Abu Simble Temple is one of the many fascinating attractions to visit in Egypt. Its enormous, stunning
statues of the pharaon Ramssess II and the Queen Nefertari evocate the image of the grandeur of the Ancient
Egyptian civilisation. Accompanied by the Pyramids of Giza, the Abu Simble Temple is probably the first
image that comes to mind when thinking about Egypt.
Dating back to 1264 BC, the whole construction was actually relocated from its original location by the
UNESCO. The action was necessary to prevent it from being flooded by in the 1960s. It was in fact
originally positioned on the river Nile.
The Abu Simble Temple is one of the greatest monuments in Egypt but it is quite difficult to reach. It
requires some effort for a tourist to reach the border between Egypt and Sudan and be able to see this
monument. However, the trip will be paid off by the view of a stunning piece of ancient but perfect
architecture, which is still well preserved more than 2000 years after its construction.
The site is not only a bit complicated to reach but the price to pay, depending on the transportation chosen
can easily be pretty high.
That said, here are some ways that will make you get to Abu Simble Temple.
- Reach the famous monument by Plane
This is definitely the quickest and less stressful way to get to the site. Aswan airport is the only one offering
direct flights to the site. If you are travelling from Cairo and Luxor, those two cities are well connected to
Aswan. The flights, however, are not numerous and their price can vary. Usually, they come to cost between
$250 to $300 USD dollars. The flight duration is of approximately 45 minutes. Additionally, the price
usually includes transportation from the airport to the site, which takes about 10 minutes. - Take a Bus from Aswan
The two locations are actually around 280 km apart from each other. Taking the bus is probably the cheapest
way to reach the temple. - The trip usually lasts 3 hours. Even if there are many tours organizing the trip, the
buses will all leave at the same time: either at 4 am in the morning or around 11 am and will be escorted by
the police. If you’re staying in a hotel you can ask them to organize this for you.
Once arrived at the site, the buses usually leave tourists 2 hours to explore. I recomend doing the 4am tour because the heat can be very intensive.
- Get there by boat
The slowest way to reach the famous monument is definitely by cruise ships. The good side of taking a
cruise ship, which usually takes 4 or 5 days to get from Aswan to Abu Simbel is that you’ll see a lot of
different attractions on the way.
There are many other temples on Lake Nasser and historically important
sites like Kalabha temples, the Tomb of Pennut and Amada. The lake itself actually offers very beautiful
views and you might be able to spot some crocodiles too.
These are the main ways you can reach this stunning temple, rich in beauty and history. If you are passionateabout Ancient Egypt, it is worth to consider organizing a trip there!
