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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Edfu
Spend a half‑day at the Temple of Horus, stay one night in town – total 1 day needed.
Edfu’s main draw is the well‑preserved Temple of Horus (237 BC–57 BC). The site can be explored in 3–4 hours, leaving time for a quick town walk and a night in a basic hotel. One full day (arrival, temple, overnight) is enough for most travelers.
- Country
- Egypt
- Best months
- Oct–May
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (high heat, longer temple hours)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EGP
- Money
- Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E). Hotels, cruise boats and larger restaurants take cards; taxis, markets, small cafés, tips and toilet attendants are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget LE200–300 excl. bed · Mid LE300–500 excl. bed · High LE500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.
- Emergency
- Police 122 · Ambulance 123 · Tourist police 126
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).; Guide, full day: US$10–20 per person.; Driver, full day: US$5–10.; Cruise crew: About US$5–10 per person per day in the envelope.; Toilet, porter, small help: EGP 10–30.
- Water
- Tap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20. Carry tissue.
Get in
By air
- LXR · Luxor International Airport
- Main gateway for Upper Egypt; about 100 km (62 mi) north of Edfu, bus or taxi transfer ≈ 2 hMain gateway for Upper Egypt; about 62 mi (100 km) north of Edfu, bus or taxi transfer ≈ 2 h
Typical fares
- Train Cairo → Edfu (via Luxor/Esna)
- ≈ LE300–LE350, 12 h total; check schedule for exact times
- Taxi within town (e.g., station → temple)
- ≈ LE30 max
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk the short town centre or take a tuk‑tuk/taxi (≤ LE30). Caleche drivers at the river wharf often overcharge; negotiate a round‑trip price around LE150‑200.
See and do
Known for
- Temple of Horus
- Tell Edfu archaeological mound
- St. Pachomius Coptic monastery
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kom Ombo | Bus or shared taxi, about 65 km (40 mi) south, ~1 h travelBus or shared taxi, about 40 mi (65 km) south, ~1 h travel | ≈ 1 h |
| Esna | Bus or shared taxi, about 60 km (37 mi) north, ~1 h travelBus or shared taxi, about 37 mi (60 km) north, ~1 h travel | ≈ 1 h |
Sleep
- Horus Hotel
- Opposite Massa Hotel, similar quality and price
- Massa Hotel
- Single room LE350, 4th floor, near temple crossroads
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much is the fare? | بكم الأجرة؟bikam al‑ujra? |
| I would like a single room | عايز أوضة فرديةʿāyiz awḍa fardiyya |
| Where is the temple? | فين المعبد؟fēn al‑maʿbad? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum', handshake; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging strangers
- Eating: Right hand; accept tea; avoid: Refusing hospitality flatly
- Bargaining: Humour and patience; avoid: Anger
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in cities; avoid: Beachwear outside resorts
- Baksheesh: Keep small notes ready; avoid: Showing a thick wallet
- Photos: Ask; pay if agreed; avoid: Photographing police or military
Scams and watch-outs
- Caleche drivers may ask LE200 for a round‑trip ride to the temple; try to keep it ≤ LE150.
- Temple entry: Adults LE140, students LE70 (check for any seasonal changes).
- Taxi fares should not exceed LE30 for short trips; confirm price before boarding.
Edfu is generally safe; watch for overcharging by caleche drivers and keep valuables secure in crowded spots.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Edfu yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Temple of Horus
- Tell Edfu archaeological mound
- St. Pachomius Coptic monastery
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Edfu: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12345
- Wikivoyage: Edfu, revision 5248611 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5248611
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/edfu). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.