Upper Egypt
Kom Ombo & Edfu
Two Ptolemaic Temples Between Luxor and Aswan Located along the scenic Nile River between Luxor and Aswan, Kom Ombo and Edfu are home to two of Egypt's most magnificent and well-preserved temples. Explore the historic halls dedicated to the gods Horus and Sobek, and then immerse yourself in the vibrant local markets that thrive along the riverbanks.
The most fascinating stops along the Nile include the Temple of Kom Ombo, a unique and symmetrical "double temple" built during the Ptolemaic period. This remarkable structure features twin entrances and parallel sanctuaries dedicated to two deities: Sobek, the crocodile god of fertility, and Haroeris, also known as Horus the Elder. As you walk through its stone corridors, look for the incredible wall reliefs depicting early medical tools such as scalpels and forceps. Don’t miss the adjacent museum, where you can see actual mummified crocodiles.
Further along the river is the Temple of Edfu, dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god of kingship. This monumental temple was buried under desert sand and Nile silt for centuries, which helped it survive with its roof and columns nearly intact. It is one of Egypt's best-preserved ancient temples. Standing before its towering 36-meter-high entrance pylons, you can truly appreciate the scale of the ancient world. Inside, the walls serve as a massive storybook, adorned with intricate carvings that depict the mythological battle in which Horus defeated Seth, the god of chaos, to restore universal order.
Main attractions
- Temple of Horus at Edfu
- Double temple of Sobek and Haroeris at Kom Ombo
- Crocodile Museum at Kom Ombo
- Nilometer at Kom Ombo
- The riverside setting of both temples
Things worth doing
- Arrive at Edfu by cruise ship and walk up from the river
- Trace the mirrored plan of the double temple at Kom Ombo
- See the mummified crocodiles in the museum
- Watch the sun go down over the river from the Kom Ombo terrace
On the map
Questions about Kom Ombo & Edfu
Yes. Both sit just off the main road between Luxor and Aswan, and a private car can take in both as a long day, or as the stops on a one-way transfer between the two cities — which is the better use of the drive. You lose the pleasure of arriving at Edfu from the river, but you gain control over the timing and can be at Kom Ombo when the cruise boats are not.
It is a double temple, built symmetrically for two gods at once — Sobek the crocodile god on one side, Haroeris the falcon-headed Horus on the other, with mirrored entrances, halls and sanctuaries. Nothing else in Egypt is laid out quite like it. The small Crocodile Museum alongside holds mummified crocodiles recovered from the site.
An hour to ninety minutes each is plenty, which is why they are almost always combined into one day or taken as consecutive cruise stops. Edfu is the larger and more complete of the two; Kom Ombo is the more unusual, and its riverside setting at sunset is the better of the two to arrive at late.
It was buried. Sand and silt covered the temple for centuries, which protected the roof, the colour and the carvings from weather and quarrying alike. What you walk into is close to a complete Ptolemaic temple, with its pylon, courtyard, hypostyle halls and sanctuary still standing and still roofed — rare in Egypt and the reason it repays a visit.
Traditionally by horse-drawn carriage from the mooring, which is part of the character of the stop. If you would rather not use a carriage, say so when you book and we will arrange a car instead — no explanation needed.
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