Egypt: the Nile by Sail Private Journey

The River Nile by sail! Explore this storied river by dahabiya, the traditional two-masted yacht designed for sailing the Nile. Your beautiful 100-foot vessel harkens back to a nostalgic era of travel yet offers all of the modern comforts as you discover ethereal temples, magnificent tombs, and the dazzling beauty of the Nile landscape, all in the company of your private Egyptologist guide. This is an intimate Nile experience, with behind the scenes visits to villages, picnics on sandy riverbanks, and your crew guiding the yacht to dock the traditional way, under oar. The great sites of Cairo and the awe-inspiring temples of Abu Simbel round out this ultimate traveler’s odyssey amid the wonder that is ancient Egypt. We also offer a pre-trip extension to the ancient crossroads of Alexandria and a post-trip visit to fabled Petra, Jordan’s long-lost 2,000-year-old city carved into a cliff face.

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-3
Cairo and the Great Pyramids

The Great Pyramids at Giza epitomize the mystery of ancient Egypt. With your expert Egyptologist guide, explore these wondrous tombs, constructed in 2500 BC for the Pharaohs Cheops, Chefren, and Mycerinus. Visit the lion-headed Sphinx, ancient Memphis, and the necropolis at Sakkara. In Cairo, roam the labyrinthine Khan El Khalili Bazaar and the Egyptian Museum, the world’s most important collection of Egyptian antiquities, spanning an era from 2700 BC to the 6th century AD. In this famed museum, gaze on the extraordinary golden burial mask of King Tutankhamen, Egypt’s celebrated boy king and the face of ancient Egypt.

Day 4
Valley of the Kings

Modern Luxor is the site of ancient Thebes, Egypt’s New Kingdom capital, and the wealth of antiquities here is incredible. Visit the Luxor temple, whose grand colonnades grace the banks of the Nile in the heart of town, and stupendous Karnak, with its forest of stone columns built on a leviathan scale. Head across the Nile to explore the Valley of the Kings and Queens, where magnificent tombs (including the legendary tomb of King Tutankhamen) were carved into the desert rocks, richly decorated, and filled with treasures for the afterlife by generations of Pharaohs.

Days 5-9
The Nile by Sail

Savor the pleasures of the Nile from your sailboat as you journey with your Egyptologist guide from Luxor to Aswan in graceful style. Feast your eyes on the pageant of river life as you sail to Edfu to explore the extraordinary Temple of Horus, with its huge breathtaking walls filled with carved bas-reliefs. The next day, discover the little-visited shrine of Horomheb, the last king of the Middle Kingdom, then enjoy a barbecue dinner prepared by your crew and served by candlelight on remote Maniha Island. Sail to famous Kom Ombo, set on a high dune overlooking the Nile, to explore its stunning Greco-Roman and Ptolemaic temples, and enjoy an evening visit with the villagers of Cobania Island. Continue by sail upriver to romantic Philae, majestically situated on Aglika Island amid volcanic outcrops. Philae’s exquisite temple complex has lured pilgrims for thousands of years. Traveling by private sailboat is the perfect way to enjoy the living beauty of the Nile, lifeblood of Egypt, with scenes of graceful sailing feluccas and mud-brick villages inhabited since the time of the Pharaohs. On board delights include a private chef who prepares excellent meals served al fresco on deck under a shade canopy.

Days 10-12
Abu Simbel and Cairo

Fly to Abu Simbel to see the Nile-side temples built by Ramses II, an example of both ancient grandeur and modern preservation. Four immense statues of Ramses dominate the facade of the great Sun Temple, their faces gazing sternly across the water. In the 1960s, UNESCO arranged the disassembly and relocation of these precious temples to save them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. Your final day is in Cairo, exploring its fascinating Coptic sites. Depart on Day 12.

For a more complete description, Download Full Detailed Itinerary

What the Trip is Like

This trip is rated Level 1, easy. It is an overland touring trip with day walks to explore the fascinating temples and wonderful towns of this ancient and modern civilization. This trip can be enjoyed by anyone in good health who has no mobility restrictions.

Explanation of Trip Levels