Top Things to Do in Aswan

Best Places to Visit in Aswan

Find simple travel guide to top things to do in Aswan & the best tourist attractions in Aswan!

Aswan, a city on the Nile River, has been southern Egypt’s strategic and commercial gateway since antiquity. It contains significant archaeological sites like the Philae temple complex, on Agilkia Island near the landmark Aswan Dam. Philae’s ruins include the columned Temple of Isis, dating to the 4th century B.C. Downriver, Elephantine Island holds the Temple of Khnum, from the Third Dynasty

Aswan the city that inspired Agatha Christie to write its famous Novel Death on the Nile.

Aswan is a serene Nile Valley destination where the Nile is more majestic than anywhere else,flowing through incredible granite rocks, and round emerald islands covered in palm groves and tropical plants it is considered as an all-time favorite winter destination in Egypt.

You’ll be surprised to see how many ancient monuments and touristic sites this small city has to offer. Consider sailing to the temple of Philae on Agilika Island seeing the Agha Khan Mausoleum and taking an excursion to Elephantine Island and the Nubian village.

Aswan also offers a rich cultural experience; you’ll get to know Nubian culture when you visit the Nubian temple of Kalabsha on Lake Nasser and the Nubian village.
The name of Aswan derives in fact from the Ancient Egyptian word “Soun” meaning souk or trade.
It has earned its name thanks to the city’s strategic position, on the trade route linking the North of Egypt to its South.

Since Ancient times, Aswan has also been known for its environmental therapy burying the aching parts of your body in Aswan’s sand gives valuable results and can help relieving you from stubborn ailments such as rheumatism, arthritis, joint edema and skin inflammation. The town’s climate is also known to have great relaxing and rejuvenating properties.

In the mildest of an evocative panorama of granite rocks the columns and the pillars of this island sacred to goddess Isis rise up towards the cloudless sky.Following the construction of Aswan dam in 1904 AD the temple found itself underwater for the greater part of the year and after the construction of the high dam in Aswan 1960. It became necessary to move the temple from the original location to the current location the Island of Agelika it was dismantled to more than 40,000 blocks each one was numbered to be reconstructed again.

The largest and most important temple on Philae is the great Temple of Goddess Isis Goddess of love and beauty she was worshipped during the Greco-Roman time the oldest part in the temple dates back to the last Pharaoh King Neictnabo in this temple there was many obelisks were stolen and now in United states of America and Europe
The temple design is the typical design of ancient Egypt temples consist of open court and pylon, Then Hypostyle hall the inscriptions is erased during the vandalism by the early Christian who lived inside the temple, you will find many Coptic crosses and erased painting except for the key of life
because the Christians used instead of the cross, this temple is the Must-See in Aswan.

This was one of the biggest free standing temple of Nubia it has been saved from the flooding 20,000 tons of stone were transported and temple was re-erected at the south of Aswan at Beit El wali island
The temple built out of Nubian Sandstone most of the temple in Nubia built out of Sandstone even Abu simbel temples the temple dedicated to the Nubian God Merul.

The temple construction started from the time of Tutomisis the third till the Roman time one of the main scenes of the temple was made by Emperor Augustos in the Roman time 
Kalabsha temple was converted into church during the early Christianity.
Beside the temple of Kalabsha there are many rocks with very old Gratifies and the temples.

Ramses the second temple

This temple was built by the great Ramses the second it is rock-hewn temple built by Ramses for God Amon-Ra this temple has amazing colors and scenes for the king with different Gods.

The Nubian Museum or officially the International Museum of Nubia is an archaeological museum located in Aswan city. It was built to a design by architect Mahmoud El-Hakim Dedicated to Nubian culture and civilization, it was inaugurated on November, 1997.

The museum represents the Nubian heritage and local traditions in Marriage and daily life. The Museum contains 3000 pieces of antiquities representing different ages Pharaonic, Roman, Coptic and Islamic you can visit this museum at night it is lighted up.

Abu Simbel temples of Ramesses II temple complex, originally cut into a solid rock cliff, in south of Egypt the two temples which comprise the site The Great Temple and The Small Temple of Ramses and Nefrtari his wife your visit to Aswan will not be completed till you visit Abu Simble temples you can take a day trip to Abu Simble from Aswan.

Visiting the Nubian village in Aswan is one top things to do in Aswan.

Nubia is a region along the Nile River there are two Nubian village one close to the Mausoleum of Akhga khan and the other one you should visit is located on Sohil Island you will go there by Motor boat.

There are many places to stay in Aswan from luxury hotels and Nile cruises to budget hotels and Felucca stay in Aswan, so you will find many affordable options to stay in Aswan.

 The top place to stay in Aswan is the historical hotel  of Old Cataract it was a place with its Victorian style with the pink granite facade in this hotel all celebrities and famous figures stayed the most famous character stayed in old Cataract is Agatha Christy.

If you have a tight budget and looking for very budget stay in Aswan you can stay one night on board of Felucca one of the best activities in Aswan or you can stay in budget hotels like Sarah hotel

I always recommend to make your trip to Aswan or any place in Egypt as a package with hotels included this will make you peace of mind.

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