Abu Simbel lies outside the zone of totality, which is why only a partial solar eclipse can be observed from there. We therefore offer sightseeing programs in Aswan including a day trip to Abu Simbel, in combination with a stay in Luxor or a Nile cruise. In Luxor, you will then be able to fully enjoy the total solar eclipse on August 2nd, 2027.
The small town of Abu Simbel, with a population of just under 5,500, is located at the southern end of Lake Nasser, around 20 kilometers from the border with Sudan. The name stands for Ancient Egypt like few others, as two of the most beautiful rock-cut temples were built here by the most powerful pharaoh in history: The Great Temple, dedicated to the triad of gods Amun-Re, Re-Harachte and Ptah, but actually built for the eternal glory of the great Ramses II; and the second temple, dedicated to the goddess Hathor and built by the pharaoh for his wife Nefertari. The proximity of the temples to each other symbolizes the love of this dream couple of antiquity.
Twice a year, the statues of Amun-Re, Ramses II and the sun god Re-Harachte are illuminated by the rising sun in the sanctuary of the main temple, while Ptah, the god of the dead, remains in the shade. During the reign of Ramesses II, this phenomenon, known as the "Miracle of the Sun at Abu Simbel", always fell on February 21st and October 21st, the fourth month of the pharaonic seasons of Peret and Achet. The deviating length of a mean solar year compared to the calendar year is responsible for the fact that the azimuth of the sun's position shifts slightly each year. In addition, the leap day every four years influences the date of the "sun miracle". This results in a fluctuation of one day in both directions. Both dates are extremely popular with visitors every year.
A remarkable concerted action is behind the rescue of the two temples from sinking in the waters of the Nasser reservoir: from 1964 to 1968, UNESCO financed and directed the dismantling of the temples. They were rebuilt at a higher point, with exactly the same cardinal points, so that the phenomenon of the "miracle of the sun" was preserved.
The temple complex of Abu Simbel can be visited from Aswan. The land transfer takes around three and a half hours each way, whereas it only takes around 45 minutes by plane (the airport in Abu Simbel is just a stone's throw away from the temple complex). The most attractive way to visit Abu Simbel is on board of a Lake Nasser cruise ship.
