Simply put, Philae is one of the most secluded and enchanting places I visited in all of Egypt.

You’ll visit many temples on a trip there, but most aren’t anywhere close to being as well preserved as this site — and you definitely won’t find another that’s on an island.  That makes the issue of how to get to Philae Temple a bit more complicated — but that makes the payoff even sweeter.

At least for me, a visit to Egypt is a quest to step back in time.  Setting foot on a boat and heading out to the hidden island is a journey encompassing that chase.  I think we need to turn to the past to hear the words of someone a bit more eloquent than I, if we want to get a hint of this place in words.

Amelia Edwards was a Victorian Egyptologist who argued on behalf of preserving the remnants of the great civilization, which was under serious threat from tourism and pillaging.  She wrote this in 1877 of her first trip to Philae Temple:

“The approach by water is quite the most beautiful. Seen from the level of a small boat, the island, with its palms, its colonnades, its pylons, seems to rise out of the river like a mirage. Piled rocks frame it in on either side, and purple mountains close up the distance. As the boat glides nearer between glistening boulders, those sculptured towers rise higher and ever higher against the sky.

“They show no sign of ruin or of age. All looks solid, stately, perfect. One forgets for the moment that anything is changed. If a sound of antique chanting were to be borne along the quiet air – if a procession of white-robed priests bearing aloft the veiled ark of the God, were to come sweeping round between the palms and the pylons – we should not think it strange.”

Charming, magnificent, alluring: Think of all the positive adjectives you can come up with, and they apply here.  But the question of how to get to Philae Temple still remains, and it’s not as simple as you might expect.

A Brief History of Philae

Oh, you thought we’d just hop right to the details on how to get to Philae Temple?  Silly you. I suppose you could skip your vegetables and scroll down, but why would you want to do that?

First of all, “Philae” is just the common name for the island itself.  There are a number of structures on it, most notably the Temple of Isis and Trajan’s Kiosk. 

The first structures were built late in the history of Ancient Egypt, and the main ones even later.  The Temple of Isis is a product of what’s known as “Ptolemaic Egypt,” from the period after Alexander the Great conquered the region in 332 BCE.

This time spanned about 300 years, until the death of Cleopatra when the Romans took over Egypt.  Oh, and Trajan’s Kiosk?  That came even later, as the name implies — Trajan was a Roman Emperor.

Of course, the relatively late construction contributes to the preservation — after all, Ptolemaic Egypt came around a thousand years after the New Kingdom.

The island was later inhabited by Christians, who used many of the structures for worship.  You can see signs of them everywhere — crosses are carved in the walls, and you’ll see many of the ancient figures chiseled out. 

I don’t think we can get too upset with them, though.  They may have damaged it, but they also kept it intact.

In modern times, the structures were moved.  Yes, moved — just like the temples at Abu Simbel.

The British built the Aswan Low Dam in 1902, and Philae regularly became submerged.  If you think your heart can take it, go look for some images.  It’s said that much of the original paint remained on the walls before this. Much later, everything was dismantled and moved to a higher island nearby, where it sits today.

We can sit and bemoan the fact that we don’t get to visit Philae as it was, but what’s the use in that?  At least it’s still around.

How to get to Philae Temple (before the boat)

Ready to hear about the boat?  Too bad.  You didn’t come here for incomplete information, did you?  You can’t expect me to leave you in the lurch, and first we have to get over to where the boats are.

You’ll be staying somewhere in Aswan, and you’ll need a ride to the marina and ticket area.  It’s not far from the center of town — maybe 15 or 20 minutes.

So, your best option is a taxi.  You probably won’t find a lot of taxis hanging around the marina, meaning you’ll want a taxi that will drive you there, wait for you, then bring you back.

This is common in Aswan, and you won’t have any trouble explaining what you want.  Personally, I just asked a guy hanging outside the hotel to organize it.  He was more than happy to do so, since obviously he knew he’d be getting a tip — and he likely got a percentage of the fare as well.

This did streamline things a bit, since I didn’t have to deal with making sure the cab driver spoke English. He told the driver what the arrangement was.

I’m sure you could get the taxi yourself, or just ask your hotel to arrange it.

As a side note, you may have cringed a bit when I referenced a guy hanging outside the hotel — after all, I’ve written extensively about the extreme amount of hassling in Luxor.  But Aswan isn’t like that at all.  There’s touts trying to sell you things here and there, but on the whole, the vibe of Aswan is far more laid back. And it’s also a good example of why “touts” aren’t necessarily bad. They know the sites, know the routines, and are able to offer you things you need.

Buying a ticket for Philae

So you’ve made it.  You got to the ticket window, and this is what you see.  No, it’s not particularly expensive.  140 LE is about $9. 

But there’s a reason I’ve included this photo, and it’s not just because of the interesting verbiage on the sign (although I did find it entertaining).  Look at the bottom: this doesn’t include the price “to motorboat.” 

You’re just buying a ticket to set foot on the island.  Getting there is another issue.

The Great Philae Boat Battle

From looking at the rather unimpressive photo above, you might think negotiating for a boat would be easy.  And it’s true that when you have a lot of options, your bargaining power tends to go up — unfortunately, that’s not the case here.

At least in my experience, the boat drivers/owners tend to work together.  Once you start negotiating with one, you’ll probably have a hard time getting another to talk to you. 

It’s like that one driver has “claimed” you, and you’re stuck.

You see, they know you have no other options.  You can’t blow them off and walk to the island.  You’re completely at their mercy, and they will not make this process easy.

Now, there will likely be signs posted here and there with set prices for a group of a certain size.  You can try to create a group with other tourists, but you’ll face resistance.  The drivers will try to put you on different boats, so you can’t share the cost.

Honestly, I wish I could put forth some advice on this.  You can resist and try to negotiate, but it’s going to be hard to get anywhere.  Like I said, they know you need them.

So, just try to keep in mind that even if you end up paying 200 LE for your ride, it’s not that much money in the scheme of things.  Just take your lumps and get on with your day — every minute negotiating is a minute you could be spending on the island, and it’s not worth getting upset over.

Is Philae Temple worth it?

What kind of question is this?

Yes, negotiating can be a bit of a headache…but of course it’s worth it.  In a land filled with memorable locations, this one stands out.

In fact, it’s not just worth going once — it’s worth going twice.  Once in the daytime when you have free reign to wander about, and once at night for the Sound & Light Show, when you get to see the island all lit up.  Both experiences are worth your time, and will be completely unforgettable.

Note: Everything I say here is my own personal opinion, and may not work best for everyone. I’m far from an expert, so please just do whatever is best for you, and be sure to visit the TripAdvisor Forums to ask questions and do some more research!