Don’t just take our word for it … read what some of our guests have to say after sailing the Nile with us.
After all, the best people to recommend us are our guests. Read their feedback in our guestbook below and on Tripadvisor.
Guestbook Nile DahabiyaOnno2020-04-07T16:01:38+02:00
We booked a cruise on the Zekrayaat and what a wonderful Time !!!
Thanks to the crew who is perfect and really pro. Thanks to Bakach, the Chef who cooked perfectly and answered every of our demands (and who is a wonderful singer as well)!
And thanks to our guide Mohamed Sayed who is really intéressant and funny
We had one of the most wonderful time in our Life and we recommand it a thousand time
First, I must state the following: GO TO EGYPT and BOOK A TRIP with NILE DAHABIYA BOATS!!
My family says I am the most “spontaneous planner” in the world. So when I decided in Fall 2019 to travel with my husband to Egypt in June 2020, I started doing research on where to go, where to stay, and what to do as “non-group” type people. I am an archaeologist (travel constantly), and David is a sports photographer, so this would be a dream vacation for both of us. Ancient history and photography rolled into one with no work involved. It would be the trip of a lifetime, and it was.
I first read of Dahabiyas from the Amelia Peabody book series, so I decided sailing the Nile River on one would be a central part of our two-week trip. The positive reviews of Nile Dahabiya Boats, their policy of sailing regardless of the number of guests, and the locations to visit that avoided the big ship groups made the decision to book with them a no-brainer. Then 2020 came crashing into the world, and all my planning was for naught. I contacted Djed Egypt Travel and asked them to save our deposit for use in 2021, which they were happy to do. New plans were started for a June 2021 trip.
On May 29, 2021 we left Phoenix, Arizona (hotter at home than our destination) and embarked on our long-awaited journey. After five days in Egypt, it was suddenly Saturday. Promptly at 9:00am, the driver and our Egyptologist guide (Yassar) from the Dahabiya were there to take us to Esna and the start of our cruise up the Nile. The night before, the owner of the company had called to tell us there was a generator problem with The Orient and profusely apologized that we would be sailing on The Loulia instead. It was the same size, and we still had a suite at the back of the boat, so all was fine with us. He also said we were the only guests for the trip! Their policy of “if you book it, we sail” (unless a global pandemic shuts down the planet) is not an exaggeration. They were sailing with a full crew for the two of us.
Amazing cannot begin to describe what the next four days were like. The captain, the chef, the crew, and our guide were the best of the best. Yes, I know, we were the only guests on board, so we had their undivided attention. I guarantee, however, the professionalism, cleanliness, friendliness, and attention to detail would have been just as outstanding had it been a fully booked ship of 12 guests. We were never rushed, meals were set for our convenience (so much food!), and the site visits were everything we could wish. Then there was our Egyptologist guide, Yassar.
We know a guide’s job is to be friendly and make your experience an educational and interesting one. People will write how their guide was attentive, knowledgeable, and made the trip special. Yassar was all that and more. David and I spent hours in temples that most people enter and exit within 15 minutes. With Yassar we were able to immerse ourselves into Egyptian culture. We wanted to see places the average tourist would bypass. Before the trip we had made the effort to learn basic Egyptian Arabic and studied Egyptian history/culture/people. (As an archaeologist, I did have kind of a head start from my husband, but he did great). All of our pre-trip efforts, combined with Yassar’s extensive knowledge of all things Egypt, his excellent command of English (compensating for my rudimentary Egyptian Arabic), and his wonderful sense of humor (ask him about Cobra Island), make him the perfect guide for your Dahabiya trip, You will not be disappointed.
Should they ever get to Arizona, our home is open to Yassar and his family to be our guests. That is what friends do.
Fantastic Nile Dahabiya experience & most awesome Egyptian tour operator ever!
Dear Loulia Crew, Djed Travel and Hassan: We would all like to thank you for a wonderful voyage, despite the sandstorm (which was an experience!) and the police boat which kept us captive ☹. The food was real taste of Egypt and was delicious and varied. Mohamed has been magical in his tiny kitchen and Ibrahim has looked after us attentively, cheerfully bringing us Turkish coffees, gins and tonics etc, whenever we needed them. The rest of the crew have been very friendly and helpful and the boat has been kept spotlessly clean, despite the sandstorm!. We would also like to thank the captain and his sailors for bringing us to Aswan safe and sound.
Our wonderful guide, Hassan was knowledgeable, enthusiastic and friendly. He is excellent with languages, full of advice on how to deal with small boys. He was able to bring history alive for us, but we were glad to teach him some new words like
We have all had a great time and would happily recommend Djed Travel to anyone.
What a great and wonderful time we had on this beautiful Dahabiya boat.
Thank you for fulfilling beyond the expectations of one of my childhood dreams, SAILING THE NILE!
It’s been a wonderful experience that will stay with us. Again, many thanks from a BASQUE and a CATALAN. Aitor & Joan
Thank you very much for a wonderful cruise on the Loulia !!
We enjoyed very much being on the Nile in the most beautiful boat with our excellent guide Hassan and the very friendly crew! And of course the delicious food YUMMY….
We would like to come back one day. Susanne & Reinhard
We had an absolutely wonderful time in our Nile cruise with the “Loulia”.
Their excellent care, the delicious food, the special “funny friends out of the towels” created for us in our rooms, and the very special atmosphere created by the crew on the boat made our trip one we will never forget! And Hassan, our excellent guide, made Egypt come alive for us in a way we never thought possible. Every question answered; every expectation met, we thank you from bottom of our hearts. In fact, a little piece of each our hearts will remain here in this beautiful country…. Sherri, Terri and Evan – Texas, USA
Thank you to the all crew for making this trip so pleasant. To make sure that all our requests and desires were met. Thank you to our guide, Mr. Mohsen to talking us “back in time” and explain everything with background knowledge on each site visited. This was an amazing experience!
