South of Luxor

There are three noteworthy stops south of Luxor: Esna, where two locks in the Nile require the cruise ships to line up and navigate their way; al-Kab, which has a little-visited temple; and Edfu, where the Temple of Horus is the most impressive and intact temple on the shores of the Nile. The Nile cruisers normally bypass Esna and al-Kab, though it's possible to book private tours from Luxor. Edfu is included on all Nile cruise itineraries, but the temple can also be seen on overland day trips from Luxor.