Aswan Travel Guide: Essential Attractions and Cultural Highlights | Philae Temple | Unfinished Obelisk | Aswan High Dam

Aswan | Introduction

Aswan is an ancient city in southern Egypt, near the border with Sudan. Situated at the southern end of the Nile River, Aswan boasts beautiful views of the Nile and serves as the starting point for many Egyptian Nile cruises, often being the first stop for tourists delving into ancient Egyptian civilization. Historically, Aswan has been a meeting point for Egyptian and Nubian cultures, serving as a gateway to inland Africa since ancient Egypt. It was a strategic fortress town where pharaohs built defenses to guard the southern borders, and it holds a wealth of historical relics, the most famous being the Philae Temple and the Unfinished Obelisk. Aswan is also an important center of Nubian culture. If time allows, it is worth spending extra time experiencing the unique local Nubian culture, whether by visiting the Nubian Museum or taking a traditional Nile felucca ride to enjoy the river's scenery.

Egypt has a hot climate, and winter is the best season for travel, with more moderate temperatures.

Aswan | Transportation

Getting to Aswan

The most common ways for tourists to reach Aswan are by plane or train. Aswan International Airport is the main air traffic hub into Aswan, with frequent flights from Cairo and Luxor. The flight from Cairo to Aswan takes about 1.5 hours and is the quickest option. If coming from other international cities, you usually need to fly to Cairo first and then transfer to Aswan.

Taking the train is another popular mode of transportation, especially the overnight sleeper train, which is ideal for travelers looking to save time and accommodation costs. The train journey from Cairo to Aswan takes about 12-14 hours. Though longer, it saves a night's accommodation and offers the chance to enjoy the Nile River scenery along the way. For ticket purchasing methods and travel experiences, please see this article.

Complete Experience: Sleeper Train Journey from Cairo to Aswan

Transportation between Aswan Attractions

To reach major attractions within Aswan, such as the Philae Temple or other islands in the Nile, a boat is required. If you are on a Nile cruise, the first day’s itinerary often includes visits to the Philae Temple, the Unfinished Obelisk, and the Aswan High Dam. However, if you're exploring on your own, or want to quickly reach other islands or opposite shore attractions, you might consider finding a local motorboat or felucca on the Nile banks, and negotiating the price if you're traveling independently. To avoid the hassle of haggling and being sold to in Egypt, joining a tour might be worth the extra cost.

For land-accessible attractions, Aswan does not have Uber, so you'll need to find a taxi, hire a car, or walk. Taxis are the most convenient transportation, and prices are relatively cheap, but you should still agree on the fare in advance since most local taxis do not use meters. There's also a local shared minibus called a "service car," which is cheap but has fixed routes and might be confusing and inconvenient for tourists.

Aswan | Itinerary Planning

Aswan doesn’t have a vast number of attractions, and a two-day itinerary is usually sufficient. I recommend spending the first day visiting attractions close to the city center, and on the second day, taking a Nile cruise, joining the first day's itinerary in Aswan, or hiring a car to visit the main Aswan attractions. Here is a sample itinerary:

Day 1: Upon arrival in Aswan, start the morning by visiting the Nubian Museum to learn about Nubian culture and local history. Afterward, return to your hotel for a short rest before exploring the Aswan market and taking a stroll along the Nile. In the evening, consider taking a felucca to watch the sunset over the Nile.

Day 2: Join a cruise tour or hire a car to visit Aswan's most famous historical sites, including the Philae Temple, the Unfinished Obelisk, the Aswan High Dam, and Lake Nasser. Return to the cruise in the evening and depart from Aswan.

Aswan | Accommodation

Accommodation options in Aswan mainly consist of downtown hotels and cruise ships. I suggest staying in the city center on the first night and moving to the cruise ship on the second night. The city center of Aswan is located right on the Nile, where most hotels offer river views. Moreover, since most tourists stay on cruise ships, hotels are relatively cheap and plentiful.

Hotel Review | Citymax Hotel

Our stay at the Citymax Hotel was very nice. Although we booked the cheapest room, we were upgraded to a river view room upon check-in, allowing us to see the Nile sunset right from the room. The hotel's location was also extremely convenient.

Nile Cruises

On the Nile, the cruise ship can serve as your first night's accommodation in Aswan and your hotel in Luxor afterward. You can book directly with the cruise companies and arrange your transportation to the attractions, or simply use the cruise for accommodation, which can be a cost-saving strategy as the schedules of Aswan cruises are fixed.

I will provide detailed reviews of Nile cruises in a future post. If interested, you can subscribe to our Facebook page, Instagram, or newsletter for updates.

