"One of the Most Attractive Cities in Egypt" Top 5 Page for this destination Aswan by atufft

Aswan Travel Guide: 610 reviews and 1,995 photos

Nile River at Aswan - Aswan
Nile River at Aswan
The Arabic word "Aswan" is Derived from "Souan"

A Coptic word meaning "trade", Aswan is the city furthest south, a garrison for the ancient Egyptians, Romans, Turks, and British, and today remains the capital of Nubia, . The original town was on the Elephantine Island, which Belzoni found as a lovely garden reminiscent of the gardens of English nobility, only that the decorative fragmented ruins were real. Later, the city expanded to the east bank of Nile, which today has a well established corniche with restaurants, and a beautiful view of the starkly blue Nile. More recently, neighborhoods have grown on the west bank, to the north of the temples of the nobles, a poorer section of town largely serviced by a ferryboat system today. Aswan continues to early it's livelyhood day as the downstream administrative center for the Russain engineered High Day of Lake Nasser. The contrast between the barren sand dunes and the Nile River along the shores opposite the town of Aswan makes it one of the most beautiful cities in Egypt.

Aswan is clearly African...
Aswan east of the railroad tracks - Aswan

Aswan east of the railroad tracks

Unlike the Arabs of northern Egypt, the Nubians of Aswan are black and clearly African in both appearance and culture. For most tourists, this will be as close to the heart of Africa that they will ever get, providing an opportunity for many to try spendid food and shop for handicrafts more reminiscent of nations to the south than to the Egyptian north. The Nubian atmosphere at Aswan is very relaxed, the service patient, and local attitudes carefree and festive, all features typical to the African lifestyle found further south.

Aswan is the Base for Great Ruins Wandering
Local Ferry to the West Bank of the Nile at Aswan - Aswan

Local Ferry to the West Bank of the Nile at Aswan

Although not so loaded with antiquities as Luxor, Aswan has some unique gems. Rock cut monument Abu Simbel, to the south is one of Egypt's most daring symbols of Egyptian power, for example, and today in lake Nasser, the island bound santuary temples of Philae and Kalabsha present excursions reminiscent of Greece. Aswan was the source for the granite for obelisks and other monumental features at Luxor, and the granite mined by workers was loaded on Nile barges and exported downriver ancient times to places as far away as Palmyra in Syria. So don't miss the granite quarry and unfinished obelisk.

Other places worth visiting with range of Aswan include: The dual temples of sobek and horus at Kwam Umbu, and the well preserved temple of horus at Idfu. All of these can be seen within 3 or 4 full days before returning to the great center of ancient Egyptian civilization at Luxor. While many take tour packages that include a Nile River Cruise to these places, those independent travelers on a budget and those more interested in browsing the ruins than in sipping drinks aboard ship will find the adventure of land travel via camel, felucca, ferry, local van and train quite exciting and cheap.

Note on the photography in these pages: These are slide positives properly scanned and uploaded to VT, which for some reason can't render the colors properly. Sorry about this, so try to enjoy them anyway. They still look great projected with my old Kodak carousel projector.

Pros and Cons
  • Pros:Sunny southern town remote from the chaos of the cairo metropolis
  • Cons:Aswan desert can be surprisingly cool at night in winter
  • In a nutshell:Aswan is a major destination within a complete tour of Egypt
  • Last visit to Aswan: Jan 1997
  • Intro Updated Feb 24, 2012
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Reviews (23)

Transit Service Across the Nile at Aswan - Aswan Ferries Across the Nile at Aswan Transportation (6)

Aswan has a large lower class residential section slightly downstream and across the river from the main city... more travel advice

Boat Builders on Lake Nasser - Aswan Boat Builders on Lake Nasser Local Customs (1)

During the walk on the Lake Nasser peninsula where the ferry departs for the Kalabsha Temple island, there are boat... more travel advice

Temple of Kawm Umbu - Aswan Planning Excursions Around Aswan Favorites (1)

Many of the great temples normally considered part of the visit to Aswan are rather distant, and so some advance... more travel advice

General View of Temple of Isis from the Ferry - Aswan Temple of Philae Things to Do (8)

The description and images for this temple are better learned from my Philae pages, but I have to say that this is one... more travel advice

Comments (9)

  • Reply
    wise23girl's Profile Photo
    Feb 24, 2012 at 12:03 AM

    Would be great to see more of Egypt than just Cairo...and was that an eye opener.
    Great info on my first "sally" into your writings

  • Reply
    calcaf38's Profile Photo
    May 3, 2007 at 3:28 AM

    Thank you for visiting my Peru page. It was a perfect trip. I could retire in Cuzco in a flash. Your Asswan page is superb, with great photos and great tips.

  • Reply
    Ewingjr98's Profile Photo
    Mar 26, 2007 at 12:43 AM

    More great tips... My neighbor just got back from a month in Egypt, so I'll have to check out more of your pages to see some of the places he visited.

  • Reply
    sayedaburas's Profile Photo
    Mar 19, 2007 at 12:34 AM

    I have to spend more time here (~_~) Fully attractive stuff and STYLE Alan (~_~)

  • Reply
    Vulindlela's Profile Photo
    Mar 11, 2007 at 2:05 PM

    Alan, Your Aswan page is fabulous! Awesome pictures and tips.

  • Reply
    Nov 3, 2006 at 4:51 PM

    Egypt's cities are some of the most beautiful cities i've ever seen. the culture, people and places to visit look great. Philae is a great place to take pics at. Guillermo Hernandez, Engl. 41 MWF 10-11

  • Reply
    uglyscot's Profile Photo
    Jun 26, 2006 at 6:26 AM

    I agree that it is the most beautiful town in Egypt. And a centre for visiting other sites.

  • Reply
    mary2u99's Profile Photo
    May 25, 2006 at 7:38 PM

    Felucca Ride to Elephantine Island and the Nubian village is wonderful. :-) Great pictures.

  • Reply
    MM212's Profile Photo
    May 24, 2006 at 3:04 AM

    Stunning pictures! How early in the morning did you have to visit the temples in order to avoid tourists??!!

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