2-Day Abu Simbel Tour from Aswan: Sound and Light Show

Two days to see Ramses II's colossal temples and the solar alignment that still marks the seasons.

A 2-day private tour from Aswan to Abu Simbel with overnight stay, Sound and Light Show, and morning temple visit with a licensed local guide. Day one covers the three-hour drive to Abu Simbel and the evening show. Day two explores the Great Temple of Ramses II and the Temple of Hathor before the return drive to Aswan. The private format and overnight arrangement let you skip the long same-day round trip and move through the site at your own pace.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Abu Simbel and Sound Show

• Drive from Aswan to Abu Simbel
• Attend Sound and Light Show at Abu Simbel

Day 2: Visit Temples and Return to Aswan

• Tour Abu Simbel Temples with guide
• Drive from Abu Simbel to Aswan

The experience

The drive from Aswan takes three hours each way in a private air-conditioned vehicle, which means you arrive with time to rest before the Sound and Light Show begins on the first evening. The show uses colored lights and narration to walk through the temples' history (the original site, Ramses II's reign, the UNESCO relocation in the 1960s), and the way the lights play across the colossal statues and carved walls gives you a sense of scale you won't get in daylight alone.

Overnight in Abu Simbel lets you start the temple visit fresh the next morning with a licensed local guide, who points out the four 20-meter statues of Ramses II at the entrance, the eight Osirid statues inside the Great Temple's main hall, and the solar alignment phenomenon where sunlight reaches the inner sanctuary on certain days. The Temple of Hathor, smaller but equally detailed, stands nearby with its own six colossi and preserved wall paintings. The guide covers the temples' original location and why they matter to Egyptian history and religion.

The return journey to Aswan takes another three hours. Private transfers mean no waiting for other groups, and the overnight stay removes the fatigue of a full day's driving compressed into one departure. Hotel accommodation and entrance tickets are separate bookings, so you arrange those to match your preferences.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned transfers from Aswan to Abu Simbel and back.
• Sound and Light Show on the first evening in multiple languages.
• overnight stay in Abu Simbel.
• licensed local guide at the temples on the morning of day two.
• flexible schedule with personalized attention for your private group.

Options for this experience

3 options

Private Tour for 1–3 TravelersUp to 3 per booking · Guide in 51 languages · 8 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 13:00Private sedan or SUV: a private two-day transfer from Aswan with a licensed guide in Abu Simbel. The Sound and Light show is included. Hotel and tickets are not part of it. Pickup is included.

Private Tour for 4–5 TravelersUp to 5 per booking · Guide in 51 languages · 8 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 13:00Private minivan: a two-day private trip from Aswan to Abu Simbel with a local guide. It covers the Sound and Light show and a morning visit. Hotel and tickets are excluded. Pickup is included.

Private Tour for 6–7 TravelersUp to 7 per booking · Guide in 51 languages · 8 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 13:00Private minibus: a private two-day journey with a professional Abu Simbel guide. It covers the Sound and Light show and the temple visit. Hotel and tickets are not included. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day8 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 13:00

Book up to4h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Bangla, Burmese, Cantonese, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Filipino, Finnish, Greek, Gujarati, Hakka Chinese, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Japanese, Javanese, Korean, Kurdish, MNP, Malay, Malayalam, Marathi, Norwegian, Pashto, Persian, Polish, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Swedish, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Wu Chinese and Xiang Chinese

Audio guideEnglish and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Eyes of Egypt

Is this one for you?Choose the group size that matches your party at checkout. The private format keeps the pace and attention on your group alone, and the overnight arrangement means you explore the temples without the fatigue of a same-day round trip from Aswan.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Hindi, Bangla, Chinese, Wu Chinese, Slovak, Serbian, Swedish, Korean, Kurdish, Cantonese, Tamil, MNP, Gujarati, Czech, Telugu, Punjabi, Thai, Polish, Hebrew, Danish, Javanese, Xiang Chinese, Chinese, Malay, Pashto, Filipino, Croatian, Hungarian, Hakka Chinese, Ukrainian, Urdu, Malayalam, Marathi, Greek, Finnish, Burmese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Japanese, Persian, Romanian, Dutch, Norwegian, Russian and Turkish.

How long is the drive from Aswan to Abu Simbel?

The drive is three hours each way by private air-conditioned vehicle, so you arrive with time to settle before the Sound and Light Show on the first evening.

What happens during the Sound and Light Show?

The show uses colored lighting and narration to tell the history of Abu Simbel, including the temples' original appearance, Ramses II's story, the UNESCO relocation project in the 1960s, and the site's significance in ancient Egyptian religion. The lights highlight the colossal statues and carved details as the audio brings the ancient world to life.

What will I see inside the Abu Simbel Temples?

The Great Temple of Ramses II features four 20-meter statues at the entrance, a main hall supported by eight Osirid statues, and the solar alignment phenomenon where sunlight illuminates the inner sanctuary on certain days. The Temple of Hathor has six colossi at its entrance and a hypostyle hall with preserved wall paintings. It was built for Queen Nefertari.

Is a guide included at the temples?

Yes, a licensed local tour guide is included on day two to walk you through the temple complex, explain the history and religious significance, and point out the architectural details and carvings.

What is not included in this tour?

Hotel accommodation in Abu Simbel and entrance tickets to the temples are not included, so you book those separately and have clear pricing with no hidden costs.