Kom Ombo and Edfu
Depart by car from Aswan to visit the Ptolemaic temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god of ancient Egypt. Located 45 km north of Aswan, the temple, which dates back to the time of the Ptolemies, is built on a high dune overlooking the Nile.
Kom Ombo is actually two temples, one dedicated to Sobek and the other to Haroeris. Afterwards, we will continue to the best preserved Ptolemaic temple of all, that of Edfu, dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god, and his family. Edfu is about an hour's drive from Kom Ombo.
To continue to Luxor or return to Aswan there is a journey of about 120 km.
Nubian Museum
Visit the most modern museum in Egypt, containing ancient Nubian artefacts and exhibiting aspects of Nubian art and life.
The Nubian Museum shows the history of “the land of gold,” as well as the word Nubia, in hieroglyphics (an ancient Egyptian language in which pictorial symbols are used to represent meanings and sounds), means “land of gold.” Hence, this land, long ago, was abundant in monumental riches.
Elephantine Museum
Boat ride on the Nile to see ancient Nubian monuments. The Elephantine Museum is located on the island of the same name and its objects mainly belong to that area.
The white wooden house where the museum is located also has the distinction of being the former villa of Sir W. Willcox, who designed the first Aswan Dam. Some of the most outstanding pieces on display in the museum are the mummy of Ram of Khnum, a gold bust of Khnum, statues of Amenhotep III with goddesses and several exquisite prehistoric bowls.
Nubian Village and Soheil Island
This town is a typical Nubian town, with its own lifestyle. The Nubians still live there, maintaining the Nubian decoration and inviting visitors to have a cup of tea in one of their houses.
Monastery of San Simon
This ancient monastery, reached by camel, is located in the middle of the desert. Archaeologists were the ones who named this monastery after San Simón.
Kalabsha
The Kalabsha temple was moved in 1970 to its current location, along with other Nubian monuments. The sandstone building was built by the Roman emperor Octavian and dedicated to the god of fertility, Mandulis. The Kertassi Kiosk, with its two columns crowned by the god Hathor, was moved at the same time and is now located near the water, enjoying magnificent views of Lake Nasser.
Island (Botanical Garden)
The island is located in the middle of the Nile near Elephantine Island, where tropical trees and plants grow. The name was given by Lord Kitchener, British Consul General in Egypt, who fell in love with the island where he used to camp on his numerous trips to Sudan.
Noble Tombs
These tombs were excavated on the slopes of the left bank of the Nile. Several drawings and inscriptions carved into the rock tell how these men, belonging to the nobility, defended their city, and illustrate certain trips made throughout Africa.
Abu Simbel
After a 3-hour road trip, you reach Abu Simbel (280 km south of Aswan). Its temples, which are among the most splendid monuments in the entire world, were built by the great Pharaoh Ramses II, also known as The Great.
They represent the most complete and impressive example of ancient Egyptian architecture. Although more than 3,000 years have passed since they were built, these temples have managed to withstand the ravages of time and remain almost intact. The large temple is dedicated to Ra, god of the sun, while the second and smaller one is dedicated to the goddess Hathor. This second temple was built for Nefertari, the pharaoh's wife.
Philae
The temple of Philae was dismantled and reassembled on Agilika Island, behind the High Dam (about 500m from its original location on Philae Island). The temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, is located in a beautiful location that has been designed to match its original location.
High Dam
The ancient Aswan Dam was built in 1898 by Sir W. Wilcox, commissioned by the British authorities. It is built of granite extracted directly from the Aswan quarry. Its official inauguration took place in 1902. In 1960 the Egyptian government built another huge dam. There will also be a visit to the Unfinished Obelisk, which provides a wealth of information about how the ancient builders carried out their tasks. The existence of granite in the Aswan region was of special interest to the ancient pharaohs, because it provided them with a source of material for their obelisks and temples.
