Cruise The Nile In Style: From Aswan To Luxor On A Traditional Dahabiya

---

The itinerary began in Aswan – an almost tropical-looking region roughly 1,200 kilometres from the Nile’s Mediterranean mouth – and ended in the historic halls of Luxor, with Salah as our dedicated Egyptian decoder for the entirety of the trip. He was assigned the unenviable task of condensing 4,000 years of history into bite-sized chunks at every port, which, despite his 34 years of experience and the treasures of Ancient Egypt on our doorstep, was a tougher task than you might think.

On first sighting the Zein Nile Chateau, it almost glowed. The sleek, 50-metre dahabiya sailboat – now renovated to become a floating, five-star retreat – is all polished wooden walkways and softly swaying, amber-hued lanterns. These traditional, shallow-bottomed barges have been carrying passengers along the famous waterway for thousands of years, but it’s doubtful they’ve ever done so in quite such style.

Inside, floor to ceiling windows allowed Egypt’s brilliant sunshine to flood in, illuminating plush, ivory-coloured seating accented by cushions hand daubed with Egyptian iconography by native artist Mahinaz El Messiry. A smattering of board games and books (bizarre ‘70s sci-fi, Stephen King classics and Scrabble were just some of the offerings) and a discreet tea and coffee corner nudged the interior’s meticulous living space into a place you could really relax in, rather than feel like you’re ruining a perfectly presented tableau.

This laid-back luxury was to become a defining feature of the adventure; everything was of the highest standard but with maximum flexibility. On board, a team of 22 staff attend a maximum of 12 guests. Throughout the cruise, no request was too much; freshly made mango sorbet appeared on demand, refreshing lemon and mint iced drinks were whipped up on a whim and dietaries were not only catered for but met with enthusiasm. In fact, head chef Hassan was so dedicated to his cause, I came to view him as some sort of cunning feeder; his wide, welcoming grin melting into a visage so despondent on hearing the words ‘I’m full’ that I suddenly found room to fit in three more falafel.

His expressions were, in many ways, understandable. When it came to meal times, we were overwhelmed with options. Lunches were an expansive buffet of hot and cold dishes, blending Egyptian, Indian and western offerings in a melange of flavour. Creamy hummus and tahini sat side-by-side with beef medallions and chicken cordon bleu. Vermicelli soup and Lake Nasser Perch complimented broccoli gratin and grilled quail. Desserts were trifles, strudels, cakes and tarts. Dinners were similarly decadent.   

On the lower deck, cabins came themed – mine after the islands of Philae, where a temple dubbed ‘the pearl of Egypt’ was believed to be where Osiris, the goddess of fertility, was buried. The sanctum was submerged by rising water levels after the construction of the Aswan Dam in the 1960s and subsequently resurrected by archaeologists. Artfully painted maps of the region covered the walls of my spacious room and nautical finishes added a hint of modernism. Upstairs housed the living areas and the boat’s biggest cabin: the 93-square-metre Farouk Suite, sporting two bathrooms and panoramic views.

Perhaps most pleasingly though, the Zein Nile Chateau exuded peace and quiet – something I came to value increasingly each time I returned from the hustle of the archeological sites. Being a sailboat, the Chateau has no engine (it’s pulled along by a tugboat), so once on board, the only detectable noise within was the low hum of the electricity generator and occasional footsteps from other levels. I can honestly say I’ve never slept so well on water. 

Landside was equally indulgent. Being a tailor-made tour, we were able to choose what we wanted to see and when at each stop. This meant that between gazing at towering obelisks, peering at avenues of ram-shaped sphinxes, and convincing ourselves we were now fluent in hieroglyphs, there was plenty of time to lounge on the boat’s expansive roof terrace and soak in its laughably large hot-tub. 

Views outside were as captivating as inside. Scenes of an uncannily Biblical nature were commonplace: Papyrus reeds wavered along the riverbank, a solitary donkey nibbled grass along the verge and fisherman languorously cast lines into the glass-like water. Except for the odd electricity pylon, there was little to suggest a baby in a basket wouldn’t bump against the bank any second.

It was our guide who truly spoilt us, though. Salah’s expertise was key to maintaining the attention of visitors unused to standing for long periods between stacks of hot Nubian sandstone in 38 degree heat. He’d remember who asked what questions days before (when we’d forgotten asking them ourselves) and adjust the route of the tours to match the energy of the group. He knew the best photo ops (such as where to connect to Kom Ombo Temple’s ‘Wi-Fi’) and kept the ‘hyenas’ (roving salesmen) at bay. 

This level of luxury wasn’t something I’d expected from a trip to Egypt. I’d heard varying reports from friends about their experiences in the country, some of which had given me pause about visiting. But discovering Egypt’s ancient sites in this way proved that it’s the little things that can make a big difference – whether it’s being chaperoned through unfamiliar airports, having dedicated docks at major ports, or seeing freshly cut flowers in the living areas each day. This was an Egyptian experience elevated by superior hospitality. I got to learn about the origin of the Oscar trophy design and the modern-day usage of ‘cornerstone’ unencumbered, while wrapped in a sense of five-star well-being, all but unrivalled on the Nile. And never once was it snooty. After all, we were all still able to have a giggle at the fact that, for as far back as human civilization goes, penises will never not be the world’s most popular graffiti.