In a weird way visiting Aswan, a place I had not heard of before turning out to be a huge highlight to my Nile Cruise. This was due to a number of reasons, not least the history and amenities it had to offer.
Generally speaking this is where you begin a Nile Cruise, which for me anything meant 2 full bights on the ship as it did not move.
What the Aswan?
A city on the nile it apparently boats a top football team, a train station (14 hours from Cairo), as well as being the place for spice. It was also here the
It was also here the main damn that not on fuels Cairo, but could destroy it was build. This means there is ample stuff for Soviet watchers like ourselves to see.
Staying on Aswan
Being a tourist and spice Mecca there are a plethora of hotel options from $30 right up to a few hundred at Movenpick. One can certainly say that in such a poverty ridden place there is not much Arab Socialism or Nasserism.
We personally stayed on the Royal Beau Rivage which acted more like a hotel than a ship for the opening few days. It was though centrally located which meant you could easily get provisions every day.
I did not though spot a liquor store, or bar in the vicinity….
What to see when visiting Aswan
Many of the most important sites are related to the Nubian peoples, who we have personally also visited in Sudan, such as the Nubian houses. Boat trips can be done here that are pretty cool, with you also getting some cultural elements. More touristy and less raw than Sudan, but beggars cannot be choosers with Sudan right bow.
And as for others things to do aside fro buying spices and seeing the Nubian? In fact there are quite literally too many to mention, so I will concentrate on must sees when visiting Aswan.
Our personal main site was the Aswan dam, which while good for geeks like me, might not be to everyone taste. It was though as mentioned Soviet built….
The Philae Temple is one of the best-preserved Ptolemaic temples in Egypt, has rich history and is of easy reach with your trusted ship. This has been repurposed so many time that you will even see Coptic Christian crosses on the building. A great site that emphasizes that even 1000 years is young in Egyptian thinking.
Located next to the Crocodile museum is one pretty weird, but again pretty good sites. This is devoted in the most part to ancient medicine and included advice on hoe to give birth, as well as ancient Egyptian “viagra” that I did not get to try. Slightly out of the way, there are lots of hawkers here, as well as a crocodile museum. Note to check prices BEFORE buying anything. I paid 3 bucks for a coke that really ground my gears.
Simply enjoying the cruise would be my last real pearl of wisdom as you depart Aswan. There is so much going on in and around the Nile, which includes hawkers, Egyptian and Nubian architecture, as well as more history than you will ever get time to see. This though is not a bad thing.
Overall I personally feel that this is the kind of place I could, can and most probably will come back to, and ideally with a few days grace before I get on a cruise.
Alas street food Aswan was not something I got to try, but I did at least get to witness some Koshary Humus and kofta on my travels.