Traditional Nile cruise by dahabiya

Why Join This Cruise:

• Unique cruise down The Nile by traditional small sailing vessel accommodating a maximum of just 20 guests


• Escorted throughout by a leading Egytophile, who will play the role of your guide with unique insights and anecdote accumulated through years of travel and living in Egypt


• Visits to the highlights between Luxor and Aswan, mixed in with other lesser but no less interesting sights along the way
• Private moorings at night, rather than en masse having to clamber over other vessels to reach land
• Perfect combination of culture and time to relax and unwind as you drift downriver at a sedate, civilized pace
• A very personalised, intimate Nile experience from a bygone era

Trip Overview
A very unique river journey, which seeks to re-introduce the style of a bygone era to cruising The Nile.

Travelling by traditional sailing vessel in a compact group under the expert guidance of a well-known Egptophile and writer, the well-paced itinerary allows generous time to take in and assimilate your fascinating surroundings, rather than simply putting ticks in a list of 'must-see's, and in far more evocative surroundings.



Daily Itinerary

Day 1 Luxor
Fly from the UK direct to Luxor. The next two Luxor days are going to be busy, but there's so much to see and we'll have time to slow down when we get on the boat. (You can always opt out of some of these sights if you've had enough).

We will stay in a new, comfortable, traditional-style hotel on the West Bank with views of Ramses III's temple of Medinet Habu. Depending on what time you arrive, we may have time to visit the West Bank.

Day 2 Luxor
An early start in the rich morning light to visit Karnak, the greatest of all temples. We plan to spend the rest of this day on the East Bank, seeing Luxor Temple and Luxor Museum, stopping for lunch at an interesting new restaurant. There will also be time to visit the souk and see some of the rest of town, if you wish.

Day 3 Luxor & West Bank
Another early start, this time to see some of the highlights of the West Bank, especially the Valley of the Kings and Deir el Bahari (the temple of Hatshepsut). If there is time and the desire, we can also visit the Tombs of the Nobles, the Ramesseum and Medinet Habu. Or walk through some of the nearby villages, or across the desert to a convent, looking for fossils on the way.

Day 4 Luxor/Esna
Our dahabiya, a traditionally constructed but recently built Nile sailing vessel, will be waiting for us at Esna, a 35-mile drive south up the Nile (most dahabiyas don't cross the Esna barrage).

Today we will visit Esna with its temple, caravanserai and olive press, then have lunch onboard. We will then sail south. The dahabiya has two enormous sails, but if there is no wind, we will be pulled by a small tug. Over drinks before dinner, we'll have a talk to conjure up the spirits of people who travelled before us up the Nile, including Gustave Flaubert and Florence Nightingale.

Day 5 El Kab/ Edfu
One of the main stops today is at El Kab. Although the site is mostly ruined, this place played a key role at the very beginning of ancient Egypt's history and has proved invaluable to archaeologists. From there we will sail to the wonderfully preserved Temple of Edfu, built during the Greco-Roman period, and reached from the boat by horse-drawn carriage.

Day 6 On the river
The river is the main attraction on this day of lounging, and of gently shifting views. If the going is good, we may stop in the afternoon to walk along the Wadi el Chatt, inscribed with hieroglyphs and ancient carvings. We will dock for the night at Jebel Silsileh, the quarry that provided the stone for many of Luxor's finest monuments. Large cruise boats are forbidden to stop here, which adds to the calm and mystique of the place.

Day 7 Jebel Silsileh/ On the river
We will visit the quarry in the morning, walking through the cutaway hillside where kings and masons have left their mark at several beautiful shrines. Later stops will take us to small villages, a café, more ruins, all backed by rich farmland and the ever-closer desert.

Day 8 Kom Ombo/ Daraw

Kom Ombo is one of the best-sited temples along the Nile, and one of the most unusual of all the structures the ancients built. After the visit, we will sail along to Daraw, famed for its camel market, the dusty end to the Forty Days' Road, the great caravan route from Sudan.

Day 9 Philae/ Aswan/ Cairo

We will reach Aswan and visit Philae, the site of the legendary Temple of Isis. There may be time to take a felucca, or sailing boat, to Elephantine or Kitchener's Island, or stroll through Aswan's souk, before the flight back to Cairo. We will end with a farewell dinner by the Nile.

Day 10 Cairo/ London
Fly home: most international flights leave Cairo in the morning.


The Boat

The boat is a dahabiya , a newly constructed vessel along traditional lines and offers comfortable, stylish accommodation for 16-20 passengers in double cabins with en suite bathrooms. The main deck is spacious with shaded awnings, providing plenty of opportunity for al fresco dining and with plenty of pillows and comfy seats from which to watch river life drift by.

Cruise dates for 2009

8th - 18th October 2009

Cost

£3,695.00 per person

What's included?

• 11 day fully escorted tour accompanied throughout by Anthony Sattin


• All flights from the UK


• Land based accomodation


• 5 day cruise based on full board basis


• All excursions and entrance fees


• All transfers

What's not included?

• Drinks


• Gratuities


• Additional fuel surcharges

Private Charters

This is also a fantastic option as a Private Charter for families and small groups, in which the daily itinerary can be tailor-made to suit you and your groups interests and requirements. **Please note that early booking is mandatory for peak holiday periods

For further details please contact the office on 01285 880981 and speak to Alex.

To discuss this trip, for further details or to check boat availability, please either:

Call 01285 880981
Email voyages@steppestravel.co.uk

Steppes Travel cruise destinations include: Alaska, Amazon, Antarctica, Arctic, Baja Mexico, Galapagos.