Travel bucket list idea:
Cruise Lake Nasser (Aswan to Abu Simbel)
Aswan, Upper Egypt, Egypt
Last updated: 14 July, 2024
The great temple of Abu Simbel – the overwhelming reason people come to Aswan – is actually some distance away (at least 3 hours by road).
Those in the know – and who have the time – make the journey via a cruise on Lake Nasser. It takes about 24 hours to cruise from Aswan to Abu Simbel, but the better cruises take 4-5 days, taking time to see some ancient monuments, as well as some of the natural wonders.
Striking Lake Nasser, one of the world’s largest freshwater lakes, may be man-made, but it’s strikingly beautiful, a landscape of stark shores and islands.
Surrounded by desert, it supports very little human life, but it’s home to plenty of wildlife – including crocodiles – and is a key stop-over for migrating birds. Over 100 resident bird species have also been recorded.
Aside from wildlife-viewing, there’s also fishing for Nile perch, walks on the sandy shores, and often the chance to meet local Bedouin who herd their flocks around the lake as you go.
Logistics
Price from: £700
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
Aswan is the usual start point, with boats leaving from the dock south of the High Dam.
Even in winter, the sun can be blisteringly strong on the lake, so be sure to bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Take binoculars for bird and crocodile watching.
If you want some extra help identifying birds, A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Egypt by David Cottridge and Richard Porter, is just about the best guide there is available.
When to do it
Cruises operate all year round. Spring and autumn are the best time to be out on the lake, when temperatures are manageable, birds are migrating and the light is prime for photography.
May-September is too hot to think about a safari on the lake, with temperatures above 40C. Nights can be extremely cold in December and January.
