Located just 40 kilometres north of the Sudanese border in southern Egypt, the laidback town of Abu Simbel is renowned for its ancient temple complex, the temples of Ramses ll. The town serves as a convenient stopover for visitors wanting to spend more than a few hours exploring the temples and surrounding area. These famous 3200-year-old Egyptian temples are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Nubian Monuments stretching from Abu Simbel to Philae. It is also Egypt’s second most visited attraction. The temples are comprised of two structures featuring four massive seated figures representing the pharaoh. Visit on February 22 and October 22 to catch the magnificent solar alignment which illuminates these colossal statues and its 56-metre-long inner chamber that leads to a series of hidden rooms and halls.