Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan
Sacred Lotus
Ten cabins under sail, Luxor to Aswan
Sacred Lotus is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat). It has 10 cabins and 2 suites for up to 20 guests and sails itineraries of 3, 4 or 5 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.
Good to know
Ten cabins under sail, Luxor to Aswan. A two-masted sailing dahabiya of ten cabins for up to twenty guests, drifting the Luxor-Esna-Aswan reach past Edfu, Gebel el-Silsila and Kom Ombo.
- Fleet
- Independent
- Accommodation
- 10 cabins · 2 suites
- Guests
- Up to 20
- Dimensions
- 38 × 7 m
- Route
- Luxor/Esna, El Kab, Edfu, Gebel el Silsila, Kom Ombo, Aswan (Philae Temple, High Dam); Nubian evening ashore.
- Trip length
- 3 · 4 · 5 nights
- Departures
- Commonly Mondays from Luxor / Esna and Fridays from Aswan; 6-day programmes may run Thursdays or Saturdays.
- Season
- Marketed as new for 2027.
About Sacred Lotus
A two-masted sailing dahabiya of about 38 metres, Sacred Lotus carries up to twenty guests in ten cabins on a single deck, roughly 17 square metres each. Eight are standard doubles and two are superior cabins with private balconies, all opening to large Nile-view windows.
She runs the Luxor-Esna-Aswan stretch on five- and six-night sailings south and shorter hops back, mooring at El Kab, Edfu, Gebel el-Silsila and Kom Ombo, reaching Aswan for Philae and the High Dam with a Nubian evening ashore. Guests can swim from the boat straight into the river.
The shaded upper deck is furnished in wood with seating areas and hammocks, and a warm salon holds a small Egypt-focused library. Dining is full board, traditional Egyptian, with local wine available.
Highlights
- Ten cabins on one deck, up to twenty guests
- Two-masted dahabiya, around 38 metres
- Sails Luxor-Esna-Aswan with a Nubian evening ashore
- Shaded upper deck with hammocks and a library
- Swimming straight from the boat
At sail
Day by day
Sacred Lotus sails 3 published programmes. Its own route: Luxor/Esna, El Kab, Edfu, Gebel el Silsila, Kom Ombo, Aswan (Philae Temple, High Dam); Nubian evening ashore. Departures commonly mondays from luxor / esna and fridays from aswan; 6-day programmes may run thursdays or saturdays.. 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
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.
Cabin pricing
Rates by season
Indicative per-person USD rates from the boat's published 2026/27 programme (single published source). Your exact fare depends on dates and cabin — we quote every sailing live, with no booking fee to ask.
4 days / 3 nights · Luxor–Aswan corridor
| Cabin | High season · Sep–Apr | Low season · May–Aug |
|---|---|---|
| Double cabin (per person) | $1,820 | $1,650 |
| Single cabin (sole use) | $2,660 | $2,400 |
5 days / 4 nights · Luxor–Aswan corridor
| Cabin | High season · Sep–Apr | Low season · May–Aug |
|---|---|---|
| Double cabin (per person) | $2,070 | $1,870 |
| Single cabin (sole use) | $3,310 | $3,000 |
- Dahabiya cabins are allocated by the vessel; book early and we will ask for your preferred deck position.
- The 7-night round trip is priced as the two sailings combined, confirmed on your quote.
Take the whole boat
10 cabins · up to 20 guests · whole boat from about US$6,667 a night
About US$6,667 a night for the whole boat, or roughly US$40,002 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 Sacred Lotus.
That is the arithmetic of Sacred Lotus'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.
What Sacred Lotus costs in 2026/2027
The published rate is US$1,000 per person, 3-night; agencies quote US$1,000 (Egypt Day Trips) to US$1,650 (nilecruisetrips.com, May to Aug) , checked on 2026-09-21.
We are not publishing a trip total for Sacred Lotus, 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.
- 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 / double cabin - 8 units, 17 sqm, air conditioning, private bathroom, large windows with Nile views
- Superior cabin / suite with balcony - 2 units, 17 sqm, private balcony/terrace
- Dining
- Full board
- Traditional Egyptian cuisine
- Local wine available
- Facilities
- Shaded upper deck with wooden furnishings, seating areas and hammocks
- Warm salon with an Egypt-focused library
- Two masts carrying three or more sails
- Air conditioning in all cabins
- Private bathrooms
- WiFi
- Mini bar and TV
- Gift shop
- 24-hour doctor on call
- Swimming from the boat in the Nile
- Itineraries
- 6 days / 5 nights Luxor to Aswan
- 5 days / 4 nights Luxor (Esna) to Aswan
- 4 days / 3 nights Aswan to Esna
Keep planning
Plan your Nile cruise
Good to know
Sacred Lotus questions, answered
How much does Sacred Lotus cost?
Advertised rates start from US$1,000 per person; prices vary by season and cabin.
How many cabins does Sacred Lotus have?
10 cabins and 2 suites, for up to 20 guests.
What route does Sacred Lotus sail?
Luxor/Esna, El Kab, Edfu, Gebel el Silsila, Kom Ombo, Aswan (Philae Temple, High Dam); Nubian evening ashore., departing Commonly Mondays from Luxor / Esna and Fridays from Aswan; 6-day programmes may run Thursdays or Saturdays..
What's included on Sacred Lotus?
Accommodation, meals, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers, taxes; excludes tips, premium beverages, optional activities, domestic flights, insurance
What guests say
Independent traveller reviews of Sacred Lotus, quoted with attribution — we don’t collect these ourselves.
3.8 out of 5via Tripadvisor (33)
“As soon as I stepped on the boat, it was like a dream. It was opulent and inviting. Beautiful and relaxing.”
— mariadavis0, Melbourne, Australia · via Tripadvisor
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