Three kinds of boat sail the Nile between Luxor and Aswan, and each one makes a different trip. The big ship is a floating hotel with a pool. The dahabiya is a sailing boat for 20 guests at most. The felucca is an open sailboat with no cabin. Here is which one suits you, and what to check before you book.
The three boats at a glance
All three sail the same river and see almost the same temples. The difference is how you spend your nights: in a hotel, on a sailing yacht or under the stars.
| Big ship | Dahabiya | Felucca | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guests | usually 50 to 150 | 8 to 20 | up to 8 |
| Route | Luxor ↔ Aswan | Esna ↔ Aswan | north from Aswan |
| Nights | 3 to 4 | 4 to 5 | 0 to 3 |
| Sleeping | cabin with bathroom | cabin with bathroom | on deck, no toilet |
| Power | engine | sail, otherwise a tug | wind only |
| Price | cheapest | often 2 to 3 times more | depends on length |
The short answer: on a first trip to Egypt with a tight budget, take the big ship. If you want peace and can spend more, take the dahabiya. And treat yourself to a felucca whatever you choose, at least for an hour at sunset in Aswan.
The big ship: a floating hotel
The classic Nile cruise. A ship with several decks, usually 50 to 150 guests, a restaurant, a bar and a small pool on the sun deck. The trip between Luxor and Aswan takes 3 to 4 nights. Along the way the ship stops at the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo, and guided visits are often included.
The upsides: it is the cheapest way to sail the Nile, everything is organised, and cabins are air-conditioned. The downsides: the temples are crowded, because every ship docks at the same time, and the schedule is fixed. Downstream, from Aswan to Luxor, it is usually 3 nights, and 4 the other way, because the ship sails against the current.
Which deck? The question nobody asks
In Luxor and Aswan there are more ships than berths. So the ships are often moored side by side, one against the other. If yours is in the middle, a lower-deck cabin looks straight at the neighbour's hull, and the curtains stay closed.
Our advice: book a cabin on an upper deck. You get more light and a better chance of an open view in port. Under way, the side of the ship hardly matters: everyone gets the best view from the sun deck anyway.
The dahabiya: sailing like in the 19th century
The dahabiya is a wooden sailing boat with two masts. This is how 19th-century travellers sailed up the Nile. Today a dahabiya usually takes 8 to 20 guests in cabins with private bathrooms. No pool, no evening show, but peace: when the wind blows, the engine is off. When it does not, a small tug tows the boat.
The trip takes 4 to 5 nights between Esna and Aswan. Esna lies about an hour south of Luxor. The big advantage: a dahabiya can stop where the big ships cannot dock.
Such as Gebel el-Silsila, the ancient quarries with small rock-cut chapels right at the water's edge, and El Kab with its rock tombs. In the evening the boat often moors by an island or a village. The price: a good dahabiya often costs two to three times as much per person as a standard ship. Before booking, ask whether the cabins are air-conditioned at night: some boats switch off the generator.
The felucca: the Nile without a cabin
The felucca is the small sailboat with the big triangular sail you see on every postcard from Aswan. About 10 metres long, for 8 guests at most, with no engine. It only moves when the wind blows.
For most travellers the felucca is an outing: an hour at sunset in Aswan, around Elephantine Island. It fits into any trip, even alongside a big-ship cruise.
If you want more, you can sail several days north from Aswan: Kom Ombo in about two days, Edfu in about three. You sleep on deck on thin mattresses, under an awning. There is no toilet on board: the crew sets one up on the bank. The boat moors at sunset and dinner is served on board. Winter nights are cold, so bring a sleeping bag. It is an adventure, not a comfortable holiday, and it is worth it for travellers looking for exactly that.
What you will see on any boat
Big ship or dahabiya, two temples are almost always on the programme. The double temple of Kom Ombo stands right on the river and is dedicated to two gods, including the crocodile god Sobek. The Temple of Horus at Edfu is one of the best preserved in Egypt.
Between Luxor and Esna the boats pass through the Esna lock. For the big ships it is a bottleneck: they sometimes wait a long time for their turn. So do not book a tight flight on your arrival day.
Before you book: four questions
Whichever boat you choose, ask the operator these four questions before booking. One: how many nights, and in which direction? Two: which visits and entry tickets are included, and which cost extra? Three: where does the boat moor in Luxor and Aswan, at its own berth or against other ships? Four: are drinks and tips included? The answers often turn two offers at the same price into two very different trips.
The best time for the Nile
The best time is from October to April. In December and January the days are pleasant, but nights on board are cool, especially on a felucca. From May to September the thermometer often tops 40 °C in Luxor and Aswan. A big air-conditioned ship with a pool is then the sensible choice, and sightseeing happens at sunrise.
Our verdict
For a first trip on a limited budget: the big ship, downstream from Aswan to Luxor, cabin on an upper deck. For a special trip for two, or for history lovers: the dahabiya, for the calm and the stops the others skip. And in every case, an hour on a felucca in Aswan as the sun goes down.
To see how the cruise fits into a whole trip, follow our 10-day Egypt itinerary: Cairo, a flight to Aswan, three nights on the Nile and Luxor.
