Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan

Miran

Mondays from Esna, largely wooden

Miran is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by Oriental Nile Cruises, built 2009. It has 6 cabins and 2 suites and sails itineraries of 3, 4, 5 or 7 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

Mondays from Esna, largely wooden. A six-cabin, two-mast wooden dahabiya sailing the Esna to Aswan route over four to seven nights, suited to small groups and families wanting easy comfort.

Best for couples · unhurried travellersCabins 6Route Esna → Aswan

Fleet: Oriental Nile Cruises
Accommodation: 6 cabins · 2 suites
Built: 2009
Dimensions: 38 × 7 m
Route: Esna - Edfu - Gebel el Silsila - Kom Ombo - Aswan
Trip length: 3 · 4 · 5 · 7 nights
Departures: Monday (operator sailings from Esna)

About Miran

Miran is a two-mast, largely wooden sailing dahabiya of six cabins, four twin cabins and two king-bedded suites, the suites opening onto private Nile-view terraces. Its modest size suits small groups and families who want comfort without pretension.

Departures leave on Mondays from Esna and run four, five or seven nights up to Aswan, calling at Edfu, Gebel el-Silsila and Kom Ombo along the way, all under sail with a backup for calm conditions.

Meals move between a shaded sun deck, where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the open air, and an indoor dining lounge, with Egyptian and international cuisine prepared aboard.

Highlights

Six cabins, largely wooden two-mast boat
Two suites with private Nile-view terraces
Mondays from Esna, four to seven nights
Calls at Edfu, Gebel el-Silsila, Kom Ombo
Meals on shaded sun deck and indoor lounge

At sail

Day by day

Miran sails 3 published programmes. Its own route: Esna - Edfu - Gebel el Silsila - Kom Ombo - Aswan Departures monday (operator sailings from 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.

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

6 cabins · whole boat from about US$8,397 a night

About US$8,397 a night for the whole boat, or roughly US$50,382 for a six-night sailing.

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 Miran.

That is the arithmetic of Miran'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 Miran costs in 2026/2027

The published rate is US$2,519 per person, 4 days / 3 nights Aswan to Luxor, group of 4-10 passengers, 1 June - 31 August season , checked on 2026-08-30.

We are not publishing a trip total for Miran, 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 per person, 4 days / 3 nights Aswan to Luxor, group of 4-10 passengers, 1 June - 31 August season, 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: 4 standard cabins, 5 m x 3 m, twin beds, maximum 2 persons, private bathroom with shower, bathtub and sink, air conditioning, 2 life jackets, escape map, towels and slippers.
2 suites, 5 m x 3 m, king bed, private bathroom with shower, bathtub and sink, air conditioning, private Nile-view terrace, 2 life jackets, escape map, towels and slippers.
Dining: Sun deck dining
Indoor dining lounge
Egyptian and international cuisine prepared by an expert chef
Facilities: Shaded sun deck used for breakfast, lunch and dinner
Dining lounge with CD player for winter dining
Two-mast sailing rig
Smoke and fire detection, counter-fire system
220-volt supply with child safety socket covers
Itineraries: 5 days / 4 nights Esna to Aswan, every Monday
6 days / 5 nights Esna to Aswan, every Monday
8 days / 7 nights Esna to Aswan, every Monday
4 days / 3 nights Aswan to Luxor (Kom Ombo, Gebel el Silsila, Edfu, Esna)

Keep planning

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Good to know

Miran questions, answered

How much does Miran cost?

Advertised rates start from US$2,519 per person for 3 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.

How many cabins does Miran have?

6 cabins and 2 suites.

What route does Miran sail?

Esna - Edfu - Gebel el Silsila - Kom Ombo - Aswan, departing Monday (operator sailings from Esna).

What's included on Miran?

3 nights full-board accommodation on board, English-speaking Egyptologist guide, all transfers, 3 breakfasts/lunches/dinners, all taxes and service charges. Excludes Egyptian entry visa, Cairo-Aswan transfer, site entrance fees, personal expenses, optional excursions and gratuities.

What guests say

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

4.5 out of 5via Tripadvisor (3,340)

★★★★★
“it was a dream traveling on Nile river with a traditional boat, really i enjoyed sailing with dahabiya Miran”
— Ashraf E, Cairo, Egypt · via Tripadvisor