Aswan
Aswan travel guide
Feluccas, Nubian villages and the road to Abu Simbel.
Aswan is a laid-back Nile town known for felucca rides, Philae Temple, Nubian villages and as the base for Abu Simbel. It is the start or end of many Nile cruises. Visit from November to March and allow 2 to 3 days. Costs are low, and Egypt's e-Visa or visa on arrival covers many nationalities.
Aswan, in southern Egypt, is a relaxed Nile town where the river flows between granite islands, palm groves and desert dunes. Its sights include the island Temple of Philae, the Unfinished Obelisk, the Aswan High Dam and colourful Nubian villages, while felucca sailboats glide past Elephantine and Kitchener's Islands.
Aswan is the base for visiting the great rock temples of Abu Simbel near the Sudanese border, part of the UNESCO-listed Nubian Monuments, and the end or start point of Nile cruises to Luxor. Winters are warm and sunny; summers are among the hottest in the world.
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Aswan at a glance
The basics for Egypt's southern Nile town, from the best months to currency, language and visas.
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Top things to do in Aswan
Temples, islands, felucca trips and Nubian villages in Aswan.
Aswan
Abu Simbel Temples
The Abu Simbel temples stand on the western shore of Lake Nasser in southern Egypt, about 230 kilometres southwest of Aswan and close to the border with Sudan....
Where to stay in Aswan
Hotels and resorts in Aswan with guest scores, nightly prices and free cancellation.
Best time to visit Aswan
November to March is warm and dry; summer is among the hottest anywhere.
Warm, sunny and dry.
Extreme heat, often above 40°C.
The Sun Festival at Abu Simbel, when sunlight reaches the inner sanctuary, takes place around 22 February and 22 October; expect crowds.
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Aswan travel tips
Practical answers on entry, cash and cards, health, safety, Nile-view hotels, boats and SIM cards.
Visas and entry
e-Visa or visa on arrival
Aswan is reached on the same Egyptian visa as the rest of the Nile valley: an e-Visa bought online, or a visa on arrival at major airports for eligible nationalities. The free South Sinai stamp does not cover Aswan, so travellers starting in Sharm El Sheikh need a full visa. Visitors flying straight to Sharm El Sheikh and other South Sinai resorts can enter on a free stamp valid only for that area for up to 15 days.
- Apply online
- visa2egypt.gov.eg (official)
- Passport validity
- At least 6 months
Getting there
Air, train or cruise
Aswan International Airport (ASW) sits 25 km south-south-west of town beyond the High Dam, with flights from Cairo but no public buses, so fix a taxi fare before leaving. Trains run from Cairo and Luxor to the station at the north end of town, and Nile cruises arrive from Luxor in 2 to 3 nights.
- From Luxor
- About 3–4 hours by road or train
- Abu Simbel
- About 3–3.5 hours by road, or a short flight
Money and costs
Pounds, tips and cards
Keep small pounds for feluccas, ferries and souk shopping in Aswan, where boat prices depend on haggling and tipping is expected for most services. Larger restaurants, hotels and the main ticket offices take cards, while inDrive, the most reliable ride-hailing app here, is cash only. Tipping (baksheesh) is part of daily life, so carry small notes.
- Many major sites accept only card payments for tickets.
- Agree prices for camel and horse rides before you start.
Health and vaccines
Heat and water
Aswan's summer heat is extreme: from June to September average highs pass 40°C, nights stay above 25°C and humidity can fall to 16%. Drink bottled water often, avoid doubtful raw salads, and see outdoor sights in the first hours of daylight.
- Hospitals
- Good private hospitals in Cairo and resort towns
Staying safe
Touts and advisories
Aswan is calm, and its tourist sites are heavily policed. The main nuisance is pickpockets in the souq, who dangle a scarf for sale in one hand while reaching with the other, so keep valuables zipped away, and read your government's advice on Egypt's border areas before travelling. Expect persistent touts at major sites. Check your government's advice, as several restrict travel to parts of Sinai and border areas.
- Tourist police
- 126
- Be firm and polite with touts; use licensed guides.
