Aswan: a first-timer's guide to Egypt's Nubian south

Why visit Aswan

Aswan was ancient Egypt's southern frontier and the source of the pink granite used in obelisks across the country. Today it is the heart of Nubian culture in Egypt, a warm and welcoming place where the pace is gentle and the scenery is the best on the Nile.

Things to do

• **Philae Temple:** the Temple of Isis, rescued from rising waters and rebuilt on Agilkia Island, reached by a short boat ride. Beautiful in the late afternoon.
• **Abu Simbel:** the two rock cut temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari, about three hours south by road or a short flight. Most visitors leave before dawn on an organised trip; around 22 February and 22 October the rising sun lights the inner sanctuary.
• **Felucca sail:** an hour or two among the islands at sunset is the classic Aswan experience.
• **Nubian villages:** take a boat to Gharb Soheil on the west bank for painted houses, Nubian food and tea. It is popular, so go early or late.
• **Elephantine Island:** ruins of ancient Yebu, a small museum and two quiet Nubian villages to wander.
• **Aswan Botanical Garden** on Kitchener's Island, the **Tombs of the Nobles** on the west bank hill, and the **Monastery of St Simeon** reached by camel or on foot.
• **Nubian Museum:** an excellent, calm museum explaining Nubian history and the rescue of its monuments.
• **The Unfinished Obelisk** and the **High Dam** for engineering on an ancient and modern scale.

Where to stay

The Old Cataract Hotel is one of the most famous hotels in Africa, where Agatha Christie wrote. Mid-range hotels line the Corniche, and Nubian guesthouses on Elephantine Island and in Gharb Soheil offer a quieter, more personal stay.

Food and drink

Try Nubian dishes such as fatta, okra stews and freshly baked flatbread, with hibiscus tea, called karkadeh, which is grown locally. Aswan's souk sells spices, dried hibiscus and baskets.

Getting there and around

Flights connect Aswan with Cairo. Trains run from Luxor and Cairo, and Nile cruises sail between Luxor and Aswan, usually over three or four nights. Lake Nasser cruises from Aswan to Abu Simbel offer something rarer. In town, walk the Corniche, use taxis and agree prices for boats before you board.

When to go

Aswan is one of the hottest places in Egypt. November to March is pleasant by day and cool at night; summer afternoons are fierce, so plan sightseeing for early morning and evening.

Nubian culture

The Nubians are an ancient people whose homeland stretched south along the Nile into Sudan. When the High Dam created Lake Nasser in the 1960s, many Nubian villages were flooded and families were moved. Their music, language, cooking and painted houses remain a proud part of Aswan's identity. Visit respectfully: ask before taking photos of people, buy crafts directly from makers, and accept tea if it is offered.

A suggested two days

Day one: Philae in the morning, the Unfinished Obelisk and Nubian Museum after lunch, a felucca at sunset. Day two: an early trip to Abu Simbel, then dinner in a Nubian village or on a Nile terrace.