Dongola Royal Dahabiya Nile Cruise

Royal Dahabiya Yachts on the Nile

Special Deluxe Category
Dongola Royal Dahabiya Nile Cruise

Dongola Royal Dahabiya

The dahabeya was built in approximately 1835, used by Egypt former royal families and later on celebrities of the 1950’s era for pleasure trips. Because of its being painted in gold the Dongola and similar boats were called ‘dahabeya’ which means ‘Golden Boat’. The Dongola is not air conditioned. Click here for the Dongola Royal Dahabiya photo gallery.

Start Weekly on Saturday:
The program starts every Saturday in either Luxor or Aswan, and the journey lasts seven nights.

The trip includes visits to sites in ancient Thebes (the Valley’s of the Kings and Queens), the Luxor and Karnak temples, as well as Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae. Entrance fees for the monuments are all inclusive.

In addition to these historical sites, guests will visit less frequented monuments and enjoy field excursions to villages and open countryside. In short, we promise our guests a unique, tranquil journey on sailboats fit for a king or a Pharaoh!

The Dongola offers five cabins for a maximum of ten guests: The ‘Kings Suite’ in the stern, two ‘Prince Cabins’ all with private bathroom and two ‘Senior Cabins’ sharing one bathroom. All are double cabins with king size beds, eiderdown duvets and opening windows.

Facilities
The boat features a combination of nostalgic atmosphere and modern comfort, a pleasant place to relax and to enjoy the peace and silence. The salon is the perfect meeting place and sometimes, in cold winter days, dinner is served here. For relaxing and enjoying the passing landscape the sun deck is the place, where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served.

Technical Data
Two masts flat bottom yacht. Length: 34,5 meter, draught 0.6 meter, 20 meter long sun deck, 12.5 meter main mast with 24 meter boom and 360 square meter sail, stern mast 9,5 meter with 16 meter boom and 140 square meter sail. Dongola is NOT air-conditioned.

Peak Season period:
Rate for Easter (2 weeks during Easter) and rate for Christmas and New Year (Dec 20 – Jan 4): Please add % 10 to the listed rate.

Rate Includes:

• All transfers in Luxor and Aswan, always on a private basis.
• Private air conditioned coaches for all transfers and tours.
• Guided sightseeing including all entrance fees, all as per itinerary.
• Pre set meals as listed including B = Breakfast, (or cB, Continental Breakfast), L = Lunch, D = Dinner
• Tea/ coffee and afternoon tea while on board the Deluxe Nile Cruise.
• Bottled water with meals
• With the charter rate, you get your own private resident Egyptologist for your group
• Complimentary Galabia for each guest

Many visitors come to Egypt to fulfill their dream of sailing the Nile on board a private boat. The Dahabbiya allows you to experience the Nile’s romance in an intimate, privileged setting and take you back in time to a gentler, more gracious era.

On the Nile in Royal Style Feluccas or Dahabiyas are the traditional sailing vessel of much of the Mediterranean world, and the traditional Nile felucca, or Dahabia, was the mainstay of travel in ancient Egypt. With shallow drafts, sails, and oars, feluccas could navigate not only the great river, but the maze of canals threading through its banks, with or without wind, reaching every part of the kingdom.

Dahabbiyas / Feluccas long ago transcended their role as humble transports. They held the ancient empire together, carrying troops, decrees, and the very mystery of the pharaoh.

The dahabeya was built in approximately 1835, used by Egypt former royal families and later on celebrities of the 1950’s era for pleasure trips. Because of its being painted in gold the Dongola and similar boats were called ‘dahabeya’ which means ‘Golden Boat’.

Sailing on a dahabiya means exploring the Nile in a traditional style being able to enjoy visits of some unique places and monuments unattainable by modern cruise ships. Other memorable experiences are the BBQ on isolated islands or joining the ‘chef’ for green-grocery shopping in rural markets and villages.

Along the way, we moor on uninhabited Nile islands, whose virgin landscapes have hardly changed throughout millennia. Wandering the gardens and Nile islands is an idyllic pastime, and the perfect compliment to your visits to Egypt ‘s matchless monuments.

The Dahabbiyas are beautifully crafted wooden ships, outfitted in colonial style with oriental and Egyptian touches. The interiors boast period furnishing, and each cabin has its own distinct style and interior.