I am planning an Egypt trip for April 2025 with Djed tours partially because of all the great reviews here. One thing I'm stuck on is the trip to Abu simbel. Th drive is so long and I have read that there are sometimes safety issues so I was thinking of flying.
However Djed says they do not book flights because Egypt air sometimes cancels at the last minute.
What do you all think about this issue? Thanks for any advice.
We flew from Aswan to Abu Simbel and then back to Cairo from Abu Simbel in 2019. The tour company arranged the flights. It certainly saved time in a very full tour schedule. I don’t know about any safety issues in driving or Egyptair cancelling flights at the last minute. Could you check those flights on FlightAware to see what the track record is vis a vis cancellations? Or check the TripAdvisor forum or FlyerTalk? Are you already committed to Djed or could you go with another company?
Thanks, I we'll see if I can find out an information about the on-time performance of those flights. Not committed to Djed yet!
I did an Egypt tour last year. We drove both directions between Aswan and Abu Simbel.
It's not a very interesting drive, but I didn't mind the opportunity to relax on the air-conditioned van, catch up on sleep, etc. In retrospect, though, I think if I were offered the option of flying one direction, I would definitely consider it.
annemargaret,
We went on a tour with Trafalgar in February, 2019. We flew RT from Aswan to Abu Simbel and it went very well. It was arranged by the tour company as an optional excursion. Both airports were small and easily navigable. I wouldn't want to drive that distance at all. April will be quite warm. We had no problem with flight cancellations, and the view from above of the terrain was interesting. I don't think we would have appreciated the vast emptiness from the ground, and the time lost in driving would have cut into our time at Abu Simbel. I opt for flying.
I found this fairly recent post on the TripAdvisor forum. I cannot attest to the accuracy.
Having in mind that you plan to visit Abu Simbel from Aswan and then to travel from Aswan to Cairo on the same day, I would not have any doubts, but to take a flight. You can buy flights combination Aswan - Abu Simbel - Cairo as one trip and that would be, by far, the best option. Also, you can really never know the exact time of your bus arrival from Abu Simbel if you decide to take a bus, so you will always risking your same day flight from Aswan.
I do not want to be the one that likes to scare the people, but you should be aware that the section of road from Aswan to Abu Simble has taken a huge toll in human lives during the last year with two fatal crashes involving the tourist buses. The road between Aswan and Abu Simbel is very straight and boring and that causes usually tired bus drivers or even truck drivers going in the opposite direction to fall asleep and to cross on the opposite line causing a tragedy.
Also, a very good detail as far as the flying is concerned is in the fact that you will leave your luggage at Aswan airport and collect it in Cairo. In the end I assure you that you will have quite enough time for Abu Simbel archaeological zone. It is quite small, although with impressive details. The time allocated for a visit to the site when taking a flight is enough, frankly speaking, for about 98% of all visitors.
Personally, I would never drive in Egypt. The traffic is horrible in Egypt and drivers are awful.
I visited Egypt in January 2022 and had a wonderful time. I traveled on my own but hired a private guide and driver every day. I had a very long--but rewarding!--day trip via car to see Abu Simbel. I stayed at the Movenpick on Elephantine Island in Aswan. For this part of my vacation I worked with Aswan Individual, which is an excellent tour company that I recommend highly. Here is what they suggested for Abu Simbel:
"Start times can be set anywhere between 4:30am to 8am depending on your preference. Some clients prefer an early start to try to beat the heat. Some guests like to go around 6:30-7am in order to have less crowds. Other clients prefer a leisurely breakfast in their hotel before heading out for the day. When setting you preferred start time please take into consideration the fact that there are no decent eating establishments in the area [Abu Simbel]– therefore if you choose an early start – we suggest asking your hotel the night before to provide you a breakfast box that you can take on your adventure. The tour to Abu Simbel takes between 8 to 9 hours round trip from Aswan including 2-3 hours at the temples themselves. The tour includes a safe and reliable driver in a late model air-conditioned vehicle. "
I opted for a 7 AM start, and the Movenpick staff gave me a huge "to go" breakfast for the long car ride. I believe we arrived at Abu Simbel around 10-11 AM, and I was thrilled that I was one of the few visitors at Nefertari's temple before the motorcoaches and cruise ships arrived. In January the weather was fantastic. When you visit in April, I imagine it will be quite a bit hotter, so you might want to consider an earlier start.
We flew because the drive between Aswan and Abu Simbel was not safe. Overland travelers were warned to travel in large caravans for safety issues. I do not know the current situation but my guess is it’s probably just as dangerous. This was back in 2008 when American tourists were accompanied by armed guards. We were in a tour group and were alarmed by being followed by armed men. Our guide said that the Bush administration requested for Americans be protected in order to remove US Imposed travel advisories.
Thanks for all your replies. I am leaning toward flying. Maybe I can book it separately from the tour.
As an aside, you might want to read "EMPRESS OF THE NILE: The Daredevil Archaeologist Who Saved Egypt’s Ancient Temples From Destruction" By Lynne Olson. She led a fascinating life, and was instrumental in getting Abu Simbel moved before it was to be flooded from the building of the the Aswan High Dam. The book includes descriptions of how they moved the temples.
