Nile Cruise

DAY 1 | Esna – Board Your Dahabiya

You arrive in Esna late morning, where your dahabiya is moored just beyond the bustle of the town. After meeting the crew and settling into your cabin, the sails are raised and the journey begins. The transition is immediate, the sounds of the town fading into the soft hush of wind and water as you move into broad, palm-lined stretches of the Nile. The river here feels gentle and intimate, with small fishing boats drifting past and farmers tending fields along the banks.

By afternoon you begin to feel the slower rhythm of dahabiya travel, where the pleasure lies in simply watching the scenery shift between green fields, sandstone outcrops and villages perched close to the water. A freshly prepared lunch is served on deck, and the day closes with the first of many golden sunsets reflected across the river’s calm surface.

DAY 2 | El Kab & Edfu

You wake to the quiet stillness of the river and sail to El Kab, one of Egypt’s oldest settlements. Here you walk among ancient cliff-side tombs carved deep into desert slopes, their painted scenes revealing stories of ritual, daily life and devotion. The site feels wonderfully peaceful, offering a rare sense of discovery without crowds.

Later you continue to Edfu, where a horse-drawn carriage carries you through the town to its magnificent temple. Towering pylons rise dramatically against the sky, and the inner halls glow with crisp inscriptions. After your visit, the dahabiya sets sail again, eventually mooring beside a river island where warm breezes, soft light and a quiet anchorage create an idyllic ending to the day.

DAY 3 | Sailing & Swimming

Today is dedicated to the pleasure of sailing. With the dahabiya moving steadily south, you spend long hours on deck watching birds skim the water and villages gently unfold along the riverbank. The calm pace invites reading, sketching or settling into the simple joy of wide, uninterrupted views.

Around midday you anchor beside an island, where you can swim in the warm, slow-moving water or walk along sandy trails scattered with palm groves. Later in the afternoon you wander deeper into the desert, exploring boulders covered in ancient inscriptions left by travellers thousands of years ago. The evening brings lantern light, a soft breeze and the unmatched quiet of a night spent on the river.

DAY 4 | Gebel Silsileh

After breakfast the dahabiya glides into the dramatic gorge of Gebel Silsileh, where the river narrows between towering cliffs of golden sandstone. You step ashore to explore the ancient quarries once used to build Egypt’s great temples, finding carved doorways, rough-hewn chambers and river-facing stelae that speak to centuries of craftsmanship.

The setting is spectacular, with cliffs rising steeply from the water and the air carrying the faint scent of warm stone. After your visit you continue downstream, anchoring at a scenic bend of the river for lunch and a refreshing swim. The light in this stretch of the Nile is particularly beautiful, creating a memorable sense of immersion in Egypt’s timeless landscape.

DAY 5 | Kom Ombo

Enjoy a final sunrise ride before breakfast, then depart by river and road to Chundukwa River Lodge. Back in comfort, spend the afternoon at leisure — take a swim, book a massage, or stroll through the gardens.

Your riverside chalet offers a peaceful retreat after days of riding, with all meals, drinks, and one in-house activity included.