Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan
Sila
Under sail through the quiet Nile villages
Sila is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat). It has 12 cabins and 4 suites and sails itineraries of 3 or 4 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.
Good to know
Under sail through the quiet Nile villages. A five-star sailing dahabiya on the Luxor-Aswan reach, mooring at riverside villages and sandbanks, for travellers after a quiet, authentic Nile.
- Fleet
- Independent
- Accommodation
- 12 cabins · 4 suites
- Route
- Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Gebel el-Silsila, Bisaw village, Al-Ramady village, Kom Ombo, Aswan
- Trip length
- 3 · 4 nights
- Departures
- Monday (Luxor - Aswan); Friday (Aswan - Luxor)
About Sila
Sila is a five-star traditional sailing dahabiya working the reach between Luxor and Aswan, embarking at Esna and carrying a small group at the pace of the wind. Cabins are air-conditioned with private bathrooms.
The route reaches past the usual temples to quieter ground, calling at Edfu and Kom Ombo and mooring at Gebel el-Silsila and the villages of Bisaw and Al-Ramady, with sandbank stops on the Nile for swimming. Departures run weekly in each direction.
Meals are full-board and freshly prepared aboard, some served outdoors under the stars, with tea and snacks through the day and a sun deck for the sailing hours.
Highlights
- Five-star sailing dahabiya, small group
- Luxor to Aswan, embarking at Esna
- Moors at Gebel el-Silsila and river villages
- Nile sandbank mooring for swimming
- Full-board meals, some served under the stars
At sail
Day by day
Sila sails 2 published programmes. Its own route: Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Gebel el-Silsila, Bisaw village, Al-Ramady village, Kom Ombo, Aswan Departures monday (luxor - aswan); friday (aswan - luxor). 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
12 cabins · whole boat from about US$9,600 a night
About US$9,600 a night for the whole boat, or roughly US$57,600 for a six-night sailing.
A boat this size carries a reunion or a celebration: grandparents, parents and children aboard together, the run of the deck, and one bill at the end. Tell us your dates and party size and we will price the whole of Sila.
That is the arithmetic of Sila'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 Sila costs in 2026/2027
The published rate is US$1,200 per person, 3-night , checked on 2026-08-30.
We are not publishing a trip total for Sila, for the reasons below. Ask us and we will quote the sailing you want.
What this figure is, and is not
- 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
- Dining
- Full board - breakfast, lunch and dinner freshly prepared on board
- Some evening meals served outdoors under the stars
- Tea and snacks service
- Facilities
- Sun deck
- Air conditioning
- Private bathrooms in cabins
- Nile beach mooring for swimming
- Itineraries
- 5 days / 4 nights Luxor (embark at Esna) - Edfu - Kom Ombo - Aswan
- 4 days / 3 nights Aswan - Kom Ombo - Gebel el-Silsila - Bisaw village - Al-Ramady village - Edfu - Esna - Luxor
Keep planning
Plan your Nile cruise
Good to know
Sila questions, answered
How much does Sila cost?
Advertised rates start from US$1,200 per person for 3 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.
How many cabins does Sila have?
12 cabins and 4 suites.
What route does Sila sail?
Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Gebel el-Silsila, Bisaw village, Al-Ramady village, Kom Ombo, Aswan, departing Monday (Luxor - Aswan); Friday (Aswan - Luxor).
What's included on Sila?
Meet and assist, 5-star full-board accommodation, Egyptologist guide, air-conditioned transfers, all entrance fees (Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Karnak, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae, Aswan sites), service charges and taxes. Excludes optional tours, personal expenses and crew tipping.
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