Aswan - Upper Egypt

The latest travel trend indicates that smart travelers now choose to travel further and stay longer.

Adding to that our personal philosophy that "Slow Travel is the New Luxury," we completely agree.

That is why, based on years of both personal experience and satisfied guest feedback, we recommend a minimum of a 4-Day/3-Night stay in Aswan at the Mövenpick Resort Aswan.

There's a gentle sense of romance in the air in Aswan, particularly when the sweet fragrance of  Bougainvillea wafts by. It's an easy town to maneuver around and is a picture-postcard destination for keen photographers.

Aswan boasts many sites and attractions and is the gateway to Abu Simbel (never to be missed) further south in Nubia.

As is usual with travel in Egypt, one should get an early start to the day to enjoy an unhurried pace. 

The Nubian Museum, as its name implies, is filled with historical and cultural artifacts of ancient Nubia, like statues of Ramses II and the black granite head of Taharqa. It has exhibits explaining how the ancient sites were saved from the rising waters of Lake Nasser as well as photographs of artifacts lost forever under the lake's water. 

Explore Elephantine Island, the Unfinished Obelisk, a Nubian Village, and take a felucca cruise to the West Bank to visit the Mausoleum of Aga Khan. 

Schedule a sunset camel ride on the west bank when the day starts to cool off so you can gaze at mesmerizing views of the colorful sky beyond the sand dunes as you meander along toward the gloriously photogenic Monastery of Saint Simeon. 

After sundown is the ideal time to see Sharia-el-Souk in the downtown district at its liveliest. The souk has African, Egyptian, and Middle Eastern goods in a hassle-free atmosphere, unlike the pressure you may feel from the stallholders in other places. This gives you the opportunity to browse for the perfect gifts and souvenirs. You'll have a choice of scarves, traditional robes, silver pieces, baskets, perfume, and spices. Nubian needlework and jewelry are local specialties. When in doubt, this market is known for its spices with its mounds of turmeric, peanuts, henna, and multi-colored peppercorns.

The greatest highlight of all is the magnificent temples of Abu Simbel.

The moment you arrive, you meet your guide for your private visit to the two massive rock temples at Abu Simbel on the western bank of Lake Nasser. Away from other visitors at the temples, you'll enjoy personal commentary on these monuments which were built in the 13th Century BC and relocated to their current location in 1968. Then you're free to wander into and out of the temples as you please before you return to the airport for your flight back to Aswan. From arrival to departure, the time spent at Abu Simbel is generally about 3-hours which is more than enough.