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The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel, with its four colossal statues beneath wisps of cloud

Sample journey · 8–10 days

Across Lake Nasser to Abu Simbel: Nubia's temples from the water

Cairo, Aswan, Lake Nasser & Abu Simbel

Photo: Michael Starkie / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

Most Nile journeys end at Aswan, at the dam. Beyond it lies Lake Nasser, water stretching hundreds of kilometres south, which in the 1960s flooded much of old Nubia. An international rescue campaign moved dozens of temples stone by stone to higher ground, and today they stand in empty desert by the water, often with nothing else in sight but your boat. One of them is Abu Simbel, whose statues of Ramesses II were cut into blocks and raised above the new waterline.

This route begins in Cairo, continues with a few unhurried days in Aswan and a Nubian village, then four nights on one of the few boats that sail the lake. Each day brings one or two groups of temples, visited in the morning or evening when it's cooler, with the rest of the time spent on deck watching the desert change colour. It suits couples and experienced travellers who have been to Egypt before or want to see it more slowly and quietly.

The route

The journey

  1. Cairo
  2. Aswan
  3. A Nubian village
  4. Kalabsha & Beit el-Wali
  5. Wadi el-Seboua
  6. Amada & Qasr Ibrim
  7. Abu Simbel
  1. The dome and minarets of the Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan above the rooftops of historic Cairo

    01Days 1–3 · Cairo

    Beginning in the old city

    Two nights in Cairo. The first day is Islamic Cairo on foot with a local guide: the mosques of Sultan Hassan and al-Rifa'i, the Citadel, al-Muizz Street with its old madrasa and caravanserai facades, and tea in the Khan el-Khalili bazaar. The second brings the Giza plateau as soon as it opens, while it's still cool and quieter, and in the afternoon the Grand Egyptian Museum, worth at least half a day. If you've seen Giza before, this day can go to Saqqara and Dahshur instead, where the pyramids stand in quiet desert. On the third morning, a short flight to Aswan.

  2. Painted houses of a Nubian village and boats on the bank of the Nile at Aswan

    02Days 3–5 · Aswan & a Nubian village

    Granite islands and painted houses

    Two nights in Aswan, where the Nile is broad and calm and feluccas glide between dark granite islands. In the afternoon, a felucca around Elephantine Island and the botanical garden, and the evening on a terrace above the river. The next day, a boat to the temple of Philae, itself moved to save it from the water, and in the afternoon a Nubian village on the west bank: brightly painted houses, inner courtyards and tea with a family who talk about their community's history and the villages left beneath the lake. We visit with a local guide and on their terms: it's a visit as guests, not a tour.

  3. 03Days 5–7 · Kalabsha & Wadi el-Seboua

    Onto the lake beyond the dam

    On day five you board at the Aswan High Dam, and the first group of temples lies close by: the temple of Kalabsha, dedicated to the Nubian god Mandulis, Beit el-Wali, Ramesses II's small rock temple with its vivid reliefs, and the Kiosk of Kertassi. In the evening the boat turns south and the shores empty: golden dunes, black rock and water to the horizon. Next morning, Wadi el-Seboua, the 'Valley of the Lions', where an avenue of sphinxes leads to a temple of Ramesses II, with the temples of Dakka and Maharraqa nearby. Temples are visited early in the morning or late in the afternoon, with the hottest hours in the shade on deck. At night the boat moors in a bay, and the sky over the lake fills with stars.

  4. The facade of the Small Temple of Hathor and Nefertari, with its standing statues, at Abu Simbel

    04Days 7–8 · Amada & Qasr Ibrim

    The oldest temple, and the only one left in place

    Amada has one of the oldest temples in Nubia, built by pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty, with colour still bright on its reliefs; when it was moved, it was rolled along rails in one piece rather than cut up. Nearby are the rock temple of Derr and the tomb of Pennut, a local governor, with scenes from his life. In the afternoon the boat passes Qasr Ibrim, a fortress on a hill and the only major Nubian site still where it always stood, now an island. It's seen from the water. In the evening comes the moment the journey is built around: the boat slowly approaches Abu Simbel, and the colossi emerge from the rock in the last of the sun. The night is spent moored right by the temples.

  5. A row of Osiride statues in the hall of the Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel

    05Days 8–9 · Abu Simbel

    At dawn before the colossi of Ramesses

    An early morning at Abu Simbel, before the planes and coaches arrive from Aswan: the sun rises over the lake and lights the four seated statues of Ramesses II. Inside the Great Temple stand Osiride pillars and walls carved with the Battle of Kadesh, and in the innermost chamber four statues of gods that the rising sun reaches twice a year, around 22 February and 22 October. Beside it is the smaller temple dedicated to Hathor and Queen Nefertari. Then you leave the boat and take a short flight back to Aswan or Cairo, and on home or further. Anyone who wants more time with these images can stay one more night in Cairo.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    Abu Simbel from the water

    Arrival by boat at sunset, and a morning at the colossi while it's still quiet.

  2. 02

    Nubia's relocated temples

    Kalabsha, Wadi el-Seboua and Amada: temples in the desert where you are often alone.

  3. 03

    A Nubian village in Aswan

    Tea in a painted house and stories of the Nubia that lies beneath the water.

  4. 04

    Nights on the lake

    The boat moored in a bay, empty desert all around and a sky full of stars.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • With a Nile voyage

    Before the lake, a dahabiya from Luxor to Aswan turns the journey into a two-week passage along the whole southern river.

  • The sun festival

    The journey can be timed for 22 February or 22 October, when the sun reaches the heart of the temple, though those days are crowded.

  • More time in Aswan

    A third night in Aswan leaves time for the Tombs of the Nobles, the Monastery of St Simeon and simply evenings on the river.

  • Which direction

    The lake can also be sailed the other way, from Abu Simbel to Aswan, putting Abu Simbel at the start of the journey rather than the end.

Practical considerations

  • The best time is roughly October to April. Summer in Nubia is often fiercely hot, and some of the lake boats don't sail then.
  • Only a few boats sail Lake Nasser, departures are limited and change every season, so dates are best planned early; we would choose the boat around what you're looking for.
  • Flights from Abu Simbel and visiting arrangements at the temples can change, so we check them, along with current travel advice, before you travel.
  • Temples are visited in the morning and evening, with rest at midday; a hat, sun protection and comfortable shoes are useful even in the cooler months.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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