Dahabiya Cruises

A dahabiya is a traditional Egyptian sailing boat, built low and shallow for the Nile and carrying twenty guests or fewer. Small Ship Travel operates three of them under SST Exclusive Voyages. The 16-guest Azhar and the 20-guest Laila sail the river leg of Unforgettable Egypt, and the 16-guest Nebu Ra sails Incredible Egypt. A standard Nile cruise ship carries 80 or more passengers. A dahabiya moors at sandbanks, villages, and temple sites the bigger ships pass, with one Egyptologist who stays with your group from Cairo to the last temple.

What a Dahabiya Nile Cruise Is

The design comes from the boats that carried nineteenth-century travelers up the Nile. Twin masts carry lateen sails, and the flat hull draws so little water that the boat can pull in almost anywhere along the bank. A companion tug provides steady propulsion, so the schedule holds whatever the wind is doing. What you get is the raised sail, the quiet, and a deck that sits a few feet above the river.

The river leg is only part of the trip. Both of our Egypt itineraries begin in Cairo with the pyramids and the Egyptian Museum, then fly you south to the boat. Unforgettable Egypt sails north from Aswan to Luxor and ends among the tombs and temples of the West Bank. Incredible Egypt tours Luxor first, then sails south to Aswan and continues to Abu Simbel.

Our Three Dahabiyas on the Nile

The Azhar entered service in 2025 and carries sixteen guests. Her sailings on Unforgettable Egypt run 13 days and 12 nights counted from your departure from the United States, with five nights on the river between Aswan and Luxor. Fares start at $4,995 per person as of August 2026, and the itinerary page lists every departure with its price.

The Laila joins the same itinerary in 2027 with twenty guests in ten cabins and two more nights on the water. Her version runs 14 days and 13 nights with seven nights aboard, so the days in Cairo and Luxor stay the same while the sailing lengthens. She also hosts the August 2, 2027 solar eclipse sailing, timed to the total solar eclipse over Luxor.

The Nebu Ra launched in 2026 as a three-deck luxury dahabiya with sixteen guests, eight accommodations, and a crew of sixteen. She sails Incredible Egypt, 14 days and 13 nights with seven nights aboard, from Luxor to Aswan and on to Abu Simbel. Fares start at $5,995 per person as of August 2026.

Dahabiya or Standard Nile Cruise Ship

The choice comes down to group size and where the boat can stop. A river ship carries 80 or more passengers, docks at the main town quays, and runs its visits on a fixed rotation shared with other ships. A dahabiya carries 16 to 20, ties up at quiet stretches of bank, and reaches sites such as Gebel el-Silsila that sit off the main dock circuit.

A river ship gives you a pool deck and evening entertainment. A dahabiya gives you the river itself and meals cooked aboard for one small group. The Egyptologist who meets you in Cairo is still with you at Kom Ombo a week later. Our guide to what a dahabiya is covers the boat in detail, and how much a Nile cruise costs compares fares across every line we sell on the Nile.

When to Sail

Most departures fall between September and May, when the heat eases along the river, with a handful of June dates on both trips. Each itinerary page lists every departure with its fare, so start there when you have a month in mind.

What the Fare Includes

Each fare covers hotels in Cairo and along the route, the flights within Egypt, every meal aboard the boat, guided visits with an Egyptologist, and gratuities. Round-trip international airfare from the United States is included on select promotional dates, shown as current offers on each itinerary page. The Jordan extension to Petra and the Dead Sea is priced separately on both trips.

Why Book Your Dahabiya Cruise with Small Ship Travel

These three boats sail under SST Exclusive Voyages, our own line, so the itinerary, the guiding, and the hotels are set by us rather than resold. You can book online or speak with an advisor to match a cabin to your dates. Members of the Small Ship Travel Loyalty Program earn credit on every booking and start with a $250 sign-up credit.

The itinerary pages carry every departure and fare. See Unforgettable Egypt and Nile River Cruise for the Azhar and Laila, and Incredible Egypt for the Nebu Ra.