Dahabiya Sailing Trip: Esna to Aswan

Overview

A dahabiya is the old way to see the Nile: a traditional sailing boat with great white sails, a handful of cabins and a crew who know every bend in the river. There is no engine hum and no crowds, only the wind, the water and the slow turning of the landscape, as if you had stepped into a nineteenth-century travel diary.

This five-day trip sails south from Esna to Aswan, with a licensed Egyptologist, a private crew and a chef who prepares meals on board. You visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu, walk the ancient sandstone quarries of Gebel Silsila, stop at the double temple of Kom Ombo and sail into Aswan, with time between visits to swim, read on deck and watch the river life pass.

The pace is the main luxury. You wake to the sound of water, sail in the morning breeze, moor at quiet banks in the afternoon and eat dinner under the stars. It is ideal for couples, small groups and anyone who wants a quieter, more intimate way to experience the river.

If you are looking for a Dahabiya Nile sailing trip, this five-day voyage is a rare and beautiful choice. EgyptLens arranges four nights on a dahabiya on full board, the crew and chef, the guide, the entrance fees and the transfers.