Day 1: The Best of Aswan in One Day
Philae Temple on Agilkia Island
Take a motorboat (E£100–150 return, 10 minutes) from the Philae boat dock to Agilkia Island. The Temple of Isis at Philae (E£450) was rescued from rising Nile waters and relocated block-by-block to this island in the 1970s. The temple complex, built over 700 years from the Ptolemaic to Roman periods, is one of the last places where Egyptian hieroglyphics were carved. The birth house, colonnaded courtyard, and sanctuary of Isis are exquisite.
Felucca Sailing & Elephantine Island
Take a felucca (E£200–300/hour) from the Corniche for a Nile sail around Elephantine Island, one of the most ancient inhabited places in Egypt, with ruins spanning 3,000 years. The Aswan Museum (E£100) and Nilometer (used to measure the Nile flood for tax purposes) are on the island. Sail past Kitchener's Island (Botanical Garden, E£50), a lush garden island started by Lord Kitchener who collected plants from across the British Empire.
Nubian Village & Spice Market
Visit a Nubian village on the West Bank (motorboat E£100–150 or felucca). The villages are painted in vivid colours (turquoise, yellow, and orange) and residents offer tea and the chance to hold baby crocodiles (E£20, a Nubian tradition). Return to the East Bank and walk through the Aswan Souk, the best spice market in Egypt. Saffron, hibiscus, cumin, and dried herbs overflow from burlap sacks. Dinner at The Nubian House (E£100–250) for Nubian cuisine.
