Add one day, not a new leg. Abu Simbel is reached from Aswan, either by a roughly 3-hour drive each way or a short flight, and almost everyone visits it as a single day trip (or overnight) tacked onto an Aswan stay or the end of a Nile cruise. It does not need its own multi-day slot.
Key takeaways
- Abu Simbel sits south of Aswan — it is an add-on to an Aswan stay, not a stop along the route to Luxor.
- Most itineraries that already include Aswan can add Abu Simbel as a single extra day.
- Road convoys and flights both run from Aswan; a flight is faster if your schedule is tight.
- Abu Simbel keeps the same hours in Ramadan as the rest of the year (06:00, last entry 16:00) — check the Ministry portal before planning a tight connection.
By road or by air
| By road | By air | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | About 3 hours each way | Under an hour each way |
| What you see | Nubian villages and desert along the way | Just the temple |
| Best for | Travellers with a full extra day | Travellers adding it onto a tight Aswan stopover |
Where it slots into a longer trip
If your itinerary already has an Aswan night — such as our 11-day classic Egypt itinerary — Abu Simbel is usually one extra day added at that point, before or after you board a Nile cruise. It rarely changes anything else about the plan.
Frequently asked questions
Can I visit Abu Simbel from Luxor directly?
No — go via Aswan. It is south of Aswan, not between Luxor and Aswan.
Is one day at Abu Simbel enough?
Yes. The site is two temples seen in a couple of hours; a day trip from Aswan, including travel, is the normal way to do it. See our Abu Simbel day tour from Aswan.
Why was Abu Simbel moved?
The whole site was relocated in the 1960s to save it from the rising waters of Lake Nasser — the full story is in why Abu Simbel was moved.
Reviewed September 2026.