I’ve had the most wonderful time with this outstanding crew of Zekrayaat!
I was setting in my room, tired and overwhelmed, and planning this trip. Everything was more than I could wish for room, service, food, the tea… so all I have to say shukran to Yasser, Tito, Rami, Mohamed, Mohamed, Yusuf, Said and Mr. Ahmed for all the wonderful work you do! I hope I spelled the named right! J I wish you all the best and I hope to see you all again.
Dearest crew, Thank you all for a wonderful trip.
I will remember this always + thank each of you.
It was relaxing, enjoyable & learning. All the best to you!. Evan
Dear Loulia crew: We had the absolute pleasure of sailing the Nile with you, it was an AWESOME experience.
My husband and I boarded Loulia in Aswan, both with a sense of uncertainty and high expectations. It’s our time in Egypt and we were curious to get to know more about your rich history and culture. You provided us with a home away from home. A home filled with relaxations and with many little long gestures, that make all the difference. The food was delicious – thank you chef Mohammed!. If only captain Hamid could have given us a stronger wind with sheer will power alone . He set the sails twice, doing everything he could and more to give us the ultimate sailing experience. We felt blessed having him as our captain – thank you!. Our tour guide Safi shared his comprehensive Knowledge of Egypt’s history with us. He answered my many questions patiently and interestingly – thank you ever so much!. All in the crew excluded our expectation. The trip was truly wonderful, if only it had lasted a little longer.. May your future trips be blessed!. Katarina & Daniel Wildfang from Berlin
Thanks to all the crew, captain and Mohsen for making our time on the Orient so wonderful!
Big thanks to the chef for the delicious Egyptian food and to superstar Ahmed foe serving us with a smile and making excellent gin & tonics! ☹
Yes, it’s been a most wonderful time, we have learnt so much about your amazing history.
Sailing the Nile was an amazing learning family adventure, we also had time to relax and enjoy the amazing scenery. Thank you especially for my 2 swims in the lovely crystal clear Nile and the chance to teach my sister and daughter backgammon. Thank you all the team on the Orient for this fantastic cruise down the Nile, outstanding hospitality & delicious food.
Thank you so much for such a wonderful voyage, down the Nile and back through the ages!
The meals were wonderful, the Dahabiya was beautiful, the history was fantastic and Egypt was a delight.
Thank you, Stephan & Maria
Brilliant 5 days on Loulia!
Thank you to the entire staff for making our journey memorable. Seamless! meals were beyond delicious, thank you Mohammed + sous chefs!. Ibrahim made me feel like a princess with his excellent service. Smiles were easily shared – thank you!
A BIG THANK YOU for an amazing adventure down the Nile.
WOW what a great service from the crew : Chef, boat captain, mast climber and tug boat guys. Amazing guide Hassan a man of great knowledge. At the end a little goodbye we don’t want to go. What a glorious trip ! walking through the double temple in Kom Ombo was unlike anything I have experienced before. These four days were filled with knowledge, excellent food, fantastic service and wonderful conversation. Thank you for creating such a pleasant program. We will be telling stories of this for many years to come. The Duchene family, Klaus – Rainer, Madeleine & Sebastian
Many thanks to the Zekrayaat crew spectacular service and you all have an amazing zeal for life!
I will come back and kick your butts in Egyptian dominos after I have more practice. Mia Mia
Michelle (Sekhmet)
Magical 4 days on the Nile with the outstanding crew of Dahabiya Zekrayaat and our amazing guide, Abdullah.
We enjoyed our various stops, the delicious food and favorable winds as we sailed. Shukran Gazilan and Ashofek bokrah!
Fernandez Family + Eleanor Landon
Washington, DC USA
P.s Alicia says thank you very much!
The attention to detail: helps in every way was wonderful.
The food never ended the crepes with Nutella and bananas were awesome.
Beautiful boat & great accommodation. Thanks, Thomas Corrigan
Unforgettable time on the Dahabiya Zekrayaat with or without the sails in the wind.
Thanks for your maintenance and even the medical care! Thanks for the delicious food! Thanks for the save trip and the music yesterday! We had a great time
Kind regards, Bea and Rien
Thank you, Mahalo, Shokran!!
We had such a wonderful time aboard the Zekrayaat. The food was excellent and the crew treated us like Pharaohs and Queens.
It will be difficult adjust back to our normal living back in Kona, Hawaii.
Mahalo Nui loa. Thank you very much!
Enjoyed a marvellous trip on the Orient, sailing from Aswan to Esna.
Our guide, Mohsen El Sayed was one of the best, he explained the history and custom of Egypt as we toured the temples, the villages and the markets. The crew of the Orient is kind and professional. They have worked hard together, thank you for taking great care of us. Meals were excellent and tasty, from crepes “Fetirs” to fuul, the best Egyptian meals ever. Thanks to the crew and my fellow travellers for such amazing experience. We love Egypt and will always pray happiness & good fortune to her beautiful people.
We absolutely loved our time on board the Orient.
Thank you so much to the crew and our guide Mohsen for making us feel so welcome and at home. We were amazed by each temple and stop, each one seeming more amazing than the last. Equally we enjoyed the relaxed hours spent watching the world go by as we glided smoothly along the Nile. The trip has been absolutely wonderful, and will be one we will never forget. Thank you so much.
A trip on the Nile on “The Orient” is a wonderful experience that all who come to Egypt should take the time to enjoy.
The sailing Dahabiya boats follow a slow pace for relaxing on the river, taking in the Nile life and exploring the ancient Egyptian sites. Mohsen our guide was wonderful, knowledgeable, warm & welcoming in learning us about Egyptian history & culture. The crew of the orient, I felt like included us as their family for the few nights we were aboard – they even let me steer the ship, under the wonderful eyes of the crew of course. Thank you all for an Amazing journey, Amazing meals & Amazing experience. I’m already planning my trip back.
It was a great success. We were looked after very well. Wonderful, personal attention to detail.