Aswan | Attractions

Philae Temple (معبد فيلة)

Philae Temple is currently located on Agilkia Island in the Nile and is an important religious building from the late Egyptian and Ptolemaic periods, originally built between the 4th century BCE and the 3rd century CE. Over time, the surrounding structures of the temple complex have merged various architectural styles, including Egyptian, Greek, and Roman, with even traces of the later Coptic era. The Philae Temple was initially situated on Philae Island, but due to the construction of the Aswan High Dam, which would have submerged the original site, the entire temple was carefully relocated to its current location. Philae Temple is mainly dedicated to the goddess Isis, who was the mother and protector goddess in ancient Egyptian mythology. The temple’s walls and reliefs are exquisitely crafted, depicting numerous mythological stories related to Isis.

If you visit independently, it's recommended to allocate at least 2 hours to explore here, ideally visiting in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the midday heat.

The content of the Philae Temple is rich, and I have a more detailed introduction in this article.

The Philae Temple Complex: A Journey to Egypt's Ancient Isis Sanctuary Rescued from the Waters

Unfinished Obelisk (المسلة الناقصة)

The Unfinished Obelisk is located in northern Aswan and was originally intended to be the largest obelisk in Egyptian history but was left in place after it was not successfully completed. This provides a rare opportunity for later generations to observe the carving techniques of ancient Egyptian craftsmen and the methods of obelisk construction. The visit takes about 1 hour.

At this site, you can see many traces of ancient quarrying. The location of the Unfinished Obelisk is actually an ancient granite quarry, which was a major source of stone during the ancient Egyptian period, producing many high-quality gray and red granites. At least 13 famous obelisks across Egypt are known to have been sourced from this quarry. Aswan's quarries are renowned for producing high-quality granite, which was used to create various ancient Egyptian structures and artifacts, including obelisks, temple columns, and sarcophagi. Obelisks, symbols of religious rituals and pharaonic authority, required large and intact stone blocks, and ancient Egyptian craftsmen used only simple tools to extract huge stone blocks from the bedrock, which is astonishing.

The method of obelisk construction involved first marking the shape of the obelisk on the rock surface, then chiseling grooves to separate the obelisk from the bedrock. During this process, craftsmen used chisels and hammers to carve a series of deep grooves into the rock surface, into which plants were placed and watered, utilizing thermal expansion and contraction to separate the rock.

Walking through the quarry to the top, you will see the Unfinished Obelisk. This half-carved stone block was originally planned by Queen Hatshepsut to be the largest obelisk in Egyptian history, with a projected height of 42 meters and an estimated weight of over 1,200 tons. If completed, it would have surpassed all existing obelisks, becoming the largest monolithic stone sculpture in the world. However, during the quarrying process, a crack was first discovered at the top, making it impossible to create a 42-meter obelisk. Later, the plan was to reduce it to 32 meters (still the largest in ancient Egypt), but another unacceptable crack was found at the bottom, and the project was abandoned. Despite its incompletion, the Unfinished Obelisk remains historically significant as one of Aswan's most important archaeological sites.

Aswan High Dam (السد العالي بأسوان)

The Aswan High Dam is one of the most influential hydraulic engineering projects of the 20th century. Construction of the dam began in 1960 and was completed in 1970. The completion of the Aswan High Dam marked a significant milestone in Egypt's modernization process. Before the dam was built, the Nile River experienced seasonal floods each year, which were both beneficial and risky for downstream agricultural areas. The primary functions of the Aswan High Dam are to control flooding, regulate the flow of the Nile River, ensure a stable water supply throughout the year, and provide electricity to Egypt through large-scale hydropower generation. Thanks to the Aswan High Dam, Egypt was able to survive a ten-year drought.

The construction of the Aswan High Dam created the world's largest artificial lake—Lake Nasser. This lake extends into Sudan, covering over 5,000 square kilometers, with a storage capacity of 132 cubic kilometers, and has become a new tourist attraction. Visitors can go to the top of the dam to overlook the structure and the scenery of Lake Nasser, and they can also see the Philae Temple, which was relocated due to the dam project, from a distance.

Next to the Aswan High Dam, there is also a commemorative tower known as the Lotus Tower or Arab-Soviet Friendship Monument. Since the Soviet Union provided technical and economic assistance during the construction of the Aswan High Dam, this tower was erected to commemorate the cooperation between Egypt and the Soviet Union. The tower has five 71-meter-high walls standing in the water, resembling a lotus flower rising from the water.

Nubian Museum (المتحف النوبي)

Located in downtown Aswan, the Nubian Museum was established to protect and display Nubian artifacts and sites that might have been submerged due to the construction of the Aswan High Dam. It has been open since 1997. The Nubian Museum showcases artifacts from the prehistoric era to the modern day, including sculptures, jewelry, pottery, and other items that provide a deep understanding of Nubian life and historical changes.

