Things to do — Nile Valley

The Nile Valley is organised around two main poles (Luxor and Aswan) and several intermediate sites (Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo) accessible by cruise. Here are the must-sees.

In Luxor, the east bank concentrates the two great temples. The temple of Karnak is the largest religious complex ever built (123 hectares, 30 times St Mark's Square) — visit in priority the hypostyle hall with its 134 columns 23 m high, the temple of Amun, the sanctuary of Mut and the avenue of sphinxes. Allow 3-4 hours on site. The evening sound and light show (in English most days, €25, 45 min) is commented and slightly dated but remains a unique experience to see the temple illuminated. The Luxor temple, more intimate, deserves a visit in early evening when it is illuminated — connected to Karnak by the Avenue of the Sphinxes recently restored and reopened to the public in 2021 (2.7 km long, 1,057 sphinxes).

The west bank of Luxor concentrates the Theban necropolis. The Valley of the Kings (62 royal tombs discovered, 3 open in rotation per day to preserve the wall paintings — entry ticket €27, supplement €12 for Tutankhamun, 100 EGP per additional tomb of choice) welcomes 8,000 visitors/day in high season — imperatively arrive at opening (6am) to avoid the crowds. The must-see tombs: Seti I (KV17), the longest and most richly decorated (€12 supplement); Ramses VI (KV9), accessible with the standard ticket, exceptional frescoes; Tutankhamun (KV62), the most famous but the smallest, justifies the supplement for the mummy visible in situ. The Valley of the Queens houses the tomb of Nefertari (wife of Ramses II), considered the most beautiful painted tomb in Egypt — €50 supplement, access limited to 100 visitors/day, 10 minutes maximum in the burial chamber. The Hatshepsut temple at Deir el-Bahari (the only female pharaoh who reigned, 1473-1458 BC) is an architectural masterpiece with terraces stacked into the cliff. The Ramesseum (funerary temple of Ramses II) and Medinet Habu (funerary temple of Ramses III) are less visited but magnificent. The Colossi of Memnon (two colossal statues 18 m high) mark the entrance to the necropolis.

Between Luxor and Aswan, the cruise stops at Ptolemaic temples. The temple of Edfu (dedicated to Horus, 3rd-1st century BC) is the best preserved in Egypt — count 1h30 on site. The temple of Kom Ombo is a double sanctuary dedicated to Sobek (crocodile god) and Haroeris (Horus the old), with a small museum of mummified crocodiles.

In Aswan, the Philae temple (goddess Isis, 4th century BC - 1st century AD) is one of the most beautiful Ptolemaic temples in Egypt — entirely dismantled and rebuilt on Agilkia Island in the 1970s to escape submersion. The Aswan High Dam (built from 1960 to 1970, 3.6 km long, 111 m high) is one of the largest dams in the world, to visit to understand the modern transformation of Egypt. Elephantine Island is discovered by felucca from the Aswan corniche — Khnum temples, museum and Nubian villages. The legendary Old Cataract Hotel (1899), where Agatha Christie wrote 'Death on the Nile', is visited for its afternoon tea on the panoramic terrace.

The Abu Simbel excursion from Aswan (280 km south) is unmissable. The two temples of Ramses II and Nefertari (13th century BC) are among the most impressive ever built — four colossi 20 m high carved into the cliff. Access by plane (1h round trip, €200-300) or by escorted road convoy (4am departure, 3h30 each way, €50-80 in organised group). The plane is much preferable.