Visit Upper Egypt
Aswan is easily the prettiest town in Egypt, and our recommendation for the perfect place to unwind at the end of your trip. Although not as rich in sights as Luxor, it does still have the picture-perfect Temple of Philae, and the monumental Aswan High Dam. The sands of the Sahara tumble over blackened rocks into the Nile at Aswan. Fringed with palms, the desert horizon is broken by the Aga Khan’s mausoleum and the faint outline of the Monastery of San Simeon, stunningly located amidst the arid landscape. The river itself is choked with the rounded boulders that gave Elephantine Island its name, and over which the inundation used to surge and roar before the dam was built. The town is modern, but sleepy, and has a wonderful little Nubian Museum. Nubian influence is strong, and their food, arts and crafts are best sampled here.