Longly Planet 2008 Egypt-9-Nile-Esna-Abu-Simbel

© Lonely Planet Publications
289
Nile Valley: Esna to

Abu Simbel
One after another the great temples next come into view: Kom Ombo dominating a bend
in the river, Edfu still intact on the western bank… There is a monumental stillness in
the warm air, an intimation of past existence endlessly preserved…
Alan Moorhead, The Blue Nile (HarperCollins, 1962)
Where northern Upper Egypt is dominated by fast-growing cities and political problems, the
country south of Luxor is both harder and calmer. The Nile is increasingly hemmed in by the
desert, its banks lined with well-preserved Graeco-Roman temples at Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo,
its lush fields punctuated by palm-backed villages – it’s the perfect place to glide through on
a Nile sailing boat. Al-Kab provides the perfect contrast to the grandeur of the temples, for
this once-great city has almost completely disappeared. Beyond Edfu the ribbon of cultivation
on the Nile’s east bank gives way to the Eastern (Arabian) Desert, while at Gebel Silsila, 145km
south of Luxor, the river passes through a gorge, once thought to mark a cataract.
Aswan may be the regional capital and administrative centre, but this ancient ivory-trading
post has a laid-back atmosphere that sets it apart from other tourist centres in Egypt. With
the Nubia Museum, ancient remains, a vibrant souq, beautiful gardens and a unique Nubian-
influenced local culture, it is a fascinating and relaxing place to spend time.
South of Aswan, the land is dominated by the High Dam and its offspring, Lake Nasser,
the world’s largest artificial lake. Remarkable monuments that would have been lost to the
lake’s waters now stand grouped on its shores and can be visited by boat. Most southerly
and spectacular of all is the Great Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel, one of ancient Egypt’s
most awesome structures and a highlight of any visit to Egypt.
HIGHLIGHTS
Marvel at the most completely preserved

Egyptian temple and get lost in its inner cham-
bers all perfectly carved with sacred formulae, Gebel Silsila
Edfu
at the Temple of Horus (p294) at Edfu Aswan;

Elephantine Island
See where the pharaohs found their build-
ing blocks and get a sense of the connection
NILE VALLEY: ESNA TO ABU
between Egyptian religion and the Nile at the Lake Nasser

quarries and shrines of Gebel Silsila (p296)
Abu Simbel
Wander around the rarely visited but fasci-
nating ruins of the ancient settlement of Abu
SIMBEL
(p305) on Elephantine Island

Sense Pharaoh Ramses II’s vanity in the grandest temple he ever built, the awe-inspiring
Great Temple (p324) at Abu Simbel
Enjoy the peace of Lake Nasser (p321) and the rescued temples, and get an idea of the Nubian
history and culture that were submerged by it at the Nubia Museum (p302) in Aswan
290 N I L E VA L L E Y: E S N A T O A B U S I M B E L • • H i s t o r y lonelyplanet.com
History accorded to its rulers, Keepers of the Gate

The Nile valley south of Luxor was the home- of the South. By the end of ancient history,
land of the vulture and crocodile gods, a place with Egypt part of a larger Roman Empire,
of harsh nature and grand landscapes. Its cult the southern frontier town was seen as a
places, centres such as Al-Kab and Kom al- place of exile for anyone from the north who
Ahmar, date back to the earliest periods of stepped out of line.
Egyptian history – it was here that the Narmer
Palette was found, the object around which Climate
the origins of the 1st dynasty have been con- Heading south from Luxor, the fertile green
structed, here that one of the earliest-known Nile Valley narrows considerably and be-
Egyptian temples, made of wood not stone, comes more and more enclosed by the desert,
has been found and here that recently found which in some places edges dramatically
Lascaux-type rock carvings have opened a close to the river banks. The climate also
window into Egypt’s remotest past. changes and becomes increasingly desertlike,
Yet most of what one can see between with mostly warm and dry days in winter –
Luxor and Aswan dates from the last period there’s an average temperature of about
of ancient Egyptian history, when the country 26°C during the day – but often surpris-
was ruled by the descendants of Alexander ingly cold at night. Summer days are dry
the Great’s Macedonian general, Ptolemy. but often very hot, with temperatures hover-
They ruled for some 300 years, respecting ing between 38°C and 45°C, making it dif-
the country’s ancient traditions and religion ficult to visit sites outdoors. At the height of
and setting an example to the Romans who summer, temperatures hardly seem to drop
succeeded them. during the night.
Although they were based in Alexandria
and looked out to the Mediterranean, the Getting There & Away
Ptolemies pushed their way south into Nubia, Constant police checkpoints and an insistence
the land that straddled what is now the bor- that foreigners travel in convoys make inde-
der between Egypt and Sudan. They ensured pendent road travel in southern Upper Egypt
peaceful rule in Upper Egypt by erecting almost, but not entirely, impossible (see the
temples in honour of the local gods, build- boxed text, opposite). The police in Aswan
ing in grand Pharaonic style to appease the often don’t allow foreigners to travel on any
priesthood and earn the trust of the people. public bus north of Aswan, and certainly
The riverside temples at Esna, Edfu, Kom don’t allow travel by service taxi. Travelling
Ombo and Philae are as notable for their stra- by train is recommended as it allows a little
tegic locations, on ancient trade routes or key more freedom. Officially foreigners are only
commercial centres, as for their artistic or allowed to travel on three particular trains
architectural merit. a day, but usually you can get on any other
Aswan’s history was always going to be train, although it might be wise to buy your
different. However much the rulers in the ticket on board. It is possible to hire a private
north, whether Theban or Macedonian, may taxi from Aswan to Luxor, although you will
have wanted to ignore the south, they dared have to be part of the morning convoy that
not neglect their southern border. Settlement stops at the Temple of Kom Ombo for about
on Elephantine Island, located in the mid- half an hour, and at the Temple of Horus at
dle of the Nile at Aswan, dates back at least Edfu for one hour.
to 3000 BC. Named Abu (Ivory) after the Travel to Abu Simbel has become much
trade that flourished here, it was a natural easier again. Foreigners can take buses (offi-
fortress positioned just north of the First Nile cially only four foreigners are allowed on each
Cataract, one of six sets of rapids that blocked bus), minibuses and private taxis, all still in a
the river between Aswan and Khartoum. At police convoy. The plane remains the fastest,
the beginning of Egypt’s dynastic history, if most expensive, option.
SIMBEL
in the Old Kingdom (2686–2181 BC), Abu

became capital of the first Upper Egyptian Getting Around
nome (province) and developed into a Foreigners are restricted from travelling be-
thriving economic and religious centre, its tween towns in the far south of Egypt, but
strategic importance underlined by the title the rules within municipal boundaries keep
lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N U P P E R E G Y P T • • E s n a 291
TRAVELLING IN THE SOUTH

In the aftermath of the 1990s deadly terrorist attacks on tourists, police introduced security
measures designed to protect tourists in the heavily travelled area between Luxor and Aswan.
This means that all sites have armed police protection and, more importantly, that foreigners
can only travel between towns in police convoy. Independent travellers are prevented from
taking buses or service taxis, can only spend the same amount of time at sites as hundreds
of other people as they have to join the convoy, and are forbidden from wandering about in
villages or back lanes.
There have been no violent incidents in the south since 1997, but the threat remains proven by
a series of attacks on tourists in Cairo in early 2005, so the security forces are unlikely to lighten
their heavy-handed tactics any time soon. Some people feel more secure under police protec-
tion, but most don’t: high speeds and dangerous driving in the convoy seem to pose a greater
risk to travellers than terrorism. But this is Egypt and the rules are often bent: depending on the
tension in the area or town, on how foreign you look or on the mood of the official in charge,
you may be left alone to walk around and see whatever you want, or you maybe escorted to
the station and put on the first train out.
on changing, and differ from place to place, morning excursion from Luxor, but with
from police officer to police officer. In some current security restrictions, you will be
places foreigners are pretty much left alone lucky if the convoy stops here en route to
and can use communal taxis (usually pick- Edfu and Aswan. You can currently visit
up trucks) outside Aswan (fares are 25pt to Esna as part of a cruise itinerary down the
50pt). But in some towns, security people will Nile (see p83).
be waiting to grab foreigners from the train The post office and a branch of the Bank of
and will insist on escorting them to their hotel Alexandria are on the street leading from the
and everywhere else they want to go. Security canal to the Nile. The tourist police office (%240
tightens considerably if there has been any 0686) is in the bazaar near the temple.
kind of incident in the town, not necessarily
related to tourists or terrorism. Temple of Khnum
The Ptolemaic-Roman Temple of Khnum (adult/
SOUTHERN UPPER student E£15/10; h6am-4pm Oct-May, to 5pm Jun-Sep) is
situated about 200m from the boat landing,
EGYPT at the end of the tourist souq. The temple
today sits in a 9m-deep pit, which repre-
ESNA sents 15 centuries of desert sand and debris,
%095 / pop 71,588 accumulated since it was abandoned dur-
Most visitors come to Esna, 54km south of ing the Roman period. Most of the temple,
Luxor on the west bank of the Nile, for the which was similar in size to the temples of
Temple of Khnum, but the busy little farm- Edfu (see p293) and Dendara (see p235), is
ing town itself is quite charming. Beyond the still covered. All that was excavated in the
small bazaar selling mainly tourist souvenirs 1840s, all you can see now, is the Roman
are several examples of 19th-century pro- hypostyle hall.
vincial architecture with elaborate mashra- Khnum was the ram-headed creator god
who fashioned humankind on his potter’s
biyya (ornate carved wooden screens) and

a beautiful caravanserai southwest of the wheel using Nile clay. Construction of the
temple. An old oil mill, in the covered souq temple dedicated to him was started, on
east of the temple, presses lettuce seed into the site of an earlier temple, by Ptolemy VI
oil, a powerful aphrodisiac since ancient Philometor (180–145 BC). The Romans added
SIMBEL
times. Esna was until the early 20th cen- the hypostyle hall that can be visited today,
tury an important stop on the camel cara- with well-preserved carvings from as late
van route between Sudan and Cairo, and as the 3rd century AD. A quay connecting
between the Western Desert oases and the the temple to the Nile was built by Marcus
Nile Valley. The town could be a pleasant Aurelius (AD 161–180).
292 S O U T H E R N U P P E R E G Y P T • • A l - K a b & K o m a l - A h m a r lonelyplanet.com
SOUTHERN UPPER EGYPT every region but the lord of the wheel is
0
0
20 km
10 miles
their father too’.
To Luxor
On the walls Roman emperors dressed as
(54km) pharaohs make offerings to the local gods
al
Esna
ell
of Esna. The northern (right) wall has col-
H
ourful scenes of the ruler catching fish in a
i
Wad
53
Al-Kab (Nekheb) papyrus thicket with the god Khnum, and
Kom al-Ahmar
(Hierakonpolis)
next to this the emperor presents the temple
To Marsa Alam to Khnum.
(220km)
The back wall, to the northeast, the only
Edfu 99 remaining part of the original Ptolemaic tem-
Temple of Horus
ple, features reliefs of two Ptolemaic phar-
aohs, Ptolemy VI Philometor and Ptolemy
Eastern VIII Euergetes (170–116 BC). A number
2 Desert of Roman emperors, including Septimus
Severus, Caracalla and Geta, added their
names near the hall’s rear gateway.
Eating & Drinking

Speos of Horemheb
Kajuj
Few people linger in Esna as it is so close to
WESTERN
(LIBYAN)
Luxor and the police hurry visitors back into
DESERT the convoy. There are a few food stands with
er
Gebel
Nile Riv
Silsila
Temple of
snacks and ahwas (coffeehouses) in the souq
Kom
Kom Ombo
Ombo leading to the temple.
Daraw Getting There & Away

Ballana Trains are a pain because the train station is
on the opposite (east) bank of the Nile, away
Eastern
from the town centre. Buses to Luxor (E£7,
Desert 8.30am, 5.30pm and 8pm) and Aswan (E£18,
See Lower Nubia &
8am and 10am) run on the main east-bank
Lake Nasser Map (p319) Luxor–Aswan road, stopping only briefly to
Aswan Dam
pick up passengers, if you are allowed to get
(First Cataract) Aswan on at all. Esna’s service-taxi station is next
Kalabsha, Beit
al-Wali & Kertassi
Philae to the canal, although arrivals are generally
To Abu Simbel (265km); High Dam dropped off on the main thoroughfare into
Wadi Halfa, Sudan (360km) Lake Nasser
town along which hantour (horse-drawn car-
riage) drivers congregate in the hope of pick-
The central doorway leads into the dark ing up a fare. They ask E£8 each way for the
atmospheric vestibule, where the roof is five- to 10-minute ride to the temple.
supported by 18 columns with wonder-
fully varied floral capitals in the form of AL-KAB & KOM AL-AHMAR
palm leaves, lotus buds and papyrus fans; Between Esna and Edfu are the ruins of two
some also have bunches of grapes, a dis- settlements, both dating back more than 3000
tinctive Roman touch. The roof is deco- years, with traces of even earlier habitation.
rated with astronomical scenes, while the The little-visited site of Al-Kab (adult/student
pillars are covered with hieroglyphic ac- E£25/15), ancient Nekheb, is one of the most
counts of temple rituals. Inside the front important sites of ancient Egypt. It was
corners, beside the smaller doorways, are the home of Nekhbet, the vulture goddess
two hymns to Khnum. The first is a morn- of Upper Egypt, one of two goddesses who
SIMBEL
ing hymn to awaken Khnum in his shrine, protected the pharaoh right back to the Old
and the second is a wonderful ‘hymn of Kingdom. There isn’t much to see, but the
creation’ that acknowledges him as creator remains of the 12m-thick mud-brick walls
of all, even foreigners: ‘all are formed on that surrounded the town are impressive and
his potter’s wheel, their speech different in date back to the Late Period (747–332 BC).
lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N U P P E R E G Y P T • • E d f u 293
0 400 m vulture-shaped crag covered in inscriptions

ESNA 0 0.2 miles
from predynastic times to the Old Kingdom.
To Train Station; Some 3.5km further east into the desert is the
Al-Kab; Kom
8 7 al-Ahmar (26km); small chapel of Nekhbet, built by Amenhotep
Edfu (49km);
Luxor (58km);
Aswan (155km)
III (1390–1352 BC) as a way station for the
vulture goddess’ cult statue when she passed
1
Telecommunications
Tower
through ‘The Valley’. Her protective influ-
Sha ence was no doubt appreciated, as this was
one of the supply routes to the gold mines
r
ia a
l
that gave Egypt much of its wealth.

-Ba
Nil
hr
eR
Across the river lies Kom al-Ahmar, ancient
iver
3
Nekhen or Hierakonpolis, home of the fal-
con god Nekheny, an early form of Horus.
Although little remains of what was one of
Egypt’s most important cities in predynastic
times, recent excavations have revealed a
large settlement (with Egypt’s earliest brew-
INFORMATION ery!), a predynastic cemetery dating from
Bank of Alexandria..........1 B1
Exchange Kiosk................2 B3 around 3400 BC with elephant and cattle
Post Office.......................3 B2 burials, together with the site of Egypt’s ear-
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES liest known temple, a large timber-framed
Caravanserai................... 4 B3
Temple of Khnum............5 B3
structure fronted by 12m-high imported
Ticket Office.................(see 5) wood pillars. A century ago, within this sa-
DRINKING
cred enclosure, archaeologists discovered a
Coffeehouse....................6 B3 range of ritual artefacts, among them two
TRANSPORT
Flotel
2 Dock items of huge historical significance, the
4
Hantours..........................7 A1 Bazaar
6 Narmer Palette and a superb gold falcon
Service Taxis....................8 A1 5 head of the god Horus, both now in Cairo’s
Egyptian Museum.
The oldest of the sandstone temples within Close by is Egypt’s oldest standing brick
the walls dedicated to the god Thoth was built building, an enigmatic mud-brick enclosure
by Ramses II (1279–1213 BC) and the ad- known as ‘the Fort’, built by Khasekhemy
joining Temple of Nekhbet was built during (c 2686 BC). The impressive rock-cut
the Late Period, both reusing blocks from tombs on the west bank were built by New
much earlier temples from the Early Dynastic Kingdom dignitaries.
Period (c 3100 BC) and the Middle Kingdom Al-Kab and Kom al-Ahmar are 26km south
(2055–1650 BC). of Esna. The best option to see these sites is
To the northwest of the walls is an Old to take a dahabiyya (houseboat) or felucca
Kingdom cemetery. Across the road, cut (traditional canvas-sailed boat) from Aswan
into the hill at the edge of the valley, are to Esna, or the other way around. See p83
tombs of New Kingdom local governors. The for more information. Convoys do not stop
most important is the Tomb of Ahmose, son of here. Other than jumping, undetected, off a
Ebana (tomb No 2), the ‘Captain-General of bus and taking a chance on finding a ride out
Sailors’, who fought under Ahmose I against when you’ve finished, there’s little chance of
the Hyksos. The old soldier left a long, de- seeing these monuments by land.
tailed biographical inscription describing
his bravery. Further east were several tem- EDFU

ples dedicated to Nubian gods. A Ptolemaic %097 / pop 72,979
temple has a staircase going up to two col- Built on a rise above the broad river valley,
umned vestibules before a chapel carved into the Temple of Horus at Edfu, having es-
SIMBEL
the rock. South of there is a small chapel, caped destruction from Nile floods, is the
locally known as Al-Hammam, (the ‘Bath’ most completely preserved Egyptian temple.
or ‘Toilet’) built by Setau, Viceroy of Nubia One of the last ancient attempts at building
under Ramses II. At the centre of the wadi, on a grand scale, the temple dominates this
‘Vulture Rock’ takes its name from a large west-bank town, 53km south of Esna. The
294 S O U T H E R N U P P E R E G Y P T • • E d f u lonelyplanet.com
0 400 m
EDFU 0 0.2 miles
INFORMATION EATING TRANSPORT To Bus,

