Lazuli Luxor Dahabiya
Luxor to Aswan aboard a traditional dahabiya
At a glance
- Embarks
- Mon
- Board
- Full Board
- Class
- 5-star
Private charter · Available as a private charter only — the whole boat, exclusively for your party.
Snapshot
Good to know
- Guide languages
- Arabic · English · French · German · Italian · Spanish
02Overview
A first look
Lazuli is a traditional sailing dahabiya on the quiet stretch of the Nile between Esna and Aswan — a handful of cabins, meals on deck, and moorings at islands, quarries, and villages the big cruisers pass by. She sails out of Luxor with the classic Esna–Aswan pattern and a crew known for spoiling small groups.
The route
Luxor and ASWAN
The route
Where this ship sails
The stretch of river this vessel works, and what the sailing is like end to end.
At sea
Detailed itinerary
Based on embarkation from Luxor and disembarkation in ASWAN.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Bundled in
- Sun Deck
- Restaurant
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Accommodation aboard the lazuli Luxor Dahabiya
- All sightseeing tours with licensed Egyptologist
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) on board
- Mineral water, tea, and coffee throughout the cruise
- All entrance fees to listed sites
- Private transfers from/to Luxor or Aswan
- Sailing permissions and taxes
Not included
- International or domestic flights
- Tipping for crew and guides
- Alcoholic beverages
- Optional tours or activities not mentioned in the itinerary
Accessibility
Who can join this
A dahabiya is an intimate, traditionally rigged sailing boat with narrow corridors and low doorways; boarding usually requires negotiating a gangway and one to three steps. Expect uneven stone quays, loose gravel and short flights of stairs at many smaller landing points such as El Kab and Gebel Silsila, and cobbled surfaces at temple approaches. Wheelchair users will find the vessel and most shore landings challenging; full wheelchair transfer onboard is not possible on many dahabiyas. If you have reduced mobility we can arrange a more suitable Nile cruiser or a bespoke itinerary, and our representative will meet you at the airport to discuss practical options. Please contact us before booking so we can assess lifts, ambulance access, and any medical equipment you may bring.
Before you go
What to pack & wear
What to bring
- Valid passport and printed travel documents
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- High SPF sunscreen and a wide-brim hat
- Lightweight layers for cool mornings and evenings
- Small daypack for shore excursions
- Any personal medication plus a printed prescription
- Plug adapter (Type C and F) and spare phone battery
What to wear
- Lightweight, loose-fitting clothing in natural fabrics
- Long trousers or skirts and covered shoulders for temples and mosques
- A light sweater or fleece for early-morning breezes on deck
- Closed-toe shoes for archaeological sites and uneven quays
- A sun hat and UV sunglasses
Children & families
Children 0–5.99 years travel free; 6–11.99 years pay 50%; 12 years and above pay the full adult price. Children must share a cabin with their parents, maximum one child per cabin; two or more children require their own cabin. Strollers are practical for airport transfers but are often impractical on shore landings due to uneven quays and steps; portable child seats are not provided aboard the dahabiya. Please advise ages at time of booking so we can confirm cabin arrangements and any child-oriented meals.
Location
On the map
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
We arrange this route using sail-powered dahabiyas, vessels that rely on lateen sails to reduce engine hours while underway between Luxor and Aswan, and therefore lower fuel consumption on sailing days. On inland transfers we use modern air-conditioned minibuses meeting local emissions standards; vehicle size is chosen to match group numbers so we avoid half-empty coaches. Our local partners include family-owned boat crews, village guides at El Kab and Gebel Silsila, and a chef employed by the vessel: these bookings provide direct income to small suppliers. We ask guests to avoid single-use plastics aboard by offering filtered water refill stations, and we encourage responsible photography at sensitive archaeological sites. If you would like to offset additional travel emissions we can recommend verified programs at time of booking.
Licensed local Egyptologists
ETAA-credentialed, on payroll
Fair wages on the ground
Drivers + guides paid above market
Site preservation
We follow MoTA visitor caps and no-touch protocols
Carbon-aware itineraries
Domestic flights only when train/road is impractical
If plans change
Cancellation
- More than 30 days
- Full refund less a £50 admin fee
- 15–30 days
- 50% refund
- Within 14 days
- No refund – date changes considered case by case
Product ID: CRU-NIL-188316
You Might Also Like
Nile3 Nights
5-Star Dahabiya Nile Cruise | Discovery Tours Egypt
Queen Isis is a 5-star dahabiya cruise on the Nile, arranged for travellers who prefer a quieter sailing experience than a large river cruiser. The itinerary links Aswan and Luxor over three nights, with departures from Aswan to Luxor on Mondays and from Luxor to Aswan on Thursdays. Full board covers lunch on embarkation through breakfast on disembarkation. A jacuzzi is available on board, while included transfers connect the cruise with the agreed arrival and departure points. This intimate style of Nile travel has a slower pace and a lower passenger capacity than larger cruise ships. Drinks beyond water with meals and gratuities are not included.
From £1,308
Luxor6 Nights
Abundance Dahabiya Nile Cruise
Abundance Dahabiya is a traditional sail-powered dahabiya offering an intimate, slower-paced way to travel the Nile. The vessel uses lateen sails and carries a professional captain and crew; chef-prepared meals are served on board and Full Board is provided from lunch on embarkation day through breakfast on disembarkation day. The dahabiya typically sails weekly in both directions between Luxor and Aswan and reaches secluded moorings such as Hagar Silsala and Gebel Silsila. Discovery Tours Egypt, a licensed Egyptian tour operator, has carefully selected and arranges this cruise as part of your trip.
From £1,971
NileAbydos Dahabiya
Embark in Luxor and disembark in Aswan on a five-day dahabiya that calls at El Kab, Edfu, Gebel El Silsila and Kom Ombo. The Abydos Dahabiya typically accommodates 8–14 guests, so the pace is intimate and unhurried. Our Egyptologists lead every excursion, explaining inscriptions, temple architecture and local history at each stop. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator and we arrange transfers in Luxor and Aswan. Unlike larger motor cruises, this route gives extended shore time at Gebel El Silsila and El Kab, and evenings often include riverside meals near quiet village landings. Trade-offs: cabins are compact and the programme is deliberately relaxed, so this is not a party vessel but a small-guest sailing experience focused on archaeology and village riverside life.