Aswan has a mixed and diverse population with a distinct Nubian culture. It has therefore an African atmosphere which is different from the rest of Egypt. The pace of life is slow and relaxing. To get a real taste of the ancient and rich Nubian culture, visit the Nubian Museum and a number of picturesque Nubian villages in and around Aswan.

Aswan offers an abundance of important monuments and interesting places to visit such as Philae and Kalabsha temples, the scented Old Bazaar, and the Unfinished Obelisk.

If you are seeking exotic adventures, you can sail in a felucca and visit tropical-like islands such as Kitchener's Island (Botanical Garden), and Elephantine Island, the largest island in the archipelago with many traces of its ancient history.

Visits to the Monastery of St. Simeon, the Mausoleum of Aga Khan, and the Tombs of the Nobles, all sites located on the west bank and reached by boats, are also highly recommended.

A day trip to the Temples of Abu Simbel, is a MUST. The site is located 280 km south of Aswan on the shores of Lake Nasser, one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. The Temples can be reached either by car/bus (in a convoy) or by airplane via Luxor or Aswan.

If you have more time to spare there are cruise ships on the Lake that will take you to Abu Simbel in 3 or 4 days.

After a long day of exciting activities, drinking a cold beer in a floating restaurant on the corniche and listening to Nubian music is a rewarding treat.

From Aswan to Luxor, you can also experience a one-in-a-lifetime Nile cruise either on board of a cruise ship, or a Dahabiya.

Another way to sail along the Nile is by felucca, a traditional sailing boat. Sandra Scott, a traveller to Egypt, once wrote about her felucca experience: “Falling asleep beneath a blanket of stars listening to the distant sound of Nubian drums, awakening to the timeless call of the muezzin summoning the faithful to prayer, sailing under deep blue skies past villages frozen in time, and visiting the magnificent temples of ancient Egypt are just some of the experiences that make sailing down the Nile in a felucca a one-in-a-lifetime adventure."