8-Day Sonesta Amirat Dahabeya from Luxor to Aswan

Day 1 – Arrival, Embarkation and Sightseeing

We want your vacation to be as stress-free as possible, so when you arrive in Luxor, we will have one of our tour representatives standing by at the airport or the railway station to meet and greet you. They will then escort you to the place where you will board the waiting Sonesta Amirat Dahabiya.

Shortly after boarding, you will be served a lovely onboard lunch, and then the sightseeing will begin. Today you will be visiting the temple complex of Amon-Ra first, and then the famous Luxor Temple which was built during the 28th Dynasty. The temple complex of Amon-Ra is mostly known as Karnak Temple, and it was, in fact, a temple city that grew aver a considerable amount of time, with numerous rulers of Egypt expanding it during their reigns.

Luxor Temple is likewise a vast complex, although nowhere nearly as vast as Karnak. It is, however, a much more well-preserved monument and it is a wonderful site to visit. Following your visit to these two monuments, you will return to the Sonesta Amirat Dahabiya, and shortly after boarding, you will be served a scrumptious onboard dinner. Enjoy the remainder of the evening as you wish, and enjoy a good night’s sleep on the water, with your boat moored on the banks on the Nile at Luxor.

Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2 – Luxor Monuments Excursion and Sail to Esna

When you wake up, your day will begin with a first-class breakfast on board the boat, and then it will be time for an onshore excursion you will never forget. Today, you will be visiting some of Egypt’s top historical tourist attractions, including Valley of the Kings; Valley of the Queens; the temple of Medinet Habu, and the massive Colossi of Memnon that overlook the mighty Nile River.

The Valley of the Kings is best known for being the place where King Tutankhamen’s tomb was discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter, but this ancient royal necropolis is also home to a multitude of other tombs that once belonged to pharaohs of the Early Kingdom, including Ramesses II.

While Valley of the Queens does not get as much recognition, it is actually just as impressive as Valley of the Kings, with the only difference being that this necropolis was the burial place for queens rather than kings.

The Temple of Medinet Habu is also an amazing ancient site and one which you will remember forever. This is a vast site which is home to numerous chapels and other buildings, most of which are reasonably well-preserved. This site is best known for its spectacular wall reliefs which cover an area of more than 7,000 thousand square meters.
Next, you will be visiting two giant stone statues known as the Colossi of Memnon. Legend has it that the one statue used to occasionally make a shouting noise at around dawn, and because of this, the statues were became known as Memnon, son of Eos, goddess of the Dawn.

Finally, you will return to the wonderful comfort of your Dahabiya, and it will sail towards Esna, arriving at around midday. Enjoy an afternoon of relaxation, followed by a delectable onboard dinner in the evening. Tonight you will sleep on the water, with your boat moored near Esna.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 3 – Leisure Time on the Water

Day 3 of your 8-Day Luxor to Aswan Dahabiya Nile Cruise has been reserved for leisure and relaxation, with no excursions planned for this day. Instead, enjoy a good onboard breakfast, followed by a slow and silent journey to a tiny island in the Nile. Once your Dahabiya has moored, it will soon be time for lunch, and then you will have more time to yourself until dinner is served in the evening.

After a wholesome onboard dinner, enjoy the remainder of the evening as you wish before retiring to your bed for the night, for another good night’s sleep on the water, moored alongside the tiny island.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 4 – Sail to Edfu with Edfu Sightseeing

Today also kicks off with a good onboard breakfast which you can enjoy at leisure while you are sailing silently towards Edfu. At around Midday you will be served a delicious lunch, and then you will disembark for a trip to Edfu Temple, one of the largest and also one of the best-preserved temples of the ancient world.

Once you have explored this spectacular site, and once early evening arrives, the crew will begin serving a delightful dinner in the Dahabiya’s tastefully decorated dining area. After dinner, enjoy the beautiful serenity that surrounds you, and rejuvenate your mind and body with another good night’s sleep on the water.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 5 – Sail to Kom Ombo

Wake up to the stillness and the clean air that surrounds you, and enjoy another good breakfast on board the Sonesta Amirat while it sails calmly towards Kom Ombo. Rather than docking at Kom Ombo, the Dahabiya will tie up at a tiny island, just a short distance from Kom Ombo.

