Dahabiyyas − even more comfort and for bigger
groups
Nile Cruises
– (big Ships )
Feluccas
Feluccas have been sailing the Nile for centuries and provide a way of experiencing a cruise on the Nile
under sail at minimal cost. We provide reliable
experienced captains and crew with years of
experience who will take you along the Nile
observing wildlife, visiting pharaonic sites and letting your stress
and worries drift away on the current. Toilet
facilities are of the wild camping variety but
beds and meals are provided.
Sandals
The Sandal is much larger, with the comforts of home
for more mature travelers who want a proper bed
and above all onboard toilets and showers but
who do not want to lose the sailing experience. The Sandal has also been sailing on the Nile for a long time but recently
some of these working boats have been converted
into spacious and attractive holiday cruisers.
There are many different sizes depending on the
conversion; the largest has berths for 8 persons
in 4 double cabins with 2 bathrooms and plenty
of storage. The attentive crew make you feel
like a Pharaoh with 3 meals a day, snacks and
drinks. Suitable for that special romantic
honeymoon or for a small group.
Dahabia Nile Cruise
The "Dahabia Nile Cruise";
exploring the beautiful Wonders of Ancient Egypt by a
traditional Egyptian Boat is a magical experience.
Escape to the pleasures of relaxing under the sun, Visit
the Temples of the Pharaohs, good food and magnificent
scenery. The daily experience of sailing to a new
adventure on the Nile waters and enjoying the blue sky
and green Valley is rewarding and satisfying.
This is a holiday to remember!
Comfortable accommodation and
good meals are standard features on our
Dahabia Nile
cruises, designed along the traditional lines of Old
Egyptian sailing boats.
The opportunity to combine
sun, fun, history and the hikes on land is best
experienced on dahabia. You can either
relax in your bathing suit all day long, enjoy the good
food and the sun or you can experience more exciting
activities like visiting the tomb of King Tut or the
local shopping markets.
Visit historic sites:
Ancient cities such as Luxor,
Esna, Edfu,
Kom Ombo and Aswan are yours to explore.
Your Dahabia will be sailing through the
antique regions on the Nile. Every day a new town, a new
world to be explored. Endless natural beauty and history
enjoyed while cruising under the Egypt sun.
What is a Dahabi?
Traditional
Egyptian Sailing yachts are called "Dahabia". A Dahabia
is a metal sailing yacht built for cruising the Nile.
These Boats are built to center life on deck during the
charter. A spacious deck and a good size dining and
lounging area and a comfortable cabin size are their
main features. Accommodations from 1 to 8 persons in
separate Triple or double cabins, Each with private
Toilet/shower is available Life on Board.
You could lounge on the deck
sunbathing, sipping your drink, read your favorite novel
or explore the natural beauty of Egypt as you sail. Land
trips to ancient ruins are included. Mealtimes are
another form of entertainment with all that local
Egyptian cuisine and wonderful conversation. Having a
meal under the stars on the River Nile, it's waters
gently touching the sides of the boat is an experience
not to be missed. For those who prefer a different view
each day and are prepared for a different and unique
cruise in Egypt, a holiday on our Dahabia Nile Cruise is
the perfect solution.
What to Bring?
You need casual
wear only; comfortable foot wear, swimming suit for the
night you spend in the hotel in Luxor as most hotels
have a swimming pool, a sun hat, some t-shirts and
shorts, a sweater for cool evenings and for excursions
and blue jeans. Instead of one large suitcase, we
recommend that you take two small soft bags as they are
more convenient to store in your cabin. Towels, soap
and shampoo are available on board.
Your Crew
Crew usually consists of a
Tour Guide, captain, one sailor, cook and a house
keeper. On the larger Dahabia a sixth crew member will
be at your service. They are very friendly and ready to
help you for a relaxed atmosphere but at the same time
extremely professional, familiar with the Nile river and
the Dahabia inside out. The Tour guide is your source of
information on the local history and surroundings, being
able to advise the best places to visit and shop etc.
Also you can get some tips from the cook on local
cuisine. At night The tour guide is the only crew
member who sleeps on board in his private cabin and
private bathroom. The rest of the crew sleep on a
different boats you might expect , special attention is
given to cuisine while sailing & cruising. Our
dahabia
is the only Nile Cruise that allows you a mix of meals
that are served in : Local Restaurant, Luxury Hotels and
barbecue on some of the islands in the middle of the
Nile, and guarantee a memorable dining experience every
day.
