Location: Aswan
Top Things to do in Aswan
Top 10 Things to do in Aswan, Nile River Valley
Aswan is more idyllic than other cities in Egypt—located in southern Egypt, it’s a great place to explore that country’s epic history far away from the chaos of Cairo. Take a traditional wooden felucca around Elephantine Island and explore the ruins of the Temple of Khnum. (Editor's note: Our list was compiled before political unrest prompted many countries to issue travel warnings for Egypt. If you're currently planning a trip to Egypt, please consider the risks and monitor your government's travel alerts.)
Restaurants in Aswan
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Monastery of St. Simeon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 108 reviews
Reviewed By apples1967 - London, United Kingdom
I have visited this site on numerous occasions and whilst its not a major site in the area it is certainly worth having a good guide, many travel by camel however ive always gone by road. Its certainly worth a walk along the road to also view the Aga Khan Mausoleum.
5. 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.
6. Aswan Botanical Garden
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 398 reviews
Reviewed By Blog4Travellers - Cairo, Egypt
Kitchener’s Island, to the west of Elephantine Island, was given to Lord Horatio Kitchener in the 1890s when he was commander of the Egyptian army. Indulging his passion for beautiful palms and plants, Kitchener turned the entire island into the stunning Aswan Botanical Gardens, importing plants from the Far East, India and parts of Africa. The island is most easily seen as part of a felucca tour. Alternatively, take the northernmost ferry to Elephantine Island and walk through the village to the other side of the island, where a few little feluccas wait on the western edge to take visitors across to the gardens.
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.
