Tour Overview
This evening tour takes you from where you are staying in Aswan to the sound and light show at Philae Temple, the island sanctuary of the goddess Isis, and back again. After dark, the gateways, courts and colonnades of the temple are lit up while narration and music tell the story of Isis, Osiris and Horus and of the temple's long life on the Nile. Pickup, drop-off, water and soft drinks are included.
Tour Highlights
- See Philae after dark, when the lit pylons and colonnades stand out against the black water around the island and the heat and crowds of the day are gone.
- Hear the myth of Isis and Osiris, the story at the heart of this temple, told through narration and music while different parts of the complex light up in turn.
- Cross the water to reach the temple, because Philae stands on Agilkia Island in the reservoir between the old Aswan Dam and the High Dam.
- Look for Trajan's Kiosk, the open Roman pavilion at the water's edge, one of the most recognizable buildings in Aswan and a striking sight under lights.
- Travel there and back by car from your Aswan hotel or Nile cruise, with water and soft drinks provided, so there is no need to find transport at night.
Tour Route
Is the Philae sound and light show worth it?
Yes, if you want to see Philae in a different setting. At night the island is cooler and quieter, and the lights bring out the scale of the pylons and the detail of the reliefs. It is a narrated show rather than a guided tour, so it works best as a second visit after you have seen Philae by day.
What is Philae Temple?
Philae is the great temple of Isis, the goddess of magic and motherhood, built mainly under the Ptolemaic kings and added to by Roman emperors. It was one of the last places in Egypt where the old gods were worshipped, and the last known hieroglyphic inscription, dated to 394 AD, was carved here.
- The Temple of Isis: two large pylons, an inner court and a sanctuary where the image of the goddess was kept.
- Trajan's Kiosk: an open pavilion of fourteen columns beside the water, built in the Roman period.
- The birth house: a smaller temple linked to the birth of Horus, decorated with scenes of Isis and her son.
Why is Philae Temple on a different island?
The temple first stood on Philae Island. After the old Aswan Dam was built, it spent much of each year partly underwater. When the High Dam threatened to drown it for good, UNESCO and Egypt took it apart and rebuilt it on higher Agilkia Island between 1977 and 1980.
Agilkia was reshaped so the temple would sit as it did on the original island, facing the same directions. It is one of the best-known results of the international campaign to save the monuments of Nubia, the same effort that moved the temples of Abu Simbel.
What should you bring to the evening show?
Evenings on the water in Aswan can be cool from December to February, so bring a light jacket or sweater. In summer, nights stay warm and a bottle of water is enough. Wear comfortable, closed shoes, because you step on and off a boat and walk over uneven stone in low light.
- A phone torch or small flashlight for paths between the lit areas.
- A charged camera or phone; night shots of the lit columns come out well without flash.
What else can you do in Aswan?
To see Philae properly by day with an Egyptologist, book the Aswan sightseeing tour, which also covers the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk. For a quiet hour on the river, take an Aswan felucca ride, and our Aswan travel guide helps you plan the rest of your stay.
Tour Itinerary
A short evening outing: a drive to the Philae landing, the crossing to the island, the show inside the temple, and the way back.
Your driver collects you from your hotel, Nile cruise or other accommodation in Aswan and drives you south of the city toward the old Aswan Dam, where boats leave for Philae. Water and soft drinks are in the car. Tell us where you are staying when you book, and we will plan the pickup to fit your show.
Philae can only be reached by water, so the last part of the journey is a short motorboat ride across the reservoir to Agilkia Island. As the boat comes around, you get your first look at the temple from the river, the same approach that pilgrims to the shrine of Isis would have taken.
You step ashore beside the long colonnade that leads to the first pylon of the Temple of Isis. In the dark, the size of the gateway and the depth of the carvings are hard to judge until the lights come on, and the first lit view of the gateway shows the scale the builders intended.
As the narration tells the story of Isis, her husband Osiris and their son Horus, the lights move across the courts, halls and smaller chapels of the island. You follow the story from scene to scene, and each part of the temple you have just walked past takes its place in the tale of the goddess.
After the show you cross back to the landing, where your driver is waiting to take you back to where you are staying. You only need money for tips and anything extra you decide to buy along the way.
What's Included
What the tour price covers, and what to plan for separately.
Paid
★
Your
Own
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about this tour. For anything else, message us on WhatsApp — we reply fast.
It starts wherever you are staying in Aswan: your hotel, your Nile cruise ship or other accommodation in the city. Your driver picks you up there, takes you to the Philae landing for the show and brings you back to the same place afterward. Tell us your address when you book so we can plan the pickup.
The price includes pickup and drop-off from where you stay in Aswan, mineral water and soft drinks during the trip, and all service charges and taxes. Tips and any extras that are not mentioned in the program are not included. If you have any questions about what your booking covers, ask us before you pay.
Your transfer is private for you and your group, while the show itself is a public performance watched with other visitors. The cost of the car is shared by everyone in your group, so the price per person falls as the group grows. Prices also change by season, from {price} per person.
Philae stands on Agilkia Island, south of Aswan city, so every visit ends with a short motorboat ride from the landing on the mainland. The crossing is short and the water is usually calm. The boats are small, so hold the rail as you step on and off, especially in the dark.
Yes. Avicon Travel is a Class "A" travel agency licensed by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism under License No. 1962 and registered since 2010. Our office and team are in Karnak, Luxor, so the guides, drivers and cars on this tour are our own local team, not a booking desk abroad.
