Abu Simbel from Aswan by Car: Private Egyptologist Guide

Drive to Egypt's colossal lakeside temples and walk inside Ramses II's carved mountain

A private day tour from Aswan to the Abu Simbel temples on the western shore of Lake Nasser, with hotel pickup, an Egyptologist guide and air-conditioned transport. You drive three hours each way, spend two hours or more inside and around the two rock-cut temples, and learn their history from someone who knows the site. The temples were moved here piece by piece in 1968 to save them from flooding, and the visitor center explains how.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Abu Simbel Temples from Aswan

• Pick up from Aswan hotel or port
• Drive 3 hours to Abu Simbel
• Visit the two Abu Simbel temples
• Explore visitor center if time allows
• Drive back to Aswan

The experience

You get picked up from your Aswan hotel or port and driven in a private air-conditioned vehicle to Abu Simbel, a three-hour route across the desert to the western shore of Lake Nasser. Your Egyptologist guide travels with you and waits at the temples to lead you through both sites. The Great Temple of Ramses II was built to honor four universal gods (Ptah, Re-Her-Akhtey, Amun-Re), and Ramses himself. The smaller Temple of Nefertari, his wife, sits beside it and was dedicated to Hathor. Inside, you see towering statues, pillars and murals carved into the rock face itself.

The two hours you spend at the temples (or longer if you want) includes time to walk around the colossal exterior statues and move through the interior chambers with your guide explaining the symbolism and the pharaohs' intentions. If time allows before the drive back, you can visit the visitor center, which documents how both temples were relocated here in 1968, block by block, to prevent them from disappearing under Lake Nasser's rising water. The full day is eight to nine hours from pickup to return.

Bottled water is included, and you skip the long lines at entry. Your guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian or one of two other languages, chosen at booking. The tour is wheelchair accessible, and specialized infant seats are available if you're traveling with young children.

What’s included

• Bottled water.
• private air-conditioned vehicle with fuel surcharge.
• qualified professional Egyptologist guide.
• all fees and taxes.
• hotel or port pickup and drop-off in Aswan.
• skip-the-line entry to both temples.

Information

Lasts 8h–9h, runs every day, 6 start times, from US$ 120 per person, with live guides in 6 languages, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day6 departure times: 04:00, 05:00, 06:00, 07:00, 08:00 and 09:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 12 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Egypt Unlimited Tours

Is this one for you?A private tour means your guide and vehicle are yours alone for the day, so the pace and the time spent at each temple follow your interests, not a group schedule. Choose this if you want to explore at your own rhythm and have a specialist answer questions as you move through the chambers.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.

How far is Abu Simbel from Aswan, and how long does the drive take?

Abu Simbel sits on the western shore of Lake Nasser, a three-hour drive from Aswan in your private air-conditioned vehicle. The return journey is the same distance, so plan for six hours of driving across the full day.

What are the two temples at Abu Simbel, and who built them?

The Great Temple of Ramses II is the larger of the two, carved into the rock face and dedicated to four universal gods and to Ramses himself. The Temple of Nefertari, smaller and beside it, was built for his wife and dedicated to Hathor, the goddess of love and beauty.

What will I see inside the temples?

Inside both temples you see towering statues, pillars and murals carved directly into the rock. Your Egyptologist guide explains the symbolism and the history of each chamber as you move through them.

Can I visit the visitor center, and what does it show?

The visitor center is included if time allows before your return drive to Aswan. It documents how both temples were relocated here piece by piece in 1968 to save them from flooding by Lake Nasser's rising water. A massive engineering project that took years to complete.