Temple of Horus at Edfu
Begun in 237 BC and finished in 57 BC, almost complete
5.0 on TripadvisorPrivate tour Kom Ombo & Edfu Temples Day Tour from Aswan
A private full day by road from Aswan to the temples of Horus at Edfu and the twin temple of Sobek and Haroeris at Kom Ombo, with an Egyptologist.
- Duration
- About 9 hours
- Where
- Edfu and Kom Ombo, north of Aswan
- Pick-up
- Hotel or Nile cruise ship in Aswan
- Language
- English (other languages on request)
From, per person$756 or more travellers
- Starts any day
- Free quote, no obligation
- Change anything you like
About this tour
Two Ptolemaic temples stand on the Nile north of Aswan, and Nile ships on the Luxor to Aswan run stop at both. By road from Aswan you can visit them on your own schedule instead, with a guide who stays with you the whole day. Edfu is the more complete of the two, and Kom Ombo is the odd one, built as a double temple with two entrances and two sanctuaries.
This day suits travellers who are staying in Aswan and have not yet seen these two, people who dislike group cruise timings, and anyone who wants to read temple walls with a guide. It is a long day in a vehicle, so it does not suit small children or anyone who gets carsick. If you are about to sail from Aswan to Luxor, your ship will probably visit both temples, so this tour is better kept for travellers who are not sailing.
We go to Edfu first, because it is the farther one, and stop at Kom Ombo on the way back.
Edfu's pylons
Two massive towers with granite falcons of Horus in front
Double temple at Kom Ombo
Two parallel axes, one for Sobek and one for Horus the Elder
Surgical instruments relief
A Roman-era wall scene thought to show medical tools
Crocodile Museum
Mummified Nile crocodiles, the longest about 4.3 m
How the day runs
- 1
Early morningPickup and the drive north
Your driver collects you at your hotel or ship and heads north along the Nile valley. Kom Ombo lies about 50 km north of Aswan, according to Wikipedia, and Edfu is further on. We time the start so you reach Edfu soon after it opens.
- 2
MorningEdfu: the Temple of Horus
The Ministry lists Edfu as open every day until 17:00, from 6:00 on Sundays and Wednesdays and from 7:00 on other days. You enter between two pylons with granite falcons in front, cross a columned court, pass two halls, and reach the sanctuary. Sand and settlement debris covered the temple, up to 12 m deep in places, until Auguste Mariette began clearing it in 1860, and that is why the carvings survive.
- 3
Late morningThe walls at Edfu
Your guide takes you along the inscribed walls, where building texts record how the temple was founded and what it was meant to be. Other scenes show the conflict between Horus and Seth. A restoration project begun in 2021 has found painted inscriptions on the roof, and your guide tells you whether any of it can be seen on the day.
- 4
MiddayLunch
We stop for lunch at a local restaurant on the way, away from the temple car parks.
- 5
AfternoonKom Ombo, the double temple
At Kom Ombo the plan is mirrored. The southern half belonged to the crocodile god Sobek, the northern half to Horus the Elder, and each half has its own halls and sanctuary. The temple was begun under Ptolemy VI Philometor, and later Ptolemies and Roman emperors added to it. The site is open 7:00 to 21:00 daily.
- 6
Late afternoonReliefs and the Crocodile Museum
Look for the calendar carved on the walls and for the scene thought to show surgical instruments. The Crocodile Museum next to the temple has been open since 2012 and displays mummified crocodiles and a tomb model based on finds from the Shutb cemetery. It is open 7:00 to 21:00, with a last ticket at 20:00. The car then takes you back to Aswan.
How much does this tour cost?
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| Single traveller | $120 |
| 2 travellers | $95 |
| 3 to 5 travellers | $85 |
| 6 or more travellers | $75 |
In US dollars, per person, for a private trip. The price in your written quote, made for your dates and group, is the one that counts. International flights are not included.
What’s included
Included
- Pickup and return from your hotel or Nile cruise ship in Aswan
- Private air-conditioned vehicle
- Private English-speaking Egyptologist guide
- Entrance fees to the Edfu and Kom Ombo temples
- Lunch at a local restaurant
- Bottled water, taxes and service charges
Not included
- Entrance to the Crocodile Museum, if not covered by your ticket
- Tips
- Drinks and personal shopping
Booking policies
Important information
Start early
Edfu opens at 6:00 or 7:00 depending on the day, and the longest drive is the first. A very early start puts you inside the temple before the heat.