Banque du Caire & ATM..........1 C2 Cafeteria..................................7 B2 Cruise Dock...........................12 D2 Minibus & Service
Koko........................................2 D2 Fruit & Vegetable Souq............8 A2 Taxi Station (150m);
Road No 2 (3km);
Telephone Centrale..................3 B2 Koko......................................(see 2) Micro Buses to
Marsa Alam (4km)
Train Station (4km);
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES DRINKING Gebel Silsila (42km);
Temple of Horus......................4 A2 Cafeteria..................................9 B2 Kom Ombo (65km);
Café Horus............................10 A2 Aswan (105km);
S ha r
Luxor (115km)
SLEEPING Habiba Café..........................11 D2
ia an
Al-Medina Hotel......................5 A2
Horus Hotel..............................6 B2
r
-Nil
ive
5
Gumhuriy y
eR
To Upper Egypt Bus Cie (400m);
Esna (53km) via Road No 53 1
Nil
10 7
Al-Maglis
Tourist 9
a
Bazaar 11
8 3 2
See Temple
12
of Horus
Map (p295)
4
6
temple’s well-preserved reliefs have provided (the ancient name for Edfu), but the Temple
archaeologists with much valuable informa- of Horus (adult/student E£40/20; h7am-7pm Oct-May, to
tion about the temple rituals and the power 8pm Jun-Sep) you see today is Ptolemaic. Started
of the priesthood. Walking through the large by Ptolemy III (246–221 BC) on 23 August
gloomy chambers, visitors are sometimes 237 BC on the site of an earlier and smaller
overwhelmed by a sense of awe at the mys- New Kingdom structure, the sandstone tem-
teries of ancient Egypt. ple was completed some 180 years later by
Modern Edfu, a centre for sugar and pot- Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos, Cleopatra VII’s
tery, is a friendly, buzzing, provincial centre. father. In conception and design it follows the
Although it is an agricultural town, tourism is general plan, scale, ornamentation and tradi-
the biggest money earner and almost everyone tions of Pharaonic architecture, right down to
seems to have an interest in the tourist bazaar, the Egyptian attire worn by Greek pharaohs
which all visitors must brave in order to reach depicted in the temple’s reliefs. Although it
the temple. Like other Egyptian towns, the is much newer than cult temples at Luxor
main street is lined with mobile phone shops or Abydos, its excellent state of preservation
and the main square, the town’s nerve centre, helps to fill in many historical gaps; it is, in
has popular café-restaurants. A large, new effect, a 2000-year-old example of an archi-
telephone centrale sits on the southern side tectural style that was already archaic during
of the square and the post office is behind Ptolemaic times.
it, just along the first street off to the left. To Two hundred years ago the temple was
the west along the waterfront is the internet buried by sand, rubble and part of the vil-
café Koko (%010 440 1196; Sharia an-Nil; per hr E£10). lage of Edfu, which had spread over the roof.
Among a multitude of mobile phone shops Excavation was begun by Auguste Mariette
on Sharia al-Maglis is the Banque du Caire in the mid-19th century. Beyond the Roman
with an ATM. mammisi (birth house), with some colourful
Some pleasant café-restaurants have recently carvings, the massive 36m-high pylon (gate-
opened on the waterfront where the cruise way) is guarded by two huge but splendid
boats dock. The bus, minibus and service- granite statues of Horus as a falcon. The walls
taxi station can be found at the entrance to are decorated with colossal reliefs of Ptolemy
town, next to the bridge over the Nile. XII Neos Dionysos, holding his enemies by
SIMBEL
their hair before Horus and about to smash

Temple of Horus their skulls; this is the classic propaganda pose
Edfu was a settlement and cemetery site from of the almighty pharaoh.
around 3000 BC onwards, as it was the cult Beyond this pylon, the court of offerings is
centre of the falcon god Horus of Behdet surrounded on three sides by 32 columns,
lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N U P P E R E G Y P T • • E d f u 295
robes and ritual vases were kept. The hall itself

TEMPLE OF HORUS has 12 columns, and the walls are decorated
0 15 m
with reliefs of the temple’s founding.
The inner hypostyle hall also has 12 col-
Wooden Passage of Victory umns, and in the top left part of the hall is
Barque
perhaps this temple’s most interesting room:
the temple laboratory. Here, all the necessary
Stairs
to Roof Nilometer
perfumes and incense recipes were carefully
Sanctuary brewed up and stored, their ingredients listed
of Horus
on the walls.
Second
Antechamber
On either side of the hall, doorways lead
Offering Chamber
into the narrow passage of victory, which runs
(First Antechamber) between the temple and its massive protec-
Laboratory tive enclosure walls. This narrow ambula-
Inner
Hypostyle tory is decorated with scenes that are of
Hall
tremendous value to Egyptologists in trying
to understand the nature of the ancient tem-
ple rituals. Reliefs here show the dramatic
Outer Hypostyle Hall
reenactment of the battle between Horus
Hall of
Consecrations
Library and Seth at the annual Festival of Victory.
Falcon Throughout the conflict, Seth is shown in
Statue
the form of a hippopotamus, his tiny size
rendering him less threatening. At the cul-
Enclosure Wall
Court
of mination of the drama, priests are shown
Offerings
cutting up a hippo-shaped cake and eating
it to destroy Seth completely.
Back in the inner hypostyle hall, exit
through the large central doorway to enter
the offering chamber, or first antechamber,
which has an altar where daily offerings of
fruit, flowers, wine, milk and other foods
Pylon
were left. On the west side, 242 steps lead
up to the rooftop and a fantastic view of the
Entrance
Nile and the surrounding fields. You may
have to pay the guard a bit of baksheesh if
Falcon Statues
Mamissi
To Ticket Office
you want to go up here.
& Tourist Bazar The second antechamber gives access to
the sanctuary of Horus, which still contains the
each with different floral capitals. The walls polished-granite shrine that once housed the
are decorated with reliefs, including the ‘Feast gold cult statue of Horus. Created during
of the Beautiful Meeting’ just inside the en- the reign of Nectanebo II (360–343 BC), this
trance, the meeting being that of Horus of statue was reused by the Ptolemies in their
Edfu and Hathor of Dendara, who visited newer temple. All around Horus’ sanctuary
each other’s temples each year and, after two are smaller shrines of other gods, includ-
weeks of great fertility celebrations, were ing Hathor, Ra and Osiris, and, at the very
magically united. back, a modern reproduction of the wooden
A second set of Horus falcon statues in barque in which Horus’ statue would be
black granite once flanked the entrance to the taken out of the temple in procession during
temple’s first or outer hypostyle hall, but today festive occasions.
only one remains. Inside the entrance of the On the eastern enclosure wall look for the
SIMBEL
outer hypostyle hall, to the left and right, are remains of the Nilometer, which measured
two small chambers: the one on the right was the level of the river and helped predict the
the temple library where the ritual texts were coming harvest. For more on Nilometers
stored; and the chamber on the left the hall of and their importance in ancient Egypt, see
consecrations, a vestry where freshly laundered the boxed text, p318.
296 S O U T H E R N U P P E R E G Y P T • • G e b e l S i l s i l a Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels
Sleeping & Eating it was an important centre for the cult of the
Al-Medina Hotel (%471 1326; off Sharia Gumhuriyya; Nile: every year at the beginning of the in-
s/d with bathroom & fan E£40/50) This option is very undation season, sacrifices were made here
basic, with threadbare furniture and an erratic to insure the fertility of the land. The Nile at
hot-water system. its height flowing through the narrow gorge
oHorus Hotel (%471 5284/86; Sharia al- must have been a particularly impressive sight,
Gumhuriyya; s/d/tr E£72/132/195) This new hotel, op- which no doubt explains why the location was
posite Omar Effendi department store, is the chosen as a cult centre. The gorge also marks
best option in town. It’s on the upper floors of the change from limestone to sandstone in
the building, with cheerful brightly coloured the bedrock of Egypt. The sandstone quarries
rooms, with fans or with air-con, and very here were worked by thousands of men and,
clean shared bathrooms. The staff is friendly judging by the names of pharaohs inscribed
and helpful, and the restaurant (mains E£40 to in the caves, it seems they were worked from
E£44) is one up on other eateries in town. the 18th dynasty or earlier through to the
There are a few kebab places on the main Roman period. The quarries were for centu-
square, and several cafeterias on the water- ries the main source in Egypt of sandstone for
front, Sharia an-Nil, including internet café temple building.
Koko (%010 440 1196). At all of these places you The most attractive monuments are on the
should ask how much dishes cost before you west bank, where the rocks are carved with
order. There is a daily food and vegetable souq inscriptions and tiny shrines from all periods,
just off the main square. as well as adorned with larger chapels. The
Next door to Koko you will find the pleas- southern side of the site is marked by a mas-
ant Habiba café for tea and snacks and there sive pillar of rock, known as the ‘Capstan’, so
are a few cafés, mostly men only, around the called because locals believe there was once a
main square. chain, silsila in Arabic, from which the place
takes its name, that ran from the east to the
Getting There & Away west bank. Nearby are the three shrines built
Edfu train station is on the east bank of the by Merneptah, Ramses II and Seti I during
Nile, about 4km from town. There are fre- the New Kingdom. Further north, the main
quent trains heading to Luxor and Aswan quarry has clear masons’ marks and a group
throughout the day, although most are 2nd of elaborate private memorial chapels. Several
and 3rd class only. To get to the town, you stelae, including a large Stelae of Shoshenq I,
must first take a covered pick-up truck from mark the northern limit of the quarry and
the train station to the bridge, then another lead to the Speos of Horemheb (adult/student E£25/15;
into town. Each costs 50pt. Alternatively, hire h7am-5pm), a rock-hewn chapel started by
an entire pick-up to take you to the main Horemheb (1323–1295 BC) and finished by
square for about E£8. the officials of the later Ramesside kings.
Upper Egypt Bus Co (off Sharia Gumhuriyya) operates The more impressive quarries are to be
frequent buses to Luxor (E£15, two hours) and found on the east bank of the river, with sev-
Aswan (E£12, 1½ hours). Marsa Alam micro- eral stelae in memory of pharaohs from dif-
buses (E£20, three to four hours) originate in ferent periods and ex votos. Here one gets a
Aswan and pick up passengers at the café by real sense of the grandeur and the enormity of
the entrance to the desert road on the east what the pharaohs undertook, by just looking
bank at about 7.30am and 8.30am. at the cubist landscape of the gigantic shelves
The easiest option to visit Edfu is to adorned with quarry marks and drawings,
take a day tour or travel in a private taxi left by the removal of the sandstone blocks
(E£180 to E£250 return) in the 7am convoy for the temples.
from Luxor. At present you can only get to Gebel Silsila
by felucca or dahabiyya from Aswan to Esna,
GEBEL SILSILA or the other way around. See p83 for more
SIMBEL
At Gebel Silsila, about 42km south of Edfu, information. Should the security situation
the Nile narrows considerably to pass between change, you may be able to hire a taxi from
steep sandstone cliffs that are cluttered with Edfu to take you to the village of Kajuj, 41km
ancient rock stelae and graffiti. Known in south of Edfu, then take the track to the quar-
Pharaonic times as Khenu (Place of Rowing), ries on the east bank of the Nile, or negoti-
lonelyplanet.com S O U T H E R N U P P E R E G Y P T • • K o m O m b o 297
ate with a boatman to take you across to the

west bank. TEMPLE OF KOM OMBO
0 10 m
KOM OMBO A B
%097 / pop 80,991
The fertile, irrigated sugarcane and cornfields
1
around Kom Ombo, 65km south of Edfu,
RELIEFS
support not only the original community of Horus & Thoth with Sobek.....................1 B4
fellaheen (peasant farmers), but also a large Horus & Thoth with Haroeris..................2 A4
Ptolemy XII with Haroeris, Isis, Re'et &
population of Nubians displaced from their Thoth.................................................3 A4
own lands by the creation of Lake Nasser (see Coronation of Ptolemy XII......................4 B4
Ptolemy XII Making Offerings to Four
p320). It’s a pleasant little place, easily acces- Fabulous Beasts..................................5 B4
sible en route between Aswan and Luxor. A Ptolemy VIII Making Offerings to
Haroeris.............................................6 B4
huge cattle market is held on the outskirts Sobek as Crocodile.................................7 B4
of town, near the railway line, on Thursday. 2
Ptolemy VIII Making Offerings to
Sobek.................................................8 A4
The main attraction these days, however, is
the unique riverside Temple of Horus the
Elder (Haroeris) and Sobek, about 4km from
the town’s centre, which stands gloriously Surgical
Instruments
Chambers Stairs
on a promontory overlooking the Nile. If to Crypt
you’re not stopping here on a felucca trip

or Nile cruise, it’s best visited on a day trip
from Aswan (40km to the south) taking the Secret
morning police convoy, or on the morning 3
Passage
Sanctuary
convoy from Aswan to Luxor, which stops at Sanctuary
of Haroeris
of Sobek
the temple for just 30 to 35 minutes. Inner

Antechamber
In ancient times Kom Ombo was known as
ὄὄ
ὄὄ
ὄ
Middle
Pa-Sebek (Land of Sobek), after the crocodile Antechamber
Outer
god of the region. It became important dur-
Inner Passage
Antechamber
ing the Ptolemaic period, when its name was
changed to Ombos and it became the capital Inner Hypostyle Hall
Outer Passage
of the first Upper Egyptian nome during the 7
reign of Ptolemy VI Philometor. Kom Ombo 4 8 6
ὄὄ
ὄὄ
was an important military base and a trading Outer Hypostyle Hall
centre between Egypt and Nubia. Gold was
3 4 5
traded here, but more importantly it was a
market for African elephants brought from 2 1
Forecourt
Ethiopia, which the Ptolemies needed to fight
the Indian elephants of their long-term rivals
Altar
the Seleucids, who ruled the largest chunk
of Alexander’s former empire to the east
of Egypt. 5
Ruined Walls Pylon Ruined Walls
Temple of Kom Ombo To Mammisi;

Well; Pools
To Hathor Shrine
(Animal Mummies)
Standing on a promontory at a bend in the & Entrance
Nile, where in ancient times sacred crocodiles

basked in the sun on the riverbank, is the
Temple of Kom Ombo (adult/student E£25/15; h6am- carvings of the two gods on either side and
4pm Oct-May, to 5pm Jun-Sep). Unique in Egypt it twin sanctuaries. It is assumed that there were
SIMBEL
has a dual dedication to the local crocodile also two priesthoods. The left (western) side
god Sobek and Haroeris, from har-wer, mean- of the temple was dedicated to Haroeris, the
ing Horus the Elder. This is reflected in the right (eastern) half to Sobek.
temple’s plan: perfectly symmetrical along Reused blocks suggest an earlier temple
the main axis of the temple, there are twin from the Middle Kingdom period, and there
entrances, two shared hypostyle halls with are remains of 18th-dynasty structures, but the
298 S O U T H E R N U P P E R E G Y P T • • K o m O m b o Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels
LASCAUX ON THE NILE

Belgian archaeologists recently discovered the oldest drawings in Egypt at a site near Kom Ombo.
Palaeolithic animal illustrations, similar to those found in the Lascaux caves in France, have been
discovered on huge Nubian sandstone rocks in the village of Qurta, on the northern edge of Kom
Ombo. Most of these fine paintings are of bovids in different positions. There are also gazelles,
birds, hippos and fish in a naturalistic style, and a few stylised human figures with pronounced
buttocks but no other particular features.
These discoveries represent some of the largest and finest examples of rock art ever found.
Many of the paintings were first carved in the rock surface, almost like a bas-relief, and then
painted. It is thought they were produced by the Ballanan-Silsilian culture, dated to about 16,000
to 15,000 years ago, which corresponds climatologically with the end of a hyperarid period, before
the return of the rains and the ‘Wild Nile’ stage of about 14,000 to 13,000 years ago. The artists
appear to have been hunters and fishermen.
As the art is very fragile, the site is still closed to the public.
main temple dates from Ptolemaic times; built (the vulture goddess worshipped at the Upper
by Ptolemy VI Philometor, though most of its Egyptian town of Al-Kab) and Wadjet (the
decoration was completed by Cleopatra VII’s snake goddess based at Buto in Lower Egypt),
father, Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos. The tem- with the dual crown of Upper and Lower
ple’s spectacular riverside setting has resulted Egypt, symbolising the unification of Egypt.
in the erosion of part of its partly Roman Reliefs on the north wall of the inner hypo-
forecourt and outer sections, but much of the style hall show Haroeris presenting Ptolemy
complex has survived and is very similar in VIII Euergetes with a curved weapon, repre-
layout to the other Ptolemaic temples of Edfu senting the sword of victory. Behind Ptolemy
and Dendara, albeit smaller. is his sister-wife and coruler Cleopatra II.
The temple is entered through the Ptolemaic From here, three antechambers, each with
gateway on the southeast corner. Nearby, to double entrances, lead to the sanctuaries of
the right of the temple wall, is a small shrine Sobek and Haroeris. The now-ruined chambers
to Hathor, now a storage for the mummified on either side would have been used to store
crocodiles and their clay coffins that were dug priests’ vestments and liturgical papyri. The
up from a nearby sacred-animal cemetery; sanctuaries themselves are no longer com-
four from the collection are on display. On pletely intact, allowing you to see the secret
the opposite side of the compound, to the passage between them that enabled the priests
left (southwest) corner of the temple are the to give the gods a ‘voice’ to answer the peti-
remains of a small mammisi, decorated with tions of pilgrims.
reliefs, including one that depicts Ptolemy The outer corridor, which runs around
VIII Euergetes in a boat in a reed thicket be- the temple walls, is unusual. Here, on the
fore the god Min. Beyond this to the north left-hand (northern) corner of the temple’s
you will find the deep well that supplied the back wall, is a puzzling scene, which is often
temple with water, and close by is a small pool described as a collection of ‘surgical instru-
in which crocodiles, Sobek’s sacred animal, ments’. It seems more probable that these
were raised. were implements used during the temple’s
Passing into the temple’s forecourt, where daily rituals.
the reliefs are divided between the two gods,

there is a double altar in the centre of the court Sleeping & Eating
for both gods. Beyond are the shared inner and At the time of writing, foreigners were not
outer hypostyle halls, each with 10 columns. allowed to stay in Kom Ombo, so press on to
SIMBEL
Inside the outer hypostyle hall, to the left, is a Luxor or Aswan.

