Day 6 was such an exhilarating adventure! We were picked up from the ship at 6 AM to catch an Egypt Air 30 minute flight to Abu Simbel.
Abu Simbel is famous for its two massive rock temples built during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II in the 13th century BC. Located near the Nile River in southern Egypt, the site was constructed to commemorate Ramses II and his queen, Nefertari.
The larger temple, dedicated to Ramses II, features four colossal statues of the pharaoh seated on his throne, each around 20 meters high. The smaller temple is dedicated to Nefertari and features six statues—four of Ramses II and two of Nefertari. Both temples are adorned with intricate carvings and hieroglyphs depicting various scenes from Egyptian mythology and the achievements of Ramses II.
In the 1960s, the temples were relocated to higher ground to avoid flooding caused by the construction of the Aswan High Dam. This monumental engineering project allowed the preservation of these iconic structures, and today, Abu Simbel is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a popular tourist destination, celebrated for its architectural grandeur and historical significance.
We landed back in Aswan around 1pm the same day and had lunch on the cruise ship. We had sail away shortly after headed for Edfu.