Things to do in Aswan

Aswan is the southern end of Egypt. It feels different from the rest of it: the Nile here is wide, rocky and full of islands. Nubian culture starts at this point and runs on into Sudan.

On and around the water

The river is the town's main street. Feluccas work it constantly. The islands are the sights.

• Philae. The Isis temple, moved stone by stone to Agilkia island when the dam flooded its own.
• Elephantine. The old frontier island, with Nubian villages and ruins on the same ground.
• The botanical garden. Kitchener's island, planted with species brought from across the tropics.
• The unfinished obelisk. Still lying in the granite quarry, cracked and abandoned before it could be raised.

The dam and what it did

The High Dam was finished in 1970 and changed the country. It ended the annual flood and made Lake Nasser. It also drowned temples, which is why several of them now stand somewhere else.

Abu Simbel

The Ramesses temples stand about three hours south by road. They were cut apart and lifted clear of the rising water in the sixties. Tours leave before dawn.

What is sold here

The pattern is a private guide and a car, as everywhere in Egypt. Half-days cover the dam, the quarry and Philae. Full days go to Abu Simbel and nothing else.

Water fills the rest. Feluccas sail in the afternoon, and the Nubian village visit is usually paired with the garden island. Cruise boats take over from there.

Practical

• Season. November to March. This is the hottest part of the country in summer, and it is dry heat with no relief.
• Cruises. Most Nile boats start or end here. Three or four nights to Luxor is the standard run.
• Abu Simbel. A long day either way. Flights exist and cut it to half a day.
• Nubian villages. Visits are a normal product here, but they are homes. Ask before photographing.