Plan Your Trip
Cruising the Nile
The world’s longest river and its extraordinary monuments, the stunningly fertile valley and the barren beauty of the surrounding desert, the light and heat, and the joy of slow travel in a superfast world all add up to one of the highlights of a trip to Egypt, or anywhere in the world.
Key Cruises
Best for Adventure
A felucca is the most likely way to find adventure. An open-top sailing boat without cabins or facilities, it is best taken from south to north – if the wind fails, you can always float downriver.
Made for Romantics
Dahabiyyas – the name translates as ‘the golden one’ – will waft you back into the 19th century, when these large and luxurious sailing boats were the only viable form of transport for visitors.
Most Popular Route
The stretch between Luxor and Aswan is the most popular route and as a result busiest part of the river – you might find yourself in a long line of boats.
Far from the Crowds
Lake Nasser is the place to go if you would rather see empty landscapes and the odd wild animal than crowds of tourists.
Cruise Tips
When to travel Summer (June to August) can be extremely hot and is therefore the cheapest season to cruise. Christmas and Easter are usually the busiest and most expensive. Spring and autumn are ideal, with the light being particularly good in October and November.
Where to start Most cruises starting from Luxor are a day longer than those starting from Aswan, partly because they are going against the Nile’s strong current. If you want to spend longer in Luxor or are concerned about cost, start from Aswan and head north.
Cabin choice On cruisers, try to avoid the lowest deck. Many boats have decent views from all cabins, but the banks of the Nile are high (and get higher as the river level drops) and you want to see as much as possible. Ask for a deck plan when booking.
Sailing time Many passengers on Nile cruisers are surprised by how little time is spent cruising – the boats’ large engines cover distances relatively quickly, cruise times are often only four hours per day, and on some itineraries you only spend one night en route.
Itineraries & Sites
Large cruisers stick to rigid itineraries on the busy Luxor–Aswan stretch of the Nile. On these trips, generally lasting from three to six nights, days are spent visiting monuments and relaxing by the pool or on deck. By night there is a variety of entertainment: cocktails, dancing and fancy-dress parties – usually called a galabeya (man’s robe) party, as passengers are encouraged to ‘dress like an Egyptian’ – are all part of the fun. Actual sailing time is minimal on most of these trips – often as little as four hours each day, depending on the itinerary.
Feluccas and dahabiyyas determine their own schedules and do not need special mooring spots, so can stop at small islands or antiquities sites often skipped by the big cruisers. But even these boats usually have preferred mooring places. Because they use sail power instead of large engines, a far greater proportion of time is spent in motion. Night-time entertainment is more likely to be stargazing, listening to the sounds of the river, and occasionally riverbank fireside music from the crew or villagers.
The stretch of the Nile between Luxor and Aswan has the greatest concentration of well-preserved monuments in the country, which is why it also has the greatest number of boats and tourists (sailing in both directions).
Feluccas and dahabiyyas rarely sail between Luxor and Esna because police permits are difficult to get and because of the issue of passing the Esna lock. Dahabiyya operators will bus passengers to Esna from Luxor. Felucca trips generally start in Aswan and end south of Esna; captains can arrange onward transport to Luxor, but this often costs extra.
Cairo to Luxor
This stretch of the river was removed from cruise itineraries after attacks on boats in the 1990s. The archaeological sites at Dendara and Abydos have been on some tour schedules for the past few years, however, and it is also possible to take a day cruise to Dendara from Luxor. Few boats cruise between Cairo and Luxor, and those that do can only travel at high water in the hottest summer months.
Luxor
The capital of Egypt’s glorious New Kingdom pharaohs, home to Tutankhamun, Ramses II and many other famous names, Luxor is blessed with some of the world’s most famous ancient monuments. Most cruises only cover the bare minimum, so if you are interested in seeing the sights, it pays to spend an extra day or two here away from the boat.
Highlights include the temples of Karnak, Luxor Temple, Luxor Museum, Valley of the Kings, Tombs of the Nobles, Deir Al Bahri and Medinat Habu.
Luxor to Aswan
This most famous stretch of the river is studded with stunning architecture and varied scenes of great natural beauty. All cruisers stop to visit the Ptolemaic temples of Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo. On the shorter cruises, all three sites are visited in a single day. While none of the sites is so large that this is unrealistic, exploring three great temples is a lot to jam into one day and the rushed visit means that you will be moored longer at Luxor or Aswan.
Dahabiyyas and feluccas take longer to cover the distance between the three temples, usually seeing only one a day. Most dahabiyyas (and some feluccas) also stop at the rarely visited and highly recommended sites of Al Kab and Gebel Silsila. Cruisers do not have moorings here, so visitors may be limited to your fellow passengers, giving a taste of how it might have been for 19th-century travellers.
