Egypt Upper Nile and Cruise Guide 2026: Luxor, Aswan, Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel and Philae

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Egypt Upper Nile and Cruise Guide 2026: Luxor, Aswan, Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel and Philae

TL;DR

I spent last winter sailing south from Luxor, climbing in and out of New Kingdom tombs, and watching sunrise on four 20-metre Ramesses II statues at Abu Simbel. Upper Egypt in 2026 is the strongest single concentration of accessible ancient sites I have walked, and the Egyptian pound is so weak that prices for Indian and Western travellers feel close to what they were a decade ago.

Luxor gives me Karnak, a 100-hectare temple complex that is the largest religious building ever constructed, plus the Great Hypostyle Hall with 134 carved columns and the 3-kilometre Avenue of Sphinxes that reopened in November 2021 after four decades of excavation. Across the Nile, the Valley of the Kings holds 63 royal tombs including Tutankhamun KV62, Ramesses VI and Seti I, with the cliff-cut Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut from 1473 BCE below the same desert ridge.

Aswan adds the High Dam from 1971, the 550-kilometre Lake Nasser, and the Temple of Isis at Philae that UNESCO moved stone by stone to Agilkia Island during the 1960 to 1980 Save Nubia campaign. The same campaign rescued Abu Simbel, lifting Ramesses II's 1264 BCE temple 64 metres above its original riverbank. Twice a year, on 22 October and 22 February, sunlight still reaches the inner sanctum on schedule.

Between the two cities I sailed a 3 to 7 night Nile cruise with stops at the Temple of Horus at Edfu from 237 BCE, the double sanctuary at Kom Ombo, and the Esna lock. I paid in USD cash, used the e-visa at $25, and finished the trip under budget.

Why Visit in 2026

Three factors line up for 2026 in a way I have not seen before. First, the Avenue of Sphinxes between Karnak and Luxor Temple finished its four-decade excavation and reopened in November 2021, so I can now walk the full 3-kilometre processional route the way New Kingdom priests did during the Opet Festival. The lighting at dusk is better than the photographs suggest, and most tour buses still drop visitors at the temples rather than the avenue itself.

Second, the classic Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan is running at full capacity again after the post-pandemic slowdown, with 3, 4 and 7 night dahabiya and motor-cruiser options departing daily through the cool season. Felucca sail trips are bookable on the dock at Aswan with a few hours notice. Booking 3 to 6 months ahead gets me the better cabins on the upper deck for the same price as a lower-deck booking made on arrival.

Third, the Egyptian pound devalued sharply in 2024 and has stayed weak through 2026. Dinner at a mid-range Luxor restaurant runs me about 250 EGP, which works out to roughly 420 INR or $5 USD. Carrying USD or EUR cash and changing only what I need each day stretches my budget further than relying on cards, and the Abu Simbel sun alignment on 22 October and 22 February draws crowds but stays bookable if I plan four months out.

Background

Egypt's pharaonic story runs across three thousand years and four named kingdoms. The Old Kingdom from 2686 to 2181 BCE built the Giza pyramids near modern Cairo. The Middle Kingdom that followed pushed south and consolidated control over Nubia. The New Kingdom from 1550 to 1069 BCE produced almost every monument I visit in Upper Egypt today, including the tombs of Tutankhamun, Seti I and the long Ramesses dynasty, plus the religious reformer Akhenaten whose short reign reshaped art and theology.

The Late Period and Ptolemaic era from 305 to 30 BCE brought Greek-speaking rulers who finished with Cleopatra VII, after whom Rome absorbed Egypt as a province. Coptic Christianity spread from the third century onward and still counts about 10 percent of modern Egyptians as members. Arab armies arrived in 641 CE and brought Arabic and Islam, both of which became dominant within a few generations.

Modern Egypt moved through Ottoman rule, a British protectorate, and independence under a series of presidents. The 2011 Arab Spring led to a transitional period, and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has governed since 2014. Tourism dropped sharply between 2011 and 2016, recovered through 2019, dipped during the pandemic, and is now running close to record numbers. I found Luxor and Aswan calm, well-policed at the major sites, and noticeably busier than my last visit in 2018.

