Nile cruises, 19th century style

Along with modern cruisers on the Nile, one can also see upon the Nile ghosts from a bygone time when Victorian travellers first began to explore this ancient land as tourists.

It is known as the Dahabia, which in Arabic means "golden boat", because the boats of the Pharaohs and nobility of ancient Egypt were painted gold.

In the early 19th century the Dahabias were the preferred method of transportation among upper class Egyptians and western tourists. But when, in 1869, the steamship was introduced to the Nile, this type of sailing vessel soon lost its importance to the tourism industry. Nowadays travellers who wish to experience a more "authentic" tour of Egypt frequently choose the Dahabias. It is like embarking on a timid adventure where they will be surrounded by an exceptional ambience.

Given their smaller size these Dahabias allow their passengers to sail literally into the past. They also offer less rigid schedules and can have customized itineraries, while at the same time offering some 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, such as El Kab and Gebel el Silsila. But of course, the real lure of these boats is their nostalgia. This kind of program is for travellers after a soft adventure; something different but not too much to handle. The Dahabia takes a maximum of 7 passengers