Luxor and Aswan are two great Egyptian cities that have been in existence for a very long time. Located along the River Nile, these cities have a rich historical background and equally interesting cultural traditions. Luxor and Aswan are known to be the locations of nearly all of the remaining intact ancient Egyptian temples dating back around 4000 years.
In this article, we shall give you a brief explanation of Luxor and Aswan, highlight the best places to visit in Luxor alongside the best places to visit in Aswan, and also give you some advice on the best time to travel to these cities so that you can have a good time.
Where are Luxor and Aswan?
Luxor and Aswan are in the south of Egypt. Luxor is an Egyptian city that is located on the east bank of the Nile in southern Egypt. Luxor is one of the most famous cities in Egypt and receives a large number of tourists from all over the world. The popularity of Luxor is due to its location on the site of the ancient Egyptian city of Waset, known to the Greeks as Thebes, the pharaoh’s capital city at the height of their power. Most of the best places to visit in Luxor have a large number of ancient structures that draw visitors from all over the world. The graceful Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, and the historic royal tombs of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens are just some of the best places to visit in Luxor and are all located in this wonderful city, making it the perfect travel location for people all around the world.
Aswan, on the other hand, is located on the east bank of the Nile River and at the first cataract. Being an ancient city, Aswan also has its fair share of historical and archaeological discoveries and structures, making it a great tourist attraction. The modern city of Aswan is an ancient city. So, Luxor and Aswan can be reached by cruise from Cairo or from Luxor to Aswan and vice versa
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Top places to visit in Luxor and Aswan
Due to the rich historical background of Luxor and Aswan, there are a lot of wonderful places to visit. Some of these top places are highlighted below.
1) Valley of Kings
The Valley of the Kings is a large area of land that was reserved by the ancient Egyptians for the burial of Egypt's New Kingdom pharaohs and a few lesser nobles. For about 200 years, archeologists have been exploring this large burial site, and so far, about 65 ancient tombs have been discovered, with several others still hidden to this very day. Although most of the tombs in Luxor and Aswan are virtually empty due to the efforts of tomb raiders or ancient priests trying to protect these bodies from tomb raiders, two major and important tombs belonging to King Amenhotep and King Tutankhamun have been found on this site, making it even more exciting. There are even rumors of more important tombs that are yet to be discovered on these sites. So as you can see, the exciting history of the Valley of the Kings makes it the perfect place for you to visit in Luxor and Aswan, and tourists are even allowed to explore some of these tombs themselves.
2) Karnak temple
Referred to as the largest religious site in the world, the Karnak temple is one of the most popular and most visited temples in the world. This vast temple city, dedicated to the ancient Egyptian god Anum, contains a lot of historical structures, with the oldest dating back to about 4000 years ago, although there are also younger structures in this great city. The Karnak temple is part of the ancient capital city of Thebes. The Karnack Temple is a fantastic travel destination for anyone visiting Luxor and Aswan because it allows tourists to see firsthand how life was in ancient Egypt and how important religion was to the ancient Egyptians.
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3) Deir el medina
A visit to Luxor and Aswan can never be complete without visiting Deir el-Medina in Luxor, which is an almost perfectly preserved ancient Egyptian village and one of the best places to visit in Luxor. The Deir el-Medina, located near the Valley of the Kings, was home to the workers who built the majority of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Before this discovery, historians believed that most Egyptian structures were constructed by slaves who were forced into labor. But with the discovery of this ancient site, a comprehensive understanding of typical communal life and interactions during the time of the pharaohs was provided. This allowed historians to understand a lot of issues concerning the lives of ancient Egyptians, such as gender equality, religious tolerance, and the ideal working conditions under which the workers of ancient Egypt labored.
Although most travel tours in Luxor and Aswan include only the Valley of the Kings in their travel packages, an important and even more interesting ancient site you should not miss is the wonderful Deir el-Medina, the gem of Luxor and Aswan.
4) Horus Temple
We have been discussing the tourist attractions in Luxor, and now it is time to talk about one or two wonderful and best places to visit in Aswan. One of these special places to visit in Aswan is the Horus Temple. Located in Edfu, the temple of Horus is considered the most impressive and fascinating of all the temples along the Nile in both Luxor and Aswan. Since the temple of Horus is not as old as all the other temples along the Nile, almost all the structures and designs of this magnificent temple can still be seen easily, thus allowing tourists to see some additional details that have disappeared from older structures due to erosion.
5) Aswan High Dam
Often described as an engineering miracle by those that have seen it, the Aswan dam is a large, magnificent dam that was built in 1960. It contains 18 times the material used in building the famous great pyramids, making it one of the greatest and most popular attractions in Egypt and among the best places to visit in Aswan on your Luxor and Aswan tour.
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Best time to visit Luxor and Aswan
If you are planning to travel to Luxor and Aswan anytime soon, here is some advice on the best time for you to make your journey. Although the weather there is generally wonderful, if you want to make your journey more pleasurable, you are better off traveling between March and April and between October and November. During these months, the crowds are less, better hotel rates are available, and the temperature is generally cooler, allowing you to explore these cities to the fullest without any fear of heavy rainfall or scorching sun.