10 Days of Elegance and Escape: From Cairo to the Secret Banks of the Nile aboard a Luxury Dahabieh

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10 Days of Elegance and Escape: From Cairo to the Secret Banks of the Nile aboard a Luxury Dahabieh
10 Days of Elegance and Escape: From Cairo to the Secret Banks of the Nile aboard a Luxury Dahabieh
10 Days of Elegance and Escape: From Cairo to the Secret Banks of the Nile aboard a Luxury Dahabieh
10 Days of Elegance and Escape: From Cairo to the Secret Banks of the Nile aboard a Luxury Dahabieh
10 Days of Elegance and Escape: From Cairo to the Secret Banks of the Nile aboard a Luxury Dahabieh
Duration
10 Days
9 Nights
Destination
Immersion / Nature / Adventure
Group Size
2-15 People
Category
Dahabiya

The Journey

This ten-day trip invites you to explore Egypt differently, deeply and away from the crowds. It begins with the timeless mysteries of Cairo, before slowly drifting south, where the Nile becomes a guiding thread between ancient temples, authentic villages and wild landscapes.

At the heart of this adventure, you board a luxury dahabieh, the traditional Egyptian sailing vessel steeped in history, which carries you peacefully from Luxor to Aswan in the rhythm of wind and light. This cruise moves away from classic itineraries and embraces the sweetness of suspended time: off-peak visits, near-empty temples, rare moments of silence.

A passionate and enthusiastic French-speaking guide accompanies you throughout the journey, ready to reveal Egypt in all its dimensions - historical, cultural and human. Each stop uncovers places off the beaten track, where time seems to stand still, and genuine encounters with those who live by the rhythm of the Nile.

On board, the cuisine celebrates the freshness of local produce, prepared with care according to simple and generous recipes, shared sometimes on the deck under a starry sky, sometimes on the riverbank facing the desert.


The Dahabieh

Sailing the Nile aboard a charming dahabieh is to experience Egypt in a different way. This traditional sailing vessel, inspired by the royal boats of the 19th century, combines authenticity, calm and an art of living. Thanks to its human scale - between 6 and 15 cabins only, all with private bathrooms - it offers a peaceful atmosphere ideal for relaxation and contemplation.

Inside, the carefully considered decor blends natural materials, oriental woodwork and delicate fabrics. Outside, a large shaded deck terrace becomes your open-air lounge, with reading in the shade of the sails, mint tea and sweeping panoramas.

The crew, made up of nine people - captain, sailors, head chef and cabin staff - discreetly and attentively ensures your comfort throughout the cruise. The navigation follows a peaceful pace, almost outside of time, leaving room for the unexpected: mooring at a wild bank for tea at sunset or an impromptu walk between palm trees and sugar cane fields.

On board, cuisine is one of the great pleasures of the journey, combining authenticity, freshness and conviviality. Everything is generally cooked from scratch using local produce, often bought in villages along the Nile or at the markets of Luxor and Aswan.


What Is Included in the Price

  • 9 nights accommodation: 4 nights in charming hotels in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan (double room, breakfast included), 4 nights aboard a luxury dahabieh (double cabin with private bathroom), 1 night in sleeper train
  • All land transfers listed in the programme in a private air-conditioned vehicle
  • Private dahabieh cruise with full crew on board
  • French-speaking Egyptologist guide for the entire duration of the trip
  • Entry fees to all sites listed in the programme (pyramids, temples, museums, necropolises)
  • Full board during the cruise (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
  • Non-alcoholic drinks on board (mineral water, tea, coffee)
  • Guided excursions and visits carefully planned to avoid peak hours
  • French-speaking on-site assistance 24 hours a day

What Is Not Included in the Price

  • International and domestic flights (available on request)
  • Egypt entry visa (approximately 25 EUR per person, payable on arrival or online)
  • Meals not mentioned in the programme (some lunches and dinners in Cairo and Aswan)
  • Alcoholic drinks on board and in restaurants
  • Tips for the guide, crew and drivers
  • Personal expenses (shopping, additional drinks, optional services)
  • Single room supplement in hotels
  • Optional Abu Simbel excursion (85 EUR, entry tickets not included, approximately 15 EUR)
  • Hot air balloon option (85 EUR per person)


Included

  • 9 nights accommodation: charming hotels in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan plus luxury dahabieh cabins and sleeper train
  • Private dahabieh cruise with full crew, French-speaking Egyptologist guide throughout
  • Entry fees to all sites: pyramids, Sphinx, Grand Egyptian Museum, Valley of the Kings, Karnak, Luxor Temple, Philae and more
  • Full board during the cruise, non-alcoholic drinks on board, all guided excursions and transfers included

Excluded

  • International and domestic flights
  • Visa, tips, alcoholic drinks, personal expenses and single supplement
  • Optional Abu Simbel excursion 85 EUR
  • Hot air balloon option 85 EUR per person

Itinerary

1

Day 1: Arrival in Cairo - Private Welcome and Hotel Check-in

Upon arrival at Cairo International Airport, our representative welcomes you with courtesy, holding a sign bearing the agency name. They handle the formalities efficiently and discreetly. You are then comfortably settled into your premium private vehicle for a peaceful transfer to a refined hotel in an ideal location.
2

Day 2: Discovering Cairo - Pyramids of Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
At the first light of day, your vehicle glides quietly through the still-peaceful streets of Cairo. Soon, the colossal silhouettes of the Pyramids of Giza appear on the horizon, bathed in golden light. On the limestone plateau stand the monumental pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. You walk among these giants of stone, marvelling at the explanations of your Egyptologist guide, captivated by the astronomical precision of their alignment, the perfect geometry of their lines and the mysteries still whispered by their walls. Your exploration continues to the Sphinx, the enigmatic half-man half-lion sentinel, whose impassive gaze seems suspended between sky and sand. The afternoon is devoted to the Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza plateau. You admire the entire funerary treasure of Tutankhamun, displayed for the first time in its entirety: exceptional jewellery, ritual objects and gleaming golden statues. In the evening, dinner in one of the most vibrant neighbourhoods of the capital. Included visits: Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx, Grand Egyptian Museum.
3

Day 3: Cairo - Coptic Quarter, Islamic Quarter and Night Train to Luxor

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
The day begins in the intimate Coptic quarter. You discover the Hanging Church Al-Muallaqa, perched above the remains of the Roman fortress of Babylon, and the Church of Saint Sergius, built over the cave where the Holy Family took refuge during their flight into Egypt. You continue to the Church of Saint George, a moving testament to the persecutions of the first Christians under the Roman Empire. Nearby, the Ben Ezra Synagogue evokes a past when Jews, Christians and Muslims coexisted in tolerance. The afternoon takes you to the Citadel of Saladin, founded in 1176, home to the magnificent Mosque of Mohamed Ali. Towards the end of the day, you enter the solemn atmosphere of the Sultan Hassan Mosque, an absolute masterpiece of Mamluk art. If time allows, a stroll through the Khan al-Khalili souk. Transfer to the station for the sleeper train to Luxor. Night journey in a double cabin with two bunk beds, a washbasin and an electric socket. Hot dinner served on board and light breakfast included. Included visits: Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue, Church of Saint Sergius, Citadel of Saladin, Sultan Hassan Mosque, Al-Rifai Mosque.
4

Day 4: Arrival in Luxor - Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Luxor Temple

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
On morning arrival in Luxor, you are taken directly to the west bank of the Nile, the spiritual and funerary heart of ancient Thebes. The morning begins in the Valley of the Kings, resting place of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (1550-1070 BC). The tombs are carved into the rock and magnificently decorated with funerary scenes drawn from the Book of the Dead. These frescoes with still-vivid mineral pigments embody the aesthetic refinement of a civilisation fascinated by eternity. You continue to Deir el-Bahari, where the funerary temple of Queen Hatshepsut stands, an exceptional ruler who reigned for nearly twenty years. Designed by the architect Senenmut, this masterpiece of classical architecture features three terraces stacked against the cliff face. Before leaving the west bank, you stop before the Colossi of Memnon, two monumental quartzite statues nearly 18 metres tall, erected around 1350 BC at the entrance to the now-vanished funerary temple of Amenhotep III. After lunch at a local restaurant, you check into your hotel. At dusk, you visit the illuminated Luxor Temple and enjoy an enchanting dinner. Included visits: Valley of the Kings, Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Luxor Temple.
5

Day 5: Karnak, Esna and First Hours on the Sacred Nile

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
At the first light of day, you have breakfast at the hotel while Luxor stirs into life. Then you head out to explore the temple of Karnak, one of the most impressive religious complexes ever built by humanity. For nearly two millennia, successive pharaohs expanded this sanctuary dedicated to the god Amun-Ra. In the cool shade of the hypostyle hall, among its 134 giant columns carved with hieroglyphs, you travel back in time, immersed in the mystical power of ancient Egypt. Late morning, you leave Luxor by private minibus for Esna. On arrival, the crew of your dahabieh welcomes you on board. Once settled, you enjoy a refined lunch served as the dahabieh gently begins its journey. Carried by the wind when conditions allow, it moves in silence in perfect harmony with the landscape. As you glide along the water, verdant banks unfold, dotted with palm trees, cultivated fields and scenes of everyday life. Included visits: Temple of Karnak.
6

