5.0 on Tripadvisor Licensed by the Ministry of Tourism and AntiquitiesMinistry licensed guides On the river since 2011 Luxor and Aswan, every week
El Kab is the ancient city of Nekheb, home of the vulture goddess Nekhbet who protected Upper Egypt. Huge mudbrick walls, a temple, and painted tombs of New Kingdom officials stand on the east bank north of Edfu, and only the dahabiyas stop here.
Written by Mo Adam, licensed Egyptologist guide since 2011. Updated 16 October 2026.
Four things not to miss at Nekheb.
A path climbs from the river to a paved terrace along the hillside, with the tomb entrances cut side by side into the rock.
A painted tomb of a New Kingdom official, with lively scenes of life on his estates along the walls.
The tomb of a soldier who fought in the wars that drove out the Hyksos, with his life story carved on the walls: the battles, the rewards, the gold of honour.
Vaulted chambers with a statue niche at the back, their walls covered in scenes of daily life and long hieroglyphic texts.
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Nekheb is one of the oldest towns of Egypt, with monuments running from the Predynastic period to Graeco-Roman times. It was the cult centre of Nekhbet, the vulture goddess and protector of Upper Egypt, whose wings spread over pharaohs in temple scenes all along the Nile. In the New Kingdom its officials and soldiers cut their tombs into the hillside, and the biographies on their walls, above all that of Ahmose son of Abana, are among the most vivid soldier stories left to us from the ancient world.
El Kab is visited on dahabiya routes only, with a licensed Egyptologist. It is a stop on the 4-night Luxor to Aswan sailing of the Three Pyramids and Nour El Din dahabiyas, leaving Luxor on Mondays. The Swan can stop here on request.
Only dahabiyas. On our routes, El Kab is a stop on the 4-night Luxor to Aswan sailing of the Three Pyramids and Nour El Din, leaving Luxor on Mondays, and the Swan can stop here on request. Large cruise ships pass by, because there is no ship dock at El Kab.
Yes. On our dahabiya cruises the visits on the sailing route and their entrance fees are part of the price.
No. There is no ship dock at El Kab, so the ships pass by. The dahabiyas moor at the river landing.
It is a short walk from the landing, and the tombs sit up a hillside path taken slowly with the group. Tell us when you enquire if anyone walks with difficulty.
Tell us your dates and we will send back the dahabiyas that fit, with honest answers.
See also Edfu Temple, visited on the same stretch of the river, and our article on the small sites only dahabiyas visit.
