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Sacred
places bound to catch the eye
 El
Uqsur alias Luxor, old Thebes,
together with the Necropolis
on yhe opposite river bank froms
a focal point of old-Egyptian
culture. The central temple
complex presents itself as a
260 m long sequence of grandiose
gates, courtyards and columned
halls. More breathtaking still
is the 40 ha large temple district
of Karnak: for 1700 years, into
Roman times, it was extended
by almost every ruler. Highlights:
the gigantic pylons and obelisk
as well as the Amun temple with
the phenomenal columned hall.
The size and aura of Karnak
are impressively conveyed every
evening during the Sound & Light
Show on the shore of the Holy
Lake. The charm of the small
town is best experienced
in a one-horse open “Caleche”.
Also recommendable are the museums
for mummification and archaeology.
Worthwhile day trips are to
the temples of Dendera and Abydos
(in the North), to Esna (in
the south) or eastwards to the
Red Sea.
Tombs,
temples and colossi: boundless
amazement on the shores of the
hereafter
 As
with the Pyramids near Cairo,
the necropolis of Thebes also
lay in the West – there where
the sun, with which the deceased
moved to Osiris in the netherworld
, disappeared behind the sandy
horizon . Until today the tombs
and mortuary temples tell of
the immense faith and energy
of their builder. Among the
five-star attractions of the
Theben Necroplos, over which
the two Colossi of Memmon lay
watch, are the Temple for Ramses
II (Ramesseum), Ramses (Medinet
HAbu) and Queen Hatshepsut (Deir
el-Medina) and the graves of
the nobles (Sheikh Abd el-Qurna).
In the Valley of the Queens
one can visit the last resting
place of beautiful Nefertari
and in the valley of the Kings
pay one’s respects to several
of the 60 Pharaohs of the New
Kingdom once buried here. Indelible
remains the memory of the early
morning hot-air balloon flight
above the bare desert mountains.
Cruises on the Nile and Lake
Nasser
The beauty of the
Upper-Egyptian Nile valley
is best appreciated from the
deck of a cruise ship. The
bucolic riverside scenery
passes by in wide-screen
cinemascope delighting the
viewer. In between, on
occasional excursions, one
inspects various Pharaonic
sites of interest. The
classic route runs from
Luxor via Esna, Edfu and Kom
Ombo to Aswan and/or back.
Passangers to-be can select
from a variety of ships and
trips. Aromatic alternative
for adventurers is the
journey, overnight on board
included, on a Felucca, a
traditional sailing boat,
from Aswan down the Nile to
Edfu and/or Esna. Also on
Lake Nasser there are cruise
ships, among them some very
luxurious. During the
several days trip southwards
from Aswan passangers in
small groups, far from all
the hustle and bustle, pay
visits to some highly
interesting ancient temple
complexes, first and
foremost to those to those
in Abu Simbel.
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