5-Day Abu Simbel Sun Festival Holiday
The pyramids, Philae and a felucca at dusk, then the early road to Abu Simbel as the sun reaches Ramses II. Internal flights, hotels and entrance fees are included.
The short answer
5-Day Abu Simbel Sun Festival Holiday is a 5-day, 4-night trip to Cairo, Aswan and Abu Simbel: 2 nights in Cairo and 2 in Aswan. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £971 per person, two sharing (Essential).
02Overview
A first look
On two mornings a year, around 22 February and 22 October, the first light of day runs the length of the Great Temple at Abu Simbel and falls on the inner sanctuary. We have built this holiday so that day 4 is festival day. The next dates: arrive in Cairo on Friday 19 February 2027, with the festival on Monday 22 February, or on Tuesday 19 October 2027, with the festival on Friday 22 October.
You begin with two nights in Cairo: an evening tour of the city, then a day at Giza, Saqqara and Memphis. A flight takes you to Aswan for Philae, a felucca at sunset and two nights beside the Nile. Do expect a very early start on day 4 and a large crowd at the temple. Both are part of the experience, and the whole itinerary is arranged around that morning.
What lingers
- 01Abu Simbel on day 4, timed for the Sun Festival around 22 February or 22 October
- 02An evening in Cairo with the Cairo Tower and dinner, straight after you arrive
- 03The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx, Saqqara and Memphis in a single day with a private Egyptologist
- 04Philae Temple, followed by a felucca on the Nile at sunset
- 05Internal flights between Cairo and Aswan, with every transfer arranged
- 06Two nights in Cairo and two in Aswan, at the hotel standard you choose
Choose your comfort level
Prices are per person in GBP, from 2 people sharing a double room, including accommodation at the properties listed or similar.
| Comfort level | Where you stay or similar | Per person | Choose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentialfrom £9713★ hotels | AswanHapi Hotel Aswan | £971 | |
| Comfortfrom £1,0604★ hotels | CairoJewel Sport City | £1,060 | |
| Classicfrom £1,1235★ hotels | £1,123 | ||
| Prestigefrom £1,3855★ deluxe hotels | AswanTolip Aswan | £1,385 | |
| Luxuryfrom £1,6765★ luxury hotels | CairoSt. Regis Cairo | £1,676 |
You'll stay in these properties, or a similar choice of the same quality. Choose your date in the booking panel for the exact price.
- New
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
5 Days / 4 Nights · Cairo · Cairo Tower · Giza Plateau · Great Sphinx · Saqqara · Memphis
- 1
A driver meets you in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and takes you to your hotel, which is around an hour away. You can rest after the flight. In the evening you set out on the Cairo by night tour, which takes in the Cairo Tower and includes dinner. It is an easy first evening, with the city lit up around you.
- 2
A full day of around eight hours with your own Egyptologist, who collects you from the hotel. First comes the Giza Plateau: the pyramids, the Valley Temple and the Great Sphinx. You then drive south through farmland to a countryside lunch. The afternoon is for Saqqara, home of the first pyramid, and Memphis, the first capital of a united Egypt.
Your guide, a private air-conditioned vehicle and the entrance fees are all included. You are brought back to the hotel for a second night in Cairo.
- 3
After breakfast you are taken to Cairo Airport for your flight to Aswan; the airline sets the time. In Aswan a driver meets you and takes you to your hotel, and the sightseeing is arranged around your arrival. You visit Philae Temple, the temple of Isis, with an Egyptologist, and transport and entrance fees are included.
Later you climb aboard a felucca, the traditional Nile sailing boat, for a ride as the sun goes down.
- 4
Everything has been arranged around today. In 2027 it falls on Monday 22 February or Friday 22 October, depending on your dates. You set off from Aswan very early for the full-day road journey to Abu Simbel, around three hours each way. On festival days the rising sun reaches the inner sanctuary of the Great Temple of Ramses II. Expect a large crowd, queues and heat.
Entrance fees, a guide and transport are included, but we do not promise a reserved viewing spot. You return to Aswan for your second night.
- 5
After breakfast a driver takes you from the Aswan hotel to Aswan Airport for the flight to Cairo, with 23 kg of luggage and taxes included. The airline sets the time. You then connect to your flight home from Cairo. As this holiday ends without a night in Cairo, book a late-evening or night international flight, so that a delayed internal flight does not make you miss it.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Two nights in a Cairo hotel and two nights in an Aswan hotel, with breakfast
- Internal flights from Cairo to Aswan and from Aswan to Cairo, with 23 kg of luggage on the return
- All airport and hotel transfers
- The Cairo by night tour with the Cairo Tower and dinner
- A day at Giza, Saqqara and Memphis with lunch, a private Egyptologist and a private air-conditioned vehicle
- A half-day at Philae Temple and a sunset felucca ride in Aswan
- The full-day road journey to Abu Simbel with entrance fees, an English-speaking Egyptologist and transport
- Meet and assist at the airport
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Drinks and meals other than those stated
- A reserved viewing spot at the Sun Festival, which we do not offer
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Abu Simbel means an early start by road, so turn in early in Aswan and bring a jumper for the chilly desert dawn.
- 02
Check the sun festival dates with your guide; that is when the sunrise reaches the inner sanctuary, and it shapes the best day to go.
- 03
There are photography rules inside the Abu Simbel temples, so wait for your guide's word before taking pictures.
