Nile dahabiyaSailing dahabiyaEsna → Aswan

Turquoise

Two masts, sixteen guests, Esna to Aswan

Turquoise is a Nile dahabiya (a traditional wind-powered sailing boat) operated by Turquoise Dahabiya. It has 8 cabins and 3 suites for up to 16 guests and sails itineraries of 3 or 4 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

Two masts, sixteen guests, Esna to Aswan. A traditional two-masted sailing dahabiya of five rooms and three suites for up to sixteen guests, running the Esna-Aswan reach and unusually long passages toward Cairo.

Best for couples · unhurried travellersCabins 8 · up to 16 guestsBoard full boardRoute Esna → Aswan

Fleet: Turquoise Dahabiya
Accommodation: 8 cabins · 3 suites
Guests: Up to 16
Dimensions: 42 × 8 m
Route: Karnak/Luxor, Esna (embarkation), El Kab area, Edfu, Gebel el Silsila, Kom Ombo, Aswan (High Dam, Philae, Unfinished Obelisk); long programmes continue via Qena to Cairo.
Trip length: 3 · 4 nights
Departures: Fridays from Aswan; Mondays from Luxor. Weekly guaranteed departures.
Season: October to April is the optimal cruising period; rate seasons of May-August and September-April

About Turquoise

Turquoise is a traditional two-masted dahabiya, forty-two metres by eight, sailing out of Karnak and Luxor for a maximum of sixteen guests. Five standard rooms and three suites of around 22.5 square metres open onto panoramic windows, with the suites adding a living area and a private balcony.

The classic sailings work the Esna-to-Aswan stretch, calling at Edfu, Gebel el-Silsila and Kom Ombo before Aswan and its High Dam, Philae and Unfinished Obelisk. Longer programmes are unusual for a dahabiya, continuing north via Qena as far as Cairo over eleven and fourteen days, with an eight-day solar-eclipse sailing set for 2027.

A small pool sits on the upper sun deck among Arabic sofas and chaise lounges, and full-board Egyptian and international menus are served aboard, with cooking classes and shoreside dinners along the way.

Highlights

Two-masted dahabiya, up to 16 guests
Five rooms and three balcony suites
Esna to Aswan, plus long runs to Cairo
Small pool and Arabic-sofa sun deck
Full-board menus and cooking classes

At sail

Day by day

Turquoise sails 2 published programmes. Its own route: Karnak/Luxor, Esna (embarkation), El Kab area, Edfu, Gebel el Silsila, Kom Ombo, Aswan (High Dam, Philae, Unfinished Obelisk); long programmes continue via Qena to Cairo. Departures fridays from aswan; mondays from luxor. weekly guaranteed departures.. 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

8 cabins · up to 16 guests · whole boat from about US$4,645 a night

About US$4,645 a night for the whole boat, or roughly US$27,870 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 Turquoise.

That is the arithmetic of Turquoise'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 Turquoise costs in 2026/2027

The published rate is US$871 per person, 3-night , checked on 2026-09-05.

We are not publishing a trip total for Turquoise, 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: Standard Room (5 units): double bed, private bathroom, panoramic windows, A/C, safe box, hairdryer
Premium / Superior Suite (3 units, 22.5 sqm): 1 king bed, max 4 guests, living area, private balcony/terrace, private bathroom, A/C, free WiFi, safe, hairdryer, heater
Dining: Full-board Egyptian and international cuisine
Restaurant / dining area
Soft drinks included
Onboard cooking classes
Shoreside dinner experiences
Facilities: Small swimming pool
Upper sun deck with lunch tables, Arabic sofas and chaise lounges
Library
DVD
Internet on board
Laundry service
24-hour concierge / room service
Air conditioning in cabins
In-cabin safe
Itineraries: 4 days Aswan - Luxor (3 nights)
5 days Luxor - Aswan (4 nights)
7 days Luxor - Qena - Aswan
11 days Luxor - Cairo
14 days Aswan - Cairo
8 days Egypt Solar Eclipse Cruise 2027

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

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Good to know

Turquoise questions, answered

How much does Turquoise cost?

Advertised rates start from US$871 per person; prices vary by season and cabin.

How many cabins does Turquoise have?

8 cabins and 3 suites, for up to 16 guests.

What route does Turquoise sail?

Karnak/Luxor, Esna (embarkation), El Kab area, Edfu, Gebel el Silsila, Kom Ombo, Aswan (High Dam, Philae, Unfinished Obelisk); long programmes continue via Qena to Cairo., departing Fridays from Aswan; Mondays from Luxor. Weekly guaranteed departures..

What's included on Turquoise?

3 nights accommodation, 3 breakfasts/4 lunches/3 dinners, private Egyptologist guide, A/C transfers, entrance fees, taxes and service; excludes tips

What guests say

Independent traveller reviews of Turquoise, quoted with attribution — we don’t collect these ourselves.

4.9 out of 5via Tripadvisor (14)

★★★★★
“I have passed five amazing days on the Dahabeya Turquiose. The team and their leader where gentle, helpful, supportive all the time. The food on this boat was extraordinary. Fresh local food, varied…”
— Stephan W · via Tripadvisor