Dahabiya Lazuli

Journey along the legendary Nile River in Upper Egypt just as adventurers have since the 19th century, aboard a dahabiya – a traditional wooden sailboat, reminiscent of the barges once used by Egyptian pharaohs millennia ago.

Sailing on one of Lazuli’s fleet of dahabiyas offers an intimate way of cruising the Nile, with under 10 cabins and suites on board each vessel. Their interiors are minimalist and elegant, so as not to detract from the scenes that drift outside your window. Gliding past the riverbanks, watch daily life slowly unfold. See fishermen cast their nets and water buffalo wade along the shore. Witness the scenery shift as you cruise, where slender palms give way to sprawling banana plantations and sugar cane fields.

From your dahabiya’s comfortably furnished upper deck, you can savour an uninterrupted view of the Nile. This is also where dinners take place, a feast of traditional cuisine. For a truly extraordinary experience, you can choose to dine on a palm-studded island in the middle of the Nile under an inky, starry night sky.

Lazuli’s itineraries range from four to seven nights, voyaging between Esna and Aswan. You’ll explore at an unhurried pace as you discover ancient sites that larger cruisers are unable to reach. Spend your days strolling through temples etched with the tales of Ancient Egypt, unearthing the secrets of tombs carved into cliffs and visiting some of the Nile’s oldest villages where farmers and fishermen share their ancestral practices.