The Best of the Nile
Close to the Nile in luxury Enjoying a private cruise on a grand dahabiyya such as the Meroe.
Economy cruise Taking a felucca trip from Aswan to Edfu.
Nubian adventure Safari to Abu Simbel on African Angler’s Ta Seti.
Nostalgia trip Reliving Agatha Christie’s Egypt, on the Nile’s last steamer, the Sudan.
Five-star plutocracy Style and luxury on Oberoi’s award-winning Philae.
Aswan
The Nile is squeezed between rocks and a series of islands at Aswan, which makes it particularly picturesque, especially with the desert crowding in on both sides of the river. If you alight here you will probably spend only one night in town, but some cruisers stay moored for two nights. Most itineraries include a visit to Philae, site of the Temple of Isis; the High Dam; and the Northern Quarries, site of the Unfinished Obelisk. Occasionally cruisers offer a felucca ride around Elephantine Island as an excursion; if not, it is worth organising your own. Some also offer an optional half-day tour (usually by plane) to Abu Simbel.
Lake Nasser
The lake was created in the 1960s when the High Dam was built near Aswan, and now covers much of Egyptian Nubia, once home to hundreds of tombs, temples and churches. Some monuments were moved from their original sites before the building of the dam and are grouped together at four locations: Kalabsha, Wadi As Subua (accessible only by boat), Amada (accessible only by boat) and, of course, the Temples of Abu Simbel.
Because so few cruisers operate on Lake Nasser, moorings are never crowded and monuments – with the exception of the Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel – are not overrun. Itineraries are generally three nights/four days from Aswan to Abu Simbel, or four nights/five days from Abu Simbel to Aswan.
Sailing a Felucca
For many travellers, the only way to travel on the Nile is slowly, on board a traditional felucca (Egyptian sailing boat). Except for swimming, this is as close as you can get to the river. Read on to make sure that this is for you and that you avoid the pitfalls.
A Slow Journey
Most felucca trips begin at Aswan; the strong northward current means that boats are not marooned if the wind dies. Trips go to Kom Ombo (two days/one night), Edfu (three days/two nights – the most popular option) or Esna (four days/three nights).
Feluccas are not allowed to sail after 8pm, so most stop at sunset and set up camp on the boat or on shore. Night-time entertainment ranges from stargazing and the crew singing to partying, depending on you and your fellow passengers.
Planning Your Felucca Trip
With so many feluccas (hundreds, thousands?), arranging a felucca trip can be daunting. Small hotels can be aggressive in trying to rope you in. To be sure of what you’re getting, it’s best to arrange things yourself.
Many of the better felucca captains can be found having a drink in Nileside restaurants such as the Aswan Moon; Emy, near the Panorama restaurant in Aswan; or on Elephantine Island. Meet a few captains – and inspect their boat – before choosing one you get on well with. Women alone or in a group should try to team up with a few men if possible, as some women travellers have reported sailing with felucca captains who had groping hands and there have been some rare reports of more serious assault.
Officially, feluccas can carry a minimum of six passengers and a maximum of eight. Fares are open to negotiation and dictated by demand. Expect to pay at least LE150 per person per day, including food, for sharing a boat between six to eight people. On top of this you need to add LE5 to LE10 per person for the captain to arrange the police registration – this needs to be arranged the day before sailing. You might find boats for less, but take care; if it’s much cheaper, you’ll either have a resentful captain and crew, or you’ll be eating little more than bread and fuul (fava bean paste) for three days. Do not hand out the whole agreed amount until you get to your destination because there have been several reports of trips being stopped prematurely for a so-called breakdown.
If you do have problems, the tourist police or the tourist office should be the first port of call.
Dahabiyyas, the Golden Boats
The 19th-century novelist Amelia Edwards likened travelling by sailing boat or steamer to the difference between horse-carriage and railway. She thought the former was slow and delightful, if expensive, while the latter was quick, cheap and without charm. When she travelled in the 1870s, package tours by steamer were already crowding dahabiyyas off the Nile. But they have made a comeback in the past few years and dozens of them are now afloat. Nour el Nil, La Flâneuse du Nil, Lazuli and Nile Dahabiya are all companies with boats that are beautifully appointed, with an antique feel, tasteful decor and double lateen sails. As they carry small numbers of passengers, this is the most luxurious way to see the monuments without crowds.
As most dahabiyyas have flexible itineraries and personalised service, it is also the best way to feel truly independent while still travelling in comfort, although often at considerably more expense than on feluccas or cruisers. Prices include all meals and usually also transfers to and from airports/train stations. Some include entrance to monuments and guide fees, but you should check when booking your trip. Trips are best arranged before you depart for Egypt.
