Egypt Cruise and Stay Guide – Part 3 – Cruise Visit to Aswan

When taking a cruise in Egypt, one of the must-see cities is Aswan. It is the third largest city in Egypt and it can be considered as a melting pot of cultures. Aswan is located south of Cairo and it is easily accessible by people coming in from Arabia, sub-Sahara, and North Africa. This is why Aswan also obtained the name “Gateway to Africa.” Aswan can be reached by boarding a ship that cruises the Nile River. But if a visitor wants to go directly to Aswan, he can get in through the city’s international airport, which has regular flights coming in from several places in Europe.

If the visitor is coming from Cairo, Aswan can be reached by train. Of course, depending on preference and budget, there are different kinds of train to choose from. Aswan usually has a warm climate and visitors must also take this into account when packing their clothes. Once in Aswan, the major tourism sites to visit are the High Dam, the Lake Nasser, and the Elephantine Island.

The High Dam, which is near the border of Sudan, is considered as one of the greatest engineering feats in history. It was built to control the flow of the Nile River, especially during the season where the river overflows and dumps millions of tons of water into the plain agricultural lands. This High Dam, however, was not the first dam to be built and used to control the annual flooding of the Nile River. The first one was erected in 1889 but it proved to be too low. It was elevated in 1912 and 1933 but the height and strength are still insufficient. Thus in 1952, the government of Egypt focused on the construction of the High Dam.

Visiting Aswan’s High Dam will lead to the Lake Nasser. The Lake Nasser is a result of the construction of the High Dam. It is a reservoir which supplies water to farms via irrigation. On the lake itself, an abundant aquatic life thrives. The Lake Nasser contributes to the fishing industry of Egypt. And still another function of the High Dam is to provide hydroelectric power. The Egyptian government projects that by 2010, the electricity generated by the Aswan High Dam will reach 26 gigawatts.

And finally, near Aswan, the visitor can view the Elephantine Island. The Elephantine Island is located in the eastern bank of the River Nile. Its importance is related to the history of Egypt because this is the island where the first Egyptians settled. This is also where the Egyptians first encountered the elephant and began the ivory trade.

It may also be a good idea to spend the night in Aswan and see this city under the stars. There several hotels that a tourist can stay in, ranging from five-star hotels (such as Sofitel at the Abtal El Tahrir Street) to three-star ones (such as Cleopatra Hotel at Saad Zagloul Street). The rates of hotels can be as low as $20 to as high as $200.