ASWAN, Egypt: Isle of Philae, Feluccas and the Grand Cataract Hotel
Posted by: kirsty_wilson in Africa, tags: Aswan, Egypt, Elephantine Island, Isle of Philae, Nile RiverWhere is Aswan?
Aswan
Aswan is found on the banks of the Nile River in southern Egypt. It is the last main stopping point before you reach the Sudanese border. Like much of Egypt’s large cities and towns there are numerous archaeological sites to see. The most well-known being the Isle of Philae but it is also the main travelling point to the more southern ‘Abu Simbel’ which was in fact a temple that was moved and reconstructed to make way for the damming of the Nile to form Lake Nasser during the 1960s.
Diary extract – 25 July, 1988 – Abu Simbel to Aswan Taxi Trip.
“…The drive back to Aswan was absolutely unbearable. (I later learnt the temperature was 40C plus) The hot wind that blew off the desert and hit us full-on choking us because we had the windows down due to no air-conditioning, was incredible. All 8 of us in the taxi carried bottled water but it was now ‘hot’ and no longer gave us the cool relief we needed. There was no getting comfortable. Either your back was dripping with sweat, you stuck to the seat or to your neighbour. Beads of sweat trickled and tickled all over and became really annoying. It was the longest 3 hour car trip I’d done and it was truly revolting…”
A short ferry or felucca trip on the Nile takes you to Elephantine Island. Here you’ll find the Museum which displays many Nubian artefacts. Beyond Elephantine Island, is Kitchener’s Island and soley constitutes the local Botanical Gardens, a popular spot for locals and tourists wishing to have some peace and quiet. Continuing across the Nile to the west bank is the Tomb of Agha Khan, a great viewing spot of the traffic on the Nile and Elephantine Island. A great viewing location of the western bank and the Nile River is from the Old Cataract Hotel. It in itself is a landmark of the city.
An essential travel guide to Egypt including Aswan and the other major travel destinations of this historic country.
Map
TravelTipsPlus Google Map of Aswan
One Great Reason to Visit Aswan
One great reason to visit Aswan is to sit by the pool at the beautiful Old Cataract Hotel, that majestically overlooks the Nile River that is constantly busy with feluccas.
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i Loved this destination . then spent 3 days on a felucca .. the 2 staff all stoned but no probs
So you too were asked “Smoka Hashish?” from a grinning, toothless felucca captain? I love Egypt and the middle east. Full of exotic adventures.
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