Meroe (www.nourelnil.com; 5 nights per person from €1700) A replica of a 19th-century dahabiyya indistinguishable from the original, the beautifully finished Meroe is the best-run and coolest dahabiyya on the Nile. It is also rare for being owner-operated. It has room for 20 passengers in 10 comfortable, stylish white cabins with private bathroom, and large windows overlooking the Nile.
Because it is newly built, spaces have been thought through – there is ample storage for clothes and suitcases, for example – and plumbing and water filtration are good. During the day, when not visiting an ancient site or walking in the countryside, there is plenty of space on deck to read in your own corner, to watch the scenery or to dive off and swim in the strong current of the Nile. Food comes from farmers and markets on the way, and the chef produces delicious and copious meals with plenty of fresh vegetables, farm-bred chicken, duck and fish.
This tailor-made trip, with moorings at small islands and outside villages, is a unique way to see the Nile, reminiscent of another age. If there is no wind, the dahabiyya is towed by a motor boat. The same owners have three other boats, the eight-cabin Malouka, El Nil and Assouan, which are less expensive. All boats only run from Esna to Aswan (five nights).
Orient (www.nile-dahabiya.com; 3 nights from €525) With four double cabins and one suite, the well turned-out Orient is smaller than many dahabiyyas but none the worse for that. It’s run by Egyptians who also own one of our favourite restaurants in Luxor (Sofra); this and its sister ships Zekrayaat and Loulia are good midrange choices.
La Flâneuse (www.la-flaneuse-du-nil.com; 2 nights per person from €900) is well fitted and well run. Like original dahabiyyas, it relies on sails (or tugs) to move, but it does have air-con in the seven cabins. Tours are shorter than some, taking four nights from Esna to Aswan and three nights from Aswan back to Esna.
Lazuli (
%0100 877 7115; www.lazulinil.com) There are now three Lazuli dahabiyyas on the Nile, one with five cabins and two with six. The long, elegant boats have spacious decks with deck chairs, cushions and a long table at which most meals are served. The cabins are comfortable with compact but modern private bathrooms and solar-power energy.
Felucca Tips
A There are no onboard toilet facilities, so you will need to go to the toilet overboard or find somewhere private when you stop on shore. Some captains now travel with basic toilet tents – really no more than a screen and a hole in the sand.
A Check that the captain has what appears to be a decent, riverworthy boat, and the essential gear: blankets (it gets cold at night), cooking implements and a sunshade. If a different boat or captain is foisted on you at the last minute, be firm and refuse.
A Establish whether the price includes food; to be sure you’re getting what you paid for, go with whoever does the shopping.
A Agree on the number of passengers beforehand and ask to meet fellow passengers – you’re going to be sharing a small space, after all.
A Decide on the drop-off point before you set sail; many felucca captains stop 30km south of Edfu in Hammam, Faris or Ar Ramady.
A Don’t hand over your passport. Captains can use a photocopy to arrange the permit.
A Bring comfort essentials. It can get bitterly cold at night, so bring a sleeping bag. Insect repellent is a good idea. A hat, sunscreen and plenty of bottled water are essential.
A Wherever you stop, be sure to clean up after yourself.
Cruisers
There were as many as 300 cruisers plying the waters between Aswan and Luxor until the tourism slump led to many being tied up. Like hotels, the ones still running range from slightly shabby to sumptuous, but almost all have some sort of pool, a large rooftop area for sunbathing and watching the scenery, a restaurant, a bar, air-con, TV, minibars and en-suite bathrooms.
A cruise remains the easiest way to see the Nile in comfort on a midrange budget and can be ideal for families with older children who want to splash in a pool between archaeological visits, or for people who want to combine sightseeing with relaxation. The downside is that monuments are almost always seen with large groups and the itineraries are generally inflexible. Boats are almost always moored together, and the sheer volume of traffic means that generators and air-con units overwhelm the peace of the river. The consensus from our research is that scrimping on cruises means substandard hygiene, no pool, cubby-hole cabins and lots of hidden extras, which makes a felucca trip a far better option.
The only way around this is to book an all-inclusive package to Egypt. Not only are the prices usually lower but, in the case of cut-price cruises, the agency guarantees the reliability of the boat. The best deals are from Europe. Avoid booking through small hotels in Egypt: the hotels are not licensed as travel agencies so you will have no recourse if there are problems.
With the uncertain state of tourism at the time of writing, prices, which include all meals, entrance to monuments and guides, varied considerably; you should check prices with the company before you book.
Travel Accounts on the Nile
A Thousand Miles Up the Nile (Amelia B Edwards) Edwards was so absorbed by the remains of ancient Egyptian civilisation she came across on her journey that she founded the London-based Egypt Exploration Fund, which still finances archaeological missions today.
