Top Things to do in Aswan Governorate
The 10 Best Things to do in Aswan Governorate, Nile River Valley
Discover the best top things to do in Aswan Governorate, Egypt including Abu Simbel Temple Complex, Animalia, Elephantine Island, Nubian Museum, Sound and Light Show - Abu Simbel, Aswan Market, Nubian Village, Unfinished Obelisk, Aswan, Aswan.
Restaurants in Aswan Governorate
1. Abu Simbel Temple Complex
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,454 reviews
Reviewed By Traveller314 - Edmonton, Canada
The two temples at Abu Simbel are just so spectacular enough on their own, both inside and out, that it's easy to overlook the incredible engineering achievement that it took to save them from being destroyed by the rising waters of Lake Nasser. This place was one of the highlights of our two-week tour across Egypt and worth the 3 hour drive from Aswan. Highly recommended.
2. Animalia
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 252 reviews
Center of information about life in nubia(nature and culture)it is an ethno-biological museum which consists of three parts1-traditional nubian house 2- museum shows fauna in nubia(Animals,reptiles,birds,fish,insects all stuffed)rocks and stones.3-the roof terrace where drinks,lunch,quick meals are served.also lectures about nubia ,the nile and elephantine are given over looking the gardens.Animalia also organise birdwatching tour in the nile held by professional guides MOHAMMED SOBHY and his Daughter Fatma.
Reviewed By Kh-Gomaa - Giza, Egypt
A local family providing very informative demo about Nubian house, culture, history, geography, wild life, and mineral riches. The tour is at a very reasonable price.
3. Elephantine Island
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 448 reviews
This island is the oldest inhabited part of Aswan and served as the cult center of the ram headed god Khnum in ancient times.
Reviewed By JosephSpendlove - Derby, United Kingdom
Most people visiting Aswân are looking for the real Nubian experience and you can’t get more real than on Elephant Island. A real Nubian village where many people have opened there homes to visitors and made some great value got money bed and breakfast guest houses. Dusty small streets and friendly faces are your first impression, then when you sit down you soon realise the noise and rush of the city is not on the island and you feel relaxed and at peace. If you are a sun worshipper it’s important to get a East bank facing (sun) hotel. If you are not bothered then the cheaper West Bank ones are quieter and great value. The young and hip people seem to all stay at the bob Marley hotel which has a lovely roof top terrace and the adorable Ali manager. Highly recommend a visit.
4. Nubian Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 681 reviews
This museum traces the history from the earliest settlements to present day of Nubia, the region defined as the area between Aswan in Egypt and Khartoum in the Sudan.
Reviewed By DEK_29 - Brisbane, Australia
The Nubian Museum is situated across the road from the Basma Hotel and the Cataract Hotel. Once past the security checkpoint, the entrance to the museum and the surrounds are a lovely peaceful garden. One of the features of the gardens is a winding water course which appears to be unfinished. Numerous stelae and bits of ancient walls can be found in the gardens along with some lovely trees and shrubbery from the area. The entrance features a small alter that has baboons symbolizing Thoth the god of wisdom and writing. The pictorial history of the expedition to save Nubian monuments is one of the highlights of this museum. The museum features large dioramas that depict Nubian life through the ages, Nubian and Egyptian statuary detailing comparisons, mummies and some fine examples of Christian and early Islamic handicrafts. This was my second visit to this museum (first time in 2010) and there were more people visiting which did make it difficult at times to view some of the exhibits. The museum itself is a modern, well air-conditioned building with many interesting exhibits. A highlight of this visit was that I got into a conversation with a Coptic priest while viewing the Christian artworks. He even asked me about the bush fires occurring in Australia after he asked where I was from.
5. Sound and Light Show - Abu Simbel
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 289 reviews
The Sound and Light show at Abu Simbel will transport you to the time of the pharaohs. Enchanting you with melodious music, and bringing the ancient world to life around you, the show includes projections onto the temples showing how they once looked. The program is presented in a number of languages with the provision of ear pieces. It is an experience not to be missed, one that will make your visit to Abu Simbel the memory of a lifetime.
Reviewed By MarinKeith - Novato, United States
The sound and light show at the Abu Simbel temples is excellent. The 30-40 minute show is projected into the temples themselves and is both informative and entertaining. I highly recommend incorporating this experience into your visit!
6. Aswan Market
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 182 reviews
This outdoor market is a central feature of Aswan, Egypt’s southernmost city.
Reviewed By JosephSpendlove - Derby, United Kingdom
Starting from the Train Station running parallel to the river all the way to KFC, the huge market starts off with the usual tourist stalls, then goes to the local market and then ends with more tourist places. Number one rule is to barter. Remember how much things cost where you come from and don’t be ripped off, unfortunately it’s normal for somethings to start at 200 LE and you ended up walking away with it for 20 LE, be ruthless when talking about the price and you have to be willing to walk away to get the best price. Great fun, highly recommend.
7. Nubian Village
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,128 reviews
Reviewed By 929thaliaw - Aswan, Egypt
The Nubian Village is actually named Gharb Soheil but is the most colorfully beautiful of the many Nubian villages around Aswan. It is definitely worth a visit for the colorful houses and guest houses, the great restaurants, the camel ride in from the Nubian Beach, and of course the shopping!
8. Unfinished Obelisk
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 854 reviews
This gigantic semi-finished obelisk, dating from the New Kingdom, would have weighed a staggering 1,197 tons if completed.
Reviewed By adibfarid - Sao Paulo, Brazil
Its located inside the city of Aswan! There you learnt and understand how the obelisks were done and transported 4500 years ago!!! My second visit and I enjoyed!! Worth the visit!!
9. Aswan
Supplying water and electricity to all of Egypt, this impressive two-mile dam was a 1960s feat of engineering.
Reviewed By world1explorer - Bay Harbor, United States
Really great to see the Old Dam (british) and the USSR era high dam. Great views of Lake Nasser, and a great engineering project.
10. Aswan
This large temple complex, relocated to the island of Agilika with the building of the High Dam in Aswan, features the magnificent Temple of Isis that was built in the late Ptolemaic and early Roman periods.
Reviewed By VirginiaCW - Mount Pleasant, United States
The temple complex at Philae was dedicated primarily to the goddess Isis, but also the gods Horus and Osiris. It is believed to have been the burial site for Osiris and so highly regarded by both the local Nubian population and Egyptologists, too, and, as was often the case, these ancient temples were converted to churches during more modern times. This island, near the original Aswan low dam flooded site and first cataract has the full temple complex reconstructed in situ very close to its original site (which you can see outlined by coffer dam remains in the lake adjacent to the complex). As with the other antiquities, it was raised by a coordinated effort between Egypt and UNESCO and other partners in antiquity. The details of reliefs and decorative work are in incredible condition. We went late in the afternoon and there were only a handful of other people there. It is never very crowded because you can only access it by boat, generally accessible by hire from the nearby colorful Nubian village. Best seen and accessed with an Egyptologist who can interpret the history (from construction during the Ptolemaic times). If you are allergic to, or averse to cats, this might not be the place for you to visit. Cats are highly revered by locals believed to be living examples of gods, and on this island they are cared for and protected.
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