Abu Simbel Private Tour from Aswan: Egyptologist & Desert Drive

Two Temples Carved 3,300 Years Ago, and How They Survived the Flood

You're picked up early and driven three hours through the Sahara with a stop at a desert camp, arriving at two massive temples carved into the mountainside 3,300 years ago. Your Egyptologist guide walks you through both the temple of Ramesses II and the temple of Nefertari, explaining the carvings, the history, and how both temples were relocated in 1964 to save them from flooding. Everything (transport, entry, water, snacks, and the guide) is included, and the tour is private, so you move at your own pace without a group.

Step-by-step itinerary

Abu Simbel private full-day tour

• Pickup between 4:00 and 11:00 a.m.
• Drive 3 hours through Sahara desert
• Take break at desert camp
• Arrive at Abu Simbel temples
• Join Egyptologist tour guide
• Listen to stories about King Ramesses II
• Learn about Queen Nefertari's temple
• Discover temple relocation history

The experience

The car is already moving when you climb in, headlights cutting through the dark Sahara at 4am. Your Egyptologist guide is already talking, not the rushed kind of talking, but the kind that means they've spent years reading these stones and want you to understand what you're about to see. Three hours ahead lies Abu Simbel, two temples carved straight out of the mountain for Ramesses II and his wife Nefertari around 1300 BC. But the reason you're driving out here now, in the half-dark, is because of something that almost destroyed them: Lake Nasser, created in 1964 when the Aswan High Dam flooded the valley. The temples were cut into pieces, moved 65 meters higher, and reassembled: a feat that still sounds impossible when you're standing in front of them.

Somewhere in the middle of that three-hour drive, you stop at a camp in the desert. It's not much (a cluster of buildings, tea, maybe some dates), but it's real. You're not just passing through the Sahara. You're stopping in it, and your guide is probably pointing out how the light changes the color of the sand, or telling you something about how people actually live out here now. The air-conditioned car means you're not melting, which matters when it's still early morning and the heat is already building. After the break, it's another stretch of road, and then suddenly the temples appear: two massive carved faces staring out from the cliff face, impossible to miss and harder to believe are real until you're standing underneath them.

The private tour means it's just you, your guide, and your driver: no group shuffle, no waiting for people to finish their photos. Your Egyptologist guide walks you through both temples, explaining the stories carved into the walls, why Ramesses built them, what Nefertari's temple meant. They'll tell you about the engineering, the mythology, the politics of ancient Egypt, and how the 1964 relocation actually worked. The kind of detail that makes the place stop being a photograph and start being a story. You get bottled water and snacks included, which you'll need. The whole day is structured around you, not a schedule that fits twenty people.

Pickup happens between 4am and 11am depending on your hotel, and the car is modern, climate-controlled, and fitted with a professional driver who knows the route. If you're traveling with an infant, a specialized seat is available. Everything (entry fees, the guide, taxes, transport) is already included in the price, so there's no negotiation at the gate or surprise charges. You're back in Aswan by evening.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup in a modern air-conditioned car with a professional driver, a 3-hour drive through the Sahara with a break at a desert camp, private guidance from an Egyptologist through both the temple of Ramesses II and the temple of Nefertari, bottled water and snacks, all entry fees and taxes, and return transport to your hotel in Aswan. A specialized infant seat is available upon request.

Options for this experience

3 options

Only a carGuide in 4 languages · 15 departure times: the first at 04:00, the last at 11:00Transfer only, without a guide: Duration: 8 hours. Two water bottles per person. Round trip from Aswan to Abu Simbel and back. Travel in a limousine or minivan. Pickup is included.

Abu Simbel private servicesGuide in 4 languages · 8 departure times: the first at 04:00, the last at 10:00Private service with a professional guide: A licensed private guide will be waiting for you at the site to explain the history of the temple, viewed from the outside because of low water. Private service with a dedicated private tour guide. Duration: 8 hours. Water and snacks are provided. Private limousine or minivan: a modern private limousine or a 2024 model Toyota minivan. Pickup is included.

Luxury serviceGuide in 4 languages · 14 departure times: the first at 04:00, the last at 10:30Luxury service: The tour includes entrance fees and a dedicated Egyptologist guide, traveling in a modern luxury limousine. After visiting the temple, you will also take a city tour of Aswan by car. Luxury. Duration: 8 hours. Unlimited water is provided throughout the tour, along with drinks and snacks. Route: Aswan, Abu Simbel, and back to Aswan. Limousine. Pickup is included.

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

Before you book

Lasts 8h–10h, runs every day, 15 start times, from US$ 95 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish, French and German, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day15 departure times: the first at 04:00, the last at 11:00

AgesAdult (18 to 59 years) · Senior (60 to 90 years) · Youth (10 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 9 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and German

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Egypt wondrful tours

Is this one for you?This tour works well if you want to see Abu Simbel without arranging your own transport or hiring a guide separately: the early pickup and private car mean you're not waiting for a group, and the Egyptologist's knowledge turns the temples from impressive carvings into a story you actually understand.

Traveler reviews

4.87★★★★★★★★★★

297 verified traveler reviews

5 ★275

4 ★13

3 ★3

2 ★3

1 ★3

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and German.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (10 to 17 years); Child (4 to 9 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What time does the Abu Simbel tour start?

Pickup is between 4am and 11am, depending on your hotel location. The drive to Abu Simbel takes about 3 hours.

Is the Egyptologist guide included?

Yes. A professional Egyptologist guide is included and leads the tour through both temples, explaining the history and carvings.

What's included in the price?

Private transportation, the Egyptologist guide, entry fees, all taxes, bottled water, snacks, and use of an air-conditioned vehicle with a professional driver.

How long is the total day?

The drive is 3 hours each way. With the stop at the desert camp and time at the temples, expect a full day. You'll return to Aswan in the evening.

Is there a break during the drive?

Yes. There's a stop at a camp in the middle of the desert on the way to Abu Simbel.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The vehicle and all areas of the temples are wheelchair accessible, and transportation options are available for guests with mobility needs.

What's the difference between the two temples?

One temple was built for Ramesses II. The other was built for his wife, Queen Nefertari. Both were carved out of the mountain around 1300 BC and relocated together in 1964 to escape flooding from Lake Nasser.