Standard
Cairo Hotels
★★★★★
Steigenberger El Tahrir
Holiday Inn Maadi
Ramses Hilton
Example hotels. Your accommodation will be confirmed within your selected category, subject to availability; listed hotels or similar.
Princess Farida Luxury DahabiyaTravelers’ Choice 2026Read guest reviews ↗YOUR JOURNEY9 days / 8 nights
ABOARD FARIDA4 nights
IN CAIRO4 nights
Cairo · Luxor · Aswan
9 days exploring Cairo and sailing the Nile
Begin in Cairo, where the Great Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum bring five thousand years of history to life. Then step aboard the Princess Farida, a twin-masted luxury dahabiya, and drift from Luxor to Aswan over four unhurried nights. Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae unfold at the pace of the river. With a private Egyptologist, domestic flights and every transfer arranged, you simply travel and enjoy the Nile the classic way.
Highlights
Why You’ll Love This Trip
- The classic way to see the Nile. A dahabiya is a traditional sailing boat with only a handful of cabins, so the river feels private and unhurried.
- Egypt’s greatest hits, done properly. The Pyramids of Giza, Saqqara, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae.
- A private Egyptologist throughout. Undivided attention, your pace, and the stories behind the stones.
- Nothing to organise. Hotels, domestic flights, entrance fees, transfers and meals are all in the plan.
Princess Farida Luxury Dahabiya
Your Dahabiya
Eight suites.
A more personal Nile journey.
Step aboard Princess Farida and settle into a gentler rhythm. With just eight elegant suites, this boutique dahabiya brings together the comfort of your own retreat, attentive hospitality and the pleasure of discovering Egypt from the river.
Return from a guided visit to a freshly prepared lunch. Spend the afternoon on the spacious sun deck, watching palms, villages and fishermen drift past. As evening falls, sit down to dinner aboard before another night on the Nile.
Space to unwind
An intimate eight-suite setting, with a spacious sun deck for quiet moments between visits.
Freshly prepared aboard
Egyptian and international dishes from your onboard chef, plus afternoon tea and snacks.
Egypt, with an expert
Discover the places along your route with your Egyptologist, then return to the comfort of Farida.
Included aboard, every day
- Your own en-suite retreatDaily housekeeping, with fresh towels on arrival and on each tour.
- A welcome to the NileA welcome drink when you arrive aboard.
- Breakfast, lunch & dinnerChef-prepared Egyptian and international cuisine.
- Afternoon teaTea and snacks as you enjoy the river scenery.
- Refreshments throughout the dayMineral water, tea and coffee.
Imagine your day on the Nile
Breakfast on deck. Ancient wonders ashore. Time to slow down between them.
A typical day aboard
- Morning
Breakfast on deck, followed by an excursion with your Egyptologist to a temple, valley or market town.
- Afternoon
Lunch aboard as the boat sails on. Relax on the sun deck with tea and snacks, watching life along the riverbanks.
- Sunset & evening
A walk or sunset stop at a quiet Nile island, where the itinerary allows. Dinner aboard, then a night moored under the stars.
A taste of life aboard. Visits, sailing times and stops follow your journey itinerary.
Make Princess Farida part of your Egypt story.
Choose dates & suitesItinerary
Your journey, day by day.
This is a sample itinerary. The order of Cairo visits and your cruise may change with your arrival date. Our team will confirm your detailed programme.
Land stays & travelNights aboard Princess Farida
Day 1Welcome to Cairo — Land stay or travel
Your Egyptian journey begins the moment you clear the arrivals hall.
Airport meet & greet. Our representative meets you at Cairo International Airport, helps with luggage and escorts you to your private vehicle.
Transfer and check-in. Drive to your selected Cairo hotel, or similar within your chosen category, where a welcome drink and a smooth check-in are waiting.
Your briefing. Your tour consultant walks you through the whole itinerary, confirms pick-up times for each tour and transfer, and answers every question about the days ahead.
Free evening. Rest after your flight, or enjoy dinner at the hotel with the Pyramids close by.
MealsNot included
OvernightCairo hotel
Day 2The Pyramids, the Sphinx, Memphis & Saqqara — Land stay or travel
The icons of ancient Egypt, with an Egyptologist to explain what you are looking at.
Giza Plateau. Stand at the foot of the pyramids of Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren) and Menkaure (Mycerinus), then stop at the panoramic viewpoint for the classic photograph of all three together.
The Great Sphinx and the Valley Temple. Walk to the Sphinx and the Valley Temple of Khafre, and learn how the monument was carved and why it faces east.
Memphis. Visit the first capital of unified Egypt, now an open-air museum where the colossal fallen statue of Ramesses II and the alabaster sphinx recall the city's former glory.
Lunch. A relaxed lunch at a local restaurant between sites.
