Southern Egypt: A Route of Ancient Temples

Daydreaming about a trip to Egypt, but not sure what to see and do besides the Great Pyramids of Giza? I know my head was spinning with all of the possible temples, museums, and activities! Popular cities, such as Cairo and Luxor, definitely deserve to be at the top of your list. However, there are several architectural gems in southern Egypt worthy of a look.

The most relaxing way to reach the sites in Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan, and Abu Simbel is by a Nile River cruise or tour. Brad and I chose to combine both options aboard the MS Sonesta St. George I, which we booked via Memphis Tours. Our five-day luxury cruise from Luxor to Aswan included a private guide who helped us appreciate the culture of ancient Egypt. I highly recommend an all-inclusive experience to fully enjoy your days without the stress of logistics!

After disembarking in Aswan, we completed an eight-hour excursion to Abu Simbel via Memphis Tours. If you're short on time, consider flying to Abu Simbel with a round-trip ticket from Aswan via Egyptair. Brad and I took a few domestic flights with the reliable airline to travel between Cairo, Luxor, Sharm El Sheikh, and Aswan.

A DIY adventure in southern Egypt is also feasible with a bit of extra planning. Trains with air conditioning and daily/nightly timetables are affordable, but delays are common and safety is a concern due to accidents. Buses and taxis are great middle-of-the-road alternatives, especially if you prefer to organize day trips with flexible schedules. Below I cover five magnificent temples to help you craft a memorable itinerary. Whether or not you add these iconic places along the Nile River and Lake Nasser is up to you, but the more the merrier!

Temple of Horus

Commissioned in 237 BC, the Temple of Horus in Edfu is wonderfully preserved and has popular characteristics of Egyptian architecture. Scenes of triumph and power decorate the imposing 36 m (118.1 ft) high pylon. The god Horus (human figure with a falcon head) looks on with approval as Pharaoh Ptolemy XII smites his enemies.

Pass the granite statues of Horus flanking the gateway to enter the courtyard with surrounding peristyle. Sunken reliefs and hieroglyphics cover the 32 columns topped with ornate floral capitals. The outer hypostyle hall has two chambers which functioned as a library to store ritual texts and closet for white linen robes.

Nearby the inner hypostyle hall is a laboratory filled with detailed instructions/ingredients for making elixirs, perfumes, and remedies. Step into this ancient pharmacy and admire the intricate hieroglyphics. Continue through the central doorway to reach the altar where priests placed daily offerings of wine, fruit, milk, and flowers. Don't forget to look up at the original roof which is still intact!

There are two special staircases on either side of the temple symbolizing how a falcon flies in the sky. One ascends upward representing how a falcon circles high above the ground whereas the other is a straight descent mimicking how a falcon uses a direct path to land. The reliefs face the way visitors are supposed to walk along the staircases.

Temple of Sobek and Haroeris

Known for its rare dedication to two Egyptian gods, the Temple of Sobek and Haroeris in Kom Ombo dazzles at night on the east bank of the Nile River. The structure is symmetrical along the main axis with two sets of courts, halls, and sanctuaries each dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and falcon god Haroeris (Horus the Elder). Crocodiles were raised and worshipped in a rear pool.

Ancient Egyptians paid close attention to the nesting habits of crocodiles because eggs were never laid below the forthcoming flood level of the Nile River. As a result, farmers could adequately prepare for the three seasons of Akhet (flooding period), Peret (planting period), and Shemu (harvesting period). Check out crocodile mummies, statues, and artifacts in the nearby museum.

The temple was crucial for scholars to understand ancient Egyptian calendars. One hieroglyphic panel illustrates the numeric division of the three aforementioned seasons into months, weeks, and days. The lunar calendar was important for religious ceremonies while the solar calendar organized secular life into 365 days. These symbolic and cultural details reinforce the harmonious relationship between the opposing forces of life/death and day/night.

Temple of Isis

Dedicated to the goddess of love, the Temple of Isis is a picturesque complex on the Island of Agilkia near Aswan. Originally constructed on the Island of Philae during the Ptolemaic Period (332-30 BC), the temple had to be moved block by block due to the flooding of Lake Nasser in the late 1960s. Colorful motorboats ferry visitors back and forth across the Nile River for a small fee.

Pass through the first pylon to reach the open courtyard with fantastic columns featuring papyrus stems, feminine faces, and hieroglyphics. Beyond the second pylon is a vestibule leading to the sanctuary with low reliefs. Scenes depict Isis bringing her husband/brother Osiris back to life and giving birth to her son Horus in the marshes.

The Temple of Hathor has whimsical reliefs of musicians, dancers, and the dwarf god Bes. The Kiosk of Trajan is a roofless pavilion with 14 columns adorned with blooming capitals. Emperor Trajan of Rome, in the guise of a pharaoh, is shown making a respectful offering to Isis and Osiris. Early Christians also left their mark by carving elaborate crosses into the stone. Unfortunately, some of the Egyptian gods were defaced in order to discourage polytheism.

Temple of Rameses II

Ready for a showstopper in Abu Simbel? The breathtaking ingenuity, engineering, and design of the rock-cut Temple of Rameses II will blow your mind! Commissioned in 1264 BC, the prestige of Pharaoh Rameses II is immortalized with a towering façade of four seated statues carved in his likeness. Each sandstone colossus is approximately 19.8 m (65 ft) high. Smaller figures of his mother, wife, and favorite children peek out from around his thick legs. Carved baboons line the upper frieze and central Horus overlooks all who enter below.

Step inside the equally impressive interior to see mirroring Osiride statues of Pharaoh Rameses II. His crossed arms hold the crook and flail, a symbol of royal authority. Painted sunken reliefs show dynamic scenes of warfare against the Hittites during the Battle of Kadesh. Multiple panels glorify the larger-than-life pharaoh. He smites his captives with a mace and rides a chariot while shooting arrows toward enemy soldiers.

Temple of Nefertari

Pharaoh Rameses II honored his wife Nefertari with her own beacon of beauty just a few steps away. Traditionally, an artistic rendering of a pharaoh was always bigger than his wife, which is evident at the Temple of Rameses II. However, the Temple of Nefertari is a rare exception to the rule since both figures are of equal proportions on the façade.

Nevertheless, Pharaoh Rameses II couldn't forgo the spotlight entirely. Propaganda scenes of his victorious might intermingle with peaceful reliefs of Nefertari playing a sistrum (sacred instrument) and giving offerings to the gods. Square pillars with carved images of the goddess Hathor direct visitors to the narrow shrine. In the 1960s, both temples had to be fully dismantled and moved to a new location due to the Aswan High Dam project.

Final Thoughts

Southern Egypt is full of symbolic architecture and rich history. The extraordinary temples along the Nile River and Lake Nasser provide valuable clues to better understand ancient Egypt and its illustrious culture. Spending our last day at the splendid Temples of Rameses II and Nefertari was the perfect way to wrap up our two-week trip. Some travelers skip Abu Simbel, but I promise it's worth the effort to behold these unique treasures. Try to see as many sites as possible in this bucket list destination and don't leave room for any regrets!