Best Dahabiya Nile Cruises Between Luxor and Aswan
A Dahabiya Nile cruise is the most private way to travel between Luxor and Aswan. A Dahabiya (also spelled Dahabeya or Dahabiyya) is a traditional Nile sailing boat with only a handful of cabins, so the journey feels nothing like a classic Luxor Aswan Nile cruise. The pace is slower, the moorings are quieter, and the stops include villages and islands that larger ships cannot reach. Every sailing comes with your own Egyptologist guide, full board and all entrance fees.
WOW Egypt Tours offers twelve Dahabiyas, six Luxury and six High Luxury, on two routes. The five-day, four-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan departs every Monday and Saturday. The four-day, three-night cruise from Aswan to Luxor departs every Wednesday and Friday. Prices start from $1,559 per person, and families and groups can charter a whole boat. The WOW Team is on hand 24/7 before, during and after your trip.
What Is a Dahabiya?
The Dahabiya is a two-masted Egyptian sailing boat that has carried travelers along the Nile since the 19th century, when it was the vessel of choice for royalty, explorers and early Egyptologists. Its name comes from the Arabic word for gold, a nod to the gilded barges once used by Egypt's rulers.
Today's Dahabiyas keep that sailing heritage and add five-star comfort: private cabins and suites with en-suite bathrooms, a shaded sun deck, a dining salon and an attentive crew. With so few guests on board, the boat glides quietly and moors at small islands and villages far from the main cruise docks.
Dahabiya Nile Cruise Prices
All prices are per person in a double cabin (twin or king bed) and include taxes. Rates change with the season, with separate prices for summer, winter, Christmas, New Year and Easter.
Luxury Dahabiyas
From $1,559 for the four-day, three-night cruise from Aswan to Luxor, and from $1,782 for the five-day, four-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan. A single cabin starts from $2,573, and a suite from $2,339 per person based on two guests.
High Luxury Dahabiyas
From $1,937 for the four-day cruise and from $2,214 for the five-day cruise. A single cabin starts from $3,197, and a suite from $2,905 per person based on two guests.
Your final price depends on the boat, cabin, travel date and direction. You will find full itineraries and current rates on the Luxor to Aswan and Aswan to Luxor pages. The cruise can also be packaged with flights from Cairo, transfers and sightseeing.
What Is Included
The price you are quoted is the price you pay. Every Dahabiya package includes:
- A private Egyptologist guide for your group throughout the cruise, with no shared guides and no handoffs to site guides.
- A private air-conditioned vehicle and driver for all transfers and overland excursions.
- A private cabin with en-suite bathroom. Double cabins (twin or king bed), single cabins and suites are available, with sizes varying by boat.
- Full board: breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared fresh on board every day.
- All entrance fees for the sites on the standard itinerary, from Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings to Kom Ombo, Philae and the Aswan High Dam.
- Airport, station and hotel transfers, all arranged by the WOW Team. Domestic flights between Cairo, Luxor and Aswan can be added.
The Dahabiya Itinerary
The route combines the great monuments of the Nile River Valley with quiet stretches few visitors ever see. Stops and their order vary by boat and direction, and each boat's day-by-day program shows the details.
Luxor
On the East Bank, you visit Karnak Temple, Egypt's largest temple complex and home to the Great Hypostyle Hall with its 134 columns, and Luxor Temple. On selected Dahabiyas, you also walk the Avenue of Sphinxes, the 2.7 km ceremonial road that links the two. The West Bank brings the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. A sunrise hot air balloon ride and the Karnak Sound and Light Show can be added.
Along the Nile
Between Luxor and Aswan, the Dahabiya passes through the Esna Lock. Every boat visits the Temple of Kom Ombo, the double temple of Sobek and Horus the Elder. Depending on the boat and direction, you may also see the Temple of Horus at Edfu by horse carriage, the El Kab Tombs, the sandstone quarries of Gebel el-Silsila, and riverside villages such as Besaw, Badr and Maniha.
Evenings are spent moored at quiet islands such as El Hegz, Herdiab, Besaw, Al Ramady, Sheikh Fadl, Maniha and Fawaza. There is time to walk the riverbank and, when weather and river conditions allow, to swim or kayak.
Aswan
In Aswan, you visit Philae Temple, the island Temple of Isis that was moved stone by stone to Agilkia Island during the UNESCO rescue campaign of 1972 to 1980, the Unfinished Obelisk in the ancient granite quarries, and the Aswan High Dam. The Philae Sound and Light Show can be added, subject to operation on the day. A trip to Abu Simbel can also be arranged from Aswan by road or by air.
