Philae Temple: Aswan Travel Guide (4.8★)

An island that was moved stone by stone

The boat ride is part of the visit. From the landing at Shellal, south of Aswan city near the Old Aswan Dam, small motorboats cross a stretch of reservoir among granite outcrops. Then the pylons of the Temple of Isis come up from the water.

The temple you walk through is not where it was built. Once the dams went in, the Nile covered the original Philae island for much of the year. In a UNESCO-led campaign of the 1970s, the complex was taken apart and rebuilt on higher Agilkia Island. The cut lines between the blocks are still visible if you look closely.

What to look for inside

Most of what stands here is Ptolemaic and Roman, dedicated to Isis. Work through it in this order, from the landing:

• Vestibule of Nectanebo I at the southern tip, the oldest standing part.
• The colonnaded forecourt, with long rows of columns, each capital carved differently.
• First pylon, where Ptolemy XII is shown smiting his enemies in front of the gods.
• The mammisi (birth house), which celebrates the birth of Horus.
• Hadrian’s Gate, with a relief showing the source of the Nile.
• Kiosk of Trajan, the open pavilion on the water’s edge that locals call “Pharaoh’s Bed”.

Look for Coptic crosses cut into the older reliefs, and for chiselled-out faces. Christians used the temple as a church after Justinian closed it in the 6th century. Philae also holds the last known hieroglyphic inscription, dated to 394 AD.

Timing the boat and the crowds

The temple currently opens 6am–5pm every day this week. Hours can change with the season, so check the official Egyptian antiquities site before you go. On weekends it is usually quietest between 7am and 9am, and again from 1pm to 5pm. Late-morning arrivals tend to land at the same time as the tour groups.

Early starts suit Aswan because the stone courts hold the heat from midday. Give the island 1.5–2 hours. The crossing takes only a few minutes, but a taxi from central Aswan to Shellal adds more time. The evening sound and light show is a separate ticketed event outside these daytime hours, so book it on its own.

Dealing with the dock

At Shellal you buy your temple ticket at the official office. The boat is arranged separately with the boatmen on the jetty. Agree the boat fare before you step aboard, and confirm that it includes the return trip and how long the boat waits. Boats are usually shared, so joining other visitors is normal.

• Payment: carry Egyptian pounds in small notes for the boat and for tips. Card machines at the dock are unreliable.
• Guides: licensed guides can be hired through hotels or agencies. Offers made at the jetty are less certain.
• Photography: phone photos are generally fine. Check the rules for tripods or professional cameras at the ticket office.
• Etiquette: a small tip for the boatman is expected. Inside, don’t touch the painted reliefs.

Philae pairs well with the Unfinished Obelisk and the Aswan High Dam, which are both on the same southern side of town. Many drivers do all three in one morning loop.