Today, we leave for Abu Simbel. This village on the border with Sudan is known for its impressive temples. We really can’t wait
To go to Abu Simbel, you can:
- Have an excursion with a round trip in the same day. Excursions are organized for groups of tourists via Van. The road to Abu Simbel is closed to foreigners from 5 p.m. for security reasons. Thus these excursions leave very early from Aswan and return there before the sunset, which may be tiring.
- Leave by plane. There is an airport in Abu Simbel and internal flights are provided. This solution can be expensive.
- Find a private driver and make a round trip over 2 days. This solution allows you to spend the night there with the advantage of visiting the temple in the evening, after the departure of the excursions to Aswan, in peace. You can also go to the temple the next day as soon as it opens at 06:00. This is the solution we chose and we do not regret it.
The journey lasts 3 hours.
We spoke with our contact in Abu Simbel a few weeks before our trip to organize everything.
His name is Chaabane FOUAD and he is ADORABLE. His WhatsApp number is +20 111 231 3299
He is the manager of the TUYA hotel where we stayed.
He gave us the phone number of his brother Abdullah who provides transportation to and from Aswan.
We meet at 09:00 next to the KFC. Abdullah is there, punctual, adorable and very kind.
We leave Aswan for Abu Simbel.
We cross a desert road, no gas station, no cafe, no restaurant for 200 km. The first place where we start to see houses is Toshka, located 60 km from Abu Simbel.
at noon, we arrive at our hotel: TUYA
Our contact Chaabane is the manager.
We had booked with him directly.
It is a magnificent hotel, a few minutes from the temples of Abu Simbel and opposite Lake Nasser.
The welcome is perfect. Everything is going wonderfully.
Accommodation: TUYA Hotel
Address: Ramsis Street, Temple Road, Abu Simbel
Location: 22°20’24.8″N 31°37’02.7″E
1 night, from 07/11/2024 to 08/11/2024
Price: €90
Booked via WhatsApp with the hotel manager
Before heading out to explore the temples, we have lunch at the hotel which has its own restaurant. We choose a fish coming from Lake Nasser
Around 1960, the construction of the Aswan High Dam on the Nile ordered by Gamal Abdel Nasser, gave birth to Lake Nasser, clearly visible in Abu Simbel
We set off to visit the famous temples of Abu Simbel. Our hotel is ideally located 700m from the entrance to the temples. You can walk or easily find a Tuk-tuk for 10 EGP (0.2 €)
My wife is a little sick so we choose the Tuk-Tuk solution.
We buy our entrance tickets for 30 EGP: 0.6 € per person (special Arab price). The normal price is 765 EGP: 15 €
You can also buy round-trip tickets by Golf car from the ticket office to the temples. We did it because my wife is starting to have symptoms of an intestinal infection.
There are two temples at Abu Simbel. The Great Temple, that of Ramses II. The Small Temple, that of his favorite, Nefertari.
It is possible to visit them at sunset and at night to see the light show (~18€)
Like the Philae temple in Aswan, the Abu Simbel temple was completely cut up and moved by UNESCO to prevent it from being swallowed up by Lake Nasser following the construction of the high dam.
It is currently 200 meters from its original location.
We start with the great temple. It is just impressive:
Ramses II is the very example of the pharaoh with all the superlatives: longevity, power and arrogance: A true pharaoh.
He always wanted to compare himself to the Egyptian gods.
That is why he ordered the construction of this temple in his image
The temple is the image of the greatness of the Pharaoh: immense, impressive…
The choice to build his temple in Abu Simbel was made by Ramses II because of the absence of divinity in this city. Thus, he was sure to be the god of this area.
The objective of this construction was also to impress the neighbors of the south of Egypt
The construction lasted 20 years.
We continue our visit to the Nefertari temple. So, the temple is not small at all, unless we compare it to that of Ramses II
Nefertari was the favorite of Ramses II, She knew how to distinguish herself from his many other wives. In order to express his love to her, Ramses II ordered the construction of a temple for her. Nefertari was also the goddess of love, beauty, music, motherhood and joy.
We will not stay for the light show, because oh the medical state of my wife, our helpful and adorable friend Chaabane comes to pick us up with his brother to take us to the hospital of Abu Simbel.
On the way, he makes us understand that Abu Simbel is a small, remote village and that we should not expect to have good medical care.
Well, he is completely wrong. The hospital is new, clean. The nursing staff is attentive. The doctor is available quickly. The diagnosis is made. It is indeed an infection. But no panic, everything is available. Injection of a dose of antibiotics to relieve the pain. After an hour and a half, we leave with the prescription for our hotel.
On the way back to the hotel, a soup has been prepared for my wife by the attentive staff of the hotel.
She stays to rest.
I decide to go for a little walk at the village of Abu Simbel.
It is a charming little authentic village. You can find restaurants, cafes, shops there.
These addresses were recommended to us, but we were not able to test them.
- Elmodhesh Fish Restaurant: Grills & fish
- New Abu Simbel Restaurant
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