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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Abu Simbel
أبو سمبل
Stay one night if you want the temples without the 4AM convoy; otherwise day-trip from Aswan and accept about 2 hours on site.
Abu Simbel is a village of about 2,000 people on Lake Nasser, 280 km south of Aswan and 40 km from the Sudan border, built around two rock temples cut for Ramses II and Nefertari. In the 1960s UNESCO had both temples sawed into blocks and reassembled uphill before the lake rose. Almost everyone sees them on a convoy day trip from Aswan; a night here buys you the Sound & Light show and a near-empty site at opening.
- Country
- Egypt
- Local name
- أبو سمبل
- Best months
- Nov–Feb
- Avoid
- May–Sep (40°C (104°F)+ days)May–Sep (104°F (40°C)+ days)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EGP
- Money
- Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E). Hotels, cruise boats and larger restaurants take cards; taxis, markets, small cafés, tips and toilet attendants are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget EGP 1,200–2,000 excl. bed · Mid EGP 2,000–3,500 excl. bed · High EGP 3,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.
- Emergency
- Police 122 · Ambulance 123 · Fire 180 · Tourist police 126
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).; Guide, full day: US$10–20 per person.; Driver, full day: US$5–10.; Cruise crew: About US$5–10 per person per day in the envelope.; Toilet, porter, small help: EGP 10–30.
- Water
- Tap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea at a village café | EGP 30–60 |
| Simple meal (koshari, grilled chicken) | EGP 150–300 |
| Bottle of water | EGP 10–20 |
| Taxi, village to airport | EGP 100–200 |
| Great Temple entry | EGP 822 (students EGP 450) |
| Sound & Light show | US$20 (children 6–12 US$11) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | EGP 500–1,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ABS · Abu Simbel Airport
- About 4 km (2.5 mi) from the temples; EgyptAir flies from Aswan, up to four flights daily (check)About 2.5 mi (4 km) from the temples; EgyptAir flies from Aswan, up to four flights daily (check)
Typical fares
- Convoy coach Aswan → Abu Simbel, return
- EGP 150–350 depending on season and hotel commission (check)
- EgyptAir Aswan → Abu Simbel
- about 45 min, fares vary by season (check)
- Taxi village → airport
- EGP 100–200
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The village is small enough to walk end to end in about 20 minutes. Hotels sit 10–20 minutes on foot from the temple gate; taxis and hotel shuttles cover the rest. The airport is about 4 km (2.5 mi) out.The village is small enough to walk end to end in about 20 minutes. Hotels sit 10–20 minutes on foot from the temple gate; taxis and hotel shuttles cover the rest. The airport is about 2.5 mi (4 km) out.
See and do
Known for
- Great Temple of Ramses II
- Nefertari's Temple of Hathor
- UNESCO rescue of the temples in the 1960s
- Sun alignment on 22 Feb and 22 Oct
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Aswan | Convoy coach or minibus, about 3 h each way; EgyptAir flights from ABS | 3–3.5 h by road |
| Lake Nasser cruise (Aswan–Abu Simbel) | Cruise ship across Lake Nasser | Overnight or multi-day |
Sleep
- Village centre (Ramsis Road)
- Cafés, cheap hotels and the walk to the temple gate; 10–20 min on foot.
- Lake Nasser shore
- The resort-style hotels with gardens and pools; 10–20 min walk to the temples, some along a busy road.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام عليكمas-salaamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much is it? | بكام؟bikam? |
| Where is the temple? | فين المعبد؟fein el-ma'bad? |
| I need a doctor | أنا محتاج دكتورana mehtag doktor |
| No, thank you | لا شكراًla shukran |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum', handshake; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging strangers
- Eating: Right hand; accept tea; avoid: Refusing hospitality flatly
- Bargaining: Humour and patience; avoid: Anger
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in cities; avoid: Beachwear outside resorts
- Baksheesh: Keep small notes ready; avoid: Showing a thick wallet
- Photos: Ask; pay if agreed; avoid: Photographing police or military
Scams and watch-outs
- Convoy buses must start back to Aswan by 16:00; miss it and you are stranded.
- Foreigners cannot self-drive here; police escorts and convoys apply.
- Photography inside the temples is by mobile phone only; camera permits are checked.
- It is roughly 10°C colder than Aswan, with strong wind off the lake — bring a jacket even in winter.
- Food and drink options are limited; carry water and snacks.
The area is heavily policed and the temples are safe to visit. The real risks are the desert heat, the 16:00 convoy deadline and dehydration; travel in a convoy or with a licensed driver.The area is heavily policed and the temples are safe to visit. The real risks are the desert heat, the 4:00 PM convoy deadline and dehydration; travel in a convoy or with a licensed driver.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Abu Simbel yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Great Temple of Ramses II
- Nefertari's Temple of Hathor
- UNESCO rescue of the temples in the 1960s
- Sun alignment on 22 Feb and 22 Oct
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities — Abu Simbel: egymonuments.com/details/AbuSimbelTemple
- EgyptAir: www.egyptair.com
- Sound & Light Show — Abu Simbel: soundandlight.show/en/show/abu-simbel-show
- Wikivoyage: Abu Simbel, revision 5294386 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5294386
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Abu Simbelأبو سمبل
إلى العنوان ده، لو سمحت
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Abu Simbel; most are in Cairo, with consulates in Aswan for some countries (check).
Carry your passport; police checkpoints on the Aswan road ask for it.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/abu-simbel). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.