About Esna
Esna is the small Nile town between Luxor and Edfu, dominated by the Ptolemaic Temple of Khnum — the ram-headed god who shaped humans on his potter's wheel. The temple sits in a nine-metre pit below the modern street level (the surrounding town built up around it over the centuries) and is reached down a long staircase. The hypostyle hall ceiling preserves an unusually complete astronomical relief. Cruise vessels also pass through the Esna lock, a one-stage 8-metre lift that handles every Nile-cruise transit.
River cruise ships that call at Esna
14 vessels from 6 operators include Esna in their published itineraries:
Itineraries that include Esna
- Wonders of Egypt & the Nile
Operators serving Esna
Viking River Cruises
Scandinavian-styled Longships exploring Europe's great waterways.
AmaWaterways
Boutique river ships with twin balconies and onboard bicycles.
Emerald Cruises
Star-Ships with an indoor pool that converts to a cinema.
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Floating boutique hotels with hand-curated antiques.
Aqua Expeditions
Luxury small-ship river cruising in the Mekong, Amazon and beyond.
Sanctuary Retreats
Boutique river cruising on the Nile, Yangtze and Irrawaddy.