Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan

Nuun

A wooden dahabiya under sail

Nuun is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by Ashranda. It has 8 cabins and 2 suites for up to 12 guests and sails itineraries of 3, 4 or 7 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

A wooden dahabiya under sail. A five-star wooden sailing dahabiya of eight cabins for up to twelve guests, sailing between Luxor and Aswan, suited to travellers wanting a slow, guided Nile.

Best for couples · unhurried travellersCabins 8 · up to 12 guestsBoard full boardRoute Esna → Aswan

Fleet: Ashranda
Accommodation: 8 cabins · 2 suites
Guests: Up to 12
Route: Kom Ombo, Esna, Edfu, El Kab, Gebel el Silsila, Beshir Island, Luxor, Aswan; the 8-day Luxor round trip also includes Philae and a mooring at Herdiab Island.
Trip length: 3 · 4 · 7 nights
Departures: Selected departure dates year-round; the 8-day Luxor round trip departs every Thursday (Egypt Tours Plus)
Season: Year-round on selected departure dates; 'October through April offers the coolest temperatures and the most consistent winds'. Rate seasons are split May-August and September-April.

About Nuun

Nuun is a traditional wooden dahabiya under sail rather than a motor cruise ship, carrying at most twelve guests across six double cabins and two master suites with private terraces. An Egyptologist guide sails throughout, and the boat moors at Gebel el-Silsila and Beshir Island where the large cruisers never reach.

Her sailings of three to seven nights run between Luxor and Aswan by way of Kom Ombo, Esna, Edfu, El Kab and Gebel el-Silsila, with an eight-day Luxor round trip departing Thursdays that also takes in Philae. October through April brings the coolest temperatures and the most consistent winds.

Cabins carry large panoramic windows, a private safe, air-conditioning, minibar and hairdryer. Full-board Egyptian cuisine is served in an elegant dining room over the river, and the sun deck holds chaise lounges and an Arabic seating area, with an accompanying motorboat for calm-wind days.

Highlights

Eight cabins, up to twelve guests
Egyptologist guide throughout
Moors at Gebel el-Silsila and Beshir Island
Two master suites with private terraces
Best winds October through April

At sail

Day by day

Nuun sails 2 published programmes. Its own route: Kom Ombo, Esna, Edfu, El Kab, Gebel el Silsila, Beshir Island, Luxor, Aswan; the 8-day Luxor round trip also includes Philae and a mooring at Herdiab Island. Departures selected departure dates year-round; the 8-day luxor round trip departs every thursday (egypt tours plus). 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 · up to 12 guests · whole-boat charter on request

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 Nuun.

Price the whole boat

What Nuun costs in 2026/2027

The published rate is US$1,157 per person, 3-night , checked on 2026-09-05.

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

What this figure is, and is not

Our sources disagree on this boat's rate, so we are not publishing 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: Double Cabin (twin or large beds, panoramic windows), 6
Master Suite with private terrace, 2
Dining: Full board - all breakfasts, lunches and dinners plus tea and coffee
Elegant dining area serving Egyptian cuisine overlooking the Nile
Soft drinks included in the cabin minibar
Facilities: Sun deck with chaise-longue chairs
Arabic seating area on the sun deck
Elegant dining room and lounge
Free Wi-Fi throughout the vessel
Electronic fire and smoke detection
Soft drinks in the cabin minibar
In-room private safe
Large panoramic windows
Modern duvets and hairdryer
Air conditioning and heater
Accompanying motorboat for calm-wind days
TV, phone, towels and laundry service
Itineraries: 4 days / 3 nights Aswan to Luxor
4 days / 3 nights Aswan to Esna
5 days / 4 nights Luxor to Aswan
8 days / 7 nights Luxor to Luxor round trip (departs Thursday)

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

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Good to know

Nuun questions, answered

How much does Nuun cost?

Advertised rates start from US$1,157 per person for 3 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.

How many cabins does Nuun have?

8 cabins and 2 suites, for up to 12 guests.

What route does Nuun sail?

Kom Ombo, Esna, Edfu, El Kab, Gebel el Silsila, Beshir Island, Luxor, Aswan; the 8-day Luxor round trip also includes Philae and a mooring at Herdiab Island., departing Selected departure dates year-round; the 8-day Luxor round trip departs every Thursday (Egypt Tours Plus).

What's included on Nuun?

Full board, all temple entrance fees, English-speaking Egyptologist guide, air-conditioned ground transfers, soft drinks in minibar. Tips not included.