Qena
Qena, Egypt
Qena, a market town and provincial capital sitting on a bend in the Nile River, provides visitors to modern-day Egypt with a glimpse into the far-distant past. Sightseers traveling between Luxor and the Red Sea almost always pass through, and the city serves as a jumping-off point for explorations of the nearby Dendera temple complex.
The basics
Qena is a popular day-trip destination from Luxor, largely thanks to its proximity to Dendera, home to the Temple of Hathor and a series of Greco-Roman structures. Excursions to this site on the West Bank of the Nile can take as little as half a day.
During a typical visit, travelers get to see the restored Hathor Temple, as well as the Sacred Lake, foundations of an old sanatorium, and two mammisi (birth houses). Also worth seeing in the town itself is the grand Sidi Abd Er-Rahim Mosque.
Things to know before you go
- Qena is the closest town to the temple complex at Dendera.
- Half-day excursions to Qena and Dendara typically last 4–5 hours.
- Full-day trips to Qena and Dendara often include the temples at Abydos as well.
How to get there
Qena lies about 95 miles (155 kilometers) inland from Hurghada, and 39 miles (62 kilometers) north of Luxor. Most visitors reach the town by organized tour, either by coach or Nile cruiser. There’s also a train from Luxor to Qena that takes about 1 hour.
When to get there
Like much of Egypt, Qena has a hot and arid climate, particularly during July and August, when the temperatures surge. The best months for exploring the town and nearby temples are November to March.
Temple of Hathor
While not the most famous temple in Egypt, the Temple of Hathor ranks among the most important, as it's one of the best preserved. The 2,000-year-old temple is dedicated to Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of the sky, sex, fertility, and music, and its crypt is home to the famed Dendera light relief.
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