Audio Guide of Sun Festival

The solar phenomenon occurs only twice a year: **February 22 and October 22**. The complex usually opens around 3:00 AM on those days, since the sun illuminates the sanctuary at dawn (approx. 5:55 AM), and it is essential to arrive well in advance.

The ticket price during the festival is usually higher than on a normal day, around **500 EGP (Egyptian Pounds)** for foreign visitors. Ticket booths are at the entrance, but I strongly recommend arriving with your ticket purchased in advance through your agency or guide.

The phenomenon of sunlight illuminating the statues of Ramesses II, Ra-Horakhty, and Amun lasts approximately **20 to 25 minutes**. However, the full visit to the site and the Temple of Nefertari usually takes about 2 to 3 hours.

It is a masterpiece of astronomical engineering: the ancient Egyptians oriented the temple so that the sun would illuminate the gods in the inner sanctuary, while always leaving **Ptah**, the god of the underworld, in darkness. This symbolizes the pharaoh's annual regeneration.

If you want to avoid the extreme crowds of the Sun Festival, visit the temple on any other day of the year at sunrise. Although you will not see the perfect alignment, you will enjoy the majesty of the temple with much more calm and space.

Accessibility is limited due to the desert and gravel terrain. Electric carts are available to take you from the entrance to the temple esplanade, but accessing the interior can be difficult because of uneven surfaces.

Right next to the Great Temple is the **Temple of Hathor and Nefertari**, dedicated to the favorite wife of Ramesses II. In addition, the views over the vast Lake Nasser are spectacular for panoramic photographs.

Wear layered clothing (it is cold before dawn and hot later) and be prepared for large crowds. To understand the scale of what you are seeing while waiting in line, I recommend downloading our audio guides for museums and monuments to enrich your visit.