Abu Simbel, Egypt

Abu Simbel is an archaeological site comprising two massive rock temples in southern Egypt on the western bank of Lake Nasser about 290 km southwest of Aswan. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Nubian Monuments" , which run from Abu Simbel downriver to Philae (near Aswan).

The twin temples were carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC, as a lasting monument to himself and his queen Nefertari, to commemorate his alleged victory at the Battle of Kadesh, and to intimidate his Nubian neighbors. The complex was relocated in its entirety in the 1960s to avoid being submerged during the creation of Lake Nasser, the massive artificial water reservoir formed after the building of the Aswan dam on the river Nile. Abu Simbel remains one of Egypt's top tourist attractions.

Things to see and do

* Sun Temple of Ramses II
* Temple of Queen Nefertari

Cruise Season - Oct - April
Currency - Egyptian pound (LE) (EGP)
Language - Arabic
Land Area - 1,001,449 km² (Egypt)
Population - 76,000,000 (Egypt)
Electricity - 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT plus two hours
International Country Telephone Code - +20

Port Location - Cruise boats dock in Aswan on the Nile, which is approx 290 km's from Abu Simbel.

Transport Links - EgyptAir offers daily flights to Abu Simbel from both Cairo and Aswan. Foreign travellers can get to Abu Simbel by coach or minibus from Aswan. It is possible to travel by cruise ship from Aswan through Lake Nasser to Abu Simbel.
The town of Abu Simbel is small enough to navigate on foot