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Province · Nile Delta
Dakahlia
Dakahlia, in the heart of the Delta: Mansura on the Damietta branch, the house of Ibn Luqman and the villages among canals and crops.
In the photo: Umm Kulthum Square and the urban landscape of Mansura.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The province
Get to know Dakahlia
Dakahlia is in the northeastern Nile Delta, between the Damietta branch and Lake Manzala. The capital, Mansura, grew on the riverbank and is a university and trading city, with an avenue along the Nile.
The name Mansura, “the victorious,” comes from the battle of 1250, when the Mamluk army stopped the Seventh Crusade and captured the king of France, Louis IX. According to tradition, he was held in a house in the city, the house of Ibn Luqman, which today is a small museum.
Outside the city, the governorate is a plain of rice and cotton fields, crossed by canals, with farming villages and weekly markets. In the north, the shores of Lake Manzala are an area for fishing and waterfowl.
Dakahlia receives few foreign tourists. It is a stop for those who want to see the agricultural Delta and the life of inland towns, en route to Damietta and the Mediterranean.
When to go
From October to April the days are mild. Summer is hot and humid, as throughout the Delta. In winter light rains may fall.
Getting there
Mansura is about 120 km from Cairo, with trains departing from Ramses Station and buses. From Mansura, roads lead to Damietta and to the coast.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Dakahlia
What to see in Mansura?
The house of Ibn Luqman, where, according to tradition, King Louis IX was held after the battle of 1250, and the avenue along the Nile. The city is a Delta stop en route to Damietta.
Why is the city called Mansura?
Mansura means “the victorious” in Arabic. The name recalls the victory over the Seventh Crusade in 1250.
How to get to Mansura from Cairo?
By train from Ramses Station, or by bus, in about two to three hours. By car it is about 120 km.
Does Dakahlia have a beach?
No. The governorate is inland in the Delta. The nearest beaches are in Damietta and in Ras el-Bar, in the neighboring Damietta governorate.