Home / Luxury Journeys / Egypt by Dahabiya, 10 Days
Luxury collection · 10 days, 9 nights
Cairo and Luxor with a private guide, then 4 nights on the Akhnaton Dahabiya from Esna, with stops at Edfu, Kom Ombo and quiet Nile villages.
The journey
This trip pairs Cairo and Luxor with 4 nights on the Akhnaton Dahabiya. You start with the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum, then fly to Luxor for Karnak, Luxor Temple and the royal tombs of the West Bank.
From Esna, the dahabiya sails away from the crowds toward El Kab, Edfu, Gebel El Silsila, Kom Ombo, Daraw and the Nubian village of Koubania. There are village walks, a campfire dinner on the riverbank and lunch on the sundeck. All sightseeing is private and guided, and a flight from Aswan takes you back to Cairo.
The route
Day by day
Our representative greets you at Cairo International Airport and helps you through the arrival formalities. A private, air-conditioned car then brings you to your luxury hotel in the city. Once you have checked in, the day is yours. Rest, unpack and get ready for the trip ahead.
After breakfast, your private guided tour begins on the Giza Plateau. You see the pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mykerinus, then the Sphinx and the Valley Temple. Next is the Egyptian Museum, with its rare statues, royal mummies and works that span thousands of years. Lunch is at a local restaurant we have chosen for you, and then you head back to the hotel.
After breakfast and check-out, a private transfer takes you to Cairo Airport, where you board your flight to Luxor. Your guide meets you on arrival and begins with the Karnak Temple Complex, shaped by centuries of ancient architecture. Next comes Luxor Temple, set gracefully along the Nile. Lunch is included, and after the visits you check in at your Luxor hotel for a quiet evening.
After breakfast, your guide takes you across the Nile to Luxor's West Bank, the side of the river with the royal tombs and funerary temples. In the Valley of the Kings, you see where pharaohs such as Ramses were buried. Next is the Temple of Hatshepsut at El-Deir El-Bahari, set against the cliffs, then a stop at the Colossi of Memnon. The evening is quiet at your hotel.
After breakfast, you check out and drive south to Esna, about an hour away, where the Akhnaton Dahabiya is waiting. Once on board, you visit Esna Temple and walk through the local markets. The boat then sails toward El Kab, an ancient city with rock tombs and the ruins of temples. Dinner on your first evening is served on the riverbank or on the sundeck.
You wake to views of the Nile. After breakfast, the dahabiya sails to Edfu, where you visit the Temple of Horus. Later it continues to Wadi El Shat for a guided walk through quiet villages and along desert paths. In the evening, the boat anchors beside a small island, and dinner is served at anchor.
Find a deck chair and watch the Nile as the dahabiya sails to Gebel El Silsila. Ashore, you see chapels cut into the rock for Horemheb, Seti I, Ramesses II and Merenptah, and the remains of the sandstone quarries that supplied Egypt's great temples. Lunch is served on the sundeck as you continue to Kom Ombo. In the afternoon, you visit its twin temple for Sobek and Haroeris, with a symmetrical layout. Dinner is around a campfire on the riverbank, and the night is spent on board.
The dahabiya sails to Daraw, once a hub for camel traders coming from Sudan. You walk through the camel market and the village streets, then sail on to Koubania. This Nubian village near Aswan sits among citrus and mango gardens. Your final evening on board is spent in a calm spot by the river.
After breakfast on board, you say goodbye to the dahabiya in Aswan. A private transfer takes you to Aswan Airport, where you take your flight to Cairo. Our representative meets you on arrival and takes you to your hotel. Your last evening in Egypt is free to spend as you like.
Have breakfast at your hotel and take the morning at an easy pace. When it is time, our team drives you in a private vehicle to Cairo International Airport in time for your departure. Thank you for traveling the Nile with us.
Where you'll stay
Proposed properties. The room category, view and meal plan are confirmed in your written proposal, subject to availability.
The same route can be quoted with these hotels and vessels, subject to availability for your dates. See the Ultra-Luxury collection.
What's included
Questions
On land, yes: your guide, vehicle and driver are for your group alone. The dahabiya is shared with its other guests unless your group charters the whole boat, and the guided visits are private.
Cairo & Giza: The St. Regis Cairo (3 nights); Luxor: Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa (2 nights); Dahabiya: Akhnaton Dahabiya (4 nights). The alternatives are named on this page, and your proposal confirms the room category.
No. These are booked and paid separately: domestic flights: Cairo to Luxor and Aswan to Cairo.
No. Tips for guides, drivers and hotel or ship staff are not included; they are customary in Egypt.
Yes. The same route can be quoted with the ultra-luxury hotels and vessels listed under Where you'll stay, subject to availability for your dates.
Yes. The length, the hotels and the pace can all be adjusted before you confirm, subject to availability.
The price depends on your dates, hotels, room type and group size. Your written proposal shows the full price, what it includes and the terms; no payment is taken with a request.
Your private proposal
Tell us your dates, who is traveling and what matters most. We reply with a written proposal: the hotels, the full itinerary, the price and the terms.
Design your private journeyNo payment is taken with a request.
