Aswan to Luxor, 3 nights
From $1,610 per person
- Double Deluxe cabin$1,610Festive $1,850
- Double with veranda$1,680Festive $1,940
Per person, full board, visits, entry tickets and private guide included
Dahabiya Nile Cruise
One sail, one deck, one attentive crew: aboard the Akhenaton, the dahabiya experience is kept to the essentials, without ever stepping down from 5-star standing. It is the most direct entry point into our private cruises between Aswan and Luxor.
From $1,610 per person
Within the SEV team's selection of dahabiya nile cruises, the Akhenaton holds a place of its own. It does not try to stack up cabin categories or extra features: it offers a private 5-star sail, all-inclusive, with a choice narrowed down to two clear cabin options. For a couple or for travelers trying a dahabiya for the first time, that simplicity is an advantage, not a compromise.
The crew, the kitchen, the pace of visits and the onboard comfort all stay at the level of a private 5-star cruise. What changes, compared with a four-category dahabiya like the Iris or a two-cabin, higher-end dahabiya like the Per-ba, is the spread of cabin options and, with it, the rate: within our selection, the Akhenaton stays the most accessible dahabiya.
A dahabiya generally has little in common with a large river cruise ship. It carries a sail rather than a fleet of engines, takes on a limited number of travelers, and sails at the pace of the wind rather than a fixed schedule. It often moors along quiet banks, away from the landings where the big cruisers line up, which changes the nature of the trip in a real way: less noise, smaller crowds, more quiet on the river. Our dahabiya versus cruise ship comparison covers these differences for anyone still weighing the two formats.
This way of sailing is not a recent invention. It carries forward a tradition of Nile travel nearly two centuries old: back in the nineteenth century, European travelers already chartered a dahabiya to sail up the river, stopping at the same temples listed in our itineraries today. The British writer Amelia Edwards described one such trip in A Thousand Miles up the Nile, published in 1877, a text that remains a reference for understanding what a sail up the Nile once meant.
Sailing aboard the Akhenaton today recovers part of that pace, with the comfort of a 5-star service added on.
The Akhenaton suits travelers who want the essentials of a 5-star dahabiya without weighing several cabin categories against each other: a couple trying this format for the first time, travelers who favor the most measured rate in our selection without giving up on the level of service, or anyone who prefers a simple booking decision.
For a wider choice of cabins, the Iris dahabiya offers four categories; for a veranda cabin starting from the entry level, the Per-ba dahabiya is the better fit.
Across the Nile Valley, the mildest stretch generally runs from October through April: temperatures stay gentle in the morning and evening, warmer at midday, which still leaves plenty of room for temple visits on foot. Summer, from June through August, is very hot across the whole valley, including aboard a dahabiya, where comfort depends mainly on natural airflow and deck shade rather than the wall-to-wall air conditioning of a large ship.
That is worth weighing when picking a departure window, alongside the dates themselves. The SEV team can help you weigh that choice against the rest of your travel priorities.
Two cabins, three lengths of stay, two rate windows: the Akhenaton's rate grid reads at a glance. The Double Deluxe cabin is the most measured option in our selection; the Double with veranda adds a private outdoor space for a moderate difference in rate. The prices below are per person, all-inclusive, for the private Aswan to Luxor cruise (3 nights, departing every Friday) and the private Luxor to Aswan cruise (4 or 7 nights, departing every Monday). The SEV team confirms availability and cabin detail with your quote.
Large figures: 2026-2027 season departures. “Festive”: Christmas, New Year and Easter departures.
From $1,610 per person
Per person, full board, visits, entry tickets and private guide included
From $1,720 per person
Per person, full board, visits, entry tickets and private guide included
From $2,070 per person
Per person, full board, visits, entry tickets and private guide included
Price per person, in US dollars. Aswan to Luxor departures from 1 October to 21 December 2026, 1 to 31 January 2027, 1 February to 30 April 2027 and 1 to 31 May 2027; Luxor to Aswan departures on the same windows, every Monday.
Price per person, in US dollars. Christmas departure Monday 21 December 2026, New Year departure Monday 28 December 2026, and Easter departures Friday 26 March 2027 for the Aswan to Luxor route or Monday 29 March 2027 for the Luxor to Aswan route.
Prices converted from euros at the European Central Bank reference rate of 2 October 2026; your quote confirms the final amount.
Sails, pool, cabins and lounges: the Akhenaton photographed deck by deck.
The eight sites below are included regardless of the length of stay chosen. The exact order of visits depends on the direction of travel and the schedule of the moment, and is confirmed with your booking. Abu Simbel, set further from the river, is visited on a day trip by road from Aswan, one of the highlights of the whole trip.
Four cabin categories, from the Double Deluxe to the Royal with veranda, for a wider range of choice.
Double Deluxe cabin and Junior cabin with veranda, for travelers who want a private outdoor space.
The Akhenaton offers a Double Deluxe cabin and a Double cabin with veranda. The second adds a private outdoor space, for a difference in rate that varies with the length of stay and the season. The SEV team details the exact features of each cabin with your quote.
Philae, Abu Simbel, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon are included, with all entrance fees, a private guide and a private air-conditioned vehicle for visits and transfers.
Three lengths of stay are offered: 3 nights on the private Aswan to Luxor cruise, or 4 or 7 nights on the private Luxor to Aswan cruise, depending on the direction of travel chosen.
The Aswan to Luxor cruise, 3 nights, departs every Friday. The Luxor to Aswan cruise, 4 or 7 nights, departs every Monday.
Abu Simbel is visited on a day trip by road from Aswan, since the two temples of Ramesses II do not sit directly on the banks where the dahabiya sails.
Yes. The festive departures (Christmas on 21 December 2026, New Year on 28 December 2026, Easter on 26 and 29 March 2027) follow a dedicated rate table, shown under the Festive Departures tab above.
Yes: with only two cabins and the most measured rate in our selection, the Akhenaton is often the simplest choice for a first taste of this format, before perhaps considering a dahabiya with a wider range like the Iris or the Per-ba.
The period from October through April generally offers the mildest conditions across the Nile Valley, with pleasant days well suited to temple visits. Summer is very hot. The SEV team helps you pick a departure window that suits your schedule.