Luxor to Aswan or Aswan to Luxor?
Both directions visit the main temples of Luxor, Kom Ombo and Aswan, so the right choice depends on your plans.
The five-day, four-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan gives you an extra night on the river and a more relaxed pace, and it often adds Edfu, El Kab, Gebel el-Silsila or additional island stops. It finishes in Aswan, which makes it easy to continue to Abu Simbel or on to a Lake Nasser cruise.
The four-day, three-night cruise from Aswan to Luxor is shorter and costs less, which suits travelers arriving from Abu Simbel or those with limited time.
Depending on the boat, you embark or disembark in Aswan, Luxor or Esna, and the private road transfer between Esna and Luxor is included. Tell the WOW Team your flight plans and we will recommend the best direction.
Departure Days and Boats
Cruises from Luxor depart every Monday and Saturday. Cruises from Aswan depart every Wednesday and Friday.
Monday from Luxor and Friday from Aswan
Luxury: Turquoise, Étoile d'Égypte and Akhnaton. High Luxury: Iris, Nayera and Swan.
Saturday from Luxor and Wednesday from Aswan
Luxury: Fatima, Nile Dahabiya and Per Ba Merkaba. High Luxury: Merit, Merit II and Gardenia.
Cruises run year round through 2026, 2027 and 2028. Send the WOW Team your dates and we will confirm availability and hold your cabin.
Luxury or High Luxury?
All twelve boats are five-star sailing vessels with between eight and seventeen cabins and suites each. They follow the same sightseeing programs and include the same private guide, transfers, full board and entrance fees. The difference lies in the accommodation.
Luxury boats offer Nile-view cabins with individually controlled air conditioning, private bathrooms, a sun deck, a lounge and WiFi, with suites and private balconies on selected boats. High Luxury boats add larger and more varied suites, including Royal, Presidential, Panoramic and Junior Suites on selected boats, private balconies with seating areas, modern furnishings and, on some boats, a spa or salt room. Nayera is an all-suite Dahabiya. The WOW Team will suggest the best boat for your dates, group size and budget.
Private Charters for Groups and Families
For larger families and groups, the WOW Team can reserve an entire Dahabiya for your party alone. A private charter gives you full control of the daily schedule, meal times and pace, on any itinerary and in either direction, aboard a Luxury or High Luxury boat. We handle every detail from your first message to the final transfer.
Combine Your Cruise with an Egypt Tour
A Dahabiya cruise fits naturally into a longer trip. Browse Egypt tour packages by duration or by category (family, honeymoon, classic and group), or ask the WOW Team to design your own. Popular additions include:
- Cairo and the Pyramids: the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum and Khan el-Khalili, linked to Luxor or Aswan by a one-hour flight.
- Abu Simbel and Lake Nasser: a day trip or overnight stay at the Abu Simbel Temples, or a full Lake Nasser cruise after the Dahabiya.
- Alexandria: a private tour of the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, the Citadel of Qaitbay and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
- Hurghada and the Red Sea: a beach stay connected to Luxor by a short flight or private road transfer.
- Extra nights in Aswan: Elephantine Island, Kitchener's Island and the Nubian villages.
- Extra nights in Luxor: the Valley of the Queens, the Nobles Tombs, the Ramesseum and Medinet Habu, or a private sunrise balloon ride.
Dahabiya or Classic Nile Cruise?
Both cover many of the same sites and include the same private guide, vehicle, full board and entrance fees. A Dahabiya carries far fewer guests, sails more slowly, moors at quiet islands and villages rather than busy docks, and keeps a more flexible daily rhythm. A classic Luxor Aswan Nile cruise on a larger ship offers more cabin categories (Standard, Deluxe, Ultra Deluxe and Luxury), more on-board facilities and more departures each week. Many travelers choose both. Our guide to the best Dahabiya Nile cruises compares the boats in more detail.
Dahabiya Nile Cruise FAQs
How long is a Dahabiya Nile cruise?
It is either a four-day, three-night cruise or a five-day, four-night cruise, depending on direction. The shorter cruise sails north from Aswan to Luxor every Wednesday and Friday. The longer one sails south from Luxor to Aswan every Monday and Saturday. Both include the main temples of Luxor, Kom Ombo and Aswan, and the five-day cruise allows a more relaxed pace with additional stops.
