A Lake Nasser cruise is the quietest way to see Nubia. Where the Nile between Luxor and Aswan is busy with traffic, Lake Nasser is open water with only a handful of boats on it, and almost every temple you stop at was physically cut apart and rebuilt on higher ground when the High Dam was completed.
Where the boat goes
Cruises run between the High Dam at Aswan and Abu Simbel, in either direction. The usual stops are:
- Kalabsha, Beit el-Wali and the Kiosk of Qertassi — moved to an island near the High Dam.
- Wadi es-Sebua — the “Valley of the Lions”, approached along an avenue of sphinxes.
- Dakka and Maharraqa — a short walk across the desert from Wadi es-Sebua.
- Amada and Derr, with the rock-cut tomb of Pennut — among the oldest painted reliefs in Nubia.
- Qasr Ibrim — the only monument still standing on its original site, viewed from the water.
- Abu Simbel — the Great Temple of Ramesses II and the Temple of Nefertari, usually moored overnight so you see them at sunset and at dawn without the day-trip crowds.
Good to know
Lake Nasser cruises usually run three or four nights and there are far fewer boats than on the classic Nile route, so departures are limited and fill early. The lake is at its most comfortable between October and April. Abu Simbel can also be reached as a day trip from Aswan if you have less time.
Tell us your dates and we will confirm availability, the boat, and the full price for your group.