Saqqara. Finish at the necropolis and the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the first monumental stone building in history and the ancestor of every pyramid that followed.
Return to Cairo for dinner at leisure and a second night at your hotel.
Meals includedBreakfast · Lunch
OvernightCairo hotel
Day 3Grand Egyptian Museum & Old Cairo — Land stay or travel
From the pharaohs to the Coptic, Islamic and bazaar Cairo of later centuries.
Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). Spend the morning at the largest archaeological museum in the world, beside the Giza Pyramids. Your guide takes you to the highlights: the Tutankhamun galleries with his gold mask and royal treasures, the colossal statues of the Grand Staircase, and the wide views toward the pyramids.
Lunch in an authentic Egyptian restaurant.
Saladin Citadel and the Mohamed Ali Mosque. Climb to the medieval fortress for its alabaster mosque and one of the best views over Cairo's skyline.
Coptic Cairo. Walk the old quarter to the Hanging Church and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, two of the oldest places of worship in the city.
Khan El Khalili Bazaar. End in the 14th-century market: spices, lanterns, perfumes and silver, with time to shop and sip mint tea.
Return to your hotel for your third night in Cairo. Pack lightly tonight: tomorrow you fly south.
Meals includedBreakfast · Lunch
OvernightCairo hotel
Day 4Fly to Luxor & Board the Dahabiya — Night aboard Princess Farida
Early flight to Luxor. Your driver takes you to Cairo airport for the morning domestic flight. Our representative meets you in Luxor and drives you straight to the riverbank.
Embarkation. Step aboard the Princess Farida, meet the crew, settle into your cabin and enjoy lunch on board.
Karnak Temple. In the afternoon, explore the largest religious complex ever built: the Great Hypostyle Hall, the obelisks and the sacred lake.
Luxor Temple. Continue to the temple on the Nile corniche, especially beautiful when floodlit after sunset.
Dinner and first night on board, moored in Luxor.
Meals includedBreakfast · Lunch · Dinner
OvernightPrincess Farida, moored in Luxor
Day 5Luxor West Bank & Passage Through Esna Lock — Night aboard Princess Farida
Cross to the West Bank and the Theban Necropolis after breakfast.
Valley of the Kings. Descend into richly painted royal tombs, with a taftaf (the little shuttle train) carrying you from the entrance to the tombs.
Temple of Hatshepsut. Admire the terraced mortuary temple of Egypt's greatest female pharaoh, set against the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari.
Colossi of Memnon. Stop at the two giant seated statues of Amenhotep III on the way back.
Rejoin the dahabiya. A scenic drive of about 35 minutes takes you to a quiet village just before Esna, where you re-board for lunch.
Esna Lock. Sail through the historic lock, a memorable slice of everyday river life, then continue toward Edfu as the sun sets over the Nile.
Dinner and overnight on board.
Meals includedBreakfast · Lunch · Dinner
OvernightPrincess Farida, sailing toward Edfu
Day 6Edfu Temple & Sailing to El Selsela — Night aboard Princess Farida
Horse-drawn carriage to the Temple of Horus. Start the day the local way, rolling through the streets of Edfu in a traditional carriage.
Temple of Horus. Explore one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt: the towering pylon, the hypostyle hall and the inner sanctuary, protected for centuries by desert sand.
Back on board for a day of sailing. Glide south toward El Selsela, the sandstone gorge that supplied stone for many of Egypt's great temples.
Life on deck. This is the heart of the dahabiya experience: read, relax, watch villages, palms and fishermen drift past, and enjoy the silence under sail.
Dinner and overnight on board.
Meals includedBreakfast · Lunch · Dinner
OvernightPrincess Farida, near El Selsela (Gebel Silsila)
Day 7Kom Ombo, Aswan High Dam & Philae Temple — Night aboard Princess Farida
Kom Ombo. Visit the unusual double temple shared by the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus, with mirrored sanctuaries side by side, and the adjoining Crocodile Museum with its mummified crocodiles.
Sail to Aswan, one of Egypt's most scenic riverside cities, with lunch on board.
Aswan High Dam. See the engineering feat that reshaped modern Egypt and created Lake Nasser.
Philae Temple. Take a short motor-boat ride to the island temple of Isis, moved stone by stone to save it from the rising waters.
Return to the dahabiya for your farewell dinner and last night on the Nile.
Meals includedBreakfast · Lunch · Dinner
OvernightPrincess Farida, moored in Aswan
Day 8Aswan & Flight to Cairo — Land stay or travel
Farewell breakfast on board. Say goodbye to the crew of the Princess Farida and disembark in Aswan.
Transfer to Aswan airport. One of our consultants escorts you to the domestic flight to Cairo.
Cairo arrival. You are met at the airport and driven to your selected Cairo hotel, or similar within your chosen category.
