Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan
Princess Donia
Six cabins under sail, Esna to Aswan
Princess Donia is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by Oriental Nile Cruises, built 2005 and refurbished 2016. It has 5 cabins and 1 suites for up to 10 guests and sails itineraries of 5 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.
Good to know
Six cabins under sail, Esna to Aswan. A sailing dahabiya of five cabins and a suite for up to ten guests, running the Esna-to-Aswan reach past Edfu, Gebel el-Silsila and Kom Ombo, suited to small groups and couples.
- Fleet
- Oriental Nile Cruises
- Accommodation
- 5 cabins · 1 suites
- Guests
- Up to 10
- Built
- 2005
- Dimensions
- 36 × 6.1 m
- Route
- Luxor / Esna - Elkab - Edfu - Gebel el Silsila - Kom Ombo - Aswan
- Trip length
- 5 nights
- Departures
- Friday
About Princess Donia
Built in 2005, Princess Donia carries at most ten guests across five cabins and a single terrace suite on two decks. The standard cabins hold a king or twin beds with Egyptian cotton bedding and large windows, while the suite adds a private terrace looking out over the water.
The six-day sailing runs from Esna to Aswan under two masts, with an accompanying tug for the still stretches. Days pass mooring at El Fouza island for dinner, drifting past Gebel el-Silsila and the villages around Ramadi, then reaching Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan at the pace only a small boat keeps.
On board there is a salon and bar with a small library, board games and comfortable seating, and a sun deck laid with loungers and an Arabic corner. Meals are full board, traditional Egyptian and European cooking, with sunset tea and pastries.
Highlights
- Five cabins and a suite, up to ten guests
- Six-day sailing, Esna to Aswan
- Moors at El Fouza island and river villages
- Salon with library, bar and sun deck
- Full board Egyptian and European cuisine
At sail
Day by day
Princess Donia sails one published programme. Its own route: Luxor / Esna - Elkab - Edfu - Gebel el Silsila - Kom Ombo - Aswan Departures friday. 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.
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
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
5 cabins · up to 10 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 Princess Donia.
The boat in detail
- Cabin categories
- 4 standard cabins, 4.5 m x 2.5 m - private bathroom with shower and wash basin, air conditioning, king-size bed or two singles, large windows, Egyptian cotton bedding, telephone, wardrobe, hairdryer, 220-volt socket.
- 1 suite - private bathroom with shower and wash basin, air conditioning, private terrace with Nile views, 220-volt socket.
- Dining
- Full board - breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Traditional Egyptian and European cuisine by an experienced chef
- Sunset tea with cakes and pastries
- Soft and hard drinks against charge as per consumption
- Facilities
- Salon and bar, 21 m - library, comfortable seating, free internet access, board games, DVD player
- Sun deck, 23 m - tables, chairs, oriental seating, sun loungers, Arabic corner
- Fully equipped kitchen
- Two sail masts
- Tug motorboat
- Water filtration system
- 24-hour 220V electric power
- Housekeeping and room service
- Arabic and English music
- Itineraries
- 6 days / 5 nights Esna to Aswan, departing every Friday: Luxor West and East Bank, Elkab, Edfu by horse carriage, El Fouza private island dinner, Ramadi/Pasaw village, Gebel el Silsila, Bashir Island, Kom Ombo, optional Daraw camel market, Philae, Aswan bazaar and High Dam
Keep planning
Plan your Nile cruise
Good to know
Princess Donia questions, answered
How many cabins does Princess Donia have?
5 cabins and 1 suites, for up to 10 guests.
What route does Princess Donia sail?
Luxor / Esna - Elkab - Edfu - Gebel el Silsila - Kom Ombo - Aswan, departing Friday.
What is included in the fare on Princess Donia?
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 Princess Donia before booking.
What guests say
Independent traveller reviews of Princess Donia, quoted with attribution — we don’t collect these ourselves.
5 out of 5via Tripadvisor (3)
- ★★★★★
“We had the most wonderful time aboard the Princess Donia, we did the Luxor to Aswan trip and I don't think it'll be a trip we will forget.”
— Guide32021797446 · via Tripadvisor
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