For the first time in Egypt, we are very much surprised by the hospitality and friendliness from the Egyptians. In particular the crew of the “Loulia” was extremely hospitable. Nothing was too much for them to make their guests happy. Very well done!. Besides the crew, also Djed’s Egyptologist Adam deserves a compliment. Knowledgeable and diplomatically he took care of his guests. Their Chief, Mr. Ayman form Djed Egypt travel has done a perfect job to choose the right people on the right spot. Thank you all aboard for your service and hospitality.
What a great experience aboard the Dahabiya Zekrayaat!A beautiful ship, with the finest crew!
The boat was very clean and comfortable. Breakfast was delicious with eggs and crepes each morning. Lunch and dinner was also exceptional with a wide variety of Egyptian cuisine at each meal. Captain Tamer and the crew were very warm, helpful and happy which made us very comfortable as they attended to all of our needs. Our cruise was only for three days and three nights, but we wish we could have sailed for full week! We saw many sites along the way, when they were less crowded. Fantastic! We will never forget!
How blessed we are to have been a part of this amazing journey!
We made new friends and wonderful memories:
-Star gazing on the deck and seeing a green shouting
-Playing Dominos with the crew and learning Arabic
-Jumping off the top level into the Nile
-Abdullah made history come alive
-Crew and Abdullah made us feel like family
We loved every moment!!
We were a group of 9 all family and friends setting off from Esna to Aswan for an adventure of a lifetime
Our amazing guide Abdullah took us to so many sights, among them Esna, temple of Hours, Gebel el Silsila, Kom Ombo, villages and markets. We were able to experience Egypt’s culture, food and hospitality. When it comes to food chef Mohamed prepares incredible dishes. Each meal is thoughts out with a variety of flavors and options. The crew is always responsive to any wants of needs while on board. As this trip comes to a close, we will be leaving with lots of smiles, memories and some new friends. Always in our hearts!
Thank you so much for the trip of a lifetime!
We had such a wonderful time on the Orient, our guide Abdullah made this a very memorable experience. He was so knowledgeable about the history of Egypt and he made us very fun too. He is a great speaker and storyteller. The crew was friendly and professional, the food was delicious. We will always remember our trip down-up the Nile!
Thank you all so much for the private journey down the Nile.
We had such a special and memorable trip. Everything was perfect from the boat to the meals to the excursions. Abdullah was so knowledgeable and passionate guide and ambassador. The food was plentiful and tasty. Thank you to the crew for working hard and always with a smile. Thank you all for your generosity and hospitality.
Dear crew of Orient, Thank you for your hospitality! We had a wonderful week and the trip was truly memorable.
From the tasty food to the peaceful shade on the deck, we felt much taken care of the entire time on board. Thank you, Abdullah, for your lively stories and knowledge. We have learnt so much about your ancient history. To the crew who guided us so faithfully down the Nile and cooled us delicious food, we are grateful. We hope can be back again to explore this wonderful country Inshallah.
Dear crew of the Dahabiya. The last three days we traveled with you over the Nile, it was extraordinary experience and also great to do with you.
You were so kind and good to us and showed us some nice places on the Nile. The food and drinks and the attitude of the crew and captain was very, very good! We would recommend everyone to travel with you. I and my daughter want to thank you very much for all you offered us. Hope you all will have a good and healthy life and maybe we see each other’s in the Egyptian other life! HaHa.
Many and most warmly greetings, from Holland. Sjaak and Jessey Dekker.
P.S really great work on the pillow and towel, crocodile and elephant!
We had so much fun. Thanks!
Dear crew, thank you for making our Dahabiya cruise magical experience with unforgettable memories.
We have enjoyed every moment. Relaxing on deck while enjoying the views of the banks of the Nile. Having wonderful lunches and dinners. Everyone at the riverbank and learning a lot during a tour. Mustafa, thank you for making our drinks. We really loved the lemon juice!. Of course, also our thanks to everyone else of the crew. The captain, household crew. The shipper. Everyone helped to make this unforgettable. Hassan, thank you for your knowledgeable guidance on the tours and the boat. We will highly recommend you!
Well! This has certainly been lovely!
The boat and the crew have been absolutely wonderful. The food was delicious and beautiful, and they kept the rose flowing for these weary travelers. Mustafa was a wonderful guide and the itinerary was a great balance of education and chill-time. Seriously a wonderful trip! Thank you so much Mustafa, Ahmed, and the whole crew!! Shukran! Until next time inshallah.
Truly a memorable 4 days of cursing on the Nile on the Zekrayaat.
Definitely a highlight of my trip to Egypt. The entire crew was so friendly, hospitable and helpful. Loved all of our meals. It was so nice to visit areas not accessible by the big cruise ships too. Thanks to everyone for a wonderful adventure.
My journey to the Orient began 10 months ago when a friend and fellow passenger told me about a sailing trip her professor had done down the Nile river. As soon as she told me I was hooked to the idea. What followed was Google search looking for the right Dahabiya boat. Fast forward 8 months and that same friend Christen, and I found ourselves studying in Italy together. Egypt was now only 3 hours away by plane and so we decided, it was time to go to Egypt, two months later we are now on our final night a board. The 4-night journey up the Nile River. Choosing to come to Egypt for my spring break has been one of the better decisions in my life. These last few nights have been absolutely magnificent. I had the honor of bunking with the infamous Abdullah: a true man of the people, he has single handedly made this venture one I will never forget. The crew on board has been nothing short of delightful. Ahmed has been joyously, welcoming with a warm smile and excellent teaching on Egyptian Dominoes. The Egyptian hospitality is something I will never forget. Thank you Djed!
Thank you for this incredible journey on the Nile.
What a wonderful way to experience such a treasure! The crew was exceptional, accommodating and friendly we appreciated the stop for a swim, the delicious meals and the chance to sail, the rooms were clean and comfortable. The deck beautiful and relaxing, and the company great fun. We loved the night of music and dancing! We will recommend this trip highly, as a must for any trip to Egypt. Thank you again.
