Are you planning a trip to Egypt? Check out my tips for Aswan, especially if you’re a solo female traveler.

After my time in Luxor with Jeff, I took the train down to Aswan. Then a private ferry was waiting to pick me up and take me to the hotel where I stayed on Elephantine Island. It was a quiet little island, which I appreciated after all the street hassling in Luxor.

I only spent a few days on the island, but it was enough to explore this place!

Travel tips for Aswan, Egypt

If you’re traveling to Aswan, these are some of the things you can do while there:

Visit a Nubian village

While in Aswan, I took a tour of the nearby Nubian village. I even got to go inside a local family’s house and see their pet alligators straight from the Nile, and learn more about their traditions. The village and homes are extremely colorful and vibrant! I also learned that they are not bound by Egyptian government law.

Nubians are a Nilo-Saharan ethnic group indigenous to the region of Northern Sudan and Southern Egypt. They originate from the early inhabitants of the central Nile Valley, one of the earliest cradles of civilization. The Nubian people have their own culture, traditions, and language. For example, it’s common for the newlyweds to bathe in the Nile River on their wedding night for good fortune and children.

Take it easy at the Aswan Botanical Garden

The Aswan Botanical Garden is home to thousands of birds and many exotic plants from different parts of the world like Far East India and Africa. It’s a tranquil place, worth seeing! Plus… I also got a henna tattoo!

Explore a waterfront city park in Aswan

This was the first and only place in my trip through Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan where no one harassed me. Not a single person. I could sit quietly by myself and reflect, and no one said anything to me. What’s more, I also got a Ramadan gift from some little girls and their preschool. When I tried to give them some money as a donation, they refused and said Happy Ramadan!

Take the public ferry to Elephantine Island

This was the only shop I found in all of my travels to that point in Egypt (the one on Elephantine Island right after getting off the ferry) where the prices were reasonable and no one hassled me. Of course, I bought quite a few souvenirs. What a pleasant experience, and unlike all of my other Egypt shopping experiences!

Meeting old friends and making new friends

Another awesome thing was meeting up with my friend Reynier and the Under30Experiences group who happened to be passing through Aswan! This is a travel company I worked for over many years and made some great connections within the community. It was great to meet up with some of my online friends in person for the first time and hear about their adventures in Egypt.

Aswan was a nice relief from the chaos of Cairo and the influx of tourism in Luxor. It was a nice chance to catch my breath before continuing onwards with my travels.

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