Play pharoh aboard the Niles most luxurious traditional sailing ship

Mention that you’re cruising the Nile and you’ll hear it: “Like ‘Death on the Nile’?”Agatha Christie’s 1937 whodunnit made us imagine Egypt aboard a chintzy cruise with cream teas.That’s a relic.

Today there’s a better, more authentic way to see the ancient tombs and palaces along the Nile’s shores.Just step aboard a dahabiya.They’re strange looking shallow sailing vessels, with two big masts at each end that date back to the pharaohs.

Now, an Egyptian travel company, Kemetale, is updating the experience for the 21st century.The idea began when Ahmed El Leissy — who ran a travel company dedicated to yoga, meditation, and wellness in Egypt’s lesser-traveled landscapes — met businessman Mohamed Hassan while exploring a remote part of the southern Red Sea coast.They shared a vision for off-the-beaten path travel, focused on authenticity and connection. So together, they custom-built the dahabiya, Kemet, which launched in 2022.

(Kemet means “black land” and is the ancient indigenous name of Egypt.)Crossing over the gangplank is like stepping into a boutique hotel.Central to the boat — designed by the award winning Cairo firm Eklego Design — is a bar and dining area, lined with comfy chairs and cushions.A back deck has plush daybeds for watching the river go by, while a glassed-in area is air-conditioned should the heat get too intense.

Similarly a downstairs library/living room is the perfect place to cool off, read or make yourself a cup of tea.Should you prefer the sun — or the night sky — the top deck has loungers and panoramic views.All the areas are artfully curated, thanks to the collector’s eye of Hassan, who has a passion for interior design.

He leaned into local artisans and sources to bring what Kemetale calls “1,000 stories” to the boat.Look around and there’s always a nugget to discover, like the representation of the Nile on the plates and the local art on the walls (oh, how we begged for a chance to bu...