Luxor vs Aswan: Which to Visit, How Long to Stay and Where to Start

Luxor and Aswan are the two great stops of Upper Egypt, about 220 kilometres (137 miles) apart on the Nile. Most first trips include both, but if your time is short you may have to choose. This guide gives you a clear answer on which city comes first, how long to stay in each and which one to start in.

Luxor vs Aswan at a glance

	Luxor	Aswan
Best for	The biggest ancient sites in Egypt	A slower pace, Nile views and Nubian culture
Top sights	Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut	Philae Temple, Nubian villages, felucca rides, Abu Simbel as a day trip
Feel	Busy, with sightseeing on both banks of the river	Calm and scenic, with the river at the centre of everything
Ideal stay	2 nights	2 nights
From Cairo	Closer	Further south

If you only have time for one: choose Luxor

Luxor is the easy choice when you can only fit in one city. It is closer to Cairo and has many more of Egypt’s most important sights in one place.

• East bank: Karnak Temple, the largest temple complex in Egypt, and Luxor Temple in the middle of town.
• West bank: the Valley of the Kings, where the pharaohs of the New Kingdom were buried, plus the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon.

Seeing both banks properly takes a full day, which is why Luxor rewards a stay of at least two nights rather than a rushed day trip.

What Aswan offers instead

Aswan is smaller and quieter, and the Nile is the main attraction. The river here is dotted with granite boulders and islands, and the pace is slower than in Luxor.

• Philae Temple: the Temple of Isis, set on an island and reached by boat.
• Nubian villages: colourful villages on the west bank, usually visited by boat.
• Felucca sailing: an hour or two on a traditional sailing boat, ideally in the late afternoon.
• Abu Simbel: the great rock-cut temples of Ramses II, about three hours south of Aswan by road, usually visited as an early-morning trip from Aswan.

If Abu Simbel is on your list, Aswan becomes a must rather than an extra.

How many nights in Luxor and Aswan?

On a land-only trip, two nights in each city is the ideal, relaxed amount of time.

• Luxor, 2 nights: one full day split between the east and west banks, plus time for a sunset walk along the Corniche or a second visit to Karnak.
• Aswan, 2 nights: a full day for Philae, a Nubian village and a felucca ride. Add a third night if you want to visit Abu Simbel without rushing.

You can see the highlights in less time, but the days get long and hot, especially outside the cooler months. For the best months, see our guide to the best time to visit Egypt.

Should you start in Luxor or Aswan?

It does not matter much. Both directions work, and the right choice depends on where you are coming from and how you are travelling.

• Coming from Hurghada or the Red Sea coast: start in Luxor. The road from Hurghada goes straight to Luxor, then you continue south to Aswan.
• Coming from Cairo by plane: either order works. Book whichever flights suit your dates best and fly home from the other city if you can.
• Coming from Cairo by sleeper train: the overnight train stops at both cities, so choose the order that fits the rest of your plan. Our partner site’s Egypt sleeper train guide explains how it works.
• On a Nile cruise: you see the same temples either way. Cruises from Luxor to Aswan usually take four nights, and from Aswan to Luxor three, so pick the direction that matches your nights and sailing date.

How to travel between Luxor and Aswan

The two cities are about 3 to 3.5 hours apart by train or car. The train is the easiest option, a private car lets you stop at the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo on the way, and a Nile cruise turns the journey into a three- or four-night trip. For times and prices of every option, see how to get from Luxor to Aswan, and for the cruise route itself, our Luxor to Aswan Nile cruise guide.

Which should you choose?

• Short on time, first trip to Egypt: Luxor.
• Want to see Abu Simbel: include Aswan.
• Want a calmer few days by the river: Aswan.
• Have four nights or more for Upper Egypt: both, two nights each, or a Nile cruise between them.
• Staying in Hurghada: Luxor as a first stop, then Aswan if time allows.

To see how both cities fit into a full week, see our 7-day Egypt itinerary and the Luxor & Aswan guide.