Now, we have re-created the
grand era of
Nile adventure. Through their special
contacts, we have arranged cruises on private Nile
vessels. Completely refitted, our craft will delight the
discriminating traveler, with full amenities, and modern
conveniences and safety features unimaginable by
upper-crust visitors of old or even the ancient pharaohs.
Our private Nile cruisers are
at your disposal to accommodate couples, honeymooners,
families, and small groups, affording the unique
experience of navigating the ancient river on your own.Our
dahabia is a lateen-rigged
Nile sailing vessel, 62 feet long by 24-1/2 feet wide,
with sleeping accommodations for one to seven people.
You may only get to cruise the
Nile once. Make it the voyage of a lifetime aboard
.
Our guests, receive special
attention as we will provide you with a private
Egyptologist to answer any questions you may have about
the wonders around you.
Please note that this is our set cruise program, but
Tailor-made programs can be arranged. We will be happy
to assist you with your Pre- or Post- travel plans,
transfers, Extra tours, etc...
Itinerary
Day 1
Welcome Onboard your private
sailing vessel. Meet The Captain and the crew, enjoy
your welcome drink and Walk With your private
Egyptologist / Tour Guide through the Markets of
Esna to visit the magnificent temple of Khnom.
Go Back to the Boat and enjoy your lunch as your Captain
and crew set sail toward Edfu.
At sunset You will dock north
of Edfu.
Dinner and Overnight.
Day 2 At sunrise the captain will start sailing to
Edfu. You are expected to arrive to Edfu about
11:00AM. When arriving at Edfu, Your Private horse
drawn carriage will take you from the boat to Visit the
Legendary Temple of Horus, the best preserved in Egypt.
After visiting the Temple, Explore the city of Edfu and
then drive back to your boat.
Start sailing and enjoy the great scenery of the local
villages.
Overnight at Elmerinat.
Day 3
Morning Sail to Beautiful Gabal Elsisilah. Arrive
about 1:00 PM, then visit the ancient sandstone
quarries, a beautiful off the beaten track site.
Sail to Fares for an over
night. Enjoy watching the stars and the clear sky.
Day 4
Start Sailing From Fares to Kom Ombo.
Visit a Masterpiece of the
Greco-Roman art in Egypt, the twin Temples of Horus the
falcon God and Sobek the crocodile God. See the
Ancient carvings of the medical instruments, the
mummified crocodile and the preserved Nilometer.
Enjoy Shopping for Egyptian cotton Gallabeyas and
T-shirts in the tourist market of Kom Ombo.
Sail to Baklaweez where we
will dock for the night.
Day 5 We will sail from Baklaweez to Aswan.
Arrive Aswan at sunset. Enjoy your Farewell Dinner
and Local Dance with your Captain and crew.
Overnight at Aswan.
Day 6 Disembarkation after Breakfast.
Today is your free Day to
explore the Modern city and ancient monuments of Aswan
Included in Your Cruise
The service
of Boat Captain and his crew ( Sailor,Chief,House
keeper)- The Service of a private Egyptologist Tour
Guide.The service of a towing motor Boat and its Two
crew members accompany your boat in case of emergency or
lack of Wind.
Full board accommodation ( Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner) Your first Day start by lunch
and the last day ends By Breakfast, Guided tours to Esna,Edfu,Gabal Elsilsilah and kom Ombo. Horse drawn carriage ride
in Edfu. Fuel, docking fees. All Taxes.
This Rate Excludes:
- Any Transfers
or tours not mentioned in our itinerary.
- Beverage and
any personal items
- Tipping of
Tour guides, Reps., Crew
Egypt
Nile River Cruises
General
information about the Nile Cruise
A Luxury Nile Cruise boat is a highly appointed,
floating, 5-star hotel, with most of the
facilities of a normal 5-star hotel, including a
relaxing sun deck and swimming pool. All your
meals are included, though beverages and bottled
water are not included. You will have your own
en-suite, air-conditioned cabin (we book upper
deck cabins wherever possible), and full use of
all the boats facilities (restaurants, ships,
sun deck, swimming pool, etc)
We use several different cruise boats on the
Nile, and we will inform you exactly which
boat we will use enough time before your
departure, as the boats shuttle back and
forth on the Nile between Aswan and Luxor,
with regular breaks for cleaning and
maintenance. However, we regularly inspect
to ensure they are of the same 5-star deluxe
standard.