finely executed relief showing Ptolemy XII Al-Noba Restaurant (main rd; meals E£8-15) A
Neos Dionysos being presented to Haroeris little way north of the service-taxi station,
by Isis and the lion-headed goddess Raettawy, Al-Noba is the only sit-down eatery in this
with Thoth looking on. The walls to the right part of town and it serves chicken, rice and
show the crowning of Ptolemy XII by Nekhbet vegetable dishes.
lonelyplanet.com A S W A N 299
Otherwise, the choice is between ta’amiyya traditional Nubian style and decorated with
and kebab stands. Snacks and drinks can be Nubian artefacts. To get there, ask for the
bought at the series of cafeterias and tourist Dar Rasoul Mosque on Sharia al-Kunuz. The
bazaars, called Rural Home, in the shade of house is clearly visible next door.
the trees between the temple and the Nile.
Cafeteria Venus on the north side of the tem- Getting There & Away
ple has cold beers in a pleasant garden setting, Trains between Aswan and Luxor usually stop
but foreigners are often not allowed to leave at Daraw. By road you are likely to be forced
the temple compound to reach it. to go by convoy to Daraw, which is usually
arranged via the tourist office in Aswan
Getting There & Away (p301). Should all this change, service taxis
The easiest way to visit the temple is to come and minibuses running between Aswan and
on a tour or via a private taxi, travelling with Kom Ombo stop in Daraw (if passengers in-
the convoy. A private taxi from Luxor taking in dicate that they want to get off). The E£5 fare
both Edfu and Kom Ombo and returning in the is the same as for the whole stretch. The camel
evening can cost from about E£255 to E£300. market is on a large lot 2km from the Luxor–
The Luxor–Aswan buses also frequently Aswan highway. Turn off at the main road
stop in the town. As you approach Kom into the town and ask for ‘souq al-gimaal’.
Ombo from Aswan, you can ask the driver to
drop you off at the road leading to the temple;
look for the sign. From here it’s about a 2km ASWAN
walk. Should you want to head to the Red %097 / pop 1.18 million
Sea from here, the daily bus from Aswan to On the northern end of the First Cataract and
Marsa Alam (E£20, four to five hours) calls in marking the country’s ancient southern fron-
at around 7.30am. tier, Aswan has always been of great strategic
Trains are another option, but the train importance. In ancient times it was a garri-
station is some way from the temple. son town for the military campaigns against
To get to the temple from the town centre, Nubia, its quarries provided the valuable
take a covered pick-up (25pt to 40pt) to the granite used for so many sculptures and ob-
boat landing on the Nile about 800m north elisks, and it was a prosperous marketplace at
of the temple, then walk the remainder of the crossroads of the ancient caravan routes.
the way. Pick-ups to the boat landing leave The first document mentioning Aswan, rather
from the service-taxi station. A private taxi than the older island settlement of Abu, date
between the town and temple should cost to the New Kingdom (1550–1069 BC) and use
about E£10 return. the ancient Egyptian word swenet, meaning
‘trade’, a name that later became the Arabic
DARAW As-Suan, meaning markets.
Daraw, 8km south of Kom Ombo, appears to Today, slower than most places in Egypt,
be like any other village in this part of Egypt, laid-back and pleasant, it is the perfect place
except for its remarkable camel market (souq to linger for a few days, rest the eyes and the
al-gimaal). Most of the camels are brought up mind, and recover from the rigours of travel-
in caravans from Sudan to just north of Abu ling along the Nile. The river is wide, languor-
Simbel (see the boxed text, p300), from where ous and stunningly beautiful here, flowing
they’re trucked to Daraw. The rest walk to the gently down from Lake Nasser, around dra-
market in smaller groups, entering Egypt at matic black-granite boulders and palm-
Wadi al-Alagi and making their way through studded islands. Colourful Nubian villages
the Eastern Desert. run down to the water and stand out against
Camels are sold here each day of the week, the backdrop of the desert on the west bank.
but the main caravan of camels from Abu With so long a history, there is plenty
SIMBEL
Simbel, sometimes as many as 2000 of them, to see in Aswan, but somehow the sight-
is brought to market on Sunday. seeing seems less urgent and certainly less
Also worth seeing is the Nubian house overwhelming than, say, Luxor, allowing
called Hosh al-Kenzi. Built in 1912 by the father more time to take in the magic of the Nile
of the current resident, Haj Mohammed Eid at sunset, to stroll in the exotic souq, one
Mohammed Hassanein, it is constructed in of the best outside Cairo, or to appreciate
300 A S W A N • • O r i e n t a t i o n lonelyplanet.com
THE FORTY DAYS ROAD

Large caravans of camels are brought through the desert from Sudan’s Darfur and Kordofan
provinces to Daraw, along the Forty Days Rd (Darb al-Arba’een), allegedly named for the number
of days it took to walk.
At first, after the Persians introduced camels into the region (around the 6th century BC),
the animals carried slaves, ostrich feathers, precious stones, animal skins and other goods from
Africa, much appreciated by the pharaohs and their officials, or later, distributed to the great
empires in Greece, Persia and Rome.
Trading caravans were replaced by the faster railway at the end of the 19th century, but
the camels still come, except now they are the cargo. Once in Daraw, they spend two days in
quarantine, where they are inoculated against a number of diseases. After they have been sold
by the Sudanese owners, most go on to the camel market in Birqash, about 35km northwest of
Cairo (see p212), and from there they are sold again. Some are sold to Egyptian farmers, others
are exported to other Middle Eastern countries, but many are slaughtered to provide meat for
poor Egyptians (yes, that cheap kebab does taste a bit mature).
the gentleness of the Nubians. Most tour souq overflows with colourful, tempting
groups head straight for the Temple of Isis at and aromatic wares. Running parallel to it
Philae, taking in the Unfinished Obelisk and is Sharia Abtal at-Tahrir, where you’ll find
the dams on the way, but the rarely visited the youth hostel and a few budget and mid-
ruins of ancient Abu and the small Aswan range hotels. Most of Aswan’s government
Museum on Elephantine Island are fascinat- buildings, banks, travel agencies, restaurants
ing, as are the exquisite botanical gardens and top-end hotels are on Corniche an-Nil.
and the Nubia Museum. From the Corniche, ferries and feluccas sail
But Aswan is more than just a tourist town; to the rock tombs on the west bank or to
a governorate capital, it has a large popu- Elephantine Island.
lation of educated bureaucrats and a good
university. Some days, when all the cruise INFORMATION
boats seem to unload their tour groups at Bookshops
the same time, it is no longer as relaxed as The New Cataract Hotel (Map p302) has a small
it was a few years ago. But much of the time bookshop with a good selection of foreign-
the heat, the sweet smells of spices and the language books about Aswan, Egypt and
slow pace take hold of the visitor. Few things Egyptian history. Stalls in the tourist bazaar
are more calming than to glide on a felucca at the exit of the Unfinished Obelisk (see
between the islands and the rocks at sunset, p303) also have some good books on Egypt
or failing that to sit on the banks and watch and Nubia. If you’re after international news-
the Nile go by. papers and magazines, try the newsstand near
The best time to visit Aswan is in winter, the Philae Hotel on the Corniche.
when the days are warm and dry. In sum-
mer the temperature hovers between 38°C Emergency
and 45°C; it’s too hot by day to do anything Ambulance (%123)
but sit by a fan and swat flies, or flop into a Police (Map p304; %230 2043; Corniche an-Nil) Near
swimming pool. Thomas Cook.
Tourist police (Map p304; %230 3436, 231 4393;
ORIENTATION Corniche an-Nil) Contact the tourist office (opposite) first to

Most of the city of interest to visitors is along help with translation.
the Nile or parallel to it. The train station is
at the northern end of town, only 100m from Internet Access
SIMBEL
the river and the Corniche an-Nil. Internet prices cost E£6 to E£15 per hour.
The street running north–south in front of Aswan Internet Café (Map p304; %231 4472; Row-
the train station is Sharia as-Souq (also occa- ing Club, Corniche an-Nil; h9am-midnight Sun-Fri)
sionally signposted as Sharia Saad Zaghloul). Aswanet Internet Café (Map p304; %231 7332;
This is Aswan’s market street, where the Keylany Hotel, 25 Sharia Keylany; h9am-11pm) A local
lonelyplanet.com A S W A N • • S i g h t s 301
internet service provider, the excellent Aswanet has the Travco (Map p304; %231 6393, fax 231 5960; www
fastest lines in town. .travco.com; 83 Corniche an-Nil; h9am-5pm, Mon-Sat)
Nubanil Café Net (Map p304; Sharia Abtal at-Tahrir;
h24hr) Visa Extensions
Tarek for Computer Services (Map p304; %012 381 Passport office (Map p304; %231 2238; Corniche
7534; Sharia Ahmed Maher; h9am-11pm) an-Nil; h8.30am-1pm Sat-Thu) For visa extensions go to
this office, at the southern end of the Corniche.
Medical Services
German Hospital (Map p302; %231 7176; Corniche SIGHTS
an-Nil) Aswan’s sights are spread out, mostly to the
Mubarak Military Hospital (Map p302; %231 7985, south and west of the town. The souq cuts
231 4739; Tariq Sadat) The top hospital in town. right through the centre of town, parallel to
Ta’mim (Insurance) Hospital (Map p302; %231 the Nile. The Nubia Museum is within walk-
5112, 231 6510; Tariq Sadat) Newest hospital in town with ing distance, just, but all other sites require
a good reputation. transport. The sites on the islands and on the
west bank involve a short boat trip.
Money
Unless otherwise noted, banking hours are The Town & East Bank
8.30am to 2pm and 5pm to 8pm Sunday Starting from the southern end, Sharia as-Souq
to Thursday. There are ATMs all along the appears very much like the tourist bazaars
Corniche and around Sharia as-Souq, as well all over Egypt, with persistent traders try-
as at the train station. ing to lure passers-by into their shops to buy
American Express (Map p302; %230 6983; Corniche T-shirts, perfume, spices, beaded galabiyyas
an-Nil; h9am-5pm Sun-Thu, to 2pm Fri & Sat) (men’s full-length robes) and roughly carved
Bank of Alexandria (Map p304; Corniche an-Nil) copies of Pharaonic statues. But a closer
Accepts Eurocheques. look down side alleys and walking further
Banque du Caire (Map p304; Corniche an-Nil) Has an ATM north reveals more exotic elements, hinting
and will issue cash advances on both Visa and MasterCard. at the markets south in Sudan and Africa.
Banque Misr (Map p304; Corniche an-Nil; h8am-3pm Here traders sell Nubian talisman for good
& 5-8pm) ATM and foreign-exchange booth next to main luck, colourful Nubian baskets and scull caps,
building. Sudanese swords, African masques, and enor-
Thomas Cook (Map p304; %230 4011; Corniche an-Nil; mous stuffed crocodiles and desert creatures.
h8am-2pm & 5-9pm) This is also very much a living market, where
Nubians from Elephantine Island and around
Post Aswan shop for food and live produce, includ-
Branch post office (Map p304; Sharia Abtal at-Tahrir; ing fruit, vegetables, chickens and pigeons.
h8am-2pm Sat-Thu) Opposite the Victoria Hotel. Aswan is famous for the quality of its peanuts
Main post office (Map p304; Corniche an-Nil; h8am- (fuul sudan), henna powder (sold in different
2pm Sat-Thu) qualities) and dried hibiscus flowers, used to
make the much-loved local drink karkadai.
Telephone The pace is slow, particularly in the late after-
There are card phones along the Corniche and noon, the air has a slight whiff of sandalwood
at the train station. and, as in ancient times, you may feel that
Telephone centrale (Map p302; Corniche an-Nil; Aswan is the gateway to Africa.
h24hr) Walking along the Corniche and watch-
ing the sunset over the islands and the desert

Tourist Information on the other side of the Nile is a favourite
Tourist office (Map p304; %231 2811, 010 576 7594; pastime in Aswan. The view from riverside
Midan al-Mahatta; h8am-3pm & 7-9pm Sat-Thu, café-terraces may be blocked by cruise boats,
9am-3pm & 6-8pm Fri) For many years this office next to the but plans are underway to relocate them all
SIMBEL
train station was one of the most efficient tourist offices in to a dock that is under construction on the
Egypt. Hakeem Hussein is now in charge and, although he is northern end of town; for now the best place
knowledgeable and still helpful, there have been complaints to watch the sunset is from the Old Cataract
from readers about the fact that there are no longer fixed Hotel (Map p302; for nonresidents the mini-
prices for felucca trips. mum charge per person is E£85, which can be
302 A S W A N • • S i g h t s lonelyplanet.com
0 500 m
ASWAN 0 0.3 miles
4
To West Aswan (500m); To Officer’s Club
Western Quarry (2km) Convoys (600m);
Bus Station (3km);
ver
Service Taxis (3km)
Nile Ri
Mohous
See Central Aswan Map (p304)
Aswan Train
Station
r
h ri
Ta
at-
tal
Ab
Elephantine
ria
Island
Sh a
kad
he
Ma
l-Ak
il
an-N
7
ed
as a
Ahm
Kitchener’s
Abb
iche
Island Al-M
ata
Corn
12 A
Yachm e d r
ou b
25
Sal
Siou ah
ad
Key-Din
lan
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6
Nubian
27 Villages
22 2
19
Koti 8 1 Muhammed Yas
28 sin
Amun
23 Island 15 13
10 5
26
20
Essa 18
Island
21 17
Ghazal 14
Island
See Around Aswan Map (p315)
24 To Sculpture Park; 11
t
S a da
Shellal; Dams; Fatimid

9 Ta’mim (Insurance) n 16
ir
Cemetery
hr
Hospital (1km); ee 29
Ta
ria
Seluga Isis Airport (25km); ad

at-
d
Sha
Island Island Abu Simbel (280km) ad

To Sarah H
tal
Hotel (1km) al-

Ab
3 Sh a r i a
spent anywhere except on the main terrace of day. As it is not on the tour-group circuit,
the hotel, see p311) or next door at the peace- the museum is little visited.
ful Ferial Gardens (Map p302; admission E£5). At the entrance to the main exhibition
hall is a model of the Nile Valley and the
NUBIA MUSEUM main temple sites. The exhibits start with
The Nubia Museum (Map p302; %231 9111; Sharia prehistoric artefacts and objects from the
Abtal at-Tahrir; adult/student E£40/20; h9am-1pm & 5- Kingdom of Kush and Meroe. Coptic and
9pm) is a showcase of the history, art and cul- Islamic art displays lead to a description of
ture of Nubia and is a real treat. Established the massive Unesco project to move Nubia’s
in 1997, in cooperation with Unesco, the most important historic monuments away
museum is a reminder of the history and from the rising waters of Lake Nasser, fol-
culture of the Nubians, much of which was lowing the building of the Aswan High Dam.
SIMBEL
lost when Lake Nasser flooded their land Among museum highlights are 6000-year-
after the building of the dams (see p320). old painted pottery bowls and an impres-
Exhibits are beautifully displayed in huge sive quartzite statue of a 25th-dynasty priest
halls, where clearly written explanations take of Amun in Thebes with distinct Kushite
you from 4500 BC through to the present (Upper Nubian) features. The stunning horse
INFORMATION Monastery of St EATING

American Express........................ 1 C3 Simeon..................................12 A2 1902 Restaurant.....................(see 20)
German Hospital......................... 2 C3 Nilometer..................................13 B3 Egypt Free Shop........................22 C3
Mubarak Military Hospital..........3 B4 Nubia Museum.........................14 B4 Nubian Beach...........................23 A3
Sudanese Consulate....................4 D1 Temple of Khnum & Ruins of Nubian House...........................24 B4
Telephone Centrale.................... 5 C3 Abu......................................15 B3 Nubian House...........................25 C3
Unfinished Obelisk................... 16 C4 Nubian Restaurant....................26 B4
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Aga Khan Mausoleum................ 6 A3 SLEEPING DRINKING
Aswan Botanical Gardens............7 B2 Basma Hotel..............................17 B4 Nubian Café..............................27 B3
Aswan Museum..........................8 B3 New Cataract Hotel..................18 B4
Beach for Swimming................... 9 A4 Nile Hotel.................................19 C3 TRANSPORT
Ferial Gardens...........................10 C3 Old Cataract Hotel....................20 B4 Egypt Air...................................28 C3
Main Entrance to the Fatimid Pyramisa Isis Island Resort & Gathering Point for Police
Cemetery............................. 11 C4 Spa.......................................21 B4 Convoy................................ 29 C4
armour found in tombs from the Ballana a feature unique to southern Egypt. Some
Period (5th to 7th century BC) shows the domes near the outer edges of the cemetery
sophistication of artisanship during this brief are decorated with flags and are in much bet-
ascendancy. A fascinating display traces the ter condition than the other ones. These be-
development of irrigation along the Nile long to local saints and you may see Aswanis
River, from the earliest attempts to control circumambulating a tomb, praying for the
the flow of the river, right up to the build- saint’s intercession.
ing of the old Aswan Dam. A model of a The municipality of Aswan has fenced off
Nubian house, complete with old furniture the Fatimid Cemetery. Enter from the main
and mannequins wearing traditional silver gate, a 10-minute walk from the Corniche
jewellery, attempts to portray the folk culture along the road to the airport, and walk right
of modern Nubia. through the cemetery to join the road to the
All this is housed in a well-designed modern Unfinished Obelisk; just aim for the four-
building, loosely based on traditional Nubian storey building facing the back of the ceme-
architecture. In the museum garden there is a tery. The site’s caretaker will often accompany
reconstructed Nubian house (which you can’t you and show you the best-preserved tombs,
enter, unfortunately) and a small ‘cave’ with for which he should be given a baksheesh of
prehistoric petroglyphs, which show giraffes a few pounds.
and other wild animals once indigenous to
the region. The site also incorporates an 11th- UNFINISHED OBELISK
century Fatimid tomb, as well as a number of Aswan was the source of Egypt’s finest
other tombs of sheikhs. granite, the hard stone ancient Egyptians
The museum entrance is about a five- used for statues and to embellish temples
minute walk from the EgyptAir office on and pyramids.
Corniche an-Nil. In the Northern Quarries (Map p315; adult/
student E£25/15; h7am-4pm Oct-May, 8am-6pm Jun-Sep),
FATIMID CEMETERY about 1.5km from town opposite the Fatimid
Behind the Nubia Museum is this vast cem- Cemetery, is a huge discarded obelisk. Three
etery (Map p302), a collection of low mud- sides of the shaft, which is nearly 42m long,
brick buildings with domed roofs. Although were completed except for the inscriptions.
most tombs are modern, some of the mau- At 1168 tonnes, the completed obelisk would
solea clustered towards the back of the cem- have been the single heaviest piece of stone the
etery go back to the Tulunid period (9th Egyptians ever fashioned. However, a flaw ap-
century). The old tombs are in bad shape and peared in the rock at a late stage in the process.
when the original marble inscriptions fell off So it lies where the disappointed stonemasons
after a freak late-19th-century rainstorm, abandoned it, still partly attached to the par-
they were taken to Cairo without anyone ent rock, with no indication of what it was
SIMBEL
recording which tomb they had come from. intended for.

