Excursions in Aswan-Abu Simbel

About Aswan

Aswan, Egypt's sunniest southern winter resort and ancient frontier town, lies around 900 km from Cairo and 215 km from Luxor. It is one of the most beautiful places in the country with the town located on the east bank and the desert closing in on the Nile. Aswan is truly considered the jewel of the Nile. The Nile here, is at its most beautiful, flowing through amber desert and granite rocks, lush islands covered in palm groves and tropical plants. Actually, its ancient name “Syene” , was derived from “Syenite” or red granite, that was extracted from its quarries and furnished raw material for much of the sculptures at Karnak and Luxor, as well as to most ancient Egyptian temples, obelisks and colossi. It is said that due to its geographical position, not far above the Tropic of cancer, it had been chosen by Erathostenes to calculate the radius of the earth in 230 BC.

Aswan's historical importance rose from its location on the Nile shore, in an area known as the 'First Cataract', an area of rocky shallows where navigation is difficult. This means that whoever controlled Aswan, controlled access to Egypt from the South. This town which has always played a key part in Egyptian history was, in dynastic times, the southern seat of power in the empire and many of the great expeditions of antiquity departed from there.

Since the period of the Old Kingdom, it was the country’s gate to Africa controlling the trade routes from the south to the north, marking the border between Egypt and Nubia. Hence, it was the harbour and the market of African products: gold, spices, leathers, ivory, fruits and grains, baskets, mummified and living crocodiles. Even today Aswan’s “souk” or market place is full of the scent and color of spices, perfumes, cotton products, alabaster and baskets rarely found anywhere else in Egypt, a perfect place to buy souvenirs to take back home.

Much quieter than Luxor, Aswan is small enough to walk around and is graced with the most beautiful setting on the Nile, dotted with islands, covered with shady gardens. The two main ones are Elephantine and Kitchener's Island which is the site of the botanical garden. Elephantine Island is the biggest and has timeless artifacts dating from pre-dynastic times onwards. The Aga Khan's Mausoleum on the west bank offers one of the best views of Aswan. You can spend the afternoons strolling around its tree-lined avenues, take a “Felucca”, a traditional sailboat, around Elephantine islands, wander around the tranquil botanical Gardens on Kitchener’s Island, or simply view the spectacular sunsets while having tea on the terrace of the Old Cataract Hotel. Aswan has also plenty to occupy sightseers, from the intriguing Unfinished Obelisk and granite quarries, to the beautiful island temple complex of Philae set on the beautiful Agilika island. Another must-see are the Nubian dancers and musicians performing every night in the Cultural Center. Those graceful dancers with their melodic Nubian tunes recreating scenes from village life and performing the famous Nubian mock stick-fight dances, will definitely move you to join them in their vibrant dances.

One of Aswan’s main landmarks is the celebrated Aswan High Dam. It was built in the 1960’s, creating Lake Nasser, 500 kilometres long with a capacity of 157 thousand million cubic metres and the world's second largest after the one on the Zambezi river. The Dam brought both water and hydroelectric power to Egypt. It also threatened to flood over some of the country’s treasures. Stone by stone these treasures were relocated and painstakingly reassembled, with the help of UNESCO and a number of national and international agencies.

Aswan with its warm and relaxing atmosphere, its kind and friendly people, has been a famed favorite winter resort since the beginning of the nineteenth century and it's still a perfect place to get away from it all.

About Abu Simbel

Perhaps after the Giza pyramids, or coincident with them, the great temple of Abu Simbel presents the most familiar image of ancient Egypt to the modern traveler and reader. When the conservation efforts to preserve the temple from the soon-to be built High Aswan Dam and its rising waters were begun in the 1960s, images of the colossal statues filled newspapers and books. The temples were dismantled and relocated in 1968 on the desert plateau, 200 feet above and 600 feet west of their original location.

Abu Simbel lies south of Aswan on the western bank of the Nile, 180 miles south of the First Cataract in what was Nubia. The site was known as Meha in ancient times and was first documented in the 18th Dynasty, when Ay and Horemheb had rock-cut chapels hewn in the hills to the south.

Ramesses II, called "the Great," built seven rock-cut temples in Nubia. The rock-cut temple of Ramesses II on the west bank of the Nile at Abu Simbel is the greatest of these. This temple was not seen by Europeans until J.J. Burckhardt discovered them in 1813.

The temple, called Hwt Ramesses Meryamun, the "Temple of Ramesses, beloved of Amun," was begun fairly early in Ramesses’ long reign, commissioned some time after his fifth regnal year, but not completed until his 35th regnal year. The massive facade of the main temple is dominated by the four seated colossal statues of Ramesses. These familiar representations are of Ramesses II himself. Each statue, 67 feet high, is seated on a throne and wears the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. Each is taller than the famed Memnon Colossus at Thebes, and all are sculpted directly from the rock face. The thrones are decorated on their sides with Nile gods symbolically uniting Egypt.

Burckhardt said of the first face on the left that it "was the most expressive, youthful countenance, approaching nearer to the Grecian model of beauty than that of any ancient Egyptian figure I have seen." An ancient earthquake damaged the statues. One is demolished from the waist up. Between the legs and on each of their sides stand smaller statues of members of the royal family. The smaller statues of relatives were probably, for the first southern colossus: Queen Nefretari by the left leg, the king’s mother, the great wife of Seti I, Muttuya by his right leg, and Prince Amenhirkhopshef in front. For the second southern colossus, Princess Bent’anta stood by the left leg, Princess Nebettawyby the left, and one unnamed female figure, probably that of a lesser royal wife named Esenofre. The family statues at the first northern colossus were, Queen Nefretari, Princess Beketmut and Prince Riameses in front. For the second northern colossus, there were Princess Merytamun, Queen Muttuya and Princess Nofretari. Beneath these giant sculptures are carved figures of bound captives.

