Private Aswan Tour: Philae Temple, High Dam & Obelisk

The Unfinished Obelisk still lies in the bedrock where a crack stopped the ancient carvers mid-work.

A private tour of Aswan's three major sites (Philae Temple, the High Dam, and the Unfinished Obelisk) with a qualified Egyptologist guide, hotel pickup and air-conditioned transport. The tour runs six to eight hours and lets you set the pace at each stop. Philae Temple requires a short motorboat ride to Agilkia Island. The High Dam and granite quarries are reached by minivan.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Aswan High Dam1h · entry included
2. Unfinished Obelisk1h · entry included
3. Philae Temple2h 30m · entry included

Visit Aswan's key landmarks

• Explore Philae Temple by motorboat
• Take walking tour of Philae Temple
• Visit Aswan High Dam viewpoint
• Tour the granite quarries
• See the Unfinished Obelisk

The experience

The High Dam dominates the first part of the day. Built in the 1960s and containing more material than the Great Pyramid of Cheops, it stretches 11,811 feet long and rises 364 feet tall, carved into existing granite to control the Nile's floods and generate electricity for all of Egypt. From the top you look south across Lake Nasser toward Kalabsha Temple and north to the power station. Your guide explains the engineering that made it possible and why it mattered to modern Egypt.

Next comes the Unfinished Obelisk in the granite quarries where ancient builders sourced red granite for temples and colossi across the country. The obelisk still lies where it was being carved when workers discovered a crack in the stone and left it behind. Your Egyptologist guide walks you through how hundreds of tons of granite were shaped and why that single flaw ended the project. It is a rare chance to see ancient stoneworking technique frozen in place.

Philae Temple closes the tour. A motorboat takes you to Agilkia Island, where the temple was relocated around 500 meters from its original site when the High Dam raised the Nile's water level. The guide leads a walking tour through the shrines and sanctuaries dedicated to Isis and Osiris, then leaves you free time to explore on your own. Because this is a private tour, you control how long you spend at each of the three sites.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• transport by air-conditioned minivan.
• a short motorboat ride to Philae Temple on Agilkia Island.
• bottled water.
• and a qualified Egyptologist guide leading you through all three sites.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 8 Jul 2027

AgesAdult (12 to 85 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian 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 8 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Your Egypt Tours

Is this one for you?Because this is a private tour, you set how long to linger at the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, or Philae Temple: ideal if you want to spend extra time at one site without holding up a group or feeling rushed through another.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

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

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

How long does the whole tour take?

The tour runs six to eight hours depending on how much time you spend at each site. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, so the duration covers the full experience from your hotel to your return.

What is the Unfinished Obelisk and why was it abandoned?

The Unfinished Obelisk is a massive block of red granite still lying in Aswan's quarries, carved partway out of the bedrock by ancient workers. A crack appeared in the stone as they were hewn it free, and the project was abandoned rather than risk a broken piece. It offers a direct look at how ancient Egyptians shaped stone for temples and monuments.

Do I need to take a boat to see Philae Temple?

Yes, a short motorboat ride takes you from the mainland to Agilkia Island, where Philae Temple now stands. The temple was moved there when the High Dam construction raised the Nile's water level and threatened to submerge the original site.

What is included in the tour price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, transport by air-conditioned minivan, bottled water, and a qualified Egyptologist guide are all included. Food and drinks beyond the water, and gratuities, are not.