Full-Day Tour: Best Of Aswan, Abu Simbel Temples, Philae Temple & High Dam

The journey, in full

The tour guide will pick you up from your Hotel or Nile Cruise in Aswan from 4 to 4:30 am by air-conditioned vehicle to hit the road to Abu Simbel(sharing a group in a bus or minibus) to start your tour of the fascinate colorful temples of Abu Simbel. Drive for about 280 kilometers, approx. 3 hours through the Egyptian desert and watch the sunrise over the mountains. Upon arrival, buy your tickets, then take a short walk to the temple entrance. Your Egyptology guide will explain the history of the site. Hear details of the UNESCO-led relocation of the entire cliff face to higher ground, and how the temples were only discovered by accident in 1813. Due to the large number of visitors, guides are not permitted inside the Great Temple of Ramses II or the smaller Temple of Hathor. However, by using photos and illustrations your guide will explain the structures and their interior artworks before giving you some free time to enter the temples and explore at leisure. As one of the few Ancient Egyptian sites that largely escaped damage from past invaders, the interiors of the Abu Simbel temples are astounding. The scale of the buildings and their detailed decorations leave most visitors in awe. The experience is further enhanced by the scenic location on the edge of Lake Nasser in the orange sands of the desert. After visiting the temples, benefit from some time for a short visit to the small visitor’s center to see documents relating to the UNESCO relocation project (time permitting) before the drive back to Aswan. Drive back to Aswan, for another 3 to 4 hours. Have lunch at a local restaurant (optional). From there, head out to explore the main landmarks of the city, including the High Dam and Philae Temple. You will take a short motorboat ride to the Philae temple. The temple was relocated to its current location by UNESCO after the building of the High Dam to prevent its inundation. The island was carefully selected to match the original settings on which the temple was originally built. Enjoy free time to explore the beauty of the temple and its surroundings. Proceed to visit the High Dam; an engineering wonder, built in 1960 to save Egypt from the flooding of the Nile. The Dam provides a huge water reservoir known as Lake Nasser, one of the biggest artificial lakes in the world. At this landmark, you will see the huge hydro-power stations that provide Egypt with 10 percent of its electricity. End your tour by driving back to your hotel or Nile cruise in Aswan.