Temple of Kom Ombo (Day Trip)

Unique double temple on the Nile bend, dedicated simultaneously to Horus and Sobek the crocodile god

Kom Ombo is a Ptolemaic temple in a setting unlike any other in Egypt: perched on a bend in the Nile about 175 kilometres south of Luxor, it is half of a symmetrical double temple, each side dedicated to a different deity — Horus the falcon-headed sky god on the north, Sobek the crocodile god on the south. The plan mirrors itself exactly: two entrances, two sets of halls, two sanctuaries side by side.

The reliefs at Kom Ombo include one of the most interesting panels in Egyptian temples: what appears to be a wall of medical instruments — surgical tools, forceps, and scales — though the interpretation is debated. There is also a Nilometer — a gauge for measuring flood levels — still visible within the complex. Most visitors arrive as part of a Nile cruise and have limited time; if you are coming by taxi from Luxor, budget a full afternoon for both Kom Ombo and Edfu in combination.

things to do sight
A story
The cult of Sobek at Kom Ombo kept sacred crocodiles in a pool within the temple precinct. The remains of dozens of mummified crocodiles were found buried near the temple, and a small museum on site displays them. The Nile was at this point particularly crocodile-infested in antiquity, and the local cult was essentially a negotiation between the people who lived here and the predators that could kill them. Worship the crocodile god, and perhaps the crocodile would respect you.