Kom Ombo & Edfu from Aswan

Two of the finest temples on the Nile lie between Aswan and Luxor. Most travelers only see them in a rush from a cruise ship. This private day trip from Aswan gives you both at your own pace, with your own Egyptologist. Description North of Aswan, the Nile Valley narrows between green fields and desert cliffs. Two of Egypt’s great Ptolemaic temples stand along it. The Temple of Horus at Edfu is the best-preserved temple in Egypt. Built over almost two centuries by the Ptolemaic kings, it still has its full pylon, roof, halls and sanctuary. Walking through it is the closest you can come to seeing an Egyptian temple as it was meant to be. Two granite falcon statues guard the entrance. Inside, the walls tell the story of the battle between Horus and Seth, carved in remarkable detail.

Kom Ombo is unlike any other temple in Egypt. It stands on a bend of the Nile and is built as two temples in one, perfectly symmetrical. One side is dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, and the other to Haroeris, Horus the Elder, with twin entrances, twin halls and twin sanctuaries. Look for the relief of what many believe are ancient surgical instruments, the temple calendar, and the Nilometer that measured the height of the river’s flood. Next to the temple, the Crocodile Museum displays mummified crocodiles found in the area, along with their coffins. The drive is part of the experience. You travel through sugar cane fields and villages along the river in your private air-conditioned vehicle. Your guide times the visits to avoid the busiest cruise-group hours wherever possible. This tour suits travelers staying in Aswan who are not taking a Nile cruise, cruise passengers who want more time at these temples, and anyone who wants to understand the temples of the Ptolemaic era in depth.