Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan

Hadeel

Eight cabins under sail, El Kab to Aswan

Hadeel is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by Oriental Nile Cruises (Oriental Tours Egypt), built 2007. It has 8 cabins for up to 16 guests and sails itineraries of 5, 6 or 7 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

Eight cabins under sail, El Kab to Aswan. A traditional two-sail dahabiya of eight cabins for up to sixteen guests, sailing Luxor to Aswan over five to seven nights, for travellers who want the slow, characterful river.

Best for couples · unhurried travellersCabins 8 · up to 16 guestsBoard full boardRoute Esna → Aswan

Fleet: Oriental Nile Cruises (Oriental Tours Egypt)
Accommodation: 8 cabins
Guests: Up to 16
Built: 2007
Dimensions: 45 × 7.5 m
Route: Luxor, Esna, El Kab, Edfu, Fawaza Island, Gebel El Silsila, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Philae Temple
Trip length: 5 · 6 · 7 nights
Departures: Saturday (6 and 7 nights, and the 5-night Aswan-Luxor); Monday (5 nights ex Esna)

About Hadeel

Hadeel, built in 2007 and named for the soft cooing of a pigeon, is a traditional two-sail dahabiya fitted out in colonial style, with dark wood panelling and period furniture alongside modern comforts. Eight en-suite cabins carry up to sixteen guests, and the boat is small enough to moor against riverbanks and Nile islands.

That size opens up stops the cruise ships miss, adding El Kab and Gebel el-Silsila to the usual Luxor-to-Aswan run of Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae. Days are spent sailing and going ashore, with tea served on deck while the boat is under way and a jacuzzi on the two-level sun deck.

The dining room seats guests indoors or out for international and Egyptian cooking by a dedicated chef, on full board. A small motor vessel travels alongside as backup for the calm hours. Itineraries run five to seven nights, sailing from Luxor, Esna or Aswan.

Highlights

Built 2007; eight cabins, up to sixteen guests
Two sails, colonial-style wood interiors
Adds El Kab and Gebel el-Silsila
Two-level sun deck with jacuzzi
Five to seven nights, Luxor to Aswan

At sail

Day by day

Hadeel sails one published programme. Its own route: Luxor, Esna, El Kab, Edfu, Fawaza Island, Gebel El Silsila, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Philae Temple Departures saturday (6 and 7 nights, and the 5-night aswan-luxor); monday (5 nights ex esna). 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.

Day 1
Transfer to Esna and embark
Most boats collect guests in Luxor and drive the 50 km to Esna, since the lock is the practical starting point. Sail out and moor at an island.
Visits Esna lock
Day 2
El Kab and Edfu
The painted rock tombs at El Kab in the morning, a site no cruise ship stops at, then the Temple of Horus before dusk.
Visits El Kab · Edfu
Day 3
Gebel el-Silsila
The sandstone quarries and rock-cut chapels, then a long afternoon under sail. Moor at a sandbank.
Visits Gebel el-Silsila
Day 4
Kom Ombo
The double temple at first light, before the cruise ships arrive, and often the camel market at Daraw.
Visits Kom Ombo · Daraw
Day 5
Sail to Aswan
A slow final day on the water, mooring near Aswan.
Day 6
Disembark at Aswan
Disembark at Aswan after breakfast. The Aswan sites are not part of the river itinerary on an operator-sold sailing: Philae, the High Dam and Abu Simbel are added on either side, which is the main difference between this and an agency package.
Optional Philae · High Dam · Abu Simbel

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.

Take the whole boat

8 cabins · up to 16 guests · whole boat from about US$4,800 a night

About US$4,800 a night for the whole boat, or roughly US$28,800 for a six-night sailing.

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 Hadeel.

That is the arithmetic of Hadeel's own published cabin fares, not a quoted charter rate. Operators price exclusive use separately, and usually below the sum of the cabins, so tell us your dates and we will come back with the real figure.

Price the whole boat

What Hadeel costs in 2026/2027

The published rate is US$1,500 per person, 5-night , checked on 2026-09-05.

We are not publishing a trip total for Hadeel, for the reasons below. Ask us and we will quote the sailing you want.

What this figure is, and is not

The published figure is quoted per person, 5-night, which does not multiply into 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: 8 en-suite cabins, each 3.2 m x 4.25 m, with individually controlled A/C, telephone, safety box, hairdryer, shower, basin and WC
2 additional smaller rooms released only on a whole-boat charter basis
Fare categories: Single, Double, Triple, Suite double and Charter (no figures shown)
Dining: Dining room with indoor and outdoor service
Open-buffet breakfast
International and Egyptian cuisine by a dedicated chef
Complimentary coffee/tea on the sun deck; handmade welcome drink after excursions
Full board from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on the final day; tea time included while sailing (itinerary PDFs)
Facilities: Two-level sun deck
Jacuzzi
Lounge
Dining room
Fully air-conditioned
Two sails plus a small motor vessel used as tow/backup
Internet access
Itineraries: 7 nights Luxor to Aswan, every Saturday
6 nights Luxor to Aswan, every Saturday
5 nights Esna to Aswan, every Monday
5, 6 and 7 nights in both directions Aswan-Luxor and Luxor-Aswan

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

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Good to know

Hadeel questions, answered

How much does Hadeel cost?

Advertised rates start from US$1,500 per person; prices vary by season and cabin.

How many cabins does Hadeel have?

8 cabins, for up to 16 guests.

What route does Hadeel sail?

Luxor, Esna, El Kab, Edfu, Fawaza Island, Gebel El Silsila, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Philae Temple, departing Saturday (6 and 7 nights, and the 5-night Aswan-Luxor); Monday (5 nights ex Esna).

What is included in the fare on Hadeel?

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 Hadeel before booking.