Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan

Queen Nefer

Two masts, no engine, Esna to Aswan

Queen Nefer is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by No owning operator identified. It has 6 cabins for up to 20 guests and sails itineraries of 3 or 4 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

Two masts, no engine, Esna to Aswan. A two-masted sailing dahabiya for up to twenty guests on the Esna-Aswan run, suited to travellers who want temples, islands and quiet river sailing.

Best for couples · unhurried travellersCabins 6 · up to 20 guestsBoard full boardRoute Esna → Aswan

Fleet: No owning operator identified
Accommodation: 6 cabins
Guests: Up to 20
Dimensions: 64 × 12 m
Route: Esna - Temple of Khnum - El Hegz Island - Edfu - El Ramady Island - Gebel El Silsila - Maniha Island - Kom Ombo - Daraw - Aswan (northbound adds El Herdiya Island and Besaw Island)
Trip length: 3 · 4 nights
Departures: Reported inconsistently: 5-day sailings on Monday or Saturday from Luxor / Esna, 4-day sailings on Friday or Wednesday from Aswan.

About Queen Nefer

Queen Nefer is a handcrafted two-masted dahabiya carrying up to twenty guests, sailing the Esna-to-Aswan reach the way the river was travelled before engines. Air-conditioned cabins and suites sit behind panoramic windows, with private bathrooms and a spacious sun deck of shaded seating and an outdoor terrace above.

The route threads the quiet water past the Temple of Khnum, Edfu, Gebel El Silsila and Kom Ombo, mooring at river islands like El Hegz and Maniha between the monuments. Full-board dining runs to freshly prepared Egyptian and international dishes and barbecue dinners on deck, with tea, coffee and bottled water throughout.

Wi-Fi reaches the common areas when the signal allows, though sailing conditions keep connectivity limited, which is rather the point of a dahabiya.

Highlights

Up to twenty guests under sail
Cabins and suites with panoramic windows
Moors at El Hegz, Maniha and other islands
Barbecue dinners and full-board dining
On-board Egyptologist for the temples

At sail

Day by day

Queen Nefer sails 2 published programmes. Its own route: Esna - Temple of Khnum - El Hegz Island - Edfu - El Ramady Island - Gebel El Silsila - Maniha Island - Kom Ombo - Daraw - Aswan (northbound adds El Herdiya Island and Besaw Island) Departures reported inconsistently: 5-day sailings on monday or saturday from luxor / esna, 4-day sailings on friday or wednesday from aswan.. 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

6 cabins · up to 20 guests · whole boat from about US$2,160 a night

About US$2,160 a night for the whole boat, or roughly US$12,960 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 Queen Nefer.

That is the arithmetic of Queen Nefer'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 Queen Nefer costs in 2026/2027

The published rate is US$180 avg/night , checked on 2026-08-30.

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

What this figure is, and is not

This is the operator's own advertised rate, not a quote from us.
The published figure is quoted avg/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: Air-conditioned cabins and suites with panoramic windows and private bathrooms
Single and double occupancy sold
Dining: Full-board dining area
Freshly prepared Egyptian and international cuisine
Barbecue dinners
Complimentary tea, coffee and bottled water
Facilities: Spacious sun deck with lounge chairs
Shaded seating areas
Outdoor terrace
Elegant dining area
Air conditioning
Private bathrooms
Panoramic windows
Daily housekeeping; laundry service available
Safety equipment and first aid on board
Itineraries: 5 days / 4 nights Luxor (Esna) to Aswan
4 days / 3 nights Aswan to Esna

Keep planning

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Good to know

Queen Nefer questions, answered

How much does Queen Nefer cost?

Advertised rates start from US$180 per person for 4 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.

What route does Queen Nefer sail?

Esna - Temple of Khnum - El Hegz Island - Edfu - El Ramady Island - Gebel El Silsila - Maniha Island - Kom Ombo - Daraw - Aswan (northbound adds El Herdiya Island and Besaw Island), departing Reported inconsistently: 5-day sailings on Monday or Saturday from Luxor / Esna, 4-day sailings on Friday or Wednesday from Aswan..

What's included on Queen Nefer?

Full board, Egyptologist guide, all air-conditioned transfers, entrance fees to Karnak, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Edfu, Kom Ombo, High Dam and Philae, service charges and taxes. Excludes tipping and personal expenses.