Nile Cruise Cleopatra Style
Nile Cruise on a luxury, classic dahabiya - 5 nights / 6 days
Built from the ground up by Memdouh, a sailor with over 30 years of experience sailing the Nile, the dahabiya fleet provides a unique blend of authentic architecture and modern luxury. In addition to the Meroe, each dahabiya has its own character and atmosphere, but they all have comparable levels of comfort and luxury, thanks to the impeccable taste of the owner and interior designer. Of all the different type of boats on the Nile, this is the longest sailing time between Luxor and Aswan, which allows you more time to experience unique insights into both ancient and modern Egypt outside the large cities.
DAY 1: ESNA
Esna, located some 33 miles south of Luxor, is where you will board your dahabiya and meet the crew. A thriving merchant town, Esna is best known for the small ancient Temple of Khnum, which sits 9 meters below street level. Your trip will begin with a brief walk to the temple and a stroll through streets filled with beautiful textiles and other exotic goods.
DAY 2: EL KAB & EDFU
El Kab, on the East bank of the Nile, was once the capital of Upper Egypt and is still home to the temple of Nekhbet, as well as a row of fascinating decorated tombs carved into the slope of the mountains. Upon docking, you will embark on a beautiful walk through a small fishermen village to visit the necropolis.
In the afternoon, the boat will arrive at Edfu, home to the Greco-Roman temple dedicated to the god Horus. This is among the best preserved of all Egyptian temples. Horse and carriage will take you to the temple through the busy city streets. After returning to the boat, you will set sail for a beautiful island.
DAY 3: SAIL & SWIM
This is a day devoted to the river: immediately after an optional morning walk and breakfast, you will set sail. In the afternoon, you will stop at an island for a stroll or to swim in the Nile. As dusk begins, there may be an opportunity to walk into the desert along a valley lined with boulders covered in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and stone-age inscriptions. These images mark the beginning of the shortest trail through the desert to Libya (28 days in ancient times). At night, the boat will tie up the foot of floodlit temple of Gebel Silsileh.
DAY 4: GEBEL SILSILEH
Here, the Nile, flowing between two mountains ranges, is at its narrowest. You will usually be the only visitors at this fascinating site, as large Nile cruisers are not allowed to stop here. After visiting the small temple of Horemheb and walking through the sandstone quarries, where ancient Egyptians cut stone for many of their most famous temples, you will visit a picturesque café to enjoy tea and shisha (waterpipe). You will then sail to a picturesque riverbank where you will stop for lunch and swimming.
DAY 5: KOM OMBO
After a night on the water and beneath the stars, the morning trip will take you to the town and temple of Kom Ombo. The temple was built during the Ptolemaic period on the site of an older temple and at one of the most beautiful locations, on a bend on the river. The temple was dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile-headed god. After enjoying the temple, you will visit the new Crocodile Museum, which contains many mummified crocodiles, attesting to the importance the creature played in this region in ancient times.
DAY 6: ASWAN
Awake to the beautiful sight of the desert closing in on the river at Aswan Bridge. Here your cruise comes to an end. You will leave us relaxed and refreshed in the morning.
* Please inquire for dates + rates as well as full private Egypt customized itineraries to include Cairo and the Red Sea!