Nubian history dates back thousands of years, and in the ancient world, it was a powerful kingdom known for its excellent warriors and abundant natural resources. Nubia covered present-day southern Egypt and northern Sudan, and this land was home to the ancient Nubian civilization, a culture closely linked to but also competitive with ancient Egypt. Like Egyptian civilization, Nubia gradually became part of the Arab world in the 13th century with the spread of Islam. Today, Nubians mainly live in southern Egypt and northern Sudan. Although the modern Nubian geographic range is smaller than in ancient times, Nubian culture retains its distinct traditions, making it a local cultural feature worth exploring in Aswan.

The content of the Nubian Museum is rich, and I have a more detailed introduction in this article below.

Discovering Nubia: A Journey Through the Nubian Museum

Nile River

When in downtown Aswan, don't forget to take a stroll along the Nile. The Nile River is one of the longest rivers in the world, flowing through 11 countries in northeastern Africa and eventually emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. Egypt's important cities are all built along the Nile, and Aswan is no exception. Taking a felucca ride at sunset or dusk is a great way to experience the charm of the Nile.

The Nile River banks in downtown Aswan are always bustling, with vendors selling their wares at the docks and motorboats and cruise ships lining the shore. The night view is particularly beautiful, with small, sparkling boats adding to the scene.

Aswan Market

Aswan Market is a traditional open-air market located next to the Aswan railway station, with a strong local flavor. Whether for locals buying daily necessities or tourists looking for unique souvenirs, this market is a good choice. One of the famous products here is various spices and herbs. You'll see colorful piles of spices forming small hills, emitting rich aromas. These spices include chili peppers, saffron, turmeric, cinnamon, and cumin, as well as some unique local herbs used for healing and health. Nubian handicrafts are also worth exploring, including brightly colored woven carpets, handmade baskets, jewelry, pottery, and carvings that blend elements of ancient Egypt and African traditions. The market also has many stalls selling local snacks. Of course, haggling is a must.

Aswan | Nearby Attractions

Abu Simbel Temple

The Abu Simbel temples are located in southern Egypt, near the Sudanese border. This magnificent temple complex was personally commissioned by Pharaoh Ramses II in the 13th century BCE and is one of Egypt’s must-visit attractions. Ramses II, a pharaoh of Egypt’s 19th Dynasty and the most famous ruler of the New Kingdom period, ordered the construction of countless temples and monuments to emphasize his divinity and immortality, with Abu Simbel being the most renowned among them. Due to its remote location in southern Egypt, the vast majority of visitors arrange a day trip to Abu Simbel while staying in Aswan.

The content of the Abu Simbel Temple is rich, and I have a more detailed introduction in this article below.

Abu Simbel: Exploring the Eternal Heritage of Ramses II

Edfu Temple

The Temple of Edfu is located on the west bank of the Nile River, between Aswan and Luxor, approximately 60 kilometers north of Aswan. Built during the peak of the Ptolemaic dynasty, it is regarded as one of the best-preserved temples of ancient Egypt. The best way to visit is by taking a Nile cruise from Luxor or Aswan. Most cruises stop at Edfu either in the early morning or evening. After disembarking at the dock, visitors typically take a local horse-drawn carriage to the temple.

The Temple of Edfu is rich in content, and I provide a more detailed introduction in this article.

Must-Visit in Egypt: Highlights and In-Depth Guide to Edfu Temple

Temple of Kom Ombo

The Kom Ombo Temple is located about 50 kilometers from Aswan and features an ingenious dual-temple design, dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus. The construction of the temple began during the reign of Ptolemy VI and was eventually completed under Ptolemy XII. The best way to visit is by taking a Nile cruise from Luxor or Aswan.

The temple of Kom Ong Po is rich in content, and I've included it belowmy other post hereA more detailed introduction can be found in the following paragraphs.

Kom Ombo Temple: A Dual Shrine on the Banks of the Nile

Aswan | Drinks

Al Masry Restaurant

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Price: $$

It's not easy to find restaurants or dishes in Aswan that are particularly noteworthy. However, we visited Al Masry Restaurant, which had fairly good reviews. The restaurant serves authentic Egyptian and Nubian home-cooked dishes. We ordered stuffed pigeon (Hamam Mahshi) and grilled meat, both of which tasted good. The downside is that the restaurant charges tourist prices, which are quite high compared to Egyptian standards.

Aswan Travel Guide: Essential Attractions and Cultural Highlights | Philae Temple | Unfinished Obelisk | Aswan High Dam | Nubian Culture