Aswan tour: Philae Temple, Obelisk & High Dam

Four ancient and modern landmarks fit into a single afternoon on the Nile.

A private tour of Aswan covers four major sights in six hours: the Unfinished Obelisk, Philae Temple on a motorboat ride, the High Dam with views of Lake Nasser, and a Nubian Village where you walk through the local culture at your own pace. Hotel pickup and all entrance fees are included. An Egyptologist guide at the temples is optional and costs extra.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Unfinished Obelisk45m · entry included
2. Philae Temple2h · entry included
3. Aswan High Dam35m · entry included
4. Nubian Villages2h · entry included

Explore Aswan's top sights

• Pickup from hotel or cruise ship
• Visit the Unfinished Obelisk
• Boat ride to Philae Temple
• Tour Philae Temple
• Drive to Aswan High Dam
• View Lake Nasser and power station
• Visit Nubian Village
• Shop for souvenirs
• Drop-off at accommodation

The experience

How do you see Aswan's highlights without renting a car or joining a group? This tour picks you up from your hotel or cruise ship in an air-conditioned vehicle and moves through four stops in sequence. You start at the Unfinished Obelisk, a granite monument commissioned around 1473 BCE that would have stood 42 meters tall if the workers had not discovered a crack in the stone mid-carving and abandoned it where it lay. The obelisk sits where it was carved, and an independent Egyptologist guide is available on-site if you want the full history (that's a separate cost).

From there, a motorboat takes you across the Nile to Philae Temple, built during the Ptolemaic period and dedicated to the goddess Isis. The temple complex mixes Egyptian and Greco-Roman architecture across its main temple, chapels and shrines. You get a guided walk through the site if you book the Egyptologist option, or you can explore on your own. The route then moves to the Aswan High Dam, a 1960s engineering project that controls the Nile's flow and generates hydroelectric power. You'll see Lake Nasser from the top and the Kalabsha temple to the south. The final stop is a Nubian Village, where you wander the colorful houses, look at local artwork, and browse handcrafted souvenirs before returning to your accommodation.

Entrance to all four sites, the motorboat ride, bottled water, and hotel pickup are included in the price. The tour runs six hours total, and you can choose your departure time to fit the rest of your day. A live English-speaking guide is provided. Children from age 3 are welcome.

What’s included

• Entrance fees to Philae Temple, the Unfinished Obelisk, the High Dam, and Nubian Village.
• private air-conditioned vehicle.
• motorboat ride to Philae Temple.
• bottled water.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Aswan.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day12 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 13:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

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 yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Karam Gamal Travel Egypt

Is this one for you?Book this if you want one vehicle and guide handling all four sites in sequence. Add the Egyptologist option at Philae Temple for historical context, or skip it to explore each location independently.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What is the Unfinished Obelisk and why was it never completed?

The Unfinished Obelisk is a massive granite monument commissioned by Hatshepsut around 1473 BCE for the temple of Amun in Karnak. Workers abandoned it mid-carving when they discovered a crack in the stone, leaving it in the quarry where it was being shaped. If finished, it would have weighed around 1,200 tons and stood about 42 meters tall, making it the largest obelisk ever attempted in ancient Egypt.

Do I need to hire a guide at Philae Temple, or can I explore on my own?

You can explore Philae Temple on your own after the tour arrives. An Egyptologist guide is available as an optional add-on at an extra cost. If you book that option, the guide leads a walking tour through the complex before releasing you for free time to wander further.

What can I see from the top of the Aswan High Dam?

From the top of the High Dam you see Lake Nasser stretching out, the hydroelectric power station to the north, and the Kalabsha temple to the south. The dam itself is one of the world's largest and was built in the 1960s to control the Nile's flow and generate power.

What is there to do in the Nubian Village?

The Nubian Village is a stop where you experience the local culture at your own pace. You can walk through the colorful Nubian houses, view local artwork, spend time with the native people, and shop for handcrafted souvenirs and gifts before the tour returns you to your hotel.

What time does the tour start, and how long does it take?

The tour runs for six hours total. You choose your departure time at checkout so you can plan the rest of your day around it. Hotel pickup is included, so the driver collects you from your Aswan accommodation and returns you there at the end.