Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan
Eyaru
Ten cabins under sail, Luxor to Aswan
Eyaru is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by Ashranda. It has 8 cabins and 2 suites for up to 12 guests and sails itineraries of 7 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.
Good to know
Ten cabins under sail, Luxor to Aswan. A handbuilt sailing dahabiya of ten cabins for up to twelve guests, sailing Luxor to Aswan in eight days, suited to travellers who prefer slow, small-scale river travel.
- Fleet
- Ashranda
- Accommodation
- 8 cabins · 2 suites
- Guests
- Up to 12
- Dimensions
- 50 × 7.5 m
- Route
- Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Bassawa Island, Gebel El-Silsila, Kom Ombo, Aswan
- Trip length
- 7 nights
- Departures
- Every Saturday (both 8-day directions)
- Season
- Year-round; the pergola-covered sundeck with four heaters is described as enabling winter sailing
About Eyaru
Eyaru is a wooden dahabiya built entirely by hand and free of plastic, carrying no more than twelve guests across eight cabins, two of them family suites. She was designed to read as a local boat, and each cabin carries its own colours and inscriptions drawn from the plants of southern Egypt.
Her eight-day sailings run between Luxor and Aswan by way of Esna, Edfu, Bassawa Island, Gebel el-Silsila and Kom Ombo, departing every Saturday in either direction and mooring at river islands the larger boats pass by. Full-board Egyptian cooking is served in the bar and restaurant area, with cooking demonstrations from the in-house chef.
Her most distinctive feature is a 210 sqm sun deck under a glass pergola, warmed by heaters for winter sailing and set with sofas and chaise lounges. Cabins hold a minibar, safe and air-conditioning, with double-glazed windows against the heat.
Highlights
- Eight cabins, up to twelve guests
- Built entirely by hand, plastic-free
- 210 sqm sun deck under glass pergola
- Moors at Gebel el-Silsila and Bassawa Island
- Departs every Saturday, both directions
At sail
Day by day
The canonical 5-day / 4-night rhythm on the Esna to Aswan reach; Eyaru sails itineraries of 7 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
8 cabins · up to 12 guests · 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 Eyaru.
What Eyaru costs in 2026/2027
The published rate is US$11,590 per person, 7-night , checked on 2026-09-05.
We are not publishing a trip total for Eyaru, for the reasons below. Ask us and we will quote the sailing you want.
What this figure is, and is not
- Our sources disagree on this boat's rate, so we are not publishing a trip total.
- Rates move with season, cabin and departure. We quote every sailing live, and there is no booking fee to ask.
Source: the operator's published rates
The boat in detail
- Cabin categories
- Twin Cabin (6 units, 18 sqm)
- Family Suite (2 units, 25 sqm)
- Dining
- Full board - breakfast, lunch and dinner served in the bar/restaurant area
- Authentic Egyptian cuisine; daily menu preview from the in-house chef
- Live cooking demonstrations / real-time recipe sessions for guests
- Buffet-style and a la carte options (Ashranda site)
- Facilities
- Sun deck of 210 sqm with partial/full glass pergola
- Four large sundeck heaters drawing heat from the ceramic layer beneath the deck
- Sofas and chaise lounges seating more than the boat's guest capacity
- Bar and restaurant area, open daily, partially or fully open from the top
- Egyptian boutique selling handmade silver jewellery and crafts
- Stainless-steel kitchen 20 m long with full bakery
- Motor room 10 sqm: two generators, two water pumps, multistage filter, water chlorination, chiller
- Built entirely by hand, plastic-free
- Minibar, safe box, air-conditioner, heater and porter service in cabins
- Double-glazed windows for heat insulation
- Itineraries
- 8 days / 7 nights Aswan to Luxor, departs Saturday
- 8 days / 7 nights Luxor to Aswan, departs Saturday
Keep planning
Plan your Nile cruise
Good to know
Eyaru questions, answered
How much does Eyaru cost?
Advertised rates start from US$11,590 per person for 7 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.
How many cabins does Eyaru have?
8 cabins and 2 suites, for up to 12 guests.
What route does Eyaru sail?
Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Bassawa Island, Gebel El-Silsila, Kom Ombo, Aswan, departing Every Saturday (both 8-day directions).
What's included on Eyaru?
Meet and assist, all transfers by air-conditioned vehicle, accommodation full board, tea/coffee all day, all excursions, entrance fees, Egyptologist guide, service charges and taxes. Excludes extras and tipping kitty.
What guests say
Independent traveller reviews of Eyaru, quoted with attribution — we don’t collect these ourselves.
5 out of 5via Tripadvisor (39)
- ★★★★★
“Osama and his crew on the Eyaru, for our cruise from Aswan to Luxor, made our week just fantastic and one we will remember for a very long time.”
— Sue M · via Tripadvisor
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