Abu Simbel excursion by car / bus

Abu Simbel is an archaeological site comprised of ancient Egyptian temples located in Nubia, southern Egypt. It sits on the western bank of Lake Nasser, approximately 280 km southwest of Aswan, near its original location. The temples are part of the Open Air Museum of Nubia and Aswan, a complex designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 under the name "Nubian Monuments," which extends to Philae, near Aswan. Carved out of the rock during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II in the 13th century BC, the temples were built as a monument to Ramses II and his wife Nefertari, commemorating their victory in the Battle of Kadesh and showcasing their power to their Nubian neighbors. In 1968, the complex was relocated to an artificial hill constructed on nearby land above the future Lake Nasser's level. This relocation was necessary to prevent the temples from being submerged after the construction of the Aswan High Dam and the reservoir formed by the Nile River. Abu Simbel remains one of Egypt’s most significant tourist attractions.

ITINERARY

For most travelers, tours to Abu Simbel are the highlight of their visit to Egypt and rank among the country's top tourist attractions, alongside the Pyramids of Giza. The Abu Simbel tour from Aswan allows you to experience the glory of ancient Egyptian civilization and explore some of its greatest temples.

In the early morning, a Misrona Tours guide will pick you up from your hotel in Aswan. You will embark on your day trip to Abu Simbel, driving for approximately three hours to reach the temples. Upon arrival, your guide will introduce you to this world-renowned site, where Ramses II (1290-1223 BC) ordered two sun temples to be carved from the limestone mountains.

Your first stop will be the Great Temple, dedicated to Amon-Re and Ra-Horakhte, where four colossal statues of Ramses II stand majestically, each over 20 meters high, gazing out across the desert. Next, you will visit the nearby Small Temple, dedicated to the goddess Hathor and built in honor of Ramses II’s favorite wife, Queen Nefertari. This temple features six massive standing statues, each 10 meters high. Originally, the two temples were cut into the side of a mountain, which has now been covered by an artificial mountain to replicate the original site.

The Great Temple was constructed so that the rising sun shines between the four statues of Ramses and illuminates the inner sanctuary on both February 22nd and October 22nd. Modern engineers spent a full year calculating the new placement of the temple to reproduce this remarkable phenomenon. Today, on those dates each year, sunlight illuminates the holy statues for 20 minutes.

After your visit, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Aswan in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle.

What services are included in the price?

• Assistance of our guest relations during your stay.
• All transfers by a private air-conditioned vehicle.
• English speaking tour guide.
• Entrance fees to all sites indicated on the itinerary.
• All service charges and taxes.

What services are not included in the price?

• Any personal expenses
• Any service not mentioned in the itinerary.
• Guide and driver gratuities.

IMPORTANT NOTES: -

• Please book as early as possible to ensure availability, especially on holidays and celebrations such as Christmas, New Year and Easter.
• In order to contact you we need your mobile number, email and fill out the form on the current page, indicating the start date of the trip and the end date of the trip. Please determine the number of adults and children.
• You can book 2 weeks in advance if there are still places available.
• Once your reservation is confirmed, you will receive an email with your booking voucher. Please print it or download it to your mobile phone or tablet to show to the Misrona Tours representative on the day of the activity.
• The details will include tour operator contact numbers, traveler service and travel information.  

• Prices are per person in US dollars depending on the number of people.
• A deposit of 50 % of the total price is required to complete reservations.
• The remaining amount is payable in cash before the tour begins.

• Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the tour starts.
• If you cancel under this time or do not show up, you will not be refunded.