4 Days from Abu Simbel to Aswan with Omar El Khayam

You will be warmly welcomed today for your 4-day Nile cruise from Abu Simbel to Aswan aboard the MS Steigenberger Omar Khayam at Aswan Airport by our tour guide, then you will have a private transfer to Abu Simbel. There, you will embark on your 5-star Nile cruise ship. After lunch on board, you will visit the highlight of Lake Nasser with your tour guide, the legacy of Ramses II: Abu Simbel Temples The two temples of Abu Simbel were built by Ramses II in 1260 BC and were buried under the sand until 1817 when the Italian Belzoni cleared them from the sand. The Ramses Temple extends 60 meters directly into the rock and is 30 meters high. The temple of Nefertari is 21 meters deep and 12 meters high. After the construction of the dam, both temples were moved approximately 62 meters higher between 1964 and 1968 to protect them from flooding by the reservoir. Enjoy your first evening on board under the starry sky of Upper Egypt and look forward to the program of the next few days. Tip of the day: In the evening, you have the opportunity to enjoy the impressive sound and light show at the temples of Abu Simbel. (optional).

Your dream Nile cruise begins in the morning as the ship heads towards Wadi el Seboua to Amada. During the journey, you can admire the former fortress of Kasr Ibrîm from the sun deck, the only archaeological site not buried by the waters of Lake Nasser. The ship docks in Amada and as the first part of the day’s program, you will visit with your tour guide: temple of Amada – The Oldest Treasure on Lake Nasser The Temple of Amada, carved from sandstone, is the oldest standing monument on Lake Nasser. It was built during the reigns of Thutmose III, Amenophis II, and Thutmose IV of the 18th Dynasty, and dedicated to the sun gods Amun-Re and Re-Harakhte. Renowned for its exquisite and well-preserved reliefs, it is considered one of the most beautifully decorated temples in Lower Nubia. To protect this ancient masterpiece from the rising waters of Lake Nasser, a remarkable engineering effort was made: the entire temple was moved intact to its new location, preserving its fragile artwork for future generations. After that, you will visit: Temple of Derr – Ramses II in the House of Re Commissioned in the 30th year of Ramses II’s reign, the Temple of Derr stands as a tribute to the gods Ptah and Amun—and to Ramses II himself, honored as a deified ruler. Known in ancient times as the “Temple of Ramses in the House of Re,” this rock-cut sanctuary was originally carved into a cliff along the Nile. Today, what remains includes two colonnaded halls leading to the inner sanctuaries, still echoing the grandeur of the New Kingdom and the divine legacy of one of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs. As the last item on the agenda of the day, you visit: Tomb of Pennut – The Last Legacy of Ancient Aniba The rock-cut Tomb of Pennut is a unique survivor of the ancient fortress town of Aniba, once known as Miam. It is the only monument from this site that was not surrendered to the rising waters of Lake Nasser. Pennut, a high official during the reign of Ramses VI, is honored here through a wealth of inscriptions and vivid wall scenes that reveal his prestigious role in the administration of Nubia. The tomb stands as a rare and invaluable testament to the lives of elite officials during Egypt’s 20th Dynasty. Afterwards, this impressive day ends and you will be taken back to the ship.

After a leisurely breakfast on board, you will visit Wadi El Seboua with your tour guide: Temple of Wadi El Seboua – The Valley of the Sphinxes Once located in the so-called Valley of the Lions—a name inspired not by wild animals but by the sphinx statues lining its approach—the Temple of Wadi El Seboua is one of the few Nubian temples to preserve such monumental guardians. Built by Ramses II from sandstone, the temple was partially flooded during parts of the year before its relocation. Inside, visitors can admire striking depictions of the pharaoh in various divine forms: as a sphinx, a god in human shape, and a mighty king. The temple is dedicated to the powerful deities Amun-Re and Re-Harakhte, echoing the religious devotion of ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom. Afterwards, you visit the: Temple of Dakka – Sanctuary of Thoth, God of Wisdom The Temple of Dakka, though relatively young in comparison to other ancient monuments, was built around 200 BC by the Meroitic king Arqamani during the Ptolemaic period. Dedicated to Thoth—the god of wisdom, writing, magic, and science—the temple served as a center of intellectual and spiritual reverence. Though impressive in scale, the temple was never fully completed, as evidenced by the unfinished pylons and unsmoothed reliefs. Even in its incomplete state, the Temple of Dakka stands as a remarkable testament to the fusion of Nubian and Greco-Egyptian artistry. Temple of Meharrakka Meharrakka was a place in Lower Nubia south of Aswan on the west bank of the Nile. At this location stood a temple dedicated to the deities Serapis and Isis. It was built in Roman times but never properly completed. Only the porch surrounded by covered colonnades on three sides remains of the temple. A unique feature found here is a spiral staircase that once led to the roof. The temple was dismantled together with the temple of Dakka due to the threat of flooding from the construction of the dam and was restored and rebuilt in (New) Wadi El Seboua. The temple has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979. After the visit, the ship heads towards Aswan where it docks. Dinner and overnight on board

After breakfast on board, disembarkation takes place, then as the last part of your Nile cruise, you will visit Kalabsha. The city was known in antiquity as Talmis and was flooded by Lake Nasser following the construction of the Aswan Dam, so it was relocated and reconstructed on an island. In Kalabsha, you will visit with your tour guide: Kalabsha Temple – A Monument of Many Eras The majestic Kalabsha Temple, originally dedicated to the Nubian sun god Mandulis and the goddess Isis, stands as the largest free-standing temple complex of Lower Nubia, measuring an impressive 36 by 72 meters. Reconstructed by Emperor Augustus, the temple reflects a blend of Roman and ancient Egyptian architectural influence. In the 6th century AD, parts of the temple were repurposed as a Christian church, a transformation still visible today through the preserved Christian symbols carved into its walls. Right next to the temple is the: Kiosk of Kerkassi The Kiosk of Kertassi is an ancient Egyptian temple building dating from the Greco-Roman period. Originally, it stood at the entrance to an ancient quarry in Kertassi, a place that was then a Roman outpost in Nubia. After the flooding of the site due to the construction of the high dam, the kiosk was moved near the Mandulis Temple, which was also relocated. Both buildings have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979. After the last part of the program, you will be taken to Aswan Airport.