Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan

Merit Star

Twelve cabins and suites, sailing engine-free

Merit Star is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by Merit Dahabiyas. It has 12 cabins and 4 suites for up to 24 guests and sails itineraries of 3, 4, 5 or 7 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

Twelve cabins and suites, sailing engine-free. A sailing dahabiya of twelve cabins and suites for up to twenty-four guests, running between Luxor and Aswan over three to seven nights; suits those wanting a little more space.

Best for couples · unhurried travellersCabins 12 · up to 24 guestsBoard full boardRoute Esna → Aswan

Fleet: Merit Dahabiyas
Accommodation: 12 cabins · 4 suites
Guests: Up to 24
Dimensions: 55 × 8 m
Route: Luxor - Esna - Edfu - Al Ramady Island - Gebel El Silsila - Kom Ombo - El Sheikh Fadl Island - Aswan. Sites: Luxor and Karnak Temples, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Colossi of Memnon, Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo Temple, Philae Temple, High Dam, optional Abu Simbel.
Trip length: 3 · 4 · 5 · 7 nights
Departures: Saturdays from Luxor (southbound). The northbound short cruise sails Saturdays.
Season: Year-round; a September-April winter season and a May-August summer season

About Merit Star

Merit Star sails with twelve cabins and suites for up to twenty-four guests, ranging from twin and king deluxe cabins to twenty square metre deluxe suites, each with a panoramic window and its own air conditioning. It is a wind-powered boat that runs vibration-free with no engine, so the quiet of the river carries throughout the trip.

Sailings run four, five or seven nights up from Luxor and a shorter three-night leg from Aswan, tracing the reach past Esna, Edfu, Gebel el-Silsila and Kom Ombo and mooring at islands like Al Ramady along the way. Meals are full board, with international and local cooking served indoors or on the sun deck, plus a bar and tea service up top.

The sun deck holds fourteen loungers and an open-air heated Jacuzzi, with a reading lounge and a small boutique below. It is an unhurried, personal way to reach the temples between Luxor and Aswan.

Highlights

Twelve cabins and suites, up to twenty-four guests
Wind-powered, engine-free sailing
Luxor to Aswan, three to seven nights
Moors at Al Ramady Island and Gebel el-Silsila
Sun deck with fourteen loungers and Jacuzzi

At sail

Day by day

Merit Star sails 3 published programmes. Its own route: Luxor - Esna - Edfu - Al Ramady Island - Gebel El Silsila - Kom Ombo - El Sheikh Fadl Island - Aswan Departures saturdays from luxor (southbound). the northbound short cruise sails saturdays.. 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

12 cabins · up to 24 guests · whole boat from about US$11,992 a night

About US$11,992 a night for the whole boat, or roughly US$71,952 for a six-night sailing.

A boat this size carries a reunion or a celebration: grandparents, parents and children aboard together, the run of the deck, and one bill at the end. Tell us your dates and party size and we will price the whole of Merit Star.

That is the arithmetic of Merit Star'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 Merit Star costs in 2026/2027

The published rate is US$1,499 per person, 3-night; agencies quote US$1,499 (winter, Around Egypt Tours) to US$2,015 (Dunes Egypt) , checked on 2026-09-21.

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

What this figure is, and is not

Published as a range rather than a single figure.
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: Deluxe suite (king bed) - 4 suites, 20 sqm, air conditioning, mini bar, phone, safe deposit, fire alarm, panoramic window; private bathroom with shower, hot/cold water, hair dryer, slippers
Deluxe cabin (king bed) - 2 cabins, 18.5 sqm, same in-cabin amenities
Deluxe cabin (twin beds) - 6 cabins, 18.5 sqm, same in-cabin amenities
Dining: Full board - all meals included
Indoor and sun deck restaurants
Bar; sun deck tea service
International and local cuisine
Facilities: 24-hour front desk
Indoor restaurant and sun deck restaurant
Bar
Reading lounge
Open-air heated Jacuzzi on the sun deck
Sun deck with 14 loungers
Wi-Fi (chargeable)
24-hour doctor on call
Laundry with express pressing
Full fire safety systems, first aid and medical services
Boutique / gift shop
In-cabin: air conditioning, mini bar, phone, safe deposit, fire alarm, panoramic window
Itineraries: 3 nights / 4 days, Aswan to Luxor, departs Saturdays
4 nights / 5 days, Luxor to Aswan, departs Saturdays
5 nights / 6 days, Luxor to Aswan, departs Saturdays
7 nights / 8 days, Luxor - Aswan - Luxor round trip, departs Saturdays

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

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Good to know

Merit Star questions, answered

How much does Merit Star cost?

Advertised rates start from US$1,499 per person for 3 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.

How many cabins does Merit Star have?

12 cabins and 4 suites, for up to 24 guests.

What route does Merit Star sail?

Luxor - Esna - Edfu - Al Ramady Island - Gebel El Silsila - Kom Ombo - El Sheikh Fadl Island - Aswan. Sites: Luxor and Karnak Temples, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Colossi of Memnon, Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo Temple, Philae Temple, High Dam, optional Abu Simbel., departing Saturdays from Luxor (southbound). The northbound short cruise sails Saturdays..

What's included on Merit Star?

3 or 4 nights on board, cabin amenities, temple and tomb access, village and island visits. Excludes internal flights, beverages, personal spending and gratuities.

What guests say

Independent traveller reviews of Merit Star, quoted with attribution — we don’t collect these ourselves.

4.9 out of 5via Tripadvisor (60)

“We traveled with the Merit Star in May and are very enthusiastic. We have already been on several Nile cruises with ships, but the trip with the Dahabeya is something very special. The suites are very tastefully and modernly furnished and the Dahabeya has a sun bed with a roof for each guest on deck.”
— Gabi Hermanns · via the operator