Reached only by a short boat ride across the Nile, Philae Temple takes on an entirely different atmosphere after dark. The Sound and Light Show gradually illuminates the temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, while a narration tells the story of Isis and Osiris — one of ancient Egypt’s central myths of loss, magic, and resurrection — against the backdrop of the temple’s dramatic 1960s relocation to Agilkia Island to save it from the rising waters of the Aswan High Dam.
Show Times & Languages
The show runs every evening, with typically two sessions per night. The live narration language rotates daily — commonly including English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian — with translation headsets usually available for other languages if the live narration isn’t in your preferred one. The full experience, including transfer and boat ride, generally runs around 1.5-2 hours, with the show itself lasting roughly an hour.
Tickets
Standard tickets run around 350 EGP, plus a separate small fee for the boat crossing to Agilkia Island (typically $1-2, paid directly to the boat operator).
Worth Knowing Before You Go
The show is more atmospheric than spectacular — it’s a slower-paced, narrated experience best suited to travellers genuinely interested in Egyptian mythology, rather than a dramatic walk-through like Karnak’s version. Bring a light jacket, especially November through March, when evenings on the water can turn cool.
Explore our Aswan tour packages →, including evening excursions to the Philae Sound and Light Show.
