EGYPT
On DEcember 2023, we embarked on a journey to explore the land of the Pharaohs via an exiting cruise on the Nile. Our Route would take us from Luxor to Assuan and back, making sure to stop at every ancient stone along the way.
Get ready for a journey packed with history, cool sights and probably a bit too many detail shots of hieroglyphs.
(Or click here if you are more of a video person)
DAy One: Valley Of the Kings
we rolled out of bed early to beat the crowds at the Valley of the Kings And Got a good look at the Sites Before most of the Other tourists appeared – RAMSES iv and Merenptah are especially worth it!
As it was quite early in the morning, the outside temperature was very pleasant. The Tombs, however, were insanely hot. Which Was strange considering their depth. One would think that its colder underground. Not in the Valley of the Kings.
Once the selfie sticks started multiplying, we moved on to Hatshepsut Temple. Nice place, and it got toasty fast – around 30 degrees Celsius. We Sweated through our shirts, but the history lesson was worth it. Also, the temple itself is very impressive. As the sun began to dip, we made our way back to Luxor – which is easier said than done as every temple is surrounded by countless little bazars whose shop keepers are very eagerly trying to sell you clothes and trinkets of all kinds.
DAy TWO: Edfu
We arrived in Edfu during night and missed the floodgates, unfortunately; we were fast asleep. Not for long though, as we again got up early. On the schedule: The Temple of Horus in Edfu (the best preserved temple in all of Egypt) and Kom Ombo.
Our Chosen means of transport: A caleche. Here’s what the internet says about them:
“In Egypt, the carriages that are commonly used to transport tourists around are known as "caleches" or "horse-drawn carriages." These charming and traditional modes of transportation offer a leisurely way to explore various cities and attractions, providing a unique perspective while immersing visitors in the local ambiance.”
In Truth it is not so tranquil. It is rather loud and exiting given the bustling city of Edfu you ride through. Plus, you are lucky to find a carriage pulled by a horse that does not look dangerously malnourished.
But, since no other means of transport were provided, we did our best to enjoy it – and I managed quite well!
Having arrived at what I can only describe as a carriage main station, we entered one of my favorite temple:
The Temple of Horus.
The state of preservation of this temple is really something else and the sheer size is impressive. Of course, every other tourist knew this, so it became crammed very fast.
Still, once you manage to ignore the others, you find yourself on a brief journey through time sparking your imagination.
As the day drew to a close, our ship made its way from Edfu to Kom Ombo, as we wanted to take a look at the famous double temple there.
The fun thing about the temple is that it is dedicated to both Horus and Sobek, the latter being a crocodile headed fella in charge of fertility and protection. Also, Kom Ombo is loosely translated as “the Golden Hill” because they used to do something with gold there. Anyways, here are some shots.
DAy THree: Aswan
On today’s menu: The unfinished obelisk, the temples of Philae, the Aswan Dam and the Old Cateract. Quite a busy schedule - but it was worth it (for the most part).
First, we visited the unfinished Obelisk, located in the heart of the city Aswan. Believed to have been commissioned by Queen Hatshepsut, the obelisk was intended to be one of the largest ever created, standing approximately 42 meters (138 feet) tall and weighing around 1,200 tons.
Carved directly from the bedrock of granite, the construction of the obelisk was halted when the workers discovered a crack in the stone. This rendered the obelisk unusable and prevented its completion. Which is great because there is no shortage of obelisks in Egypt but you rarely get such a good insght on how they were carved.
A construction site frozen in time, essentially.
The next destination can only be reached by boat: The Temples of Philae. Here’s what the internet says about it:
“The Philae Temple is an ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the island of Philae in the Nile River near Aswan. Dedicated primarily to the goddess Isis, the temple was originally situated on Philae Island. However, due to the construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 20th century, the temple faced the threat of submersion. In a remarkable international effort, the temple complex was dismantled and relocated to the nearby Agilkia Island to save it from the rising waters.”
Incredible!
“Constructed during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, with contributions from various rulers including Ptolemy II, Ptolemy XII, and Augustus Caesar, the Philae Temple showcases a blend of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman architectural styles. The main temple is dedicated to Isis, the mother goddess and protector of the dead, while other structures on the island honor different deities.”
To me, this was the most impressive Temple experience. the lovely boat ride to the island, the temple and it’s history and the not very pushy merchants of Agilkia - it was a blast. Also, there’s cats! What more could you possibly want?
The Dam and The old Cateract were okay, I guess. The Hotel was impressive enough if you think about who lived there (Churhill, Agatha Christie, Rich people…). The tea was nice, the service was splendid.
Let me Explain. We got up at 3:30 am, which already had a tremendous impact on my mood. Then, we took the bus from Aswan to Abu simbel, which meant driving for almost 4 hours through the middle of nowhere bat-desert-country with nothing but sand to look at and bumpy roads to keep you from catching up on that precious sleep.
By the time we got to the iconic temple, it got plenty to make up for. Expectations were set accordingly.
Having finally arrived at the Temples, we were greeted by an amazing view of the Nasser lake and really quite good temples – but since we were seasoned temple runners by now, Abu Simbel did not hit as hard as it could have. Especially if you consider how long it took us to get there.
So, my advice: if you get the chance to see the temples of Abu Simbel, make sure they are the first ones you see.
DAy Four: Abu Simbel
“Oh, Abu Simbel
The Road was long and dusty
You were not worth it”
(Me, ever Since)
DAy FIVE: What the F*ck is a Segelfeluke?
A sailing Felucca, that’s what it is.What’s a sailing Felucca, you ask?
Google it.
Just kidding, here’s a picture.
Sailed around on that boat for a while – it was lovely. The first really relaxing event we had on that trip; it was very nice to unwind for once. We got down to the old Cataract and up again. Roughly 2.5 hours,enjoying every minute of it.
Starting in the bustling city of Aswan just to find you in complete silence between tiny nile islands a few moments later was surreal – it really makes you realize how loud Egypt actually is.
The view was not so bad, either.
The person in the last picture is not drowning, by the way. Just a kid playing around with the rope.
DAy Six: Road to Luxor
Our trip was coming to a close as we made our way back to Luxor.
Can you even say you were in Egypt if you were not ripped of by a merchant? Well, we were.
on the other hand: The transaction was a sight to behold. As we got close to the Edfu sluice once more, our ship was swarmed with swimming traders peddling all sorts of “original Egyptian cotton” Products. They tossed them up to us (I’m Holding back flying carpet jokes here) and we ended up buying a blanket for 20 Euros. Because that’s what you need as a souvenir. A blanket with a Pharaoh’s head printed on it.
But at least that way the whole spectacle was well paid for: The top Deck was packed with fellow travelers bargaining with the traders who seem to speak every language they encounter, fluently switching between german, english spanish or even russian. I even saw a chinese woman haggling with a trader in mandarin and he seemed to do quite well! Sure – they won’t discuss the finer details of Goethe’s Faust with you. But seeing the traders communicate in so many languages was another kind of impressive.
Luxor, as our final destination, greeted us with its impressive temple and beautiful sunset, the combination of which created a magic scenery.
A fitting end to our short trip to the land of…
Nah, too cheesy. Nice trip. 10/10 would recommend.
Look! Mr. Shaky Hands made a video!