Aswan

Aswan is Egypt’s southernmost city on the shores of the Nile River. It  is located roughly where the Western Desert and the Eastern Desert meets. Just north of the great expanse of water created by the  Aswan Dam known as Lake Nasser. Aswan’s rather fantastic Nubian Museum is one of Egypt’s best and a must for anyone interested in the history and culture of both ancient and modern Nubia.

THINGS TO DO IN ASWAN

• Explore Elephantine Island.
• Felucca rides at sunset.
• Day Trip to Abu Simbel.
• Take a Boat to Philae Temple.
• The Unfinished Obelisk.
• Monastery of St. Simeon sits between the sand dunes on the Nile’s West Bank. Inside the monastery courtyard, an aisled Basilica takes up the southern side of the monastery.
• Camel-Trek on Aswan’s West Bank.
• Tombs of the Nobles. They’re accessed by a series of steep staircases just to the left of Gharb Aswan’s boat landing.
• Get to know Nubian culture and shop for spices, henna tattoos, souvenirs and African handmade goods at the Aswan souk.
• Aswan’s High Dam is modern Egypt’s most lauded and yet controversial building project. The dam brought fantastic benefits to the country, allowing sustainable electricity across the country and increasing the amount of arable land in Egypt.
• Kalabsha Temple is the best preserved of the three temples here and also the youngest, dating from the time of Roman Emperor Augustus.
• Temple of Beit el-Wali (“House of the Holy Man”) built by Ramses II and consisting of a vestibule, transverse chamber, and sanctuary.