Lake Nasser is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world. It formed behind the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s and 1970s and stretches about 500 km south from Aswan, the last part of it inside Sudan, where it is called Lake Nubia. Its quiet waters and desert shores feel very different from the busy Nile valley.
What lies under the lake
The lake covers the old land of Lower Nubia, with its villages, fields and many ancient sites. Some 50,000 Egyptian Nubians were moved to new villages north of Aswan. In one of the great rescues of the 20th century, UNESCO and dozens of countries moved the most important temples to higher ground, including Abu Simbel, Kalabsha, Wadi el-Seboua and Amada. A few temples were given to the countries that helped, such as the Temple of Dendur, now in the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
Lake Nasser cruises
A small number of boats sail between Aswan and Abu Simbel on three- and four-night cruises. They stop at temples that most travelers never see and moor below Abu Simbel, so you can visit it at sunrise and at night. Read about the sites on our pages for Dakka and Maharraqa, Derr and Qasr Ibrim.
Wildlife
The lake is home to Nile crocodiles, monitor lizards and many birds, and it is known for fishing, especially for the giant Nile perch.
Visiting
You can see the lake from the High Dam on any of our Aswan day tours, or spend a few days on it on a Lake Nasser cruise. Ask us for dates.
