With your private guide – a cheerful Egyptologist with a passion for storytelling – you’ll set off early from your hotel or the airport in Luxor. By 7:30 am, you're comfortably on your way to explore the grand beginnings of ancient Egypt.

Karnak Temple

Our first destination is the magnificent Karnak Temple – a sprawling complex built over centuries by pharaohs determined to leave their legacy. As your guide paints stories among the towering columns of the Hypostyle Hall, you’ll learn how this site represented the very heart of ancient Thebes. It’s not just stone – it’s the stage of rituals, power, and divine drama.

Valley of the Kings

Then we cross the Nile to the West Bank to visit the Valley of the Kings. Here, your guide helps you interpret the vibrant scenes inside the tombs – texts not just to be admired, but meant to guide the king through the underworld. You’ll visit three royal tombs, and those keen on seeing Tutankhamun’s tomb can choose to include it.

By afternoon, you’re whisked by private vehicle to Esna (about an hour’s drive), where your elegant dahabiya awaits. With its polished wood decks, attentive crew, and quiet luxury, the boat becomes your floating home.

As the sails catch the Nile breeze, you begin your leisurely voyage southward. Welcome aboard.

Included: Entrance fees, private guide, transportation, breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight: Onboard Dahabiya at Esna

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast as you glide past palm groves and riverbanks. Our first stop is El Kab, once the capital of Upper Egypt and home to the vulture goddess Nekhbet.

El Kab Necropolis

The tombs of El Kab, Tucked behind mudbrick walls are rock-cut tombs of ancient governors and warriors. Your guide deciphers the scenes: archers in battle, offerings to gods, and records of Nile floods. One tomb, belonging to Ahmose, son of Ibana, praises his valor during Egypt’s reunification – a real-life hero of the 17th Dynasty.

Back on board, we continue to Edfu, where a horse-drawn carriage brings you to one of Egypt’s best-preserved temples.

Temple of Horus at Edfu

This grand Ptolemaic structure, built over 180 years, honors Horus, the falcon-headed god of kingship. Your guide unpacks its sacred geometry and the mythic battle between Horus and Seth. The hieroglyphs, still sharp with color, invite you into divine battles and cosmic order.

Afterward, the dahabiya anchors near Bassao Island, where silence wraps around the river. Dinner is served on deck beneath the stars – the gentle lapping of the Nile your evening soundtrack.

Included: Entrance fees, private guide, breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight: Onboard Dahabiya near Bassao

Begin the morning with a walk through Bassao Island, where villagers still live by rhythms unchanged for centuries. Learn about local customs, breadmaking, weddings, and fishing with handmade nets – your guide bridging the conversation.

As you sail onward, the sandstone cliffs of Gebel El Silsila rise dramatically. This quarry supplied stone for Karnak and many temples you’ve seen. You’ll explore chapels carved into the cliff face, once resting places for workers and royal barges.

By late afternoon, you reach Kom Ombo, a unique temple dedicated to two gods:

Temple of Kom Ombo

Split in perfect symmetry, the northern half honors Haroeris (Horus the Elder), while the southern half worships Sobek, the crocodile god of fertility and protection. Your guide reveals the temple’s role as a healing center – don’t miss the ancient surgical tools carved into its walls.

Evening mooring is near Herdiab Island, where you’ll enjoy a barbecue dinner and the peace of the river.

Included: Entrance fees, private guide, breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight: Onboard Dahabiya near Herdiab

After breakfast, a short sail takes you to Daraw, a town known for its once-weekly camel market – one of the largest in Africa. If timing aligns, you can witness the organized chaos as traders and camels from Sudan and Egypt gather to bargain.

From here, continue south to Aswan, the Nile’s southern jewel. You’ll visit the island temple of Philae, a romantic complex saved from the rising waters of Lake Nasser.

Philae Temple

Board a motorboat to reach the island. Your guide recounts how the temple was dismantled and reassembled block by block during the UNESCO rescue mission. Dedicated to Isis, goddess of magic and motherhood, the temple radiates divine femininity. Myths of Osiris, Horus, and Isis unfold across its walls.

Optional this afternoon:

• Visit a Nubian Village: A cheerful ride across the Nile takes you to a brightly painted Nubian home. Meet families, learn about traditions, and sip hibiscus tea on a shaded rooftop.

Included: Entrance fees, private guide, breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight: Onboard Dahabiya in Aswan

Your final morning unfolds gently. For those eager to explore further, we offer an optional early morning Abu Simbel excursion by road or flight. These twin temples, carved by Ramses II, are unmatched in scale and symbolism.

Otherwise, after a relaxed breakfast on deck, we bid farewell as we arrange your transfer to Aswan Airport or your next hotel.

Your dahabiya journey ends, but the stories and moments gathered along the river will travel with you long after.

Included: Breakfast, transfer