Between Luxor and Aswan
Two temple calls at Edfu & Kom Ombo
Two temples, one stretch of river, and often one day. Edfu is the better preserved; Kom Ombo stays open into the evening.
- 237–57 BCthe building of Edfu's Temple of Horus
- 2–3 kmfrom the Edfu moorings to the temple
- 9 pmKom Ombo Temple's closing time
- 4.30 mthe longest mummified crocodile in Kom Ombo's museum
- From the shipTemple 2–3 km off; most ride a calèche
- Time neededHalf a day at each temple
- Best doneEdfu at 6am, Kom Ombo at dusk
- Skip ifHorse carts trouble you — ask for a car
Plan the call
How long do you have ashore?
- The calèche ride30 min
Horse-drawn from the west-bank moorings, 10–20 minutes to the temple.
- The Temple of Horus, Edfu90 min
Twin pylons, granite falcons, two hypostyle halls and the sanctuary.
- Back to the ship30 min
The ride back, then a late lunch on board.
About 2 h 30 for the day, by our planning estimate
- The Temple of Horus, Edfu150 min
First call: by calèche at the 6am opening, ahead of the heat.
- Lunch on board60 min
Meal times shift with the tours, so expect it late.
- Kom Ombo's double temple75 min
Second call, often another day: Sobek and Horus the Elder, mirrored.
- The Crocodile Museum30 min
Beside the temple; check whether your excursion ticket covers it.
- Kom Ombo after sunset30 min
Stay on as the light drops and the crowds thin.
About 5 h 45 across the two days, by our planning estimate
Times are our planning estimates for a typical call, not the line’s schedule. Your daily programme sets the all-aboard.
The call
Half a day each, in either order
These two calls sit between Luxor and Aswan, and lines usually give each a half day. Sailing south, the common pattern is Edfu in the morning and Kom Ombo in the afternoon or evening.
Avalon does both on day 6, with an Egyptian cooking class on board as the ship moves between them. Tauck includes both, and Uniworld calls at Kom Ombo on day 6 but passes Edfu without an excursion.
Viking takes them northbound — Kom Ombo after its second Aswan day, Edfu the next day. AmaWaterways splits them, Edfu on day 6 and Kom Ombo on day 8.
At Edfu, ships moor along the west bank and you go ashore by gangway. The spot varies, so ask the crew which exit to use.
From the ship: Edfu's temple is walkable at 2–3 km, but the traffic, heat and uneven pavements send most people to the calèche; at Kom Ombo, ask the crew how far the temple is from your berth.
In town
Horus, Sobek and the crocodiles
The Temple of Horus, Edfu
Begun under Ptolemy III and finished almost two centuries later. Buried under debris for centuries, which kept the carvings intact, it was cleared by Mariette in 1860. Two great pylons, granite falcons, two hypostyle halls and the sanctuary. Open 6am–5pm; foreign adults EGP 550.
SourceThe calèche ride
Horse-drawn calèches are the usual way to the temple, 10–20 minutes each way, and Viking builds its excursion around one. Ask your cruise manager for a car if you'd rather not.
Source 1 Source 2Kom Ombo's double temple
Built for two gods, the crocodile Sobek and the falcon Haroeris, Horus the Elder, with the two halves mirroring each other. The present temple is Graeco-Roman, begun under Ptolemy VI, on a New Kingdom site. Foreign adults EGP 450.
SourceThe Crocodile Museum
Next to the temple, opened in 2012, with mummified Nile crocodiles in the main hall. Open 7am–9pm, or 9am–3pm in Ramadan. A combined ticket with the temple exists, so check what your excursion covers.
SourceKom Ombo after sunset
Its 9pm closing lets lines bring you at dusk, after the heat has gone. If yours arrives in the afternoon, stay on until the light drops.
SourceEdfu & Kom Ombo on the Nile. Open its card on the river map for lines, season and nearby calls.
Beyond the town
Esna, one stop north
Esna and the Temple of Khnum
Viking stops for the temple's well-preserved hypostyle hall on day 7. The ship then passes the Esna barrage, where the newer of two locks — 156 m long and 17 m wide — takes two large ships at a time.
Source 1 Source 2Both temples by road
Road transfers between Aswan and Luxor stop at Edfu and Kom Ombo, 5–7 hours. Useful only if you're joining or leaving a ship off-schedule.
SourceEat and drink
Lunch is on the ship
An Egyptian cooking class
Avalon runs one on board on the Edfu and Kom Ombo day, while the ship sails between the two.
SourceMeals that move with the temples
On Viking, breakfast comes before the tours, and lunch and dinner shift with the excursion times. Expect a late lunch on board after Edfu. There's no town meal to plan here.
SourceThe lines
Who calls at Edfu & Kom Ombo
From the lines’ published itineraries, October 2026. Each name opens our review of the line.
When
Every Luxor–Aswan sailing passes here, in every month. The calèche ride is pleasant from October to April and the quays are busiest in the December to February peak. Take Edfu at its 6am opening if your line allows it, and save Kom Ombo for the evening.
Why trust this page
The Seabound standard
Sources, read at the source
Every fare, berth and timetable here was checked on October 22, 2026, at the line, port or hotel wherever they publish it. Where they don’t, we name the source we used, or say nothing is published.
Paid placements
No line or hotel pays to appear here or to rank higher. Affiliate links are labelled, and they never decide what we recommend.
Advisors, not a booking engine
A Seabound Journeys advisor reads your brief, compares the lines for your dates and answers you personally. CLIA-affiliated, Florida Seller of Travel ST15578.
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- Usually the same fare as booking direct, and our advice costs you nothing.
- We compare the lines that call at Edfu & Kom Ombo for your dates, not one brochure.
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Quick answers
Edfu & Kom Ombo on a river cruise: questions
Do I need the calèche at Edfu?
Not strictly, but most people take it. Walking means traffic and heat. Ask for a car if you'd rather avoid the horses.
Edfu or Kom Ombo — which matters more?
You'll usually see both. Edfu is the bigger and better preserved of the two. Kom Ombo is the stranger one, a temple split between two gods, with crocodiles next door.
Is the Crocodile Museum worth the time?
Yes, for twenty minutes. It's beside the temple and open late, so it fits an evening call.
How long is each stop?
Allow 60–90 minutes inside Edfu's temple and 2–3 hours with the transfers. Kom Ombo is usually shorter, an afternoon or evening visit.
How we checked this page 15 sources
Every fact above comes from a source listed here, checked on October 22, 2026: port and city authorities, the lines’ own pages, the hotels and the rating guides. Where nothing official is published, the page says so rather than filling the gap.
- Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities – Edfu Temple
- Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities – Kom Ombo Temple
- Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities – Crocodile Museum
- CruiseMapper – Edfu port
- CruiseMapper – Kom Ombo port
- Viking – Nile river page (Australia site)
- Viking – Pharaohs & Pyramids 2027 (Australia site)
- Cruise Critic – Sailing a Nile river cruise with Viking (Aug 2023)
- AmaWaterways – Secrets of Egypt & the Nile
- Uniworld – Splendors of Egypt & the Nile 2027
- TourRadar – Avalon Taste of Egypt
- Tauck – Jewels of the Nile
- ACE Moharram-Bakhoum – Additional Esna Navigation Lock
- In Your Pocket – The Nile Cruise Guide (July 2026)
- Viator – Temple of Horus (at Edfu)
Keep planning