Tier-1 Destinations

Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple

Karnak occupies 100 hectares on the east bank of the Nile in modern Luxor and is the largest religious building ever constructed anywhere on Earth. I needed two separate visits to take it in, one at opening time for cool light on the Great Hypostyle Hall and one in the late afternoon for the obelisks of Hatshepsut and Thutmose I. The Hypostyle Hall holds 134 sandstone columns arranged in 16 rows, the twelve central columns rising 21 metres with open papyrus capitals wide enough to seat fifty people each. Standing under those capitals at 8 a.m., before tour buses arrive, is the single best moment I have had inside any temple.

The complex grew over 2,000 years, with successive pharaohs adding pylons, courtyards and sanctuaries to the precinct of Amun-Ra. I walked east through the First Pylon, past the Avenue of Ram-Headed Sphinxes, into the Great Court and then the Hypostyle Hall, finishing at the Sacred Lake where priests purified themselves. The Open Air Museum on the north side holds reconstructed early shrines that most visitors miss.

A 3-kilometre paved Avenue of Sphinxes runs south from Karnak to Luxor Temple. It reopened in November 2021 after a 40-year excavation that uncovered more than 1,300 ram-headed and human-headed sphinx statues. I walked the full length one evening, starting at Karnak around 5 p.m. and reaching Luxor Temple at sunset.

Luxor Temple dates to around 1400 BCE under Amenhotep III and Ramesses II, with later additions from Alexander the Great and a Roman-era chapel built into one of the inner sanctuaries. Two seated colossi of Ramesses II flank the entrance pylon, and one of the original pair of red granite obelisks still stands in front of the temple. Its twin was gifted to France in 1830 and stands today in Paris at the Place de la Concorde. I returned after dark for the night lighting, which makes the carved reliefs read more clearly than any guidebook diagram.

Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and the West Bank

The Valley of the Kings sits in a desert wadi behind the Theban cliffs on the west bank of the Nile. UNESCO inscribed the entire Ancient Thebes area, including Karnak, Luxor Temple and the west bank necropolises, in 1979. Sixty-three royal tombs have been numbered KV1 to KV64, with new discoveries still emerging. I bought the standard ticket that included three tombs of my choice plus separate add-on tickets for Tutankhamun KV62, Seti I KV17 and Ramesses VI KV9.

KV62 is the small, deep tomb where Howard Carter found Tutankhamun's almost-intact burial on 4 November 1922. The chamber is modest compared with the kings around it, and the boy king's mummy now rests in a climate-controlled case inside the burial chamber. The discovery touched off a century of Egyptomania and remains the most-visited tomb in the valley.

Seti I KV17 is the longest and most richly painted tomb in the valley at 137 metres deep, with astronomical ceilings and intact colour on hieroglyphic texts from the Book of Gates. Ramesses VI KV9 is shorter but has the most photographed painted ceiling in Egypt, twin elongated figures of the goddess Nut arching over the corridor. Both require add-on tickets and are worth every pound.

A short drive north brings me to the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, built around 1473 BCE for the female pharaoh who ruled for 22 years. Three tiered colonnades rise from the desert floor against a sheer limestone cliff, and the reliefs in the south colonnade record her trading expedition to the Land of Punt. The Colossi of Memnon, two 18-metre seated statues of Amenhotep III, guard the road back to the river and are usually the first or last stop on a west bank itinerary.

Aswan, the High Dam, Lake Nasser and Philae

Aswan is 220 kilometres south of Luxor and feels different the moment I step off the train. Granite outcrops break the river into rapids, the air is drier and warmer, and Nubian boatmen ply the water in feluccas with bright sails. The Aswan High Dam, completed in 1971 with Soviet engineering support, controls the annual Nile flood and generates a large share of Egypt's electricity. Behind it sits Lake Nasser, an artificial reservoir 550 kilometres long that reaches into northern Sudan.

The dam saved Egypt's farmland from unpredictable flooding but submerged the Nubian heartland between Aswan and the Sudanese border. UNESCO launched the Save Nubia campaign from 1960 to 1980 to rescue the temples that would otherwise have drowned. The campaign moved 22 monuments to higher ground and became the founding act for what is now World Heritage protection worldwide.

The most beautiful of the rescued temples is Philae, sanctuary of the goddess Isis, originally built between 380 BCE and the early Roman period. It was relocated from the partly submerged Philae Island to nearby Agilkia Island between 1972 and 1980. I took a 15-minute motorboat from the Shellal landing south of the old Aswan Dam. The temple is small enough to walk in an hour but the kiosk of Trajan, the birth house of Horus, and the Hadrian Gate reliefs of the trip of Osiris reward a slow visit. The Nubian Monuments of Abu Simbel to Philae received UNESCO listing in 1979 alongside Ancient Thebes.

Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel sits 280 kilometres south of Aswan, close to the Sudanese border. I flew the 45-minute EgyptAir morning shuttle from Aswan and rejoined a road convoy on the return, which is the most efficient way to spend more than the standard two hours on site. The complex holds two temples carved into a sandstone cliff in 1264 BCE on the orders of Ramesses II.

The Great Temple's facade carries four seated colossi of Ramesses II, each 20 metres high, two on either side of the entrance. Inside, an 18-metre axial corridor leads through a hypostyle hall lined with Osiride pillars of the pharaoh to a small inner sanctum holding statues of Ra-Horakhty, Amun, Ramesses II and Ptah. Twice a year, on 22 October and 22 February, sunrise sends a shaft of light down the full length of the corridor to illuminate three of the four sanctuary statues. Only Ptah, god of the underworld, stays in shadow. The first date marks the pharaoh's coronation and the second his birthday. Both mornings draw crowds and require advance booking.

The smaller Hathor Temple next door was carved for Ramesses II's chief wife Nefertari, with six 10-metre standing statues on its facade, four of the pharaoh and two of the queen, the latter shown at equal height with her husband. This is the only Egyptian temple where a royal wife is depicted at the same scale as the king. Between 1964 and 1968 a UNESCO-led international team cut both temples into 16,000 blocks and reassembled them 64 metres higher on an artificial hill above the new Lake Nasser shoreline. The 22 October and 22 February sun alignment was preserved by the engineers to within a one-day tolerance of the original.

Nile Cruise Luxor to Aswan

A 3, 4 or 7 night cruise between Luxor and Aswan is the most relaxing way I have moved between major sites anywhere in Egypt. Standard motor cruisers carry 70 to 150 passengers across four decks with a small pool, restaurant and sun lounge. Dahabiyas are smaller five-star sail boats with 6 to 12 cabins, and feluccas are open day boats with a single triangular sail. I booked a 4-night dahabiya from Luxor to Aswan and added a felucca afternoon at Aswan.

Most cruises run upstream from Luxor to Aswan or vice versa with three temple stops along the way. The Temple of Horus at Edfu, founded in 237 BCE during the Ptolemaic period and finished 180 years later, is the best-preserved temple in Egypt. Its pylon, courtyard and hypostyle halls survive at near full height, and a horse-drawn caleche from the dock takes me directly to the entrance. The Temple of Kom Ombo is unusual in having two parallel sanctuaries, one for the crocodile god Sobek and one for the falcon-headed Haroeris, both Ptolemaic. The on-site Crocodile Museum holds 40 mummified crocodiles excavated nearby. The Esna lock between Luxor and Edfu raises the boat about 8 metres and is the only mechanical bottleneck on the route, with the small Temple of Khnum visible from the deck.

Tier-2 Sites

Valley of the Queens and Nefertari Tomb KV66

The Valley of the Queens lies a few kilometres south of the Valley of the Kings and holds about 90 numbered tombs of royal wives, daughters and princes. The tomb of Nefertari, chief wife of Ramesses II, is catalogued as QV66 and was excavated by Italian Egyptologist Ernesto Schiaparelli between 1903 and 1905. Long-term conservation closed the tomb for most of the twentieth century, and it reopened to the public on a limited-ticket basis in 1995. Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities caps daily access at about 150 visitors with a 10-minute viewing window. The painted reliefs of Nefertari before Isis, Hathor and the funerary deities are widely considered the best-preserved painted surfaces from any Egyptian tomb. Tickets sell out by mid-morning in season, so I bought mine at the main valley ticket office at opening.

Karnak Open Air Museum, Sacred Lake and Obelisks

Most Karnak visitors skip the Open Air Museum on the north side of the precinct, which is exactly why I always include it. The museum holds reassembled chapels of Senusret I from the Middle Kingdom, the Red Chapel of Hatshepsut and the Alabaster Chapel of Amenhotep I. The Sacred Lake to the south of the main axis covers about 120 by 75 metres and supplied ritual water for priests and the sacred barque of Amun. Two obelisks still stand in the central enclosure, including the 28.5-metre obelisk of Hatshepsut, which is the tallest obelisk still standing in Egypt.

