Dahabiya Nile Sailing — Attraction in Cairo

This cruise was the undisputed highlight of our Kiwi foursome’s 18 days in Egypt.

The Nile is great for cruising; a Dahabiya is the way to do it; and this particular Dahabiya was a real find. Special thanks to all the onboard team, including tour guide Moemen, boat manager Ibrahim, and Emad and Ammar handing housekeeping/guest liaison. All were charming, good company, and couldn’t have been more helpful.

A Dahabiya travels more slowly and gives more time on the river than the bigger boats. Being smaller, Dahabiyas get into places the big boats can’t. Dahabiyas are also heaps more attractive than the container-like, diesel fume-spewing big boats that seemed to travel in big packs

ACCOMMODATION Our cabin was roomy with two single beds with a table between and good walk space all round. Facilities included a lovely big picture window with a window seat, an armchair, a hanging wardrobe plus drawers for clothes, a 3/4 length mirror and a safe. Beds were clean and comfortable if firm. There was both a fan and a modern a/c unit but as it was winter, neither was operating.

There were power sockets beside each bed, and Wi-Fi on board, but I have to say the connection really only worked on the upper deck, not so well in the cabins.

The separate en-suite bathroom featured a shower with plentiful hot water and good pressure, so much so that we had to be careful to avoid spraying water all over the floor. Our room was serviced daily and towels replaced on request. They even offered laundry service which I used for a few pairs of socks.

Our boat had a near-full complement of 19 passengers in 10 cabins, but there was still plenty of space on the top deck. There was always somewhere shaded to sit quietly on your own and watch the riverbank glide by.

The children, and some adults, enjoyed the little jacuzzi our particular vessel featured.

Everything was clan and well kept, an the staff couldn’t have been more obliging.

FOOD. Meals were served at a small buffet and eaten at a communal table. A small soup was served first, then we chose from chicken and beef dishes, at least two salads, rice or pasta plus hot vegetable dishes followed by a dessert. Good quality, mostly Egyptian style. Breakfast came with your choice of eggs.

Mealtimes were officially 7am, 1pm and 7pm although there were variations (pre-announced) to suit the itinerary. There was a 5pm afternoon tea served with cakes and pastries, but grazers may want to bring some onboard snacks.

Hot and cold drinks (Cola, Sprite and juices) were available 24/7.

Alcohol wasn’t offered on board, but you were quite welcome to bring your own. The crew would label your bottles with your room number and chill them in the fridge on the top deck. If they saw you having a sundowner, they’d often arrive with a bowl of salted nuts. Best to board with whatever booze you need because it proved difficult to top up en route.

ITINERARY. The trip was really well planned, balancing stops at the ‘serious’ archaeological sites with more informal local visits. These let us peek into the homes of Egyptian villagers and chat with them to get a feel for their lives. Well worthwhile.

Moemen, our tour guide, proved to be a genuine expert on Egyptian history and life, and also a great communicator, providing excellent commentary without overwhelming us. He also managed all ticket purchases and tips, including for the crew, with one wrap-up payment (preferably in USD) at the end of the trip.

We were kept quite busy with scheduled visits, but there were also decent intervals of just cruising, plus occasional stops for swimming and kayaking for those so inclined. I did venture into the water but didn’t want to risk getting my head under. The water was cold but bearable and quite sandy underfoot.

When the wind was favourable, and time permitted, we dropped the cable to the tow boat that accompanied us to unfurl the traditional sail. We enjoyed watching the crewman climb the mast to take the sail in again.

Highly recommend this particular way of...

I was nervous about the transport / accommodations I booked for my first time in Egypt... yet most turned out to be decent. My expectations for the Dahabiya Nile Sailing from Aswan to Luxor however- based on the reviews / pictures- was the one exception where I felt confident it would be a wonderful experience... and I was not disappointed!

From the beginning, I found the DNS website to be a modern and informative place for the trip, which separated itself from the other dahabiya options... particularly with the brand new ships and culturally rich itinerary that folds in numerous local interactions. Communication with the DNS office in advance was typically very good- reasonable response times via email/WhatsApp and excellent English with clear itinerary and pricing provided. Particularly Sara Ragheb was the most helpful agent.

Not long before the cruise, we added a 1/2 day Philae Temple tour in Aswan via Sara, and Fatma the local guide was amazing. Put us at ease, and handled the tour/transfer with great professionalism. She was a joy and very knowledgeable. That made the tour guide bar awfully high, and yet during the cruise itself, Shaimaa somehow matched the A+ quality. I didn't imagine we would get such a fantastic, all-around guide to go along with the beautiful boat, serene sailing experience and good food. Shaimaa coordinated all the tickets, transport, site entry and herded us deftly thru the streets, markets, and of course vendors with great skill. She showed balanced restraint under potential stressful situations but was firm and direct with potential outside issues arose (other tour groups in the area and idle men on the street up to no good). We felt well-cared for in her hands... I didn't realize how much of a bonus this was. If you are considering a DNS dahabiya cruise or related excursions with DNS & Real Egypt, I cannot stress enough how wise it would be to request Shaimaa to be your guide onboard.

