Egypt Luxor Tours
EN

South of LuxorLuxor tours · Abu Simbel

Luxor to Abu Simbel — a long road, or a smarter route via Aswan

Abu Simbel is roughly 475–500 km south of Luxor by road, so a day trip means about 15 hours door to door. Breaking the journey in Aswan, flying the last leg, or adding it to a Nile cruise all make it easier.

Luxor–Abu Simbel
about 475–500 km by road
Day trip by road
about 15 hours
Entry ticket
EGP 750 (about $14)
Private day trip
from about $194 per person

Updated October 21, 2026

The four colossal seated statues of Ramesses II at the Great Temple of Abu Simbel
The four colossal seated statues of Ramesses II at the Great Temple of Abu Simbel Photo: Abumalek ahmed mohamed, CC BY-SA 4.0

The short answer

  1. Best overallFrom Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Balloon Flight4.5558 reviewsfrom $580GetYourGuide

    Abu Simbel slotted into a 3-night Aswan–Luxor cruise with a balloon flight and the West Bank — no 15-hour day, and the most-reviewed package that includes it.

  2. Best privateAbu Simbel Temple Private Guided Day Trip with Lunch4.6686 reviewsfrom $194GetYourGuide

    The most-reviewed Abu Simbel day trip from Luxor, with your own car, guide and lunch. Expect a very early start and about 15 hours in total.

  3. Most flexibleEdfu, Kom Ombo, Abu Simbel Private Tour & Entry Fees4.2134 reviewsfrom $238GetYourGuide

    A one-way day from Luxor to Aswan that adds Edfu and Kom Ombo to Abu Simbel, with entry fees included. Good if Aswan is your next stop anyway.

  4. Skip it ifYou only have one day in Luxor

    Thirteen hours on the road for two hours on site would cost you the Valley of the Kings and Karnak. Do Luxor properly instead.

How to get from Luxor to Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel sits on Lake Nasser, about 280 km south of Aswan — which itself is a little over 3 hours' drive south of Luxor. In total that's roughly 475–500 km by road, or 6–7 hours each way. There are three sensible ways to do it from Luxor:

  1. A road day trip from Luxor — about 15 hours, two of them at the temples.
  2. Via Aswan — get to Aswan by road or train, sleep there, then take the dawn van or the 45-minute flight.
  3. As part of a Nile cruise — the ship moors in Aswan and Abu Simbel becomes a morning excursion.

The temples are worth the effort. Ramesses II had the Great Temple cut into the cliff around 1264 BC, with four seated colossi of himself on the façade; the smaller temple honors Hathor and Queen Nefertari. Both were moved in a UNESCO-led rescue completed in 1968, when the lake rising behind the Aswan High Dam would have flooded them; the site has been on the World Heritage List since 1979.

Tour vs DIY: what each option really costs

Option $ per person Hours on the road Hours on site Flexibility
Private day trip from Luxor from about $194 about 13 about 2 Your car, fixed long day
One-way Luxor → Aswan with Edfu, Kom Ombo & Abu Simbel from about $238, entries included most of a 12-hour day three temples in one day Ends in Aswan
Nile cruise with Abu Simbel included from about $580 (3 nights) about 7–8 round trip from Aswan about 2 Fixed by the ship
DIY: train to Aswan + shared van about $17–25 van + $14 ticket + train & hotel 3.5 to Aswan, 7–8 round trip about 2 Night in Aswan needed
DIY: train to Aswan + flight about $110–160 return flight + $14 ticket 3.5 to Aswan 2–3 Most comfortable, least road

Prices for tours are from the platform feeds; the van, flight and ticket figures are 2026 local prices, converted at about EGP 52 to the dollar. The cruise is a whole holiday, not just Abu Simbel, so compare it with a hotel stay plus the day trip rather than with the day trip alone.

Abu Simbel tours and cruises from Luxor

US-dollar prices come from each platform's own feed and were checked on October 21, 2026. Dates and group size change them — the booking page has the final price.

What a day trip from Luxor looks like

The desert road south of Aswan is closed to tourist traffic between about 5 pm and 5 am, and the site opens at 06:00, so operators start in the small hours and aim to leave Abu Simbel by early afternoon. Private trips list about 15–16 hours in total.

A typical road day trip from Luxor (approximate)
  1. Pickup at your Luxor hotel; sleep in the car on the highway south
  2. Pass Aswan, short break, then the desert road to Abu Simbel
  3. Arrive at Abu Simbel; about two hours at the Great Temple and the temple of Hathor and Nefertari
  4. Leave for Aswan; lunch there on many private tours
  5. Back at your Luxor hotel, roughly 15–16 hours after leaving

It works if you sleep in vehicles easily and Abu Simbel is the one thing you must see. Otherwise, it is better spent elsewhere — a Dendera and Abydos day keeps you much closer to Luxor.

