Lake Nasser

Welcome to Lake Nasser, a vast expanse of sapphire blue water that stretches nearly 500 kilometers from the Aswan High Dam in Egypt into the heart of Sudan. This is not a natural lake, but one of the world's largest man-made…

We begin our exploration at the source of the lake: the Aswan High Dam. Completed in 1970, this massive embankment dam is 3,830 meters long and 111 meters high. …

As we cruise south, we must acknowledge the extraordinary effort that saved the monuments we are about to see. When the plan for the High Dam was finalized, it became clear that dozens of ancient sites would be lost. …

We arrive at the crown jewel of Lake Nasser: the Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel. Carved into a solid rock cliff in the 13th century BC, the temple's façade is dominated by four colossal 20-meter statues of the pharaoh…

While the temples were saved, the Nubian people were displaced. Ancient Nubia, known as the 'Land of Gold,' had a distinct language, culture, and architecture. …

Located near the High Dam at its new site, the Temple of Kalabsha is the largest free-standing temple in Egyptian Nubia. Primarily built during the Roman period under Emperor Augustus, it was dedicated to the Nubian sun god…

Lake Nasser is not just a historical site; it is a developing ecosystem. The creation of this massive body of water in the middle of the Sahara Desert has had profound ecological consequences. …

As our journey across Lake Nasser concludes, we are left with a sense of the immense scale of human endeavor. We have seen how a modern nation harnessed the power of the Nile, and how the global community came together to save…