Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan

Nora

A 19th-century dahabiya, faithfully rebuilt

Nora is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by Djed Egypt Travel / Nile Dahabiya Boats. It has 6 cabins and 2 suites for up to 15 guests and sails itineraries of 3 or 4 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

A 19th-century dahabiya, faithfully rebuilt. A five-star replica dahabiya with four cabins and two terrace suites sailing Esna to Aswan, suited to travellers wanting a classically furnished boat with a Nile library.

Best for couples · unhurried travellersCabins 6 · up to 15 guestsBoard full boardRoute Esna → Aswan

Fleet: Djed Egypt Travel / Nile Dahabiya Boats
Accommodation: 6 cabins · 2 suites
Guests: Up to 15
Dimensions: 45.5 × 7.5 m
Route: Esna, El Hegz island, Edfu (Temple of Horus), El Fuza island, El Ramady, Besaw island, El Silsela mountain temple, Meneha island, Kom Ombo (Temple of Sobek), Daraw market, Kobania, Aswan (Philae Temple, High Dam); El Kab and Gebel Silsila also cited
Trip length: 3 · 4 nights
Departures: Sundays from Esna and Thursdays from Aswan, guaranteed weekly through 2026 and 2027
Season: October to April recommended; May to September is very hot.

About Nora

Nora is a replica of a 19th-century dahabiya, classically elegant and inspired by the golden age of Nile travel. She carries four luxury cabins and two panoramic terrace suites, all outside-facing and en-suite, with the two rear suites opening onto private balconies over the river.

The upper deck holds an expansive lounge and dining area, with antique lamps and chandeliers over the wooden sundeck and embroidered cushions, deckchairs, a hammock and loungers along each side. Inside, a spacious saloon lit by large louvred windows is split between a sitting area and a dining table beside a library of books about Egypt and the Nile.

The route sails from Esna to Aswan, calling at Edfu, Gebel el Silsila and Kom Ombo, past river islands including El Hegz and Besaw, with Daraw market and Philae before the High Dam. Full board covers chef-prepared meals served on the upper deck or in the saloon, with afternoon tea on deck.

Highlights

Four cabins and two terrace suites, all en-suite
Rear suites with private river balconies
Upper-deck lounge with Nile library
Esna to Aswan via Gebel el Silsila
Full board with afternoon tea on deck

At sail

Day by day

Nora sails 2 published programmes. Its own route: Esna, El Hegz island, Edfu (Temple of Horus), El Fuza island, El Ramady, Besaw island, El Silsela mountain temple, Meneha island, Kom Ombo (Temple of Sobek), Daraw market, Kobania, Aswan (Philae Temple, High Dam); El Kab… Departures sundays from esna and thursdays from aswan, guaranteed weekly through 2026 and 2027. 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

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 · up to 15 guests · whole boat from about US$5,016 a night

About US$5,016 a night for the whole boat, or roughly US$30,096 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 Nora.

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

The published rate is US$418 per person per night , checked on 2026-10-07.

We are not publishing a trip total for Nora, 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.
The operator publishes one rate across several boats in this fleet, so it is not specific to this hull.
Converted from the currency the operator quotes in, so it moves with the exchange rate.
Rates move with season, cabin and departure. We quote every sailing live, and there is no booking fee to ask.

The boat in detail

Cabin categories: Luxury Cabin x4 - large, air-conditioned, en-suite, louvred French windows, two twin beds or one king-size, space for an extra bed and baby cot, antique furniture, Egyptian rugs, floral wallpaper, handmade tapestries; large bathroom with antique tiled floor, bathtub and shower
Panoramic Terrace Suite x2 - at the end of the central corridor, French windows and large private balcony, antique four-poster bed, room for an additional bed; en-suite with bath and shower, handmade Egyptian tiles, bathrobes and hair dryers
Dining: Full board - lunch on embarkation day through breakfast on disembarkation day
Chef-prepared meals served in the upper-deck dining area or the saloon
Afternoon tea served on deck
Facilities: Upper deck with expansive lounge and dining area, antique lamps and chandeliers, wooden sundeck
Embroidered cushions, deckchairs, a hammock, sofas and loungers along each side
Spacious saloon with large louvred windows, split between a sitting area and a dining table
Library stocked with books about Egypt and the Nile
Salon & dining room
All cabins and suites outside-facing with panoramic windows
Air-conditioned throughout with individual controls
Generator for electricity
Water filters for fresh water supply
Waste water recycling and sewage treatment system
Safety equipment: smoke detectors, emergency lighting, sprinkler system
Itineraries: 5 days / 4 nights Esna to Aswan (upriver)
4 days / 3 nights Aswan to Esna (downriver)

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

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Good to know

Nora questions, answered

How much does Nora cost?

From US$418 per person per night in a cabin at double occupancy, up to US$475 depending on the sailing. A suite runs US$494 to US$561, and sole occupancy from US$621. Full board, all sightseeing, entrance fees, an Egyptologist, Wi-Fi and transfers at both ends are included; alcohol and tipping are not.

How many cabins does Nora have?

6 cabins and 2 suites, for up to 15 guests.

What route does Nora sail?

Esna, El Hegz island, Edfu (Temple of Horus), El Fuza island, El Ramady, Besaw island, El Silsela mountain temple, Meneha island, Kom Ombo (Temple of Sobek), Daraw market, Kobania, Aswan (Philae Temple, High Dam); El Kab and Gebel Silsila also cited, departing Sundays from Esna and Thursdays from Aswan, guaranteed weekly through 2026 and 2027.

What is included in the fare on Nora?

A dahabiya fare of this kind normally covers your cabin on full board, entrance to the temples named in the itinerary, an Egyptologist guide, the listed shore excursions and transfers at each end. Tips, drinks, optional excursions such as Abu Simbel, and personal expenses are normally extra. Whether soft drinks, Wi-Fi and service charges sit inside the fare genuinely differs between operators, so confirm those for Nora before booking.

What guests say

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

4.9 out of 5via Tripadvisor (877)

“My friend and I booked a 3-day cruise on the Dahabiya Nora and it was everything I hoped it would be. The crew took wonderful care of us – Hassan prepared delicious food that took into account our allergies / dietary restrictions. The intimacy of a smaller boat was exactly what we wanted…”
— Kate Ives · via the operator