Where the Nile turns blue
In Aswan the river narrows between granite boulders and golden dunes, and the pace of Egypt slows. Feluccas tack between Elephantine and Kitchener’s Island, and the evening call to prayer drifts across the water.
This was Egypt’s southern frontier, the gateway to Nubia and the quarry of the red granite that built obelisks and colossi across the country.
Nubia and the river
On the west bank, Nubian villages like Gharb Soheil paint their houses in blue, yellow and white. Families welcome visitors for tea, henna and music, and the guesthouses are some of the most hospitable in Egypt.
Upstream, the High Dam holds back Lake Nasser, and the temples rescued from the rising water, Philae and Kalabsha among them, now stand on new islands.
Practical notes
Aswan is the base for Abu Simbel and the starting point of most Nile cruises sailing north to Luxor.
- Take a felucca at sunset; agree the length of the sail before boarding.
- Winter days are warm but nights on the water are cold, so bring a layer.
- Book Abu Simbel early: convoys and flights leave before dawn.
