Monastery of St. Simeon Travel Guide: Top Sights in Egypt, Tours &

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Monastery of St. Simeon- Travel Tips What to See, How to Plan & Tours: Religious Beliefs; Egypt; 5 Reviews

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Suggested Duration: 4 hours

The Monastery of St. Simeon, located in the desert near Aswan, was originally built in the 7th century and dedicated to Saint Anba Hedra, who renounced the world on his wedding day. In the 10th century, it was rebuilt and rededicated to St. Simeon. The monastery was a center for missionary activity, with monks traveling into Nubia to spread Christianity. The fortress-like structure is built on two levels, with the lower level made of stone and the upper level of mud brick, all surrounded by 10-meter-high walls. At its peak, it may have housed up to 1,000 monks. Partially destroyed by Saladin’s forces in 1173, the site still features remnants of frescoes and monk cells with mastaba beds. Graffiti from Muslim pilgrims can also be found in the last room. Visitors can reach the monastery by crossing the Nile by boat and then walking or riding a camel along a desert track.

Operators offering tours in Egypt

Attractions in Aswan

Abu Simbel

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Philae

4.8

Aswan Dam

Elephantine

3.4

Nubian Museum

4.6

Kalabsha Temple

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Tombs of the Nobles in Aswan

4.4

Qubbet el-Hawa

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Reviews of Monastery of St. Simeon

Will Smith

5
Reviewed: 2024-08-12

EPIC! A very cool break from temples and a nice insight into some different Egyptian history. There are guides there, that will follow you and tell you about the history. You could probably say no, but I just went with it this time and it was good fun and adds to the experience. It took about 30/45 mins to walk around. I tipped 200EGP, you could do less, but for me it was worth the £3 😀 Entrance is 80EGP per person.
Tanja Helms

5
Reviewed: 2023-10-11

When arriving at the Monastery of Saint Simeon, you feel like you’ve left earth. The vast amount of desert and rock and sand is staggering to see. The ruins are quite spectacular. It’s surreal to be there and see camels in the distance traveling. Certainly a noteworthy experience.
Leonie Poellmann

5
Reviewed: 2022-09-26

A very interesting visit to a very neglected Monastery. We went with a boat across the Nile and on camel back to the Monastry (a package was 50 / person excluding the entry fee). The entry fee was 40 Egyptian pounds / person. Make sure that you have evidence of paying for the boat, camels and entry if you pay for it all because the communication between the hotel's travel agent and transport was not good.
Tommaso Saltini

5
Reviewed: 2022-08-19

Very beautiful and significant place…its shapes and forms are of inspiration Very easy to reach, just cross the Nile and then 15 min walk
Mohamed Fawzy

4
Reviewed: 2022-03-20

Such a special place up a remote desert hill. To get there, you'll have to take a boat from the city, and then hike up a hill for about 10-15 minutes. It's worth the effort, but make sure to have someone explain the history of this 5th century gem for you.