5 September 2026 · 3 min read
The Abu Simbel Sun Festival: 22 February and 22 October
Twice a year the sun reaches 60 metres into the mountain and lights three of the four gods. Here is how to be there.
Ramses II aligned his temple so that on two mornings a year the first sun crosses the whole hall and falls on the statues at the back: Ra, Amun and Ramses himself. Ptah, god of the underworld, stays in shadow. The dates are believed to be the king’s birthday and coronation.
The crowd gathers before 5 a.m. There is music and dancing outside while you wait, and the moment itself lasts about twenty minutes. Nubian families bring breakfast; so do we.
On our Upper Egypt itineraries the festival is a $125 add-on per person, which covers the special access and the earlier start from Aswan. Book several months ahead; Aswan hotels fill.