Thank you for this great trip! We really enjoyed; it was wonderful!
We loved the food very much! Salah was a great guide!. Thank you, a lot,! We will never forget this time on the Nile.
To the crew and the guide, Thank you for a wonderful 3 days on the Nile.
You have been very kind, and your hospitality has been great. We enjoyed every single moment on board and the tours with Abdullah!. You are all amazing. We wish you a great 2019 and hope to see you.
This was such an amazing experience from start to finish.
I’m going to miss this boat and everyone on it so much! This has been one of the best four days of my life. Thank you Mohammed for being so great informative, Chef for the amazing food, Captain for smooth ride, the crew for being so kind and attentive. You all have a special place in my heart.
To the fantastic crew, Chef and Salah, our guide, Captain Waheed: I always dreamed of sailing along the Nile and it has been a dream come true, and more, for my husband and I. the meals were fabulous, the crew so helpful. Salah was a very knowledgeable tour guide at all fascinating places we stopped at. Captain Waheed, you run a wonderful ship! Our family is full of travel adventures who have hung on every email and we think you will be seeing some of them in the future. I highly recommend Nile Dahabiya Boats and Djed Travel. It was the cruise of a lifetime.
Wonderful time on the Nile, a must do in Egypt!
Thank you so much for the generous meals, excellent tours and accommodation. We especially enjoyed Salah as our guide. See you next time.
Dear captain, Mohamed and the rest of the crew, this has been such a lovely time so relaxing and fun and beautiful and educational.
It will definitely be Christmas vacation I will never forget.You were all so friendly and helpful, the food was incredible, and everything was wonderfully organized and taken care of. Will miss you all, Take care شكرا جدن!
Wonderful days “Upriver cruise to Aswan”
Patty & I offer the crew all our most heartfelt thanks for a truly wondrous and relaxing cruise up to Aswan.
We felt like a king & queen, sailing on our stately ship, and watching the boxy barges motor past with intelligent speed compared to our own stately slide through the Nile clean & beautiful waters!. We would love to do this all again with you, if we can only pole our friends back in the U.S. to join with us in a return group trip. Thank you for making my birthday very special – giving me these golden memories on the Nile. I would like to thank you so much for the beautiful, tasty and awesome cake that you made for us.
لقد قضينا مع طاقم الباخرة أوقاتا ممتعة و مريحة
وجدنا معكم الراحة التامة وكانت الخدمة في أعلي مستويات الجودة وكانت العلاقة مع العاملين علي الباخرة في غاية اللطف فشكرا لكم جميعا
راجيين من الله تعالي ان يعطينا فرصة اخرى للسفر معكم في القريب العاجل علي أمل اللقاء بكم
We had a fabulous time on the Nile and loved every minute.
Thank you for a wonderful trip, beautiful boat, friendly crew, fantastic food, very informative and genuine guide. It’s been a great trip and we shall always remember!
شكراً جزيلاً! MERCI
Thank you very much for the wonderful trip we had on your boat along the Nile river. An old dream come true. The boat was beautiful and made me thinking about “Murder on the Nile” by Agatha Christie. The crew was nice, the food was delicious and of course, Abdulla was a very interesting and friendly guide. I loved to visit the Nubian Village.
Stephanie Benoit, من باريس
This was my first time to EGYPT, I really liked it.
I wish to come to the Nile again someday. I just want to thank everyone one more time. Thank you!
We joined the crew at Aswan to spend 3 fantastic days sailing the Nile to Esna.
They are a fantastic crew, with excellent dance movies! They were all lovely, and I even got some Arabic lessons from Bob Marley! I will definitely recommend these to our friends in London and everyone else! Special shout out to the chef for cooking us delicious food especially the final nights tilapia. You will love it! Prepare a good song to sing for the crew in return for show!. Thank you so much for everything, Best wishes.
Four beautiful days on the Nile – A big thanks for everything.
We will never ever forget this trip & its people!
We will strongly recommend to anyone wanting to do a Nile cruise in Egypt.
Thanks for a wonderfully & luxury four days down the Nile.
What a vast array of different types of seek to lounge. Everyone was very sweet and the food was importantly very delicious. Sailing was smooth and super fun!. Will definitely be back next time!
The Nile cruise was my dream and the crew made it amazing.
Thank you to be so patient with our little boys Liam & Santiago.
Food was also super good!. The trip was perfect and the crew were superb. Highly recommend this to anyone 😁
I hope to come back soon. Mark, Liam & Santiago
Thank you so so much for this beautiful adventure.
We wake up early in the morning to see the Nile banks warm up with the first rays of sun. Sometimes we see a falcon or a kingfisher, but always immaculate white ibis birds. We enjoy the scenery float by perfection. The crew make the stay amazing, helping us and explaining the traditions. Feel so lucky to be here!
Thank you to:
Mohamed (all the 3 of them)
Ahmed (best meals and smiles)
Temo – Tamer (all those tips)
Youssef (crocodiles and flowers, can you imagine that?)
Hamdi & Tefi (for teaching me how to navigate)
Abid, you have the best crew ever!
Wonderful boat adventure!
Thanks, Alyona & Rafael
Amazing Nile Cruise and Great Relaxing Experience – do not miss this!
During three days trip on Zekrayaat Dahabiya, we were only a couple with the crew and Abdullah on board. We were so lucky and this journey was like a dream! The crew took care very well of us and we spent 4 nights and days peaceful relaxing and looking the amazing sceneries of the Nile. The food was amazing and we discovered with pleasure Egyptian tortes. The guide Abdullah was very helpful; we learnt lot of things on antiques and further more a hieroglyphic signs. But what we had really equated was that he really tries to show us this real Egypt and its cultures. We know more of Egypt history and Egypt today because of them. Will definitely recommend! We would love to do this Nile cruise again.
