Abu Simbel
Abu Simbel on a Nile cruise
Abu Simbel is not on the Nile cruise route: it is about 280 km south of Aswan, near the Sudanese border. Most travellers add it from Aswan, by road (3.5 to 4 hours each way) or by air (about 45 minutes), either on the free day of a seven-night cruise, as an optional excursion, or the day after a cruise ends in Aswan. The other way is a Lake Nasser cruise, which sails there.
Timing
When Abu Simbel fits into a Nile cruise
- A four-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan ends in Aswan. Stay a night and go the next morning: the most common way to add it.
- A seven-night round trip usually has a free day in Aswan, which is when boats offer Abu Simbel as an optional excursion.
- A three-night cruise from Aswan starts there: arrive a day early and go before you board.
- A dahabiya usually ends or starts in Aswan, so the same applies; Iris offers Abu Simbel as an option.
Getting there
Three ways to get there
| How | Time | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| By road from Aswan | About 280 km, 3.5 to 4 hours each way | Early start, around 03:30 to 05:00; back by early afternoon |
| By air from Aswan | About 45 minutes each way | Most time at the temples; costs most |
| Lake Nasser cruise | Three or four nights between Aswan and Abu Simbel | Arrive by water and see the Nubian temples on the way |
The police convoy is no longer required on the road, but there are checkpoints, so carry your passport. For ticket and tour prices, see Abu Simbel: tickets, tours and the Sun Festival.
From each boat's itinerary
Boats that include or offer Abu Simbel
Most Luxor to Aswan boats list Abu Simbel as an optional extra, priced separately. Among the boats we recommend, Iris, Jaz Viceroy and Sonesta Moon Goddess offer it as an option, and Jaz Nile Monarch includes it on the seven-night trip.
Always ask whether it is included or extra: Abu Simbel is one of the extras guests most often say they did not expect. See what Nile cruise guests complain about.
By water
A Lake Nasser cruise
A handful of ships sail Lake Nasser between Aswan and Abu Simbel over three or four nights, stopping at Nubian temples that can only be reached by water, such as Kalabsha, Wadi el-Seboua, Amada and Kasr Ibrim. They include the Kasr Ibrim, Eugenie and Omar El Khayam. Many travellers combine one with a Luxor to Aswan cruise. See Nile cruise itineraries.
Twice a year
The Sun Festival, 22 February and 22 October
On 22 February and 22 October, the dawn sun reaches the sanctuary at the back of the Great Temple. Crowds gather from about 04:00, and the ticket costs double on those two days. If your cruise is in Aswan on either date, it is worth planning the trip around it; book early. In 2027, the February festival falls in Ramadan.
Asked often
Abu Simbel and your cruise, answered
- Is Abu Simbel included in a Nile cruise?
- Usually not. Most Luxor to Aswan cruises offer it as an optional excursion from Aswan, priced separately, and a few longer itineraries include it. Ask before you book, and see the attraction page for tour prices.
- How do you get to Abu Simbel from a Nile cruise?
- From Aswan, by road (about 280 km, 3.5 to 4 hours each way, leaving very early) or by air (about 45 minutes). Most travellers go the day after a cruise ends in Aswan, or on the free day of a seven-night cruise.
- Can you cruise to Abu Simbel?
- Yes, on Lake Nasser. A few ships, such as the Kasr Ibrim and the Eugenie, sail between Aswan and Abu Simbel over three or four nights, stopping at Nubian temples reachable only by water.