The desert between Aswan and Abu Simbel: about 280 km of near-empty road
The desert between Aswan and Abu Simbel: about 280 km of near-empty road Photo: Katonams, CC BY-SA 3.0

Flying to Abu Simbel via Aswan

The most comfortable route skips the desert road. Reach Aswan from Luxor by car (a little over 3 hours) or by train (about 3–3.5 hours), and fly Aswan–Abu Simbel with EgyptAir, about 45 minutes each way. A free EgyptAir shuttle covers the roughly 5 km from the airport to the temples. A return flight runs about EGP 5,500–8,000 ($110–160). Schedules vary by season and frequency is limited, so book the flight before anything else.

Abu Simbel on a Nile cruise

If you're already planning a cruise, this is the low-effort option. On the 3-night Aswan to Luxor cruise, Abu Simbel is a pre-dawn excursion on the Aswan day, and you're back on board before the ship sails for Kom Ombo. From Luxor, the 4-night southbound cruise reaches Aswan on day 4, and Abu Simbel fits on the Aswan day or after you disembark. Our Nile cruise overview shows which packages include it.

For more long days out of Luxor, see our day trips from Luxor guide.

Questions travellers ask

How far is Abu Simbel from Luxor?

About 475–500 km by road, depending on the route. The drive goes via Aswan — a little over 3 hours on the highway from Luxor — then about 3.5–4 hours across the desert to Abu Simbel. Allow 6–7 hours each way, before stops.

Can you do Abu Simbel as a day trip from Luxor?

Yes, but it's one of the longest day trips in Egypt. Private tours from Luxor run about 15 hours, leaving before dawn and returning in the evening, for about two hours at the temples. It's doable if you sleep in the car; most people find a night in Aswan far more comfortable.

Is there a flight from Luxor to Abu Simbel?

There's no reliable direct service. The practical flight is from Aswan. EgyptAir flies Aswan–Abu Simbel in about 45 minutes, and a free EgyptAir shuttle runs the roughly 5 km from the airport to the temples. Reach Aswan from Luxor by road or train in about 3–3.5 hours.

How much is the Abu Simbel ticket?

The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities lists EGP 750 for foreign adults and EGP 375 for students (checked 21 Oct 2026), about $14 and $7. On the sun-alignment days, 22 February and 22 October, it rises to EGP 1,200 and EGP 600. The official e-ticket site shows a higher checkout price, so expect to pay a little more online.

Can you see Abu Simbel on a Nile cruise from Luxor?

Yes, as an excursion from Aswan. On a 3-night cruise from Aswan it's usually a pre-dawn trip on day 2; on a 4-night cruise from Luxor it falls at the Aswan end. Several packages include it — compare them on our Aswan to Luxor cruise page.

What is the Abu Simbel Sun Festival?

Twice a year, on 22 February and 22 October, the rising sun reaches the innermost sanctuary of the Great Temple and lights the seated statues. Those mornings draw big crowds and carry a higher ticket price. If you want to be there, book transport well ahead and arrive before dawn.

Sources and checks

  1. Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities — Abu Simbel (tickets, hours, history) — checked 21 Oct 2026
  2. Egymonuments — Abu Simbel Temple official e-tickets — checked 21 Oct 2026
  3. Wego — Abu Simbel 2026 visitor's guide (distance, drive, flight; updated July 2026) — checked 21 Oct 2026
  4. Solo Backpacker — Aswan to Abu Simbel (vans, road hours, flights, shuttle; updated May 2026) — checked 21 Oct 2026
  5. Earth Trekkers — Driving between Aswan and Luxor (updated Dec 2025) — checked 21 Oct 2026
  6. Daytrip — Abu Simbel to Luxor private transfer (498 km) — checked 21 Oct 2026
  7. Egyptra — Luxor to Abu Simbel (475 km via Aswan) — checked 21 Oct 2026
  8. Seat61 — Cairo to Luxor & Aswan by train (Luxor–Aswan timings) — checked 21 Oct 2026
  9. Magpie — Private day trip to Abu Simbel from Luxor (duration, inclusions) — checked 21 Oct 2026
  10. Arab Finance — US dollar exceeds EGP 52 (October 2026 exchange rate) — checked 21 Oct 2026
  11. GetYourGuide — Abu Simbel activity feed (prices, ratings, review counts) — checked 21 Oct 2026

Read next