Begin your day with a convenient pickup from your hotel or Nile cruise in Aswan. Travel in comfort on a scenic private car ride of approximately three hours to the iconic temples of Abu Simbel.
Upon arrival, explore the world-renowned twin temples, carved into the mountainside in the 13th century BC during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II of the 19th Dynasty. The Great Temple of Ramesses II, considered the grandest of his constructions, features four colossal statues over 20 meters high at its entrance. Your private guide will share fascinating insights into the temple’s history, architecture, and significance, while you enjoy time to admire its interior, which stretches 60 meters into the mountain, adorned with intricate carvings celebrating Ramesses II’s victories and devotion to the gods Amun, Ra-Horakhty, Ptah, and himself.
Next, visit the Temple of Hathor, dedicated to the goddess of love, joy, and music, and built in honor of Ramesses II’s favorite wife, Queen Nefertari. Six towering statues, each 10 meters tall, stand guard at its entrance.
Between 1964 and 1968, the temples were relocated to save them from Lake Nasser’s rising waters—a remarkable engineering achievement involving the careful dismantling and reconstruction of massive blocks weighing up to 30 tons, 65 meters higher and 200 meters back from the river.
After experiencing this extraordinary archaeological site, return to Aswan in your private vehicle, with drop-off at your hotel or Nile cruise, concluding a memorable day exploring one of Egypt’s most magnificent treasures.
