Abu Simbel Trip from Aswan | Private Road & Plane Tours

An Abu Simbel trip from Aswan takes you south to one of the most impressive archaeological complexes included in our Aswan experiences. Here, beside Lake Nasser, you can explore the monumental Great Temple of Ramses II and the neighboring Temple of Hathor and Queen Nefertari with a professional Egyptologist guide.

At Egypt Luxury Trips, we currently offer two private ways to make the journey from Aswan to Abu Simbel: by private road transport or by domestic flight.

The destination is the same. The difference is how you travel.

The private road tour is approximately 9 hours and uses a private air-conditioned vehicle. The Abu Simbel by Plane experience takes approximately 6 hours overall, with the flight itself taking around 40 minutes each way, although the exact timing depends on the domestic flight schedule.

Both options include guided visits to the two principal Abu Simbel temples, entrance fees, Aswan pickup and return, bottled water, and private local transportation as applicable to the itinerary.

So the main decision is simple: would you prefer the overland journey through southern Egypt, or would you rather reduce the travel time by flying?

If you are already planning to travel between Aswan and Luxor, you may also want to compare this excursion with our 3-night Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor and the 4-night Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan.

Abu Simbel Trip from Aswan at a Glance

Tour Option	Abu Simbel by Road	Abu Simbel by Plane
Tour style	Private	Private
Route	Aswan → Abu Simbel → Aswan	Aswan → Abu Simbel → Aswan
Approximate duration	9 hours	6 hours
Main transport	Private air-conditioned vehicle	Domestic flights + private transfers
Road/flight time	Approx. 3 hours each way by road	Approx. 40 minutes each way by air
Guide	Professional English-speaking Egyptologist	Professional English-speaking Egyptologist
Great Temple of Ramses II	Included	Included
Temple of Hathor & Queen Nefertari	Included	Included
Abu Simbel admission	Included	Included
Aswan pickup & return	Included	Included
Bottled water	Included	Included
Meals	Not included	Not included

The road itinerary is confirmed as an approximately nine-hour private excursion, including roughly three hours of driving in each direction. The flight itinerary is approximately six hours overall, although exact timing can change according to domestic flight schedules.

Why Visit Abu Simbel from Aswan?

The heart of either tour is not simply getting to Abu Simbel. It is having enough context to understand what you are looking at when you arrive.

Your sightseeing focuses on the Great Temple of Ramses II and the nearby Temple of Hathor and Queen Nefertari.

The Great Temple immediately establishes the scale of the site. Its façade is dominated by four colossal seated representations of Ramses II. Your Egyptologist then leads you beyond the exterior into the temple, where the itinerary highlights its halls, battle scenes, ritual reliefs and sanctuary spaces.

The guided explanation connects those architectural and artistic features with Ramses II, his royal authority, his religious role and his presence in Nubia.

You then continue to the second major monument of the complex, the Temple of Hathor and Queen Nefertari.

Although smaller than the Great Temple, it provides an important second perspective on Abu Simbel. Your guide explains the temple’s dedication, Queen Nefertari’s connection with the monument and its relationship with the goddess Hathor.

One of the notable details identified in our itinerary is the representation of Ramses II and Nefertari at equal height on the façade—an unusual feature for the period.

Together, the two temples make the visit more than a quick stop for photographs.

Your Abu Simbel Temple Tour from Aswan

Whether you choose the road or flight itinerary, the archaeological visit remains the centerpiece of your Abu Simbel temple tour from Aswan.

The Great Temple of Ramses II

Your visit begins with the monumental temple associated with Ramses II.

From the exterior, you have time to appreciate and photograph its immense façade and four seated colossi. Inside, the experience continues through the decorated spaces of the temple with your Egyptologist explaining what the reliefs, scenes and architectural details represent.

The itinerary specifically includes discussion of:

• The colossal royal representations
• Carved battle scenes
• Ritual reliefs
• Temple halls
• Sanctuary spaces
• Ramses II’s royal and religious imagery
• The temple’s relationship with ancient Nubia
• The temple’s solar alignment

The road-tour itinerary also highlights the famous solar phenomenon associated with the Great Temple. On February 22 and October 22, sunlight penetrates deep into the monument and illuminates three of the four statues in its inner sanctuary.

