Nour El Nil is a family-run company that brought the dahabiya back to the Nile. Its traditional wooden sailboats move with the wind, not with engines, so there is no noise, smoke or vibration. Each boat is small and personal, with only a few cabins and a crew of about 15 to 17 people.
The journey starts in Luxor and sails 250 km south from Esna to Aswan over six days. You visit Esna, El Kab, Edfu, Gebel Silsileh and Kom Ombo, and you stop at quiet islands where big cruise ships cannot go. Meals are fresh Egyptian food, often served on deck, with fish from the Nile and vegetables from riverside markets. There is time to swim, walk in the desert, and simply watch the river go by.
