Luxor and Aswan are one of the stops you should include in your Egypt itinerary because it is one of the most exciting places in the country. It has many sites, temples, tombs, and museums where you can expand your knowledge about Ancient Egypt.
It is one of the starting points of the Nile cruise (the other starting point is Aswan), and many things to do in Luxor are included in the cruise activities. But if you have an extra day, we recommend other plans to enjoy the less touristy places of ancient Thebes.
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Things to do in Luxor
1- Cruise on the Nile
Taking a Nile River cruise is among the most enjoyable ways to experience Egypt and its many historical sites and artifacts. You will have time to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Nile Valley while sailing between Luxor and Aswan on the Nile River.
Day tours from your Nile cruise will take you to some of the most impressive ancient Egyptian temples and tombs, including the Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple, Colossi of Memnon, Philae, the High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk and Abu Simbel Temple.
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2- Karnak Temple
The Temple of Karnak, considered the Temple of temples in its day, became the most important religious complex in Egypt and was the largest Temple in the country. It grew more prominent over the years with the different pharaohs, who made their modifications and added new buildings and small temples dedicated to other gods.
The visit to the Karnak temple is one of those things to do in Luxor, whether you do it because it is included in the cruise or if you do it on your own.
3- The Luxor Temple
The Temple of Luxor is located in the city’s heart. The Temple was dedicated to the god Amun-Ra, the god of the sky, the sun, and the origin of life. The Luxor temple also has buildings from different periods ordered by other pharaohs and facilities dedicated to various gods.
The Luxor temple is also in the same city next to the Nile River. It was built during the 18th and 19th dynasties of the New Kingdom by the architect Amenhotep (son of Hapu), by order of Amenhotep III, and finished by the great Pharaoh Ramses II.
4- The Valley of the Kings
Visiting the Valley of the Kings is one of those things to do in Luxor, without a doubt. It is one of the unique places in Luxor and Egypt. A whole valley between mountains full of tombs was carved into the rock. Pharaohs were buried here during the New Kingdom when the capital of Egypt was Thebes (now Luxor).
In the Pyramids of Giza and Saqqara, funerary complexes usually comprised the Temple and the tomb (the pyramid) located in the same place. In the Valley of the Kings, that changes. The temples are in one place, and the tombs in another. What they wanted to avoid with this was that grave robber would find the tombs by guiding themselves by the location of the temples. In the Valley of the Kings, 63 tombs have been found, although not all are open to the public.
5-The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut is one of the best temples in Egypt. It is located very close to the Valley of the Kings, so it is undoubtedly one of the essential things to do in Luxor. It is a temple quite different from the others, divided into three levels and dedicated to Hatshepsut, the only woman who ruled alone for 21 years.
6- The Colossi of Memnon
The Colossi of Memnon, these two gigantic stone statues, are one of the things to see in Luxor on your way through the city. They represent Pharaoh Amenhotep III seated, with his hands resting on his knees and his gaze fixed on the Nile River.
The statues measure 18 meters and initially fulfilled the function of presiding over the entrance to the funerary complex of Amenhotep III. But these two statues are not the only ones in the area. Although there are hardly any vestiges of the Temple dedicated to Amenhotep III, it is believed that it could have been even more significant than the Karnak temple.
7- Hot Air Balloon Ride over Luxor at Sunrise
If you only do one thing in Luxor, this should be it. It is one of the most incredible things we have done in the city. It was getting up while it was still dark, taking a boat across the Nile River, and arriving at a field full of balloons that started to light up and rise into the sky.
This is a great thing to do in Luxor because you can see the whole Valley of the Kings, the Hatshepsut temple, the Luxor temple, and the Nile River from the air. Also, it’s a pretty good deal if you compare the price to what it costs to fly a hot air balloon.
Things to do in Aswan
1- Unfinished obelisk of Aswan
The first place to see in Aswan is the Unfinished Obelisk. With more than 4 meters long and a weight of more than 1000 tons, we find ourselves before one of the obelisks that the ancient Egyptians could not finish due to the appearance of a crack.
The mystery surrounds the whole place; how could such heavy stone masses be transported? How did they manage to raise the obelisks? The imagination and possible answers we can give to such questions make it a magical and unique place.
2- Philae’s Temple
Due to the construction of the Aswan Dam, the Philae temple was almost covered by water. It was moved to its current location, which is very close to where it used to be and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is on an island and can only be reached by boat. It is a relatively new temple built during the Ptolemaic era when Greece had a lot of influence in Egypt, and it was built for the goddess Isis.
3- Abu Simbel Temple
If you are thinking of one of the most famous temples for its four gigantic figures of Pharaoh Ramses II, that is the Abu Simbel Temple. One of the best tourist attractions to see in Aswan, leaving by bus or direct flight, we can find two temples: the first and most imposing, the Great Temple, dedicated to Ramses II, worshiped together with the gods Amun, Ra, and Ptah; and the second, the Lesser Temple dedicated to one of the wives of Ramses II, Nefertari.
The construction on the rock of the Great Temple lasted more than 20 years. In it, we can see four seated figures representing Ramses II with the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt commemorating the victory of the battle of Qadesh, where the Pharaoh fought against the Hittites. At the foot of this, we can find other figures that represent the family of Pharaoh.
4- Temple of Kom Ombo
Located in the city of Kom Ombo, very close to Aswan, you can find the Temple of Kom Ombo, a temple dedicated to the gods Sobek, god of fertility and creator of the world, represented by the head of a crocodile. Built-in the 2nd century BC, it has excellent Greco-Roman details. During Roman domination, some reliefs were added where the Roman emperors made offerings to Egyptian deities.
5- A Nubian Village
Walking through Nubian Village streets means going through the heart of authentic Egyptian culture with colorful houses, craft stalls, spices, and other souvenirs. On your expeditions, you can hire visit a typical Nubian home where you will taste the tea and the possibility of getting a henna tattoo. Without a doubt, it is something that you cannot miss.
