| Aswan, a strikingly attractive and historic town on the
Nile, is Egypt’s southernmost city. The city has served a historic role as a
prosperous market city built on the profits of the ancient caravan routes, and
Egypt’s gateway to Black Africa. One activity that is an absolute must when you visit
Aswan is taking a felucca ride – the Nile flows down into the area from the humongous
High Dam and Lake Nasser, and watching this majestic vista from a felucca
is an experience difficult to describe in words! |
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The area known as Elephantine Island in Aswan was known as Sunt in
ancient times – an area of great important to the early Coptic Christians. The
town’s archaeological treasures are well-known despite not being in a great state of
repair. These include, apart from a newly excavated town on Elephantine Island, the Unfinished
Obelisk, the well-preserved Monastery of St Simeon and the Tombs of the
Nobles dating from the Old and Middle kingdom.
The Sharia as-souk here is a colourful, bustling market and a treat for the
senses. There is a good Nubian Museum that displays art and architecture from the
ancient kingdom of Nubia that existed in this area centuries ago.
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The Great Temple of Abu Simbel, about
four hours from Aswan (by bus or car), is also worth visiting—it was relocated out of
the way of the rising waters of Lake Nasser in the 1960s thanks to UNESCO. |
The monuments of the now-submerged island of Philae, now relocated in another
island located just south of Aswan are the remaining attractions in the upper Nile area.
The main structure is the Temple dedicated to Isis, the Egyptian goddess of
sexuality and motherhood.
To reach Aswan, one can take a bus from Cairo (12 hours), Luxor (4-5
hours) and nearby destinations like Edfu, Esna and Kom Ombo (1-2
hours). The bus station in Aswan is in the centre of town. There is also a very
convenient, luxurious train from Cairo to Aswan that departs daily from Cairo. There are
two express trains to Aswan from Cairo that are cheaper and take longer. There is also a
daily train to Luxor.
For accommodation, there are plenty of options in town, from campsites and a
whole range of budget to luxury hotels. Many good restaurants can be found along the
Corniche – eating while watching feluccas glide silently down the Nile is an
unmissable experience.