Which sites do you visit?
Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon, Kom Ombo, Philae Temple, the Unfinished Obelisk and the Aswan High Dam. Edfu, El Kab, Gebel el-Silsila and the island stops depend on the boat and direction you choose.
What is the difference between a Dahabiya and a felucca?
A felucca is a small open sailboat used for rides of a few hours, with no cabins, bathrooms or dining. A Dahabiya is a full cruise vessel with air-conditioned private cabins, en-suite bathrooms, a dining salon, a sun deck and a crew, built for multi-night sailing with a complete sightseeing program.
How much does a Dahabiya cruise cost?
Luxury Dahabiyas start from $1,559 per person for the four-day cruise and $1,782 for the five-day cruise, in a double cabin. High Luxury Dahabiyas start from $1,937 and $2,214. Single cabins start from $2,573 (Luxury) and $3,197 (High Luxury), and suites from $2,339 and $2,905 per person based on two guests. Prices vary by cabin, season and itinerary.
What is included?
A private Egyptologist guide, a private air-conditioned vehicle and driver for all transfers, full board on board, a private en-suite cabin, all entrance fees on the itinerary, bottled water during tours and transfers, and all service charges and taxes. Domestic flights can be added.
Is a Dahabiya cruise worth it?
It costs more per night than a large cruise ship, but it offers something different: a small boat with only a handful of guests, moorings at islands and villages that big ships never reach, and a private guide throughout. It suits travelers who value privacy, quiet and a slower pace.
Is it safe and comfortable?
All of our Dahabiyas are licensed five-star vessels with experienced crews, life jackets on board and safety procedures for every activity. They sail calm stretches of the Nile, so the motion is gentle. Swimming and kayaking stops are arranged only when weather and river conditions allow.
Do the boats have air conditioning, WiFi and private bathrooms?
Cabins have individually controlled air conditioning and private en-suite bathrooms with a shower and hair dryer. The boats offer WiFi, laundry service and a shaded sun deck. Extras such as a jacuzzi, mini bar and TV vary slightly by boat, so ask the WOW Team about the one you are considering.
What is the food like?
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are prepared fresh on board by the Dahabiya chef, mixing Egyptian and international dishes. On some evenings, dinner is served on an island or riverbank. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free meals can be arranged if you request them when booking.
Is it suitable for families and children?
Yes. Children aged 0 to 1.9 travel free, ages 2 to 5.9 pay 25% of the adult price, ages 6 to 11.9 pay 50%, and ages 12 and above pay the full adult price. Child prices apply when sharing a cabin with adults, with a maximum of one child sharing with two adults, or two children sharing with one adult. The sunrise balloon ride is open to children aged 6 and above.
Is it suitable for solo travelers and couples?
Yes. Single cabins are available on both Luxury and High Luxury boats. For couples, a Dahabiya cruise is one of the most popular honeymoon experiences in Egypt, especially in a suite with a private balcony, and the WOW Team can arrange a birthday or anniversary surprise if you ask at booking.
When is the best time to go?
Cruises run year round. From October to April, the temperatures are mild and ideal for sightseeing. From May to September it is very hot in Upper Egypt, but the sites are much quieter. Christmas, New Year and Easter are peak periods, with higher prices and earlier booking needed.
Do I need to book in advance?
Yes. Dahabiyas have few cabins and sail only on set days, and cabins can sell out several weeks ahead in peak season. Book as early as you can to secure your preferred cabin and departure date.
How do I book, and how does payment work?
Send the WOW Team your travel dates, group size and preferred cabin type through the contact page, WhatsApp or email. Once availability is confirmed, a 25% deposit secures your cabin, guide, transfers and sightseeing. You can pay the balance in full or in installments, no later than seven days before the cruise date. Payments are made by international bank wire transfer, and any bank fees are the guest's responsibility. An official invoice is issued for every payment, and cancellation more than 75 days before the cruise date is free.
What should I pack?
Bring your passport, comfortable walking shoes for temple visits, sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, light breathable clothing, a light jacket for river evenings between October and April, swimwear, any personal medication, and some cash for tips and personal expenses. Laundry service is available on board.
Can I add Abu Simbel?
Yes. A private day trip or overnight stay at the Abu Simbel Temples can be added from Aswan by road or by air, or you can continue on a Lake Nasser cruise from Aswan to Abu Simbel. The WOW Team arranges the whole itinerary as one package.