As a result, the dates and names of tomb Upon entering the quarry, steps lead down
owners have been lost forever. The tombs from the surrounding ramp into the pit of the
are covered with domes that are built on a obelisk where there are ancient pictographs
drum with corners sticking out like horns, of dolphins and ostriches or flamingos,
an
CENTRAL ASWAN
an A
hme
d Osm
s Osm
0 200 m
ande
Moh 0 0.1 miles
s
hou
Mo
Abdallacoub
To Sudanese To Bus &
Consulate Service Station
Ya
(200m) (3.6km)
h Osman
Governorate
Building
9
17
21
Midan al-Mahatta
Aswan
Train
Station
24 26
16
Nile Valley
Tourist Navigation
Police Office 22
Ferry to 23
West Bank
ul)
12
Zaghlo
Tahrir
Nile River
18
d
Corniche an-Nil
q (Saa
Abtal at-
As-Sou
Abbas al-Akkad
8
25
Palace of
Culture
1
Mosque
19
Al-Matar
6 13
Ahmed Y
Mahmoud a c o ub
Cardphones
Sharia
Sayyi
da Nefisa
14
Mosque
5
Ferry
Salah
ad-Din
il
thought to have been painted by workers at SCULPTURE PARK

the quarry. The Sculpture Park (Map p315) near the
No service taxis run past the site, but Southern Quarries houses the sculptures
SIMBEL
you can get one to the junction on Sharia made by artists from around the world, dur-
al-Haddadeen and then walk (about 10 min- ing the International Sculpture Symposium,
utes). Private taxis will charge about E£12. held each spring at the Basma Hotel.
You can also walk through Fatimid Cemetery Sculpture aficionados can get here, taking
to get to it. the road to Shellal, and instead of turning
right towards the ferry to Philae, taking the to hold a panoramic restaurant, may soon
road up the hill. Continue until you reach be demolished.
the top; on the left is the quarry, on the right
the sculptures. No service taxis come to the Nubian Villages
Sculpture Park, so you will have to organ- Sandwiched between the ruins of Abu and
ise a private taxi. You should expect to pay the Mövenpick are two colourful Nubian vil-
about E£20. lages, Siou and Koti. Strolling through their
shady alleys and gardens is a wonderful way
The River to experience life on modern Elephantine. A
ELEPHANTINE ISLAND north–south path across the middle of the
Aswan’s earliest settlement lies opposite the island links the two villages and about halfway
town centre, just north of the First Cataract. along is the Nubian Café, with a shady gar-
Elephantine Island (Map p302) is the site of an- den beside a traditional Nubian house. The
cient Abu (meaning both elephant and ivory wonderful Hamdi, who often hangs out here,
in ancient Egyptian), both names a reminder loves to tell people about his culture. Beware
of the important role the island once played that several readers have warned about locals
in the ivory trade. At the beginning of the pretending to be Hamdi and trying to sell
1st dynasty (about 3000 BC) a fortress was excursions or souvenirs. Some of these people
built on the island to establish Egypt’s south- have turned aggressive when visitors declined
ern frontier. Abu soon became an impor- their services.
tant customs point and trading centre. It Close to the wall separating the Mövenpick
remained strategically significant throughout from Siou village is Nubian House, where the
the Pharaonic period as a departure point owner serves tea, sells Nubian handicrafts, and
for the military and commercial expedi- can arrange live music and dancing or henna
tions into Nubia and the south. During the ‘tattoos’ (see boxed text, p306) with local
6th dynasty (2345–2181 BC) Abu gained its women. Western women should be respectful
strength as a political and economics cen- of local tradition and wear modest clothes.
tre and, despite occasional ups and downs,
the island retained its importance until the Aswan Museum & the Ruins of Abu
Graeco-Roman period. The ruins of the original town of Abu and
As well as being a thriving settlement, the fascinating Aswan Museum (Map p302; adult/
Elephantine was the main cult centre of the student E£25/15; h8am-5pm Oct-Apr, 8.30am-6pm May-
ram-headed god Khnum (at first the god of Sep) lie at the southern end of Elephantine.
the inundation, and from the 18th dynasty The older part of the museum is housed in
worshipped as the creator of humankind on the villa of Sir William Willcocks, architect of
his potter’s wheel), Satet (Khnum’s wife, and the old Aswan Dam. Built in 1898, it became
guardian of the southern frontier) and their a museum in 1912. The newer extension was
daughter Anket. Each year the rushing of the added in 1998.
waters of the flood were first heard here on The main part of the museum houses a
Elephantine. Over time religious complexes dusty collection of antiquities discovered in
took over more and more of the island, so Aswan and Nubia, but most of the Nubian
residential areas moved either further north artefacts rescued from the temples flooded
on the island or to the east bank. The tem- by Lake Nasser were moved to the Nubia
ple town of Abu received its coup de grâce in Museum. The modern annexe, however,
the 4th century AD, when Christianity was makes up with a delightful collection of ob-
established as the imperial Roman religion. jects, from weapons, pottery and utensils to
From then on, worship of the ancient gods statues, encased mummies and sarcophagi
was gradually abandoned and defensive forti- from predynastic to late Roman times, found
fications were moved to the east bank, today’s in the excavations on Elephantine. The well-
city of Aswan. displayed objects, with excellent labels in
SIMBEL
The extensive ruins of Abu take up the English and Arabic, are organised in separate
southern end of the island. The northern tip glass cases, each explaining a particular facet
is dominated by the deluxe and architectur- of life on the island in ancient times: death,
ally insensitive Mövenpick Resort Aswan; trade, religion, weaving, hunting, farming,
rumour has it that the ugly tower, intended cooking and so on. At the right of the main
HENNA TATTOOS
Henna is the natural dye derived from the leaves of the Lawsonia inermis shrub, grown in southern
Egypt and Nubia for millennia – traces of it have even been found on the nails of mummified
pharaohs.
Like their ancestors, Nubian women use henna powder for their hair and also to decorate
hands and feet prior to getting married. The intricate red-brown designs adorn the skin for a
fortnight or so before fading away.
Women visitors will be offered henna ‘tattoos’ on their hands (or feet or stomachs) at some
of the Nubian villages around Aswan or in the souq of Aswan – it looks great and you get to
spend time with Nubian women. The Nubian villages on Elephantine Island or in West Aswan,
just north of the Tombs of the Nobles, are also good places to try. Check first who will apply
them. This is women’s work, but would-be lotharios see this as a great opportunity to get close
to a bit of foreign flesh.
Tattoos are traditionally red-brown but many foreigners like black henna, which in effect is
natural henna darkened with chemicals, among them the very toxic hair-dye PPD, which is banned
in Europe. Avoid black henna at all cost, and visit www.hennapage.com to see the damage the
dye can cause, from a light allergic reaction to chemical burns and sometimes even death.
At all these places you’re looking at anywhere between E£20 and E£70 per tattoo, depending
on the size and intricacy of the design.
entrance, in a room by itself, lies the sarcopha- of a bountiful harvest. When the Nilometer
gus and mummy of a sacred ram, the animal here in the southern frontier town recorded a
associated with Khnum. high water level of the river, it meant a good
A path through the garden behind the mu- harvest, which in turn meant more taxes. The
seum leads to the evocative ruins of ancient Nilometer of the Temple of Khnum (No 7) is below
Abu. Swiss and German teams, excavating the southern balustrade of the Khnum tem-
here since the early 20th century, have made ple. Built in the 26th dynasty, its stone stairs
the site into an outdoor museum. Numbered lead down to a small basin for measuring the
plaques and reconstructed buildings mark the Nile’s maximum level. Another stairway, with
island’s long history from around 3000 BC a scale etched into its wall, leads to the water
to the 14th century AD. The largest struc- from the basin’s northern end. Descending to
ture in the site is the partially reconstructed the river’s edge from beneath a sycamore tree
Temple of Khnum (plaque Nos 6, 12 and 13). near the museum is the Nilometer of the Satet
Built in honour of the God of Inundation Temple (No 10). Built in late Ptolemaic or early
during the Old Kingdom, it was added to Roman times and restored in the 19th century,
and used for more than 1500 years before its staircase is roofed over and niches in the
being extensively rebuilt in Ptolemaic times. walls would have had oil lamps to provide
Other highlights include a small 4th-dynasty light. If you look hard as you descend to the
step pyramid, thought to have been built by river, you can see the names of Roman pre-
Sneferu (2613–2589 BC; father of Khufu of fects carved into the left-hand wall.
Great Pyramid fame); a tiny Ptolemaic chapel An excellent guide, Elephantine: The
(No 15), reconstructed from the Temple of Ancient Town, produced by the German
Kalabsha (which is now just south of the High archaeological mission on Elephantine, ex-
Dam); a reconstructed 18th-dynasty temple plains the long history of Abu and describes
(No 2), built by Hatshepsut (1473–1458 BC) in detail the monuments according to their
and dedicated to the goddess Satet; a cemetery numbered plaques. It is available in English
for sacred rams (No 11), thought to have been and German at the museum or, when it is
the living embodiment of the god Khnum; open, at the German excavation house, ad-
SIMBEL
and the ruins of an Aramaic Jewish colony dating jacent to the site.
from the 5th century BC.
Heavenly portents and priestly prophecies Getting There & Away
aside, in ancient times only the Nilometer For information on ferries to Elephantine
could give a real indication of the likelihood Island, see p308.
ASWAN BOTANICAL GARDENS tury and dedicated to St Simeon. From here

To the west of Elephantine is the Aswan the monks travelled into Nubia, in the hope
Botanical Gardens (Map p302; admission E£10; h8am- of converting the Nubians to Christianity,
5pm Oct-Apr, to 6pm May-Sep), still often referred until Salah ad-Din destroyed the monastery
to by its old name, Kitchener’s Island. The in 1173.
island was given to Lord Horatio Kitchener Surrounded by desert sands, the monas-
in the 1890s when he was commander of the tery was built on two levels – the lower level
Egyptian army. Indulging his passion for of stone and the upper level of mud brick –
beautiful palms and plants, Kitchener turned surrounded by 10m-high walls. The basilica
the entire island into a stunning botanical gar- has traces of frescoes, and nearby is the cham-
den, importing plants from the Far East, India ber where St Simeon prayed with his beard
and parts of Africa. Covering 6.8 hectares, it is tied to the ceiling in case he fell asleep. The
filled with birds as well as hundreds of species cells with their mastaba beds, once provided
of flora. The garden may have lost some of its accommodation for about 300 resident monks
former glory, but its majestic palm trees are and some 100 pilgrims. The last room on the
still a stunning sight, particularly just before right still has graffiti from Muslim pilgrims
sunset when the light is softer and the scent who stayed here en route to Mecca.
of sandalwood floats on the breeze. Avoid To get to the monastery from the boat
Friday when the place is invaded by picnick- landing, negotiate with the camel drivers
ing extended families with stereos. (expect to pay about E£30 per hour; agree in
The island is most easily seen as part of a advance how much time you want to spend)
felucca tour. Alternatively take the northern- or scramble up the desert track (about 25
most ferry to Elephantine and walk across the minutes). Alternatively, you can take the ferry
village to the other side of the island, where a to the Tombs of the Nobles and ride a camel
few little feluccas wait on the island’s western or donkey from there (same price; see p308),
edge, to take visitors across. Expect to pay at but remember to bring water.
least E£10 for a one-way trip.
TOMBS OF THE NOBLES
The West Bank The high cliffs opposite Aswan, just north of
As with the Botanical Gardens, it is easiest Kitchener’s Island, are honeycombed with
to visit the west bank as part of a felucca the tombs of the governors, the keepers of
tour. The longer way is to take a ferry from the Gate of the South, and other dignitaries
Elephantine Island across to the landing for of ancient Elephantine. Known as the Tombs of
the Monastery of St Simeon. To get to the the Nobles (Map p304; adult/student E£20/10; h8am-4pm
Tombs of the Nobles, there is a public ferry Oct-May, to 5pm Jun-Sep), six are open to the public.
that leaves from a landing north of the Abu The tombs date from the Old and Middle
Simbel Hotel on the east bank. See p308 for Kingdoms and most follow a simple plan,
more details. with an entrance hall, a pillared room and a
corridor leading to the burial chamber. A set
AGA KHAN MAUSOLEUM of stairs cutting diagonally across the hill takes
High up on the west bank stands the elegant you up to the tombs from the ferry landing.
Tomb of Mohammed Shah Aga Khan (closed to the
public), the 48th imam (leader) of the Ismaili Tombs of Mekhu & Sabni (Nos 25 & 26)
sect, who died in 1957, and of his wife the The adjoining tombs of father and son
Begum, who died in 2000. Aswan was their fa- Mekhu (Tomb No 25) and Sabni (Tomb
vourite wintering place, and the family’s white No 26), both governors, date from the long
villa is in the garden beneath the tomb. reign of 6th-dynasty Pharaoh Pepi II (2278–
2184 BC). The reliefs in Sabni’s tomb record
MONASTERY OF ST SIMEON how he led his army into Nubia, to punish
The fortresslike 7th-century Monastery of St the tribe responsible for killing his father
SIMBEL
Simeon (Map p302; Deir Amba Samaan; adult/student during a previous military campaign, and to
E£20/10; h8am-4pm Oct-May, 7am-5pm Jun-Sep) was recover his father’s body. Upon his return,
first dedicated to the 4th-century local saint, Pepi II sent him his own royal embalmers
Anba Hadra, who renounced the world on his and professional mourners, to show the
wedding day. It was rebuilt in the 10th cen- importance accorded to the keepers of the
308 A S W A N • • A c t i v i t i e s lonelyplanet.com
southern frontier. Several reliefs in Sabni’s of the entrance Sarenput is shown being
tomb retain their original colours, and there followed by his dogs and sandal-bearer,
are some lovely hunting and fishing scenes his flower-bearing harem, his wife and his
depicting him with his daughters in the three sons.
pillared hall.
KUBBET AL-HAWA
Tomb of Sarenput II (No 31) On the hilltop above the Tombs of the Nobles
Sarenput was the local governor and over- lies this small tomb (Map p304), constructed
seer of the priesthood of Satet and Khnum for a local sheikh. The steep climb up is re-
under 12th-dynasty Pharaoh Amenemhat II warded with stunning views of the Nile and
(1922–1878 BC). One of the most beautiful the surrounding area.
and best-preserved tombs, its colours are
still vivid. A six-pillared entrance chamber WESTERN QUARRY
leads into a corridor with six niches holding Isolated in the desert to the west of the Tomb
statues of Sarenput. The burial chamber has of the Nobles is the ancient Western Quarry
four columns and a niche with wall paint- (Gebel Simaan), where stone for many ancient
ings showing Sarenput with his wife (on the monuments – possibly including the Colossi
right) and his mother (on the left), as well as of Memnon (see p257) – was quarried. The
hunting and fishing scenes. large unfinished obelisk, made for Pharaoh Seti I
(1294–1279 BC), was decorated on three sides
of its apex before it was abandoned. Nearby
Tomb of Harkhuf (No 34)
the ancient quarry face and marks are clearly
The tomb of Harkhuf, governor of the
visible, along with the tracks on which the
south during the reign of Pharaoh Pepi II,
huge blocks were dragged down to the Nile.
is hardly decorated, except for remarkable
Guides to the quarry can be found at the
hieroglyphic texts about his three trading
ferry landing, opposite the Tombs of the
expeditions into central Africa, right of
Nobles. Expect to pay at least E£50 to E£80,
the entrance. Included here is Pepi II, then
after bargaining, for the camel ride, half an
only a boy of eight, advising Harkhuf to
hour each way. Take plenty of water, and keep
take extra care of the ‘dancing pygmy’ he
an eye out for snakes.
had obtained on his travels, as the pharaoh
was very keen to see him in Memphis. ‘My
majesty desires to see this pygmy more
ACTIVITIES
than the gifts of Sinai or of Punt,’ Harkhuf Feluccas & Ferries
writes. Look carefully to see the tiny hiero- The Nile looks fabulous and magical at Aswan,
glyph figure of the pygmy several times in and few things are more relaxing than hiring a
the text. felucca (traditional canvas-sailed boat) before
sunset and sailing between the islands, the
desert and the huge black boulders, listen-
Tomb of Hekaib (Pepinakht; No 35) ing to the flapping of the sail and to Nubian
Hekaib, also known as Pepinakht, was over- boys singing from their tiny dugouts. On days
seer of foreign soldiers during the reign of when cruise boats dock together in town, hun-
Pharaoh Pepi II. He was sent to quell re- dreds of feluccas circle the islands, a good
bellions in both Nubia and Palestine, and time to take a felucca a bit further out towards
was even deified after his death as is re- Seheyl Island (p315). The trustworthy Gelal
vealed by the small shrine of Hekaib built (%012 415 4902), who hangs out near Panorama
on Elephantine Island during the Middle
Restaurant near the ferry landing, offers hassle-

