Aswan Delights

A November 2001 trip to Aswan by hayward68

Cleopatra Hotel Photo - Cleopatra Hotel, Aswan, Egypt

Quote: I was on a tour with Imaginative Traveller and Aswan was part of the itinerary. We took the overnight train from Cairo and had a couple of days to visit the area before we boarded our boat headed to Luxor.

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Aswan Delights

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Overview

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A trip to Abu Simbel should not be missed. We took the bus which takes about 3 hours, leaving at 4:30am and coming back around noon. The sight is amazing and immense. You can fly but the bus is so much cheaper. You will be in a bus convoy and armed guards will escort you to Abu Simbel. Another great idea is to do a felucca sail around the islands on the Nile, Elephantine and Kitchener.Quick Tips: Make sure you carry water with you wherever you go. This is a very hot city. Dress appropriately for the area, women should cover up in this city more so than in Cairo or you will attract unwanted attention. I was wearing knee length shorts and a long-sleeved shirt and I still got my ...Read More

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Cleopatra Hotel

Hotel

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Nice large hotel with rooftop pool and bar. Internet access in the lobby area. It was just around the corner from the bazaar and a short walk from the Corniche, it's also not far from the train station. There are some extemely slow waiters in the restaurant though. The rooms are fairly large and comfortable with air conditioning, private bathrooms and a telephone. A couple words of warning, the lights in the hallways are on a timer so be quick getting to your door with your key and the pool is numbingly cold, it will definitely cool you off, too much even.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 22, 2002

Cleopatra Hotel
Saad Zaghloul Street
Aswan, Egypt
314001

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Aswan Moon

Restaurant

Quote:

Cool restaurant located in a boat on the Nile. We were here a few times and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. There's an area upstairs this is not covered and it's a great place to sit and relax with a Stella and a shisha and watch the boats on the Nile. It's popular with tourists and Egyptians, the owner is very friendly.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 22, 2002

Aswan Moon
El Corniche
Aswan, Egypt

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Monastery of St Simeon

Attraction

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This 7th century monastery, rebuilt in the 10th century, has been unused for over 800 years. It was orginally dedicated to a local 4th century saint, Anba Hadrra, but later to the little known St. Simeon. It was destroyed in 1173 when Nubian Christians used it as a refuge. The monastery is surrounded by the desert and the trek to it provides some stunning views. It is located in the desert on the west bank of Aswan. You can take camels from the boat landing stage or scramble across the sand -- I`d suggest the camels.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 22, 2002

Monastery of St Simeon
Aswan
Aswan, Egypt

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Old Cataract Hotel

Attraction

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This hotel is one of Egypt`s most famous. Agatha Christie wrote part of her novel `Death on the Nile` here and its exterior was used in the movie. You can stay here or just visit as we did. Though be prepared to bribe the guards to let you in. If you`ve got the confidence just walk up and pretend you`re staying there, though dress appropriately for the part, it's an expensive place to stay.
There are lovely gardens surrounding the hotel and gorgeous views across the Nile and the southern tip of Elephantine Island.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 22, 2002

Old Cataract Hotel
Aswan
Aswan, Egypt

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Abu Simbel

Attraction

Quote:

Abu Simbel is 125 miles south of Aswan and only 25 miles north of the Sudan border. There are two temples at this site built by Ramses II for himself and his wife Nefetari. The first temple is the Great Temple of Ra-Harakhte and has four imposing colossi of Ramses II guarding the entrance. Each colossi is 65 feet high and though not in perfect condition, are still very impressive. Inside is a hall lined with statues of Ramses II leading to a sanctuary in which 4 statues reside. They are statues of the 4 gods Ra-Harakhte, Ramses II, Amun and Ptah. The second temple is the Temple of Hathor and has 6 statues fronting it, each about 10m high. Four of the statues represent Ramses II a...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 22, 2002

Abu Simbel
On Lake Nasser - 175 miles s. of Aswan/25 miles from Sudan border
Aswan, Egypt

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Aswan Market

Attraction

Quote:

Visit the bazaars/markets or souks as they`re known in Arabic. You`ll find lots to buy in the souks, I did my Christmas shopping in them. Do be prepared to haggle for prices, I was usually able to get the items for about 25 to 30% of what they asked. I especially liked the alabaster bowls and plates that you could buy. Watch out for the quality though.

Be warned that many of the vendors will try and do a switch with your money. Never hand your money over until you have the full amount in your hand. They might try and switch the bills and say you gave them 50 piasters instead of 50 pounds.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 22, 2002

Aswan Market
Aswan
Aswan, Egypt

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Nubian Village

Attraction

Quote:

You really should take the opportunity to visit a Nubian village. We went to a Nubian Village for a traditional meal where we sat on top of a roof and our meal was brought out in various bowls. It was interesting to try the various dishes that would comprise a normal Nubian meal. The goat kofti was especially interesting. That`s our tour leader Ian dishing out our meal. Many Nubians moved from their villages further south when the first Aswan Dam was built in 1902 and it's height raised several times over the years. By the 1930s numerous Nubian villages were flooded and with government help, relocated and new villages built which are based on their traditional architecture.If you feel li...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 22, 2002

Nubian Village
Aswan
Aswan, Egypt

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Camel Trek

Attraction

Quote:

This was one of the highlights of my trip, I had so much fun riding my camels. We crossed to the west bank at Aswan and were given our camels which we would be riding. My first camel was a very pretty white one and not at all what I was expecting. I'd been told that camels were mean, dirty, smelly animals, so I was quite happy to find a sweet tempered one for my first ride. Even my 2nd camel was good tempered. Some of my friends didn't fare so well, they had quite loud camels that didn't stop complaining.A few tips for riding camels; lean back when it starts to get up or you will go face first over its head, cross your legs over its neck and rest them there as there aren't stirrups for your ...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 22, 2002

Camel Trek
Aswan
Aswan, Egypt