Dabuka

Total solar eclipse with the diamond ring effect
The Dabuka safari boat at sunrise on a Lake Nasser beach
Chalk formations in the White Desert, Egypt
Dabuka Land Cruisers at a desert camp under the Milky Way
Mud-brick Shali old town in Siwa Oasis

Egypt desert tours, oasis safaris and Lake Nasser cruises

267days to totality

Total solar eclipse on 2 August 2027

Up to 6 minutes 23 seconds of darkness near Luxor. Watch it from a desert camp, a boat on the Nile or the Red Sea coast.

23 trips6 to 17 daysfrom EUR 1,440 per person

Aswan to Abu Simbel by boat

Sail Lake Nasser on our own small safari boat. Temples you can only reach from the water, quiet beaches, and Abu Simbel at the end.

5 daysAswan to Abu Simbelfrom USD 1,250 per person

White Desert from Cairo

Bahariya Oasis, the Black Desert, Crystal Mountain and a night at camp between the chalk rocks.

3 daysFrom Cairofrom USD 364 per person

12-day Western Desert expedition

Off-road through the Great Sand Sea and the oases in our own Land Cruisers, with nights at camp under the Milky Way.

12 daysOff the beaten trackfrom USD 2,040 per person

Siwa Oasis from Cairo

Salt lakes you float in, the mud-brick Shali old town and palm gardens near the Libyan border.

4 daysFrom Cairofrom USD 372 per person

Egypt desert tours and boat trips people book most

Prices are per person. Click a trip for the day-by-day plan, dates and online booking.

The eclipse of the century passes right over our routes

On 2 August 2027 the Moon covers the Sun over Egypt for up to 6 minutes 23 seconds, the longest totality on land until 2114. Totality in Luxor starts at about 1 pm local time. We have 23 trips built around that day, on the Nile, in the Western Desert, on Lake Nasser and on the Red Sea.

Tour operators are already reporting sold-out eclipse departures. Our groups are small, so places go first come, first served.

Compare the 23 eclipse trips

How online booking works

  1. Pick a trip and a date

    Every trip page shows the dates and the price per person.

  2. Book online

    Choose how many people are travelling. You get an email with your booking right away.

  3. We confirm

    We check the place, send the confirmation and the payment details, and answer any questions.

Rather talk first? Send us a WhatsApp message and we reply in English or German.

WhatsApp us
Dinner table at a Dabuka desert camp

Why travel with Dabuka

We run the trips ourselves
Our own Land Cruisers, drivers and camp crews, and our own boat on Lake Nasser. No middlemen between you and the people who take you out there.
Small groups or private
Most desert and boat trips run with a handful of guests. Any trip can be booked as a private trip for your family or friends.
Plans that fit you
Tell us your dates and what you'd like to see, and we build the route around it.
Plan my trip

Egypt desert tours, run by our own team

Many Egypt desert tours are sold by agencies that hire a jeep and a driver for the day. We have run trips into the Western Desert ourselves since 1996, with our own Land Cruisers, drivers and camp crews.

White Desert and Bahariya

The classic desert trip from Cairo: 3 days with the Black Desert, Crystal Mountain and a night at camp among the chalk rocks. From USD 364 per person.

White Desert tour from Cairo

Siwa Oasis

4 days from Cairo to the oasis near the Libyan border: salt lakes you float in, the mud-brick Shali old town and the edge of the Great Sand Sea. From USD 372 per person.

Siwa Oasis tour

Western Desert expeditions

6 days through the oases from Cairo to Luxor, or 12 days off-road across the Great Sand Sea with nights at camp. From USD 1,265 per person.

12-day desert expedition

Lake Nasser cruise on our own small boat

The big cruise ships on Lake Nasser carry well over a hundred guests. Our boat, the Dabuka Blue, takes a small group from Aswan to Abu Simbel in 5 days and stops at Nubian temples you can only reach from the water. From USD 1,250 per person.

Lake Nasser cruise to Abu Simbel

Egypt solar eclipse 2027 tours

On 2 August 2027 the longest total eclipse on land until 2114 crosses Egypt, with up to 6 minutes 23 seconds of totality near Luxor. We have 23 trips for it: in the desert, on the Nile, on Lake Nasser and on the Red Sea, from EUR 1,440 per person.

All 23 eclipse trips

Questions we hear often

How many days do I need for an Egypt desert tour?

3 days are enough for the White Desert and Bahariya from Cairo. For the oases between Cairo and Luxor plan 6 days, and for the Great Sand Sea our expedition takes 12 days.

How long is a Lake Nasser cruise to Abu Simbel?

Our cruise from Aswan to Abu Simbel takes 5 days on the Dabuka Blue. Longer trips combine the boat with the desert.

Can I book a trip online?

Yes. Open the trip, choose a date and the number of travellers, and send the booking. You get an email straight away, and we confirm your place and the payment details.

What currency are the prices in?

Prices are per person. Most trips are priced in US dollars (USD). The 2027 eclipse and meteor-shower trips are priced in euros (EUR).

When is the best time for a desert trip in Egypt?

October to April. Days are warm, nights in the desert are cool to cold, and the sky is clear for stargazing. In summer we mainly run boat trips and the eclipse trips.

When is the 2027 solar eclipse in Egypt?

On 2 August 2027. Totality near Luxor lasts up to 6 minutes 23 seconds and starts at about 1 pm local time. The path also crosses the Western Desert and the Red Sea coast.

Can you reach Abu Simbel by boat?

Yes. Our Lake Nasser trips sail from Aswan to Abu Simbel, stopping at Nubian temples that you can only reach from the water.

Do you offer private and tailor-made trips?

Yes. Every trip can run as a private trip, and we put together routes to your own dates and interests.

Not sure which trip fits?

Tell us your dates and what you'd like to see. We answer in English or German.