Two-day excursion to Aswan and Abu Simbel from Marsa Alam

Tour Details:

Day 1:

We will pick you up at your hotel in Marsa Alam; You will recognize our driver by the sign with your name in his hands.

During your trip  to Aswan, you will get a glimpse of the Egyptian landscape and the way of life of the people living here. There will definitely be some stops to capture some of the scenery on camera.

Upon arrival in Aswan, your excursion program will begin with a visit to  the Aswan High Dam. It is a huge structure that blocks one of the largest rivers in the world, the Nile, the construction of which began in 1960 and took more than 10 years to complete the dam 111m high. It is truly a marvel of engineering and cooperation of the people in the name of technological progress. Lake Nasser, which covers an area of more than 5,000 km2 and has a volume of about 160 km3, is a reservoir formed as a result of the construction of a dam.

Just before entering the city, visit the open-air museum –  the ancient granite quarries of Aswan. Our guide will tell you how, during the time of the Pharaohs’ clocks, people learned how to quarry granite, which was subsequently used throughout the country in the ambitious projects of the Pharaohs. Imagine the extraordinary abilities of the ancient Egyptians who worked in these quarries and then transported these massive stone blocks over incredibly long distances – for example.  The pyramids at Giza, located 700 km north of Aswan, are built of local granite. Here you will also see the Unfinished Obelisk. This is a monolithic obelisk, the work on which was abandoned because of the cracks that appeared. But if it were to be installed, it would be the tallest in existence.

The construction of the Aswan High Dam threatened to destroy many ancient buildings, so some of them were dismantled and rebuilt on higher ground in order to preserve these important historical monuments from the flooding of the newly formed lake in the future. One of the monuments saved by the monument was the Nubian temple of Filai, moved to the island of Agilika, which will be your next stop. It was created to worship the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis, who,  according to the myth, by the power of her love, she reunited the heart of her husband Osiris after he was killed and cut into many pieces scattered throughout the country. According to the preserved data, the temple was built in the 4th century BC, but later expanded and rebuilt several times and eventually turned into a Christian sanctuary under the Roman conquerors. During the walk, you will see beautiful colonnades, kiosks, pylons and reliefs.

After visiting the temple, you will have lunch at one of the local restaurants, after which you will sail on a traditional Egyptian felucca sailboat,  to Kitchener Island, named after its former British owner. On the way, you will sail past the famous Aga Khan mausoleum and  the tombs of the nobles, about which our guide will give you enough interesting information. And now You’ve reached a small island, in the heart of which there is an Arab town, and a small piece of paradise: a magnificent botanical garden, which is full of exotic trees and plants.

The excursion program will end with a visit to another island – Elephantine Island. It was once a fortress that marked the border between Egypt and Nubia. You’ll see the remains of the ancient city  of Yebu/Abu, which he founded about 5,000 years ago, the ruins  of the temples of Khnum and Satet, and  the necropolis of sacred rams. See  the Nilometer, which is a narrow, long corridor with a staircase (of 90 steps) descending directly into the Nile. Four scales are carved on the walls of the corridor to determine the water level during the flooding of the river. You will also walk through the Nubian villages that are still located on the island.

The evening is completely at your disposal and you can go to the light and sound show at the Temple of Filai (for an additional fee).

2nd day:

After breakfast at the hotel, our representative will meet you and you will drive to Abu Simbel.

The twin temples of Abu Simbel consist of two temples carved into the mountain:  the Great Temple of Ramses II, perhaps the greatest of all the ancient Egyptian pharaohs, and the Small Temple of the goddess Hathor, dedicated to Ramses’ wife, Nefertari. Some sources mention twin temples in the 13th century BC. Huge temples were built in the area between Egypt and Nubia and were created not only for some religious and architectural reasons,  but also as a reminder to smaller neighbors of the power and greatness of the Pharaoh of Egypt. It clearly demonstrates the pharaoh as godlike.

Believe me, you are very lucky to see this amazing historical monument! In the 1960s, it took an international team 5 years to dismantle it piece by piece, move it to another location, and rebuild it to a different elevation to avoid sinking into the water during the creation of Lake Nasser, which was formed after the Aswan High Dam was created.

The Temple of Ramses II really deserves its name as the Great Temple, its height is up to 30 meters, and the gate is guarded  by four giant statues of the pharaoh, carved out of the rock and more than 20 meters high (the distance between the corners of the lips of the colossi is more than one meter). Unfortunately, one colossus lost its head and part of its torso as a result of the earthquake, but, nevertheless, the sight is impressive. Pay attention not only to the large façade,  but also on the inside of the temple, carved into the rock more than 60 meters long, where you will find beautifully decorated halls with columns, colored reliefs and drawings.

In the sanctuary there is a group of four sculptures: Ramses with the triad of gods, Ptah, Amun-Ra and Harmakis. It is here that the “solar miracle” takes place: only twice a year do rays penetrate the sanctuary and illuminate these sculptures, with the exception of the god Ptah, who, according to myology, was associated with the underworld and therefore must remain forever in darkness.

The Small Temple of the Goddess Hathor is a simplified copy of the Great Temple. Around the portal, you will be able to see sculptures of the royal family: four statues of Ramses II and his two wives Nefertari, with small depictions of their children. Please note: this is something unique in ancient Egyptian culture – the statues of the king and queen are equal in size (more than 10 meters), while: “The wife of a great king will never be higher than her husband’s knees.” The ratio of the height of the statues shows the relationship between the pharaoh and the importance in his life and place in the heart of Nefertari’s wife. You should definitely visit this place!

And on the way back to Marsa Alam, you will have lunch at one of the restaurants in Aswan. In the evening, our driver will take you to the hotel.

The tour runs daily.