU-NIL-283190
At a glance
- Length
- 3 or 4 nights
- Embarks
- Mon in Esna · Fri in Aswan
- Board
- Full Board
- Class
- 5-Star Standard
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