Check out from the Dahabiya after breakfast.
Visit Philae temple and the Unfinished Obelisk and the High Dam.
Lunch. Visit Elephantine Island archeological site and the Nubian Village.
Felucca ride in the Nile River to view the following: The Nobles tombs – Agha Khan Mausoleum – the Plantation Island and the Old Cataract hotel.
The tour duration 7 – 8 hours
We take a boat to visit Philae, giving you a picturesque approach to the site. During the 1960s the monuments on this island were relocated from the original Philae island nearby so they would not be flooded because of the construction of the Aswan High Dam. Philae includes many structures, mostly dating to the Ptolemaic era (332–30 BC). The most prominent of these is a temple dedicated to Isis, begun by Ptolemy II Philadelphus. This temple was one of the last ancient Egyptian temples to remain active, until Emperor Justinian I (527–565 AD) ordered the closure of all non Christian temples. The temple was converted into a Christian church. There also is a temple dedicated to Hathor built by Ptolemy VI Philometor (180–145 BC) and emperor Augustus of Rome (30 BC–14 AD), and the elegant Kiosk of Trajan (98–117 AD).
We visit the Unfinished Obelisk. Obelisks are four-sided, tapered monuments which were called tekhenu by the Ancient Egyptians, the term obelisks comes from the Greek word obeliskos (diminutive of obelos – a spit). There is ongoing debate about who commissioned the obelisk. It is estimated that the unfinished obelisk would have measured 42 meters and weighed 1200 tons, which would have made it the largest obelisk constructed by the ancient Egyptians.
Visit the High Dam and enjoy views of the Old Aswan Dam and the Nubian Lake (Lake Nasser). Seeing the High Dam and lake adds to your understanding of how the changing flow of the Nile has influenced Egyptian history. The dam was built to control the flooding of the Nile, increase water storage for irrigation, and generate hydroelectricity. The plan spread some controversy because the dam would flood the lands of the Nubian people and cover remains of previous societies including several important ancient Egyptian temples. The large area flooded caused the relocation of more than 100,000 people. Many archeological sites were saved, but many others were submerged.
Lunch.
Visit Elephantine Island archeological site, one of the most unique sites in upper Egypt because here you can see across 4,000 years of Egypt’s history, from 3,000 BC until late Mediaeval times (12th to 14th centuries). Remains on the island range from prehistory, including the oldest temple in Egypt.
Visit the Nubian village . From about 7,000 BC, communities evolved from African Nile Valley civilisations to form the Nubian, Ancient Egyptian and Kushite civilizations. There are several Nubian communities near Daraw. Nubian civilization is one of the oldest in the Nile River valley. Nubians are a distinct ethno-linguistic group indigenous to southern Egypt and northern Sudan, but Nubians in Egypt who were displaced by the construction of the High Dam near Aswan now mostly live north of Lake Nasser. Although Nubians are historically and culturally distinct from other Egyptians, they have long been interconnected with Egypt. While many Egyptian pharaohs colonized Nubia at various times, Nubian pharaohs from the Kingdom of Kush ruled Ancient Egypt in the 7th Century BC.
The day ends with a felucca ride on the Nile River, a leisurely boat trip with views of the Nobles tombs, Agha Khan Mausoleum, Plantation Island and the Old Cataract hotel, which features in several movies and TV series.
