Dendera and Abydos Day Trip from Luxor

Abydos and Dendera: Two Temples North of Luxor

This private Dendera and Abydos day trip from Luxor takes you to two of the best-preserved temples in Egypt, away from the crowds of the Valley of the Kings. Drive north along the Nile with your guide to Abydos, the holy city of Osiris, then continue to Dendera and the Temple of Hathor, before returning to your hotel or Nile cruise in Luxor.

Abydos – the city of Osiris

Abydos lies about 160 km north of Luxor, on the west side of the Nile. From the Middle Kingdom onwards Egyptians believed that Osiris, god of the underworld, was buried here, and it became one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the country. Today the site is dominated by New Kingdom temples. The Temple of Seti I (19th Dynasty), completed by his son Ramesses II, has some of the finest painted reliefs in Egypt and the famous Abydos King List, a carved roll of royal names honoured by Seti I. Behind it lies the Osireion, a mysterious underground structure linked to the cult of Osiris, and nearby stands the smaller Temple of Ramesses II.

Dendera – the Temple of Hathor

Dendera, near Qena, is home to the Temple of Hathor, goddess of love, music and joy. The holy site is very old, but the temple you see today was built mainly under the last Ptolemies and completed in Roman times, which is why it is so complete – roof, stairways and colours included. Look up at the blue astronomical ceiling of the hypostyle hall with its Hathor-headed columns, climb to the rooftop chapels (where a cast of the famous Dendera Zodiac sits in place of the original, now in the Louvre) and find the relief of Cleopatra VII and her son Caesarion on the outer rear wall.

Highlights

• The Temple of Seti I and the Abydos King List
• The Osireion and the Temple of Ramesses II at Abydos
• The painted ceilings and Hathor columns of the Dendera Temple
• Rooftop chapels with the Dendera Zodiac cast, and the Cleopatra relief
• Private tour with a professional guide, hotel pickup and entrance fees included

Prices

Private full-day tour including transport, guide and entrance fees. Choose a pickup time between 6:00 and 10:00 am when booking. Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the tour.

Larger group or special request? Contact us or call/WhatsApp +201000569259 or +201221418581.

More from Luxor: hot air balloon and full-day Luxor tour, the Luxor Museum and Mummification Museum tour, or see all Luxor tours.

Comfortable shoes, a hat, sunscreen, water and some cash for tips and drinks. A small torch is useful for the dark corners of the temples.

Pickup from your hotel or Nile cruise in Luxor. Sites: Temple of Seti I, Abydos · Dendera Temple of Hathor.