The wonders of Ancient Egypt extend far to the south, up the Nile. For millennia this was Egypt's shifting southern frontier - home to some of the greatest archaeological sites on earth.

Tristan Hughes explores the stories behind the spectacular monuments of Upper Egypt, Abu Simbel, Philae, Elephantine Island and Aswan, and discovers the long history of this region, from the grandiose creations of Ramses II right through to the Roman Emperors who venerated Egyptian gods in these southern lands.

This is an archaeological journey into the powerful imagery of the New Kingdom pharaohs and some less well known gods, guardians of the precious Nile floods that watered and fed all of Egypt. And it culminates at beautiful Philae, a late period island temple that was the final hold out of Egypt’s ancient religion - including, incredibly, the last hieroglyphs ever written.

Join Tristan on a very special expedition into the southern heart of Egypt.