Old Cataract Hotel and Carnarvon Connection

The Old Cataract Hotel opened in 1899 on a granite bluff above the Nile in Aswan and has hosted travellers from Winston Churchill to Agatha Christie, who wrote part of Death on the Nile here. Lord Carnarvon, the British patron who funded Howard Carter's excavations leading to the 1922 Tutankhamun discovery, recovered from health setbacks at the same hotel. Afternoon tea on the terrace is open to non-guests with advance booking and gives me the best view of the river south toward Elephantine Island.

Kalabsha Temple

Kalabsha is a Nubian-period temple from the late Ptolemaic and early Roman era, dedicated to the Nubian god Mandulis. It was relocated by the Save Nubia campaign from its original site 50 kilometres south of Aswan to a new location on the west shore of Lake Nasser, near the High Dam. A short boat ride from the dam reaches the temple in 15 minutes, and I usually combine it with the Beit el-Wali rock-cut shrine of Ramesses II and the small Kertassi kiosk relocated to the same shoreline.

Esna Lock and Esna Temple

The Esna lock raises and lowers Nile cruise boats by about 8 metres between Luxor and Edfu and is the only mechanical structure on the route. The small Temple of Khnum at Esna sits below modern street level inside a covered pit, with its hypostyle hall ceiling holding the most complete surviving astronomical reliefs in Egypt. Recent cleaning between 2018 and 2024 restored the original Egyptian blue, ochre and red pigments on the ceiling, and the on-site signage now reflects the new colour work.

Costs (EGP, USD and INR)

Egypt is one of the better-value pharaonic destinations in 2026 because the Egyptian pound has stayed weak. Approximate guide rates per person:

Egypt e-visa: $25 USD, about 2,075 INR
Karnak Temple entry: 450 EGP, about $9 USD or 760 INR
Valley of the Kings standard ticket (3 tombs): 750 EGP, about $15 USD or 1,250 INR
Tutankhamun KV62 add-on: 500 EGP, about $10 USD or 830 INR
Seti I KV17 add-on: 1,800 EGP, about $36 USD or 3,000 INR
Nefertari Tomb QV66 add-on: 2,000 EGP, about $40 USD or 3,320 INR
Abu Simbel temples: 800 EGP, about $16 USD or 1,330 INR
Abu Simbel flight Aswan return: $200 to $260 USD, about 16,600 to 21,600 INR
4-night dahabiya cruise Luxor to Aswan: $650 to $1,200 USD per person twin, about 54,000 to 100,000 INR
7-night standard motor cruiser: $700 to $1,500 USD per person twin, about 58,000 to 124,000 INR
Mid-range Luxor hotel: $50 to $90 USD per night, about 4,150 to 7,500 INR
Restaurant dinner mid-range: 250 EGP, about $5 USD or 415 INR

USD or EUR cash gets better exchange rates than bank cards in Luxor and Aswan. I carry $300 to $500 in small bills for entrance fees, baksheesh and felucca rides, and use a card only at hotels and the airport.

Planning Your Visit

The cool season runs from October to April with daytime highs between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius and cold nights around 8 to 12 degrees in January. This is the only sensible window for Upper Egypt, and Karnak in particular is unpleasant in mid-summer heat. May to September pushes daytime temperatures into 35 to 45 degrees Celsius and the open desert sites become a heat-management problem rather than a sightseeing experience.

Nile cruise season aligns with the cool window. Boats run year-round but October to April pricing is highest and availability tightest. I book 3 to 6 months ahead for the Christmas, New Year and Indian Diwali peaks, and 6 to 8 weeks ahead for mid-week January or February departures.

Indian passport holders need an Egyptian e-visa, currently $25 single entry, processed online at the official portal in 7 to 10 working days. I print the approval and carry a paper copy in addition to the digital file. Visa-on-arrival is also available at Cairo airport for $25 but I prefer the e-visa to avoid queues.

Luxor International Airport (LXR) and Aswan International Airport (ASW) both take direct domestic flights from Cairo, plus seasonal charters from Europe. The 220-kilometre Cairo to Luxor train option is comfortable on the overnight sleeper service. Most travellers fly into one and out of the other after a Nile cruise.

The Abu Simbel sun alignment on 22 October and 22 February draws large crowds, with hotels in Aswan booking 4 to 6 months in advance for those dates. Tickets for the temple itself are not capped on alignment mornings but the parking and convoy structure mean an arrival before 4:30 a.m. for the 6 a.m. sunrise.

