THE NILE BY DAHABIYA

Day 1 Arrive Luxor

Arrive in Luxor, the heart of Egypt's dramatic history and home to the legendary Valley of the Kings. Here you'll stay in the colourful and effortlessly chic Beit Sabée Guesthouse, found on the West Bank of Luxor, delivering magnificent views of the desert and the magical Medinet Habu from the comfort of your rooftop.

This afternoon, take a walk along the Grand Avenue of the Sphinxes, which reopened in November 2021 following a decades long restoration. The 1.7 mile route is flanked by 1200 sphinxes and connects the temples of Karnak and Luxor. The avenue was created during the reign of Hatshepsut and was the scene of festivals celebrating the annual inundation of the Nile. The avenue was abandoned and was buried under modern day Luxor until its discovery in the 1940s since when it has undergone gradual restoration.

Overnight: Beit Sabée Guesthouse

Day 2 Luxor

Spend a full day in Luxor exploring the fascinating Valley of the Kings, discovering the ancient tombs of the New Kingdom pharaohs and marvelling at the symbolic carvings and paintings adorning the walls and ceilings. In Luxor, you’ll also find the sprawling temple complex of Karnak, Egypt’s most important Pharaonic site after the pyramids of Giza. At the heart of Karnak you’ll discover the Temple of Amun, dedicated to the king of the gods, with a vast mix of temples and pylons and the huge sacred lake. Located on the West Bank, and not far from your hotel, are the imposing Colossi of Memnon soaring 18m into the sky and thought to have been the largest ever built in Egypt. 

Overnight: Beit Sabée Guesthouse

Day 3 Luxor - Esna

This morning you will be transferred to Esna, the sleepy farming town best known for the Temple of Khnum, to board the beautiful dahabiya, Nour el Nil Assouan, for a five-night cruise along the Nile River. This chic vessel offers superb levels of comfort, service and cuisine, allowing the opportunity to sail along this iconic river in glorious style. 

Overnight: Nour el Nil Assouan

Day 4 El Kab – Edfu

Following your first night aboard the boat, you’ll start your second day in El Kab, previously the capital of Upper Egypt and ruled by goddess Nekhbet, to whom a temple is dedicated. In El Kab you’ll disembark, on your way to explore the necropolis, a collection of several rock cut tombs carved into the hill-side. In the afternoon, dock at Edfu where, according to ancient myth, the falcon god Horus fought a fierce battle. A horse and carriage will be waiting to carry you to the Greco-Roman Temple of Horus.  

Overnight: Nour el Nil Assouan

Day 5 Edfu - Gebel Silsila

A river journey along the Nile wouldn’t be complete without a day dedicated to the river. Following a delicious breakfast on board, set sail for an island where you’ll have the opportunity to explore and enjoy a swim. Following a busy day of activities, as dusk begins to fall, you’ll adventure into the desert to discover a valley lined with boulders and inscribed with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, which mark the beginning of the shortest trail through the desert to Libya. To bring your day to a close, the boat will moor up at the foot of the floodlit Temple of Gebel Silsileh. 

Overnight: Nour el Nil Assouan

Day 6 Gebel Silsila - Kom Ombo

Gebel Silsileh is the name given to a rocky gorge between Kom Ombo and Edfu where the River Nile narrows and marks the point where the bedrock changes from limestone to sandstone. For this reason, the region was quarried by the pharaohs to build their monuments and temples. Here, the river is at its narrowest meaning that larger vessels can’t dock, allowing you to visit a fascinating site that many visitors cannot reach. You’ll visit the temple of the last king of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt, Horemheb, and enjoy tea and shisha before setting sail again. 

Overnight: Nour el Nil Assouan

Day 7 Kom Ombo – Aswan

Start your last full day on the boat in Kom Ombo, an agricultural town surrounded by fields of sugar cane and corn. The town’s ruined yet imposing Greco-Roman temple, built in a beautiful location overlooking the Nile, is uniquely dedicated to two gods - Haroeris and Sobek, the crocodile-headed god. To pay homage to Sobek, visit the Crocodile Museum, showcasing an interesting collection of mummified crocodiles and ancient carvings.

Overnight: Nour el Nil Assouan

Day 8 Arrive Aswan - Depart

Awake in Aswan, where you disembark Nour el Nil Assouan feeling relaxed and refreshed. From Aswan you can either make an extension to your trip to visit the breath-taking temples of Abu Simbel, spend a night or two in the iconic Old Cataract Hotel Aswan, head north to bustling Cairo to see the pyramids at Giza or simply fly home to draw a close to your ancient Egyptian adventure.