The forecourt or terrace which fronted the temple contained two tanks for the ablutions of the priests. On the northern side of this terrace stood a small sun-chapel, and on the south, stood a chapel of the god Thoth. Above the entrance, a figure of the falcon-headed sun-god Ra is shown worshipped by flanking images of Ramesses. The rebus figure of Ra contains the prenomen of Ramesses II, or Userma’atre: the falcon headed god Ra has next to his right leg the glyph showing the head and neck of an animal, read User, and the goddess at his left leg is ma’at. At the top of the temple façade is a row of baboon statues in adoring attitudes, said to welcome the rising sun. A stela at the southern end of the external terrace is called "the Marriage Stela," and is a copy of the record of one of Ramesses II’s diplomatic triumphs, his marriage to a daughter of the Hittite king Hattusilis III. Within the temple a series of chambers becomes increasingly smaller as the floors of the rooms rise noticeably. This is a basic convention of temple design, as one moves into the temple deeper to the sanctuary which would contain the primeval mound of creation, rising out of the waters of Nun.

The first hall within the temple contains eight large statues of the king as Osiris, four on each side, which also serve as pillars to support the roof. The walls are decorated in relief with scenes showing the king in battle, including the great battle of Kadesh on the north, and Syrian, Libyan and Nubian wars on the south wall, and also presenting prisoners to the gods. On the north entrance wall in this Hypostyle hall a scene shows Ramesses in the presence of Amun, to whom the king appealed during his battle at Kadesh against the Hittites. Behind the first hall is a second smaller hall with ritual offering scenes. Here in one scene both Ramesses and Nefertari are depicted before the sacred barque of Amun, and in another, before the sacred barque of Ra-Horakhaty. Three doors lead from here into a vestibule, and then one reaches the sanctuary.

The sanctuary contains a small altar and in its rear niche are four statues. These cult images represent Ramesses II himself, and the three state gods of the New Kingdom, Ra-Horakhty of Heliopolis, Ptah of Memphis and Amun-Ra of Thebes. Before the statues rests a block upon which would have rested the sacred barque itself. The axis of the temple is arranged so that on two days of the year, in February and October, the rising sun shoots its rays through the entrance and halls until it finally illuminates the sanctuary statues. To the north of the main temple a smaller temple was built in honor of Ramesses’ great wife, Nefertari, and the goddess Hathor. This temple should not be confused with the beautiful Tomb to Nefertari in the Valley of Queens near Thebes.

As with Ramesses’ own temple, the cliff face was cut back to resemble sloping walls of a pylon. Six colossal standing figures 33 feet high four of Ramesses and two of Nefertari, were cut from the rock face, along with smaller figures of the royal family. An inscription over the entrance reads "Ramesses II, he has made a temple, excavated in the mountain, of eternal workmanship, for the chief queen Nefertari, beloved of Mu, in Nubia, forever and ever, Nefertari for whose sake the very sun does shine."

Inside, Nefertari’s temple has a single pillared hall, with carved Hathor heads atop the pillars. On the sides facing the center of the hypostyle; Ramesses is shown smiting his enemies and offering before various gods, while Nefertari is shown, graceful and slender, with hands raised. Three doors lead to a vestibule with ancillary rooms at either end. The sanctuary is complete, though two spaces were left on its side walls for doors to rooms, which were never cut. The inner chamber contains a number of images interrelating the royal couple and the gods. On the rear wall, Hathor is depicted in high relief as a cow emerging from the western mountain, with the king standing beneath her chin. Nefertari is shown repeatedly participating in the divine rituals on an equal footing with the king. On the left wall, Nefertari is seen worshipping before Mut and Hathor, and on the right, Ramesses worships before images of his deified self and his wife. When Greek mercenaries passed by in the 6th century BCE, sand already reached the knees of the statues. These ancient sight-see-ers left an inscription which reads "When King Psammetichus came to Elephantine, this was written by those who sailed with Psammetichus the son of Theolces, and they came beyond Kerkis as far as the river permits."

Aswan / Abu Simbel Excursions

1) Abu Simbel Excursion by plane
Flight to Abu Simbel and back, visit the temples of Ramses II. and Queen Nefertari

2) Abu Simbel Excursion by bus
Drive by bus or private car from Aswan to Abu Simble & back,visit the temples of Ramses II. and Queen Nefertari

3) Half Day visit to Aswan
Visit the High Dam, the unfinished Obelisque and the Temple of Philae.

4) Half Day visit to Kalabsha Temple
Go by felucca or motor boat to visit the Kalabsha Temple.

5) Half Day visit to St. Simon's Monastery
Cross the Nile to the West bank and enjoy a camel ride on the way to the monastery.

6) Kom Ombo and Edfu temples
Visit of Kom Ombo and Edfu temples (excluding lunch).

7) Half Day visit to the Tombs of the Nobles
Cross the Nile to the West Bank and visit the Tombs of the Nobles.

8) Half Day visit to the Nubian Museum
Visit the Nubian Museum.

9) Half Day visit to Kom Ombo and Darau
Visit Kom Ombo Temple and the famous camel market of Darau (excluding lunch).

10) Half Day visit to the Nubian Village by Felucca
Go by felucca or motor boat to visit the Nubian Village (excluding lunch)

11) Sound and Light Show at Philae Temple
Transfer by bus and boat to Philae Temple to attend the Sound and Light Show, for language schedule pls contact info@orientaltoursegypt.com

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