Africa
Egypt
Nile River Valley
Aswan Governorate
Aswan
Things to Do in Aswan
Temple of Philae
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Temple of Philae

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See all things to do
Temple of Philae
4.5
2,885
#2 of 33 things to do in Aswan
Historic Sites • Ancient Ruins • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Religious Sites
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7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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About
This large temple complex, relocated to the island of Agilika with the building of the High Dam in Aswan, features the magnificent Temple of Isis that was built in the late Ptolemaic and early Roman periods.
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The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
38 within 3 miles
The Terrace
374
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • European • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
1902 Restaurant
319
0.3 mi$$$$ • French • International • European
Makani restaurant
55
0.3 mi$ • African • Grill • Healthy
Bob Marley Guest House & Restaurant & Cafe
58
0.6 mi$$ - $$$ • Egyptian • Dining bars • Beer restaurants
King Jamaica Restaurant & Cafe and breakfast ( ayman jamaica )
34
0.5 mi$$ - $$$ • Caribbean • African • Barbecue
Oriental Kebabgy
55
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • Barbecue • Middle Eastern • Egyptian
Nubian dreams restaurant cafe
87
0.6 mi$ • Egyptian • Vegetarian Friendly
Saraya
13
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • Mediterranean
Panorama Restaurant & Bar
261
0.8 mi$$ - $$$ • International • European • Dining bars
Al Qahwa Cafe
74
0.8 mi$$ - $$$ • Cafe • Mediterranean • Egyptian
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Attractions
18 within 6 miles
Temple Of Isis
1
0.1 miHistoric Sites
Archangel Michael’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral
56
0.2 miChurches & Cathedrals
Nubian Museum
699
0.3 miHistory Museums
Animalia
285
0.6 miSpeciality Museums
Unfinished Obelisk
874
0.4 miHistoric Sites • Ancient Ruins
Elephantine Island
461
0.6 miIslands
Kitchner's Island
300
1 miIslands • Gardens
Aswan Market
199
0.7 miFlea & Street Markets
Aswan Botanical Garden
412
1 miGardens
El-Tabia Mosque
28
0.6 miReligious Sites
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
2,885 reviews
Excellent
2,116
Very good
648
Average
88
Poor
15
Terrible
18
Piranha A
Moscow, Russia65 contributions
✍️ ✍️ ✍️ a MAGIC place
🛕 🛕 is one of the most exquisite sites you’ ll see in Egypt, The Temple of Philae is located on an island in the Nile River, and the only way to visit
is to take a boat operated by a local. 🛥️ 🛥️ You can reach the boat dock with a taxi, it won’ t take you more than 20 minutes from Aswan and expect to pay from 80 to 150 egyptian pounds, 💵 💵 💵 according your bargaining skill.

Once arrived, you’ ll be welcomed by a few souvenirs shops 🤑 and the official Ticket Booth: as of today, the price of the ticket for an adult is 150 egp; 10 usd

After buying the ticket, you’ ll have to find a deal for a boat trip to the island and back.

You can find much more on Egypt Made Easy youtube channel.

Be sure to confirm the price of the trip with the operator before you get on the boat, as some travelers have been surprised by the amount they can be charged for a ride. Personally, I paid 100 egp for a round trip - if you' re in a group of course you can split the costs.

