9-Day Sleeper Train & Dahabiya Cruise Holiday in Egypt
Nine days from the pyramids to Aswan: the night train in a private cabin, four nights on a dahabiya, and an Egyptologist, entrance fees and transport throughout.
The short answer
9-Day Sleeper Train & Dahabiya Cruise Holiday in Egypt is a 9-day, 8-night trip to Cairo, Luxor and Aswan: 2 nights in Cairo, 1 on sleeper trains, 1 in Luxor and 4 on a dahabiya. Starts on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays. It includes domestic flights, sleeper trains, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £2,061 per person, two sharing (Comfort, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Plenty of Egypt holidays simply fly you south and hand you a cabin on a large ship. This one takes its time. After two nights in Cairo you catch the sleeper train to Luxor, in a cabin of your own, and spend a day on the West Bank. Then you step aboard a dahabiya, a small traditional sailing boat, for four nights on the river to Aswan. The wind sets the pace, and the boat is sometimes towed, so expect calm water and long views. A short flight from Aswan returns you to Cairo and the journey home.
What lingers
- 01The Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Saqqara, Memphis and the Grand Egyptian Museum in a single guided day
- 02Cairo by night on your first evening, taking in Cairo Tower and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar
- 03The overnight sleeper train from Cairo to Luxor in your own cabin, with dinner and breakfast served on board
- 04Luxor's West Bank: the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, the Colossi of Memnon and Medinet Habu
- 05A private motorboat to Banana Island as the sun goes down
- 06Four nights on a dahabiya, calling at the temples of Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo on the way to Aswan
- 07Philae, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk to finish
Choose your comfort level
Prices are per person in GBP, from 2 people sharing a double room, including accommodation at the properties listed or similar.
| Comfort level | Where you stay or similar | Per personfrom, Oct–Apr | Choose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comfortfrom £2,0614★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Cairo · 2 nightsJewel Sport City Luxor · 1 nightIberotel Luxor by JAZ Dahabiya · 4 nightsBens Dahabiya · Amoura Dahabiya | £2,061May–Sep: from £1,942 | |
| Classicfrom £2,4305★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Dahabiya · 4 nightsIris Luxury Dahabiya · Royal Cleopatra Dahabiya | £2,430May–Sep: from £1,942 | |
| Prestigefrom £3,1755★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Luxor · 1 nightSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor Dahabiya · 4 nightsAzhar Dahabiya | £3,175May–Sep: from £2,673 | |
| Luxuryfrom £5,0125★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Cairo · 2 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Luxor · 1 nightHilton Luxor Resort & Spa Dahabiya · 4 nightsMinya Dahabiya | £5,012May–Sep: from £3,662 |
Hotels on bed & breakfast · Nile cruise on full board. You'll stay in these properties, or a similar choice of the same quality. Choose your date in the booking panel for the exact price.
- New
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
9 Days / 8 Nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Saqqara · Memphis · Islamic Cairo · Luxor
- 1
Your driver is waiting in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and drives you to your hotel, around an hour away. Take some time to rest after the flight. Later in the day a private evening tour shows you the city lit up: the view from Cairo Tower, then an unhurried wander through the Khan el-Khalili bazaar. No meals are planned for today, so you are free to choose where to have dinner.
- 2
Today is a long one with your Egyptologist, in a private vehicle with entrance fees covered. First the pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx, where you should expect to spend between 4 and 6 hours. Next come Saqqara and Memphis, early Egypt's capital and its first pyramids. The Grand Egyptian Museum closes the day, with the Tutankhamun treasures. Wear comfortable shoes and carry water.
- 3
Early in the afternoon your Egyptologist drives you to the Citadel and the Muhammad Ali Mosque, and you then walk through the old streets of Islamic Cairo as far as Khan el-Khalili. Guide, vehicle and entrance fees are covered. After that a driver takes you to Giza station for the sleeper train to Luxor.
You have a cabin to yourselves, with dinner and breakfast on board, and the trip lasts about 12 hours. The train runs on set days, so we agree your date with you at booking.
- 4
Breakfast is served on the train before you arrive at Luxor station, where you are met and taken to your hotel. The rest of the day is spent on the West Bank with your Egyptologist: the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, the Colossi of Memnon and Medinet Habu. Transport and entrance fees are covered.
As the day cools, a private motorboat carries you to Banana Island for roughly three hours of river at sunset, with fruit, mint tea and water.
