Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan

Lumiere

A private sail from Luxor to Aswan

Lumiere is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by Lumière Private Nile Cruise, built 2024. It has 8 cabins and 3 suites and sails itineraries of 3, 4 or 5 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

A private sail from Luxor to Aswan. A privately chartered dahabiya of eight cabins and three suites sailing Luxor to Aswan over four to six days, for travellers who want the river to themselves.

Best for couples · unhurried travellersCabins 8Route Esna → Aswan

Fleet: Lumière Private Nile Cruise
Accommodation: 8 cabins · 3 suites
Built: 2024
Route: Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan (Karnak, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo Temple, Philae; Abu Simbel optional)
Trip length: 3 · 4 · 5 nights
Departures: Friday for the 4-day Aswan-Luxor and Monday for the 5-day Luxor-Aswan. No fixed departure days for private charters.

About Lumiere

Lumière is a privately chartered dahabiya that sails the Luxor-to-Aswan stretch of the Nile, taking in Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo along with the great sites at Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and Philae. With eight cabins and three suites, including a 68 sq m suite with its own lounge and jacuzzi, it is a boat sized for one party rather than a crowd.

Days are spent drifting between temples and moorings, with a lounge bar of floor-to-ceiling balconies for watching the banks slide past and a sun deck with a small pool. The kitchen serves a la carte lunches and dinners across Egyptian and international menus, with a buffet breakfast to start the day.

The boat also carries a massage room and a gym for those who want them, and itineraries run three to five nights in either direction between Luxor and Aswan.

Highlights

Eight cabins, three suites, privately chartered
Sails Luxor to Aswan via Esna, Edfu
Lounge bar with floor-to-ceiling balconies
Sun-deck pool, massage room and gym
A la carte dining, Egyptian and international

At sail

Day by day

Lumiere sails 3 published programmes. Its own route: Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan (Karnak, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo Temple, Philae; Abu Simbel optional) Departures friday for the 4-day aswan-luxor and monday for the 5-day luxor-aswan. no fixed departure days for private charters.. 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.

Esna or Luxor to Aswan, 5 nightsusually departs Monday

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

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 Luxor, 3 nightsusually departs Wednesday

Day 1
Aswan, embark
Board at Aswan, then the High Dam and Philae the same afternoon.
Visits High Dam · Philae
Optional felucca among the islands
Day 2
Kom Ombo
Sail north to Kom Ombo, whose double temple stands directly above the water. Half the published itineraries add Gebel el-Silsila, the old sandstone quarry, which no large ship stops at.
Visits Kom Ombo
Optional Abu Simbel, pre-dawn by road or air · Gebel el-Silsila
Day 3
Through the Esna lock
Edfu in the morning on most departures, then the Esna lock, which the boat often waits for. Moor at Luxor.
Visits Esna lock · Edfu
Day 4
The Luxor west bank, and disembark
The west bank on the last morning. Half of the departures add Karnak before the transfer.
Visits Valley of the Kings · Hatshepsut · Colossi of Memnon
Optional Karnak

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 · 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 Lumiere.

Price the whole boat

What Lumiere costs in 2026/2027

The published rate is US$2,999 'from' lead-in price shown on the category tile; per-person vs per-package basis not stated on the page , checked on 2026-08-30.

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

What this figure is, and is not

This is the operator's own advertised rate, not a quote from us.
The published figure is quoted 'from' lead-in price shown on the category tile; per-person vs per-package basis not stated on the page, 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: Luxury Cabin - 24 sqm (5)
Junior Suite - 39 sqm, private balcony, bathtub (2)
Lumiere Suite - 68 sqm, exclusive lounge/jacuzzi (1)
Dining: A la carte lunch and dinner
Buffet breakfast
Curated premium beverages and wines
Egyptian and international menus
Facilities: Restaurant
Lounge bar with floor-to-ceiling balconies
Sun deck with pool
Massage room
Gym
Public toilet
Laundry and room service
Itineraries: 5 nights Luxor to Aswan
4 days / 3 nights Aswan - Kom Ombo - Edfu - Luxor
5 days / 4 nights Luxor - Edfu - Kom Ombo - Aswan
5 nights / 6 days Luxor to Aswan via Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

Dahabiya Nile cruises explained How much a dahabiya cruise costs Best small-boat Nile cruises Nile River Cruise: the complete guide Nile cruise vs land tour

Good to know

Lumiere questions, answered

How much does Lumiere cost?

Advertised rates start from US$2,999 per person; prices vary by season and cabin.

How many cabins does Lumiere have?

8 cabins and 3 suites.

What route does Lumiere sail?

Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan (Karnak, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo Temple, Philae; Abu Simbel optional), departing Friday for the 4-day Aswan-Luxor and Monday for the 5-day Luxor-Aswan. No fixed departure days for private charters..

What's included on Lumiere?

Boat page lists full-board accommodation, meet-and-assist, private air-conditioned transfers, private excursions and all entrance fees; excludes extra meals/beverages, tips and optional tours