- 04
Take the small boat to Philae late in the afternoon, when the low sun turns the stone a warm gold.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel when you book. Ask us about an extra night in Cairo at the end, which we recommend, or extra nights in Aswan or Luxor.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travellers who want to be at Abu Simbel as the sun reaches the inner sanctuary, with the pyramids and Philae in a short trip. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who are happy with an early start, crowds and walking on uneven stone.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who dislike very early starts or crowds, need step-free access to every site, or cannot manage around three hours in a vehicle each way.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Day 4 is planned for the Sun Festival, around 22 February and 22 October
- Cairo, Philae and Abu Simbel in five days, with both flights booked
- Entrance fees and an Egyptologist on sightseeing days
Things to Consider
- A very early start and around three hours on the road each way on day 4
- Large crowds at the temple and heat; no reserved viewing spot
- No final night in Cairo, so book a late flight home
Where it fits
A short, focused trip for travellers whose priority is Abu Simbel on festival day. For a gentler finish, add a night in Cairo at the end.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many Abu Simbel trips are a day out from Aswan on any date. This holiday is built around the two festival dates and adds Cairo, Philae and both flights. The standard of hotel is your choice; the sightseeing does not change.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided multi-day holiday timed for the Abu Simbel Sun Festival
- Accommodation
- Cairo and Aswan hotels, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Cairo Tower · Giza Plateau · Great Sphinx · Saqqara · Memphis · Aswan · Philae Temple · Nile · Abu Simbel
- Includes
- 2 nights in Cairo and 2 in Aswan hotels with breakfast · Flights from Cairo to Aswan and Aswan to Cairo · Cairo by night tour with dinner · Giza, Saqqara and Memphis day with lunch · Philae Temple and a felucca at sunset · Full-day Abu Simbel journey with entrance fees
- Best for
- Those who want Abu Simbel on Sun Festival day · First-time visitors · Travellers interested in history
The morning of
Meeting point & timing
- Where
- Cairo International Airport (CAI), Arrivals HallMap
Before you go
What to pack & wear
What to bring
- Passport and any visa or travel documents
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- A warm layer for the very early start on day 4
- Any regular medication
- Small day bag and a camera
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- A fleece or light jacket for the early morning and the felucca at dusk
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
Children & families
Children are welcome, though do weigh up day 4: it starts very early, with around three hours on the road each way and a big crowd at the temple. Every child has a seat in the vehicle and on the flights, so transport and guiding are charged at the adult rate at any age. Entrance tickets are free for children under 6 and full price from 6. Hotel prices depend on the child's age and the room used, so we give you the exact figure once you tell us the age at booking.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This holiday involves walking on uneven stone and sand at Giza, Saqqara, Memphis, Philae and Abu Simbel, with steps and little shade. You reach Philae by boat, and the felucca has no ramp. Day 4 means around three hours in a vehicle each way, beginning very early, followed by a large crowd at the temple. It can be hot and busy. We cannot promise wheelchair access at every site. Tell us what you need when you book and we will say honestly which parts will suit you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The holiday uses two internal flights and long road days, and vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Sightseeing is led by local Egyptologists and arranged through local suppliers in Cairo and Aswan, so a good share of what you spend stays in the places you visit. The felucca is a sailing boat. We ask guests to bring a refillable water bottle and not to touch painted walls and carvings.
Licensed Egyptologist guides
State-licensed, and people we have worked with for years
Fair wages on the ground
Drivers + guides paid above market
Site preservation
We follow the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' site rules: marked paths, no touching reliefs
Local teams, real help
Our own offices in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh
If plans change
Cancellation and refunds
If you cancel, your refund depends on how soon you let us know and on the kind of holiday. See our current cancellation and refund terms
Asked & answered
Frequent questions
01When is the Sun Festival and which dates does this holiday run?
Twice a year, around 22 February and 22 October, the sun reaches the inner sanctuary of the Great Temple of Ramses II. The holiday is planned around those dates every year. The next ones: arrive Friday 19 February 2027 (festival Monday 22 February, home Tuesday 23 February) or Tuesday 19 October 2027 (festival Friday 22 October, home Saturday 23 October).02How early is festival day and how crowded does it get?
Very early. Abu Simbel is a road journey of around three hours each way from Aswan, so you leave in the middle of the night. The crowd at the temple is large and the day gets hot. We do not promise a reserved viewing spot or a festival ticket.03Will I make my international flight?
Internal and international tickets are separate bookings, so a delayed internal flight could cost you the connection. This holiday has no final night in Cairo: on day 5 you fly from Aswan to Cairo and go straight on. Book a late-evening or night flight home, and make sure your travel insurance covers missed connections. We can add a night in Cairo if you prefer.04Are the internal flights included?
Yes. The flights from Cairo to Aswan on day 3 and Aswan to Cairo on day 5 are booked for you, with 23 kg of luggage on the return. The airline sets the times. International flights are not included.05Is the Abu Simbel day hard going?
It is a full day, with around three hours on the road each way, a very early start and a busy temple. Most guests feel it was worth it. Bring a warm layer for the early hours, water and a hat.06Which hotels will we stay in?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we confirm the hotels for your dates. The itinerary and sightseeing are the same at every standard.07Will I have a guide?
Yes. An English-speaking Egyptologist, the entrance fees and the transport are included on the sightseeing days. On day 2 your guide and vehicle are private.08What is not included?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, tips for guides and drivers, drinks other than those stated, meals not listed in the itinerary and extras such as going inside the Great Pyramid.09Can I travel on different dates?
Yes, the sightseeing can be arranged on any date. The sun only reaches the inner sanctuary around 22 February and 22 October, though, so those are the dates this holiday is built for.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-512864
At a glance
- Length
- 5 days · 4 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Aswan → Abu Simbel → Cairo
- Nights
- 2 Cairo · 2 Aswan
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers