Nile Cruise Hub

Nile Cruise with Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel sits about 280 kilometres south of Aswan, close to the Sudanese border. It is not on the standard Nile cruise route, so reaching it is always a separate excursion. The question is whether the effort justifies it.

What you are going to see

Two temples cut into a cliff face by Ramses II in the 13th century BC. The Great Temple front is dominated by four seated colossi of Ramses, each about 20 metres high. Beside it stands the smaller temple of his wife Nefertari, one of very few Egyptian temples dedicated to a queen.

Like Philae Temple, the whole complex was moved. When the High Dam created Lake Nasser, both temples were cut into blocks and reassembled 65 metres higher and 200 metres back from the original site. The artificial hill behind them is hollow.

How you get there

By road from Aswan. Around three to three and a half hours each way. Departures are very early, often between 3am and 4am, to arrive before the worst heat. This is the most common option.
By air. A short flight from Aswan with roughly two hours at the site. Far more comfortable, considerably more expensive.
By Lake Nasser cruise. A separate multi-night sailing between Aswan and Abu Simbel that also takes in Nubian temples such as Kalabsha, Wadi El Seboua and Amada. The most rewarding option if you have the time.

The honest downside

The road trip is long, the start is brutal, and you typically get around two hours at the site. If your cruise disembarks the same morning, the day is exhausting.

Some travellers find the scale astonishing and would repeat it. Others feel the six or seven hours in a vehicle outweigh two hours at a temple, however impressive.

When it is clearly worth it

If this is your only trip to Egypt, go. Abu Simbel is not something you can approximate elsewhere, and returning specifically for it is unlikely.

If you have an extra day in Aswan rather than squeezing it onto your disembarkation morning, it becomes a much better experience.

The Sun Festival

Twice a year, on 22 February and 22 October, sunlight penetrates the full length of the Great Temple to illuminate the statues in the inner sanctuary. It draws large crowds and accommodation in Aswan books out well ahead.

Practical notes

Confirm whether Abu Simbel is included in your cruise package or charged separately, since it is usually an extra. Bring water and breakfast for the road, since the early departure precedes ship breakfast service. Photography rules inside the temples are enforced.

Cruises and packages including Abu Simbel

Compare the itineraries that build Abu Simbel in, with prices and durations: Nile Cruise and Abu Simbel. For the arrival-by-water option, see Lake Nasser Cruises.