أعزائى من مركب الاورينت, قضيت ايام سعيده معكم
اشكركم جزيلا علي الضيافة والاستضافة وشكرا علي الويكة وشكرا علي الجهد. وأتمني يبقي في فرصة اني اجي تانى مع أصدقاء تانين
Fantastic cruise with a fantastic team
We were only with 3 persons we feels like the kings & queens of Egypt.
We had a great time! Thank you for everything. It was amazing!!
The food was delicious + the cookies also
Thank you for an amazing trip!
We were a group of nine all family and friends setting off from Esna to Aswan for an adventure of a life time. Our amazing guide Abdullah took us to so many sights. Esna temple, temple of Horus, Gebel el Silsila, Kom Ombo villages and markets. We were able to experience Egypt’s culture, food and hospitality when it comes to food chief Mohamed prepares incredible dishes. Each meal is though out with a variety of options. The crew is always responsive to any wants of needs while on board. As this trip comes to a close we will be leaving with lots of smiles, memories and some new friends. Always in our hearts, Qeshana Condell
To the crew of the Orient… Thank you for 3 amazing days we will not forget!
We really enjoyed our time on board, sailing the Nile, watching the scenes on the river, playing chess, domino and tawla, swimming in the river, fishing, playing football together and watching Mo Salah play in the champions league at a local coffee shop (we are sure he won’t disappoint during the final and the world cup) . Compliments to the chef for the great dishes he served us, and to Ahmed the waiter for his hospitality!. Our days at the Orient were an amazing experience. Thank you very much. Sincerely
An excellent way to experience the Nile. Cruising by Dahabiya is a great experience. So much history!.
We had an amazing time aboard the Orient we saw many amazing sites and have a great weather throughout sailing on the Nile. We will always cherish our memories. The crew, chef and Hassan were wonderful and made this a very special experience for us. We will definitely return.
Thanks for the once in a lifetime experience, it was a fabulous voyage.
The sailing and sightseeing and people were amazing, the crew was great and ensured. I was comfortable at all times. I recommend this trip to anyone who wants something a little different.
To Wahid and crew, thank you for showing us the true Egypt. Egypt that most people don’t have time to see as we are always in so much of a hurry.
Your beautiful boat give us the opportunity to understand how Egyptian live along the Nile. It was truly a magical experience. The crew made us feels so welcome and could not do enough for us for which we are most grateful. The food was delicious too! We will never forget it. Abdullah… Thank you for teaching us not only the history of Egypt but to better understand Islam. You were a fantastic guide. In all respects. We will never forget our time on the Orient. Very warmest regards.
We always wanted to sail the Nile. Well, the crew and Abdullah made this possible and add magical moments to our trip.
My Egypt photo boat will be very thick because of this trip. Abdullah, you inspired us with your knowledgeable and it’s past. We will be back, and we hope to meet you all again. Thoroughly recommend..
Thank you to the whole crew! It has been a wonderful trip and everyone has made us feel at home on the Orient.
A special thanks to Salah for his excellent guiding on the many interesting sights شكرا
We loved everything about this Nile cruise. Everybody is so friendly, they looked after us very well. We have had an amazing time.
Salah is a wonderful guide, very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. We have enjoyed the diffident excursions and the time spends with the crew, who always has a smile to greet you. The food is wonderful and there is plenty of it. Thank you for an unforgettable trip.
Thank you all! What a wonderful crew. It was an experience full of wonderful memories.
You all work so hard and it shows we felt like a kings and queens. Our time on and off the boat was a magical dream. We want to do it again! Next time with our 4 children and 2 grandchildren. Thank you all form the bottom of our hearts
Thank you all! What a wonderful crew.
You all work so hard and it shows we felt like a kings and queens. Our time on and off the boat was a magical dream. We want to do it again! Next time with our 4 children and 2 grandchildren. Thank you all form the bottom of our hearts
Every aspect was exemplary. Great experience from start to finish.
We liked the crew because they were very nice and there were kind to us. We loved the food, swimming, in the river and loved the hammock and scenery. Thanks so much!
We had a wonderful cruise with Waheed, Mohamed, Mohamed , Abdullah and the entire crew.
Fantastic food (variety and deliciousness not to be surpassed)!. Extremely clean and comfortable quarters and public spaces very friendly and welcoming crew (Dancing and singing and general revelry on New Year’s Eve not to be forgotten)!. Abdullah is very knowledgeable as a guide especially in hieroglyphic and he is very kind and a huge help when one of our party was ill. Much happiness, health and property to all. Thank you!
Truly wonderful trip which we have all there was enjoyed.
The sights were amazing, as expected but made even more so by the dramatic and enthusiast explanations of our guide great job!. The food was excellent and such a delightful variety. Thanks to the crew for their amazing Christmas surprise of dancing, music, and singing. Thank you all for an experience we will never forget.
Excellent cruise, fabulous food, really friendly and helpful crew, excellent guide who made the history of Egypt really come alive (Abduallah).
Comfortable accommodation with spectacular Nile views. The fabulous food and service onboard is second to none.. The Djed team was also exceedingly helpful in organizing our trips in Cairo, Abu Simbel and Luxor. Thanks a lot everyone, a most memorable trip, and the most enjoyable has been sailing quietly watching the Nile go by: unforgettable. We hope to be back!
The trip on the Dahabiya Orient was absolutely fabulous.
An amazing experience for those who want to sail the beautiful Nile. The food was perfect and the room and scenery is so unique. It was so on my list to do and I’m so happy this was our Christmas present شكرا
The whole experience was magical.
We are permanent Travelers. We live on Road, so we forget where we are when we wake up in the morning because we are always moving. On the Nile, On the Dahabiya we always knew where we were. We will never forget that we are lucky to make such trip. Life has been good to us. Coming to Egypt has been one of the greatest things:
Was it because of the monuments? Maybe
Was it because of the perfect weather? Maybe
Was it because of the Egyptian People? Sure yes
Thanks to all the crew ….
