People in front of tourist buses under a cloudy sky at the temple of Abu Simbel in Egypt

Abu Simbel is a very popular tourist destination in the southern part of Egypt, located close to the border with Sudan, but far away from the nearest town of Aswan. Abu Simbel is actually located at a distance by road of around 260km from Aswan, and takes around 3 hours by road to get there (but you can also get there by flight, or by ship across Lake Nasser). Most people who travel there go by road, and since traffic there is only allowed through controlled convoys, you will find a number of large tourist buses that carry groups of tourists. In this photo, you can see tourist buses in the parking zone of Abu Simbel, with their drivers waiting along with the buses.

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II	View Larger Map

skyline framed prints

Security check point on the trip from Aswan to Abu Simbel in Egypt

Abu Simbel is a very significant tourist destination for people visiting Egypt, located in the southern part of Egypt. The tourist destination is located in a remote area, and it takes around 2.5 - 3 hours of drive to reach Abu Simbel from the nearest big location (Aswan) (although you can also get there by ship and by plane). Since the location and the route is very isolated, there are security risks and hence there are more security personnel and security officers on route. In fact, the entire travel is done on convoys that set out from Aswan at 2 different times in the day. This photo is of a security check point on the route.

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II	View Larger Map

skyline greeting cards

Road going from Aswan to Abu Simbel - a desolate long highway

The road between the city of Aswan and the temple of Abu Simbel. The distance between these locations is around 280 km by road, and takes a time less than 3 hours by convoy. The road is not used by others except for some use by small hamlets located on the route, by military vehicles, and by the convoys traveling between Aswan and Abu Simbel. It is not particularly wide, but is maintained in very good condition with mostly flat surroundings, except for some hillocks in the distance.

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II	View Larger Map

skyline posters

Palm trees located on the outskirts of the compound of the Abu Simbel temple in Egypt

The area in which the temple of Abu Simbel is located is a desolate and barren area even though the river Nile passes close by. However, at the actual temple, there is an attempt to beautify the area with trees planted close by the temple. At some points in the temple, there are many trees including these palm trees that provide some greenery to the whole area. They actually great.

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II	View Larger Map

skyline metal prints

Sunlight glistening on the surface of the back side of the hillock at the Abu Simbel temple

The temple of Abu Simbel essentially consists of twin temples, each of them located within 2 hillocks. The original temple was located in the riverside, but due to the formation of Lake Nasser after the construction of the dam at Aswan, the temple was taken apart rock by rock and moved to a higher location to ensure that it did not submerged by the rising water. These hillocks are essentially man made structures, one of which can be seen in this photo.

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II	View Larger Map

tourist attraction photos

Egyptian army soldiers filling a tanker with water at a middle point

The route leading to the Abu Simbel temple from the city of Aswan is a long route, around 280 km and which takes around 3 hours (the route normally has very little traffic except for the traffic heading to and fro to Abu Simbel). Vehicles travel in convoys at fairly high speeds to get there, but the entire route is fairly deserted with not too many facilities available on the way. In between, we could see that there was a water tanker which was being helped to be filled by army soldiers.

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II	View Larger Map

india acrylic prints

Narrow part of Lake Nasser near the Abu Simbel temple in South Egypt

The water body next to the Abu Simbel temple in South Egypt. The entire area was desolate, a mix of desert and hills. The temple had been constructed in a remote area, far away from cities, but on the route used by travelers from Nubia to Aswan. The temple was constructed as a expression of the grandeur of the pharaoh as well as a warning to the visitors about the power of the pharaoh and for them not to try any misadventure in the region.

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II	View Larger Map

india photos

Drivers and tourists near the parked buses at the Abu Simbel temple in Egypt

Abu Simbel is an integral part of the route for many tourists (arriving there by flight, or by cruise ship, or by road). The most popular way for people to get there is through the road route, taking a 3 hour trip on an empty road that leads from Aswan to Abu Simbel. This trip is through regulated convoys, twice a day, and a number of buses and other tourist vehicles make this trip. This photo shows the parking site of the temple along with the buses parked there and the drivers of these buses.

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II	View Larger Map

india canvas prints

Trees at the base of the hillock of the Abu Simbel temple in Egypt near the path around the temple

As you reach the temple of Abu Simbel and the hillocks that contain the 2 twin temples, there is a path that takes you around the first hillock. This is a photo of the trees located near the starting point of the path. Given the barrenness of the area and the desert, there are very few trees and only small patches of greenery in the area. Even the presence of the River Nile very close by does not really make a difference to the desolate area.

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II	View Larger Map

india prints