Abu Simbel holidays

A trip to Abu Simbel is a wonderful dive into the heart of Pharaonic Egypt, since it is here, on the banks of the Nile, that Ramesses II – often considered the greatest and most celebrated pharaoh - had two incredible temples built in his honour. The Great Temple’s façade – carved into the rock with four statues of Ramesses II in different postures – is huge. The Small Temple is, as the name suggests, the smaller of the two and is dedicated to Ramesses’ wife Nefertari and the goddess Hathor, and has six statues carved into its facade. In 1968 the entire complex was relocated to nearly 200ft above its original position, to save the temples from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. This incredible project led to UNESCO creating the World Heritage list, which has since saved many other historic sites from destruction. Visit Abu Simbel at the end of a Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan, as the temple complex can be visited on a day trip from Aswan, or add on a stay here as part of your Egypt holiday. Read more