This blog is a two part series. Our first blog, Nile river cruises 2020 was published on August 26, 2019. We invite you to read that post and then onto this one, as both combined will give you details on all of the things you will see while cruising along the Nile river.
Continuing your Nile River Cruise south from Luxor towards the Egyptian city of Aswan, these are some of the standout sites you can expect to see along your journey.
Temple of Esna
Also known as the Temple of Khnum, the Temple of Esna is in the city of Esna located on the west bank of the Nile. It is dedicated to Khnum, the ram-headed god of creation. The temple dates back to the 18th Dynasty (c. 1549 – 1292 BCE) and was later completed by Ptolemaic and Roman rulers, between 40 to 250 A.D.
A highlight of the Temple of Khnum is the hall of columns with 24 pillars ornately decorated and painted. The temple’s walls are covered with reliefs depicting Ptolemaic and Roman rulers dressed as Pharaohs. The Temple of Esna also features the last-known hieroglyphic inscriptions recorded, completed by the Roman Emperor Dios in 250 A.D. The hieroglyphics are located on the western wall of the temple near the god Horus.
Kom Ombo Temple
Kom Ombo Temple is a unique riverside temple located north of Aswan. What makes Kom Ombo Temple extraordinary is its double structure dedicated to two ancient Egyptian gods: Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus, the falcon-headed god. The temple was built during the Ptolemaic dynasty (c. 180–47 BCE), with later additions made during the Roman period.
This unique dual temple is perfectly symmetrical along the main axis with twin entrances, halls chambers, and sanctuaries dedicated to each god. Kom Ombo Temple features ornate and colorfully painted columns with reliefs of the two gods on either side and a well-preserved frieze inside the temple. Three hundred mummified crocodiles were discovered near Kom Ombo Temple, several of which are now displayed at the nearby Crocodile Museum.
Unfinished Obelisk
Located in the stone quarries near Aswan, the Unfinished Obelisk is a massive 3,500-year-old stone column that was abandoned when cracks formed in the granite during construction. Obelisks typically stand near the entrance of a temple and, at 137 feet, the Unfinished Obelisk would have been the largest in ancient Egypt if it had been completed. It is unknown who commissioned the obelisk, but many scholars believe the powerful female Pharaoh Hatshepsut was responsible.
Aswan High Dam
Completed in 1970, the Aswan High Dam is a large dam crossing the Nile River near the border of Egypt and Sudan. The Aswan High Dam ended the cycle of flood and drought in the Nile River region and formed the massive Lake Nasser, requiring the expensive resettlement of several ancient temples as well as 90,000 Egyptians and Sudanese.Seeing this massive engineering feat up-close is one of the highlights of taking a Nile River cruise.
Philae Temple Complex
The Temples of Philae are a collection of ancient temples dedicated to the goddess Isis, wife of Osiris and mother of Horus. Originally located on Philae Island, the temples were painstakingly transferred block by block to Agilika Island on Lake Nasser after the construction of the Aswan Dam. The oldest surviving temples at the Philae complex date from the time of Nectanebo I (c. 370 BC), and there are also ruins from later Roman and Byzantine eras. The vast complex includes several structures and temples, the main one being the Temple of Isis with elaborate pylons and entranceways, courtyards, vestibules leading to the inner temple, and a sanctuary dedicated to the goddess– the walls and columns of each covered with elaborate reliefs and inscriptions from various rulers over the centuries. Other highlights at the Philae complex include the Gate of Hadrian, the Temple of Hathor, and the Kiosk of Trajan.
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