Life on
boardAll of the boats
offer comfortable accommodation and have
mainly twin bedded cabins all of which are
air-conditioned and have private facilities.
All of the cabins have panoramic windows
affording views of the passing river bank.
all the boats have the added benefit of a
fridge, internal telephone and TV with local
and video channels. Suites are also
available if you want to have that little
bit of extra comfort. These cabins are
larger than standard berths and have a
double or twin beds and are equipped with
en-suite facilities, internal telephone,
fridge and TV local channel.
One of the pleasures of cruising is the food
and your Nile cruise operates on a full
board basis with buffet breakfast followed
by lunch and dinner which can either be a
set menu or buffet style. The only
additional expenses are drinks, tips,
souvenirs and optional excursions available
on board. A credit system operates on board
the boat whereby all extras will be billed
to your cabin. There is limited money
exchanging facilities on board, so it is
advisable to ensure that you have enough
local currency although your guide will
allow time for a bank stop during your
cruise.
The lounge bar is the perfect place to relax
on comfortable sofas and enjoy a cocktail
before dinner and entertainment in the
evenings.
On the sundeck you will find a plunge pool
with sun beds and towels, there are also
chairs and tables in a shaded area where you
can relax. The reception area has safety
deposit boxes and there's even shop on board
where you can buy souvenirs andessentials.
Food &
Dining: Accommodation aboard
the cruise boats is on full board basis. All
meals are included and are in an open buffet
style, some days there are many varieties,
depending of the type and quality of the
cruise boat; these meals are served with a
fixed timetable.
Tea and coffee is available, while on the
move, every day at 5:00 pm. Other drinks are
offered in the bar area.
A tempting selection of international and
Egyptian cuisine is served in the on board
restaurant. Breakfast is buffet style, with
a choice of fruit juices, tea and coffee,
cereal, rolls and breads, cheese and cold
meats, pastries, boiled eggs or omelette.
Lunch and dinner are taken in one sitting
often buffet style with a wide selection of
starters including salads and delicious
soups with fresh rolls and breads. A number
of main course choices are available -
chicken, beef and fish dishes, fresh
vegetables, pasta and rice. For dessert take
your pick from superb pastries and creamy
puddings whilst a healthy option of fresh
fruit is usually available if you prefer. To
accompany your meal, choose from a range of
soft drinks, beer, wine or bottled water.
Remember, you just sign for them as you go
along and pay at the end of your cruise.
Afternoon tea and cake is usually served on
the sundeck when the boat is sailing
"Drinks are extras"
Entertainment
Discotheque, Belly
Dance Show, Captain's Welcome Cocktail
Party, fancy Galabia Party and Nubian
Folkloric Show
Every day there is a full entertainment
program, which differs from one boat to the
other.
Aswan and Luxor Nile cruise schedules:
Cruise
SAT
SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
3
Nights Cruises Aswan / Luxor
√
√
√
4
Nights Cruises Aswan / Luxor
√
4
Nights Cruises Luxor / Aswan
√
√
√
Three nights cruise - usually
departs from Aswan to luxor .
the cruise includes the following
visits :
Aswan : the high Dam, the unfinished obelisk and
the temple of philae.
Kom ombo : visit the temple of Kom
ombo.
Edfu : visit the temple of Edfu.
Esna : visit the Esna temple.
Luxor : visit the west bank in Luxor to see ,
the valley of the kings, the valley of the Queens , and the
temple of Queen Hatshepsut
This is a short cruise , good
for those who want to get just the cruise experience.
please Note : it is very important to have a
tourist guide onbard during your cruise visits.
program 3 paehsay
2- four nights cruise -
usually departs from Luxor to Aswan the cruise includes the following
visits :
Luxor : visit the west bank to see , the
valley of the kings , the valley of the queens ,
and the temple of Queen Hatshepsut.
