Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan

Safiya 3

Two large sails, Esna to Aswan

Safiya 3 is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by Dahabiya Nile Sailing. It sails itineraries of 3, 4, 5 or 14 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

Two large sails, Esna to Aswan. A dahabiya in the Safiya fleet sailing under two large sails between Esna and Aswan on guaranteed small-group departures, suited to travellers wanting the quieter Nile.

Best for couples · unhurried travellersBoard full boardRoute Esna → Aswan

Fleet: Dahabiya Nile Sailing
Route: Esna (Temple of Esna, Wekalet Al-Geddawi caravanserai), El Hegz village, El Kab, Edfu (Temple of Horus), Bisaw Island, El Selsela quarry, Kom Ombo (temple + Crocodile Museum), Daraw market/camel barn, Nubian town, Aswan
Trip length: 3 · 4 · 5 · 14 nights
Departures: 5D/4N Luxor-Aswan typically departs Monday from Esna; 4D/3N Aswan-Luxor typically departs Friday from Aswan.

About Safiya 3

Safiya 3 is part of the small owner-operated Safiya fleet, sailing under two large sails between Esna, or Luxor, and Aswan on guaranteed small-group departures. The route calls at Esna and its temple, El Kab, Edfu, Bisaw Island, the El Selsela quarry, Kom Ombo with its Crocodile Museum, and Daraw market before Aswan, stopping at villages and islands the large motor cruisers pass by.

Both double cabins and suites are offered, all en-suite with hot showers, air conditioning and a hair dryer. Spacious deck areas, a jacuzzi and an accompanying tugboat round out the boat, with solar panels fitted across most of the fleet to cut diesel use.

Meals are full board, chef-prepared on board, with a moonlit barbecue ashore on the five-day itinerary. Longer trips extend as far as Cairo and Nubia.

Highlights

Sails under two large sails
Esna to Aswan via Gebel El Silsila
En-suite cabins and suites with air conditioning
Jacuzzi and spacious deck areas
Full board with moonlit barbecue ashore

At sail

Day by day

Safiya 3 sails 3 published programmes. Its own route: Esna (Temple of Esna, Wekalet Al-Geddawi caravanserai), El Hegz village, El Kab, Edfu (Temple of Horus), Bisaw Island, El Selsela quarry, Kom Ombo (temple + Crocodile Museum), Daraw market/camel barn, Nubian town, Aswan Departures 5d/4n luxor-aswan typically departs monday from esna; 4d/3n aswan-luxor typically departs friday 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.

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.

Take the whole boat

A small hull · 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 Safiya 3.

Price the whole boat

What Safiya 3 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 3, 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: Double cabin (standard) - priced per person
Suite - sold as a paid upgrade over the double cabin
Dining: Full board - all meals and drinks included in the cruise price
Chef-prepared meals on board
Moonlit BBQ dinner ashore on the 5D/4N itinerary
Facilities: Restaurant
Air conditioning
Hair dryer
Bottled water
En-suite bathrooms with hot showers
Jacuzzi
Spacious deck areas
Two large sails
Accompanying tug boat
Solar panels fitted to most of the fleet
Itineraries: 5 days / 4 nights Luxor (Esna) to Aswan - guaranteed departures
4 days / 3 nights Aswan to Luxor (Esna) - guaranteed departures
6 days / 5 nights Luxor to Aswan with highlights
5 days / 4 nights Aswan to Luxor with highlights
15 days / 14 nights Cairo to Aswan
7 days Egypt & Nubia with Dahabiya
10 days Highlights of Egypt & Dahabiya Sailing

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

Safiya 3 questions, answered

How much does Safiya 3 cost?

Advertised rates start from US$771 per person for 3 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.

What route does Safiya 3 sail?

Esna (Temple of Esna, Wekalet Al-Geddawi caravanserai), El Hegz village, El Kab, Edfu (Temple of Horus), Bisaw Island, El Selsela quarry, Kom Ombo (temple + Crocodile Museum), Daraw market/camel barn, Nubian town, Aswan, departing 5D/4N Luxor-Aswan typically departs Monday from Esna; 4D/3N Aswan-Luxor typically departs Friday from Aswan..

What's included on Safiya 3?

All on-board tours with English-speaking guide, transfers, 4 nights accommodation in a double cabin with all meals and drinks, all entry fees. Excludes optional tours, alcohol, gratuities.