Kingdom (c 1900 BC). There are fine reliefs free tours on his family’s feluccas at good-
showing fighting bulls and hunting scenes. value fixed prices. He is from Seheyl Island
and can also arrange a visit of the island and
Tomb of Sarenput I (No 36) lunch (E£25) in his house, as well as a swim
SIMBEL
The court of the tomb of Sarenput I, grand- on a safe beach (see opposite).
father of Sarenput II and governor during When walking along the Nile, it’s hard
the 12th-dynasty reign of Pharaoh Sesostris I to avoid felucca touts any time of the day.
(1965–1920 BC), has the remains of six pil- According to the tourist office the going rate
lars, decorated with reliefs. On either side for hiring a felucca for up to eight people is
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels A S W A N • • T o u r s 309
around E£30 per hour for the boat. But if All travel agencies and most hotels in
business is good, prices go up. A three- or Aswan offer trips to Abu Simbel, but watch
four-hour tour costs at least E£75 to E£90. A out for huge price differences. Some cheaper
two- to three-hour trip down to Seheyl Island tours may not include admission fees, and
costs about E£75. buses may not have air-con, so it pays to ask
The public ferry (E£1) runs to Elephantine a few questions before setting off through the
Island, departing from either the landing op- desert, particularly in summer. Most larger
posite the telephone centrale (Map p302) travel agencies in Aswan use air-con coaches
or the one across from Thomas Cook (Map and minibuses to Abu Simbel. Try Thomas
p304). Another ferry (E£1) leaves from a land- Cook, Amex, Travco or one of the other repu-
ing (Map p304) north of the Abu Simbel Hotel table agencies in town. Their bus trips will
to the landing for Tombs of the Nobles on the be a lot more expensive, but definitely more
west bank. When the river is low the ferry comfortable. Thomas Cook charges about
leaves from just north of the tourist-police US$115 per person, including a seat in an air-
station (Map p304). con minibus, admission fees and guide, and
For details on taking an overnight felucca US$260 by air, including transfers, fees and
trip down the Nile, see the boxed text, p85. guide. By contrast, budget hotels offer tours
for about E£120 to E£150, often stopping off
Swimming at the Unfinished Obelisk and Temple of Isis
Aswan is a hot place, and often the only way on the return trip. Again, you get no extras
to cool down, apart from hiding in your air- and have no protection in case of problems.
conditioned room, is to swim. Joining the For more information about getting to Abu
local kids splashing about in the Nile is not Simbel, see p326.
a good idea (see Schistosomiasis, p538).
Schistosomiasis can only be caught in stag- SLEEPING
nant water; boatmen know where the current Most visitors to Aswan stay on their cruise
is strong enough (but not too strong), for it boats, so the hotel scene has changed little in
to be safe, among them a beach on the west the last few years. There are few good mid-
bank opposite Seluga Island (Map p302). To range options and many of the longstanding
get there rent a motor boat (per person about places are only slowly making well overdue
E£40 and E£20 extra for lunch if you want to improvements to décor and service. Prices
spend the day). Some hotels have swimming vary greatly depending on the season. The
pools open to the public, generally from 9am high season officially extends from October
to sunset. The cheapest by far is the Cleopatra through to April, but it peaks in December
Hotel (p310), which costs E£10, but the pool is and January. In the low season, and even until
small and overlooked by other buildings. The early November, you’ll have no trouble finding
Basma Hotel (p311) has a large pool that non- a room. We have tried to list high-season rates
guests can use for E£30, while the Mövenpick here. All prices include breakfast and taxes un-
(p311) and Isis Hotel (p310) charge E£60. less otherwise noted.
TOURS Budget
Small hotels and travel agencies arrange day HOSTELS
tours of the area’s major sights. Half-day International Youth Hostel (Map p304; %/fax 230
guided tours usually include the Temple of 2313; Sharia Abtal at-Tahrir; dm members/nonmembers
Isis at Philae, the Unfinished Obelisk and the E£8.55/10.25, r E£15) Don’t be confused with the
High Dam, and start at E£275 (per person with governorate-run hostel next door, for Egyptians
three to five people) with Amex or Thomas only. The International Youth Hostel has seen
Cook, including admission to all sites. Some much better days and the (clean) shared bath-
budget hotels offer cheaper tours but are not rooms show signs of age, but it’s a good deal if
licensed to guide groups. Travel agencies will you’re on a tight budget.
SIMBEL
also arrange felucca trips to Elephantine and

Kitchener’s Islands for about E£65 to E£100 HOTELS
per person, based on a group of three to five Hotel touts at the train station try to convince
people, but it is cheaper to deal directly with tired travellers that the hotel they have booked
the boatmen. is now closed so that they can take them to
310 A S W A N • • S l e e p i n g Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels
another hotel and collect their commission. north of the square in front of the train station
Ignoring them is the thing to do, otherwise it and beside a popular ahwa and internet café.
usually ends up costing you more. Check the room before you agree, as they
Noorhan Hotel (Map p304; %231 6069; off Sharia vary considerably: some are tiny, others have
as-Souq; s/d E£20/25; i) A perennial travellers’ no windows, but all have private bathrooms,
haunt, the Noorhan has OK rooms with and most have air-con.
private bathrooms, and some have air-con. Philae Hotel (Map p304; %231 2090; fax 232 4089;
Internet access (per hour E£10) is available, Corniche an-Nil; s/d Nile view E£70/90, rear view E£60/75;
and Stellas are served (E£9). Readers have a) Rooms at this well-established hotel have
complained about aggressive staff tactics for recently been renovated, with freshly painted
promoting tours. walls, tiled floors and proper bathrooms;
Yassin Hotel (Map p304; %231 7109; off Sharia as-Souq; however, the rooms on the lower floors are
s/d E£20/25; a) Same story as the neighbouring very noisy.
Noorhan Hotel, with staff trying to push tours oKeylany Hotel (Map p304; %231 7332;
at all costs, but the rooms are clean and some www.keylanyhotel.com; 25 Sharia Keylany; s/d/tr E£60/75/
have private bathrooms. It’s a good deal if 90;ai) Aswan’s best budget hotel has sim-
other cheap options are full. ple but comfortable rooms, furnished with
Nubian Oasis Hotel (Map p304; %231 2126; Nubian pine furniture and with spotless bathrooms
[email protected]; 234 Sharia as-Souq; s/d with proper showers and hot water. The man-
E£25/30; ai) Popular with backpackers. The agement and staff are friendly and endlessly
rooms are clean enough, with private bath- helpful. The roof terrace has no Nile view but
rooms, and the hotel has a large lounge area there is a burlap sunshade and furniture made
and a pleasant roof garden where cool Stellas from palm fronds, and it is a great place to
(E£9) are served. The staff is renowned to hang out. Good internet place downstairs.
be pushy, as they make their money from Happi Hotel (Map p304; %231 4115; fax 230 7572;
selling tours. Sharia Abtal at-Tahrir; s/d E£65/90; ai) Turn a
Abu-Schleeb Hotel (Map p304; %230 3051; off blind eye to the gloomy décor and threadbare
Sharia Abbas Farid; s/d/tr E£35/40/45; a) These small carpets, and the Happi is not a bad place to
but clean rooms, in a modern, characterless stay. The staff can be unresponsive, but the
building, offer good value, all with private rooms are clean and have decent-sized private
bathrooms and hot water. Corner rooms have bathrooms. Some have Nile views, too. The
balconies, and there is a dusty restaurant on owner also runs the Cleopatra Hotel (below),
the ground floor with very sleepy staff. so guests can use the Cleopatra’s pool at a
Hathor Hotel (Map p304; %231 4580; fax 303 462; discounted price.
Corniche an-Nil; s/d E£40/60; s ) The 36 spotless Ramsis Hotel (Map p304; %230 4000; fax 231 5701;
rooms vary in size and some are gloomy, but Sharia Abtal at-Tahrir; s/d E£65/100; a) A pleasant,
all have private bathrooms and most have air- conveniently located high-rise hotel, with lit-
con (which is controlled at reception), all in tle character but comfortable rooms with a
all offering good value for money. The rooftop shower, toilet, TV and minifridge, and some
terrace has a small swimming pool with a few have Nile views. Service is quite slow, but it’s
poolside chairs and spectacular Nile views. good value for the price.
Memnon Hotel (Map p304; %/fax 230 0483; Corniche Orchida St George (Map p304; %231 5997; orchida
an-Nil; s/d E£45/65; as) The Memnon has [email protected]; Sharia Muhammed Khalid; s/d E£80/100;
been around for a few years and it shows, ai) Friendly three-star hotel with clean
but the clean, good-sized rooms have great rooms, all equipped with comfortable beds,
Nile views. The rooftop has a small not very spotless bathrooms, fridge and satellite TV.
attractive pool and no shade. The shabby The décor is tacky, and the room sizes differ
hotel entrance is easily missed, on a dusty considerably, so check before you commit.
street off the Corniche, south of the Aswan
Moon restaurant. Midrange
SIMBEL
Nuba Nile Hotel (Map p304; %231 3267; nubanil Aswan has only a small selection of midrange
[email protected]; Sharia Abtal at-Tahrir; s/d E£60/75;i) hotels. There’s not much to distinguish those
If the Keylany is full, this friendly family-run at the bottom end of the scale from the better
hotel is the next best budget option, with clean, budget places, so if money’s tight look care-
comfortable rooms, conveniently located just fully before making a choice.
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels A S W A N • • S l e e p i n g 311
Al-Amir Hotel (Map p304; %231 4732; fax 230 4411; better; perhaps the opening of the Marhaba
Sharia Abbas Farid; s/d E£90/120; a) A street back Palace will force the management to clean
from the Corniche, this three-star hotel up its act.
claims to have Nile views (apparent only Isis Hotel (Map p304; %232 4744; www.pyramisaegypt
if you strain your neck). The kitsch décor .com; Corniche an-Nil; s/d US$62/74; as) Built right
sets the tone and betrays a connection with on the riverbank, the Isis Hotel has a prime
the Gulf (Saudi emblems emblazon the sta- location in the centre of town. The chalet-style
tionery and brochures). The 28 rooms, all rooms in the garden are clean and comfort-
with private bathrooms and satellite TV, are able, popular with budget tour groups. The
showing their age. Consider only if others hotel has a reasonably good Italian restaurant
are full. and a figure-8-shaped pool beside the Nile.
Nile Hotel (Map p302; %231 4222; www.nilehotel
-aswan.com; Corniche an-Nil; s/d/tr E£127/158/190; ai) Top End
A very welcome new hotel in this price range Pyramisa Isis Island Resort & Spa (Map p302; %231
offering 30 well-appointed rooms with spot- 7400; www.pyramisaegypt.com; r garden/Nile view €79/89;
less private bathrooms, satellite TV and ais) Imposing four-star resort hotel on
minibar, all with a window or balcony over- its own island (there are regular free shuttle
looking the Nile. The staff speak English boats to town), with big well-appointed rooms
and are very friendly and helpful. There is a overlooking the Nile or the garden. Popular
restaurant, a small library with foreign nov- with tour groups, it has two huge swimming
els and books about Egypt, and a business pools and several restaurants, usually with
centre. Recommended. long queues at the enormous buffets. Very
Sarah Hotel (Map p315; %232 7234; www.sarahhotel friendly staff.
-aswan.com; s/d US$35/55; as) Built on a clifftop New Cataract Hotel (Map p302; %231 6002; www
overlooking the Nile about 2km beyond the .sofitel.com; Sharia Abtal at-Tahrir; s/d city view US$98/138,
Nubia Museum, the Sarah is isolated but has Nile view US$108/160; ais) If your budget
fantastic views over the First Cataract and the doesn’t stretch to the Old Cataract, consider
Western Desert. It’s worth putting up with staying at the high-rise modern annexe next
the kitsch pastel décor for the spotlessly clean door. The rooms could do with an update,
rooms, with satellite TV, friendly staff and a but the 1960s décor of the lobby and restau-
good-sized pool overlooking the Nile. Corner rants is just becoming attractive again, and
rooms have huge balconies. The cafeteria is the Nile-side rooms have stunning views (try
hugely popular with Aswanis. A shuttle bus to get one on the upper floors). You also get
runs into town hourly. If you want to stay in access to the Old Cataract’s swimming pool
Aswan for a few days of peace and quiet, the and restaurants.
Sarah is a good choice. Basma Hotel (Map p302; %231 0901; basma@rocket
Marhaba Palace Hotel (Map p304; %233 0102; mail.com; Sharia Abtal at-Tahrir; s/d €110/165; ais)
[email protected]; Corniche an-Nil; s/d US$50/60; Located on the Nile near the Nubia Museum,
a) The Marhaba has small but cosy taste- the Basma has friendly staff, and a large
fully decorated rooms, with comfortable beds, pool and terrace with fantastic Nile views at
sumptuous bathrooms for this price range sunset. The whole place is quite sleepy and
and satellite TV. Bright and welcoming, it would definitely benefit from some updat-
overlooks a park on the Corniche and has two ing, but rooms are spacious and comfortable,
restaurants, friendly staff and a roof terrace equipped with fridge and satellite TV. There
with excellent Nile views. is an Asian and European restaurant, but the
food is mediocre.
Cleopatra Hotel (Map p304; %231 4003; fax 231

4002; Sharia as-Souq; s/d US$48/62; ais) Away oOld Cataract Hotel (Map p302; %231
from the bright lobby, the Cleopatra is dark 6000; www.sofitel.com; Sharia Abtal at-Tahrir; s/d garden
and gloomy, with 109 rooms filled with bat- view US$175/190, r Nile view US$168-1500; as) The
tered old furniture, ancient air-con units and grande dame of hotels on the Nile, the Old
SIMBEL
unfriendly staff. Somehow it remains full of Cataract brings you back to the days of Agatha
groups on cut-price package tours, possibly Christie, who is said to have written part of
because of its convenient location in the her novel Death on the Nile here (the hotel
centre of town and a reasonably sized (but featured in the movie). The splendid building,
overlooked) rooftop pool. It could be much surrounded by well-tended exotic gardens on
312 A S W A N • • E a t i n g lonelyplanet.com
a rock above the river, commands fantastic with salad, mezze and rice or chips, or an
views of the Nile and several islands, the ruins all-day breakfast.
of Abu and the desert behind. The service and Al-Masry Restaurant (Map p304; %230 2576; Sharia
food don’t live up to the grand architecture al-Matar; meals E£8-30) Popular with meat-eating
and can be disappointing, but the atmosphere local families, Al-Masry is famous for its ex-
and views make a stay unique and worthwhile. cellent fresh kebabs and kofta (mincemeat
Deluxe Nile-view rooms are worth the extra and spices grilled on a skewer), as well as
cost, but ask to see several if possible as they pigeon and chicken, all served with bread,
vary in size and style. The hotel is worth visit- salad and tahini.
ing just to enjoy a cool cocktail or afternoon Biti Pizza (Map p304; Midan al-Mahatta; dishes E£12-22;
tea: the old-fashioned veranda is often re- a) Convenient to the train station, Biti (bey-
served for guests, but the lower terrace com- ti) is a popular air-conditioned restaurant
mands the same views. Expect to be charged and takeaway that serves adequate Western-
E£85 (to be offset against your bar tab) for style pizzas, but more recommended are
the privilege. the delicious sweet and savoury fiteer (flaky
Mövenpick Resort Aswan (Map p304; %230 3455; Egyptian pizza), including the excellent tuna
www.moevenpick-aswan.com; Elephantine Island; as) fiteer (E£20) or the fruit-and-nut dessert
Hidden in a large garden, and characterised version (E£18).
by an ugly tower, rumoured to be ripe for Aswan Moon Restaurant (Map p304; % 231
demolition, the Mövenpick dominates the 6108; Corniche an-Nil; meals E£12-30) The once-
northern end of Elephantine Island. At the popular hang-out no longer serves alcohol,
time of writing the hotel was being totally but it remains a pleasant place for dinner.
refurbished and, with the Mövenpick’s repu- The menu ranges from basic Egyptian and
tation in Egypt, will probably be the best international dishes, including mezze (E£4
resort-style hotel in town. Guests are trans- to E£9); pizzas (E£19 to E£25); kebabs (E£25);
ported to and from the town centre by a free and our favourite daoud basha (meatballs in
ferry. Prices were not available at the time of tomato sauce; E£13), served piping hot in an
writing but will be announced when it opens earthenware dish.
(by the time this book is published). Madena Restaurant (Map p304; Sharia as-Souq;
meals E£15-20) Small and unpretentious, this
EATING no-frills eatery close to the Cleopatra Hotel
Aswan is a sleepy place, and as most tourists serves good, basic Egyptian meals at reason-
eat on board of the cruise boats, the restau- able prices. A decent kofta meal, accompanied
rant scene is as stagnant as the hotel scene. by bread, rice, salad and tahini, costs E£22.
Few new ones open and old stalwarts don’t Vegetarian meals cost E£15.
close, even if they seem to have few custom- Nubian House (Map p302; %232 6226; just off Sharia
ers. Outside the hotels, few serve alcohol and Abtal at-Tahrir on the Nile; mains E£15-22;h2pm or 3pm-
none accept credit cards. late) This laid-back Nubian café and restaurant
is the place to be at sunset, with spectacular
Restaurants views over the First Cataract. Sit on traditional
Emy (Map p304; %230 4349; Corniche an-Nil; dishes E£8- wooden benches on the huge shady terrace for
20) On a double-decked boat moored on the a mint tea and sheesha (water pipe). To get
Nile next to the Aswan Moon, this is where here, follow the road past the Nubia Museum
the Nubian felucca captains hang out, as it is for about 1km (15 minutes’ walk) and take a
the only place where cool beers (Sakkara E£9, right just past a development of upmarket
Stella E£8) are served. The menu includes housing (many still under construction). Or
a selection of salads (E£2.50), Egyptian and take a taxi after dark.