Free time. The rest of the day is yours: repack, swim, or enjoy a last Cairo dinner. Your specialist can suggest restaurants or arrange an optional evening activity (see Good to Know).
Meals includedBreakfast
OvernightCairo hotel
Day 9Departure — Land stay or travel
Breakfast at the hotel, with time to look back over the week's highlights.
Private transfer to Cairo International Airport, timed to your flight, with our assistance until you are ready to check in.
Farewell to Egypt. Fly home with memories to last, and a standing invitation to return.
Meals includedBreakfast
Accommodation
Your stay in Cairo.
Choose your Cairo hotel category, then select your suite aboard Princess Farida Luxury Dahabiya. Each selected suite is paired with one Cairo hotel room for the same guests.
Cairo
Deluxe
Cairo Hotels
★★★★★
Steigenberger Pyramids
Hilton Grand Nile
Radisson Blu
Example hotels. Your accommodation will be confirmed within your selected category, subject to availability; listed hotels or similar.
Ultra Deluxe
Cairo Hotels
★★★★★
Sofitel Down Town
Sheraton Cairo
Fairmont Nile Hotel
Example hotels. Your accommodation will be confirmed within your selected category, subject to availability; listed hotels or similar.
Luxury
Cairo Hotels
★★★★★
St Regis Cairo
Four Season Nile Plaza
Marriott Mena House
Example hotels. Your accommodation will be confirmed within your selected category, subject to availability; listed hotels or similar.
Available suite types: Twin, Double and Royal. Availability depends on your sailing date.
Pricing
Your package price
Choose your season, suite and guests, then compare complete package prices across Cairo hotel categories.
1 Travel season
Complete package prices in USD. Optional tours extra. Select an arrival date to confirm your total and availability. Per-person prices are averages when children are included.
View dates & book →Optional experiences
Personalise your stay with an optional tour. Extras are priced separately from your package.
Luxor Hot Air Balloon
See Luxor from above. Subject to weather, operating conditions and guest eligibility
USD 180.00 per personSame price for adults and children.
Add to my journey →Sound & Light
An evening experience at the Pyramids. Schedule confirmed by our team.
From USD 140.00 / adultAdult rate varies by total group size. Children pay half.
Add to my journey →Tours apply to everyone in your booking. Our team will confirm timings and suitability. Final prices are shown before payment.
What’s included
The details, taken care of.
Included
Accommodation
- 4 nights in a 5-star Cairo hotel (3 nights at the start, 1 night at the end), with breakfast daily
- 4 nights on board the Princess Farida luxury dahabiya, in your chosen cabin category
Meals
- 8 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 4 dinners, as marked day by day
- Bottled water during all tours
Flights & transfers
- Domestic flights: Cairo to Luxor (Day 4) and Aswan to Cairo (Day 8), with airport assistance
- Meet & greet on arrival and departure at Cairo airport
- All transfers and touring in a private air-conditioned vehicle with a private driver
Touring
- A private, licensed Egyptologist guide for all tours
- All entrance fees for the sites listed in the itinerary
- All excursions as per the itinerary, including Giza, Memphis, Saqqara, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Saladin Citadel, Coptic Cairo, Khan El Khalili, Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Edfu, Kom Ombo, the Aswan High Dam and Philae
- Taftaf (shuttle train) at the Valley of the Kings
- Horse-drawn carriage ride at Edfu
- Motor boat to Philae Island
Support
- Welcome briefing from your tour consultant in Cairo
- Assistance from our experienced personnel throughout your stay
- Dahabiya crew service for the four nights on board
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa (available on arrival or as an e-visa, depending on nationality)
- Optional tours and activities, priced separately
- Meals not marked in the itinerary: Day 1 (all meals), Day 2 dinner, Day 3 dinner, Day 8 lunch and dinner, Day 9 lunch and dinner
- Drinks with meals, alcoholic beverages and minibar items, unless confirmed by your specialist
- Gratuities for your guide, driver, hotel staff and dahabiya crew (tipping is customary and optional)
- Personal expenses: laundry, phone calls, shopping and souvenirs
- Camera or video permits at sites where a fee applies
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Early check-in or late check-out at hotels, and extra nights
- Anything not mentioned under What's Included
Before you go
Good to know
Hotels and cabins
Cairo hotels are confirmed as stated or similar, in the same category. The cabin category on the Princess Farida is confirmed at booking.
Sailing flexibility
The order of stops and sailing times on the dahabiya depend on wind, river and lock conditions, so your captain and guide may adjust the day. Every site in the itinerary is still visited.
Domestic flights
Flight times are confirmed closer to departure, and luggage limits on domestic flights are usually lower than on international flights. Your specialist will share the exact allowance.
What to wear
Light, breathable clothing, a sun hat, sunscreen and comfortable closed shoes for the sites. Cover shoulders and knees at mosques and churches, and bring a light layer for evenings on the river.