The City
Aswan is a warm city with its own uniquely easygoing and welcoming pace that invites visitors to unwind and take in the gorgeous scenery. The sights, smells, and warm hospitable people of this city are truly remarkable. The East Bank is home to a bustling city center, filled with markets and upscale hotels and restaurants, while the West Bank is home to Nubian guesthouses and eco-lodges, offering tourists a taste of Aswan’s cultural heritage.
Insider Pick
Make sure to snap a picture or two at Aswan’s most iconic hotel, the Old Cataract. Standing proudly on a hilltop at the edge of the Nile since 1899, the hotel has retained its luxury and elegance through the records of time. A tourist attraction in its own right, the Old Cataract served as Agatha Christie’s temporary home and muse for her famous novel, Death on the Nile. Other famous patrons of the hotel included Tsar Nicholas II, Winston Churchill, Howard Carter, Margaret Thatcher, Jimmy Carter, François Mitterrand, and Princess Diana.
Don’t Miss
An afternoon on Kitchener’s Island, now Aswan’s Botanical Gardens
Lord Horatio Kitchener, former Commander of the Egyptian Army in the 1890s, turned this entire island into a beautiful nature sanctuary.
Hunting for those special gifts at the market
Try on traditional clothing, pick out some special embroidered gifts, and create your own mix of aromatic spices and herbs to take a taste of Aswan home with you.
Climbing up to the Aga Khan Mausoleum
To explore this peaceful tomb dedicated to Mohammed Shah, Aga Khan III, the 48th Imam of the Shiite Ismaili Muslims.
Exploring the 6th century Monastery of Anba Hadra
Which in its heyday may have housed up to 1,000 monks.
The monumental Aswan High Dam and Lake Nasser
A visit to see the monumental Aswan High Dam and Lake Nasser.
