Nile Cruises & Dahabiyas FAQ

The primary cruising corridor lies on the 214-kilometer stretch between Luxor and Aswan:

• 4 Nights / 5 Days (Luxor to Aswan): Sailing upstream against the current. This itinerary provides a relaxed introduction to Upper Egypt, giving you ample time to explore the massive monuments of Luxor (Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings) before setting sail southward toward Aswan.
• 3 Nights / 4 Days (Aswan to Luxor): Sailing downstream with the current. Slightly faster sailing time, ideal for travelers on tighter schedules. You embark in Aswan (visiting Philae Island and the High Dam) and conclude in Luxor.
• 7 Nights / 8 Days (Roundtrip): Sails roundtrip from Luxor to Aswan and back to Luxor (or vice versa). It allows you to experience both daylight and sunset views of every bend of the river with zero packing and unpacking.

Every standard Nile cruise features scheduled shore excursions to two remarkable riverside sanctuaries:

• Temple of Horus at Edfu: The most structurally complete temple surviving from ancient Egypt, built during the Ptolemaic period. Travelers traditionally arrive by horse carriage from the river docking station to explore its monumental pylon, hypostyle hall, and sanctuary containing the polished black granite naos.
• Temple of Kom Ombo: A dramatic sanctuary perched on a high promontory directly over the Nile. Uniquely dedicated to two opposing deities—Sobek the crocodile god and Haroeris the winged falcon—with twin entrances, parallel sanctuaries, and an adjoining museum exhibiting ancient mummified crocodiles.
• Dahabiya Exclusive Halts: Dahabiyas also stop at the immense sandstone quarries of Gebel el-Silsila (where stone for Karnak and Luxor was quarried) and the painted rock-cut tombs of El Kab.

Deck selection greatly influences your cabin experience:

• Upper Decks (Decks 3 & 4): Highly recommended. These cabins sit well above the river waterline, offering floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows, French balconies, or private walk-out verandas. They provide the most dramatic views and are situated farthest from engine machinery.
• Middle Deck (Deck 2): A solid, comfortable choice offering pleasant river views, easy access to reception, and minimal noise.
• Lower Deck (Deck 1 / Nile Deck): Positioned close to the waterline with smaller, non-opening sealed windows. These cabins are closer to the ship's engine room and generators, which can generate low-frequency hum and vibration while navigating. Ultra Egypt Travel reserves Upper Deck allocations by default.

All Nile cruises booked with Ultra Egypt Travel operate on a comprehensive Full-Board basis:

• Meals Included: Breakfast buffet, extensive lunch buffet or multi-course set menu, and formal evening dinners featuring Egyptian, Middle Eastern, and international gourmet cuisine. Traditional afternoon tea with pastries is served daily on the open sundeck during sailing hours.
• Beverages: Fresh coffee, tea, and breakfast juices are included with morning meals. Bottled mineral water, soft drinks, espresso beverages, beer, and imported wines consumed during lunch, dinner, or at the lounge bar are billed to your cabin folio and settled at checkout in cash or card.
• All-Inclusive Options: Selected luxury boutique ships and Dahabiya charters include all soft drinks, bottled water, and local wines/beers throughout the day.

No. Motion sickness is practically nonexistent on the Nile.

The River Nile is a calm, slow-flowing freshwater river with zero oceanic swell, tides, or ocean waves. Cruise vessels and Dahabiyas are flat-bottomed boats designed specifically for river navigation, gliding forward with exceptional stability.

Even travelers who suffer severely from motion sickness on ocean liners or car rides report feeling completely steady and comfortable while cruising the Nile. You will barely feel the ship moving beneath you.

The Esna Lock, situated 55 km south of Luxor, is a vital engineering checkpoint that raises or lowers ships approximately 6 meters to negotiate the river's water level difference:

• The Experience: Crossing the lock is a fascinating spectacle. Local river vendors in small rowing boats pull alongside the ship, tossing colorful Galabeyas, tablecloths, and cotton scarves up to passengers on the sundeck in bags, bargaining across the water.
• Transit Times: The modern twin lock system operates 24/7. Depending on seasonal river traffic, waiting times to enter the lock chamber range from 30 minutes to a couple of hours. Cruise captains time the approach during lunch, dinner, or overnight hours so touring schedules are not impacted.

Onboard life balances relaxed resort comfort during daytime sailing with smart casual elegance in the evening:

• Daytime & Sundeck: Casual resort attire. Shorts, t-shirts, sun hats, swimwear, and cover-ups around the pool and sun loungers are completely acceptable.
• Shore Excursions: Lightweight, breathable cotton or linen clothing covering shoulders and knees is recommended to protect against desert sun and show cultural respect when walking through towns and temples.
• Dinner & Lounge: Smart casual. Men typically wear trousers and collared shirts; women wear dresses, skirts, or chic trousers. Flip-flops and swimwear are not permitted in dining rooms for evening meals.
• Galabeya Party Night: Most cruises host an optional Egyptian-themed evening where guests wear traditional Egyptian Galabeya robes for an evening of Arabian music, games, and dancing.

To avoid the awkwardness of tipping individual crew members after every drink or room clean, all Nile cruise vessels utilize a collective tip box at the reception desk:

• Standard Ship Crew Pool: $10 to $12 USD per passenger per day. On the final evening of your cruise, you place this total in an envelope and deposit it at reception. The purser divides the pool equally among all behind-the-scenes staff (housekeepers, chefs, kitchen porters, engineers, and sailors).
• Dahabiya Crew Pool: $15 to $20 USD per passenger per day, reflecting the higher ratio of personalized butler, sailing, and culinary staff (often 10 crew members serving only 8–12 guests).
• Your Egyptologist Guide: Your private guide is tipped separately at the conclusion of your voyage ($20 to $30 USD per day from your party).

A Lake Nasser cruise is an extraordinary, lesser-traveled expedition that sails south of the Aswan High Dam across the vast desert reservoir between Aswan and Abu Simbel (typically 3 nights southbound or 4 nights northbound):

• Desert Serenity: While the Nile between Luxor and Aswan is vibrant with farmland and towns, Lake Nasser is an immense desert wilderness with pristine silence, dramatic golden sand dunes dropping directly into blue water, and exceptional stargazing.
• Rescued Nubian Antiquities: The cruise stops at remote UNESCO-salvaged Nubian monuments accessible only by water, including the Temple of Kalabsha, the desert rock-cut temple of Beit el-Wali, Wadi es-Sebua (Valley of the Lions), and the historic citadel of Kasr Ibrim.
• Abu Simbel Grand Finale: The vessel moors directly on the lake in front of the colossal Sun Temple of Ramesses II and the Temple of Queen Nefertari, allowing passengers to attend the evening Sound & Light show and experience sunrise at the temple before the overland day-tripper convoys arrive.