7-DAY EGYPT ITINERARY: FROM CAIRO TO ABU SIMBEL
January 24, 2025
Here is our 7-day Egypt Itinerary, starting from magical Luxor and going down to Abu Simbel and back up to Cairo!
Here are 9 tips for visiting the Abu Simbel Temples in Egypt: from where they are located to how to get there, from where to sleep to the light and sound show!
When we organised our trip to Egypt, Abu Simbel was one of the stops that we knew we had to include. It is one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in the country. Walking down the steps and suddenly seeing the facades of the Abu Simbel temples is an experience that is very difficult to describe in words.
In this article, we provide useful information and tips for visiting the Abu Simbel Temples in Egypt, including how to get there, the best time to go, where to stay and where to buy tickets.
Here are our 9 tips for visiting the Abu Simbel Temples!
If you have ever taken a classic Red Sea holiday in Egypt, you will have noticed that many day trips are offered from places such as Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh to archaeological sites such as Luxor, Edfu and Cairo. However, it is very rare to find day trips that take you to the Abu Simbel Temples, since even from the nearby town of Marsa Alam, you still have to take a plane or drive for eight hours! So, when we organised our seven-day itinerary in Egypt, we decided that our stop in the far south of the country would definitely be Abu Simbel.
In this article, we explain how to get there, why you absolutely must visit this incredible place and what to expect. We also cover everything you might need to know about visiting this site on the border with Sudan.
Here are our nine tips for visiting the Abu Simbel Temples in Egypt!
Would you like some tips for planning a travel itinerary in Egypt? 👉 Here is our 7-day itinerary in Egypt!
Here is our 7-day Egypt Itinerary, starting from magical Luxor and going down to Abu Simbel and back up to Cairo!
The Abu Simbel Temples are located in Egypt, a few kilometres from the southern border with Sudan. They were moved to the shores of Lake Nasser when the Aswan Dam was built, so they are not in their original position.
The small town of Abu Simbel, which is part of the Aswan Governorate, was built near the archaeological site.
Whether you decide to get to Abu Simbel by car or by plane, you will have to pass through the city of Aswan, one of the most important in Egypt.
In theory, this is the best solution as it will save you a lot of time.
In reality, however, there are very few flights from Aswan to Abu Simbel National Airport, and no flights from other cities. As flights do not operate daily, it may be difficult to arrange your schedule accordingly, but if you are lucky enough to find a suitable flight, we would definitely recommend considering this option.
EgyptAir, the national airline of Egypt, operates flights between Aswan and Abu Simbel. The flight duration is about 40 minutes, and return tickets start from around €100.
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The most popular option for getting to Abu Simbel from Aswan is by car. However, we do not recommend hiring a car yourself because there are several checkpoints along the way, and you will need to complete a lot of paperwork in advance. For example, you will need to indicate when you are passing through the checkpoint, how many people are in your car, your reasons for travelling, and the time. If anything doesn’t add up, you won’t be allowed to pass.
If you would like to hire a car, we recommend using a local tour operator who will take care of all the paperwork for you.
The drive from Aswan to Abu Simbel takes just under four hours.
The road Assuan-Abu Simbel
This was the general solution we chose to visit Egypt. We left Aswan with our private guide, who organised car transportation with a driver.
In our opinion, this is the best option, both in terms of simple organisation (due to the bureaucracy of the controls in Egypt) and because visiting Abu Simbel with an Egyptologist adds value to the experience.
Although there are many private or group day tours that leave from Aswan and take you to see the temples of Abu Simbel, we recommend spending a night in Abu Simbel so you can visit the site in the evening and enjoy the Light and Sound Show.
If you have 3 days, a truly unique (and little-known) experience is the Lake Nasser cruise, which will take you from Aswan to Abu Simbel. The cost starts at around €700 per person, but can increase significantly depending on the period and the boat chosen.
During this cruise, you will also visit other temples that are located near Lake Nasser, such as the temples of Wadi El Seboua.
Lake Nasser
There are two temples at Abu Simbel: the main one, dedicated to Ramses II, and that of Nefertari, the wife of Ramses II.
The first temple, the one dedicated to Ramses II, is larger and on its facade there are 4 statues about 20 meters high. When you enter the temple of Ramses II, you will initially access the Hall of Columns that always represent Ramses II, then you pass into a second smaller room and finally the sanctuary.
