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The town of Aswan in Upper Egypt marked the southern boundary of Ancient Egypt. It is one of the most beautiful places in the country with the town located on the east bank and the desert coming right to the Nile on the west bank.
The river is dotted with islands. Near the town, the two main ones are
Elephantine and Kitchener. Kitchener's Island is the site of a botanic
gardens, whilst Elephantine has ruins, a museum and an Oberoi hotel. Unfortunately,
hotels are sprouting on a number of islands in the area.
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One of the best views of Aswan is from the Aga Khan's Mausoleum on the west bank, although access to this has been restricted in recent years. For total relaxation, take a felucca around the islands.
Just south of Aswan is the Old Dam built around the turn of the century and later increased in height. Just south of the dam is the beautiful island temple complex of Philae. Even further to the south is the mighty Aswan High Dam built in the 1960s. Behind it have amassed the waters of Lake Nasser which extend some 500 kilometres south along the old course of the Nile. The lake is often referred to as the Nubian Sea by tour operators who now operate cruise boats on the lake visiting old re-located sites.
At the time the author cruised the lake in January 1995, there was only one boat and little wear on the sites, but the number of vessels has now increased. During early 1998 the author saw three during a 4-day cruise. (In 2000, a hydrofoil service was re-introduced.)
At the end of the cruise, if taken from the dam, one reaches the temples of Abu Simbel just north of the border with Sudan.
Many of the objects found in ancient Nubia before it was flooded can now be found beautifully displayed in the Nubia Museum which opened in Aswan in November 1997.
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Copyright © 1996-2001 Mark T. Rigby
