Your On Trip Egypt guide will meet you at your hotel or Nile Cruise early in the morning around 4:30 AM. To make the most of your adventure, we recommend requesting a breakfast box from your hotel the evening before. Your journey to the iconic Abu Simbel Temples begins with a private air-conditioned transfer through the dramatic landscape of the Sahara Nubian Desert, covering a distance of approximately 280 km south of Aswan. Enjoy sunrise over the desert as you travel—an unforgettable sight that sets the tone for the day. Along the way, we’ll stop for a quick coffee break at a local roadside café before continuing through this unique region where modern agriculture meets ancient sands, passing views of the Toshka Canal and Egypt’s emerging Green Valley projects. Arrival at Abu Simbel is around 7:40 AM, where you’ll explore one of the most awe-inspiring sites in Egypt: The Great Temple of Ramses II, carved into the mountainside, is aligned so the sun illuminates its inner sanctuary on two specific days each year: the king’s birthday and his coronation day. The Temple of Queen Nefertari, dedicated to Hathor and Ramses’ beloved royal wife, is equally majestic with its statues and divine symmetry. These magnificent temples were carved out over 3,000 years ago, and in the 1960s, were relocated and preserved by UNESCO to save them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser during the construction of the High Dam. Today, they remain a stunning testament to ancient Egyptian engineering and devotion. After your guided tour, you will return comfortably to Aswan, where we’ll drop you off at your hotel or cruise ship, completing a day that blends ancient magic with modern hospitality.