Nubia and the Rescue of Abu Simbel

When the Aswan High Dam was built in the 1960s, Lake Nasser flooded around 500 km of the Nile valley in Nubia, displacing roughly 100,000 Nubians and threatening dozens of ancient monuments. A UNESCO-led campaign moved more than 20 temples, cutting Abu Simbel into over a thousand blocks and rebuilding it about 65 meters higher between 1964 and 1968.

Nubia is the reason Aswan feels different from the rest of Egypt: a different language, music, architecture and history. Nubian communities resettled around Aswan and Kom Ombo after the flood, and visitors meet their culture there today. The temples saved by the rescue campaign, from Abu Simbel to Philae and Kalabsha, are among the highlights of any trip south of Luxor.

This guide explains who the Nubians are, what the dam changed, how the monuments were saved, and how you can see the results on your trip, from Abu Simbel and Philae to Nubian villages and the Nubian Museum.

Who the Nubians are

Nubians are the people of the Nile valley between Aswan and the region around Khartoum. They have their own languages, including Nobiin and Kenzi, and a history as old as Egypt's own.

Ancient Nubia and Egypt

The kingdoms of Kerma and later Kush traded, fought and intermarried with Egypt for thousands of years. Nubian gold, ivory, ebony and soldiers were important to the Egyptian state, and during the New Kingdom Egypt controlled much of Nubia. Abu Simbel was built by Ramesses II partly to project Egyptian power in the south.

The relationship worked in both directions. In the eighth and seventh centuries BC, Kushite kings ruled Egypt as the 25th Dynasty, and rulers such as Taharqa left monuments in both lands. Later Nubian kingdoms became Christian, and Islam spread through the region over the following centuries.

Nubian culture today

Nubian culture is known for brightly painted houses with domed roofs, distinctive music built on rhythm and voice, crafts such as basketry and beadwork, and a strong sense of community. Many Nubians speak Arabic alongside their own language, and the culture is very much alive around Aswan.

The High Dam and the flood

Egypt had dammed the Nile at Aswan before, with the Low Dam in the early 20th century, which already flooded parts of Lower Nubia when it was raised. The High Dam, built between 1960 and 1970, was on a far larger scale. It ended the annual Nile flood, provided year-round irrigation and greatly increased Egypt's electricity supply.

It also created Lake Nasser, a reservoir extending roughly 500 km south, partly into Sudan, where it is known as Lake Nubia. Nubian villages, palm groves and farmland, known collectively as Old Nubia, disappeared beneath the water.

Resettlement

Egyptian Nubians were resettled in new villages, mainly around Kom Ombo, an area often called New Nubia, as well as on the islands and west bank around Aswan. Sudanese Nubians were moved to Khashm el-Girba in eastern Sudan. For many families, the loss of their ancestral land remains a painful memory, and it is part of the story to keep in mind when you visit.

The rescue campaign

UNESCO launched its first international safeguarding campaign in 1960, and it continued until 1980. Around 50 countries contributed funds and expertise, with total costs commonly cited at about US$80 million. Archaeologists also carried out surveys and excavations across the area before it was flooded.

Abu Simbel

The two temples of Abu Simbel, carved into a sandstone cliff, could not simply be lifted. Engineers cut them into more than a thousand large blocks, moved them to higher ground about 65 meters above the original site and rebuilt them inside an artificial hill between 1964 and 1968. The alignment was preserved closely enough that sunlight still reaches the inner sanctuary on two days each year, around February 22 and October 22.

Philae

The temple complex of Philae, dedicated to Isis, had been partly submerged since the Low Dam. In the 1970s it was dismantled and moved to nearby Agilkia Island, which was reshaped to resemble the original island.

Other temples

Kalabsha, Amada, Wadi el-Sebua and others were relocated to new sites around Lake Nasser. Four temples were given to countries that helped the campaign: the Temple of Dendur in New York, Debod in Madrid, Taffeh in Leiden and Ellesiya in Turin.

A lasting legacy

The campaign showed that the world could act together to protect a shared heritage, and it helped inspire the 1972 World Heritage Convention. The Nubian monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Seeing the rescued monuments

Planning Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel lies about 280 km south of Aswan. Most travelers go by road on a very early start, returning to Aswan by early afternoon, or take a short flight. A Lake Nasser cruise lets you see the temple at quieter times and add the other rescued sites. Read more on our Abu Simbel page.

Nubian Aswan today

Around Aswan, you will see brightly painted houses on Elephantine Island and in villages such as Gharb Soheil on the west bank. Visitors come for Nubian music and food, henna, crafts and the warmth of community life.

Visiting respectfully

These are homes, not stage sets. Good visits are hosted by families or arranged with the community, rather than staged shows. Ask before taking photographs of people, dress modestly, and buy crafts directly from the people who make them where you can.

The Nubian Museum

The Nubian Museum in Aswan, which opened in 1997, tells the full story of Nubia, from prehistory to the rescue campaign, with models and photographs of the flooded landscape. Visiting it early in your Aswan stay gives context to everything else you see.

Building Nubia into your itinerary

How much of Nubia you see depends mostly on the time you give Aswan. Many cruise itineraries allow only a single day there, which is enough for Philae and the High Dam but leaves little room for anything else.

With two days in Aswan

Spend the first day on Philae, the High Dam and the Nubian Museum, ending with a felucca sail around Elephantine Island at sunset. Use the second day for Abu Simbel, leaving early and returning by early afternoon, then relax or visit a Nubian village on the west bank in the late afternoon.

With three or four days

Add Kalabsha by boat from near the High Dam, explore Elephantine Island on foot, and consider a night in a Nubian guesthouse on the west bank for a slower, more personal experience.

With a Lake Nasser cruise

A three- or four-night Lake Nasser cruise between Aswan and Abu Simbel, in either direction, covers Kalabsha, Wadi el-Sebua, Amada and Qasr Ibrim from the water, and lets you see Abu Simbel in the evening or early morning when it is quieter. It suits travelers who have already seen the main Nile route or who want Nubia to be the heart of their trip. Compare options on our Nile cruises page.

Frequently asked questions

Why was Abu Simbel moved?

To save it from Lake Nasser, created by the Aswan High Dam. Engineers cut the temples into more than a thousand blocks and rebuilt them about 65 meters higher between 1964 and 1968.

Where did the Nubians go after the flood?

Egyptian Nubians were mostly resettled in new villages around Kom Ombo and on the islands and west bank of Aswan. Sudanese Nubians were moved to Khashm el-Girba in eastern Sudan.

How many temples were saved?

More than 20 monuments were relocated, including Abu Simbel, Philae, Kalabsha, Amada and Wadi el-Sebua. Four temples were given to museums and cities abroad in recognition of international help.

Is a Nubian village visit worthwhile?

Yes, when it is hosted by a family or arranged respectfully with the community. Avoid staged shows, ask before photographing people, and treat the visit as time spent in someone's home.

When does the sun festival at Abu Simbel happen?

Sunlight reaches the inner sanctuary on two days each year, around February 22 and October 22. These mornings draw large crowds, so book early if you want to be there.

Plan it with Nourbelle

If you would like Abu Simbel, Philae and Nubian Aswan in one trip, tell us about your trip and a Nourbelle specialist will suggest the right pace.