Egypt, Abu Simbel, Temple of Nefertari and Hathor

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Southern Nile Valley

The Nile south of Luxor is increasingly hemmed in by the Eastern Desert, its banks lined with grand, well-preserved Graeco-Roman temples at Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo, and its lush fields punctuated by palm-backed villages – it’s the ideal place to sail through on a Nile boat. The once-great city of Al Kab provides the perfect contrast to the grandeur of the temples, while at Gebel Silsila the river passes through a gorge sacred to the ancients, who used stone from the quarry to built the temples in Luxor. Aswan, the ancient ivory-trading post, has a laid-back atmosphere and plenty of things to see.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • The Temple of Edfu, Egypt - from the Ptolemaic period. 76027159 edfu, egypt, horus, africa, temple, african, building, egyptian, countries, architecture

    Temple of Horus

    Southern Nile Valley

    This Ptolemaic temple, built between 237 and 57 BC, is one of the best-preserved ancient monuments in Egypt. Preserved by desert sand, which filled the…

  • Trajans Kiosk on Philae Island near Aswan, Upper Egypt.

    Temple of Isis

    Southern Nile Valley

    Built to honour the goddess Isis, this was the last temple built in the classical Egyptian style. Construction began around 690 BC, and it was one of the…

  • Ruins of Abu on Elephantine Island with Nile River in the background.

    Ruins of Abu

    Aswan

    The evocative ruins of ancient Abu and the Aswan Museum (partially closed for renovation) lie at Elephantine Island's southern tip. Numbered plaques and…

  • Exhibits of monuments in the Museum of Nubia in Aswan, Egypt.

    Nubia Museum

    Aswan

    The little-visited Nubia Museum, opposite Basma Hotel, is a treat, a showcase of the history, art and culture of Nubia. Established in 1997 in cooperation…

  • Aswan botanical gardens.

    Aswan Botanical Gardens

    Aswan

    Kitchener’s Island, to the west of Elephantine Island, was given to Lord Horatio Kitchener in the 1890s when he was commander of the Egyptian army…

  • Unfinished Obelisk

    Unfinished Obelisk

    Aswan

    Aswan was the source of ancient Egypt’s finest granite, used to make statues and embellish temples, pyramids and obelisks. The large unfinished obelisk in…

  • Temple Of Kom Ombo in Egypt.

    Temple of Kom Ombo & Crocodile Museum

    Southern Nile Valley

    Standing on a promontory at a bend in the Nile, where in ancient times sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank, is the Temple of Kom Ombo,…

  • Interior view of Tomb of Sarenput II in Qubbet el-Hawa a site of a group of Rock-cut Tombs of the Nobles on the western Bank of the Nile, opposite Aswan Egypt

    Tombs of the Nobles

    Aswan

    The high cliffs opposite Aswan, just north of Kitchener’s Island, are honeycombed with the tombs of the governors, the Keepers of the Gate of the South,…

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A view of the Nile at Aswan, Egypt. 1493115727 african, archeology, aswan, boat, cruise, culture, destination, egyptian, nile, nubian, outdoor, panorama, scenic, felucca, aswan egypt Aswan, Egypt - stock photo A view of the Nile at Aswan, Egypt.

Destination Practicalities

A first-time guide to cruising the Nile

Nov 20, 2024 • 7 min read

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