Today, you will have plenty of time to relax, and to enjoy the serenity of life out on the Nile River. As usual, you will be served a good lunch in the afternoon and a fine dinner in the evening. Tonight you will be sleeping out on the water along the island where the Dahabiya is moored.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 6 – Ptolemaic Temple Visit and Sail to Aswan

Shortly after you wake up, breakfast will be served, and the Sonesta Amirat will leave the tiny island where it was moored for the night, and it will sail the short distance to Kom Ombo. On arrival, you will disembark, and you will be taken to explore the fascinating Kom Ombo Temple. What makes this Ptolemaic so special, is the fact that it is completely symmetrical, and that it was dedicated to two different gods. It is believed to be the only one of its kind in Egypt.

Kom Ombo temple was dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile-headed god, and Horus, the falcon-headed god. Sobek was the god of crocodiles and controller of the waters, while Horus was the god of the morning sun. When this temple was build, it was crucial to ensure that it provided each of these two gods with their own facilities, and in order to prevent ill feeling, everything had to be identical down to the finest detail. Expect to see two identical entrances; two identical halls; two identical sanctuaries, and etc.

After you unforgettable visit to this remarkable monument, you will return to your waiting Dahabiya, and it will begin sailing to Aswan, with a lovely lunch being served along the way. As it approaches Aswan, it will pull next to a bridge not far from the city of Aswan, and it will be moored here rather than in Aswan itself. Enjoy a good dinner on board, and spend the night sleeping on the water on the outskirts of Aswan.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 7 – Aswan Historical Sightseeing Tour

As usual, wake up to another fantastic onboard breakfast and then it will be time for you to disembark for a lovely visit to the awe-inspiring Aswan High Dam, followed by a visit to the Old Dam. The Old Dam was completed in 1902, and it served Egypt well for many decades. Later, in 1971, the unbelievable Aswan High Dam was completed, and as many would agree, this dam quite literally changed the face of Egypt. Today, the dam supports a massive amount of the country’s agricultural water requirements, and it generates a significant amount of electricity.

Construction of the Aswan High Dam also helped to create one of the world’s largest man-made lakes, Lake Nasser. When this lake was forming after completion of the dam, many ancient monuments were at risk of being claimed by the rising waters, and while not all of them could be saved, many were dismantled and moved to higher ground, including monuments such as the Abu Simbel Temples, and Philae Temple in Aswan.

After visiting the two dams, you will return to your Dahabiya for lunch, and then you will visit Philae Temple, one of the ancient temples that were saved from the waters of Lake Nasser. This is a remarkable site, and no visit to Aswan would be complete with a visit to the temple.

Finally, you will return to the boat, with some time left for relaxation before sitting down to another fine dinner on the water. Tonight you will once again sleep on the water, just a short distance from Aswan.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 8 – Breakfast, Disembarkation, and Airport Transfer

Sadly, your magical 8-Day Luxor to Aswan Dahabiya Nile cruise has now come to an end, but before you say goodbye to any friends you have made along the way, first sit down for one last good onboard breakfast which you can enjoy at leisure.

After breakfast when you disembark for the last time, we will once again have one of our friendly tour representatives standing by to meet and greet you, and to assist you in any way they can. They will then escort you to the airport or to the railway station in a modern air-conditioned vehicle, and then it will be time for everyone to say goodbye. You will no doubt be leaving with a heavy heart, but you will have many glorious memories that will stay with you forever.

Meals Included: Breakfast

What is included in your Sonesta Amirat Dahabiya Nile Cruise holiday:

• Meet and Greet Service – One of tour representatives will meet you on arrival in Luxor, and another one will be there to bid you farewell when you depart from Aswan.
• Full Personal Assistance – Our team of tour professionals will be available to offer assistance throughout the duration of your cruise in the unlikely event that something goes wrong.
• All Transfers – All transfers are done in modern air-conditioned vehicles and are included in the price of your cruise.
• Full Board – Your 8 Day Luxor to Aswan Dahabiya Nile Cruise includes full board and lodging on board the Sonesta Amirat river yacht.
• All Excursions – All excursions mentioned in the itinerary are included in the tour price.
• Entrance Fees – Any and all entrance fees to the various sites visited are included.
• English Speaking Guide – A fully certified English-speaking Expert guide will accompany you on all excursions. Our guides are extremely knowledgeable, and visitors are encouraged to ask question during excursions.
• All Service Charges and Taxes – The price of your cruise is inclusive of all taxes, services charges, and etc. With us, there are NO hidden charges along the way.

What is not included in your MS Sonesta Amirat Dahabiya Nile Cruise holiday:

• Pre-Arrival and Post-Departure Travel – Tour price does not include travel to Luxor or onward travel from Aswan.
• Tipping – Tour price does not include money for tipping guides, waitresses, waiters, and etc. Tipping is not required or expected, but always appreciated if you feel it is well-deserved.