Nile Cruise Sights

Situated on the West Bank of the Nile facing Luxor, the Valley of the Kings harbours Egypt’s most eminent ancient sites. The mausoleums here were the final resting-places of a succession of mighty pharaohs. You can see the excavated tombs of Tutankhamun (small entrance fee payable locally) and Queen Nefertiti as well as over sixty others. Other must-see nearby sites include the Colossi of Memnon, two 66 foot high statuettes carved as funeral treasures for Amenophis III; and the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a stunning three-tier monument.

Standing just three kilometres from Luxor, this immense collection of temples dates back to the 20th-century BC. Its centrepiece is the magnificent Temple of Amun, the king of all gods, a vast edifice of soaring columns and statues built around a sacred lake and approached along a superb avenue of ram-headed sphinxes.

Set amid hilly terrain on the eastern banks of the Nile, Aswan is famous for the Aswan High Dam situated just south of the city. Built during the 1960’s and stretching for an incredible two miles, it is one of the three largest dams in the world. Within Aswan itself, there are numerous ancient relics to explore, including the magnificent Nilometre Edifice on Elephantine Island. Aswan is also superbly located for visiting the Temple of Philae and Abu Simbel, Edfu and Kom Ombo, all described here.

Set in the city of Edfu, the 2,000-year-old Temple of Horus is the best preserved in Egypt. Dedicated to the falcon-headed god of the sun and plants, the monument boasts halls and temples and its showpiece is a pair of solemn black granite statues of the god wearing the crowns of Egypt.

Set to the south nearing the border with Sudan, this breathtaking 31-metre high temple is unmissable. Carved into a rocky mountain and the most imposing legacy of the reign of Egypt’s greatest pharaoh, Ramses II, it boasts four stupendous statues of the seated king.