Qubbet el-Hawa

The cliff on the west bank north of Aswan is cut with the tombs of the governors and expedition leaders who ran Egypt's southern frontier in the Old and Middle Kingdoms, reached by a long stepped ramp from the river. Their inscriptions are the interest: Harkhuf recorded four trading journeys deep into Nubia and copied onto his tomb wall a letter from the boy king Pepi II excitedly telling him to bring back a dancing pygmy safely, one of the most human documents from ancient Egypt. Other tombs belong to Sarenput, Mekhu and Sabni, with painted chambers and pillared halls. A domed sheikh's tomb on the summit gives the name and marks the top of the climb, from which the whole cataract region is laid out below.

The main sights

• Harkhuf's expedition inscriptions - including the king's letter about a dancing pygmy.
• Painted pillared tomb chambers - Sarenput and his neighbours.
• The cliff-top view - Elephantine, the cataract and the desert from the summit.
• The sheikh's domed tomb - the marker that gives the hill its name.

When to go

October to April. Two hours including the climb. Late afternoon for the view and softer light, mornings for the cooler ascent. The site is quiet compared with anything in Luxor.

Good to know

The stair up the cliff is long and steep with no shade. Not all tombs are open and a guard with keys may be needed. Interiors are dark and a torch helps. The boat crossing and the taxi on the far side need arranging in advance.

Nearby

The Monastery of St Simeon lies south along the bank; Aswan is across the river.

Key facts