Temple of Hathor and Queen Nefertari

Your visit then moves to the neighboring Temple of Hathor and Queen Nefertari.

Here, your Egyptologist discusses the dedication of the monument, Queen Nefertari and the role of Hathor.

Rather than treating the smaller temple as an afterthought, both of our Abu Simbel itineraries specifically include it as one of the two principal monuments visited during the excursion.

You have the opportunity to examine both its façade and interior details before completing the archaeological portion of your tour.

The Extraordinary Relocation of Abu Simbel

There is another story at Abu Simbel that belongs to the modern era rather than the reign of Ramses II.

Both of our tours include an explanation of the relocation of the Abu Simbel temples.

During the 1960s, the monuments were dismantled and reconstructed on higher ground as part of the campaign to protect Nubian monuments from the rising waters associated with the creation of Lake Nasser.

Learning about this relocation changes the way you look at the site.

You are not only standing before ancient monuments; you are also looking at a major modern preservation project in which those monuments were moved and reconstructed to protect them.

Your Egyptologist explains this part of Abu Simbel’s story during the visit, giving the ancient and modern histories of the site a place within the same experience.

If you are also planning to explore the region around Aswan, you can discover more on our Aswan destination page, including the Philae Temple, High Dam and Unfinished Obelisk tour and the Nubian Village by Motorboat experience.

Abu Simbel Trip by Road from Aswan

For travelers who choose to travel overland, our private Abu Simbel trip by road from Aswan takes approximately nine hours.

The road journey itself is a substantial part of the excursion, with approximately three hours of driving each way.

We make that clear because Abu Simbel by road should not be presented as a short transfer from Aswan.

Private Pickup in Aswan

Your day begins with private pickup from your Aswan hotel, Nile cruise or another confirmed meeting point.

You meet your professional English-speaking Egyptologist and travel south in a private air-conditioned vehicle.

As the journey continues away from Aswan, your guide can introduce the setting of Abu Simbel and the monuments you are going to explore.

Journey to Abu Simbel

The drive takes approximately three hours each way.

Because transportation is private rather than structured around a shared group tour, the journey is organized around your private excursion.

Egypt Luxury Trips also schedules the pickup with the aim of reaching Abu Simbel before the main group buses traveling from Aswan and of placing the principal sightseeing portion earlier in the day.

The exact pickup time, however, should be confirmed when you enquire about your travel date.

Arriving at Abu Simbel

On arrival, the setting brings together the temples, desert landscape and waters of Lake Nasser.

Before entering, you can take time to appreciate the monumental scale of the Great Temple façade and photograph the colossal representations of Ramses II.

Your Egyptologist then introduces the historical context before the guided temple visit begins.

Explore Both Temples

The road itinerary includes:

1. The Great Temple of Ramses II
2. The Temple of Hathor and Queen Nefertari
3. An explanation of the monuments’ relocation
4. Time for photographs and questions

After finishing your visit, you return to your private vehicle for the journey back to Aswan.

Your tour concludes with drop-off at your Aswan hotel, Nile cruise or other confirmed drop-off point.

What Is Included in the Private Abu Simbel Road Tour?

The confirmed inclusions are:

• Aswan pickup and return
• Private air-conditioned transportation
• Abu Simbel admission
• Professional English-speaking Egyptologist guide
• Bottled water
• Taxes and service charges

What Is Not Included?

The source lists the following as excluded:

• Meals
• Personal expenses
• Optional activities
• Tipping

No tour price is stated in the supplied itinerary, so pricing should be confirmed directly with Egypt Luxury Trips for your travel arrangements.

Abu Simbel by Plane from Aswan

If reducing travel time is important to you, the Abu Simbel flight from Aswan offers another way to make the same archaeological visit.

Instead of spending approximately three hours travelling by road in each direction, you fly between Aswan and Abu Simbel.

The flight itself takes approximately 40 minutes each way.

The complete experience is approximately six hours, including private transfers, airport procedures, flights, local transportation at Abu Simbel and the guided temple visit.

Domestic flight schedules can change, so your final pickup time and flight arrangements need to be reconfirmed for your travel date.

Private Transfer to Aswan Airport

Your Abu Simbel by Plane experience begins with private pickup from your hotel, Nile cruise or confirmed meeting point in Aswan.

You then travel by private air-conditioned vehicle to Aswan Airport.

