Kom Ombo and Edfu from Aswan: a day of two very different temples

Cruise passengers pass Kom Ombo and Edfu on the river, and many land and visit. If you are staying in Aswan, this day lets you do the same by road, and gives you more time than a ship's stop.

The road north

You leave Aswan at about seven in the morning and drive along the east bank of the Nile. Fields of cane, villages and the river appear and disappear. After about an hour, the temple of Kom Ombo comes into view on a rise by the water.

Kom Ombo: two gods under one roof

Kom Ombo is a double temple: one side for Sobek, the crocodile god, and the other for Horus the Elder. Every room has a twin. The setting, above the river at sunrise or morning light, is memorable. Beside it, the Crocodile Museum displays mummified crocodiles found in the area.

Edfu: the best-preserved temple

After a further drive, you reach the Temple of Horus at Edfu. It is nearly complete, with a huge pylon, a hall of columns, and dark inner rooms. The walls carry long inscriptions about the building and the rituals. The scale makes it a highlight even for people who have seen many temples.

• Aswan to Kom Ombo: about an hour.
• Kom Ombo and the museum: about an hour and a half.
• Kom Ombo to Edfu: about an hour and a quarter.
• Edfu: about two hours with a break.
• Lunch, then return to Aswan in the afternoon.

Is it worth it from Aswan?

If you are on a cruise that stops here, you might not need it. If you are staying in a hotel and would like the temples, it is a good use of a day. Pace it between two quiet days, and take water.

What to look for inside the temples

At Kom Ombo, find the carved calendar, the surgical instruments on a wall and the shrines to Sobek. At Edfu, look at the long inscriptions on the walls, the granite falcon statue in the courtyard and the dark inner rooms, where the god's statue once stood. Your guide will point these out and explain their meaning in plain terms.

Practical points for a long day

Take a light bag with water, a hat, sun cream and tissues. Wear shoes that are easy to take off, in case you wish to rest your feet. The car has air conditioning, but the temples are open to the sun. Set your phone to silent in the sanctuaries. If you need a rest, tell the guide, who will adjust the pace.

Starting at seven means you reach Kom Ombo before the heat and the coaches. Edfu is best seen in the late morning, when the temple's courtyard is warm but not scorching. Lunch is at a local restaurant, then you return in the afternoon. In summer, we can start even earlier, so ask when you book.

Kom Ombo and Edfu are both late temples, built under the Ptolemies and Romans, and both show how old traditions continued after the pharaohs. One is a delicate riverside double sanctuary, the other a vast fortress-like house of Horus. Seeing them together gives a fuller picture than either alone.

Open the trip page for a full list of inclusions and to book.