Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan

Mr. Ben

A small sail for couples and quiet stops

Mr. Ben is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat). It has 8 cabins and 1 suites and sails itineraries of 3 or 4 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

A small sail for couples and quiet stops. An intimate sailing dahabiya of eight cabins and a suite under lateen sails, calling at Gebel Silsila and river islands between Esna and Aswan, suited to couples and small groups.

Best for couples · unhurried travellersCabins 8Board full boardRoute Esna → Aswan

Fleet: Independent
Accommodation: 8 cabins · 1 suites
Route: Luxor, Esna, Edfu, El Selsela / Gebel Silsila, El Kab, Kom Ombo, Hor Diab Island, Hagar Salsala quarry, Aswan, Philae Temple
Trip length: 3 · 4 nights
Departures: Every Friday from Aswan; every Monday from Esna
Season: Year-round, priced in three bands: low (May to September), high (October to April) and peak (18 Dec to 6 Jan and 21 Mar to 4 Apr).

About Mr. Ben

Mr. Ben is a small sailing dahabiya built for couples and little groups, with seven standard cabins and a suite, all with openable Nile-view windows, air conditioning and free Wi-Fi. Under her lateen sails she keeps to a quiet, unhurried pace.

Her route reaches the smaller, less-visited stops - Esna, El Kab, Gebel Silsila and the Hagar Salsala quarry, Kom Ombo, Hor Diab Island and Philae - on trips of three or four nights between Esna, Aswan and the temples between. Departures leave Aswan every Friday and Esna every Monday, year-round.

An open-air restaurant with a bar sits alongside a sun deck with a small plunge pool and loungers, and a Nubian sitting area. Meals are full board, freshly prepared and Egyptian-inspired, and a solar system keeps light and water running around the clock.

Highlights

Eight cabins plus a suite, under lateen sails
Reaches smaller, less-visited river sites
Calls at Gebel Silsila and Hor Diab Island
Small plunge pool on the sun deck
Friday from Aswan, Monday from Esna

At sail

Day by day

Mr. Ben sails 2 published programmes. Its own route: Luxor, Esna, Edfu, El Selsela / Gebel Silsila, El Kab, Kom Ombo, Hor Diab Island, Hagar Salsala quarry, Aswan, Philae Temple Departures every friday from aswan; every monday 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.

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 from about US$6,443 a night

About US$6,443 a night for the whole boat, or roughly US$38,658 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 Mr. Ben.

That is the arithmetic of Mr. Ben'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 Mr. Ben costs in 2026/2027

The published rate is US$1,208 per person, 3-night , checked on 2026-08-30.

We are not publishing a trip total for Mr. Ben, 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, 3-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: Standard cabin (7) - openable Nile-view windows, private bathroom with shower cabin, A/C, hairdryer, safe box, emergency light, free Wi-Fi
Suite (1)
Sold as single and double occupancy
Dining: Open-air restaurant with bar
Full board - freshly prepared Egyptian-inspired meals
Facilities: Open restaurant with bar and music
Sun deck with pool and sun loungers
Oriental Nubian sitting area
Gift shop
Ultraviolet water treatment system
Solar system providing 24-hour light and water
Fire alarm system
24-hour medical service
Itineraries: 4 days / 3 nights Aswan - Kom Ombo - El Selsela - Edfu - Esna
5 days / 4 nights Esna - Edfu - El Selsela - Kom Ombo - Hor Diab Island - Aswan

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

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Good to know

Mr. Ben questions, answered

How much does Mr. Ben cost?

Advertised rates start from US$1,208 per person for 3 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.

How many cabins does Mr. Ben have?

8 cabins and 1 suites.

What route does Mr. Ben sail?

Luxor, Esna, Edfu, El Selsela / Gebel Silsila, El Kab, Kom Ombo, Hor Diab Island, Hagar Salsala quarry, Aswan, Philae Temple, departing Every Friday from Aswan; every Monday from Esna.

What's included on Mr. Ben?

Accommodation, full-board meals, sailing, standard sightseeing and entrance fees per confirmed programme. Excludes drinks beyond water, gratuities, premium tomb interiors, optional excursions, insurance.