Nile Corridor: Temples of the Gods

The tomb of Pharaoh Khufu and the last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World — a machine for resurrection built at the edge of the desert

Cairo, Egypt

Start at the Great Pyramid of Giza on the outskirts of Cairo. The last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World. Go inside the Grand Gallery if claustrophobia allows. The Solar Boat Museum and the Sphinx are essential. Return at night if the sound-and-light show is running.

The largest religious complex ever built — the earthly dwelling of Amun-Ra, king of the gods, expanded over 2,000 years

Luxor, Egypt

Fly or take the sleeper train to Luxor for the Temple of Karnak. The Hypostyle Hall — 134 columns, each taller than a six-story building — is the most overwhelming architectural space in Egypt. Visit at sunrise before the tour buses arrive. Walk to Luxor Temple at dusk along the Avenue of Sphinxes.

The hidden desert canyon where New Kingdom pharaohs were entombed — the physical gateway to the Duat, the Egyptian underworld

Luxor, Egypt

Cross to the West Bank for the Valley of the Kings. Tutankhamun's tomb is the most famous but the tombs of Seti I and Ramesses VI have superior art. Hatshepsut's mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari is nearby. The West Bank is the land of the dead — the Egyptians meant that literally.

The colossal rock-cut temple where Ramesses II declared himself a god — and where the sun illuminates the inner sanctuary twice a year

Aswan, Egypt

South to Abu Simbel near the Sudanese border. The four colossal statues of Ramesses II were carved directly from the cliff. Twice a year — February 22 and October 22 — sunlight penetrates the inner sanctum to illuminate the gods. The UNESCO relocation in the 1960s is an engineering story as impressive as the original construction.