Cairo and Giza, including the new Grand Egyptian Museum that holds the complete Tutankhamun collection, are covered separately in my Block 54 Cairo guide. This Upper Egypt guide assumes you fly south from Cairo or arrive into Luxor or Aswan directly.

FAQs

Should I do a 3-night or 7-night Nile cruise? A 3-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan covers Edfu, Kom Ombo and one or two short felucca stops. A 7-night cruise adds Esna lock crossing, Dendera temple north of Luxor, and longer dock time at Aswan including the High Dam and Philae. If I have only a week in Egypt, I take the 3-night. If I have 10 days or more, the 7-night feels worth the extra cost.

Should I fly or drive to Abu Simbel from Aswan? The 280-kilometre road runs through desert in an organised police convoy, three hours each way, leaving Aswan at 4 a.m. The EgyptAir morning flight takes 45 minutes each way and lets me arrive after sunrise. I fly when budget allows and combine with the road convoy on the return when I want extra time at the temples. Cost difference is about $200 USD per person.

Is Egypt vegetarian-friendly? Yes, more than most visitors expect. Ful medames (stewed fava beans), koshari (rice, pasta, lentils and tomato sauce), ta'meya (Egyptian falafel made with fava beans instead of chickpeas), bessara, mahshi stuffed vegetables and aubergine moussaka are everyday staples. Most cruise boats run a separate vegetarian buffet line.

How do I get the Nefertari Tomb ticket? I buy the QV66 add-on ticket at the main Valley of the Queens ticket window at opening time, around 6 a.m. Daily access is capped near 150 visitors with a 10-minute viewing window. The ticket sells out by mid-morning during the October to April high season.

What exact dates are the Abu Simbel sun alignment? 22 October and 22 February each year. Sunrise reaches the inner sanctum around 6 a.m. local time, illuminating Ra-Horakhty, Amun and Ramesses II while leaving Ptah in shadow. The pre-relocation alignment was 21 October and 21 February, and the modern dates are one day later because of the engineering reassembly.

How do I handle touts and baksheesh? Small tipping (baksheesh) is part of daily life at temples, hotels and on cruise boats. I carry small 5, 10 and 20 EGP notes for porters, washroom attendants and informal guides. Firm polite refusal works at carpet shops, perfume shops and papyrus stalls, where 80 percent of pressure happens. Pre-agree any taxi fare before getting in.

Is the water safe to drink? I drink bottled water only and use it for brushing teeth in budget hotels. Mid-range and upmarket properties usually provide free filtered water. Ice in branded restaurants and cruise boats is safe.

Do I need a guide for the temples? A licensed Egyptologist guide adds enormously to Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and Abu Simbel because the reliefs do not read without context. I hire by the day at $40 to $80 USD through my hotel or cruise boat and join group tours only where the boat itinerary includes them.

Arabic Phrases

As-salaam alaikum: Peace be upon you (universal greeting)
Wa alaikum as-salaam: And peace upon you (reply)
Shukran: Thank you
Min fadlak (to a man) / Min fadlik (to a woman): Please
Bikam?: How much?
Sahha: Cheers, or good health
La shukran: No thank you
Aiwa / La: Yes / No
Sabah al-khair: Good morning
Ma'a as-salaama: Goodbye

Cultural Notes

Egypt is about 90 percent Sunni Muslim and 10 percent Coptic Christian, with the Coptic community concentrated in Cairo, Alexandria and parts of Upper Egypt. Modern Standard Arabic is the written language, and Egyptian Arabic is the spoken dialect heard everywhere in Luxor and Aswan. Many guides and hotel staff also speak English, and cruise crews on European-marketed boats often speak French or German.

Ramadan, the month of daytime fasting, shifts by about 11 days each year on the Western calendar. During Ramadan, restaurants outside hotels and cruise boats may stay closed until sunset, and pace at sites can be slower in the afternoon. The fast-breaking iftar meal at sunset is a striking cultural experience.

Baksheesh, the small tip given for services rendered, is woven into Egyptian daily life. I keep a thick wad of 5 and 10 EGP notes and pay routinely. It is not begging, it is the wage structure for porters, parking attendants, tomb guards and informal helpers.

