Edfu & Kom Ombo

Between Luxor and Aswan lie two of Egypt's best-preserved temples — popular stops on any Nile cruise.

Temple of Horus at Edfu

The Temple of Edfu is the best-preserved temple in Egypt — an almost perfect example of Ptolemaic temple architecture. Built between 237 and 57 BC and dedicated to the falcon-headed god Horus. The pylon (entrance gate) is 37 m high and covered with reliefs depicting the pharaoh striking his enemies. Inside: Hypostyle halls, offering rooms, and the sanctuary with a replica of the sacred barque. Since the temple was buried under sand, the reliefs and traces of color are remarkably well preserved.

Carriages (Calèche) take you from the Nile to the temple — negotiate the price beforehand (50–80 LE round trip is fair).

Double Temple of Kom Ombo

The Temple of Kom Ombo stands picturesquely on a hill directly on the Nile — especially photogenic at sunset. Unique: It is symmetrically divided — one half dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek, the other to the falcon god Haroeris. In the adjacent Crocodile Museum are mummified crocodiles from antiquity.

Also noteworthy are the medical reliefs on the back wall of the temple: depictions of surgical instruments, proving that the Egyptians performed complex medical procedures 2,000 years ago.