The Nile Narrows at Gebel el-Silsila, Egypt

Rock-hewn tombs line the Nile River at Gebel el-Silsila.

A geographical bottleneck

Between the famous temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo lies a dramatic stretch of the Nile where the river narrows into a rocky gorge known as Gebel el-Silsila. Historically called Kheny (the “Place of Rowing”), this site was far more than a geographical bottleneck; it was the industrial and spiritual engine that fueled the construction of ancient Egypt’s most iconic monuments.

Watch the video

Click the panel below to view: “Nile Narrows: Row, boys, Row!”