Flight departure times are dependent on the operating schedule, so the exact pickup time is coordinated according to the flight arranged for your date.

Flight from Aswan to Abu Simbel

You board a regular domestic flight from Aswan to Abu Simbel.

The flight takes approximately 40 minutes.

This is an important distinction when comparing the two tours: although the sightseeing and temples are similar, flying considerably reduces the amount of time spent travelling between the two destinations.

The domestic flights themselves are regular airline services rather than private aircraft, while the transfers and guided sightseeing are arranged privately.

Private Transfer to the Temples

After arrival at Abu Simbel Airport, your organized local transportation continues to the temple complex.

You then explore the same two principal monuments:

• The Great Temple of Ramses II
• The Temple of Hathor and Queen Nefertari

Your professional English-speaking Egyptologist provides the historical and archaeological explanation during the sightseeing portion of the experience.

You also learn about the relocation of the temples and the solar alignment associated with the Great Temple.

There is time for photographs and questions before leaving the site.

Return Flight to Aswan

After your Abu Simbel visit, private transportation takes you back to Abu Simbel Airport.

You then fly north to Aswan.

On arrival, your driver meets you for the final private transfer to your hotel, Nile cruise or confirmed drop-off point.

The complete experience is approximately six hours, although actual timing remains linked to domestic flight schedules.

What Is Included in the Abu Simbel Plane Tour?

The current flight itinerary includes:

• Return Aswan–Abu Simbel domestic flights
• Pickup and return in Aswan
• Private air-conditioned local transfers
• Meet-and-assist service
• Professional English-speaking Egyptologist guide
• Abu Simbel entrance fees
• Bottled water
• Taxes and service charges

What Is Excluded?

The confirmed exclusions are:

• Meals
• Personal expenses
• Optional activities
• Tipping
• Services not specifically listed as included

Abu Simbel by Plane or Road: Which Experience Fits Your Itinerary?

Both options bring you to the same archaeological complex and include guided sightseeing at the Great Temple of Ramses II and Temple of Hathor and Queen Nefertari.

The main difference is the journey.

Choose the Road Tour if:

You prefer the private overland experience and are comfortable with approximately three hours of driving each way.

The complete road tour is approximately nine hours and includes private air-conditioned transportation from Aswan to Abu Simbel and back.

Choose the Plane Tour if:

Your priority is reducing travel time.

The flight is approximately 40 minutes each way, and the complete excursion is approximately six hours rather than approximately nine hours by road.

The flight option also includes private Aswan airport transfers, local transportation at Abu Simbel, meet-and-assist service and return domestic flights.

Flying therefore reduces the time spent crossing the desert, while travelling by road avoids the airport and flight components of the journey.

Neither option changes the principal purpose of the tour: exploring Abu Simbel with an Egyptologist.

Can You Take an Abu Simbel Trip from an Aswan Nile Cruise?

Yes, according to both of our current private itineraries.

Pickup can be arranged from an Aswan hotel, Nile cruise or another confirmed meeting point.

After your excursion, you return to your hotel, Nile cruise or confirmed drop-off location in Aswan.

This makes the Abu Simbel visit compatible with travelers who are staying aboard a Nile cruise in Aswan, provided the pickup arrangements and tour timing are confirmed in advance.

If you are combining your Abu Simbel visit with a longer Nile journey, you may also be interested in our Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan and the full Nile Cruise collection.

Frequently Asked Questions About an Abu Simbel Trip from Aswan

Plan Your Abu Simbel Trip from Aswan with Egypt Luxury Trips

An Abu Simbel trip from Aswan can be arranged in two distinctly different ways without changing the main reason for making the journey.

Travel privately by road and make the desert journey part of the experience, or fly from Aswan and reduce the amount of time spent in transit.

Whichever option you consider, both itineraries focus on the monuments themselves: the Great Temple of Ramses II, the Temple of Hathor and Queen Nefertari, the extraordinary relocation of Abu Simbel, and the historical context provided by a professional Egyptologist.

To check the available details for your travel date, fill out the enquiry form and speak with the Egypt Luxury Trips team. We can provide the current information for the road and flight options, confirm the relevant pickup arrangements and help you discuss which itinerary fits your plans in Aswan.

You can also explore our Luxury Egypt Tours collection and our Luxor destination page for more inspiration across Upper Egypt.