Special Egypt · Hotel pickup in Aswan
A three-hour guided half day at Philae, the temple of Isis on Agilkia Island near Aswan, with hotel pickup and the motorboat across. Pick it for the day before or after Abu Simbel: it was saved in the same UNESCO rescue.
This is not Abu Simbel, but it belongs to the same story. Philae and Abu Simbel are both part of the UNESCO World Heritage property Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae, and both were taken apart and rebuilt to keep them above the water. Philae went to Agilkia Island, about 500 m from its old island and on higher ground, between 1977 and 1980. You can only reach it by boat.
A driver collects you from your Aswan hotel and takes the group to the riverside dock. A motorboat carries you across, and an English-speaking guide walks you through the courtyards, columns and carved reliefs, with the rescue story on the way, before free time for photos. Then the boat back and the drive to your hotel: three hours in all. Spanish, German or French guides are add-ons. Pickup from the island hotels, Gharb Soheil, Nagaa al-Mahatta or New Aswan costs USD 10 extra per person.
The Philae ticket is an option at booking. The listing includes entrance fees only if you select that option; without it you buy your own at the site. The Ministry's printed price list shows EGP 550 for foreign adults and EGP 275 for students, with the temple open 7am to 4pm; check the official ticket portal for the current figure before you go. Your Abu Simbel ticket does not cover Philae. Road trips to Abu Simbel leave Aswan around 4am to 5am and fill most of the day, so Philae fits best on the day before or after. A few guests wished for longer on the island, so make the free time count.
A driver collects you from your hotel and takes the group to the riverside dock.
A motorboat across the water, with the temple coming into view on its island.
Your guide leads you through the temple of Isis and explains how it was moved.
Time to explore on your own before the boat back.
The boat returns to the dock and the driver drops you at your hotel, about 3 hours after pickup.
★★★★★Shimaa was our tour guide for the day and she was amazing. Very engaging and very knowledgeable. Made sure we understood all the history and gave us time to explore by ourselves. The whole tour team has been great and very communicative. Highly recommend.
★★★★★[...] From the moment we boarded the boat to reach the island, Heba’s warmth, energy, and deep passion for Egyptian history shone through. Heba explained the intricate details of the temple's architecture, and even shared fascinating insights into how the temple was meticulously relocated piece by piece to Agilkia Island [...]
★★★★★The driver picking me up at the hotel was very convenient. I enjoyed the travel by boat. The island is beautiful and my guide Ahmed Faheem was very good, he answered all my questions and showed the most important things to notice. Thank you for this tour.
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Only if you select it. The listing includes entrance fees if that option is selected; otherwise you pay at the site. The Ministry's price list shows EGP 550 for foreign adults.
No. The Abu Simbel ticket (EGP 822 for foreign adults on the official site, 2026) covers the two Abu Simbel temples only. Philae has its own ticket.
By boat. The temple stands on Agilkia Island; this tour drives you to the dock and includes the motorboat crossing.
By road it is tight: tours leave Aswan around 4am to 5am and Philae closes at 4pm. Most people visit Philae the day before or after.
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A guided half day at the island temple of Isis near Aswan, with hotel pickup and the boat across.
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