Nile cruises have become one of the most popular and loved means of tourism in Egypt. People from various places around the world visit Egypt to enjoy sailing down the Nile.
Recently, there has been a rather new invention, or let us call it a recreation of an old approach to enjoy a Nile cruise in Egypt. These are the magnificent Dahabiya boats.
Many travelers who tour Egypt and experienced a Nile cruise journey on board of the Dahabiya ships asserted that they had a marvelous classical journey merging the comfort of the past with the advantages and facilities of today.
What is a Dahabiya Nile Cruise?
Dahabiya is a term extracted from the word “Dahab” in Arabic, which means gold. The name Dahabiya describes the magnificent heritage of these amazing boats and the level of luxurious facilities and services they provide.
Dahabiya boats commonly consist of sailing boats made out of wood with only two decks. The former royal family of Egypt more than 100 years ago preferred these Dahabiya ships as their most favorite approach to sail down the Nile during their vacations in Upper Egypt.
The Egyptians today were able to give life to the Dahabiya ships once again by elevating their facilities, upgrading the accommodation, and enhancing the whole experience for tourists who travel to Egypt.
However, the question remains; why should tourists prefer Dahabiya Nile cruises rather than these huge luxurious ships that sail the Nile and offer all sorts of services and facilities?
The highest levels of privacy and intimacy
This is one of the main reasons why tourists prefer Dahabiya ships rather than the bigger ships sailing the Nile. With limited number of passengers, you would be enjoying the highest levels of privacy with your beloved ones. You can move around the ship freely without any hustles. The staff of the Dahabiya ships are friendly and polite making guests feel home away from home.
Marvelous classical experience hard to be found anywhere else
Surely the distinctive and unique experience the Dahabiya Nile cruise ships provide is one of the main reasons why tourists tend to choose Dahabiya ships to enjoy a magnificent vacation in Egypt.
Since Dahabiya are mainly sailing boats, the ride is much more comfortable and smooth. Travelers can the chance to explore local villages on their way and explore the markets in these villages for some matchless shopping experience.
Moreover, the ambiance itself is charming, sailing rather slowly down the Nile, the same as the ancient Egyptians and the royals of Egypt. With a limited number of passengers, there is a marvelous sense of privacy.
Luxury Dahabiya Nile cruise
The Dahabiya Nile cruise represents one of the most perfect choices for tourists who prefer sailing down the Nile in elegance and charm. Dahabiya, or the golden ships, was created more than 100 years ago. They were utilized by the royals and the nobles of Egypt to have a pleasant journey sailing the Nile. This was in the period from the 1920s till the 1950s.
The highest levels of Egyptian society at the time used to enjoy amazing times with family members and friends. These trips were somehow similar to Egypt Nile cruises nowadays as they used to explore ancient sites located on the West and East Bank of the Nile. However, they used to last for weeks as the royal family of Egypt found that this was the best and most enjoyable activity. The Dahabiya Nile cruise ships were also distinguished with their marvelous designs and comfort.
Egyptians, more than 20 years ago, recreated the luxury Dahabiya Nile cruise to be one of the glittering options for tourists in Egypt. They succeeded to merge the ancient charm with the superior services and facilities of the 21st century and the result was a masterpiece of charm.
The advantages of Dahabiya Nile cruises are that the ships are rather small with a limited number of cabins, between 5 to 10, and this provides the highest sense of privacy. For larger groups and families, they can rent the whole Dahabiya ship for themselves and enjoy the best vacation ever in Egypt. These magnificent ships sail slowly down the Nile providing amazing views of the Nile.
Additionally, passengers will get the chance to visit some of the hidden treasures of ancient Egypt that larger ships cannot reach. Moreover, Dahabiya Nile cruise ships offer all types of advanced facilities of all sorts and the cabins are lavishly furnished and provide the best standards of comfort and luxury.
Distinctive accommodation and facilities
While large Nile cruise ships have from 40 to 80 cabins and suites, Dahabiya Nile cruise ships usually only have from four to six cabins and perhaps one or two luxurious suites. All these accommodation choices are marvelously decorated and equipped with the best facilities including air-conditions, private bathrooms, and several other advantages.
Sailing the Nile with no motors whatsoever
A great advantage of Dahabiya ships is that they are typically designed in the same manner of their forebears. They use only the traditional techniques in sailing with the power of the wind. This means more comfort and luxury in every step of the way. You will only have to relax and enjoy the breeze of the charming Nile River.
Visiting some of the unique monuments of ancient Egypt
Since Dahabiya Nile cruise ships are smaller sailing boats, they can go to places that larger ships that operate using motors would never be able to reach. This provides tourists with the opportunity to explore some of the hidden treasures of ancient Egypt.
These monuments include the ancient town of Nekheb that dates to more than 3500 years ago. This city was the capital of one of the provinces of Upper Egypt during the era of the New Kingdom. The walls and causeways of the town are still in a good shape and surely worth exploring, in addition to some ancient tombs as well.
There is also the area of Gebel el Silsila which hosts several ruins of rock-cut temples along the west bank of the Nile. The most remarkable features include the Temple of Horemheb, the Chapel of Panehesy, and the Chapel of Paser.
Magnificent ride with all major highlights in the visits’ program of the Dahabiya ship
The tour of the Dahabiya would usually consist of 3, 4, or 7 days, depending on the destination of the trip. Some cruises begin in
Aswan and sail towards the North to reach Luxor at the very end; others begin in Luxor and end up in Aswan, and some journeys would last for 7 days sailing all the way from Luxor to Aswan and back, or vice versa.
Other highlighted visits commonly included in the Dahabiya ship itineraries are the Temples of Luxor, Karnak, and Hatshepsut in Luxor, the Temple of Philae, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan.
The Nile Dahabiya ships enjoy a magic of their own with some distinctive entertainment programs that would delight all the family members and groups of friends.
If you wish to have a unique vacation sailing down the Nile from Luxor to Aswan, or the other way around, or from Aswan to Abu Simbel, Dahabiya Nile cruise represents one of your best choices ever!
This would be your opportunity to have a memorable and cozy holiday with friends and family members in an awesome journey in the history of Egypt; the contemporary and the ancient!
