A dahabiya is a traditional two-masted sailing boat. Modern ones carry roughly eight to twelve cabins instead of the hundred-plus berths of a standard cruise ship, which changes the trip completely: the boat is small enough to moor at village banks and sandbanks, and quiet enough that you hear the water rather than an engine.
The route
Dahabiyas normally sail between Esna and Aswan, taking longer than a motor cruiser because they use the wind. A typical run includes:
- Esna — the temple of Khnum, sunk below the level of the modern town.
- El Kab — rock tombs and a desert temple most itineraries never reach.
- Edfu — the Temple of Horus, the best-preserved temple in Egypt.
- Gebel el-Silsila — the sandstone quarries that supplied most of the great temples, with shrines cut into the cliff face.
- Kom Ombo — the double temple of Sobek and Haroeris.
- Aswan — Philae, the Nubian villages and the botanical island.
Who it suits
A dahabiya suits travellers who would rather have a slow boat and a small group than a swimming pool and a nightly show. Because each boat has so few cabins, families and small groups often charter the whole vessel. Sailing depends on the wind, so the schedule stays flexible.
Send us your dates and party size and we will come back with the boat options and the price.
