Luxor's Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's temple sit beside Nile cruises to Aswan, Edfu and Abu Simbel. Visit between November and March when days are warm, not scorching.
Good to know
- Start early at the West Bank tombs; the heat builds fast.
- Nile cruises run between Luxor and Aswan; book a reputable operator.
- Tombs often require extra tickets for the best ones (Tutankhamun, Nefertari).
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Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Colossal Ramses II temples, an early morning day trip from Aswan.
Island temple of Isis reached by small motorboat, relocated stone by stone when the High Dam rose.
Colourful houses, henna and a home-cooked meal with a local family.
Sail between islands and the botanical garden at sunset.
Royal tombs with painted corridors, including Ramses and Tutankhamun's.
Terraced mortuary temple cut into dramatic cliffs.
Float over the Nile, farmland and the West Bank temples at dawn; flights depend on the wind, so book early.
Egypt's largest temple complex with the hypostyle hall of 134 columns.
Beautifully lit temple with an avenue of sphinxes.
Multi-day cruise stopping at Edfu and Kom Ombo temples.
Compact museum of exquisitely displayed statues.
Small museum of ancient embalming and animal mummies.