Tour Guide — Salah
Captain — Waheed
House Keeping — Gamal
Chef — Mohamed
Steward – Kamal
Sailors — Shaaban & Ahmed
Visiting Egypt has been a major dream and being able to see so much of it while traveling along the Nile has been perfect.
We didn’t want a large Cruise ship, either, so the Orient with captain Wahid and Egyptologist Hassan has been ideal. Plus like the previous guests, we were lucky to have the ship and crew to ourselves. The meals have been bountiful and delicious, Hassan has helped us navigate amazing temples and persistent totes, and the whole crew has been attentive and always ensured our time was enjoyable. Thanks to everyone on Dahabiya The Orient.
It’s a very special trip that you will never forget!
All the times, our guide Mamdouh is very knowledgeable, the kids and people in the villages are friendly. We were invited in the home with Tea! One of the highlights of the tour!. We wish the boat Orient a very good luck, beautiful boat with beautiful beds and decorations Thank you so much for a memorable trip!. Special thanks to all the crew, Captain Ahmed, Mohamed, Kamal and everybody. Also to our guide Mamdouh.
Our trip on the Nile with “The Orient” was better than expected.
Comfortable in every respect, the beds are very good, and the service is good quality as well. The crew is very friendly, and the cook prepared us very delicious meals. We took “The Orient” from Aswan to Esna, a wonderful 3 days trip where we would enjoy sunrise and sunshine from the top of floor of the Dahabiya. A big thank you to the crew and our guide for this one of kind experience on the Nile. We will never forget it!
Thank you for an amazing trip!
The food made by Mohamed was delicious (Just too much!), the crew was very friendly and helpful!. Thank you for sailing here were barely wind!!. Mamdouh was a great guide and give us a lot of information, the program was very flexible, and the excursions to the temples was in perfect time. We are glad about the lovely dine we had under the stars. We wish you all the best.
Had a wonderful trip. The sailing along the Nile were incredible… Taking me back in home.
The staff and crew made the journey special; always special and making us feels at home. Mamdouh our guide was knowledgeable and give us special insights into ancient and modern Egypt. This was a wonderful trip down the Nile
Thank you for the most enjoyable trip on the Nile ever!
The energy on this ship is peaceful. The crew is very friendly and the guide is very knowledgeable. Thank you for the exquisite luxury and the delicious food, we will remember this trip forever and hope we can be back soon
Thank you for the wonderful time and great service.
You have given us the opportunity to get to know the real Egypt. Great stopping places, perfect 5 stars service and a very helpful crew. We have also enjoyed the Egyptian meals. The boat was very clean and well maintains and looked after. Thank you for the great service
The Orient is a perfect craft, well maintained and decorated to an impressive standard.
The crew is wonderful, the chef knows food and serves great meals, our steward Kamal kept us pampered and cared for. But the best part of the journey was the skillful knowledgeable guidance of Egyptologist Mamdouh, visiting the temples, countryside walks, and markets were wonderful. This was the best wedding anniversary we ever had. I had a truly relaxing time, swimming, resting (while sailing) and visiting the beautiful temples and villages. This is the best way to visit Egypt. The guidance by Mahmoud was wonderful, and always helpful. Kamal and everyone else in the crew did a great job keeping us happy. It’s a wonderful time! For me the highlights were the visits to the camel and local markets and the villages in the countryside, places you do not get to see when cruising on the big ships. I’m very grateful to all crew members and would love to come back someday to do it again
We felt so lucky when we met Abdullah in Aswan and we were immediately at home the moment we arrived on this magical boat.
The crew was very kind and caring throughout our entire voyage, laughing with us when we jumped into the Nile, teaching us dominoes and hieroglyphics and yelling at the television screen together as their soccer team struggled to score the chef and his staff somehow turned the top deck into a five star restaurant, continuously surprise us with one fantastic meal after the next. A Michelin star, if we could give one. And Abdullah, where to start? Our guide and our friend, he brought history to life for us. Two young men how had never before truly connected to their Egyptian roots, his vast knowledge and comedic timing brought us back to the times of pharaohs, And his condor and openness brought us up to modern day Egypt. We shared so much in four short days, and hope to send many close friends and family to Egypt with this man, the king of the guides!
We like to think the crew of the Orient for their warm hospitality.
Our time spend on the beautiful ship was magical and we are very thankful to be able to have done this Journey. Egypt is a beautiful country with rich culture and wonderful people and we are looking forward to come back here, perhaps even taking the Dahabiya again!
We have really enjoyed, relaxing and wonderful trip on the Dahabiya.
Abdullah has been an excellent guide as well as being very accommodating tour special requests. This is a lovely way to see the sights along the Nile. The food has been very good, and the rooms are lovely as well. We’re glad we came to Egypt!!
To Abdullah, crew of the Orient and the entire Djed team: Thank you for making our trip to Egypt so wonderful and incredible. It was an absolute pleasure to explore temples, tombs and ordinary city streets alike with Abdullah and to hear his fascinating explanations of both ancient and modern Egypt. Abdullah fulfilled every request with a smile on his face and made us feel at home. He also promised that our 3 days on the Dahabiya would be our favourite part of the trip, and he was right! The captain, chef and crew were all incredibly warm, friendly and welcoming, and the Orient was a delightful and charming place to spend our days and nights on the Nile. And the food was the very best of our whole trip!. Thank you again to the whole team for bringing ancient stories to life and immersing us in today’s’ Egypt as well. We will recommend Djed and the Orient to all our friends and – of course – we hope to come back and see everyone again!
Our time here on The Orient has been more than great, it has been amazing. It really has been a perfect ending to a perfect trip thanks to Djed and its amazing staff.
