Aswan
Aswan on a Nile cruise: what's included and how to spend the free time
A Nile cruise usually gives you one guided morning in Aswan, with the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and Philae, the island temple of Isis reached by motorboat, plus a free afternoon. Spend it on a felucca sail at sunset and a motorboat trip to a Nubian village. Abu Simbel takes a separate, very early day from Aswan: about US$95 to US$140 per person shared, or US$200 to US$350 private.
In the fare
The included Aswan morning
- The High Dam. A short stop on the dam, finished in 1970, with Lake Nasser on one side and the Nile on the other. Interesting for what it changed more than for the view.
- The Unfinished Obelisk. A giant obelisk still lying in the granite quarry where it cracked, which shows how they were cut. Some boats drop it from the tour.
- Philae. The temple of Isis, moved stone by stone to Agilkia Island in the 1970s to save it from the rising water. You reach it by motorboat, and the approach is one of the most beautiful moments on the Nile. See our Philae Temple guide.
Your own time
How to spend the free afternoon
| What | What it is | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Felucca at sunset | About an hour under sail around Elephantine and Kitchener's Island | The essential Aswan hour; often included |
| Nubian village by motorboat | Past the granite rocks of the First Cataract to a painted Nubian village | The best half day off temples |
| Elephantine Island | The ruins of Abu, the Nilometer and two Nubian villages, by public ferry | Easy on your own |
| The Nubian Museum | Nubian history from prehistory to the villages lost under Lake Nasser | The best museum south of Cairo |
| The Botanical Garden | Kitchener's Island, palms and shade | Pairs with the felucca |
The felucca and the Nubian village fit together in one afternoon if you start straight after lunch. For the village in detail, see a Nubian village visit from a Nile cruise.
Under sail
The Aswan felucca: why it is worth the hour
Aswan is where the Nile is at its most beautiful, with granite boulders, islands and the desert running to the water. A felucca, the small single-sail boat, tacks between Elephantine and Kitchener's Island, below the tombs of Qubbet el-Hawa on the West Bank hill and the domed Aga Khan Mausoleum. It is quiet after the motorboats, and at sunset the light turns the sand gold. Many boats include it; if yours does not, the boat can arrange one. For feluccas in general, see our felucca guide.
After dark
Evenings in Aswan
The Philae sound and light show runs in the evenings, reached by boat across the lake; check that it is running and in your language. The souk on Sharia el-Souq is easy to walk from the corniche moorings, and the terrace of the Old Cataract hotel is the classic place for a drink at sunset (book ahead, and expect a minimum spend).
Itineraries
How much Aswan time each cruise gives you
A four-night cruise from Luxor reaches Aswan by the evening of day three and ends after breakfast on day five, so you get one full Aswan day. A three-night cruise from Aswan boards around lunchtime and fits the sights into the first afternoon and next morning. A seven-night round trip adds a free day, which is when most guests go to Abu Simbel: see Abu Simbel on a Nile cruise.
Dahabiyas usually end or start in Aswan with Philae included. Boats that list Philae and the High Dam on their own itinerary include Historia, Sonesta St George, the Jaz Regent (with Elephantine Island) and the Nora and Loulia dahabiyas. Nile cruises cost about US$120 to US$1,500 per person per night, dahabiyas US$140 to US$1,500.
Asked often
Aswan on a Nile cruise, answered
- What does a Nile cruise include in Aswan?
- Usually a guided morning with the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and Philae Temple by motorboat. Many boats add a felucca sail. A Nubian village visit and Abu Simbel are usually optional extras.
- What should I do on a free afternoon in Aswan?
- Take a felucca around Elephantine and Kitchener's Island at sunset, and a motorboat trip to a Nubian village. The Nubian Museum is the best museum south of Cairo if you want to stay on land.
- Can I visit Abu Simbel during a Nile cruise?
- Yes, from Aswan, on a very early day trip by road (3.5 to 4 hours each way) or by air. It fits the free day of a seven-night cruise, or the day before or after a cruise. Shared trips cost about US$95 to US$140 per person.
