Is it better to book optional tours like the one to Abu Simbal before you go with the travel agent or is it okay to book when you get to the destination? Is the price different?

I was advised by Trafalgar that it is best to prebook and pay for the Abu Simbal optional tour when I made my reservations. Since it is very popular, there is a chance that there would be no room left if I tried to book it when I arrived in Egypt. (The price however would be the same.)Since I had no intention of being left out, I took their advice and it is paid for. I leave on my trip of a lifetime April 14th!! PLT

Thanks for replying. I thought that might be the case that there may be a chance we would miss out if we left it. Just wanted to know other people's experience. Have you prepaid/booked other optionals. We are going in June, I don't know if it will be busy being the beginning of their summer.

I was given the choice of paying for my Abu Simbel optional before I left home as I was told that it is popular and places may not be available if I booked it when I arrive in Egypt.

Needless to say that is what I have arranged to do. I don't want to miss out!

Hi Stinkerbelle,
Have you been advised to pre book other optionals?

No, just Abu Simbel, as it is apparently the most popular optional offered.

Hi S.K.I.

Whilst you can book the Abu Simbel optionals while you are on tour (a few of our group did) I would certainly advise you to book and pay through your Travel Agent to ensure that you will not miss out on the trip. One think I particularly noticed on our trip was that the flights to and from Abu Simbel were full with no empty seats and I remember thinking at the time that if one more person from our tour had tried to book then they would have missed out.

All the seats were occupied on our Oct 2007 flight to Abu Simbel as well as the return flight to Aswan. Abu Simbel should not be missed. We booked it at the same time we booked our trip.

Thanks everyone who replied. I will make sure Abu Simbal is booked and paid for before we go. This forum has been very helpful, it is good to look back at past experiences and advice on different topics and to read the tour tales. Thanks to all contributors.

Good idea to book it ahead of time. It's a fabulous optional not to be missed. Definitely one of my highlights of the tour.

Have a great time!

Abu Simbel is a must. It is tough to get a seat on the daily Abu Simbel flights during the high seasons.

There is another way via bus which escorted by police cars (hundreds of buses go together. unbelievable) but you have to get up around 4ish in the morning and return Aswan around noon.

Either by air or bus is not the “best” choice because all other tourists arrive Abu Simbel at the same time when you are there. (If you are lucky as I was -- bus had a problem and arrived Abu Simbel late then you can enjoy Abu Simbel indeed.)