Aswan

Ancient frontier town and Egypt 's sunniest southern city, Aswan is situated around 81 miles south of Luxor , has a quintessentially African aura. The city is one of the driest populated places in the world; last rainfall took place about six years back. Its ancient Egyptian name was Swenet. This city is small enough to enjoy the graced scenic view on foot across the Nile . The movement of life here is relaxing and slow. Days can be passed leisurely walking up and down the wide Corniche observing the sailboats engrave the sky with their long masts or relaxing in floating restaurants, consuming fresh caught fish and listening to Nubian music.

 

In Aswan the Nile looks most graced, flowing through granite rocks and amber desert, round emerald islands encompassed in tropical plants and palm grooves. Explore the suq (an open-air market in Egypt ), full of colorful spices and scents, perfumes, baskets and scarves. Watch the striking sunsets while sipping tea from the terrace of the Old Cataract Hotel (named so, due to Nile 's first cataract positioned here). At night one can enjoy Nubian musicians and dancers performing cultural programs. Since nineteenth century Aswan has been a favorite winter resort, and nowadays it is one of the most popular places in Egypt .

 

Since ancient times Aswan has been a strategic location, it housed ancient Egyptian garrisons, General Kitchener's Turkish troops of the Ottoman Empire and presently Egyptian army. The main city is positioned in the eastern bank of Nile . If you are in Aswan you can start your journey from Corniche, the bazaar (market place) begins from this area and continues up to Ferial Gardens and the Nubian Museum , this street also leads to Cemetery which encompasses domes surmounting tombs from the Fatimid period. On the eastern side of the cemetery are the renowned area quarries. They are large unfinished Obelisk. On the southern part of these structures lie two Greco-Roman stone coffins and an incomplete colossus residual semi-buried in the sand.

 

One of the most desirable places to be visited is the Elephantine Island , it is most prominent and largest island of the region. Here you can appreciate the artifacts which date from pre-Dynastic periods onward. Just ahead of Elephantine is Geziret el-Nabatat ( Kitchener 's Island ). It was renamed after a British general Kitchener who played a crucial role in reorganizing the Egyptian army in 1883. Later on, he guided the Egyptian army opposite to the Sudanese Mahdi. Presently, the island is famous for its exotic plant and garden which was developed by Kitchener and continues to flourish till date.

 

On the western bank of the Nile , the cliff is surmounted by tomb of a local saint Qubbet el-Hawwa and below this area are tombs of local nobles (pharaonic) and dignitaries. Near the upriver is the tomb of Mohammed Shah Aga Khan (died in 1957), popularly known as ‘Aga Khan Tomb', it signifies beauty with simplicity. At some distance from this place is Monastery of St Simeon, this was constructed in sixth century to commemorate a local saint Amba Hadra.