On Day 12 of our tour, we made it all the way down to Aswan, near the Sudan border, for a trip to Abu Simbel.
Abu Simbel, an ancient temple complex, was built during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BCE. It consists of two temples – the Great Temple of Ramesses II and the smaller Temple of Hathor.
One of the most impressive features of Abu Simbel is the alignment of the temples. The Great Temple, designed to align with the sun twice a year, on the anniversary of Ramesses II’s coronation and birthday, allows the sun to illuminate the inner sanctum.
In the 1960s, to avoid the flooding caused by the rising waters of the Nile, the Egyptian government relocated the entire complex. It is absolutely insane to me that anyone can completely relocate two major temples!
After spending the morning at the temples, we drove the 3 hours back to our boat and had a little time to relax. For the evening, we had the option of just relaxing or we could take a felucca, a small boat, to a Nubian village. We all chose to do this excursion and it did cost extra, but it was one of the highlights of the trip.
One of our friends we met on the trip, was celebrating his birthday on the trip, as was I! Our wonderful guide got a cake to celebrate our birthdays on the boat. The crew played instruments and sang traditional music while we partied down the Nile. It was such a good time!
We stopped for a quick dip in the Nile before we got to the village. This is one of my favorite memories of the entire trip – swimming in the Nile! The water was so COLD! I was not expecting that as it was so warm outside.
Stunned by the color and beauty when we reached the Nubian village, I couldn’t help but try to look everywhere all at once. There were shops selling everything from spices to clothing to souvenirs for the tourists. During our excursion, we were welcomed into a local’s home to learn about their culture and way of life. Multiple generations will live in the family home together.
The Nubians cohabitate with live crocodiles in their homes (in cages). They allowed us to hold one of the babies!
Afterward, we enjoyed a cup of tea and took in the view before returning to our felucca. The captain turned on fun party lights for the trip back, and we had a dance party! It is one of the best memories of our trip, and I highly recommend this excursion if you are given the opportunity.
Don’t miss Day 11 where we visit Kom Ombo and the Edfu Temple, so go check them out!
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