international dishes (E£13 to E£18) and excel- Chef Khalil (Map p304; %231 0142; Sharia as-Souq;
lent fresh juices (E£4.50). meals E£25-60) Popular fish restaurant, just
Panorama (Map p304; %231 6169; Corniche an-Nil; along from the train station, serving very
SIMBEL
dishes E£8-20) With its quiet waterside location fresh fish by the weight, from Lake Nasser
and pleasant terrace, this is a great place to and the Red Sea, grilled, baked or fried to
chill out and watch the Nile flow by, while sip- your choice and served with salad and rice
ping a herbal tea or fresh juice. It also serves or French fries. It’s a small place, but worth
simple Egyptian stews cooked in clay pots, the wait if it’s full.
lonelyplanet.com A S W A N • • E n t e r t a i n m e n t 313
oNubian Beach (Map p302; West Bank, past the Egypt Free Shop (Map p302; %231 4939; Corniche
Aga Khan Mausoleum; set menu per person E£45) Wonderful an-Nil; h9am-2pm & 6-10pm) The only place to
Nubian café-restaurant set in a quiet garden buy liquor, local beer and wine, but you need
on the west bank of the Nile, against the back to show a passport.
drop of a towering sand dune. During the heat
of the day or on cold winter nights there is a ENTERTAINMENT
beautifully painted room indoors. The food Palace of Culture (Map p304; %231 3390; Corniche an-
is simple but good, and alcohol is served – Nil) Between October and February/March,
sometimes with live Nubian music. Aswan’s folkloric dance troupe sporadically
Nubian Restaurant (Map p302; %230 2465; Essa performs Nubian tahtib (stick dancing) and
Island; meals E£45-70) Sitting on a tiny island south songs depicting village life. If tour groups
of Elephantine Island, the Nubian Restaurant book performances and the troupe is not trav-
has quite mediocre Nubian food, but does elling, it begins its performances at around
an after-dinner folkloric show, popular with 9pm Saturday to Thursday. The show lasts
tour groups. A free boat departs opposite about two hours and admission is E£15.
EgyptAir. Nubian music is sometimes played at the
1902 Restaurant (Map p302; % 231 6000; Old Nubian House (Map p302; %232 6226; just off Sharia Abtal
Cataract Hotel, Sharia Abtal at-Tahrir; set menu per person at-Tahrir on the Nile;h2pm or 3pm-late) restaurant,
E£350) Considered Aswan’s finest restaurant, although when we visited there was no per-
and certainly its most formal, this beautifully formance schedules. Call for details. Nubian
restored Moorish-style hall is definitely a shows are also performed for tourists at the
treat. Dinner is a set four-course French- Mövenpick Resort Aswan (Map p304; %230 3455; www
influenced menu, with a performance by .moevenpick-aswan.com; Elephantine Island) and the New
local musicians. Unfortunately here, too, the Cataract Hotel (Map p302; %231 6002; www.sofitel.com;
food doesn’t live up to the grandeur of the Sharia Abtal at-Tahrir).
surroundings at all. Book ahead to reserve If you’re lucky, you may be invited to a
a table. Nubian wedding on a weekend night. Foreign
guests are deemed auspicious additions to the
Quick Eats ceremony, but don’t be surprised if you’re
Along Sharia as-Souq there are plenty of small asked to pay a E£20 to E£40 ‘fee’ to help defray
restaurants and cafés, good for taking in the the huge costs of the band and the food.
lively atmosphere of the souq. Otherwise, strolling along the Corniche,
Koshary Aly Baba Restaurant (Map p304; Sharia Abtal watching the moon rise as you sit at a rooftop
at-Tahrir; dishes E£1-15) A clean and popular takea- terrace or having a cool drink at one of the
way-restaurant with good kushari, as well as floating restaurants is about all that most
shwarma and kofta. travellers get up to in Aswan at night. The
Haramein Foul & Ta’amiyya (Map p304; Sharia Abtal top-end hotels all have discos and nightclubs,
at-Tahrir; dishes E£2-6) A tiny takeaway hidden but they’re fairly empty.
among the low-rise apartment blocks, this
is where Aswanis go when they want good SHOPPING
fuul (fava bean stew) and ta’amiyya (fava Aswan’s famous souq may be more touristy
bean dumplings). than it used to be but it’s still a good place
El-Tahrer Pizza (Map p304; Midan al-Mahatta; dishes to pick up souvenirs and crafts. Handmade
E£8-18) A popular café that serves pizza and Nubian skullcaps (about E£10), colourful
fiteer at rock-bottom prices. Tea and sheesha scarves (E£20 to E£30), and traditional bas-
(E£5) are also served. kets and trays (E£15 to E£70) in varying sizes
are popular. The spices and indigo powder
Self-Catering prominently displayed are also good buys,
The souq is the best place to buy your own and most of the spice shops sell the dried
food. On Sharia as-Souq, as well as some hibiscus used to make the refreshing drink
SIMBEL
of the small alleyways, small grocery shops karkadai. However, beware of the safflower
stock canned goods, cheese and UHT milk. that is sold as saffron. Aswan is also famous
Fruit and vegetables are abundant when in for the quality of its henna powder and its
season and are best bought in the morning, delicious roasted peanuts. The higher grade
at their freshest. of the latter go for E£15 per kilogram.
314 A S W A N • • G e t t i n g T h e re & A w a y lonelyplanet.com
Hanafi Bazaar (Map p302; %231 4083; Corniche an-Nil; (check with the tourist office), service taxis
h8am- 8pm) In a mock Pharaonic temple, this leave from the bus station, 3.5km north of
is the oldest, no doubt also the most dusty, the train station.
and best bazaar in town, with genuine Nubian
swords, baskets, amulets, silk kaftans and Train
beads from all over Africa, run by the totally From the Aswan Train Station (Map p304; %231
laid-back Hanafi brothers. 4754) a number of daily trains run north to
Cairo, but officially foreigners can only
GETTING THERE & AWAY buy tickets in the station for three of them
Air (1st/2nd class E£95/48, student 1st/2nd class
Daily flights are available with EgyptAir (Map E£65/38, 14 hours, 6am, 6pm, 8pm). No-
p302; %231 5000; Corniche an-Nil; h8am-8pm) from one will stop you boarding the two other
Cairo to Aswan (one-way E£218 to E£681, trains (8am, 4pm), but you have to buy the
1¼ hours). The one-way trip to Luxor is ticket on the train. All trains heading north
E£127 and takes 30 minutes. There are two stop at Daraw (1st/2nd class E£16/11, 45
flights a day to Abu Simbel, leaving at 6.15am minutes), Kom Ombo (E£17/13, one hour),
and 9.15am, an hour later in summer. The Edfu (E£22/14, two hours), Esna (E£29/17,
round-trip ticket costs E£466, including 2½ hours) and Luxor (E£35/21, three hours).
bus transfers between the airport and the Student discounts are available on all of
temple site. these trains.
Abela Egypt Sleeping Train (%230 2124; www
Boat .sleepingtrains.com) has two daily services to Cairo
For details about the five-star cruise boats and at 5pm and 6.30pm (single/double cabin per
fishing safaris operating on Lake Nasser, see person US$60/80, children aged four to nine
p92. For details on boat transport to Sudan, years US$45 including dinner and break-
see p526. fast, 14 hours). Note that there is no student
discount, and tickets must be paid for in
Bus US dollars.
The bus station is 3.5km north of the train
station. It costs about E£10 to get there by GETTING AROUND
taxi, or 50pt by service taxi. Only four for- To/From the Airport
eigners are allowed per bus, and seats cannot The airport is located 25km southwest of
be booked in advance, so get to the bus sta- town. A taxi to/from the airport costs about
tion early to be sure of getting a seat. Take E£30 to E£35.
your passport, as there are two checkpoints
along the way. The tourist office advises Bicycle
against travelling by bus as it is too much Aswan is not a great town for cycling.
of a hassle. However, there are a few places at the train-
Upper Egypt Bus Co has three daily buses station end of Sharia as-Souq where you can
to Abu Simbel (E£20, four hours, departing hire bicycles for about E£12 a day.
8am, 11.30am and 5pm). Buses to Luxor
(E£20, four to five hours) leave at 6am, 8am,
12.30pm, 2pm, 3.30pm and 5pm, stopping at POLICE CONVOYS
Kom Ombo (E£5, one hour), Edfu (E£10, two Driving north or south means going in a
hours) and Esna (E£15, three hours). A direct police convoy. Convoys congregate in the
bus to Cairo (E£91, 14 hours) leaves at 3.30pm parking lot opposite the Unfinished Obelisk.
daily. There are four buses going to Hurghada Be there at least 15 minutes in advance. Two
(E£55, eight hours, 6am, 8am, 3.30pm and convoys head north to Luxor at 8am, one
5pm), stopping on the way in Luxor, Qena direct and one travelling via Kom Ombo,
and Safaga. Buses for Marsa Alam (E£30, six
SIMBEL
Edfu and Esna. Another one leaves at 2pm,

hours) leave at 6.30am. direct to Luxor. Two convoys travel to Abu
Simbel (4am and 11am). The trip to Luxor
Service Taxi takes approximately three hours, and it’s 3½
Foreigners are forbidden from taking service hours to Abu Simbel.
taxis and public microbuses. If things change
lonelyplanet.com A R O U N D A S W A N • • A s w a n D a m 315
Taxi 0 1 km
A taxi tour that includes Philae, the High Dam AROUND ASWAN 0 0.5 miles
and the Unfinished Obelisk near the Fatimid See Aswan Map (p302)
Cemetery costs around E£80 to E£100 for five
to six people. Taxis can also take you on day Sarah
dat
trips to Daraw and/or Kom Ombo for about Hotel Northern
a Sa
Quarries
E£150. Remember that you have to join the
ri
Sha
Seheyl
convoy to do this. A taxi anywhere within the Island
town costs E£5 to E£10.
Southern Quarries
Service taxis (50pt) run along the major First & Sculpture Park
roads in Aswan. Cataract
AROUND ASWAN D am
Shellal
Aswan
ASWAN DAM
At the end of the 19th century Egypt’s fast- Awad
Nile
Western
Desert Island Philae
growing population made it imperative to
River
(Agilkia Island)
cultivate more agricultural land, which would Bigga Philae

Island Island
only be possible by regulating the flow of
the Nile. The British engineer Sir William Al-Heisa
Willcocks started construction of the old Island
Aswan Dam in 1898 above the First Cataract.
When completed in 1902, it was the largest
dam in the world, measuring 2441m across, Africa
50m tall and 30m wide, and was made almost University
entirely of Aswan granite.

It was raised twice to meet the demand
not only to increase the area of cultivable To Airport (4km);
Abu Simbel
land but also to provide hydroelectric (200km)
power. With the opening of the High Dam, Boats to

it now only generates hydroelectricity for Kalabsha
Hydroelectric
Sadd al-Ali
a nearby factory producing fertilisers, and High Dam
(As-Sadd al-Ali)
Station
Train Station
otherwise serves as a tourist attraction on Soviet-Egyptian

the way to the High Dam, 6km upstream. Memorial
Lake
The road to the airport and all trips to Abu Temples of
Kalabsha,
Nasser Ferry to Wadi
Halfa; Sudan; Lake
Simbel by road include a drive across the Beit-al-Wali
& Kertassi Nasser Cruises
Aswan Dam.
a cliff with more than 200 inscriptions, most
SEHEYL ISLAND dating to the 18th and 19th dynasties, of
The large island situated just north of the princes, generals and other officials who
old Aswan Dam, Seheyl (adult/child E£65/35; passed by on their journey to Nubia. The
h7am-4pm Oct-Apr, to 5pm May-Sep) was sacred most famous is the so-called ‘famine stele’
to the goddess Anukis. Prior to the dam’s from the 3rd dynasty that recounts a ter-
construction, the Nile would rush noisily rible seven-year famine during the reign of
through the granite boulders that emerged Zoser (2667–2648 BC), which the pharaoh
from the riverbed just south of here, form- tried to end by making offerings to the
ing the First Cataract, called Shellal by the Temple of Khnum at Elephantine.
Egyptians. Herodotus reported that an Next to the inscriptions is a friendly
SIMBEL
Egyptian official had told him that this Nubian village with brightly coloured houses.
was the source of the Nile, which flowed Several houses now welcome visitors, includ-
north and south from there. Now the ing Kanzian House (%012 415 4902; set meal with tea
waters flow slowly and Seheyl makes an E£30), serving tea and good Nubian lunches as
ideal destination for a slightly longer fe- well as selling local crafts. It’s a pleasant place
lucca trip. On the island’s southern tip is to stroll around.
316 A R O U N D A S W A N • • P h i l a e ( Ag i l k i a I s l a n d ) lonelyplanet.com
of the last native king of Egypt, Nectanebo

PHILAE (AGILKIA ISLAND) I (380–362 BC). The most important ruins
0 50 m
were begun by Ptolemy II Philadelphus
and added to for the next 500 years until
Gate of
Diocletian the reign of Diocletian (AD 284–305). By
Roman times Isis had become the greatest
Temple of
Augustus of all the Egyptian gods, worshipped right
Site of Temple across the Roman Empire even as far as
Temple of of Isis
Harnedjotef Church Britain. Indeed, as late as AD 550, well after
Rome and its empire embraced Christianity,
Isis was still being worshipped at Philae.
Inner
Gate of
Hadrian Sanctuary Early Christians eventually transformed the
of Isis
main temple’s hypostyle hall into a chapel
Second
Osiris
Chapel
Pylon and defaced the pagan reliefs, their inscrip-
Mammisi
Temple of
Hathor tions later vandalised by early Muslims.
(Birth
House)
Gate of
Ptolemy
Touring the Temple
First
The boat across to the temple leaves you at
Kiosk of
Pylon Trajan the base of the Kiosk of Nectanebo, the oldest
Temple of
Imhotep
part of the Philae complex. Heading north,
you walk down the outer temple court, which
Nile
Outer
Temple has colonnades running along both sides, the
Rive
Court
western one is the most complete, with win-
r
Temple of
Arhesnepher dows that originally overlooked the island
Kiosk of
Nectanebo of Biga. At the end is the entrance of the
Temple of Isis, marked by the 18m-high tow-
Boat Landing
ers of the first pylon with reliefs of Ptolemy
XII Neos Dionysos smiting enemies.
In the central court of the Temple of Isis,
PHILAE (AGILKIA ISLAND) the mammisi is dedicated to Horus, son
The romantic aura and the grandeur of the of Isis and Osiris. Successive pharaohs re-
Temple of Isis (adult/child E£40/20; h7am-4pm Oct-May, instated their legitimacy as the mortal de-
to 5pm Jun-Sep) on the island of Philae (fee-leh) scendants of Horus by taking part in rituals
lured pilgrims for thousands of years, and celebrating the Isis legend (see the boxed
during the 19th century the ruins became text, p235) and the birth of her son Horus
one of Egypt’s most legendary tourist attrac- in the marshes.
tions. After the building of the old Aswan The second pylon leads to a hypostyle hall,
Dam, Philae was swamped for six months with superb column capitals, and beyond
of every year by the high waters, allowing lie three vestibules, leading into the Inner
travellers to take rowing boats and glide Sanctuary of Isis. Two granite shrines stood
among the partially submerged columns to here, one containing a gold statue of Isis
peer down through the translucent green and another containing the barque in which
at the wondrous sanctuaries of the mighty the statue travelled, but those were long ago
gods below. moved to Florence and Paris, and only the
After the completion of the High Dam, the stone pedestal for the barque remains, in-
temple would have entirely disappeared had scribed with the names of Ptolemy III (246-
Unesco not intervened. Between 1972 and 221 BC) and his wife Berenice. A staircase,
1980, the massive temple complex was disas- on the western side, leads up to the Osiris
sembled stone by stone and reconstructed Chapel, closed at the time of writing, deco-
SIMBEL
20m higher on nearby Agilkia Island. Agilkia rated with scenes of the gods bewailing the
was then landscaped to resemble the sacred dead Osiris, as well as clear images of the
isle of Isis. Isis Legend and the creation of Horus.
Although the cult of Isis at Philae goes On the northern tip of the island you’ll
back at least to the 7th century BC, the earli- find the Temple of Augustus and the Gate of
est remains on the island date from the reign Diocletian; east of the second pylon is the de-
lonelyplanet.com A R O U N D A S W A N • • H i g h D a m 317
lightful Temple of Hathor decorated with reliefs HIGH DAM

of musicians (including an ape playing the Egypt’s modern example of construction on
lute) and Bes, the god of childbirth. South a monumental scale, the controversial Aswan
of this is the elegant, unfinished pavilion by High Dam (As-Sadd al-Ali) contains 18 times
the water’s edge, known as the Kiosk of Trajan the amount of material used in the Great
(or ‘Pharaoh’s Bed’), perhaps the most fa- Pyramid of Khufu and created Lake Nasser,
mous of Philae’s monuments and frequently the world’s largest artificial lake.
painted by Victorian artists. From the 1940s, it was clear that the old
Aswan Dam, which only regulated the flow of
Sound-&-Light Show water, was not big enough to counter the un-
Each evening a sound-and-light show (www predictable annual flooding of the Nile. In 1952,
.sound-light.egypt.com; adult/child E£60/44) is shown at when Gamal Abdel Nasser came to power, plans
Philae (6.30pm, 7.45pm and 9pm October were drawn up for a new dam, 6km south of the
to May, 8pm, 9.15pm and 10.30pm May to old one, but from the start there were political
September, and 7.30pm, 8.45pm and 10pm and engineering difficulties. In 1956, after the
Ramadan). The commentary is cheesy, but World Bank refused the promised loan for the
wandering through the temple at night is project, Nasser ordered the nationalisation of
quite delightful. Double-check the schedule the Suez Canal, which sparked the Suez Crisis
at the tourist office. in which France, the UK and Israel invaded the
canal region. But Nasser got his way and also
Day Show 1 Show 2 Show 3 won additional funding and expertise from the
Soviet Union. Work started in 1960 and was
Monday English French - finally completed in 1971.
Tuesday French English French The dam has brought great benefits to
Wednesday French English French Egypt’s farmers, increasing cultivable land
Thursday French Spanish Italian by at least 30%. At the same time, the coun-
Friday English French - try’s power supply has doubled. But there are
Saturday English Arabic - downsides. The dam has stopped the flow of
Sunday German French - silt essential to the fertility of the land, and
the much higher use of artificial fertilisers has
Getting There & Away led to increasing salinity of the agricultural
The boat landing for the Philae complex is areas. The ground water tables have risen, too,
at Shellal, south of the old Aswan Dam. The and are damaging many monuments close to
only easy way to get there is by taxi or or- the Nile. The now perennially full irrigation
ganised trip (which can be arranged by most canals have led to endemic infection with the
travel agencies and major hotels in Aswan). bilharzia parasite, until recently a huge public
The return taxi fare costs about E£40 with- health problem.
out bargaining. Tickets for the return trip Most people visit the High Dam, 13km
are sold at the booth on the landing (E£10 south of Aswan, as part of an organised trip
per person, small extra baksheesh for the to sights south of Aswan. There is a small
boatman particularly if you want to stay a pavilion with displays detailing the dimen-
little longer). sions and the construction of the dam, and
on the western side is a monument hon-
ouring Soviet-Egyptian friendship and co-
HIGH DAM FACTS operation. Video cameras and zoom lenses
cannot be used, although nobody seems to

