Aswan Travel Guide

The ancient border outpost and the southernmost city of Egypt (256 thousand inhabitants) is located in one of the most picturesque corners on the Nile. Near Aswan, the desert comes very close to the river, enclosing its sparkling blue in a frame of soft amber sand and wrinkled ledges of granite rock. Feluccas under a triangular Latin sail glide past the ancient ruins and gigantic cliffs of the island of Elephantine. Palm trees and tropical thickets enliven the appearance of islands and dams until the bright blue sky dissolves in the smoothly approaching twilight.

Entertainment and Attractions Aswan

Directly in the city you can explore the island of Elephantine, where there are the oldest fragments of the Khnum temple, which date from the time of the Middle Kingdom. At the southern end of the island are the ruins of a later temple erected by Nectaneb II.

The city also has a charming Botanical Garden, a summer residence and the mausoleum of the Aga Khan, the ruins of the monastery of St. Simeon and the Nubian Museum, which is located somewhat on the outskirts. The museum covers an area of ​​50 thousand m², and includes not only exhibition halls, but also a library, training centers, as well as a green park around.

But the main thing for which tourists make a stop in Aswan is the temples and complexes in the vicinity. Firstly, these are the temples of the island of Filet, which is located in the middle of the Nile and, according to legend, it was here that Osiris was buried. In antiquity, Filet was considered an “inaccessible” island: only priests could live on its sacred land. Today, tourists live here, clicking to the right and left with their fashionable DSLRs, throwing candy wrappers and meticulously clicking their tongues at certain beauties. And all because Filet is taken under the protection of UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Secondly, everyone wants to see the famous Aswan Dam, and the hydroelectric complex itself is the largest hydraulic system of structures in Egypt.