How do you get to Abu Simbel?

Abu Simbel sits near the Sudanese border, about three hours by road from Aswan or a short flight. Day trips leave very early to reach the two rock-cut temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari before the crowds. The temples were famously relocated stone by stone above Lake Nasser in the 1960s.

How much does a Abu Simbel excursion cost?

Private excursions in Abu Simbel start from £81 per person, with the exact rate depending on the itinerary, group size and season. Every Discovery Tours Egypt excursion is private and all-inclusive: a licensed Egyptologist guide, air-conditioned vehicle, hotel pickup and drop-off, and all listed entry fees. There are no hidden add-ons at the sites.

Are your Abu Simbel excursions private?

Yes. Every excursion we run is fully private – just your party, your own Egyptologist guide and your own driver. Nothing is shared with strangers, and the pace, stops and timing are tailored to you on the day.

Do you collect us from our hotel?

We do, and it costs nothing extra. A driver collects you from your Abu Simbel hotel, or from the Nile cruise dock where that applies, and brings you back afterwards. You will find your guide waiting in the lobby, and should your plans shift, the local office behind the excursion can rearrange things that same day.

Which months suit Abu Simbel best?

The kindest weather falls between October and April, when days are warm, evenings are cool and walking round the sites is a pleasure. From May to September the heat builds, so excursions set off early and are done before midday, often with quieter sites and gentler prices as a reward. Abu Simbel excursions run in every month of the year.

Is it safe, and can we bring the children?

It is safe, and children are welcome. Our team has worked in Egypt since 1988, with offices across the country and someone on call day and night, and every one of our excursions uses guides and drivers we have checked ourselves. With youngsters along, the guide slows the pace and tells the stories at their level, and child seats or a shorter day can be arranged on request.

Tours to the Abu Simbel temples

Abu Simbel Excursions

Ramesses II's twin temples carved into the cliff face – by road from Aswan or by short flight

LengthFull day

From£90 / person

PickupHotel or Nile cruise included

GuideEgyptologist

By the Egypt Discovery desk · Reviewed 9 October 2026

Ramesses II's twin temples at Abu Simbel are ancient Egypt's most jaw-dropping feat of engineering – and its most dramatic modern rescue, lifted stone by stone above the rising waters of Lake Nasser. Reach them by a short flight or convoy drive from Aswan; a day tour times your arrival for the cooler morning light, with an Egyptologist to read the colossal facade and the sun-aligned sanctuary.

The best excursion in Abu Simbel is the one somebody else has organised for you. Our people on the ground here have done exactly that since 1988.

Egypt Discovery · in Egypt from 1988

What you'll see

Abu Simbel, stop by stop

Two or three of these stops fit into one unhurried day. Your guide chooses the combination to suit your energy, what you most want to see and the time of year.

Inside the Great Temple

Past the four colossi, a hall of Osiris-pillared statues of Ramesses leads to reliefs of the Battle of Kadesh and, deep in the mountain, the sanctuary of four seated gods.

~1 hrHypostyle hall

The Temple of Nefertari

Beside the great temple stands the smaller temple of Hathor – dedicated by Ramesses to his queen Nefertari, her statues carved the same height as his own, almost unheard of in ancient Egypt.

~30 minQueen's temple

Lake Nasser & the rescue

In the 1960s the entire complex was cut into blocks and lifted 65 metres up the cliff to escape the rising lake – the greatest archaeological rescue ever attempted. The setting above the water is half the drama.

~30 minLakeside setting

The solar alignment

Twice a year – around 22 February and 22 October – the dawn sun spears deep into the mountain to light the sanctuary gods, exactly as engineered 3,200 years ago. The Sun Festival fills the site.

Feb & OctSun Festival

Every Abu Simbel excursions

How you could fill the day

Every private, fully-guided excursion we run here – hotel or Nile-cruise pickup included, priced in GBP, all-in.

Abu Simbel by Road from Aswan (Day Tour)

Travel by road from Aswan to Abu Simbel for a visit to the Great Temple of Ramesses II and the adjacent Temple of Nefertari. The Great Temple’s façade is guarded by four seated colossi, each about 20 metres high. The smaller temple is dedicated to Queen Nefertari and the goddess Hathor. Both temples were relocated in the 1960s to protect them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser after construction of the Aswan High Dam. The road route offers views of the desert and Lake Nasser that a flight does not. Abu Simbel entrance fees are included; hotel transfers, lunch and drinks are not included unless your booking confirmation says otherwise.

From £811 Days

Abu Simbel by Plane from Aswan, Day Tour

Abu Simbel lies about 280 km south of Aswan, where the Great Temple of Ramesses II and the Small Temple of Nefertari face Lake Nasser. This full-day excursion uses a domestic flight of about 40 to 50 minutes each way, followed by a guided visit with an English-speaking Egyptologist. Allow roughly two to three hours at the temples, subject to flight and security timings. The monuments form part of the Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979. Compared with the 3.5 to 4-hour road journey each way, flying leaves more of the day for the site. Services are provided by Discovery Tours Egypt, a licensed Egyptian tour operator.

From £418

Abu Simbel in a Day by Air from Cairo: Private Guide and Both Temples

A private day trip from your Cairo or Giza hotel to Abu Simbel and back by air. You visit the Great Temple of Ramses II and the Temple of Nefertari on the shore of Lake Nasser. The flights normally change planes in Aswan. Return economy flights, a private Egyptologist guide and lunch are included. It is a very long day of about 14 hours, with a short time at the temples themselves.

From £2,103

Worth knowing beforehand

The practical bits

What to wear

Mosques and churches ask for shoulders and knees to be covered. Wear sturdy closed shoes, as the ground is rough stone in places and soft sand in others.

Tipping

Most guests give their guide about £2–4 for the day, with something smaller for the driver. It is your choice entirely, since the excursion fare already covers everything.

Heat & water

Bring at least a litre and a half of water each. By ten in the morning there is little shade at the sites, which is why we set off early: it is cooler as well as quieter.

Cameras & fees

Some sites ask for a camera ticket at the entrance, and a handful of tombs and inner rooms carry their own charge. Ordinary admission to each site is part of your fare.

What guests ask us