- 5
You are driven privately from Luxor to Esna, where you see the Temple of Esna, with the ticket included. Then you step aboard your dahabiya, a small traditional sailing boat, for the first of four nights afloat. The boat sails when the wind is good and is towed when it is not, so we promise a calm journey down the river and not sailing each day.
- 6
The plan has no landing for today; it is simply a day on the river. Sit on deck and watch the banks, the fields and the villages pass at the pace the wind allows. The itinerary does not set a mooring point, so your crew will let you know where the boat spends the night. A book and a cup of tea are all you need.
- 7
Your Egyptologist takes you around the Temple of Edfu, among the best preserved in Egypt, with the entrance ticket included. Back on the dahabiya you continue upriver. Because the wind decides the speed, the timing can shift a little from the plan. You spend the evening on board.
- 8
With your Egyptologist you explore the Temple of Kom Ombo, which stands on the bank and is shared by two gods. The ticket is included. Then you return to the boat for your final night afloat, as Aswan comes closer.
- 9
After breakfast you leave the dahabiya for a day in Aswan with your Egyptologist, seeing the High Dam, Philae Temple and the Unfinished Obelisk, with transport and entrance fees covered. A driver takes you to Aswan airport for the included flight to Cairo, then a private transfer runs you to Cairo Airport for your flight home.
There is no night in Cairo today, so the sightseeing is arranged around your flights. Do read the flight question in the FAQs.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
- Sleeper train
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Two nights in a Cairo hotel and one in a Luxor hotel, with breakfast
- One night on the sleeper train from Cairo to Luxor, in a private cabin with dinner and breakfast served on board
- Four nights on a dahabiya, with breakfast every morning
- Internal flight from Aswan to Cairo
- Every airport, hotel, station and Esna transfer by private air-conditioned vehicle
- A private evening tour of Cairo by night, taking in Cairo Tower and Khan el-Khalili
- A sunset motorboat trip to Banana Island with fruit, mint tea and water
- Entrance fees to every site on the itinerary, including the temples of Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo
- A licensed English-speaking Egyptologist guide on all sightseeing days
- Meet-and-assist at the airport
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- Gratuities for guides, drivers and crew
- Drinks and meals other than those stated
- The interior of Khufu's pyramid and premium tombs such as Tutankhamun and Seti I
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Put together an overnight bag for the sleeper train, because cabin space is tight and the main suitcase will be awkward to reach.
- 02
Take earplugs and a charged phone for the rail journey; the compartment is cosy, but station noise carries.
- 03
The Esna temple sits in a pit below the modern street, so mind the steps down and look up at the restored ceiling.
- 04
Binoculars are worth bringing for the lazy day afloat, as herons and egrets stalk the riverbanks within view of the deck.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel and dahabiya when you book. Ask us about adding Abu Simbel, extra nights in Luxor or Cairo, or a last night in Cairo before the flight home.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travellers after a calmer, more personal way down the Nile than a big ship offers: a night train, a small sailing boat and plenty of time on the river. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who can cope with uneven stone and a gangway.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, want a rigid timetable, or expect the facilities of a large cruise ship. Days 2 and 9 are long.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- A night train and a sailing boat in one holiday, rather than a large cruise ship
- The pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Luxor's West Bank and three river temples in nine days
Things to Consider
- The sleeper train runs on set days, which limits your start dates
- The dahabiya follows the wind, so timings can shift, and day 9 has no night in Cairo
Where it fits
A good fit for a second look at the Nile, or a first visit with a quiet streak. Abu Simbel is not included, so add it if it is on your list.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Most Nile holidays use a large ship and fly both ways. This one travels south by sleeper train and sails down to Aswan on a small dahabiya, which follows the wind and carries fewer guests. Hotels, the train cabin, the dahabiya and the one flight are all booked for you.
Compare
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On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided multi-day holiday with the sleeper train and a dahabiya cruise
- Accommodation
- Cairo and Luxor hotels, a private train cabin and a dahabiya, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Saqqara · Memphis · Islamic Cairo · Luxor · Banana Island · Esna · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan · Philae Temple
- Includes
- 2 nights in a Cairo hotel and 1 night in a Luxor hotel, with breakfast · 1 night on the sleeper train in a private cabin, with dinner and breakfast · 4 nights on a dahabiya, with breakfast · Internal flight Aswan to Cairo
- Best for
- Travellers who enjoy slow travel · Couples and friends
The morning of
Meeting point & timing
- Where
- Cairo International Airport (CAI), Arrivals HallMap
Before you go
What to pack & wear
What to bring
- Passport and any visa or travel documents
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any regular medication
- A small overnight bag for the train, holding your night-time essentials
- Soft-soled shoes for the dahabiya deck
- Insect repellent for evenings on the river
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
- A warm layer for river evenings and the air-conditioned train
Children & families
Children are welcome. Each child has a seat in the vehicle, so transport, guiding and meals are charged at the adult rate whatever the age. Entrance tickets are free for under-6s and full price from 6. Train, hotel and dahabiya costs vary with the child's age and the cabin or room used, so we quote the exact figure once you give us the age at booking. A dahabiya is a small boat with open decks, so younger children need to be kept close by.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This holiday involves a good deal of walking around large archaeological sites, on uneven stone and sand and up and down steps, and the Valley of the Kings has long open stretches with little shade. The sleeper train has narrow corridors and a step up into the carriage. A dahabiya is a small boat, so you board by gangway and steps, and there is less room to move about than on a large ship. The Banana Island boat also involves a step down to the water. Our vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot guarantee wheelchair access at every site, or on the train and boats. Tell us what you need when you book and we will say frankly which parts will suit you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The holiday includes one internal flight, an overnight train, a dahabiya and private road transfers. The train takes the place of a flight on the way south, but vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. A dahabiya is small and often sails when the wind is up, though at times it is towed. Your sightseeing is led by local Egyptologists and booked through local suppliers in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, which keeps most of your spending in the places you visit. We ask guests to bring a refillable water bottle and to keep their hands off painted tomb walls.
Licensed Egyptologist guides
State-licensed, and people we have worked with for years
Fair wages on the ground
Drivers + guides paid above market
Site preservation
We follow the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' site rules: marked paths, no touching reliefs
Local teams, real help
Our own offices in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh
If plans change
Cancellation and refunds
If you cancel, your refund depends on how soon you let us know and on the kind of holiday. See our current cancellation and refund terms
Asked & answered
Frequent questions
01Will I make my international flight home?
It is worth planning this carefully. Your internal and international tickets are separate bookings, so a delayed flight from Aswan to Cairo could cost you the connection. Day 9 has no night in Cairo, so we would rather you add one last night there. If you have to fly to Cairo and connect the same day, pick a late-evening or night departure, and make sure your travel insurance covers missed connections.02What is the sleeper train like?
You have a private cabin, with dinner and breakfast on board, and the run from Cairo to Luxor takes around 12 hours. It is a traditional night train rather than a luxury hotel, but you wake up in Luxor without another flight. The train runs on set days, so we agree your date at booking.03How does a dahabiya differ from a Nile cruise ship?
A dahabiya is a small traditional sailing boat carrying far fewer guests than a large cruise ship. It uses the wind and is sometimes towed, so the pace is quiet. There is no pool or big dining room, and it may not sail every day.04How many nights do we spend on the dahabiya?
Four, from joining at Esna on day 5 to leaving at Aswan on day 9. The other nights are two in Cairo, one on the sleeper train and one in Luxor.05Which hotels and which dahabiya will we stay on?
You pick a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we then name the hotels and the dahabiya for your dates. The route and the sightseeing are the same whichever standard you choose.06Are the guide and the entrance fees included?
Yes. An English-speaking Egyptologist, the entrance fees for the sites on the itinerary and the transport are included on every sightseeing day, and that covers the Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo tickets.07What meals do we get?
Breakfast is included every morning from day 2, whether on the train, at the hotels or on the dahabiya, and dinner is included on the sleeper train. Day 1 has no meals planned. We confirm the dahabiya's other meals with you at booking.08Does the holiday include Abu Simbel?
No. Abu Simbel is not part of this itinerary. It can be added to a longer holiday, so ask us and we will set out the choices.09What does the price not cover?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, gratuities, drinks and meals other than those stated, extras such as the interior of Khufu's pyramid and premium tombs, and travel insurance.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-331115
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days · 8 nights
- Starts
- Tue, Thu or Sat
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Esna → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Cairo
- Nights
- 2 Cairo · 1 sleeper train · 1 Luxor · 4 dahabiya
- Includes
- Domestic flights, sleeper trains, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers