Abu Simbel Private Tour From Aswan: Skip the Crowds

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/18

Duration8h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · AR +7

PickupAt your hotel

Two ancient temples, one private guide, no shared minibus.

A private day trip from Aswan to Abu Simbel takes you 180 kilometers south to Egypt's most remote temples on a single morning and afternoon. Your guide meets you at your hotel, drives you in air-conditioned comfort, and spends three hours walking you through the Temple of Ramses II and the Temple of Nefertari while you ask as many questions as you want. Hotel pickup and drop-off, entrance fees, water and snacks are included; the itinerary can shift if you need a comfort stop or want to linger at one temple longer.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private Abu Simbel tour from Aswan

Pickup from hotel in Aswan
Drive 3 hours to Abu Simbel
Visit Abu Simbel temples for 3 hours
Return drive to Aswan
Drop off at hotel in Aswan

The Experience

The drive south from Aswan takes about three hours each way, which is why most first-time visitors skip Abu Simbel altogether. A private tour removes the logistics: your guide collects you from your hotel at the time you choose, handles the entrance fees, and drives you in an air-conditioned vehicle so the heat and the road do not wear you down before you arrive. The two temples sit on the bank of Lake Nasser, saved from flooding decades ago when the Egyptian government and UNESCO moved them stone by stone to higher ground—a feat of engineering that becomes visible the moment you stand in front of them.

The Temple of Ramses II dominates the site. Four colossal statues of the pharaoh sit carved into the cliff face, and inside, the temple opens into chambers decorated with hieroglyphics and reliefs that tell the story of Ramses' reign and his connection to the sun god Re. Across a short walk stands the Temple of Nefertari, smaller and dedicated to the queen and the goddess Hathor; the two temples were positioned so that the sun aligns with the inner sanctum on specific days of the year. Your guide walks you through both, pointing out details a solo visitor would miss and answering questions as you go. You spend roughly three hours at the site, with time to rest in the shade or move at your own pace.

The return journey follows the same route back to Aswan. Bottled water and snacks are provided during the drive, and you can ask the driver to stop whenever you need a break. Because the tour is private, the schedule bends to you: if you want to spend an extra half-hour at one temple or need to sit down, there is no group waiting. Hotel drop-off happens in the late afternoon, and the full day—drive, temples, return—takes about eight hours from pickup to your door.

What’s included

Entrance fees to both temples.
hotel pickup and drop-off in Aswan.
private air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
private qualified guide in your chosen language.
bottled water and snacks during the drive.
all taxes and fees.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Egypt Tours Travel

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see Abu Simbel without renting a car or joining a group—the private guide means you set the pace and ask questions without holding anyone back, and the air-conditioned transport makes the long drive manageable. The fixed pickup time and included fees mean the day is arranged before you leave your hotel, so you spend the morning and afternoon on the temples instead of on logistics.