Where to stay
Nile views
Pick a Nile-view hotel on the Aswan Corniche or a Nubian guesthouse on the west bank, reached by ferry. For a splurge, the Old Cataract Hotel looks over the First Cataract, and a night in Abu Simbel village lets you walk the temples after the day-trippers leave.
- Corniche
- Hotels facing the Nile
- Elephantine Island
- Nubian guesthouses
- Old Cataract
- Historic hotel above the river
Getting around
Feluccas and boats
Walk Aswan's compact centre along the Corniche and use boats for the rest: public ferries cross to Elephantine Island and the west bank, motorboats reach Kitchener's Island and Philae, and feluccas go wherever you haggle. Taxis or tuk-tuks reach the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk.
- Philae
- Boat from Marina Philae
- Ride-hailing
- Uber works; inDrive more dependable, cash only
- Trains to Cairo
- About 10 hours beyond Luxor; Watania sleeper around 7 pm
SIM and internet
Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&), WE
Register a tourist SIM from Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) or WE with your passport soon after arriving. In Aswan, data helps with booking inDrive cars and with the Watania sleeper and express trains, whose tickets should be bought online at least 24 hours ahead.
- Networks
- Vodafone, Orange, e& (Etisalat), WE
Culture and etiquette
Conservative dress
Aswan is the heart of Nubian culture in Egypt, explained at the Nubian Museum and in the west-bank villages. Dress modestly in town and at mosques, feel free to accept tea in the souq without buying, and ask before photographing people. Dress modestly away from resorts.
- Cover shoulders and knees in towns and at mosques
- Women cover their hair in mosques
- Photographing police, military sites or people without asking
- Public displays of affection
Things to know before visiting Aswan
What makes Aswan worth the trip, and what catches visitors out.
Why travelers love it
- Abu Simbel's colossal temples of Ramesses II.
- Philae Temple on its island.
- Felucca sailing at sunset.
- Nubian villages such as Gharb Soheil.
- Elephantine Island and the Aswan Museum.
Good to know
- Abu Simbel day trips start very early.
- Summer heat is extreme.
- Agree felucca prices before boarding.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Aswan weather by month
Few places are drier: average humidity is 26%, and some years pass without a single shower.
Climate figures are approximate long-term averages for Aswan (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, via Wikipedia).
Three days in Aswan for Abu Simbel, Philae and the west bank
Three unhurried days suit Aswan. Spend one at Abu Simbel, 280 km south, by convoy coach, public bus or EgyptAir flight, ideally staying the night; one at Philae and the Nubian Museum; and one on the west bank at the Tombs of the Nobles and the Monastery of St Simeon, ending on a felucca.
Convoy coaches and minibuses take about 3 hours each way, public buses leave at 4AM and 11AM, and EgyptAir flies there up to four times a day. Whatever you choose, secure at least two hours at the temples. Convoys must start back by 4PM.
- Day two: Philae by motorboat in the morning, then the Unfinished Obelisk. Spend the late afternoon at the Nubian Museum.
- Day three: cross to the west bank for the Tombs of the Nobles at Qubbet el-Hawa (8AM to 5PM), whose climb pays off with views over the river. Walk or ride a camel on to the Monastery of St Simeon. Return via Kitchener's Island and its botanical garden, and end the day on a felucca around Elephantine.
The High Dam disappoints most visitors, so fit it in only if it falls on your route. Kom Ombo is reachable by local train plus a taxi or tuk-tuk from its station. Book the Watania sleeper online before you arrive, and buy express tickets 24 hours ahead, as the booking system may refuse later requests. Heading north, cruise boats run 2 to 3 nights to Luxor.
Trains continue north to Cairo, about ten hours beyond Luxor.
Aswan's dry seasons and the Abu Simbel sun festivals
Aswan is one of the driest places on earth, with average humidity of 26% and years without rain. Abu Simbel's February and October solar alignments need early bookings.
Rain is rare enough to make news: a hailstorm in November 2021 brought flash floods.
In the hot months the Monastery of St Simeon switches to 7AM to 5PM hours, earlier than its winter timetable. Plan outdoor sights for the first hours of daylight, and keep middays for the Nubian Museum or a shaded terrace above the river.
