On the banks of Lake Nasser lies Kalabsha Temple, an often overlooked jewel of Aswan. Your Egyptologist guide is waiting to take you on a private tour to the temple to help you unlock its secrets.
For two years starting in 1961, the Kalabsha Temple was meticulously dismantled into 15,000 pieces and relocated block by block to its present site on the shores of Lake Nasser. This was one of 18 temples and monuments moved to protect them from the rising waters of the Nile due to the construction of the Aswan High Dam. Originally built just after the Ptolemaic period, following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, the temple is dedicated to the Egyptian god Horus and the Nubian god Mandulis.
The temple’s facade is undecorated, indicating it was never completed by its original builder, the Roman emperor Octavius Augustus. Despite its unfinished state, Kalabsha Temple is regarded as the most complete and largest free-standing temple in Nubia. The inner walls are adorned with Egyptian artwork, including a carving of St. George slaying a dragon and Coptic crosses, reflecting the influence of Christians who used the temple as a church during Roman persecution. Another notable artwork is a carving in Meroitic, a language still mysterious to Egyptologists, declaring the prohibition of eating pork.
Your private tour from Aswan includes a qualified Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, and transportation from your Aswan hotel.
Points of Interest
- Basma Hotel
- Sailing by motor boat around the island
- Private and expert Qualified Egyptologist guide
- Visit the temple of Roman emperors and Ramsis II
- Private transportation by air-conditioned minivans
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Gratuities
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
