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ASWAN, EGYPT
Aswan is Egypt’s southernmost city, and the ancient frontier town lies in one of the most beautiful settings on the first cataract of the Nile. This is also where the desert meets the Nile, amidst sparkling blue waters and granite bedrock.
Part of ancient Nubia, it has evolved over centuries and is now firmly established as one of Egypt’s more relaxed and interesting tourist destinations.
 
You can get to Aswan by boat, train, road and air. The most common way to arrive in the city is either by plane or train. Most trains from Cairo arrive in the morning.
  
The city’s ambience is a lot more African than Egyptian, the local Nubian people are lither and darker than Lower Egypt inhabitants, and have different tastes and customs.
 
Some of the more interesting sites in Aswan include the Nubian Museum, and the Aswan High Dam.
 
People wishing to visit Abu Simbel must spend some time in the city. By far the easiest way to get to Abu Simbel is by plane and the majority of these flights leave Aswan in the morning. It is possible to visit Abu Simbel by road but this is a long journey (around 3-4 hours each way, which leaves very early in the morning (or even the night before) and doesn’t leave much time actually at the site.
 
Buckets of produce in the Bazaar, Aswan, EgyptAs it is situated very near to the Tropic of Cancer, Aswan is hot and dry nearly all year round. Winter temperatures are usually around 23-30oC, during the summer, the temperatures can get up to 50oC.
 
Aswan’s bazaar is renowned as the best in Egypt outside Cairo, both for its wares and its atmosphere. Popular buys include colourful Nubian skullcaps or long scarves, baskets and trays (some semi antique and others new), jewellery and spices. Galabiyyas and embroidered Nubian robes can be bought off the peg or tailor-made. Aswan is also famous for its henna powder, though not all of it is the genuine stuff.
 
Felucca sailboat on the Nile, Aswan, EgyptAswan’s Nubian museum has over 5000 artefacts which (unlike the Egyptian Museum in Cairo) are all clearly labelled and well organised making this a must see introduction to the history and culture of the Nubian people.

Aswan is the home of the felucca boat and these traditional vessels are ubiquitous to the river in this part of Egypt. It is possible to spend anything from one hour to two full days on board these boats. Powered by wind, the feluccas usually have to tack their way down the river, in a zigzagging fashion, sailing against the wind but with the current. They are unable to sail at night due to the number of cruise ships, but tourists have been coming here for centuries to wile away their days floating down the Nile on these traditional vessels.
 
It’s never hard to find somewhere to eat in Aswan and most places along the Corniche stay open until midnight, although visitors should bear in mind that alcohol is not widely available in the town. Local dishes include plenty of fresh fish, fuul, kushari and Nubian dishes such as okra in a spicy tomato sauce. Although easily found in hotels, European and Chinese food is not common in Aswan.
Statue at Kalabsha Temple, Aswan, Egypt
The Stone quarries of ancient Egypt located here were celebrated for their stone, and especially for the granitic rock called Syenite. They furnished the colossal statues, obelisks, and monolithal shrines which are found throughout Egypt, including the pyramids; and the traces of the quarrymen who wrought in these 3000 years ago are still visible in the native rock. They lie on either bank of the Nile, and a road, 4 miles in length, was cut beside them from Syene to Philae.

Other interesting sites in and around Aswan include the Temple of Philae, Elephantine Island, Kalabsha Temple, Aswan High Dam, and the Unfinished Obelisk.

Tours including Aswan

Tour Country Duration Price
Egypt & Jordan Experience 2011 Egypt From UK£1,710
Egypt & Jordan Experience 2011 tour 
Egyptian Family Adventure Egypt 13 days From UK£810
Egyptian Family Adventure tour
Cairo, Aswan (felucca or luxury cruise) Luxor, Red Sea (Hurghada). This family adventure gives you a taste of everything that Egypt has to offer. The Pyramids and Sphinx in Cairo and temples and tombs in Luxor provide the main sightseeing, and a short camel ride, overnight felucca trip on the Nile and some time by the Red Sea balance these out to make a fun and educational holiday for the whole family, staying in 4 & 5 star hotels.
Nile Family Adventure Egypt 9 or 10 days From UK£620
Nile Family Adventure tour
Cairo, Aswan (felucca or luxury cruise) Luxor. This short family adventure fits into a half-term or longer holiday, and combines visits to the pyramids, sphinx and museums in Cairo, with a short camel trek, school visit and a felucca sailboat cruise. All in all, this is a great family introduction to Egypt with a balance of ancient sites and history, and more adventurous activities, staying in 4 & 5 star hotels.
Splendours of the Nile Egypt 9 or 10 days From UK£730
Splendours of the Nile
Cairo, Aswan (Nile cruise) Luxor. This classic tour gives you the chance to experience Cairo’s best and most important sites, including the Pyramids, Sphinx and the world famous Egyptian museum before transferring to Aswan for a luxury cruise down the Nile to Luxor. You visit all the major sites en-route, and the tour has optional visits to Abu Simbel, Alexandria and the fascinating Valley of the Whales.
Splendours of the Nile 2011 Egypt 9 or 10 days From UK£770
Splendours of the Nile tour 
Cairo, Luxor-Aswan Nile Cruise, Cairo. This is an updated version of our classic Cairo & Nile cruise itinerary, starting with the pyramids and sphinx and a city tour in Cairo, and then featuring a luxury 5 day/4 night Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan. All the main highlights in the Nile Valley are covered, including an option to visit the spectacular temples at Abu Simbel. 
Nile Explorer Egypt 9 or 10 days From UK£365
Nile Explorer
Cairo, Aswan (felucca or luxury cruise) Luxor. This classic tour travels through the Nile Valley visiting Egypt's ancient sites and monuments. From the Pyramids and Sphinx in Cairo, to the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple in Luxor, we take in all the main sites, and include a peaceful felucca ride or Nile cruise down the Nile stopping at riverside temples and villages. The tour can be completed in one week.
Grand Egyptian Adventure Egypt 15 days From UK£460
Grand Egyptian Adventure
Cairo, Aswan (felucca or luxury cruise) Luxor, Dahab. One of our most popular itineraries, this tour starts with visits to the Pyramids & Sphinx in Cairo, with an optional City & Museum tour. From Aswan, we take a peaceful felucca sailboat or luxury Nile cruise along the Nile to Luxor, where we explore temples & tombs on both banks of the river. The tour ends with time for you to relax at the beaches and cafes at Dahab, to snorkel or scuba-dive among the coral reefs of the Red Sea, and if you wish, to climb Mt. Sinai.
Classic Nile Cruise Egypt 7 nights From UK£680
Nile cruise boat
Nile Cruise; Luxor - Aswan - Luxor.  This classic Nile Cruise tour spends a week travelling up and down the River Nile between Aswan and Luxor, visiting all the major sites en-route. These include the Temple of Karnak and the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, the temples of Edfu and Komombo, and the island temple of Philae in Aswan, with a local option to visit the temples to Ramses at Abu Simbel. This is a private tour with one of our own Egyptologists on a 5-star deluxe level cruise boat (not joining with one of the large boat groups for the tours).
Egypt & Jordan Experience Egypt & Jordan 16 days From UK£1,480
View of the Treasury through the Siq, Petra, Jordan

