Nour El Nil's signature red-and-white striped sails propel the company's fleet of traditional dahabiyas down the Nile. All photos: Erin Clare Brown / The National
Many of the sites that are part of the cruise are from the Ptolemaic era, when the Greeks ruled Egypt.
Nearly empty docks at Kom Ombo.
Freshly restored columns at the Temple of Khnum in Esna on day one of the journey.
Diving into the Nile's cooling embrace becomes a daily ritual.
Relaxing on deck in the afternoon.
Exploring the date and mango groves along the west bank of the Nile.
The deck of the 'Adelaide'.
The Nile's winds prevail north-south, making for excellent sailing from Luxor to Aswan.
Dahabiyas are small enough to moor at lesser-visited locations and sandy embankments for afternoon swims.
One of the impromptu evening walks through a fishermen's village out to the edge of the Sahara.
A traditional lunch served on the low-slung couches and tables on the deck of the 'Adelaide'.
