Between 1964 and 1968, engineers sawed a mountain temple into more than a thousand numbered blocks and rebuilt it, to the millimetre, sixty-five metres higher up the cliff. They had to: the reservoir filling behind the new Aswan High Dam would otherwise have drowned it. Abu Simbel is the reason the modern World Heritage system looks the way it does, and it remains the most extraordinary thing Ramses II left behind, four seated colossi of himself staring east across the desert toward Sudan.
A Brief History of Abu Simbel
The two temples of Abu Simbel were carved directly into a sandstone cliff around 1264 BC by Ramses II, the most prolific builder of Egypt’s New Kingdom. The Great Temple is fronted by four seated colossi of the pharaoh himself, each about 20 metres high, designed to overawe travellers arriving from Nubia to the south. The smaller Temple of Hathor beside it was dedicated to Ramses’ beloved queen, Nefertari; one of the few times an Egyptian queen was depicted at the same scale as the king.
The Great Temple was built with astonishing precision: twice a year, around 22 February and 22 October, the rising sun penetrates the entire length of the temple to illuminate the statues of the gods in the innermost sanctuary, an alignment that still draws crowds today for the “Sun Festival.”
The Temple That Was Moved
In the 1960s, the building of the Aswan High Dam created the vast reservoir of Lake Nasser, which would have drowned Abu Simbel forever. In an unprecedented international rescue led by UNESCO, the entire temple complex was cut into more than a thousand blocks and reassembled 65 metres higher on the cliff above, between 1964 and 1968. It is one of the greatest feats of engineering and heritage preservation in history, and it helped inspire the modern World Heritage system. Abu Simbel forms part of the UNESCO-listed Nubian Monuments.
Knowing that these mountains of carved stone were sawn apart and rebuilt piece by piece, to the millimetre, only deepens the awe of standing beneath them.
Best Abu Simbel Tours
Small-Group Abu Simbel Trip from Aswan with Egyptologist — Best Value
The classic overland day trip from Aswan by air-conditioned coach, with an Egyptologist to tell the story of Ramses, Nefertari and the great rescue.
Abu Simbel Half-Day Tour from Aswan by Flight — Best for Comfort
Skip the long desert drive with a scenic 30-minute flight from Aswan, a guided visit to the temples, and a return flight: the fastest, easiest way to see Abu Simbel.
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How to Visit Abu Simbel
Abu Simbel lies about 280 km (a 3 to 3.5-hour drive) south of Aswan, or a short flight away. Overland tours leave Aswan very early in the morning; the flight option is pricier but far more comfortable. Most travellers combine Abu Simbel with a stay in Aswan or a Nile cruise.
Where to Stay
Most visitors base in Aswan; staying overnight at Abu Simbel itself lets you catch the temples at sunrise or the evening sound-and-light show without the crowds.
The Sun Festival, and Practical Costs
- Twice a year the sun reaches the inner sanctuary. on 22 February and 22 October. Tradition links the two dates to Ramses II’s accession and his birth. Crowds are enormous and accommodation in Aswan books out well ahead, but it is the one time the temple does what it was engineered to do.
- Entry runs roughly US$25–30 for foreign adults, about half that for students with ID; under-6s free.
- The overland trip from Aswan starts brutally early — typically a 3 to 3.5-hour drive each way, departing in the small hours. The 30-minute flight costs considerably more but turns a punishing day into a comfortable half-day.
- Staying overnight at Abu Simbel is the insider move. The day-trippers all arrive and leave in the same window; stay the night and you get the temples at sunrise, and the evening sound-and-light show, in relative peace.
- Look for the seam. The temple was cut into more than a thousand blocks in the 1960s and rebuilt 65 metres higher, if you look closely at the statues you can still make out the joins where it was reassembled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who built Abu Simbel?
The pharaoh Ramses II, around 1264 BC. The Great Temple honours Ramses himself and the gods; the smaller temple is dedicated to his queen Nefertari.
Why was Abu Simbel moved?
In the 1960s it would have been submerged by Lake Nasser behind the Aswan High Dam, so UNESCO led an international effort to cut the temples into blocks and rebuild them 65 metres higher between 1964 and 1968.
How do you get to Abu Simbel from Aswan?
By a roughly 3 to 3.5-hour overland drive (usually leaving very early) or a short 30-minute flight. Both are commonly booked as guided day trips.
Sources & Further Reading
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae
- Britannica, Abu Simbel
