Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan

Safiya 1

Ten outside suites, Esna to Aswan

Safiya 1 is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by Dahabiya Nile Sailing, built 2023. It has 10 cabins and 10 suites and sails itineraries of 3, 4, 7 or 11 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

Ten outside suites, Esna to Aswan. A 2023 dahabiya of ten panoramic suites, one wheelchair-accessible, sailing between Esna and Aswan, suited to travellers wanting space and a low-impact voyage.

Best for couples · unhurried travellersCabins 10Route Esna → Aswan

Fleet: Dahabiya Nile Sailing
Accommodation: 10 cabins · 10 suites
Built: 2023
Dimensions: 51 × 8.25 m
Route: Aswan, Daraw (market, camel barn, Nubian town), Kom Ombo, Gebel El Silsila (ancient sandstone quarry and shrines), Bisaw, El Kab, Esna, Luxor
Trip length: 3 · 4 · 7 · 11 nights
Departures: Aswan to Luxor 4 days / 3 nights usually starts Friday; other departure dates arranged for bookings of 2+ cabins

About Safiya 1

Safiya 1 is a wooden sailing dahabiya built in 2023, with ten suites of nearly twenty square metres each, all outside-facing with panoramic windows and one with wheelchair access. She sails the reach between Aswan and Luxor over four to five days, mooring at Gebel El Silsila, El Kab and Bisaw among the small communities of the Nile Valley, with stops at Daraw market, Kom Ombo and Esna.

Sustainability runs through the boat: solar panels and solar heaters provide baseline power, lighting and hot water, and refillable water bottles replace plastic. There is a restaurant and an upper-deck bar, with a jacuzzi and kayaks available on request.

Every suite has an en-suite bathroom with shower, air conditioning with individual controls and a fan. As part of the itinerary, guests shop in Daraw market for that night's dinner ingredients. Complimentary Wi-Fi is free in the upper-deck common area.

Highlights

Ten outside-facing suites, one wheelchair-accessible
Sails Aswan to Luxor via Gebel El Silsila
Solar power and refillable bottles, no plastic
Jacuzzi and kayaks on request
Shop Daraw market for dinner ingredients

At sail

Day by day

Safiya 1 sails 2 published programmes. Its own route: Aswan, Daraw (market, camel barn, Nubian town), Kom Ombo, Gebel El Silsila (ancient sandstone quarry and shrines), Bisaw, El Kab, Esna, Luxor Departures aswan to luxor 4 days / 3 nights usually starts friday; other departure dates arranged for bookings of 2+ cabins. 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

10 cabins · whole boat from about US$5,140 a night

About US$5,140 a night for the whole boat, or roughly US$30,840 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 Safiya 1.

That is the arithmetic of Safiya 1'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 Safiya 1 costs in 2026/2027

The published rate is US$771 per person, 3-night , checked on 2026-09-05.

We are not publishing a trip total for Safiya 1, for the reasons below. Ask us and we will quote the sailing you want.

What this figure is, and is not

Converted from the currency the operator quotes in, so it moves with the exchange rate.
The published figure is quoted per person, 3-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: Suite - 10 units, 20 sqm. All outside-facing with panoramic windows; one with wheelchair access. 6 m x 3.25 m including bathroom; bathroom 1.5 m x 3.12 m. Sleeps up to 3 (2+1) using the individual sofa bed.
Dining: Restaurant on board
Bar serving soft drinks, tea, herbal drinks and coffee on request at tea time
Guests shop in Daraw market for that night's dinner ingredients as part of the itinerary
Facilities: All suites outside-facing with panoramic windows
Private en suite bathroom with shower in every suite
Air conditioning throughout with individual controls
Fan in every suite
Jacuzzi, available upon request
Kayaks, available upon request (advise two days before the tour begins)
Solar panels and solar heaters providing baseline electricity, lights, charging, running and hot water
Electric generator, normally run at least 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening for A/C and appliances
Water dispensers on the upper deck with refillable bottles provided; the company avoids plastic bottles
Bar on the upper deck
Laundry services
Hot water
Safe
Life jackets and first aid kit
Fire alarm and firefighting system with extinguishers in suites and common areas, plus an evacuation plan
Daily cleaning available upon request
LED lights
Fishing
No smoking in cabins
Bottled water and daily housekeeping
Itineraries: 4 days / 3 nights Aswan to Luxor, guaranteed departure (Friday preferred; other dates arranged for 2+ cabins)
5 days / 4 nights Luxor to Aswan
8 days / 7 nights Cairo to Aswan (with Abu Simbel)
12 days / 11 nights Cairo to Cairo (Cairo, Aswan, Luxor, Hurghada)

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

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Good to know

Safiya 1 questions, answered

How much does Safiya 1 cost?

Advertised rates start from US$771 per person; prices vary by season and cabin.

How many cabins does Safiya 1 have?

10 cabins and 10 suites.

What route does Safiya 1 sail?

Aswan, Daraw (market, camel barn, Nubian town), Kom Ombo, Gebel El Silsila (ancient sandstone quarry and shrines), Bisaw, El Kab, Esna, Luxor, departing Aswan to Luxor 4 days / 3 nights usually starts Friday; other departure dates arranged for bookings of 2+ cabins.

What is included in the fare on Safiya 1?

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 Safiya 1 before booking.