Day trips · Luxor · Egypt
5 best day trips from Luxor
Where to go when you want a day away from Luxor, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Luxor is Dendera (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car). The closest option is Esna, about 55 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 5
- Closest
- Esna (55 km)
- Most popular
- Dendera
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dendera | 70 km | About 1 hour 15 minutes by car | Private car or tour | Culture, First-timers |
| Abydos | 160 km | About 2.5–3 hours by car | Private car or tour, often combined with Dendera | Culture, Quiet stays |
| Esna | 55 km | About 1 hour by car | Private car, or as a Nile cruise stop | Culture, Quiet stays |
| Edfu | 110 km | About 1.5–2 hours by car | Private car or Nile cruise stop | Culture, Families, First-timers |
| Aswan | 220 km | About 3–3.5 hours by car or train | Train, private car or Nile cruise | Culture, Couples, Quiet stays |
The day trips
70 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes by car
1.Dendera
The Temple of Hathor at Dendera is one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt, with a recently cleaned ceiling of vivid blue astronomical paintings, a copy of the famous zodiac and rooftop chapels you can climb to.
- Getting there
- Private car or tour
- Best for
- Culture, First-timers
160 km · About 2.5–3 hours by car
2.Abydos
The Temple of Seti I at Abydos holds some of the finest raised reliefs of the New Kingdom and the King List of royal names. It is a long day from Luxor, usually combined with Dendera.
- Getting there
- Private car or tour, often combined with Dendera
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays
55 km · About 1 hour by car
3.Esna
The Temple of Khnum in Esna sits in a pit below the modern town, and restoration has revealed brilliantly coloured ceilings and columns hidden under centuries of soot.
- Getting there
- Private car, or as a Nile cruise stop
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays
110 km · About 1.5–2 hours by car
4.Edfu
The Ptolemaic Temple of Horus at Edfu is the most complete temple in Egypt, with its roof, pylons and inner sanctuary intact. It is a standard stop on cruises between Luxor and Aswan.
- Getting there
- Private car or Nile cruise stop
- Best for
- Culture, Families, First-timers
220 km · About 3–3.5 hours by car or train
5.Aswan
Aswan has the granite islands of the First Cataract, Philae Temple, Nubian villages and the starting point for trips to Abu Simbel. It is better as an overnight stop or as the end of a cruise than as a day trip.
- Getting there
- Train, private car or Nile cruise
- Best for
- Culture, Couples, Quiet stays
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- For trips over about 165 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Luxor?
Dendera. The Temple of Hathor at Dendera is one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt, with a recently cleaned ceiling of vivid blue astronomical paintings, a copy of the famous zodiac and rooftop chapels you can climb to.
+How long does it take to get from Luxor to Dendera?
About 1 hour 15 minutes by car — Private car or tour, about 70 km.
+How long does it take to get from Luxor to Abydos?
About 2.5–3 hours by car — Private car or tour, often combined with Dendera, about 160 km.