Length: 3600m police this.
Width at base: 980m
Height at highest point: 111m
Getting There & Away
The quickest way to get to the High Dam is to
SIMBEL
Number of workers involved in con- take a taxi from Aswan (about E£20). Usually
struction: 35,000 it is combined with a trip to the Temple of
Number of workers who died during Kalabsha, which is about 3km from the west-
construction: 451 ern end of the dam and is visible from the dam
on the western side of Lake Nasser.
318 L O W E R N U B I A & L A K E N A S S E R lonelyplanet.com
FEAST, FAMINE OR WAR

Egypt’s fate has always been closely intertwined with the amount of water in the Nile, and
although the river flows through many countries, it is Egypt that has gained the most from its
beneficence. Ancient Egyptians called their country Kemet (Black Land), after the fertile silt that
the Nile’s receding waters left in their wake. This annual dumping of a thick layer of dark, wet
topsoil allowed ancient Egypt’s agricultural system to develop and thrive, leading in turn to an
accumulation of wealth and the flourishing of a sophisticated society and culture. When the
floods failed and hunger turned to famine, the entire system broke down: consecutive years
of inadequate flooding often coincided with the collapse of central authority or invasion by a
foreign power.
Because of this dependence on the Nile, the Egyptians developed a highly organised irrigation
system to help them deal with its unpredictability. Nilometers, a series of steps against which the
rising water would be gauged, were used to measure the level of the flood, which was crucial
for predicting soil fertility and crop yields. The Nilometer at Elephantine (see p306), on Egypt’s
southern frontier, was one of the first to show evidence of rising water in early June. Authorities
also used the level of the flood to predict the size of the harvest and therefore to fix the level
of taxes farmers should pay.
From the earliest times canals helped extend the reach of the flood plain, and devices were
developed to help move water. These began as simple pots. Later, the shadouf, a long pole
with a ‘bucket’ at one end and counterbalancing weight at the other, and the saqia, an animal-
powered water wheel, helped farmers to move greater amounts of water and extend the area
of cultivable land.
Since the building of the High Dam, Egypt has been freed from the uncertainties of the Nile’s
annual flood, but the supply of water is still not entirely within its control. At present Egypt’s
use of Nile water is governed by a 1959 treaty with Sudan that essentially divides the flow of
the river between the two countries. The eight other countries around the Nile basin claim –
not without reason – that this is unfair and are clamouring for a more equitable division of this
precious resource. An international initiative to help resolve the issue has been underway since
1999 but Egypt, the largest and most powerful – and also the most Nile dependent – of the
riparian states has so far blocked any changes to the 1959 treaty and has even threatened war
if any country violates its terms.
LOWER NUBIA & LAKE of this region is the temples that were so
painstakingly moved above the floodwaters
NASSER in the 1960s. See the boxed text (p324) for
more about this mammoth cultural rescue
For thousands of years, the First Cataract mission. The area between the First and
marked the border between Egypt and the Second Cataract is generally known as
Nubia, the land that stretched from Aswan Lower Nubia (ancient Egyptian Wawat),
to Khartoum. The Nile Valley on the and further south between the Second and
Egyptian side was fertile and continuously Sixth Cataracts is Upper Nubia (Kush).
cultivated, while the banks further south in To ancient Egyptians, Nubia was Ta-Sety,
Nubia were more rugged, with rocky desert the Land of Bowmen, after the weapon for
cliffs and sand separating small pockets of which the Nubians were famous. It was a
agricultural land. crucial route for the trade with sub-Saharan
The building of the Aswan and High Africa, and the source of much-needed raw
Dams irrevocably changed all that, and materials, such as copper, ivory, ebony and
SIMBEL
much of Nubia disappeared under the gold. The modern name is thought to come
waters of Lake Nasser. The landscape now from the ancient Egyptian word nbw, mean-
is dominated by the contrast of smooth ing ‘gold’. Egypt was always interested in
desert and the calm green-brown water of Nubia and its riches, and the two people’s
the lake. Apart from the beauty and the history was always connected: when Egypt
peace of the lake itself, the main attraction was strong it dominated Nubia and aggres-
lonelyplanet.com L O W E R N U B I A & L A K E N A S S E R 319
0 50 km
LOWER NUBIA & LAKE NASSER 0 30 miles
Aswan
First
Cataract
High Dam
(As-Sadd al-Ali)
Limestone Plateau
See Southern Upper
Egypt Map (p292)
ὄὄ
ὄ
Original Site
of Kertassi
Gebel
Marawa Original Site
(274m) of Beit al-Wali
Original Site
of Kalabsha
Gebel
Alisa
(278m)
H alfa
ὄὄὄ
ὄ ad
i
Gebel Nagagir
-W
Original Site
(408m)
of Dakka
m
Da
gh
Original Site
Hi
Western of Maharraqa
(Libyan)
n
wa
Desert
As
Sheik
Wadi as-Subua
W
ad
h Za
Temples of
i
Amada & Derr;
ὄὄ
ὄ ὄὄὄ
yed
Tomb of Pennut
al- A
Ca
na Aniba
llaqi
l
Toshka Qasr Ibrim

Eastern
Temples of
Abu Simbel Lake Nasser (Arabian)
Desert
ba
Abu Simbel
bga
Gebel
Ga
ὄὄ ὄὄ
Nasiya
(624m)
Wadi
Gebel
El'Aiyinat
(595m)
Ad
mi
nis
tra
Wadi Halfa tiv
eB
Second Cataract ou
SUDAN nd
ary
sively exploited its natural resources; when language, while the ancient Egyptian lan-
Egypt was weak, the Nubians enjoyed periods guage is Afro-Asiatic.
of growth and development. With the unification of the land north of
Evidence of 10,000-year-old settlements Aswan around 3100 BC, Egypt started to im-
has been found in northern Nubia. At pose its authority on Nubia. From the begin-
Nabta Playa, located some 100km west of ning of the Old Kingdom, for nearly 5000
Abu Simbel, archaeologists have recently years, expeditions were sent to extract the
discovered the remains of houses, sculpted region’s considerable mineral wealth. During
monoliths and the world’s oldest calendar the First Intermediate Period (2181–2055 BC),
made of small standing stones, dating from central authority in Egypt collapsed, while
around 6000 BC. Until 3500 BC Nubia and Nubia became stronger, and Nubian soldiers
Egypt both developed in roughly the same played an important role in Egypt’s civil war.
SIMBEL
way, domesticating animals, growing crops The reunification of Egypt, at the start of the
and gradually adopting permanent settle- Middle Kingdom, saw Lower Nubia once
ments. Both people were ethnically linked, again annexed and a chain of mud-brick for-
but the darker-skinned Nubians had more tresses built at strategic points along the Nile
African features and spoke a Nilo-Saharan to safeguard trade.
320 L O W E R N U B I A & L A K E N A S S E R • • M o d e r n N u b i a lonelyplanet.com
During the New Kingdom, instead of date plantations, central to their economy,
fortresses, the Egyptians built temples in destroyed. This meant that many Nubian
Nubia, dividing the whole of the region into men were forced to search for work further
five nomes, ruled on the pharaoh’s behalf by north, leaving the women behind to run
his viceroy, who took the title King’s Son of the communities.
Kush. Taking advantage of Egypt’s political Less than 30 years later, the building of
disunity during the Third Intermediate Period the High Dam forced those who had stayed
(1069–747 BC), the tables were turned and to move again. In the 1960s, 50,000 Egyptian
Nubians extended their authority far to the Nubians were relocated to government-built
north, ruling Egypt for a century as the 25th villages around Kom Ombo, 50km north
Kushite dynasty (747–656 BC). The 25th dy- of Aswan.
nasty ended with the Assyrian invasion of
Egypt, after which Nubian action was guided Nubian Culture
by its own best interests, sometimes siding The Nubians have paid the highest price for
with foreign invaders, sometimes with their Egypt’s greater good. They have lost their
Egyptian neighbours. homes and their homeland, and with a new
Christianity gradually spread to Nubia generation growing up far from the home-
after the 5th century AD and lasted long after land, as Egyptians, or even Europeans and
Islam had spread along the Egyptian Nile. Americans, they are now also gradually losing
In AD 652 Egypt’s new Muslim authorities their distinctive identity and traditions.
made a peace treaty with the Christian king What is left of Nubian culture then seems
of Nubia. That treaty lasted more or less until all the more vibrant. Nubian music, famous
the 13th century, when Egyptians moved for its unique sound (see the boxed text,
south again: the last Christian king of Nubia opposite), was popularised in the West by
was replaced by a Muslim in 1305 and most musicians such as Hamza ad-Din, whose oud
of the population converted to Islam. In the (lute) melodies are ethereally beautiful. As
19th century Nubia was again important to well as the oud, two basic instruments give
Egyptian ambitions as the route for its sup- the music its distinctive rhythm and harmony:
ply of slaves. The rise of the Mahdist state in the douff, a wide, shallow drum or tabla that
Sudan at the end of the 19th century led to musicians hold in their hands; and the kisir,
Nubia being divided for the last time: with a type of stringed instrument.
the defeat of the Mahdi and his successor, Less known abroad is Nubia’s distinctive
and the establishment of the Anglo-Egyptian architecture, which was the main influence
government in Sudan in 1899, a border be- on Egyptian mud-brick architect Hassan
tween Egypt and Sudan was established 40km Fathy. Traditional Lower Nubian houses are
north of Wadi Halfa. made with mud bricks, but unlike the Upper-
Egyptian houses, they often have domed or
Modern Nubia vaulted ceilings, and further south the houses
Following the completion of the old Aswan usually have a flat split-palm roof. They are
Dam in 1902, and again after its height was plastered or whitewashed and covered with
raised in 1912 and 1934, the water level of decorations, including ceramic plates. The
the Nile in Lower Nubia gradually rose from basic forms of these houses can be seen in the
87m to 121m, partially submerging many of Nubian villages around Aswan and in Ballana,
the monuments in the area and, by the 1930s, near Kom Ombo.
totally flooding a large number of Nubian Nubians also have their own marriage
villages. With their homes flooded, some
customs. Traditionally wedding festivities

Nubians moved north where, with govern- lasted for up to 15 days, although nowadays
ment help, they bought land and built villages they are a three-day affair. On the first night
based on their traditional architecture. Most of the festivities, the bride and groom cel-
of the Nubian villages close to Aswan, such ebrate separately with their respective friends
SIMBEL
as Elephantine, West Aswan and Seheyl, are and families. On the second night, the bride
made up of people who moved at this time. takes her party to the groom’s home and both
Those who decided to stay in their home- groups dance to traditional music until the
land, built houses on higher land, assum- wee hours. Then the bride returns home and
ing they would be safe, but they saw their her hands and feet are painted with beauti-
lonelyplanet.com L O W E R N U B I A & L A K E N A S S E R • • L a k e N a s s e r 321
NUBIAN MUSIC
It’s one of those strange quirks, but it’s almost easier to hear and buy Nubian music in the West
than it is in Egypt, apart from in Aswan. Nubian music is very different to the more popular
Egyptian music, is rarely heard on national TV and radio, and hard to find in music stores in Cairo.
But Nubian artists sell CDs by the rackload in Europe and play to sell-out audiences.
The biggest name is Ali Hassan Kuban. A former tillerman from a small village near Aswan,
Kuban grew up playing at weddings and parties and made the leap to a global audience after
being invited to perform at a Berlin festival in 1989. Until his death in 2001, he toured all over
Europe, as well as in Japan, Canada and the USA. He released several CDs on the German record
label Piranha (www.piranha.de), including From Nubia to Cairo and Walk Like a Nubian.
The Nubian sound, unlike Arabic music with its jarring use of quarter tones, is easily accessible,
particularly to a Western audience familiar with African music. It is rhythmic, warm and exotic,
mixing simple melodies and soulful vocals. This can be heard at its best on a series of CDs by a
loose grouping of musicians and vocalists recording under the name Salamat. Look out especially
for Mambo al-Soudani (again on the Piranha label).
A slightly different facet of Nubian music is represented by Hamza ad-Din, a Nubian composer
born in Wadi Halfa in 1929 and widely respected in the West for his semiclassical compositions
written for the oud (lute). Inspired by his Sufi beliefs, Ad-Din’s work is extremely haunting, espe-
cially Escalay (The Waterwheel), which you can find in a recording by the composer himself, or
there’s an excellent version of it by the Kronos Quartet on their CD Pieces of Africa.
Other names to look out for are the now-retired Sayyed Gayer, who sings poems and love
songs accompanied only by the douff (drum), and Ahmed Monieb and Mohammed Hamam.
The best places to pick up CDs of Nubian music are from the music stores in the Aswan
souq, where the sales assistants are happy to let you listen to different musicians. To hear au-
thentic live Nubian music, try to get yourself invited to a Nubian wedding in Aswan. You can
also head to Eskaleh in Abu Simbel (p325), where musician Fikry Kachef hosts performances by
local musicians.
ful designs in henna. The groom will also LAKE NASSER

have his hands and feet covered in henna Looking out over Lake Nasser’s vast expanse
but without any design. On the third day, of deep green-blue water, it’s hard to believe
the groom and his party walk slowly to the that it is human-made. As the world’s largest
bride’s house in a zaffer (procession), singing artificial lake, its statistics are staggering: with
and dancing the whole way. Traditionally the an area of 5250 sq km, it is 510km long and be-
groom will stay at the bride’s house for three tween 5km and 35km wide. On average it con-
days before seeing his family. The couple will tains some 135 billion cubic metres of water,
then set up home. of which an estimated six billion are lost each
year to evaporation. Its maximum capacity is
Getting There & Away 157 billion cubic metres of water, which was
Although all the sites except Qasr Ibrim reached in 1996 after heavy rains in Ethiopia,
have roads leading to them, the only sites forcing the opening of a special spillway at
foreigners are currently allowed to drive to Toshka, about 30km north of Abu Simbel, the
are Kalabsha, Beit al-Wali and Kertassi. The first time it had been opened since the dam was
road to Abu Simbel is open, but foreigners built. The Egyptian government has since em-
are only allowed to travel in buses or micro- barked on a controversial project to build a new
buses in a police convoy. Abu Simbel can canal and irrigate thousands of acres in what is
be reached by plane from Aswan, Luxor or now the Nubian Desert between Toshka and
Cairo. For more details on travelling to Abu the New Valley, a project President Mubarak
SIMBEL
Simbel, see p326. has likened to the Suez Canal and Aswan High
For the moment, the rest of the sites can Dam in its enormity.
only be reached by boat, which is in any case Numbers aside, the contrast between this
the best way to see Lake Nasser’s dramatic enormous body of water and the remote
monuments. See p92 for details. desert stretching away on all sides makes Lake
322 L O W E R N U B I A & L A K E N A S S E R • • K a l a b s h a , B e i t a l - W a l i & K e r t a s s i lonelyplanet.com
Nasser a place of austere beauty. Because the The Temple of Beit al-Wali was rebuilt with
level of the lake fluctuates it has been difficult assistance from the US government and
to build settlements around its edges. Instead was placed just northwest of the Temple of
the lake has become a place for migrating Kalabsha. The temple, mostly built by Ramses
birds to rest on their long journeys north II, was cut into the rock and fronted by a
and south. Gazelles, foxes and several types brick pylon. On the walls of the forecourt,
of snake (including the deadly horned viper) several fine reliefs detail the pharaoh’s vic-
live on its shores. Many species of fish live in tory over the Nubians (on the south wall) and
its waters, including the enormous Nile perch. wars against the Libyans and Syrians (on the
Crocodiles – some reportedly up to 5m long – north wall). Ramses is gripping the hair of his
and monitor lizards also live in the lake’s enemies prior to smashing their brains while
shallows. The main human presence here, women plead for mercy. The finest scenes are
apart from the fast-growing population of those of Ramses on his throne, receiving the
Abu Simbel town and the few tourists who tribute paid by the defeated Nubians, includ-
visit, is limited to the 5000 or so fishermen ing leopard skins, gold rings, elephant tusks,
who spend up to six months at a time in small feathers and exotic animals.
rowing boats, together catching about 50,000 Just north of the Temple of Kalabsha are the
tonnes of small fish each year. scant but picturesque remains of the Temple of
Kertassi, with two Hathor columns, a massive
KALABSHA, BEIT AL-WALI & KERTASSI architrave and four fine papyrus columns.
As a result of a massive Unesco effort, the tem- When the water level is low you can some-
ples of Kalabsha, Beit al-Wali and Kertassi (adult/ times walk across to the site, otherwise you
student E£25/15; h8am-4pm) were transplanted can find a motorboat on the western side of
from a now-submerged site about 50km south the High Dam (around E£30 for the return
of Aswan. The new site is on the west bank of trip and an hour to visit).
Lake Nasser just south of the High Dam.
The Temple of Kalabsha, started in the late WADI AS-SUBUA
Ptolemaic period and completed during The temples of Wadi as-Subua (adult/student E£35/20)
the reign of Emperor Augustus (30 BC–AD were moved to this site, about 4km west of
14), was dedicated to the Nubian solar god the original now-submerged Wadi as-Subua
Merwel, known to the Greeks as Mandulis. between 1961 and 1965.
Later it was used as a church. Wadi as-Subua means ‘Valley of Lions’ in
In the 1960s and ’70s the West German Arabic and refers to the avenue of sphinxes
government financed the transfer and recon- that leads to the Temple of Ramses II. Yet another
struction of the 13,000 blocks of the temple. monument built during the reign of the ener-
In thanks, it was presented with the temple’s getic pharaoh, the interior of the temple was
west pylon, now in the Berlin Museum. hewn from the rock and fronted by a stone
During the rescue operation, evidence was pylon and colossal statues. Behind the pylon
found of older structures dating from the is a court featuring 10 more statues of the
times of Amenhotep II (1427–1400 BC) and pharaoh, beyond which lies a 12-pillared hall
Ptolemy IX. and the sanctuary. The central niche was once
An impressive stone causeway leads from carved with relief scenes of Ramses making
the lake to the first pylon of the temple, offerings to Amun-Ra and Ra-Horakhty. In
beyond which are the colonnaded court Christian times this part was converted into
and the eight-columned hypostyle hall. a church, the pagan reliefs plastered over and
Inscriptions on the walls show various em- painted with saints, so that now, with part of
perors or pharaohs in the presence of gods the plaster fallen away, Ramses II appears to
and goddesses. Just beyond the hall is the be adoring St Peter!
sanctuary consisting of three chambers, with About 1km to the north are the remains
stairs leading from one up to the roof, where of the Temple of Dakka, begun by the Upper
SIMBEL
there are superb views of Lake Nasser and Nubian Pharaoh Arkamani (218–200 BC)
the High Dam, across the capitals of the hall using materials from much earlier structures
and court. An inner passage, between the and adapted by the Ptolemies and the Roman
temple and the encircling wall, leads to a Emperor Augustus. Originally situated 40km
well-preserved Nilometer. north of here, it is dedicated to the god of wis-
lonelyplanet.com L O W E R N U B I A & L A K E N A S S E R • • A m a d a 323
dom, Thoth, and is notable for its 12m-high QASR IBRIM