As you start sailing across the Nile, you’ ll start to feel a kind of magic raising in the air. Many travelers have felt this
Written July 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Jake K
Vancouver, Canada71 contributions
Amazing temple of Isis on a small island.
Reachable by small boat, negotiate your own price in the 100-200£ per person. You must buy entry tickets before getting the boat, meaning boat owners can try to overcharge. Amazing site with some engravings damaged or defaced but overall spectacular not very big site, allow at least an hour. If visiting on your own schedule, aim for around noon, best bet to miss the cruise crowds. Taxi from downtown or ships 2-300£ with return.
Written January 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
George P
Derbyshire, UK145 contributions
Must visit
A beautiful Temple on a small island (not the original one though as the Temple was moved just before the Aswan dam covered the original island. A great modern engineering feat to match the ancient one!)
However, the whole arrangement with the boat travel to the island is appalling. The price is not included in the entrance fee and a throng of people await you past the ticket booth, asking any price they can think of. They will not allow you to go with the Egyptians who pay a minuscule amount of money for the same ride. Haggle and make sure you ask the boatman to return to take you back (You will pay him on the return journey.)
In general, the experience of Egypt for the independent traveler is rather negative. If you go with an organised tour you will be spared the excess of harassment. This is unfortunate as the independent travelers leave more money directly to the local economy.
Written February 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Holly A
Cairo, Egypt68 contributions
What a rip off
We arrived at the ticket office bought our tickets and wandered down to the motor boats. The tickets for the temple we 180LE each and the motor boat guys wanted us to pay 400LE each for them to take us across to the temple and back. Needless to say we walked back up the ramp, got our money back and left. We hired a motor boat for the entire day in Luxor for 400LE and did Abu Simbel by private car for 500LE each, so I’d suggest you give this a miss and pay little extra so something much more spectacular.
Written March 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Art K
Monroe, NY138 contributions
Philea was an interesting first site to visit
This archaeological site was approached by boat which we took by first walking through Nubian Village where we were inundated by people trying to sell their wares but as incessant as they are you realize this is how they make their income and you try to be courteous. Unfortunately the more you engage with them the more insistent they become so you have to walk a thin line between ignoring them and not being discourteous at the same time. We arrived at Philea by the small boat which looked like it had seen incredibly better days 50 years back and disembarked for the site. Philea is almost 24 hundred years old and was used as temples by the priests of Egypt, bus also by the Greeks, Romans and early Christians.
Written February 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Andrea K
Columbia, MO376 contributions
Refreshing boat ride to site ~ no guide needed
The boat ride over is lovely. Make sure to ask your captain to point out where the original location as before it was moved. Plan for 60-90 minutes and try to go at the end of the day to get the sun setting. When I was there the First Lady of Egypt was visiting so there were not a lot of tourists yet more security. I don't know if tourists are always that light or if it was just the day.
Having paid for a guide (as I did at all other sites) this one was not needed. If you have a guide book it will provide you with the information and you can wander the island at your leisure. There is some limited signage and a little cafe where I enjoyed a fresh mango juice/smoothy with resident island kittens. There is not a bad view at the cafe ~ views of the lake and rock formations are relaxing.
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Marie
13 contributions
MAFIA BOAT
Couples
Beautiful temple located on a small island, only accessible by boat. It could have been a wonderfull experience but be carefull to not get scammed. After having paid for our tickets, we went on the shore to take the boat: surprise! you need to pay to take the boat. The old man in charge of the boat tickets ask us 250 egyptian pounds. We smelled scam so we went back to the ticket office and asked the employees the price for the road trip in boat for two people, the price is 175 egyptian pouds. We went down to the boats again and he was now asking 200. We said no, it’s 175 like the employees upstairs told us, but he knew that we had no choice to take his boat so we finally agreed to his price. This old guy almost ruined our day by his rude attitude towards us.
Written October 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
aforsell3
Newnan, GA594 contributions
Don't be Scammed by the Boat Drivers!
Couples
Travelers beware!!! The boat drivers tried to take us for 375 LE to take us over to the temple. The boat ride is a separate cost of the ticket but per the security guard you only have to pay 175 LE and you are able to have up to 8 people on your boat. The temple is amazing and glad I decided to make the visit.
Written January 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
SpotAres
Ottawa, Canada55 contributions
Lying and cheating boatmen & police
Solo
Once you pay your 180 Egyptian Pounds, you have to take a short ferry to get to the island. The boatmen wanted 200 pounds for this. I told them I would wait for a group so I could go with them and split the cost. That made them angry.

I tried to go with two groups that arrived but the boatmen wouldn’t let me go with them. With the first group I was told by a boatman that they were going to the Nubian village and not Philae. This turned out to be a lie.

They told me the second group was related to the boatman so I couldn’t take the 5-minute trip with them. When I spoke to that group on the island, it also turned out to be a lie.

I appealed to a tourist policeman to intervene. Instead of helping me, he worked with them to cheat me.

I finally got to the island with another solo tourist, for more than I should have paid.

I took pictures of everyone involved and have complained to the Egypt Tourism Authority. We will see what they do.
Written December 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Frenchytravels.com
Sarlat-la-Canéda, France96 contributions
A must-see in Aswan!
Friends
As soon as you step in the island, you get immersed in the ancient time! Walking along the giant pillars still intact which lead to this impressive entrance, where the king is defeating his enemies, surrounded by protective gods.

Impressive and majestuous - two adjectives to describe the entrance to Philae temple. The place remains very peaceful, as very few tourists where there at the time of the visit (maybe lucky us!), unveiling unbelievable historic treasures engraved on every single walls.
Written November 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Temple of Philae, Aswan

Frequently Asked Questions about Temple of Philae
Temple of Philae is open:
  • Sun - Sat 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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We recommend booking Temple of Philae tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 1,521 Temple of Philae tours on Tripadvisor