Travel to Aswan

Aswan is a city in the south of Egypt, some 680km (425 miles) south of Cairo, just below the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, with a population of 275,000. Aswan is far more relaxed and smaller than Cairo and Luxor.

Aswan, Egypt's sunniest southern city and ancient frontier town located about 81 miles south of Luxor, has a distinctively African atmosphere. Its ancient Egyptian name was Syene. Small enough to walk around and graced with the most beautiful setting on the Nile, the pace of life is slow and relaxing. Days can be spent strolling up and down the broad Corniche watching the sailboats etch the sky with their tall masts or sitting in floating restaurants listening to Nubian music and eating freshly caught fish.

In Aswan the Nile is at its most beautiful, flowing through amber desert and granite rocks, round emerald islands covered in palm groves and tropical plants. Explore the souk, full of the scent and color of spices, perfumes, scarves and baskets. View the spectacular sunsets while having tea on the terrace of the Old Cataract Hotel (Named due to the location of the Nile's first cataract located here). Aswan has been a favorite winter resort since the beginning of the nineteenth century, and it's still a perfect place to get away from it all.

To DO

• Rent a Bike. Bikes available at many hotels. Cross the modern bridge to the east bank and bring back your bicycle afterwards by ferry boat
• Local Felucca Cruise. Aswan is a great place for a local cruise to the nearby islands. Two hours of felucca trip will cost you between 25-50 EP depends on your negotiation skills. See felucca cruise on the Nile.
• Trips to Abu Simbel. See Abu Simbel. This is a must!
• Camel Rides. Grab a felucca captain and they will shuttle you across to the camel marshalling area. Ride the camel to the Monastery of St Simeon

The recent attraction in Aswan

1- The High Dam

The construction of the Aswan High Dam began more than fifty years ago During the role of the president Gamal abd el naser and that dam was raising twice The structure is 2,325 m long, 111 m high over the original river bed

2- The Lake Nasser

Formed in the 1960's by the construction of the Aswan High Dam in order to control the annual floods of the River Nile, Lake Nasser is the world's largest artificial lake. Surrounded by remote desert which covers the land of Nubia, Lake Nasser is the site of many tombs, temples and churches. 

Before the high dam was constructed monuments were moved from their original sites and grouped together at four locations Kalabsha, Wadi-as-Subua, Amada and of course the famous temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari at Abu Simbel.  A cruise on Lake Nasser gives visitors the opportunity to enjoy serene desert vistas and to explore the ancient Nubian temples and monuments. 

The ancient attraction in Aswan

1- Temple of Philae

It was called in Hieroglyphic "Apo" which means Ivory it was also the center of trade by the creek Te Egyptian built this amazing temple for Goddess Isis But this temple has been submerged when they built the first high dam but they built a new one and it was close as possible to the philae island

2- The unfinished obelisk

It is unknown which pharaoh built it also known that it is the largest ancient obelisk But a crack in the stone occurred which caused it to be abandoned Now this site has been renovated