Aswan Travel Journal

For the first stop in Egypt, we chose Aswan. The direct flight from Cairo to Aswan takes 1 hour and 20 minutes, which saves a lot of time compared to taking a bus. We bought tickets 3 days in advance, costing over 400 EGP per person, but flights are prone to delays. On the day we flew to Aswan, most flights were delayed, so if you want to take the Nile sunset felucca on the same day, you might not make it in time. We stayed in Nubian Village, which has nice scenery. Opening the door leads directly to the Nile River, and you can have breakfast with a river view. However, getting around is very inconvenient, so it’s better to stay in the city center or Elephantine Island. Feryal Garden is worth visiting; the park offers great views of the Nile, and every photo looks beautiful. We happened to go on a weekend, and many locals were having picnics in the park. Egyptians love taking photos with Asian faces, and we were surrounded by groups of children taking pictures with us for a long time. For the sunset felucca, we shared a boat with two other Chinese travelers. Four people paid 500 EGP for one hour, which is quite cost-effective. Later, the hotel owner and taxi driver also offered good prices. We chose to hire a car to visit Abu Simbel. The one-way trip takes about 3.5 hours, and we spent around 2 hours there. It’s indeed a bit remote, so not many people go, but the experience was quite good. The first sight was very impressive, and later at Karnak Temple, we saw what a crowd really looks like. The Nile River in the Aswan section is truly the most beautiful. Personally, even if you don’t go to Abu Simbel, it’s worth coming just for the Nile. The Nile we saw later in Luxor and Cairo can’t compare to the Aswan section.