What to do in Aswan at a glance
The list is a selection, not a ranking. It leaves out the village visit itself, which has its own page on Gharb Soheil. Entries 1 to 4 are sights in and near the city. Entries 5 to 7 are on the water or on its banks. Entries 8 to 12 are temples, from Philae to Abu Simbel, some of them half-day or full-day trips.
Ticket prices are for foreign adults on the ministry pages in 2026 and can change. The list is not a confirmation that every site is open on your day, so check hours before you go. Luxor and Nile cruises are covered on a sister site, see the Luxor guide.
In and near the city (1 to 4)
Sights you can reach in a few hours from the city.
1. Walk the excavations on Elephantine
The archaeological site lies at the southern tip of the island. The ministry lists remains of houses and of sanctuaries of Khnum and Satet, a Nilometer and a neighboring museum with finds. Admission is EGP 200 for foreign adults and EGP 100 for students, daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The ticket is for the site, not for the whole inhabited island.
Elephantine guide →2. Visit the Nubian Museum
The museum shows the archaeological and cultural development of Nubia, traditions and crafts in dioramas and a reconstructed house in the garden. Admission is EGP 400 for foreign adults and EGP 200 for students. It opens daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the ticket office closing at 4 p.m. On Thursday and Friday there are also evening hours from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Nubian Museum guide →3. See the Unfinished Obelisk
The obelisk lies in its granite quarry, where it was abandoned because of cracks. The ministry suspects it was made for Hatshepsut and says it would have reached about 42 meters and 1,168 tons. Admission is EGP 220 for foreign adults and EGP 110 for students, daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Unfinished Obelisk guide →4. Look over the High Dam and Lake Nasser
The High Dam serves flood protection, water storage and power. Work began on 9 January 1960, the dam body was finished in July 1970 and the official inauguration was on 15 January 1971. The crest is 3,830 meters long and 111 meters above the riverbed. Check the current fee and opening hours before you go.
High Dam guide →Our picks: things to do
A village visit by boat, a felucca at sunset and the Philae show in the evening.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Philae Temple sound and light show
Hotel transfer, the boat to Agilkia island, an audio guide, water and entry fees are included. There is no personal guide, and tips are extra.
Check availability →
Nubian village half day by motorboat
An Egyptologist guide who speaks English and Arabic, transport and entry fees are included. Tips and personal expenses are extra.
Check availability →
Felucca sunset sail with tea and cakes
A local captain, tea, cakes, drinking water and safety equipment are included. Transfers are not, so you make your own way to the meeting point on the Corniche.
Check availability →Tours and day trips from Aswan
Philae, the High Dam, Abu Simbel, village visits and Nile trips, with live prices and availability.
On the Nile (5 to 7)
Boat-based stops and the banks they reach.
5. Sail on a felucca
One local operator lists a private 2-hour sunset sail for $35 for 1 to 4 guests and $40 for 5 to 8 guests. That is a price per group, not per person, and it is one operator's offer, not an official tariff. Getting to the pier is not included in the examples.
Felucca guide →6. Stop at Kitchener Island
The island is the botanical garden and appears as a stop on felucca day routes. Current entry fees, boat fees and opening hours should be confirmed before you plan the stop around it.
7. Pass the Tombs of the Nobles
The hillside tombs on the west bank are a possible felucca stop. Whether they are open on your day is something to check with your boatman or provider.
Temples and day trips (8 to 12)
From a boat ride to a full day on the road.
8. Go to Philae on Agilkia
The temple complex was moved to Agilkia island and is mostly Ptolemaic. The main sanctuary is for Isis, with a Hathor temple and Trajan's Kiosk nearby. Admission is EGP 550 for foreign adults and EGP 275 for students, daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. A separately listed temple panorama costs EGP 200 for foreign adults and is not part of the basic ticket. The boat is a separate cost.
Philae guide →9. Watch the Philae sound and light show
The evening show costs $20 for adults and $11 for children aged 6 to 12 on the operator's page. The operator's page shows start times of 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. in one version and 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. in another, so check the current schedule before you book. The boat transfer is calculated separately.
Tickets and boats →10. Visit Kom Ombo and the Crocodile Museum
The temple is a double sanctuary for Sobek and for Haroeris, the elder Horus. Admission including the Crocodile Museum is EGP 450 for foreign adults and EGP 225 for students. The museum lists daily hours from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the ticket office closing at 8 p.m.
Kom Ombo guide →11. Add Edfu as a separate trip
The Horus temple stands on the west bank and was built between 237 and 57 BC. It is not part of Kom Ombo. Admission is EGP 550 for foreign adults. The ministry lists 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday and Wednesday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on other days.
Kom Ombo and Edfu →12. Take the day trip to Abu Simbel
The Great Temple of Ramesses II and the small temple for Nefertari and Hathor were moved to save them from the reservoir. The ministry lists EGP 750 for a standard foreign adult ticket and the ticket portal EGP 822. Both appear online, so check the amount when you buy. One operator plans about 3 hours each way by road.
Abu Simbel guide →Tickets and hours compared
Foreign adult and student prices on the ministry pages in 2026.
| Place | Adult | Student | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elephantine site | EGP 200 | EGP 100 | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Nubian Museum | EGP 400 | EGP 200 | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday also 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Unfinished Obelisk | EGP 220 | EGP 110 | 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Philae | EGP 550 | EGP 275 | 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Kom Ombo with museum | EGP 450 | EGP 225 | Museum 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Edfu | EGP 550 | EGP 275 | 6 or 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Abu Simbel | EGP 750 | EGP 375 | 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| High Dam | – | – | – |
The ticket portal lists EGP 822 for Abu Simbel and EGP 445.50 for students. On the Abu Simbel sun festival days, 22 February and 22 October, the ministry lists EGP 1,200 for foreign adults. For the dam, check the current fee on the spot. Details are on the pages for Philae, Abu Simbel and tours.
Things to do in Aswan: frequently asked questions
Is this list a ranking?
No. It is an editorial selection of twelve ideas. The order follows geography and the kind of trip, not quality.
Can I combine Kom Ombo and Edfu on one ticket?
No combined ticket is listed. Edfu is a separate trip with its own admission of EGP 550 for foreign adults. See Kom Ombo and Edfu.
Can I swim in the Nile?
The German Foreign Office advises against bathing in fresh water because of schistosomiasis (status 21 October 2026). That is a health recommendation, not a documented local ban, but it is a good reason to stay out of the water.
Which sights are far from the city?
Abu Simbel is the longest trip, with about 3 hours each way by road in one operator's example. Kom Ombo and Edfu are separate trips north of Aswan. Philae, the Unfinished Obelisk and the High Dam are the usual sights close to the city. See tours compared.
Where do I find the Nubian villages?
Gharb Soheil is on the west bank, and Koti and Siou are villages on Elephantine. Both have their own pages: Gharb Soheil and Elephantine.