Dahabiya Sailing Boats

The Nile Dahabya is an Arabic word that means "The golden boat". It is an imitation of the golden painting boats used by the Pharaohs and nobility of ancient Egypt Pharoahs. In the 19th century, People were using Nile Dahabyas to cruise the River Nile

Amelia B. Edwards, author of "A Thousand Miles up the Nile", tell us about many details about Nile Dahabyas. She had to choose from 200 Dahabyas offered for rent at Cairo Nile harbor. It was used by Egyptologists and early explorers to reach and explore the ancient land of Egypt and archaeological sites.
Steamships came to existence in 1860. This caused The Nile Dahabyas to lose their dominance and importatnce on the Nile. Most Dahabyas got scrapped while others turned into house boats. Today, only about five of these boats are in operation. They belong to heirs from that age. Traveling on a Dahabya never lost its feel of an exceptional ambience. Dahabya is a small sail boat with no more than 10 cabins. This size of a boat gives the feeling you are sailing into the past. Dahabya has less rigid schedule and can have customized itineraries. While at the same time offering many of the amenities of the larger Nile cruisers. They can also land at sites that are for the most part impossible for the larger Nile Cruisers to dock.
 
Nowadays there are many private Dahabiya boats which sail back and forth on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan in a duration from three to seven nights. Depending on your interests, time, and  group. You can sail the Nile at any time of the year, although June through to August can be particularly hot. Early booking is highly recommended for private journeys, especially in the high season, October through April.