Nile Valley Road (Luxor to Aswan)
Egypt, africa
230 km
190 m
easy
October to April
The Nile Valley Road from Luxor to Aswan follows the west bank of the Nile River for approximately 230 kilometers through Upper Egypt, passing through one of the oldest continuously inhabited corridors of human civilization. The road runs alongside sugarcane fields, date palm groves, and mud-brick villages set against the stark backdrop of the Saharan desert cliffs that frame the narrow fertile strip of the Nile Valley.
This route connects two of Egypt's most important archaeological sites: Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes with its Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple, and Luxor Temple; and Aswan, the gateway to Nubia with the Philae Temple, the Unfinished Obelisk, and the High Dam. Along the way, the road passes the temple complexes of Esna, Edfu (one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt), and Kom Ombo. The juxtaposition of ancient monuments, timeless rural life along the Nile, and the vast desert stretching to the horizon makes this one of the most historically atmospheric drives in the world.
Where is it?
Nile Valley Road (Luxor to Aswan) is located in Upper Egypt, Egypt (africa). Coordinates: 25.0000, 32.8900
Driving Tips
Check current travel advisories and convoy requirements, which can change. The west bank road is more scenic and less trafficked than the east bank highway. Stop at Edfu Temple, the best-preserved Ptolemaic temple in Egypt. Driving standards in Egypt can be erratic so drive defensively. Avoid driving at night. Consider combining with a Nile felucca sailing trip from Aswan.
Road Surface
Paved asphalt
Road Details
- Country
- Egypt
- Continent
- africa
- Region
- Upper Egypt
- Length
- 230 km
- Max Elevation
- 190 m
- Difficulty
- easy
- Surface
- Paved asphalt
- Best Season
- October to April
- Coordinates
- 25.0000, 32.8900
Related Roads in africa
Tizi n'Tichka Pass
🇲🇦 Morocco
The Tizi n'Tichka Pass is the highest major mountain pass in North Africa, reaching 2,260 meters in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. The road (N9) connects Marrakech with the Saharan city of Ouarzazate over a distance of approximately 200 kilometers, crossing the backbone of the Atlas range. Built by the French Foreign Legion in 1936, the road was a critical military and trade route and remains the primary road link between Marrakech and the Draa Valley oases and film studios of Ouarzazate. The ascent from the Marrakech side takes drivers through a rapidly changing landscape, from the fertile Haouz plain through terraced Berber villages clinging to mountainsides, past groves of walnut and almond trees, and up through increasingly barren terrain to the windswept pass. The road features numerous switchbacks and hairpin bends, and traffic is diverse: modern vehicles share the road with donkeys, overloaded trucks, and local buses navigating the narrow curves at varying speeds. The descent toward Ouarzazate passes through the Berber heartland, where traditional kasbahs (fortified villages) dot the landscape. A detour to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Benhaddou, a stunning fortified village that has served as a filming location for Game of Thrones, Gladiator, and Lawrence of Arabia, is highly recommended. The road is open year-round, though snow can occasionally close the pass in winter. Along the route, roadside vendors sell geodes, fossils, and minerals from the Atlas Mountains, and small restaurants offer traditional Berber tagine and mint tea.
Garden Route
🇿🇦 South Africa
The Garden Route is a 300-kilometer stretch of the southern coast of South Africa between Mossel Bay and Storms River along the N2 highway. Named for the diverse vegetation and numerous lagoons, lakes, and rivers found along the coast, it is one of the most popular road trip routes in Africa and arguably the most scenic coastal drive on the continent. The route hugs the Indian Ocean coastline with indigenous forests, dramatic sea cliffs, and golden beaches. Key highlights include the town of Knysna with its famous lagoon and Knysna Heads sandstone cliffs, the Tsitsikamma National Park with its ancient Afromontane forests and dramatic Storms River Mouth suspension bridge, Plettenberg Bay's pristine beaches and whale watching, and the Wilderness section with its chain of coastal lakes. The region's temperate maritime climate supports a unique fynbos ecosystem alongside lush forests of yellowwood and stinkwood trees, and the coast is a calving ground for southern right whales from June to November.
Ring Road (Cameroon)
🌍 Cameroon
The Ring Road is a roughly 360-kilometer circular route through the Bamenda Highlands of Cameroon's Northwest Region, encircling the volcanic peaks of the Cameroon Volcanic Line at elevations between 1,500 and 2,200 meters. Starting and ending in Bamenda, the road passes through the traditional chiefdoms of the Grassfields kingdoms, one of the most culturally distinct areas in all of West Africa. The route traverses rolling green highlands reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands but with a distinctly African character: grazing cattle on high plateaus, traditional thatched-roof fon (chief) palaces, crater lakes formed in extinct volcanic calderas, and dense montane forests harboring rare birds and primates. Key stops include the Oku crater lake and the surrounding Kilum-Ijim cloud forest (home to the endangered Bannerman's turaco), the Bafut and Bali chiefdoms with their elaborate traditional architecture, and the scenic Sabga Pass. The road surface ranges from reasonable tarmac to challenging laterite tracks.
Avenue of the Baobabs Road
🇲🇬 Madagascar
The Avenue of the Baobabs is a group of approximately 25 towering Grandidier's baobab trees (Adansonia grandidieri) lining a dirt road between Morondava and Belon'i Tsiribihina in western Madagascar. These ancient trees, some estimated to be over 800 years old and standing up to 30 meters tall, create one of the most iconic and photographed landscapes in all of Africa. The road itself is a roughly 20-kilometer stretch of the Route Nationale 8. Once part of a dense tropical forest, the baobabs are now the sole survivors of extensive deforestation for agriculture, standing as majestic sentinels in an otherwise flat, open landscape of rice paddies and sugarcane fields. The road is at its most magical during sunrise and sunset, when the low-angle light casts long shadows and turns the bulbous trunks golden. Despite its fame, the road remains unpaved and can be challenging during the wet season when it turns into a muddy quagmire. The site was designated a national natural monument in 2007.