This is undoubtedly the most enjoyable and relaxing way to experience the sights and wonders of ancient Egypt. The land stretching from Luxor to Aswan, in the south of Egypt, is home to many of the world's most impressive monuments of the famed pharaonic civilization. As you cruise on the magical waters of the Egyptian River Nile, you can look around you and see lush greenery along the river Nile banks. Suddenly, an ancient pharaonic temple comes into view and takes you back in time!

The Temple of AbuSimbel consists of a Great and Small Temple, and is situated near the border of Egypt with Sudan.

The Temple, which was constructed for the Pharoah Ramses II, was saved from threat of flooding by the High Dam. In the 1960s, under the auspices of UNESCO, the temples were cut from the rock and shifted to higher ground.

The Great Temple is dedicated to Ramesses II and a statue of him is seated with three other gods within the innermost part of the rock-cut temple (the sanctuary). The temple's facade is dominated by four enormous seated statues of the Pharaoh (each over 20 m or 67 ft high), although one has been damaged since ancient times.

The Small Temple was probably completed ahead of the Great Temple and is dedicated to Ramesses' favourite wife, Nefertari. At the entrance stand six 10 m high (33 ft) rock-cut statues - two of Ramesses and one of Nefertari on either side of the doorway.

Aswan is a beautiful winter resort, and is the southernmost city in Egypt. This peaceful city, with influences of Nubian culture, is home to a huge array of temples and monuments. It is also famous for its High Dam, one of the three largest dams in the world. The Ptolemaic temple of Philae was threatened by the flooding caused by the opening of the Dam, but was saved by being transported from its original site.

Much of the film "Death on the Nile', was filmed at the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan. The town is very picturesque, being located on the riverside, and offers lots of attractive walks.
The Monuments and Attractions of Aswan
The High Dam and Lake Nasser
The Dam, completed in the 1960s, is over two miles long and 360ft high and affords views over Lake Nasser. The lake is named after the late Gamal Abdel Nasser, who was president of Egypt from 1956 to 1970. The reservoir is used for hydroelectricity production, fishing, and irrigation. Before Lake Nasser was formed, the area was the site of the temples of Abu Simbel, which were built by Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II in the 1200s BC. During the construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s these temples were moved, but many other historic monuments were submerged.

Also submerged is a portion of the historic lands of the Nubians, who lived along the Nile between Aswan and Khartoum, Sudan, for thousands of years.

The Ptolemaic Temple of Philae on the Island of Philae
This temple was saved from threat of flooding by UNESCO. It was moved painstakingly, stone by stone, and transported from its flooded site to a new position at a higher point on the island. It was then completely rebuilt.

The Island of Plants
Also known as Kitchener Island, this was presented to Lord Horatio Kitchener in the 1890s in recognition of his military services. He created a beautiful botanic garden, with rare and wonderful plants and flowers imported from countries such as India. The garden is open to the public, and is reached by felucca.

Elephantine Island
This island is also reached by felucca, and features a Nilometre, which dates back to Pharaonic times, and was used to measure the height of the Nile.

The Aga Khan Mausoleum
The domed granite and sandstone mausoleum of the late Aga Khan commands a splendid view of Aswan and the Nile Valley beyond which the desert stretches as far as the eye can see.

The city of Luxor-Homer's 'hundred-gated Thebes'- is located about 500 km, or 300 miles to the south of Cairo. The town is the site and the gateway to the largest surviving concentration of ancient monuments in the Nile Valley. Luxor is home to: the famous temples of Karnak and Luxor, the Valley of the Kings, (where the tomb of Tutankhamun is to be found), the Valley of the Queens, and other awe-inspiring monuments, tombs, and colossal statues. Luxor has its own museum with relics from the Theban temples and Necropolis.

The city features traditional souks and bazaars, selling a wide range of goods, from spices to clothes.

Felucca boats line the Nile, and offer short trips and sunset cruises.
The Monuments of Luxor
The Temple of Luxor
The Temple of Luxor was built by Amenophis III on the site of an earlier temple and enlarged and beautified by Ramesses II. In front of the great pylon entrance originally stood two obelisks and six colossal statues, all erected by Ramesses II. One obelisk is now in Paris. The statues all represent Ramesses himself. The colonnaded forecourt is also Ramesses' work. But perhaps the most beautiful parts of the temple are the Colonnade and Court of Amenophis, its columns crowned with lotus bud capitals.

The Temple of Karnak
The great Temple of Amun at Karnak was once the religious centre of Thebes and Upper Egypt. The Temple covers an immense 100 acres, and was once linked to Luxor by a sphinx-lined avenue.The whole complex of temples was in turn linked to the Nile via a canal through which moved the sacred boats of the god Amun. Passing through a smaller avenue of ram-headed sphinxes, erected by Ramesses II, we come to the massive pylon entrance of the 30th dynasty. Inside the great Courtyard, which dates from the 22nd dynasty, are three chapels dedicated to the gods Amun, Khous and Mut by Seth II. The impressive Hypostyle Hall has 134 soaring columns; each column is carved with scenes of gods and pharaohs; the inscriptions on the walls tell their stories of war and peace.

The Valley of the Kings
Situated in a secluded area of the west bank, the Valley of the Kings contains 62 excavated tombs, mostly royal but some belonging to members of the nobility. There are differences in style, color and content in each of the tombs; the earliest have staircases, corridors and right-angled bends while the later ones are more simplified, being little more than huge sloping corridors. The walls and ceilings were painted with scenes and inscriptions designed to assist the King in his journey through the underworld. A visit to the Valley of the Kings usually takes in two or three of the tombs, dependent on the number of visitors in the Valley and which tombs are open. Other main tombs include those of Amenophis II (one of the best preserved), Ramesses IX (never completed), Ramesses VI and Seti I (largest and most elaborate).

The Valley of the Queens
Also situated on the west bank, the Valley of the Queens is smaller than the Valley of the Kings but is ringed by impressive cliffs. The tombs belong to lesser important personages (Queens and Princes) but have many interesting facets. The main tombs are those of Queen Titi (an otherwise unknown royal lady), Prince Khaemwaset (Ramesses III's eldest son) and Prince Amenhirkhepeshef (notable for its vivid coloring). The finest tomb is the tomb of Queen Nefertari. Recent excavations have unearthed previously unknown tombs, although most are damaged or undecorated.

The Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
The Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, unlike any other temple in Egypt, is composed of three widely-spaced terraces with ramps leading from one to the next. It is said that the Queen intended it as a pleasure garden for the god Amun, to whom the temple is dedicated. There are chapels dedicated to the gods Anubis and Hathor, the tutelary goddess of the Theban necropolis. The first terrace is virtually destroyed; approaching the second visitors climb the ramp to see some excellent bas-reliefs of the Queen with her nephew and co-regent Tuthmosis III. Particularly interesting are friezes depicting the Queen's expedition to the land of Punt.

The Colossi of Memnon
These two massive statues, both portraying King Amenhotep II once flanked the entrance to his massive funerary temple. The temple has all but disappeared but the statues, although weather-beaten, have survived. Carved from a single block of sandstone they stand over 50 ft high on a base of 8 ft and look imperiously over the barren landscape. The two colossi enjoyed fame even in the ancient world and it was the Greeks who identified them with Memnon, son of Titon and Dawn.