They have continued to far exceed our expectations, going above and beyond for any of our needs.The boat is beautiful and very well maintained. The crew not only knows how to operate this perfect and efficiently, but they bring life and personality to the boat with their attitudes and constant smiles. Chef Mohammed is truly one-of-a-kind and has never failed to blow us away with his amazing food. I would have never thought I would love vegetables so much before this trip. He gets to know your preferences and plans for them in advance, while always walking around with his infectious smile. Captain Mohammed has been amazing in making sure our journey has been as comfortable as possible. Lastly, our guide and now friend, Abdullah has been more than we could have asked for. He has more knowledge about Egypt and its history than we could have learned from a book!. On top of this his wonderful personality and animated story telling made for an unforgettable trip. This has truly been a once in a lifetime experience. Thanks to Abdullah and the boat staff. We could not have asked for a better more enjoyable trip thanks to all the staff and their none stop work to make us comfortable and welcome here in Egypt. We all hope for your continued happiness and success on The Orient in the future. Maybe one day we will all see you again!
Sweetness of the river Nile, magnificence of the nature, comfort of the Zekreyaat boat, kindness and warmth of the crew, delicious food… Thank you many-fold for this delight!
The sun high in the sky, sailing for a while, amazing food on the table, putting your feet in The Nile, nice people and tropical palm trees. After Cairo and Luxor this place brings you peace.
Thank you to all the members of the Dahabiya crew, everyone treated us like Queens and Kings.
The Nile River was an amazing adventure for us on our Egypt Journey!
The people of Egypt have been wonderful to us!
We will spread the word so others may come and enjoy as well, we wish you many more wonderful sails.
From the moment we stepped on board, we felt truly welcome.
For reasons beyond our control we had to hurry, hurry, hurry around Cairo making arrangements for a threaten performance that brought of us to Egypt. Without much sleep and little planning, we choose this cruise to experience your country true character at a slower pace. It has been a wonderful trip, full of historical excursions, great food beautiful scenery and much laughter, our host Abdulla who we all agree has the hand, has also proved to be a generous and knowledgeable host. All of this generosity and hard work of his crew, will hopefully bring us back again and again to Egypt and the Nile.
Dear captain and crew,You made all 4 unforgettable days for us on the Dahabiya.
This was our first visit to Egypt and we enjoyed the sailing on The Nile very much with the wonderful captain.
Our guide Sala did his utmost best to show and explain the temples to us.
Very interesting and other showpieces like a camel market.
We have never seen so many camels before. And the selling of them.
Even the ride to the market was a special experience.
Sala never became impatient with us.
Our special thanks for the kitchen!
Every day another speciality from the Egyptian kitchen.
We enjoyed it very much, the food was excellent.
All the crew members are so nice and friendly, you really feel welcome on this beautiful ship.
It was an honour for us to meet so many friendly people.
Good luck to all of you – Health and peace!
Our cruise on the Loulia was an amazing way to start the new year. Our guide Abdullah, helped to make the history of Egypt come alive and made us feel very cared for too. And the entire crew of the Loulia under capt. El Nubi has been so amazingly welcoming and hospitable. I could not have asked for a more enjoyable way to spend the last days and will be very sad when the cruise comes to an end.
Dear crew and guide,This is going to be a repeat of all the previous positive reviews.
As they all catch the essence of this wonderful experience, a luxurious and extremely relaxing adventure with great food, especially the lunches, well-guided, learning full trips on the borders of the Nile, combined with good company, sunny days and a fine wind for sailing. The Dahabiya trip is most recommendable!
Trip from Assuan to Esna, Jan 4 to Jan 7, 2017. Thanks to every one of the competent and friendly crew. Thanks to Achmed for serving us so attentively and always with a big smile! Thanks to the excellent chef who – again and again – surprised us with an abundance of tasty, delicious Egyptian dishes. Thanks to our tour guide Hassan, always friendly and well-informed and moreover always available for additional background information that helped me appreciate the many impressive Egyptian monuments, the culture and life in Egypt even more! Thanks to all for making this trip one of the unique, forever unforgettable travel experiences of my life. I will be back!
We would like to say ‘Shukraan’ to the lovely crew and our dear guide, Abdullah for the incredible adventure we had on this absolutely amazing boat, the Zekrayaat.
Abdullah your stories and teaching about hieroglyphics have been fascinating.
Thank you also for all your tips about how to behave around the locals.
Captain Ebeed, thank you for the very relaxing cruise down the nile.
We are all so relaxed and happy.
Dear Tayeb, thank you for running back and forth and bringing us all our meals.
We appreciate your patience and hard work.
Chef Mohammed, you have spoiled us immensely with all these delicious meals… We have never had such a huge variety of dishes! Thank you!
Mohammed of housekeeping, thank you for making our rooms spotless!
Abd El Hady, we thank you for keeping the rudder in the right place and giving us smiles.
Ahmed, Tayeib, Abdahal and Captain Hamdy, thank you for your smooth sailing and friendly smiles.
We are so happy! Shukraan!
We have had the incredible joy and privilege to join the Nile Dahabiya company for over second time this year.
When we were greeted again on day 1 by our friendly, energetic and super-knowledgeable guide Abdullah, we couldn’t have been more pleased knowing we were in for another memorable trip. We have again been impressed by the attentiveness and professionalism of the crew, especially when one of us felt ill. Their concern and care helped greatly, and we’re grateful for the whole crew and the way they allowed us to have such a great trip again. We hope to see you again soon!
Although from England, we have been living in Cairo for the past 2 years. This is the first time we have visited Luxor/Aswan. I have wanted to go on a Nile cruise for some 25 years now, but have always dreamed of doing it on a small Dahabiya rather than a large cruise. We wanted to ‘experience’ the real Egypt and this trip has certainly shown us that!
The boat is absolutely beautiful, the staff were all very attentive, nothing was too much trouble and Abdullah turned out to be the most knowledgeable guide you could have. Mohammed is a fantastic chef and the food he makes is absolutely delicious. We managed to have a truly relaxing trip that was crammed with visits to temples, quarries, markets …. a true contradiction. The scenery form the boat was stunning. Children swimming in the Nile, men fishing, women washing their clothes and farmers tending to their animals and fields.
