By air
Abu Simbel (ABS), flights from Aswan and Cairo
Africa · Egypt
Abu Simbel, Egypt
Colossal temples moved from the flood
Getting there
Best time to visit
October to April; the sun festival falls on 22 February and 22 October
Don't miss
The Great Temple of Ramesses II
The Temple of Hathor and Nefertari
Lake Nasser
Things to do
The Great Temple
The Temple of Nefertari
The sun festival
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Olaf Tausch · Public domain
What to pack
A sun hat, water
A quieter corner
The sound-and-light show at night
Questions travellers ask
When is the sun festival at Abu Simbel?
It falls on 22 February and 22 October. Otherwise, October to April is the time to go.
What will I see at Abu Simbel?
The Great Temple of Ramesses II and the Temple of Hathor and Nefertari, colossal temples moved from the flood, plus Lake Nasser.
Can I fly to Abu Simbel?
Yes, into Abu Simbel (ABS), with flights from Aswan and Cairo.
Is there anything to do at Abu Simbel after dark?
Yes, the sound-and-light show at night. By day, bring a sun hat and water, and expect simple meals in the village.
About Abu Simbel
- Lakeside
- Desert
Where it is
Abu Simbel is a village and a pair of rock-cut temples in Aswan Governorate in the far south of Egypt, on the western shore of Lake Nasser, far south-west of Aswan and close to the border with Sudan.
History
Ramesses II had the two temples carved into a sandstone cliff above the Nile in the 13th century BC, the Great Temple for himself and a smaller one for his queen Nefertari and the goddess Hathor. Drifting sand buried them until the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt saw them in 1813. When the Aswan High Dam threatened to flood them, a UNESCO campaign between 1964 and 1968 cut the temples into blocks and rebuilt them on higher ground.
People
The small town of Abu Simbel is home to Nubian and other Egyptian families who work mainly in tourism and in fishing on Lake Nasser, and Arabic and Nubian are spoken. Nubian guesthouses with painted walls and domed roofs house visitors who stay the night.
Known for
- The Great Temple of Ramesses II
- The Temple of Hathor and Nefertari
- The sun festival each February and October
- Views over Lake Nasser
- The sound-and-light show at night
Did you know?
Twice a year, around 22 February and 22 October, the rising sun shines through the Great Temple's entrance and lights up three of the four statues in its innermost sanctuary.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.