Abu Simbel's sound and light show needs enough visitors to run.
Kofta, Nile fish and Aswan's gentle souq
Eat grilled kofta at Al-Masry on Sharia Al Matar, fish priced by weight at Chef Khalil near the market, or Egyptian stews in clay pots at Panorama on the Corniche. Fresh sugarcane juice is the local pride, and Sharia as-Souq is the gentlest bazaar in Egypt for Nubian baskets, spices and henna.
Al-Masry serves its kofta with bread, salad and tahini, and pigeon too. Near the city market, small fish joints cook the catch while you watch, and crab soup is the local order. Chef Khalil on Sharia al Souq prices its fish by weight and is worth the wait for one of its few tables. On the Corniche, Panorama serves Egyptian stews in clay pots.
Nubian House, a kilometre past the Nubian Museum, has sunset views over the First Cataract with tea and a water pipe. For a splurge, the Old Cataract Hotel admits non-guests for high tea, dinner or a drink at the bar, subject to a minimum spend. Drinking is more relaxed here than in Cairo or Luxor: many restaurants pour Stella and Saqqara, both Egyptian lagers.
Sharia as-Souq starts at the railway station and runs south through much of the town. It is the gentlest bazaar in Egypt. There is far less pressure to buy than in Luxor, and Nubian crafts are better made and better value than elsewhere: baskets, talismans, henna powder, spices.
Travelers are asking
Yes. A sunset sail around Elephantine and Kitchener's Islands is one of Aswan's highlights.
Our travel desk answers questions about Aswan
How We Research This Guide
Abu Simbel transport and Nubian Museum hours are the details we watch most in Aswan, checking them with Experience Egypt; entry rules follow the Egypt e-Visa portal and climate the Egyptian Meteorological Authority.
Last updated . Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Checked against trusted sources:
Experience EgyptEgypt e-Visa portalEgyptian Meteorological Authority climate normals
See all 3 sources
- Experience Egypt (Egyptian Tourism Authority)
- Egypt e-Visa portal
- Egyptian Meteorological Authority climate normals
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Quick answers to the questions travelers ask most before visiting Aswan.
General
By road (about 3–3.5 hours each way, usually leaving before dawn) or by a short flight.
Both; cruises run between Luxor and Aswan in either direction.
Yes. A two-day felucca trip downstream is recommended over the reverse direction because of the current.
bookingMentor lists 1 thing to do in Aswan, with its category, rating and a short description. Open one for the full details, such as opening hours and how to get there.
Walk Aswan's compact centre along the Corniche and use boats for the rest: public ferries cross to Elephantine Island and the west bank, motorboats reach Kitchener's Island and Philae, and feluccas go wherever you haggle. Taxis or tuk-tuks reach the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk.
Timing & weather
November to March.
At least two hours at the temples. Convoys must start back by 4PM, so a night in the village gives you more time.
At 6PM and 7PM from October to April, and at 7:30PM from May to September, provided enough visitors attend.
On Thursday and Friday evenings, from 6PM to 9PM, in addition to its daytime hours.
Getting there
Take a taxi or tuk-tuk to the docks south of town, then a motorboat; the round trip usually includes an hour's wait while you visit.
It does, but drivers often message to negotiate a higher fare first. inDrive is more dependable and takes cash only.
Stay & facilities
Yes, for high tea, dinner or a drink at the bar, subject to a minimum spend.
Prices & payment
Daily travel costs in Aswan are good value. Site entry tickets are the biggest cost.
Visa & documents
Aswan is reached on the same Egyptian visa as the rest of the Nile valley: an e-Visa bought online, or a visa on arrival at major airports for eligible nationalities. The free South Sinai stamp does not cover Aswan, so travellers starting in Sharm El Sheikh need a full visa. Visitors flying straight to Sharm El Sheikh and other South Sinai resorts can enter on a free stamp valid only for that area for up to 15 days.
Health & safety
Aswan is calm, and its tourist sites are heavily policed. The main nuisance is pickpockets in the souq, who dangle a scarf for sale in one hand while reaching with the other, so keep valuables zipped away, and read your government's advice on Egypt's border areas before travelling. Expect persistent touts at major sites.