Day 6: Edfu and Bassaw - Under the Gaze of Horus

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Breakfast while navigating towards Edfu. Arrival by horse-drawn carriage at the majestic Temple of Horus, one of the best-preserved in Egypt, a masterpiece of the Ptolemaic era dedicated to the falcon god. Its monumental facade and vibrant reliefs recount the myths of the divine struggle between Horus and Seth. Lunch on board, then navigation towards the island of Bassaw. A walk on foot of one hour and thirty minutes through a charming Nubian village, meeting local inhabitants. Traditional campfire dinner on the riverbank. Included visits: Temple of Edfu.
7

Day 7: Navigation from Bassaw to Daraw - Gebel Silsila and Kom Ombo

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
The day breaks gently over the Nile and you enjoy a peaceful breakfast on board. Shortly after, you set off on foot to explore the site of Gebel el Silsila, where quarries carved directly into the rock testify to the titanic work undertaken to build the temples of Luxor, Karnak and Edfu. In this mineral setting, you discover stelae, votive inscriptions and rock-cut tombs. The highlight of the visit is the small temple of Horemheb, the general who succeeded Tutankhamun. Back on board, a refined lunch awaits as the dahabieh resumes its course southward. The boat may stop at a sandy beach, offering those who wish a peaceful swim in the calm waters of the Nile. In the late afternoon, you moor at Kom Ombo at a carefully chosen time, just before the arrival of large cruise ships. This extraordinary temple has a unique architecture: two twin sanctuaries, two sets of hypostyle halls, two entrances and two altars, perfectly symmetrical. On one side Sobek, the crocodile god, and on the other Horus the Elder, the celestial falcon. The visit concludes with the museum of crocodile mummies. The dahabieh then makes a short journey to Daraw, where you moor for the night. Included visits: Gebel Silsila Quarry, Temple of Kom Ombo.
8

Day 8: Daraw Market and Navigation to Aswan

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
After breakfast, you set off on foot to discover Daraw, a town of 120,000 inhabitants. You stroll through its lively alleyways where ochre houses open onto authentic scenes of daily life: children playing in the shade, craftsmen at work, donkeys laden with provisions. The atmosphere reaches its peak at the popular market, a kaleidoscope of colours, smells and voices: pyramids of fruit, loose spices, shimmering fabrics, stalls of live poultry and butcheries. You can stop at a local cafe where men play dominoes sipping black tea or karkade. Back on board, navigation resumes gently. Lunch is served opposite a fine sandy beach, where the boat may stop for those who wish a refreshing swim. In the afternoon, you travel peacefully upstream towards Aswan. Navigation ends just before the Aswan bridge. Included visits: Town of Daraw.
9

Day 9: Disembarkation - Temple of Philae - Optional Abu Simbel

Breakfast Lunch
This morning, after one last breakfast on the deck of your dahabieh, the Nile still glitters in the golden light. Reluctantly, you leave this peaceful haven, carrying with you the murmurs of the river, the warmth of encounters and the unspoilt beauty of Egypt experienced in complete intimacy. Optional excursion: Departure before dawn towards the south, through the mineral landscapes of Nubia. After three hours by road, the temples of Abu Simbel appear, majestic, carved into the cliff above Lake Nasser. In the afternoon, you depart by vehicle for the Temple of Philae. Built in the Ptolemaic era and enriched under the Roman Empire, this temple was entirely dedicated to Isis, the great mother goddess. The sanctuary now stands on the island of Agilkia, where it was meticulously reconstructed in the 1970s after being threatened by rising waters caused by the construction of the Aswan Dam. You reach the island by boat. The architectural ensemble blends classical Egyptian elements with Greco-Roman influences: majestic pylons, colonnades decorated with mythological scenes, secondary chapels and a central sanctuary. Check-in and overnight at the hotel. Dinner at own expense. Included visits: Temple of Philae.
10

Day 10: Transfer to Aswan Airport

Transfer to the airport for your return flight. You leave Egypt with a moved heart, full of gratitude, your eyes still filled with the wonders of the Nile. This journey comes to an end, but its memories will stay with you for a long time.

Prices & Accommodation

Starting Price

Per Person €1,199.00

Optional Extras

Abu Simbel Excursion (optional, by road) €85.00 / person
Hot Air Balloon (optional) €85.00 / person
Egypt Entry Visa €25.00 / person

Accommodation

Contact us for detailed accommodation information for this tour.