Private Tour of Aswan High Dam,and Unfinished Obelisk Philae Temple - From Aswan [125222P117]
Discover the rich history and remarkable engineering of Aswan with a private tour of the Aswan High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, and Philae Temple. Begin your day with a visit to the impressive Aswan High Dam, an engineering marvel that transformed the Nile River and created Lake Nasser, a vital source of irrigation and power. Next, explore the Unfinished Obelisk, an ancient artifact left incomplete due to a crack, offering insights into ancient Egyptian quarrying techniques and the grandeur of monumental architecture. Continue to the Philae Temple, a beautifully preserved site dedicated to the goddess Isis, located on an island in Lake Nasser. This temple, with its intricate carvings and serene setting, provides a fascinating glimpse into ancient Egyptian religion and artistry. With a private guide, enjoy personalized attention and in-depth knowledge throughout your tour, making this an enriching and memorable exploration of Aswan’s historical treasures.
ADDITIONAL INFO
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
INCLUDED
- Private Transportation Service
- Hotel Pickup & Drop by an Air Conditioned Vehicle
- Professional Egyptology Guide
NOT INCLUDED
- Admission fees to: Aswan High Dam - Unfinished Obelisk - Temple of Philae paid cash on spot
CANCELLATION POLICY
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
ITINERARY
- Built to control the Nile River’s annual floods, the Aswan High Dam transformed Egypt’s Nile Valley and created the vast Lake Nasser. The sheer scale of the dam is impressive, and at the top, you’ll find sweeping views of the lake and surrounding desert.
- The Unfinished Obelisk is a huge discarded granite obelisk. Three sides of the shaft, which is nearly 138 feet (42m) long, were completed except for the inscriptions. At 1,168 tonnes, the completed obelisk would have been the single heaviest piece of stone the Egyptians ever fashioned. However, a crack appeared in the rock at a late stage in the process. So it lies where the disappointed stonemasons abandoned it, still partly attached to the parent rock, with no indication of what it was intended for. It does give us an excellent insight into how these massive stone sculptures were made however.Upon entering the quarry, steps lead down from the surrounding ramp into the pit of the obelisk where there are ancient pictographs of dolphins and ostriches or flamingos, thought to have been painted by workers at the quarry.
- One of the world’s largest artificial lakes, Lake Nasser was formed when the Aswan High Dam successfully controlled the Nile, flooding around 2,027 square miles (5,250 square kilometers) of desert. The majority of Lake Nasser is in Egypt; the rest extends across the border into Sudan, where it’s commonly known as Lake Nubia.
- The Philae Temple (Temple of Isis) was once set on a holy island in the Nile River, the site of many pilgrimages. Although projects to dam the Nile once threatened the existence of both the island and the temple, UNESCO worked to rescue and preserve the ancient monument, damming the island itself with a high surrounding wall until the Philae Temple could be moved in sections to a new location: the higher, nearby Agilka Island. Visit the temple to learn about the temple's history, as well as Isis, who was a very important goddess in ancient times. She was known as the Mother of God, giver of life, and protector and healer of kings.