The Histories by Herodotus Egyptian customs, curious manners, tall tales and a few facts from a curious Greek historian in the 5th century BC.
A Winter on the Nile (Anthony Sattin) How a 19th-century Nile journey helped form Florence Nightingale and Gustave Flaubert.
Old Serpent Nile: A Journey to the Source (Stanley Stewart) A view from the ground as Stewart travels from the Nile Delta to its source in the Mountains of the Moon, in Uganda, during the late 1980s.
Between Luxor & Aswan
M/S Sudan (www.steam-ship-sudan.com; 3 nights from €850) The Sudan was built as part of Thomas Cook’s steamer fleet in 1885 and was once owned by King Fouad. It was also used as a set in the film Death on the Nile. It has been refurbished and offers 23 cabins, all with private bathroom, air-con and access to the deck. It’s unusual in that it has no pool, but it’s also unique because it has so much history and character, something sorely missing on most cruisers. Its configuration means it cannot moor to other cruisers, so night-time views are good. There is a choice of three- and four-night cruises. Note that the management does not accept children under seven.
M/S Philae (www.oberoihotels.com; cabins per night €425-1370) The award-winning Philae is the best of the modern cruisers currently operating on the Nile and has had a thorough refit. It is also one of the most expensive. It has 18 cabins and four suites, all with large picture windows that open. It runs four- and six-night cruises between Luxor and Aswan. It has an excellent kitchen, a gym, library and all the sophisticated touches you would expect, including a spa and treatment rooms.
M/S Sun Boat III (www.sanctuaryretreats.com) Sanctuary’s most intimate cruiser, the beautiful Sun Boat III has 14 cabins and four suites decorated in contemporary Egyptian style, and all pretty as a picture. The seven-night itinerary includes visits to Dendara and Abydos. Dinner on board is à la carte or a set menu with two European choices and one Egyptian. There’s also the option of in-room dining. The boat is impeccably run and operates a no-mobile-phone policy in public areas. Facilities include a pool and exercise machines. Sanctuary boats, formerly owned by Abercrombie & Kent, also include the larger M/S Sun Boat IV, which runs between Cairo and Aswan when water levels permit. All Sanctuary boats have excellent Egyptologists as guides and private mooring docks in Luxor, Aswan and Kom Ombo.
M/S Viking Ra (www.vikingrivercruises.co.uk; 12 nights from £5295) Viking stripped the Ra back to its shell and rebuilt it in 2017. Most of the 24 suites open onto small verandahs and the ship has all the facilities of a good hotel, including a spa. It is currently only available as part of a 12-day Egypt itinerary.
M/S Darakum (www.movenpick.com) Spacious and top-end, though not super-luxurious, the Darakum has 44 cabins and eight suites, plus a swimming pool. The decor is more 1970s than New Kingdom and you have to be quick to get a sunbed, but food and service is good, as you would expect from Mövenpick, who operate the boat.
Nile Facts
As the world’s longest river, the Nile cuts through 11 countries and an incredible 6680km of Africa as it winds its way north towards the Mediterranean Sea. It has two main sources: Lake Victoria in Uganda, out of which flows the White Nile; and Lake Tana in the Ethiopian highlands, from which the Blue Nile emerges. The two rivers meet at Khartoum in Sudan. Some 320km further north, they are joined by a single tributary, the Atbara. From here, the river flows northwards to its end without any other tributary and almost no rain adding to its waters.
Lake Nasser
Of the handful of boats currently cruising on Lake Nasser, a few stand out above the rest.
Ta Seti (%012-2749-1892, 010-0134-2410, 097-230-9748; www.african-angler.net) Something different: Tim Baily worked in safaris south of the Sahara before setting up African Angler, the first company to run Lake Nasser safaris. He has a staff of skilled guides, expert in the flora, fauna and fish life of the lake, and owns several styles of small boat. Two-cabin houseboats have toilet and shower, the two-bunk safari boats are more basic, while the mothership carries the kitchen and supplies. Cruises can be from one to seven nights and can start from Aswan or Abu Simbel.
Nubiana The Nubiana is a small motorboat with three small cabins, a suite and a shared shower. Above is a lounge and sun deck. A speedboat can also be arranged for fishing trips or waterskiing. The same company also organises five-day boat trekking trips from Aswan to Abu Simbel.
Prince Abbas (%010-0005-9590, 02-2690-1797; www.movenpick.com) A five-star deluxe ship operated by the Swiss chain Mövenpick, it has a library, a gym, a sun deck with a plunge pool and a jacuzzi. The spacious cabins have TV, music system, minibar, picture windows and private bathroom.