Wear
Closed shoes with a good grip, since temple floors are worn smooth. Bring a hat and a light scarf for the sun. Aswan averages above 40 °C from June to September.
Roof work
Conservation on the Edfu roof has been running since 2021, so parts of the temple may be fenced off or scaffolded. We cannot promise that every chamber is open on your date.
Photography
Tell your guide before you start photographing inside the sanctuary. A 2019 decision of the Supreme Council of Antiquities allows personal photography at ministry sites, with no flash indoors. The ministry's Edfu and Kom Ombo pages do not state camera rules, so your guide confirms on the day what applies in each chamber.
Payment and deposit
- Prices are in US dollars and the price in your written quote is the one that counts.
- The deposit is 30 percent of the total price (50 percent for trips that start from 18 December to 5 January).
- The balance is due 15 days before arrival. If you book later than that, the full amount confirms the booking.
- Payment instructions come with your written quote.
Cancellation and refund
Send every cancellation by email so that we can confirm it in writing. The charge is a percentage of the tour price, and anything you paid above it is refunded.
| Days before arrival | Normal dates | 18 Dec to 5 Jan |
|---|---|---|
| Until 61 days | 20% | 35% |
| 60 to 31 days | 35% | 50% |
| 30 to 15 days | 50% | 75% |
| 14 to 1 days, or no-show | 100% | 100% |
A bank and payment fee of 6 percent is deducted from every refund. Full rules: terms and policies.
Children
- Children under 3 travel free.
- Children from 3 to 11.99 years pay 50 percent of the tour price.
- From 12 years, travellers pay the adult price.
Please give the age of every child at the time of travel when you ask for a quote.
Travel tips
Know before you go
Start early
Pickup around 8:00 gets you to the pyramids before the heat and the coach groups.
Wear
Closed shoes, a hat and sunscreen, expect sand, steps and uneven ground.
Extra tickets
Entry inside the Great Pyramid is an optional ticket bought on the day.
Photos
Photos are free outdoors; some tombs charge for cameras. Drones are not allowed.
Traveller reviews
What our travellers say
A Fantastic Tour of Egypt
“The entire trip was seamlessly executed.”
Best tour guide!!
“He made our trip to the pyramids and Alexandria fun and memorable.”
Amazing 2 week trip
“My friends and I spent two weeks in Egypt and he was with us every step of the way.”
FAQ
Questions about this tour
Still unsure? Message us on WhatsApp and a real person from our team will answer.
Why go to Edfu before Kom Ombo?
Edfu is the longer drive, so reaching it first means you arrive soon after opening. Kom Ombo is on the way back, and it stays open until 21:00.
How is Kom Ombo different from other temples?
It is a double temple, built along two parallel axes, and each side is dedicated to a different god. Most Egyptian temples have one.
Is the drive hard?
It is a long one. Edfu is the farthest point of the day, and we plan the lunch stop to break the journey. We confirm the drive time and the lunch stop for your date when you book.
Do I need this if I am on a Nile cruise with you?
Probably not. Our Nile programs visit Edfu and Kom Ombo from the ship. This tour is for travellers staying in Aswan.
Make it a trip
Packages that pass through the same places
Budget Egypt Tours 8 days / 7 nights Aswan · Cairo · Luxor
8 Days Cairo, Luxor & Aswan Overland
Hotels only: a sleeper train to Luxor, then the road to Aswan through Edfu and Kom Ombo, and a flight back to Cairo on day 8.
- None, hotels only
- Sleeper train, private vehicle, one domestic flight
Honeymoon Egypt Packages 9 days / 8 nights Aswan · Cairo · Hurghada · Luxor
9 Days Honeymoon Nile Cruise & Red Sea
One night in Cairo, 3 nights on a Nile ship from Aswan to Luxor, then 4 nights at the Red Sea in Hurghada, with a day on the water.
- 3 nights Aswan to Luxor, Deluxe or Ultra Deluxe ship
- Private car, two domestic flights, Nile cruise, boat
Classic Egypt Tours 8 days / 7 nights Aswan · Cairo · Luxor
8 Days Cairo & Nile Cruise by Sleeper Train
Two nights in Cairo, a sleeper train to Luxor, then 4 nights on the Nile down to Aswan. You fly back to Cairo on day 8.
- 4 nights Luxor to Aswan, full board
- Sleeper train, Nile cruise, one domestic flight
Before you go
Guides for this trip
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