Aswan the ancient city
Aswan is the largest city in southern Egypt and the third-largest city in Egypt, with more than 200,000 people living there. It is the starting point for a trip to Abu Simbel, one of Egypt’s most famous temples, and it is also exciting. Aswan, like many other Egyptian towns, was built along the Nile.
However, the unique beauty of the river’s rock formations and islands makes the city stand out. Aswan is a city of trade that looks exotic and beautiful and is made modern. In the past, people brought things like Nubian gold, ivory, and exotic animals to this area. Aswan is one of the most exciting places to visit in Egypt because you can still feel the history of trade and travel there.
From Aswan, you can go to Abu Simbel, the southernmost Sun Temple of Ramses II, or Philae and Kalabasha, the northernmost temples close to the vast dams past the First Cataract.
About 950 km (km) south of Cairo, on the eastern bank of the Nile, is the city of Aswan. As of 2008, it was 106 meters above sea level and home to 275 thousand of people. Aswan is the ancient city of Swenett, which was called Siena (Syene) in classical times after the god of the same name.
The best place between Aswan and Luxor to start a day trip is the Darrow Camel Market, the temples of Kom Ombo, or Edfu. Some roads go to Kom Ombo and Edfu, but the traditional way to see the Nile and its moods and scenery is to sail downstream in feluccas or on a luxury cruise. Aswan’s tourism industry is about the same as Luxor’s, but it is much less lively, and the city is very relaxed, almost to the point of inertia.
Egypt’s city of Aswan is famous for many things, including being the best place to start a day trip to the nearby Darrow Camel Market and the temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu, which are halfway between Aswan and Luxor. Some roads go to Kom Ombo and Edfu, but the traditional way to see the Nile and its moods and scenery is to sail downstream in feluccas or on a luxury cruise. Aswan’s tourism industry is about the same as Luxor’s, but it is much less lively, and the city is very relaxed, almost to the point of inertia.
After settling on the island, a market town grew up on its eastern shore to handle the booming trade in ivory, enslaved people, gold, silver, incense, exotic animal skins, and feathers. In the classical period, when it was known by its Greek name, Selene, the island still had a strategic role.
The best way to learn about the ancient Egyptian culture that thrived along the banks of the Nile is to take the Nile Cruises. So Don’t miss booking our Best Nile River Cruises 2023
The Aswan High Dam
The mighty Nile River regularly floods land in Egypt, so the Great Dam of Aswan was built 111 meters above sea level to stop this. Because of the dam, these problems, which used to hurt farming land and communities in the area, are no longer happening. Egypt gets all the energy it needs from the Nile River, which has been harnessed and used for farming and industry. Lake Nasser was named by President Gamal Abdel Nasser, who started the project in 1956.
Explore our Most Popular Nile Cruise Trips:
- Al Hambra Nile Cruise
- Blue Shadow Nile Cruise
- Alyssa Nile Cruise
- Crown Jewel Nile Cruise
- Steigenberger Minerva Cruise
- MS Le Fayan Nile Cruise
You can see the power plant north and the temple of Kalabsha to the south from the High Dam of Aswan. Both are on the other side of the lake. But once the building was done, it wasn’t all good news. As Lake Nasser grew, water began to cover the nearby Nubian monuments, which caused several problems. In 1960, rescue efforts began, and they were moved to safer areas.
How is the weather in Aswan?
Because Aswan is close to the Tropic of Capricorn, the average daily temperature ranges from 23 to 30 degrees Celsius in the winter to 38 to 54 degrees Celsius in the summer. Around the end of January and the beginning of February, many Egyptians go to Aswan, and trains from Luxor and Cairo are full of people going to Aswan. Late fall and spring are the best times to visit because they are less busy than the winter peak season but still exciting (May-October).
Don’t miss Reading A Quick Review of Nile Cruises in Egypt & Things to Know When Planning a Nile River Cruise in Egypt.
Interesting places in Aswan
One of the most beautiful things to see in Egypt is the sun rising over the Nile in this city. Grab a cup of tea and your camera, and get ready to treat your eyes :
1: Take a trip to a traditional Nubian town and walk around its colorful streets. Don’t think twice about it; it’s one of the cool things to do in Aswan.
2: Stay in the middle of a Nubian village instead of just walking around its streets. Take your time walking around the town, and talk to the people there. The Nubian people are friendly, open, and eager to talk to visitors.
3: The Philae Temple, a trip to him would be very worthwhile. The Aswan dam flooded the temple on the island of Agikia in the middle of the Nile, but the island was saved from the water. In 1979, it was named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) before getting on the ship.
4: Unfinished Obelisk may look like any stone slab to you; close inspection makes you wonder how the Obelisk, which is more than 30 meters long and weighs more than 1,000 tonnes, could have been moved. In simple terms, that’s the big secret about the Obelisk. You’ll also notice that many Egyptian temples are made of Aswan granite, which has a reddish color that makes it stand out.
5: The Nubian Museum has about 3,000 artifacts from ancient, Pharaonic, Ptolemaic, Coptic, and Islamic Egypt.
6: The island of Elephantine is in the middle of the Nile River, and it was named after the animal it looks like because of its rock formations and colors. The island is known for its Nilometer and the ruins of the temples of Jnum, State, and State’s son Anukis.
7: St. Simeon’s Abbey is attractive, which was built in the 12th century and was used by missionary monks to convert the native Nubians.
8: The souk of Aswan is a great place to shop because it has a lot of different things for sale.
Check Our Top Nile Cruise Trips:-
