Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan

El Bey

Six named cabins under sail to Aswan

El Bey is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat). It has 6 cabins and sails itineraries of 8 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

Six named cabins under sail to Aswan. A sailing dahabiya of six deluxe cabins running the Luxor-Aswan reach over seven to eight nights, for travellers wanting a small, characterful Nile.

Best for couples · unhurried travellersCabins 6Board full boardRoute Esna → Aswan

Fleet: Independent
Accommodation: 6 cabins
Route: Luxor (Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut) - Esna - Edfu - Kom Ombo - Aswan (Philae, High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk, Nubia Museum), and the reverse
Trip length: 8 nights
Departures: Every Saturday from Luxor and Aswan.

About El Bey

El Bey is a sailing dahabiya of six deluxe cabins, each named for a modern Egyptian figure, from Omar Sharif and Naguib Mahfouz to Ahmed Zewail and Mohamed ElBaradei. The boat takes its own name from the Ottoman title bey. Cabins carry private facilities, individual climate control and a safe.

Sailings run seven to eight nights between Luxor and Aswan in either direction, calling at Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings before Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo, then Aswan with Philae, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk. Departures are weekly.

The boat carries two levels of sun deck, a common lounge and an open-air oriental-style jacuzzi, with a dining room serving full-board meals aboard.

Highlights

Six deluxe cabins, each individually named
Seven to eight nights, Luxor to Aswan
Ports at Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae
Two-level sun deck and common lounge
Open-air jacuzzi and full-board dining

At sail

Day by day

The canonical 5-day / 4-night rhythm on the Esna to Aswan reach; El Bey sails itineraries of 8 nights on the same water. Days flex with wind and mooring rights, which is half the point of a sailing boat.

Day 1
Embark at Esna
Transfer in, settle into your cabin, and a first sail south as the crew raises the lateen sails.
Lunch · Dinner
Day 2
Edfu · Temple of Horus
The best preserved temple in Egypt in the morning quiet, then onward to an island mooring.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 3
The quiet Nile
A sailing day: village walks where the boat moors, swimming off the deck where conditions allow, tea as the sails come down.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 4
Kom Ombo
The double temple to Sobek and Horus late in the day, then a last night on the water short of Aswan.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 5
Disembark at Aswan
Ashore after breakfast. Philae Temple sits twenty minutes away, and Abu Simbel works as an extension.
Breakfast

Take the whole boat

6 cabins · whole-boat charter on request

A boat this size is a single family. Everyone eats at one table, the deck is yours alone, and the boat moves when your party is ready rather than when a schedule says so. Tell us your dates, and how many adults and children, and we will price the whole of El Bey.

Price the whole boat

The boat in detail

Cabin categories: Deluxe cabin, 6 units. Each cabin is named for a bey: Omar El Sheriff, Ahmed Zweil, Naguib Mahfouz, Youssef Shahine, Mohamed El Baradei and Anwar El Saddat. Fittings: private facilities, individual climate control, hair dryer, safety deposit box, plasma TV with movie channels, and two life jackets per cabin.
Dining: Full board
Dining room on board
Facilities: Two-level sun deck
Stylish common lounge
Open-air oriental-style jacuzzi
Dining room
Mini bar
Internet access
Fire-fighting system, smoke and heat detectors
Itineraries: 7-8 nights Luxor to Aswan or the reverse, calling at Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan and Philae
8 days Aswan to Luxor
7 days Luxor to Aswan

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

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Good to know

El Bey questions, answered

How many cabins does El Bey have?

6 cabins.

What route does El Bey sail?

Luxor (Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut) - Esna - Edfu - Kom Ombo - Aswan (Philae, High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk, Nubia Museum), and the reverse, departing Every Saturday from Luxor and Aswan..

What is included in the fare on El Bey?

A dahabiya fare of this kind normally covers your cabin on full board, entrance to the temples named in the itinerary, an Egyptologist guide, the listed shore excursions and transfers at each end. Tips, drinks, optional excursions such as Abu Simbel, and personal expenses are normally extra. Whether soft drinks, Wi-Fi and service charges sit inside the fare genuinely differs between operators, so confirm those for El Bey before booking.