Most Nile cruise passengers visit Edfu and Kom Ombo on the ship's schedule — an hour at each, in a large group, with narration delivered over a microphone to forty people moving at the pace of the slowest member.

A private day trip from Aswan gives you both temples with a guide, at your own pace, with the time to actually understand what you are looking at.

The temples are the same. The experience is not.

Edfu — Temple of Horus

The most completely preserved ancient Egyptian temple in existence. Buried under 12 meters of Nile silt and a later village until 1860, it emerged into the 19th century in a state of preservation that exposed temples could never match. The entrance pylon, hypostyle hall, offering hall, and inner sanctuary are all intact — roof, walls, floors, inscriptions. Your guide covers the myth of Horus and Set, the annual festival cycle, and the architectural logic of the Ptolemaic temple plan.

Kom Ombo — Temple of Sobek and Haroeris

The double temple on the Nile bank was built for two gods simultaneously, with twin sanctuaries mirroring each other across the central axis. The Crocodile Museum, adjacent to the temple, houses the mummified crocodiles found buried nearby. Kom Ombo has the best Nile-facing position of any temple in Upper Egypt — the outer court opens directly to the river.

✦ At Edfu, on the outer wall of the hypostyle hall, there is a carved calendar of the temple's annual festivals — 52 separate celebrations listed by date, with the correct ritual procedure for each one. It is the complete annual programme of a living temple. Your guide will read selected entries — the Festival of the Beautiful Meeting, the New Year ceremony at the roof chapel, and the Feast of the Victory of Horus over Set. What becomes clear is that the temple was not a monument. It was a working institution, staffed daily for centuries, running to a schedule as precise as any modern calendar.

Common Questions 

What is the best sequence — Edfu first or Kom Ombo first? 

Travelling north from Aswan, Kom Ombo comes first (45km north) and Edfu second (115km north). Most drivers cover Edfu first on the way north and Kom Ombo on the return. Your guide will advise on the sequence to avoid peak cruise-ship docking hours at each temple. 

Is this tour available for Nile cruise passengers? 

Yes — we can meet you at the dock at Edfu or Kom Ombo if your cruise schedule docks at either location. Tell us your cruise ship name and docking times when booking. 

Can the pacing or order be adjusted? Yes — all tours are private. The itinerary adapts to you, not the other way around. If you want more time at one site and less at another, tell your guide. 

Will there be pressure to buy anything? 

No. This is a private tour with no commission arrangements. Your guide will not redirect the itinerary for shopping stops.