pylon, which you can climb for great views of The only Nubian monument visible on its
the lake and the surrounding temples. original site, Qasr Ibrim once sat on top of a 70m-
The Temple of Maharraqa, the smallest of the high cliff, about 60km north of Abu Simbel,
three at this site, originally stood 50km north but now has water lapping at its edges.
at the ancient site of Ofendina. Dedicated There is evidence that Ibrim was a gar-
to Isis and Serapis, the Alexandrian god, its rison town from 1000 BC onwards, and that
decorations were never finished and all that around 680 BC the 25th-dynasty Pharaoh
remains is a small hypostyle hall, where in the Taharka (690–664 BC), a Nubian by birth,
northeast corner an usual spiral staircase of built a mud-brick temple dedicated to Isis.
masonry leads up to the roof. During Roman times the town was one of
the last bastions of paganism, its six temples
AMADA converting to Christianity two centuries later
Situated around 180km south of the High than the rest of Egypt. It then became one of
Dam there are two temples and a tomb at the main Christian centres in Lower Nubia
Amada (adult/student E£35/20). and held out against the Muslims until the
The Temple of Amada, moved about 2.6km 16th century, when a group of Bosnian mer-
from its original location, is the oldest surviv- cenaries, part of the Ottoman army, occupied
ing monument on Lake Nasser. It was built the site. They stayed on and married into the
jointly by 18th-dynasty pharaohs Tuthmosis local Nubian community, using part of the
III and his son Amenhotep II, with a hypo- cathedral as a mosque.
style hall added by his successor, Tuthmosis Among the structural remains, the most
IV (1400–1390 BC). Dedicated, like many impressive is an 8th-century sandstone ca-
temples in Nubia, to the gods Amun-Ra and thedral built over Taharka’s temple. The
Ra-Horakhty, it has some of the finest and site is closed to visitors because of ongoing
best-preserved reliefs of any Nubian monu- archaeological work.
ment and contains two important historical
inscriptions. The first, on a stele at the left ABU SIMBEL
(north) side of the entrance, describes the %097
unsuccessful Libyan invasion of Egypt (1209 The village of Abu Simbel lies 280km south of
BC) during Pharaoh Merneptah’s reign, and Aswan and only 40km north of the Sudanese
a second stele on the back wall of the sanctu- border. The small settlement is laid-back and
ary, describing Amenhotep II’s military cam- quiet. So far few tourists linger more than the
paign (1424 BC) in Palestine, both no doubt few hours needed to visit the colossal tem-
designed to impress upon the Nubians that ples for which it is famous, but things might
political opposition to the powerful Egyptians be about to change. Those interested in the
was useless. peace and tranquillity of the lake, in seeing
The rock-cut Temple of Derr, built by Ramses the temples without the crowds, in wander-
II, stood on a curve of the Nile. The pylon and ing around a small nontouristy Egyptian
court have disappeared, but there are some town without police escort, or in listening to
well-preserved reliefs in the ruined pillared Nubian music might choose to hang around
hall, illustrating the Nubian campaign of for a few days.
Ramses II, with the usual killing of his en-
emies, accompanied by his famous pet lion. Information
Following cleaning, many of the scenes are Abu Simbel Hospital (%499 237; main rd)
once again brightly coloured.
Ahly Bank (main rd; h8.30am-2pm & 6-8pm Sun-Thu)

Five minutes’ walk away is the small rock- Has an ATM.
cut Tomb of Pennut, viceroy of Nubia under Banque du Caire (main rd; h8.30am-2pm & 6-8pm
Ramses VI (1143–1136 BC), which was origi- Sun-Thu) Has an ATM.
nally situated at Aniba, 40km southwest of Banque Misr (main rd; h8.30am-2pm & 6-8pm Sun-
SIMBEL
Amada. This well-preserved Nubian tomb Thu) Has an ATM.

consists of a small offering chapel and a niche Main post office (h8.30am-2.30pm Sat-Mon) On the
at the rear, with reliefs depicting events and road to the temples.
personalities from Pennut’s life, including him Telephone centrale (h24hr) Off the main road.
being presented with a gift by Ramses VI. Tourist police (%400 277/8) On the road to the temples.
324 L O W E R N U B I A & L A K E N A S S E R • • A b u S i m b e l lonelyplanet.com
Sights & Activities From the temple’s forecourt, a short flight

Overlooking Lake Nasser, the two temples of of steps leads up to the terrace in front of the
Abu Simbel (adult/student E£80/40; h6am-5pm Oct-Apr, massive rock-cut façade, which is about 30m
to 6pm May-Sep) are reached by road or, if you are high and 35m wide. Guarding the entrance,
on a cruise boat, from one of the jetties leading three of the four famous colossal Ramses II
directly into the fenced temple compound. statues sit majestically, staring out across
the water into eternity – the inner left statue
GREAT TEMPLE OF RAMSES II collapsed in antiquity and its upper body
Carved out of the mountain on the west still lies on the ground. The statues, more
bank of the Nile between 1274 and 1244 BC, than 20m high, are accompanied by smaller
Ramses II’s imposing temple was as much statues of the pharaoh’s mother Queen
dedicated to the deified pharaoh himself Tuya, his wife Nefertari and some of his
as to Ra-Horakhty, Amun and Ptah. The favourite children.
four pharaoh’s colossal statues fronting the Above the entrance, between the central
temple are like gigantic sentinels watching throned colossi, is the figure of the falcon-
over the incoming traffic from the south, headed sun god Ra-Horakhty. Unfortunately,
undoubtedly designed as a warning of the the sun god has been subjected to the trials
strength of the pharaoh. of time and he now lacks part of his leg
Over the centuries both the Nile and the and foot.
desert sands imperceptibly shifted, and this The roof of the large hall is decorated
temple was lost to the world until 1813, when with vultures, which are protective figures
it was rediscovered by chance by the Swiss symbolising the goddess Nekhbet, and is
explorer Jean Louis Burckhardt. Only one supported by eight columns, each fronted
of the heads was completely showing above by an Osiride statue of Ramses II. Reliefs
the sand, the next head was broken off and, on the walls depict the pharaoh’s prowess
of the remaining two, only the crowns could in battle, trampling over his enemies and
be seen. Enough sand was cleared away in slaughtering them in front of the gods. On
1817 by Giovanni Belzoni for the temple to the north wall is a depiction of the famous
be entered. Battle of Kadesh (c 1274 BC), now in Syria,
SAVING NUBIA’S MONUMENTS

As the plans for the High Dam were drawn up, worldwide attention focused on the many valu-
able and irreplaceable ancient monuments doomed by the waters of Lake Nasser. Between 1960
and 1980 the Unesco-sponsored Nubian Rescue Campaign gathered expertise and financing
from more than 50 countries, and sent Egyptian and foreign archaeological teams to Nubia.
Necropolises were excavated, all portable artefacts and relics were removed to museums and,
while some temples disappeared beneath the lake, 14 were salvaged.
Ten of them, including the temple complexes of Philae, Kalabsha and Abu Simbel, were dis-
mantled stone by stone and painstakingly rebuilt on higher ground. Four others were donated
to the countries that contributed to the rescue effort, including the splendid Temple of Dendur,
now reconstructed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Perhaps the greatest achievement of all was the preservation of the temples at Abu Simbel.
Ancient magnificence and skill met with the equally impressive modern technology as, at a cost
of about US$40 million, Egyptian, Italian, Swedish, German and French archaeological teams cut
the temples up into more than 2000 huge blocks, weighing from 10 to 40 tonnes each, and
reconstructed them inside an artificially built mountain, 210m away from the water and 65m
higher than the original site. The temples were carefully oriented to face the original direction,
and the landscape of their original environment was re-created on and around the concrete,
SIMBEL
dome-shaped mountain.
The project took just over four years. The temples of Abu Simbel were officially reopened in
1968 while the sacred site they had occupied for more than 3000 years disappeared beneath
Lake Nasser. A plaque to the right of the temple entrance eloquently describes this achievement:
‘Through this restoration of the past, we have indeed helped to build the future of mankind’.
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels L O W E R N U B I A & L A K E N A S S E R • • A b u S i m b e l 325
height as her husband (instead of coming

GREAT TEMPLE OF only up to his knees as most consorts were
RAMSES II 0 20 m
depicted).
Inside, the six pillars of the hypostyle hall
Storerooms To the Interior
of the Dome are crowned with capitals in the bovine shape
Storerooms of Hathor. On the walls the queen appears in
Reliefs of Chapel of
front of the gods very much equal to Ramses
Battle of
Kadesh
Ra-Horakhty II, and she is seen honouring her husband.
Sacred
Sanctuary;
The vestibule and adjoining chambers, which
Four Gods Forecourt have colourful scenes of the goddess and her
Colossi sacred barque, lead to the sanctuary with a
of
Ramses II weathered statue of Hathor as a cow emerging
from the rock.
Great Terrace
Hypostyle
Second
Pillared
Hall SOUND-&-LIGHT SHOW
Hall A sound-and-light show (www.sound-light.egypt.com;
Storerooms
adult/child E£80/43.50) is performed nightly at 7pm
Chapel of and 8pm in winter (October to May) and 8pm
Thoth and 9pm in summer (May to September).
Headphones are provided allowing visitors to
where Ramses inspired his demoralised army listen to the commentary in various languages.
by his own courage, so that they won the war While the text is flowery and forgettable, the
against the Hittites. The scene is dominated laser show projected onto the temples is stun-
by a famous relief of Ramses in his chariot, ning and well worth the detour.
shooting arrows at his fleeing enemies. Also
visible is the Egyptian camp, walled off by Sleeping & Eating
its soldiers’ round-topped shields, and the Few people stay the night in Abu Simbel, but
fortified Hittite town, surrounded by the a few hotels allow those looking for ultimate
Orontes River. peace and quiet to enjoy their stay.
The next hall, the four-columned vestibule Abu Simbel Village (%400 092; s/d E£80/110; a)
where Ramses and Nefertari are shown in Abu Simbel’s cheapest option, the faded Abu
front of the gods and the solar barques, leads Simbel Village has basic vaulted rooms based
to the sacred sanctuary, where Ramses and around a concrete courtyard.
the triad of gods of the Great Temple sit on oEskaleh (Beit an-Nubi; %012 368 0521;
their thrones. d €40-60; ia) Part Nubian cultural centre
The temple is aligned in such a way that on with a library dedicated to Nubian history
22 February and 22 October every year, the and culture, part small hotel in a traditional
first rays of the rising sun reach across the Nubian mud-brick house, Eskaleh is defi-
Nile, penetrate the temple and move along nitely the place to stay in town and something
the hypostyle hall, through the vestibule of a destination in its own right. The friendly
and into the sanctuary, where they illumi- owner Fikry Kachif, a Nubian musician who
nate the somewhat mutilated figures of Ra- lived in Abu Simbel before the dam was built,
Horakhty, Ramses II and Amun. Ptah, to the worked for years as a guide on the Eugénie
left, is never illuminated. (Until the temples (p92), but got tired of travelling and decided
were moved, this phenomenon happened one to set up shop beside the lake. Comfortable
day earlier.) rooms are simply furnished with local furni-
ture, and have fans, air-con and good private

TEMPLE OF HATHOR bathrooms. Nubian women prepare delicious
Next to the great temple is the much smaller home-cooked meals (three-course lunch or
Temple of Hathor, with a rock-cut façade dinner E£50) with organic produce from
SIMBEL
fronted by six 10m-high standing statues Fikry’s garden. At night the quiet is abso-
of Ramses and Nefertari, with some of their lute, a rare thing on the tourist trail along the
many children by their side. Nefertari here Nile. Sometimes Fikry plays with his friends,
wears the costume of the goddess Hathor, or he hosts performances of Nubian music
and is, unusually, portrayed as the same and dance.
© Lonely Planet Publications
326 L O W E R N U B I A & L A K E N A S S E R • • A b u S i m b e l lonelyplanet.com
Seti Abu Simbel (%400 720; www.setifirst.com; s/d Getting There & Away
US$130/180; ais) Abu Simbel’s only five- Foreigners travelling from Aswan to Abu
star hotel has chalet-style rooms overlooking Simbel by road must travel in police convoy.
Lake Nasser, all pleasant enough but a bit The police have deemed taxis off limits to
empty and not worth the prices being charged. foreigners, so luxury coach or minibus is your
The hotel is best booked through the Cairo- only option. Most people opt for a tour and
based travel agency Seti First (%02-736 9820). get the admission and guide included.
Its restaurant offers buffet breakfast (E£55), You can avoid the convoy by taking a bus.
lunch (E£90) and dinner (E£120). Buses from Abu Simbel to Aswan leave at
Toya (%012 357 7539; Tariq al-Mabad; breakfast E£8, 6am, 9.30am, 1pm and 4pm from the Wadi
mains E£15) New place in town serving breakfast el-Nil Restaurant on the main road. There
for the early arrivals, or simple local cuisine is no advanced booking and tickets (E£21)
in a lovely garden or madly painted rooms are purchased on board. Note that the of-
inside. A good place to stop for a drink or to ficial limit is four foreign passengers per bus,
smoke a sheesha. although they will generally turn a blind eye
Along Abu Simbel’s main road is a line-up to one or two extra.
of cheap cafés, with the Nubian Oasis and EgyptAir has flights to Abu Simbel from
Wadi el-Nil among the most popular. Aswan; see p314 for flight details.
© Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
SIMBEL
restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’

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Nile Valley: Esna to

 Marvel at the most completely preserved

at the Temple of Horus (p294) at Edfu Aswan;

between Egyptian religion and the Nile at the Lake Nasser

(p305) on Elephantine Island

History accorded to its rulers, Keepers of the Gate

in the Old Kingdom (2686–2181 BC), Abu

TRAVELLING IN THE SOUTH

biyya (ornate carved wooden screens) and

Eating & Drinking

Daraw Getting There & Away

0 400 m vulture-shaped crag covered in inscriptions

that gave Egypt much of its wealth.

his bravery. Further east were several tem- EDFU

INFORMATION EATING TRANSPORT To Bus,

their hair before Horus and about to smash

robes and ritual vases were kept. The hall itself

ate with a boatman to take you across to the

you’re not stopping here on a felucca trip

the temple for just 30 to 35 minutes. Inner

of the first Upper Egyptian nome during the 7

reign of Ptolemy VI Philometor. Kom Ombo 4 8 6

Temple of Kom Ombo To Mammisi;

Nile, where in ancient times sacred crocodiles

LASCAUX ON THE NILE

the reliefs are divided between the two gods,

Inside the outer hypostyle hall, to the left, is a Luxor or Aswan.

THE FORTY DAYS ROAD

ORIENTATION Corniche an-Nil) Contact the tourist office (opposite) first to

ing the sunset over the islands and the desert

See Central Aswan Map (p304)

Shellal; Dams; Fatimid

Seluga Isis Airport (25km); ad

Island Island Abu Simbel (280km) ad

Hotel (1km) al-

INFORMATION Monastery of St EATING

recording which tomb they had come from. intended for.

thought to have been painted by workers at SCULPTURE PARK

ASWAN BOTANICAL GARDENS tury and dedicated to St Simeon. From here

Restaurant near the ferry landing, offers hassle-

also arrange felucca trips to Elephantine and

Cleopatra Hotel (Map p304; %231 4003; fax 231

a selection of salads (E£2.50), Egyptian and take a taxi after dark.

Edfu and Esna. Another one leaves at 2pm,

cultivate more agricultural land, which would Bigga Philae

entirely of Aswan granite.

power. With the opening of the High Dam, Boats to

otherwise serves as a tourist attraction on Soviet-Egyptian

of the last native king of Egypt, Nectanebo

lightful Temple of Hathor decorated with reliefs HIGH DAM

cannot be used, although nobody seems to

FEAST, FAMINE OR WAR

Toshka Qasr Ibrim

customs. Traditionally wedding festivities

ful designs in henna. The groom will also LAKE NASSER

dom, Thoth, and is notable for its 12m-high QASR IBRIM

Ahly Bank (main rd; h8.30am-2pm & 6-8pm Sun-Thu)

Amada. This well-preserved Nubian tomb Thu) Has an ATM.

Sights & Activities From the temple’s forecourt, a short flight

SAVING NUBIA’S MONUMENTS

height as her husband (instead of coming

ture, and have fans, air-con and good private

Marvel at the most completely preserved