Aswan is one of the most touristy cities in Egypt and for good reason. Its relaxed atmosphere, beautiful location on the Nile and the chill Elephantine Island make it the ideal place to hang out for a few days. It’s also less hassle than Luxor, without the hawkers trying to sell you something every 100m.
This travel guide includes everything the more adventurous traveller needs to make the most of Aswan. There are plenty of blogs out there already on the more touristy side of the city, so I’ve focussed on some off-the-beaten track gems that most people overlook.
Note: Some prices are in US dollars to ensure they stay current given the high rate of inflation in Egypt. Expect to pay approximately the equivalent amount in EGP at the current exchange rate.
What to See and Do in Aswan
Aswan is the perfect city to chill and you can easily spend a few days just strolling around and enjoying the relaxed atmosphere, so be sure to leave some time for that. Then, when you’re ready, there are deserts, plantations, Nubian villages and nameless tombs all just a short distance away. The following are my recommendations for adventurous travellers in Aswan, starting with the ones I enjoyed the most.
Desert Hiking with Monasteries and Ancient Tombs
The western bank of the Nile at Aswan looks like a huge impenetrable sand drift that rises up sharply from the river. Above it is a desert plateau that few tourists visit. It’s possible to hike up this bank (up close it’s actually not steep) for beautiful views back across Aswan, Elephantine Island and the Nile river. From there, you’ll find an easy hike across the open desert at the top.
Far from being deserted, the desert is home to the ruins of the seventh-century Monastery of St. Simeon, which can be visited. Entrance is EGP 40 (€1.24/$1.31) per person. From there, you can follow a dirt road to the modern Monastery of St. Hedra, which still operates today. At the end of the road is the Mausoleum of Aga Khan, a modern building overlooking the Nile that is not accessible to the public.
The desert in this area is home to a large number of tombs and some areas are littered with ancient bones, especially near to the Aga Khan Mausoleum. Most of the tombs have been sealed off with metal doors, but we found one with the door missing. Inside was a mummy just lying there on the ground next to a sarcophagus. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw it! A few bones and a couple of skulls lay next to it, plus some plastic bags full of other human remains.
The open tomb was a creepy find, but it was incredible to see all of these ancient artefacts just lying there in the open tomb. When we returned to our guest house on Elephantine Island that evening, we asked the owner about it. Apparently, there are literally thousands of old mummies lying around in the desert. He told us that in the past, during particularly hard times, locals would even burn old mummies as fuel for cooking.
From the Mausoleum of Aga Khan, it’s a short scramble back down to the banks of the Nile, where it’s easy to find a local boat to take you back across to Elephantine Island, which is directly opposite. We negotiated with a boat owner and eventually paid $2.10 for the short ride. The whole hike takes about 2-3 hours, but bring plenty of water, as it gets hot in the desert.
The first part of the hike is steep, but worth it for the beautiful views.
The Monastery of St. Hedra is closed to the public.
The Mausoleum of Aga Khan at sunset
Directions: The hike starts from the Tombs of the Nobles (see below for details). If you visit the tombs, you can simply start hiking from the top of the hill. If not, from the entrance to the tombs, head south (up the Nile) a little from the entrance and then start walking up the bank until you reach the top.
At the top, you will find a large and beautiful expanse of open desert. From here, you can head towards the ruins of the Monastery of St. Simeon (this is the location on Google Maps). From the entrance to the monastery, follow the road south past the Monastery of St. Hedra and then on to the Mausoleum of Aga Khan.
You will find many tombs in the desert by the mausoleum. The open tomb we found was located at this location on Google Maps, but may have been resealed again now. Look around in the desert nearby and you’ll find many stone staircases leading down to the entrances of tombs.
The easiest place to catch a boat back to Elephantine Island is on the nearby landing (here on Google Maps). If you’re not staying on the island, you can then catch the ferry back to Aswan city.
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