Temples of the South
Five unhurried days through Upper Egypt — Luxor's two banks, the road south past Edfu and Kom Ombo, and Aswan's islands.
What does Temples of the South include, and what does it cost?
Temples of the South is a private 5-day, 4-night journey through Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan, from €1,018 per person. It includes a private Egyptologist guide throughout; 4 nights' accommodation in 4- or 5-star hotels (Luxor & Aswan); private felucca sail in Aswan; and all entrance fees to sites and monuments. International flights are not included.
Overview
Upper Egypt holds the country's densest concentration of monuments, and most itineraries sprint through it. This one doesn't. Two full days in Luxor split the East Bank's temples from the West Bank's necropolis, so neither is rushed. The drive south to Aswan then becomes part of the journey rather than a transfer: Edfu and Kom Ombo break the road exactly where the ancient river traffic once paused. Aswan closes the journey at a gentler register — Philae by motorboat, the granite quarries, and a felucca hour under sail before you fly or train back. Four- and five-star hotels throughout, private Egyptologist from first day to last.
Itinerary
Arrival in Luxor & the East Bank
- Private meet at Luxor airport or station
- Karnak temple complex — the great hypostyle hall in afternoon light
- Luxor Temple at dusk as the floodlights come up
The West Bank in full
- Valley of the Kings — three royal tombs with your Egyptologist
- The terraced Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahri
- Colossi of Memnon and a village-road drive back along the floodplain
South by road — Edfu & Kom Ombo
- Morning drive to Edfu and the Temple of Horus, Egypt's best preserved
- Kom Ombo's twin sanctuary above a bend in the Nile
- Arrive Aswan by late afternoon; evening free on the corniche
Aswan — Philae & the river
- High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk in the granite quarry
- Motorboat to the island Temple of Philae
- Golden-hour felucca sail among the First Cataract islands
Departure — or Abu Simbel
- Morning at leisure, or an optional early excursion to Abu Simbel
- Private transfer to Aswan airport or station
Included & not included
Included
- Private Egyptologist guide throughout
- 4 nights' accommodation in 4- or 5-star hotels (Luxor & Aswan)
- Private felucca sail in Aswan
- All entrance fees to sites and monuments
- Lunch on each touring day
- Private air-conditioned transfers
- Hotel pickup & drop-off
- Bottled water every day
Not included
- Abu Simbel excursion (optional extra)
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Tipping (gratuities)
- Personal expenses
- Optional extras — Abu Simbel, camel rides, dinner cruise, drinks
Comfort & pace
Good to know
Why drive from Luxor to Aswan instead of cruising?
The road allows Edfu and Kom Ombo without committing to a cruise ship's fixed schedule, and keeps every night in a full-size hotel room. If you would rather sail, our Nile in Style cruise covers the same corridor by water.
Does this journey include Abu Simbel?
Not by default — but it slots in cleanly as an early-morning excursion from Aswan on the final day, by private car or short flight. Tell us at booking so we can hold the timing.
How do I reach Luxor to start?
By EgyptAir flight from Cairo (55 minutes) or the overnight sleeper train. Both are easily added; the itinerary begins whenever you land.
How demanding is Temples of the South?
The walking on Temples of the South is moderate, as on any journey built around monuments. Nights: A hotel in Luxor, then one in Aswan. By road: Luxor to Aswan by road, with stops at Edfu and Kom Ombo. Early starts: Only if you choose the optional Abu Simbel excursion on the last day.
Is this journey right for you?
- Travellers who would rather see four things properly than twelve badly
- Anyone who wants a licensed Egyptologist beside them, not a headset and a flag
- Couples and families for whom pace, comfort and privacy decide whether a trip works
- Visitors marking something — a honeymoon, an anniversary, a milestone birthday
- Anyone looking for the lowest price on Egypt — we are not the cheapest and do not try to be
- Coach tours, shared group departures and itineraries sold by the seat
- Hostels, dormitories and hop-on backpacking routes
- Travellers who would rather organise the logistics themselves
What this journey is, without exception
Every operator in Egypt uses the word luxury. These are the specifics behind ours — checkable before you pay for anything.
A licensed Egyptologist, not a guide
Every journey is led by a guide licensed by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism with a degree in Egyptology. They are with you at the monuments, not waiting in the car park — and they are yours for the day, answering your questions rather than reciting to forty people.
Your party only
No shared coaches. No fixed departure dates. No strangers on your itinerary. If you are two people, the vehicle, the guide and the pace belong to two people.
Built around you, then written down
We design the itinerary from your interests and your dates — not from a catalogue page. You receive it in writing before anything is paid, and it changes as often as you want it to until it is right.
One price, itemised
The quote lists what is included and what is not, line by line, before you commit. Your Egyptologist, private air-conditioned transfers and lunch on touring days are inside the price on every journey, and entrance fees are inside it on every multi-day one. Where something sits outside — monument tickets on a day tour, for instance — it is named on the page you are reading, at the rate the ticket office charges, not discovered at the end.
Reachable while you travel
You have a direct line to the people who planned your journey for the whole time you are in Egypt — not a call centre, and not a number that stops answering after the deposit clears.
Time protected, not filled
A day with four sites crammed into it is a cheaper day to sell and a worse day to live. We plan around light, heat and crowds — the Valley of the Kings at opening, the Egyptian Museum when the coaches have gone — and we leave the afternoon alone.
On price, plainly
Kemet sits at the upper end of the Egyptian market and we are comfortable saying so. A private Egyptologist for a week costs what it costs; so does a car that is yours alone and a room that faces the river rather than the car park. What we will not do is quote low, then recover the difference through optional extras, shopping stops and an itinerary that quietly turns into a group. Every price on this site is a per-person starting point for a private journey, and the written quote that follows is the price you pay.
Preparation reading
Guides to help you prepare for this journey.
Egypt Travel Guide
Everything you need to plan a trip to Egypt — visa requirements, the best time to go, getting around, top destinations, culture and practical essentials.
Best Time to Visit Egypt
Egypt's best travel season is October to April, when Nile Valley temperatures are mild and monuments are comfortable to explore. Here is what to expect season by season and destination by destination.
Getting Around Egypt
How to travel between Egypt's cities and sites — domestic flights, the sleeper train, Nile cruises, the Cairo Metro, taxis and private transfers explained.
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Talk to a local expert
Our team lives and breathes Egypt travel. Share what draws you here — we'll help you design the journey that fits.