The original position of the temple allowed a ray of sun to enter twice a year and illuminate the sanctuary. After the temple was moved, this phenomenon always occurs twice a year but on different days.
In fact, originally the sun entered the temple on February 21 (when Ramses II became pharaoh) and October 21 (his birthday). Not only that: the sun also illuminated 3 of the statues on the facade, that of Ramses II, that of Ra (the sun god) and that of Ammon, while the fourth statue, that of Ptah, the god of darkness, always remains in the shadow.
Facade of Ramses II Temple
Hall of Columns inside Ramses II Temple
The smaller temple, dedicated to Ramses II’s wife Nefertari and the goddess Hathor, boasts beautiful decorations throughout. Starting from the first room with the columns, the decorations continue into a second, smaller room and on to the room depicting the goddess Hathor as a heifer being ferried across the Nile.
In the Temple of Ramses II, the power of the pharaoh is glorified through scenes of war, whereas in the Temple of Nefertari, the scenes are more intimate, depicting the daily life of the two spouses.
The facade of Nefertari Temple
Hall of Coloumns inside Nefertari Temple
The Abu Simbel temples are open all year round, from 6 am to 4 pm, except during Ramadan when they close an hour earlier.
The cost of the ticket on site is 750 Egyptian pounds (about €13), but if you want to buy tickets in advance, you can find them at this link.
What makes the temples of Abu Simbel so fascinating? For us, there are essentially two reasons.
Located in the south of Egypt, the temperature in Abu Simbel is much higher than in Cairo and Luxor. If you don’t like the heat, we recommend visiting the temples in the early morning.
We visited in late July and can assure you that it was incredibly hot (over 46 °C), but we were practically the only ones there! This meant that we were able to explore the temples in peace and take our time to see everything. However, when we went outside, it was extremely hot!
Winter is definitely the best time in terms of temperature, but bear in mind that it is also the high season and the temples of Abu Simbel are one of the most popular destinations in Egypt. Conversely, summer is obviously the worst period in terms of heat, but there will be very few people and the costs will be much lower.
Our advice? If you have the chance, take advantage of the months close to summer, such as May and September, to strike a balance between heat, cost, and overcrowding.
Only us in Abu Simbel!
We recommend visiting Abu Simbel in the evening to experience the Light & Sound Show. If there is a mystical atmosphere during the day, you can truly feel the magic of Egypt in the evening.
The show starts at around 9pm, once the sun has set (while you wait, enjoy the beautiful sunset over Lake Nasser). Seats are limited, so buy your tickets online in advance to secure yours.
The show uses light to create effects on the facades of the temples and the surrounding mountains, and traces the entire history of Ramses II and Nefertari, from their battles to their life on the Nile. The construction of the two temples is also covered.
After the show, you will have about ten minutes to admire the illuminated temples.
🌙 BUY HERE your ticket for the Light&Sound Show in Abu Simbel
If you haven’t opted for a cruise, we recommend finding accommodation near the Abu Simbel site with half-board, as there aren’t many restaurants in the area.
We stayed at the Seti Abu Simbel Lake Resort, a Nubian-style resort on Lake Nasser, where we had a great time. The view of the lake from the pool was truly spectacular. Having all meals included and being able to cool off in the pool after visiting the temples was very convenient for us.
There are no other resorts nearby, but you can find small hotels or guest houses at a much lower price.
Seti Abu Simbel Lake Resort
💰Low budget: Osiris Guest House
💰💰Medium budget: Kabara Nubian House
💰💰💰💰No limits: Seti Abu Simbel Lake Resort ⭐Trip To Try Choice
While the site is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and fascinating in Egypt, it is also one of the most remote from the classic tourist routes. For this reason, many people are put off and decide to skip this stop on their travels.
However, we designed our itinerary with the aim of visiting Abu Simbel, and we can tell you that it was probably the place that moved us the most.
So, yes, it is worth going to Abu Simbel because you won’t find anywhere else in Egypt like it. The grandeur of the facades, the mysterious atmosphere inside the temples and the sunset over Lake Nasser are just some of the things that will move you and make you agree with us!
We hope this article has inspired you to visit the temples of Abu Simbel and that it has helped you to plan your trip! Stay connected with us through social media and, as always…trip to try!
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