Living in Luxor - Excursions: #DiscoverEsna Architectural Strolls Through Esna

The River Nile in Esna

Most of you will know Esna's temple but Esna has so much more to offer. From 2017 to 2020, Takween, an urban development company based in Cairo with an office in Esna, worked on a project that had the aim to rediscover Esna's cultural heritage. Takween restored significant places like the old Caravanserai (Wakālat al-Jiddāwī), the Bakkūr oil press, the Fatimid Al-'Amriyya minaret, the wood-covered Al-Qīsāriyya market and several middle-class houses with gorgeous wooden balconies and elaborately decorated lintels from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. In collaboration with Takween, we show you these places and more - on request also the Khnum Temple - during our Discover Esna day trips.

Logo of Esna

Esna (Isnā - ‏إسنا) is situated some 55 km south of Luxor on the western bank of the River Nile and connected to the east bank by a causeway. Esna was the starting respectively ending point of camel trains to Kharga and Dush in Kharga Oasis. Nowadays, Esna is a centre of Coptic Christians. Its main attraction is the Ptolemaic temple in the middle of the town, 9 metres beneath the level of the modern streets and houses. It was dedicated to the ram-headed god Khnum. Esna is also the starting point of most of the dahabiya Nile cruises.

#DiscoverEsna - Impressions

Discover-Esna-Slideshow

Restored house in Esna

Restored caravanserai in Esna

Column in Esna Temple

People of Esna

Discover Esna - Program

9 am	Departure in Luxor (west bank)
10:30 am ca.	Arrival in Esna
	Visit of Esna, part 1
	Luch
	Visit of Esna, part l 2
5 pm ca.	Arrival in Luxor (west bank)

 

Discover Esna - Service Included

• Travel to Esna and back in an air-conditioned passenger car resp. minibus
• Guided tour through Esna by trained local guides
• Lunch in Esna, soft drink included

Price: on request, depending on the number of participants
Dates: on Wednesdays and Sundays by agreement

Geographical Position

Route from Luxor (A) to Esna (B), © Google

 

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