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Aswan — Picture

Aswan

Egypt’s majestic southern jewel on the Nile, renowned for colourful Nubian villages, Philae Temple, Abu Simbel excursions, felucca sailing, and the High Dam.

18 results Starting from $18 Live tour guide: 7

Why visit Aswan

  • The Aswan High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and the view over the cataract
  • Philae Temple, the Ptolemaic temple rescued from the flood and moved island by island
  • A day trip to Abu Simbel — the rock-cut temples of Ramesses II
  • The Nubian Museum and the village of Gharb Sobhi, where the houses are painted in blue
  • Nile felucca trips to the islands, with tea and sugar on the way back

Getting there

Aswan has a small airport with domestic flights from Cairo and a sleeper train from the capital. Most of the tours start at the southern edge of the city, near the Nubian Museum, and the boat trips leave from the riverfront in Elephantine Island.

Best time to visit

October to March. Aswan is the hottest of the three tourist cities, and the difference between winter and summer is stark. The Nile is at its high level in the autumn, which makes the islands and the cataracts even more impressive.

Activities in Aswan

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Frequently asked questions

It is the single most impressive site in the south. The two colossal temples were cut into the rock for Ramesses II and moved to a new hilltop in the 1960s when Lake Nasser flooded the originals. The tour takes a full day, and the early morning departure is the only way to see the sun rising into the temple.
Yes — the temple was dismantled and rebuilt on Agilkia Island, a few kilometres south of Aswan, and it is one of the best-preserved Ptolemaic temples in Egypt. The sound-and-light show plays against the silhouette of the temple in the evening.
By organised tour, by private car, or by the shared minibus and bus from the railway station. The organised tours leave early, include the guide and the entrance tickets, and are the simplest option for a day trip.
Both. The short version is a day trip to Philae with a felucca and the Nubian village. The overnight Dahabiya and the classic four-night cruise from Aswan to Luxor are the full Nile experience, with the temples at Edfu and Kom Ombo on the way.

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