Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan
Minya
Nile-view cabins, Esna to Aswan
Minya is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by Sail the Nile, built 2021. It has 7 cabins and 1 suites for up to 14 guests and sails itineraries of 3 or 4 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.
Good to know
Nile-view cabins, Esna to Aswan. A five-star sailing dahabiya with Nile-view cabins running the Esna to Aswan reach, suited to travellers wanting full-board dining at a slower pace between the temples.
- Fleet
- Sail the Nile
- Accommodation
- 7 cabins · 1 suites
- Guests
- Up to 14
- Built
- 2021
- Dimensions
- 45 × 8 m
- Route
- Luxor (pre-embarkation sightseeing), Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan
- Trip length
- 3 · 4 nights
- Departures
- Mondays from Esna; Fridays from Aswan
- Season
- Rates quoted for a high season of October to April
About Minya
Minya is a five-star dahabiya sailing under traditional lateen sails, with an auxiliary engine for manoeuvring, on the reach between Luxor and Aswan. The four-night itinerary runs from Esna up to Aswan, calling at Edfu and Kom Ombo, with a shorter three-night sailing in the reverse direction.
The boat has Nile-view cabins, a shaded sun deck, a lounge bar and a dining room. Full board is included, with chef-prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner on board.
Departures leave Esna on Mondays and Aswan on Fridays through the October to April high season.
Highlights
- Five-star dahabiya under lateen sails
- Nile-view cabins and shaded sun deck
- Esna to Aswan via Edfu and Kom Ombo
- Full board dining on board
- Lounge bar and dining room
At sail
Day by day
Minya sails 2 published programmes. Its own route: Luxor (pre-embarkation sightseeing), Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan Departures mondays from esna; fridays from aswan. 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.
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
7 cabins · up to 14 guests · whole boat from about US$3,150 a night
About US$3,150 a night for the whole boat, or roughly US$18,900 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 Minya.
That is the arithmetic of Minya'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.
What Minya costs in 2026/2027
The published rate is US$225 per person per night , checked on 2026-09-05.
| Sailing | Per person, from |
|---|---|
| 3 nights | US$675 |
| 4 nights | US$900 |
The boat in detail
- Cabin categories
- Double (per-person double-occupancy rate)
- Single (single-occupancy rate)
- Dining
- Full board - chef-prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner on board
- Facilities
- Shaded sun deck
- Lounge bar
- Dining room
- Nile-view cabins
- Itineraries
- 4 nights / 5 days Esna to Aswan
- 3 nights / 4 days Aswan to Esna
Keep planning
Plan your Nile cruise
Good to know
Minya questions, answered
How much does Minya cost?
Advertised rates start from US$225 per person for 3 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.
How many cabins does Minya have?
7 cabins and 1 suites, for up to 14 guests.
What route does Minya sail?
Luxor (pre-embarkation sightseeing), Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan, departing Mondays from Esna; Fridays from Aswan.
What's included on Minya?
Full-board meals, accommodation, shore excursions as described, on-board use of public areas. Excludes international flights, visas, insurance, bar drinks beyond bottled water, gratuities and premium site tickets.
More dahabiyas to compare
Amoura
Ten cabins under sail, Esna to Aswan
Azhar
Twelve guests under lateen sail
Princess Cleopatra
Ten cabins, forty metres, Esna to Aswan
