A Great Place You Must Visit in Africa Before You Die - Pictures

As old as Time itself, and acknowledged as the very Cradle of Humankind, the great continent of Africa has untold treasures to reveal to those who take the time to come on a journey of discovery. From the ancient temples, pyramids and tombs of Egypt, to adventurous safaris in Kenya, and the stunning natural wonders and wildlife of Uganda, Botswana and Namibia - we have some great suggestions for astonishing must-see places to include in your itinerary.

Abu Simbel - Egypt

The two temples at Abu Simbel, The Great and The Small, are best known for their dazzling magnificence and their historic relocation from their original setting on a sandstone cliff near the Nile River. The temples were originally carved out of sandstone over 3,000 ago, during the reign of the great Pharaoh Ramesses II and were dedicated to him, his wife and the Egyptian gods. It was discovered, excavated (and looted) by European explorers in the early 19th century, when it was rumoured to be named ‘Abu Simbel’ after the boy who led the first explorer to discover the site.

When the Egyptian government were constructing the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s, the temples faced submergence under the waters of the resulting Lake Nassar, and the government sought the assistance of UNESCO and the international community to help them avoid this potential disaster. It was decided to relocate the temples to a new site, where they would be safe – a monumental undertaking, given the scale of these temples! The relocation included dismantling the two temples, moving them to their new location and then reassembling them in exactly the same form and relationship to each other and to the sun. In their new home, they are surrounded by an artificial mountain to try and recreate their original setting. A photo exhibition of this historic relocation can be seen at the dome at Abu Simbel.