Cairo, Aswan (Nile Cruise) Luxor, Mt. Sinai, Jordan. This tour covers all the main sites in Egypt and Jordan. Following visits to the Pyramids, Sphinx and a city tour in Cairo, we enjoy a luxury cruise along the Nile from Aswan to Luxor. We then head via Cairo and the Red Sea to Jordan for a jeep safari & Bedouin meal in Wadi Rum. From here we travel up the scenic King's Highway stopping to explore Petra, Kerak and Madaba, before finishing in Amman with a day trip to the Dead Sea and the Roman ruins at Jerash.

Egypt Experience Egypt 14 days From UK£980
Egypt Experience
Cairo, Aswan (Nile cruise) Luxor, Red Sea. This deluxe 5-star tour gives you a comprehensive introduction to the main highlights Egypt has to offer while staying in some of Egypt's best hotels. We see the Pyramids, Sphinx and famous Egyptian Museum in Cairo, enjoy a luxury Nile Cruise between Luxor and Aswan, and finish the tour with time to relax and enjoy the Red Sea at a beach resort in Hurghada.
Grand Egypt & Jordan Adventure Egypt & Jordan 16 days From UK£940
Camels outside the Treasury, Petra, Jordan

Cairo, Aswan (felucca or luxury cruise) Luxor, Dahab, Jordan. Following a tour to the Pyramids & Sphinx in Cairo, this tour visits the main highlights of the Nile Valley between Aswan and Luxor, featuring a peaceful felucca or luxury cruise along the Nile. After a stop by the Red Sea, we enter Jordan to see the stunning desert scenery of Wadi Rum, explore the ancient city of Petra, swim in the Dead Sea, and visit several other sites including the Roman ruins at Jerash. The tour starts in Cairo and finishes in Amman 

Pharaohs and Deserts Egypt 15 days From UK£630
Pharaohs and Deserts
Cairo, Aswan (felucca or luxury cruise) Luxor, Fayoum, Western Deserts. This tour combines Egypt's main historical sites and a felucca or luxury cruise in the Nile Valley, with two separate desert safaris. Around Fayoum we visit the Wadi Rayan protected area with its spring oasis and desert lake, and the World Heritage Site of the Valley of the Whales. In the Western Deserts, we visit the Baharya & Farafra oases and enjoy an overnight jeep safari in the spectacular White Desert.
Nile Predators Egypt 15 days From UK£1,990
Nile Predators 15 days
This extended tour gives you a full 12 days fishing on Egypt's beautiful Lake Nasser. Get away from the crowd and enjoy unrivalled fishing for the mighty Nile Perch in its natural habitat. Spend you nights sleeping under the stars and your days chasing the dream of a 200 pound plus monster.
Nile Predators Egypt 9 days From UK£1,350
Nile Predators 9 days
A classic fishing adventure that gives you 6 full days fishing for the famous Nile Perch. This legendary fish is world renowned for its aggressive behaviour and awesome fighting powers. Enjoy your fishing surrounded by pristine desert wilderness as you cruise Lake Nasser in search of the big one.
Jewels of the Nile Egypt 15 days From UK£1,850
Jewels of the Nile
Why not combine your favourite sport with a family holiday to remember. Spend 7 days fishing on Lake Nasser for the magnificent Nile Perch then head down the Nile on a luxury cruise boats, enjoying all the comforts of a 5-star floating hotel. This way the whole family stays happy!
Nile Perch & The Red Sea Egypt 16 days From UK£1,690
Nile Perch and Red Sea
This tour offers 7 full days of adrenaline filled fishing for the mighty Nile Perch on Lake Nasser followed by a relaxing stay at a Red Sea resort. Here you can spend your days diving or snorkelling or just relaxing and soaking up the sun after your action packed fishing adventure. A great holiday for all the family!

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