Thank you for making this trip as we expected and so much more. It was so beyond our expectations. Thank you Ebeid, Abdullah, Mohammed and Ahmed along with the rest of the crew for giving us what will become fantastic memories.
Where to start describing the experience of sailing the Orient?
Fantastic! Wonderful! Educational? Yes!
Fun! Fun! Beautiful!
The Orient Dahabiya:
Lovely boat – well cared for!
All the things that make a trip memorable.
The crew:
Salah – Best guide ever! Taught us to read hieroglyphs – Sort of! Great stories, lots of information.
Ebeid – The Captain! Made sure everything was taken care of with a smile.
Bakesh – The Chef! Incredible food at every meal. Authentic Egyptian dishes. Loved them.
All the crew we swam with, joked with, shopped with, they made us happy!
There is so much to see and learn about and its all because of the experience of being aboard the Orient.
My son and I just completed a trip on the dahabyia Zekrayaat from Aswan to Luxor. What a treat! The staff was friendly, very concerned for our comfort and made sure our wishes were met. We really couldn’t have asked for better service.
Our guide Mahmoud was great. He organized our ventures on land to show us not only ancient Egypt, but current Egypt, also. We learned a lot.
Captain Mohamed checked with us frequently and was very interested in assuring our trip was everything we wanted.
Thanks again to the crew that made our voyage so special!
Thank you very much for a Wonderful trip through this part of Egypt along the Nile.
As a Solo Traveler, you always hope to meet pleasant people to share memories and moments with, this experience has definitely lived up to that hope. Thank you so much to all the crew for putting up with us silly foreigners, for all the hard work you did to make this a wonderful part of my travel
Living in Egypt it is always great to have family come and visit. Finally my uncle came from Kenya with his girlfriend and my mum also decided to join. My task was to plan and organize a tour for them. Djed travel was very quick in answering my request which I very much appreciated. Indeed they proved to be most competent with pickups to & from the dahabeya fully organized by friendly staff.
As for the actual boat trip…a dream. All agreed, the best trip on the Nile one could ever wish for. We were lucky enough to have the whole dahabeya to ourselves. The crew, captained by Ebeid, ensured one felt “at home” right from the start. I was particularly grateful for how they looked after my mother when she was feeling poorly. The food was excellent & of great variety. Our “private” guide, Salah, knew answers to ever question posed.
In fact there is no better way to travel the Nile, other than being accommodated for by the Djeb team. They far excel all expectations. A warm thanks to all involved.
Welcome!! How many times have we heard this and known that is was meant? To sail down the Nile has been a dream of ours for many years, and what a way to achieve it, on the Zekrayaat with skipper Ebeid and his great crew. Being a sailor I appreciated the team work and skills involved bringing this craft to gently rest alongside a rock wall or a mud bank. And all so respectful to us. The food was very, very good and the service tremendous.
Mahmoud proved a knowledgeable guide and cracked a good joke. A great guide!!
As we sailed into Aswan with the sun setting in the west, we are both so sad that this trip is over.
Tammy and I had an incredible trip on Dahabiya Orient. Everything was perfect, beyond all expectation that we had and I cannot think of a single issue or item on which I could have a less than enthusiastic comment. First, let me mention the boat. It is kept in a perfect condition, perfectly clean (in good old maritime tradition, every spare minute of the crew seems to be spent cleaning), beautiful and tastefully decorated with antiques. Just sitting on the deck, in the salon or in our room (we had the suite with its balcony which is well worth it!) is already a gratifying experience. Then, there is the crew. All are nice, smiling and welcoming at all times. They make you feel like their guest and ready at anytime to do anything in their power to make your stay even better. Particularly nice, helpful, smiling and funny was our steward, Tayeb. He seemed to enjoy every minute of our meals and certainly made us enjoy every one of them. The cook also deserves a special mention. The food was fresh, delicious and abundant. In addition we had some very unexpected and beautifully rendered dishes such as “canard a l’orange”! The captain, Mohammed, runs a very tight ship indeed! Finally I would like to mention our guide, Salah. Incredibly knowledgeable is an understatement. His knowledge of hieroglyphs brought everything to life. We were not just looking at an incredible piece of art or architecture, we were also reading what its makers were saying about it when they developed it. He managed to bring everything to life and this in a very humorous and pleasant way. We had wide ranging discussions, from what we know about life in ancient Egypt to life in modern Egypt and the problems it confronts. In all he was extremely interesting and thoughtful.
Again, an incredible experience from every point of view. For the last forty years my wife and I have been travelling the world, visiting and working in countries on every continent and in every region. These five days on Dahabiya Orient with its wonderful staff and guide will remain a highlight for us.
I had a simply wonderful Dahabiya experience last week (May 15th to 18th), sailing up the Nile from Luxor to Aswan. Everything about it was marvellous : excellent food, very comfortable cabin, pleasant crew (who worked very hard to ensure that we had a pleasant trip), beautiful surroundings and a guide (Abdullah) who was full of enthusiasm and knowledge about the tombs and temples which we visited. On the last night we were entertained by the entire crew dancing and singing with drum accompaniment. What a delight! I thank everyone for a truly memorable journey and will be sure to tell my friends and family to book a Dahabiya cruise with you as soon as possible! My good wishes to all aboard and may you have many more visitors in the future. They will not be disappointed.
We knew the minute we came aboard that this was the Nile experience we had been looking for.
It was our first Nile cruise, but we will definitely go back as we thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of the Nile and the historic sites.
Our tour guide Abdullah was brilliant. We are still dreaming of our Egypt holiday, looking at our photos make me want to leave for Egypt right this very second!
You can be sure we will continue to recommend you to all our friends and family. Shokran to all Egyptian friends. Kindly regards from cold Germany….
Debbie and Uli