Besides Shaimaa our guide, most of the crew does not interact with the passengers other than the head waiter and his assistant Samy (also does housekeeping) who was the joy of the cruise. I'd like to have whatever Samy drinks for breakfast- the man was non-stop smiles as he took care of us.

The dahabiya, as mentioned, was clean and new (our Safiya 2 was commissioned in Oct 2024. The Safiya 1 was the year before). The crew cleans the deck every morning. Hotel equivalent room and bathroom/shower... fan during the day, A/C runs 6-11pm with the generator each night. Water level view of the Nile from the large window is of course wonderful... the window can open, but we kept it shut to prevent bugs from entering. A few little guys got into the cabin anyway- daily housekeeping is an option if desired.

3 satisfying meals did not skimp, with a fridge on the main deck keeping sodas and juices cold and handy. Water dispensers were always full nearby. There was an espresso machine behind the counter next to the fridge, but this was not well-advertised. A pot of coffee was also made every morning, but coffee was not great anywhere in Egypt, and this was no different.

As an overwhelming amount of reviewers state, this is a great company with solid communication, a fantastic experience in quality, serenity and cultural exposure. I wouldn't recommend it for young children or those with mobility issues because it is a culturally rich and active cruise. Even those passengers who got on board displaying fairly low class or respect for the local culture seemed to adjust themselves over time- quite the impression.

Some minor constructive criticism for potential improvements on the dahabiya itself the cabin room doors have wooden vent/slats in them for no discernable reason. These unusual vents let A/C out into the hallway, and bugs / light in. Wi-Fi for passengers is only available on the top deck, but internet was only working 70% of the time. surprisingly few mosquitos during the sailing, except for the BBQ dinner on the small island...

We sailed on Safiya Dahabiya 1 from 17-20 October 2025.

Logistics and housekeeping were very well organised. We were briefed and consulted on all transfers and transport arrangements between ports of transit and hotels, hotels and the boat and transport between attractions such as temples and the boat.

The boat.

The rooms are as you would expect of a luxury hotel. There is air conditioning and hot water. The air conditioning is important as it can get warm in the daytime even in late October. Summers are even hotter.

The boat is essentially a barge that is towed by a tug boat. The boat has a sail at the bow which is sometimes deployed if wind conditions are right. This dual arrangement is rigged for manoeuvrability when docking and more importantly for silent running so that even vibration is minimized. It makes for sound sleep. Captain Hussein helmed us through a smooth cruise.

The 10 state rooms are on the ground floor and the upper deck includes a generous dining area and two lounge areas, all open air. There is a small swimming pool, more of a jacuzzi in size, on the lower deck aft.

Food on board is excellent with a resident chef. Ours was Mohamed. He curated the meals so that there was always a European or International option and slowly introduced local Egyptian cuisine without going overboard. Special requests for very local Egyptian foods were entertained, subject to the availability of ingredients of course. We asked for mulukhaya, a green vegetable stew which is quintessentially Egyptian and not internationally well known and the chef magically produced it.

There is no alcohol on board but tea, coffee and soft drinks and fruit juices are free and unlimited and are served on deck. There is no minibar in the rooms. Guests may bring their own alcohol on board.

Meals served included breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.

The tour guide. We were fortunate to have Mahmoud Hassan as our guide. He was knowledgeable and passionate about imparting his knowledge of Egypt and its rich history. We understand that all guides are trained and accredited Egyptologists but Mahmoud was exceptional.

Temple tours were detailed and well organised. Our guide would brief us on a visit plan so that we always knew what to expect and how to avoid any potential difficulties such as dealing with street vendors and touts in an effective yet gracious way. Each tour began with a structured lesson followed by the tour itself during which our guide gave detailed explanation in an informal and informative way. Tours ended with time for photography and free and easy time. It was particularly helpful that tours were timed and planned so as to avoid crowds as far as possible.

What was truly special was the daily session of ‘story telling’ usually at tea time where we were taught Egyptian history in an informal and interesting way, often building on what we had seen earlier in the day, or what we would see the next day. Our guide Mahmoud’s technical knowledge of Egyptian history was encyclopaedic and his passion for the subject was most engaging.

We were on board for 3 nights. One night was dedicated to singing and dancing with crew participation. No pressure for guests to participate but everyone was welcoming and had...