I firmly think some of the posts above regarding driving the road not being safe is rubbish. Yes, it was different in 2008! Tons of tour buses drive this route. We felt perfectly safe in all areas of Egypt we went to. Yes, it’s a 3 hour drive both ways, I personally found the drive fascinating! Different from other deserts I have been through. Would absolutely do it that way again!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZbqEi9TkLDCq9EYU6
I am inclined to agree with you, Tammy. I am quite certain that the convoys between Aswan and Abu Simbel, which used to be mandated because of safety concerns, are no longer required. My car was not part of a convoy either way.
I visited Egypt in January 2022 and, even as a single woman traveler, I felt safe and supported throughout my time there--probably because I was never alone except for waiting in the airports at Cairo and Luxor. I worked with various independent tour operators in advance and booked private cars, drivers, and guides for Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan, with stops at various archaeological sites in between. If my driver or guide carried a firearm (which I have seen suggested as a "safety" measure), they never showed it to me. The most unsafe I felt was at a resort hotel, where I had some poorly reheated moussaka for lunch and briefly suffered the consequences.
Egypt was fantastic, and I hope to revisit when the Middle East political situation feels more stable.
We did Egypt in the last couple of years and out tour group had an armed guard. I think it is still mandated for large tour groups.
I lived in the Middle East from 81-85 and worked with lots of great Egyptians. Some of them warned me about going off on my own away from the nice or tourist areas.
Back in 83, I visited Egypt for two night on my way back from the USA to Saudi Arabia. I got a taxi at the airport and before we left the airport area, the taxi had to register my name, his taxi name and number and where I was going.
A friend of mine from Egypt told me that the reason that was done (not sure it is still done) was because some taxis were taking tourists way out into the desert, robbing them (sometimes assaulting on the tourists).
Geovagriffith, it’s really not relevant to talk about 1983. Things have changed!
Yes, things have changed, but Egypt is still a concern for tourists.
This country in the last decade had a radical President that allowed many Christian churches to be burned down by terrorists. He is gone and security is good for tour groups, but visitors still need to be careful where they go, especially on their own without the armed guard that tour groups have.
April is getting quite hot that time of year. I was there one May and Abu Simblel hit 50C (122F). Minimize travel time....fly. it is an easy flight. I wouldn't want to run the risk of a bus or car breakdown in the middle of nowhere. Also, I can't forget the tour bus crash enroute with fatalities. It isn't uncommon to leave before sunrise and in that I stance, the trucker wasn't using headlights...not an uncommon occurrence I understand.
I wonder if the company doesn't want to lose that day's income by driving you rather than putting you on a flight. In my case, it was a tour add on, and though they organized the flight, I had no guide.
By the way, there are 10 airlines that fly into Abu Simbel...though EgyptAir is the most popular.
Not sure when this would occur in the tour schedule, but can you break up the trip or add days so that you can do this portion independently or from a company that will book for you? If starting and ending from Cairo, there are flights to Abu Simbel from there.
Im thinking I should maybe move my trip up to March! And yes, I'm sure there's some disadvantage for the tour company with the flight option.. will look into that.
annemargaret,
Definitely move the trip up to April. February is even better!
oops! I meant March, not April!
We drove to Abu Simbel (with Djed) and spent the night there. I am glad that we did for several reasons.
1) I really enjoyed spending the night at the small lodge in Abu Simbel. The unique Nubian architecture and culture was very different from anything else we experienced in Egypt. It felt almost like being in another country. (Okay, we were almost in another country.) We also ate very good and very fresh fish.
2) We got to visit the temples twice -- once on the afternoon of our arrival and again the next morning. The photographer in me especially liked the early morning light on the second visit. Both times we pretty much had the place to ourselves.
3) We weren't under any time pressure for either visit, and we were free to explore as much as we wanted. When you fly in, I think you only have about 30 minutes, maybe an hour, max. If I am not mistaken, there is one flight in and one flight out each day. There is just enough time between landing and departure to enable you to take a quick look at the temples.
4) In an odd way, I kind of enjoyed the road from Abu Simbel to Aswan. I don't think I have ever experienced such a monotonous landscape. My friend who was with me took a video as we were cruising down the road, and it looks like a still photo. There is a roadside stand about half way between Aswan and Abu Simbel. I was very happy to find a Diet Coke there.
Admittedly, I am in the camp that thinks that terrorist attacks could happen anywhere (including in the US and Europe). I try to take reasonable precautions, but I generally don't sweat it too much. If I recall correctly, we had security checkpoints at the beginning and end of the road to Abu Simbel, as was common throughout Egypt.
Edit: Abu Simbel photos, including the overnight lodging, are here: https://mariematthews.smugmug.com/Egypt-and-Istanbul/Abu-Simbel
Marie,In 2019 we flew from/to Aswan. Had about two hours there. I am pretty sure there was more than one plane in and out at that time.
@Judy, I just checked. I was wrong. There are three flights a day. Unfortunately, all are later than I prefer.
I travelled to Egypt in January 2022 with two friends and we did our entire two weeks with Djed. We travelled from Aswan to Abu Simbel by van and I found the 3 hour trip each way rather fascinating. The landscape was like nothing else I had ever experienced. Our Djed Egyptologist described some of the history and geology of the landscape as we drove. Like Marie, I enjoyed the Nubian guesthouse where we stayed overnight (and had two very good meals) and appreciated the chance to go to Abu Simbel twice, on our own schedule. I would not hesitate to travel to Abu Simbel in that way again.
