Stay Hacks

Dendera rewards the earliest possible arrival. Most organised groups drive from Luxor and reach the temple around mid morning, so being at the gate when it opens gives you the hypostyle hall almost alone. Bring a small torch for the crypts, and do not skip the staircase to the roof, where the chapels and the view over the fields are the best part of the visit.

Checkout at El Yasmene is at ten in the morning, earlier than many travellers expect. If your train or car leaves in the afternoon, ask reception on the evening before to keep your luggage, which they normally accept. Check in is from midday.

About the heat: from May until September daytime temperatures in Qena regularly pass forty degrees. Sightseeing is realistic only in early morning and after sunset. The comfortable season runs from late October to March, when mornings can even feel fresh.

One thing about food: the best breakfast in Qena is often outside the hotel. Ask the reception which ful cart near the square the locals prefer and go at around seven, when the bread is still warm. It costs almost nothing and is part of the experience.

Cash in Egyptian pounds remains necessary for almost everything outside the hotel. Tuk tuks, street food, small shops and temple toilets want small notes, and change is frequently missing. ATMs exist around Clock Square, but it is advisable to withdraw in Luxor or at the airport before arrival, in case the local machines are empty.

Foreign visitors travelling by road in Qena governorate may still meet police checkpoints, and on some routes a police escort can be requested. Keep your passport with you at all times, not in the room. When arranging a driver for Dendera or Abydos, do it through reception, because local drivers know the current procedures and will register the trip if required.