Home / Attractions / Abu Simbel Temples
Aswan · West bank of the Nile, south of Aswan
Two temples cut into a sandstone cliff by Ramses II on the west bank of the Nile, moved to higher ground between 1963 and 1968.
Abu Simbel is the site of two temples that Ramses II had cut into a sandstone cliff on the west bank of the Nile, in Nubia near Egypt's southern border. The Great Temple, fronted by four seated colossi of the king, holds a sanctuary of Amun-Ra, Ra-Horakhty, Ptah and the deified Ramses; the Small Temple just to the north is dedicated to the goddess Hathor and to Queen Nefertari.
The temple was built so that on two days a year, February 22 and October 22, the sun's rays cross the main hall and light the statues in the sanctuary. When Lake Nasser, the reservoir of the Aswan High Dam, threatened to drown both temples, an international team cut them apart and rebuilt them on higher ground. They are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae, inscribed in 1979.
Seated figures of Ramses II, each 66 feet (20 meters) high, two on either side of the entrance. One fell in an ancient earthquake and its pieces still lie on the ground; small figures of his children, Queen Nefertari and his mother stand at their feet.
Three halls run 185 feet (56 meters) into the cliff, lined with statues of the king in the form of Osiris. At the end, the sanctuary holds four seated gods: Amun-Ra, Ra-Horakhty, Ptah and Ramses himself.
Just north of the Great Temple, dedicated to Hathor and to Queen Nefertari. Its facade statues stand 35 feet (10.5 meters) high, and the queen is shown the same size as the king, a rare display.
The halls are decorated with painted scenes of the king's claimed victory at the Battle of Kadesh.
| Summer | 6:00 am · last entry 4:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Winter | 6:00 am · last entry 4:00 pm |
| Ramadan | 6:00 am · last entry 4:00 pm |
The Ministry's monuments website gives 6:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities ticketing portal, checked August 2026
| Adult | Student | |
| General admission (Ministry monuments website) | EGP 750 | EGP 375 |
| General admission (Ministry ticketing portal) | EGP 822 | EGP 445.5 |
| On February 22 and October 22 | EGP 1,200 | EGP 600 |
Prices in Egyptian pounds, as of August 2026
| From Aswan hotels | 283.4 km · about 3 h 26 min |
|---|
Without traffic, from our tours' map routing
Our Abu Simbel day runs by road in a private air-conditioned vehicle from your Aswan hotel. Your Egyptologist guide takes you through the Great Temple of Ramses II, then the Temple of Nefertari, and the drive back to Aswan is 283.2 km. Entry to the temples is included.
The coolest months are December to February.
World Meteorological Organization climate normals (monthly averages, not forecasts)
Our Abu Simbel tour goes by road in a private air-conditioned vehicle from your Aswan hotel: 283.4 km, about 3 h 26 min without traffic.
Yes. Inside the Great Temple, three halls run 185 feet (56 meters) into the cliff, past statues of the king, to a sanctuary with four seated gods.
Between 1963 and 1968 an international team cut away the top of the cliff, took both temples apart into some 16,000 blocks and rebuilt them more than 200 feet (60 meters) above their old site, with funds from more than 50 countries.
On February 22 and October 22, when the sun's rays cross the main hall and light the statues in the sanctuary. On those two days the foreign adult ticket is EGP 1,200.
Two official Ministry sources differ: EGP 750 on the monuments website and EGP 822 on the ticketing portal for foreign adults, and EGP 375 or EGP 445.5 for students, as of August 2026.
From 6:00 am with last entry at 4:00 pm in every season, per the Ministry's ticketing portal; the Ministry's monuments website gives 6:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica; UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities; World Meteorological Organization.
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