Then visit the east bank to see, the temple of Luxor
and the temple of Karnak.
Esna : visit the Esna Temple.
Edfu : visit the Temple of Edfu.
Kom Ombo : visit the temple of Kom Ombo.
Aswan : visit the High Dam , the unfinished
Obelisk and the Temple of
philae.
Felucca boat outing to visit the Botanical
Island, a trip to a Nubian village ( options ).
visit to Elephantine Island and the Tombs of
the Nobles (optional ).
This is a Medium range type cruise, good for those who want more
of the cruise experience.
3- Seven nights cruise - Either Luxor to Aswan
or Aswan to luxor.
this scheme basically includes all the visits
mentioned above, but divided over 7 nights, which gives you
2 free nights to relax. It is very
good choice for those who seek full relaxation.
How to pay
your Extras:
All extras such as
drink, laundry, and telephones bills, should
be settled on the last day of your cruise at
check out time. Payment can be made with
credit cards, traveller’s cheque, or cash.
Make sure you have enough cash, just in case
your card is not working properly.
Please
note: Many cruise boats do not accept
personal cheques or money orders!
Tipping:
Don’t forget to
leave tips for the cruise staff, not less
than $3 PER PERSON PER DAY!
These tips should be given to the boat,
place them in a an envelope and hand it to
the reception. After all the groups have
checked out, the cruise manager, together
with the accountant and the reception, will
open all the envelopes and distribute the
money to all of the crew. This way each
person will get his fair share.
Please Note: this does not include tips to
your Tour Guide, this is separate, and it is
entirely up to you to decide the size of tip
that you will give to him/her.
Check-In/Out:
Check-in 12:00 p.m.
Check-out 08:00 a.m.
Health and
Safety onboard cruise ships:
All Nile cruise
boats are equipped with safety features and
life jackets are normally placed under your
cabin bed.
During the daytime, while enjoying the
tours, you can wear whatever you like,
though due to the extreme heat it is
recommended you wear lightweight clothes.
While relaxing on board you may wear shorts
and swimming costumes, if you wish. But
beware of too much exposure to the sun!
Apply plenty of high factor sun block!
You should avoid
drinking large amounts of alcohol
especially if you have equilibrium
problems. You are not just putting
yourself at peril, but also the other
guests and staff too.
People with
equilibrium problems should not spend
too much time on deck at night, on a
fast moving ship; it is dangerous in
case you fall over.
Smoking in bed is
dangerous; the mattresses are very
flammable!
People who tend
to sleep walk should never take a cabin
with a balcony, an inside cabin with a
window would be far safer.
Make sure that
you know where the muster stations are,
in case you have to abandon ship.
If you get sick
whilst on board, some cruise boats have
a resident doctor on board. If not, they
have doctors assigned in each town that
can be called on in case of emergency.
Useful
tips:
For practical
reasons on the Nile, the
cruise may be subject to
slight alterations at
short notice while you
are in Egypt.
Most sailing is
done during the day, but
during some periods some
sailing may be required
after dark
At busy periods
the boat may be required
to wait for a short time
to get through the lock
on the Nile at Esna
When moored,
several cruise boats may
be required to moor
alongside each other.
This can restrict views
and require clients to
cross several boats to
reach the shore.
Assistance will be
provided if required.
Esna lock is
closing for annual
maintenance twice per
year first time from
01st. June until 15th,
June, second time from
01st, December until
15th December, therefore
all the Nile Cruise stop
behind the lock and use
a car to transfer you
from Esna to Luxor to
make the sightseeing in
Luxor
When first
checking in on the
cruise boat, it is
advisable to leave your
valuables in a safety
deposit box. This will
be available either in
the reception, or a
private safe in your
cabin.
If you wish to
buy any items from the
shops on board, the
opportunity for shopping
is generally limited due
to the small size of
these shops. But on the
other hand you will get
plenty of time to check
what you are buying, and
haggle over the price!
To call home,
most of the cruise boats
offer telephone
facilities on board, but
the quality is not as
good as onshore.
I would recommend
visiting a bank, to
change your money,
before cruising, as most
of the cruise boats do
not offer this facility
and you will not get
access to onshore banks
while you are cruising.