Egyptian coffee, served strong and sweet in a small cup, and shisha (water pipe) culture in evening cafes are part of the social rhythm. Haggling is expected at souks and bazaars; I usually start at 30 to 40 percent of the asking price and settle around 50 to 60 percent.

Women should pack a light scarf and cover shoulders and knees at temples and outside hotel grounds, which is respectful in a majority-Muslim country and also helpful in the sun. Men's shorts above the knee are fine at temples but trousers feel more appropriate in town.

Egypt's pharaonic legacy is a living part of national identity. The 1922 Tutankhamun discovery by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon shaped twentieth-century global perceptions of Egypt, and the 1960 to 1980 Save Nubia campaign was the landmark international rescue that created the modern World Heritage system. Both stories are told well in the museum signage at Luxor, Aswan and the new Grand Egyptian Museum near Cairo.

Pre-Trip Preparation

Apply for the Egyptian e-visa at least 7 to 10 working days before departure through the official government portal. Cost is $25 USD single entry, and I print the approval letter and carry a paper copy in addition to the digital file.

Travel and medical evacuation insurance is essential. Luxor and Aswan have functional hospitals but serious cases get flown to Cairo. A policy covering $100,000 USD in medical evacuation costs around $40 to $80 USD for a two-week trip.

Pack light cotton or linen clothing, a wide-brim sun hat, high-SPF sunscreen, polarised sunglasses, sturdy closed walking shoes for rocky tomb floors, and a reusable water bottle. I carry rehydration salts and a small first-aid kit. Evenings on the Nile cool quickly in January and February, so a light fleece or jacket is useful on cruise decks.

The Tutankhamun complete collection is now displayed at the Grand Egyptian Museum near Giza, covered in my separate Cairo Block 54 guide. The Tutankhamun tomb (KV62) at Luxor's Valley of the Kings requires a separate add-on ticket beyond the standard valley entry. Book any Nile cruise 3 to 6 months in advance for the October to April peak season, especially around Christmas, New Year and the 22 October and 22 February sun alignment dates.

Itineraries

4-Day Express: Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel

Day 1: Fly Cairo to Luxor in the morning. Karnak Temple late afternoon, Luxor Temple after dark for the night lighting. Day 2: West bank from sunrise: Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Colossi of Memnon. Optional Nefertari Tomb if QV66 ticket available. Day 3: Train or fly Luxor to Aswan early morning. High Dam, Philae Temple by motorboat, felucca sail at sunset. Day 4: Pre-dawn flight or convoy to Abu Simbel, return Aswan afternoon, fly Aswan to Cairo evening.

7-Day Classic: Luxor, Nile Cruise to Aswan and Abu Simbel

Day 1: Arrive Luxor, Karnak Temple afternoon. Day 2: West bank full day including Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Valley of the Queens. Board cruise ship evening. Day 3: Sail south, Esna lock, Edfu Temple of Horus. Day 4: Kom Ombo morning, sail to Aswan afternoon. Day 5: High Dam, Philae, felucca, Old Cataract afternoon tea. Day 6: Abu Simbel pre-dawn flight, return Aswan. Day 7: Fly Aswan to Cairo or onward.

10-Day Full: Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Alexandria

Day 1 to 3: Cairo and Giza pyramids, Grand Egyptian Museum, covered in detail in the separate Block 54 Cairo guide. Day 4: Fly Cairo to Luxor, Karnak Temple. Day 5: West bank full day. Day 6 to 8: 3-night Nile cruise Luxor to Aswan via Edfu and Kom Ombo. Day 9: Abu Simbel pre-dawn, Philae afternoon. Day 10: Optional Alexandria day trip from Cairo or fly home.

Related Guides

Cairo and Giza Pyramids Complete Guide 2026 (Block 54)
Jordan Petra and Wadi Rum 7-Day Complete Guide 2026
Morocco Marrakech, Fes and Sahara Complete Guide 2026
Turkey Istanbul, Cappadocia and Ephesus Complete Guide 2026
Greece Athens and Santorini Complete Guide 2026
Israel and Palestine 10-Day Complete Guide 2026

External References

Egypt Tourism Authority (egypt.travel)
Egypt e-Visa portal (visa2egypt.gov.eg)
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Ancient Thebes and Nubian Monuments, plus the Save Nubia campaign archive
US Department of State Egypt travel advisory
Wikipedia, Karnak Temple Complex and Abu Simbel temples

Last updated: 2026-05-13

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