Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan

Papyrus

Twelve cabins under sail to Aswan

Papyrus is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by Dahabeya Egypte, built 2024. It has 12 cabins for up to 24 guests.

Good to know

Twelve cabins under sail to Aswan. A sailing dahabiya of twelve cabins for up to twenty-four guests, sailing between Luxor and Aswan, suited to larger groups wanting a slow, low-footprint Nile.

Best for couples · unhurried travellersCabins 12 · up to 24 guestsRoute Esna → Aswan

Fleet: Dahabeya Egypte
Accommodation: 12 cabins
Guests: Up to 24
Built: 2024
Dimensions: 35 × 7 m
Route: Luxor - Esna - Edfu - Kom Ombo - Hor Diab - Aswan - Luxor
Season: 2026 and 2027 seasons on sale

About Papyrus

Papyrus is a larger dahabiya, built recently in light wood and driven by sail to keep its footprint low, with twelve cabins for up to twenty-four guests, two of them triples. Each cabin has a private bathroom and a panoramic river view.

She sails between Luxor and Aswan by way of Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Hor Diab, offered as an eight-day sailing or with a Cairo pre-tour. Egyptology talks, yoga sessions and Egyptian cooking classes fill the hours between temples.

The air-conditioned dining room serves Egyptian and international dishes from fresh local produce. Two upper-deck lounges, one with a bar, sit alongside a small Jacuzzi, sun loungers and an observation deck above the dining room.

Highlights

Twelve cabins, up to twenty-four guests
Sails Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan
Two upper-deck lounges, one with bar
Yoga, cooking classes and Egyptology talks
Observation deck above the dining room

At sail

Day by day

The canonical 5-day / 4-night rhythm on the Esna to Aswan reach. Days flex with wind and mooring rights, which is half the point of a sailing boat.

Day 1
Embark at Esna
Transfer in, settle into your cabin, and a first sail south as the crew raises the lateen sails.
Lunch · Dinner
Day 2
Edfu · Temple of Horus
The best preserved temple in Egypt in the morning quiet, then onward to an island mooring.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 3
The quiet Nile
A sailing day: village walks where the boat moors, swimming off the deck where conditions allow, tea as the sails come down.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 4
Kom Ombo
The double temple to Sobek and Horus late in the day, then a last night on the water short of Aswan.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 5
Disembark at Aswan
Ashore after breakfast. Philae Temple sits twenty minutes away, and Abu Simbel works as an extension.
Breakfast

Take the whole boat

12 cabins · up to 24 guests · whole-boat charter on request

A boat this size carries a reunion or a celebration: grandparents, parents and children aboard together, the run of the deck, and one bill at the end. Tell us your dates and party size and we will price the whole of Papyrus.

Price the whole boat

What Papyrus costs in 2026/2027

The published rate is US$929 per person, 7-night , checked on 2026-09-05.

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

What this figure is, and is not

The published figure may be a low-season or triple-occupancy rate rather than the year-round double.
Converted from the currency the operator quotes in, so it moves with the exchange rate.
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: Standard cabin with private bathroom and panoramic river view
Triple cabin (2 of the 12)
Dining: Air-conditioned dining room
Mix of traditional Egyptian dishes and international cuisine using fresh local produce
Egyptian cooking classes
Facilities: Two upper-deck lounge areas, one with bar
Small jacuzzi
Sun loungers
Air-conditioned dining room with windows
Observation deck above the dining room
Air conditioning
WiFi
Entertainment systems
Itineraries: Cairo pre-tour + cruise: Cairo - Luxor - Esna - Edfu - Kom Ombo - Hor Diab - Aswan - Luxor - Cairo (2026 season)
8 days without flights: Luxor - Esna - Edfu - Kom Ombo - Hor Diab - Aswan - Luxor (2026 season)
Luxor - Aswan - Luxor round trip (2027 season)

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

Dahabiya Nile cruises explained How much a dahabiya cruise costs Best small-boat Nile cruises Nile River Cruise: the complete guide Nile cruise vs land tour

Good to know

Papyrus questions, answered

How much does Papyrus cost?

Advertised rates start from US$929 per person; prices vary by season and cabin.

How many cabins does Papyrus have?

12 cabins, for up to 24 guests.

What route does Papyrus sail?

Luxor - Esna - Edfu - Kom Ombo - Hor Diab - Aswan - Luxor.

What is included in the fare on Papyrus?

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 Papyrus before booking.