Destinations

Aswan

Aswan is easily the prettiest town in Egypt, although not as richly endowed as Luxor, it boasts the delightful picture-perfect Temple of Philae and the monumental Aswan High Dam. The golden sands of the Sahara tumble over blackened rocks into the Nile at Aswan. Fringed with palms, the desert horizon is broken by the Aga Khan's mausoleum and the faint outline of the Monastery of San Simeon, stunningly located amidst the arid landscape. The river itself is choked with the rounded boulders - that gave Elephantine Island its name – created by the surge and power of the river before the dam was built. The town is modern, but sleepy, and has a wonderful little Nubian Museum. Nubian influence is strong here and it’s a good place to see Nubian arts and crafts.