Upper Egypt
In antiquity, Upper Egypt started at Memphis and ran as far south as Aswan. Nowadays Qena bend is taken as the region’s beginning with Aswan still at the end of the line.
Today the borders have shifted a little as to where it starts, Qena Bend being the general rule, but Aswan remains where it ends.
Around 3100B.C, King Menes (of the first dynasty) unified Upper and Lower Egypt.
The greatest era of Egyptian history was about to begin Memphis, the capital, became the cradle of pharaonic civilization. The Nile River, Egypt’s lifeblood, was the key to the creation of this complex civilization. The river providing fresh water, fish, fertile soil and a mode of transportation, set in place an entire culture that remained unchanged for thousands of years.
Any of the most important achievements in world history took place in Egypt during this time; writing, art and architecture began here. The calendar and the water-wheel were invented.
During the third dynasty or the Old Kingdom, the first stone monument was erected: the Pyramid of Djoser.
As the Pharaohs became more powerful their pyramids became even more ambitious. The Old Kingdom is considered by historians as the Age of the Pyramids. One of these achievements, the Great Pyramid of Khufu remained the tallest manmade monument until the building of the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 1889.
Upper Egypt is the area where the greatest concentration of ancient monuments in the world can be found. Thanks to the arid climate; temples, tombs and pyramids built millenniums ago are still standing as reminders of an ancient and advanced civilization.
The temple complex of Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Luxor and the Tombs of the Theban Necropolis are amongst the remaining historical treasures of the New Kindom (18th-20th dynasty). An era of unparalleled wealth and power.
At the site of the temples of Abydos, Dendara, Karnak, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae and Abu Simbel, each temple built as a home for their respective gods, the vistor cannot help being in awe even in this age of towering skyscrapers.
The best way to visit these sites is by boat, so whether you are sailing on a felucca or on a ship; Bon Voyage! It will be the experience of a lifetime.