Lake Nasser Nile Cruises "Abu Simbel Nile Cruise"
Lake
Nasser
Since prehistoric
times, the Nile River
provided the main trade
route between the
Mediterranean and Africa,
with Nubia the point of
contact between the two
worlds. For Pharaonic,
Greek, Roman, Byzantine and
Arab civilizations, Nubia
was a valued province and
the corridor to Africa, the
home of diverse cultures and
political powers over
thousands of years.
In the last century this
region has witnessed two of
the greatest engineering
feats in modern history; the
construction of the Aswan
High Dam with the consequent
creation of Lake Nasser, and
the UNESCO project which
saved the historical sites
of Nubia threatened with
permanent submersion beneath
the waters of the Lake.
The total volume of the dam
itself has been calculated
at 17 times that of the
Great Pyramid, and to build
it 30,000 men worked round
the clock for 10 years. The
resulting reservoir extends
500 kilometers, some 380 of
which lie in Egypt, with an
average width of 10
kilometers.
When the decision was made
in 1954 to build the dam,
the evacuation of the Nubian
community of over 100,000
people became an imminent
reality. Meanwhile, urgent
attention was required to
safe-guard the Nubian
monuments. In 1960,
UNESCO
responded to appeals for
assistance by launching the
Nubian Campaign, an
enterprise that involved the
resources of some 54 nations
over a 20-year period. The
degree of ingenuity required
to save the temples was a
fitting tribute to the
creative genius that
accomplished their original
construction. It was the
first time in history that
so many countries,
individuals and disciplines
united in an undertaking
dedicated to the idea of a
common cultural heritage and
the universality of art.
Although the Nubian Campaign
was officially completed in
1980, the Lake and its
monuments remained isolated
from tourism for over a
decade. Thanks to the
efforts of Mostafa and Tarek
el-Gendy, the owners and
operators of the Eugenie and
Kasr Ibrim, the immense lake
and the temples on its banks
were made accessible to
travelers as of 1993. Lake
Nasser's coasts are
currently uninhabited, but
it is the el-Gendy brothers'
dream that this wealth of
fresh water and land will
once more host thriving
communities, as it has
throughout the ages.
Points of
Interest:
Kalabsha Temple:
Built by the Roman emperor Augustus and dedicated to the Nubian version
of the god Horus (protector and guider of souls through the underworld)
known as Mandoulis.
Beit El
Wali: Rock-cut temple dedicated to the god Amun-Re (known as 'the
pilot who knows the water'),
smallest of its type, built
by Ramses II (19th dynasty).
Kiosk of
Kertassi: erected in honor of Isis (goddess of motherhood, magic and
healing) with two splendid
Hathoric columns.
Wadi el Seboua
(Valley of the Lionesses): Named for the avenue of
sphinxes which led to the rock temple built by Ramses II and dedicated
to the god Amun. Was later used as a church.
Temple of Dakka;
Meriotic and Ptolemaic temple reconstructed on the site of an earlier
temple dedicated to Thoth (god of wisdom and science) built by Amenophis
II.
Temple of Meharakka:
Late Ptolemaic period temple to Serapis (a composite of Osiris, the Apis
bull and various Greek deities)
Amada: Sandstone temple of Amun-Re and Re-Harakhte
(god of the morning sun, a combination of Ra and Horus) built by
Thutmose III and Amenhotep II, with a pillared court added by Thutmose
IV.
Derr: Rock cut temple dedicated to Re-Harakhte, Ramses II, Amun-Re
and Ptah (god of creation
and patron of artists and
artisans).
Tomb of Penout: Rock-cut tomb
of the viceroy of Nubia under Ramses VI, the only extant one of its
kind.
Kasr Ibrim:
The only monument on Lake Nasser that still exists
in its original location. Before the creation of the lake this fort
stood atop a high bluff overlooking the valley, a strategic site since
ancient times. The fort may date to the Middle Kingdom and it has been
rebuilt and used in a variety of ways over time, including as a church
and mosque.
Abu Simbel: The
temple of Ramses II and his wife Nefertari, Abu Simbel also represents
of the triumph of UNESCO's Campaign to salvage the temples, without
which these monuments would have been forever lost beneath the Nile
waters.
Aswan : the high Dam, the unfinished obelisk and
the temple of philae.