Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan

Altesse

An elegant dahabiya under sail from Esna

Altesse is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by Lazuli. It has 8 cabins and 2 suites for up to 16 guests and sails itineraries of 2, 3 or 4 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

An elegant dahabiya under sail from Esna. A handsome twin-masted dahabiya sailing the quiet Esna to Aswan route, mooring against islands and small sites the big ships pass by, with elegant cabins and an open sun deck.

Best for couples · unhurried travellersCabins 8 · up to 16 guestsRoute Esna → Aswan

Fleet: Lazuli
Accommodation: 8 cabins · 2 suites
Guests: Up to 16
Route: Esna, Edfu, Gebel el-Silsila, Kom Ombo, Aswan
Trip length: 2 · 3 · 4 nights
Departures: Monday

About Altesse

A handsome twin-masted dahabiya sailing the quiet Esna to Aswan route, mooring against islands and small sites the big ships pass by, with elegant cabins and an open sun deck.

Highlights

Sails from Esna
Small and intimate
Moors at El Kab and Gebel el-Silsila
Elegant cabins, open deck

At sail

Day by day

Altesse sails 3 published programmes. Its own route: Esna, Edfu, Gebel el-Silsila, Kom Ombo, Aswan Departures monday. The order of the temples is fixed by the river, so what changes between programmes is the direction and how much is fitted into each day.

Luxor to Aswan, 4 nights (package)usually departs Saturday

Day 1
Luxor, embark and Karnak
Board at Luxor. Karnak in the afternoon, before the boat moves.
Visits Karnak
Day 2
The west bank, then the Esna lock
The tombs early, while it is still cool, then cast off and pass through the Esna lock.
Visits Valley of the Kings · Hatshepsut · Colossi of Memnon · Esna lock
Optional hot-air balloon at dawn
Day 3
Edfu
Edfu, the most complete temple on the river, from the mooring.
Visits Esna lock · Edfu
Day 4
Sailing
No temple on this day. The boat sails the quiet reach south of Edfu and moors where the large ships cannot, which is the reason to take a dahabiya at all. Every one of the three published itineraries leaves this day empty.
Day 5
Aswan, and disembark
The High Dam and Philae on arrival, then disembarkation.
Visits High Dam · Philae
Optional Abu Simbel by road or air

Aswan to Esna, 3 nights

Day 1
Aswan, Philae and the sail to Herdiab
Collected from your hotel or the airport in Aswan and taken to Philae, the island temple of Isis that UNESCO moved stone by stone between 1972 and 1980 to save it from the rising water. Aboard after the visit, with the first lunch served under way as the boat works down to Herdiab for the night.
Visits Philae Temple
Day 2
Kom Ombo and Gebel el-Silsila
Breakfast is served under way to Kom Ombo, where the temple stands on a bend in the river and is unusual in being dual - one half for Sobek the crocodile god, the other for Haroeris the hawk. Lunch is taken sailing on to Gebel el-Silsila for the Speos of Horemheb, a chapel cut into the rock for the pharaoh and seven gods, and the sandstone quarries that supplied the stone for much of pharaonic Egypt.
Visits Kom Ombo Temple · Gebel el-Silsila
Day 3
Bassaw village, Edfu, and the mooring at El Hegz
A morning at Bassaw, an old fishing village the tour buses never reach, where the encounter is unhurried and nothing is being sold. Edfu follows after lunch: the temple of Horus is the most completely preserved in Egypt and the last great building project on that scale, and it dominates a working town now known for sugar and pottery. The night is spent moored at El Hegz.
Visits Bassaw village · Edfu Temple of Horus
Optional trying the traditional fishing method still used on this stretch
Day 4
Esna, disembark for Luxor
Breakfast under way into Esna, then the short road transfer to Luxor.

Aswan to Esna, 2 nights

Day 1
Aswan, Philae and Kom Ombo
Collected from your hotel or the airport in Aswan at around ten, with Philae first - the island temple of Isis that UNESCO moved between 1972 and 1980 to save it from the rising water. Aboard afterwards, and lunch is served under way to Kom Ombo for the dual temple of Sobek the crocodile god and Haroeris the hawk. The boat carries on to moor at Beshir for the night.
Visits Philae Temple · Kom Ombo Temple
Day 2
Gebel el-Silsila, Bassaw and Edfu
An early hour at the Horemheb-era temple and the ancient quarry that supplied its stone, then an hour at Bassaw around midday - a working fishermen's village rather than a stop arranged for visitors. Lunch is eaten under way to Edfu, where the afternoon is given to the temple of Horus, the most completely preserved in Egypt. The night is spent moored at El Hegz.
Visits Gebel el-Silsila · Bassaw village · Edfu Temple of Horus
Day 3
Esna, disembark for Luxor
A short run into Esna, breakfast, and ashore at about half past eight for the road transfer to Luxor.

Day structure aggregated from the published itineraries for this class of boat and direction. Operators shift a call by half a day and the Esna lock queue moves everything; confirm the running order for your departure.

The fine print

What's included and what isn't

Children under six travel free, six to eleven pay a child rate, and twelve and over are charged as adults. Tipping is discretionary; as a guide the operator suggests roughly EUR 3-5 per person per day for the driver, EUR 5-7 for the representative and EUR 7-10 for the guide. Confirm what your own booking covers before you travel.

Included

Full board throughout, from lunch on the day you board to breakfast on the day you leave
Transfers at both ends, between the boat and your hotel or the airport
The visits and activities named in the itinerary, and their entrance fees
An Egyptologist guide on board, in English or French as you prefer
Mineral water, tea, mint tea, Turkish coffee and soft drinks throughout
Wi-Fi on board

Not included

Alcoholic drinks, fresh juice, and espresso or Nespresso coffee outside breakfast
Anything not named in the itinerary: other visits, activities, transfers or meals
Tips for the crew, the guide, the driver and the representative
Your Egypt entry visa, and flights
Personal expenses

Take the whole boat

8 cabins · up to 16 guests · whole-boat charter on request

At this size two or three families travel together without anyone being split between boats, and the crew cooks for your party alone. Tell us your dates, and how many adults and children, and we will price the whole of Altesse.

Price the whole boat

The boat in detail

Facilities: Jacuzzi on the upper deck
Shaded deck dining under a canopy
Saloon with bay windows onto the river
Twin lateen sails
Itineraries: 3 days / 2 nights Aswan to Esna
4 days / 3 nights Aswan to Esna
5 days / 4 nights Esna to Aswan

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

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Good to know

Altesse questions, answered

What route does Altesse sail?

Esna, Edfu, Gebel el-Silsila, Kom Ombo, Aswan, departing Monday.

What is included in the fare on Altesse?

On Altesse the fare covers Full board throughout, from lunch on the day you board to breakfast on the day you leave; Transfers at both ends, between the boat and your hotel or the airport; The visits and activities named in the itinerary, and their entrance fees; An Egyptologist guide on board, in English or French as you prefer; Mineral water, tea, mint tea, Turkish coffee and soft drinks throughout; Wi-Fi on board. Not included: Alcoholic drinks, fresh juice, and espresso or Nespresso coffee outside breakfast; Anything not named in the itinerary: other visits, activities, transfers or meals; Tips for the crew, the guide, the driver and the representative; Your Egypt entry visa, and flights; Personal expenses. These are the operator's own published terms.