Aswan is located on the eastern bank of the Nile, about 900 km south of Cairo. Aswan is an important commercial city as it borders Egypt with Sudan and, therefore, is the gate to the African continent. 
 

Elephantine Island : This island lies across from the Cataract Hotel. Its chief characteristic is that it is shaped like a ram's head. Touring the island before visiting its monuments and museum is optional.	Elephantine Island
The Unfinished Obelisk : The Obelisk was a sacred symbol of the cult of the sun. The unfinished obelisk is about 41 metres long and 4 metres wide at the base. It lies in its original place in a Granite Quarry in Aswan. It shows the ancient techniques of cutting obelisks out of huge pieces of rocks. If it were completed, it would habve been the heaviest obelisk in Ancient Egypt, weighing about 100 tons. It is thought to have belonged to Queen Hatshepsut.	The Unfinished Obelisk
High Dam: The High Dam was built in the middle of the 20th century in order to safeguard Egypt against the high Nile floods. It is about 110 meters above sea-level and about 3,600 metres long.	The High Dam
Philae Temple: South of the city of Aswan lies the beautiful temple complex of Philae. Its main temple was dedicated to the goddess Isis and its construction was undertaken during the third century B.C. In 1960's, the island of Philae and its temples were submerged beneath the backed-up flood waters of the Nile dur to the construction of the High Dam. The Dam was progressively raised in the following decades, but the final nail in the coffin for the island of Philae came with the construction of the Aswan High Dam. Fortunately, Philae was saved from drowning. In 1977, a coffer dam was constructed around the temples and the water was pumped out. Then the temples were carefully dismantled with every block assigned a number and its position noted. A nearby higher island called Agilkai was modified to resemble Philae and the temples were resembled. In 1980, Philae was once again opened to the public.	The Temple of Philae
The Temple of Kom-Ombo : This temple was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and is 45 kms north of Aswan. Located on the east bank, Kom Ombo consists of a double temple built during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Despite being badly damaged, the temple is a beautiful sight as one approaches from either direction on the river, particularly as sunset nears and the colours change	Temple of Kom-Ombo
The Temple of Edfu : Edfu was an important city in Upper Egypt, lying on the East bank of  the Nile, about 100 km south of Luxor. During the reign of the Old  Kingdom, Edfu (the capital of the second province in Upper Egypt ) enjoyed  enormous  prosperity.  Nowadays,  this  city  is known by its grand temple which was devoted to the worship of the Falcon god of  the heavens "Horus". This  temple  is  considered  one  of  the most important religious monuments in  Egypt.  During the reign of King Ptolomy III (237 B.C. ),  the  construction of  Edfu  temple  began and was finished in  57  B.C.  The temple is characterized by an enormous quantity of inscriptions also surrounded by covering its walls.	Temple of Edfu
Nubian Museum : The International Campaigns to save Nubia (1960-1980) resulted in the excavation and recording of hundreds of sites, the recovery of thousands of objects, and the salvage and translocation of a number of important temples to higher ground. Due to the quantities of material recovered from tombs, temples and settlements, UNESCO was encouraged to assist the Egyptian Authorities in the planning of a Nubian museum in Aswan where the objects could be stored, conserved, studied and exhibited as close as possible to their principal places of origin. he Nubia Museum opened its doors in November 1997. (Optional Tour)	The Nubian Museum
Nubian Village: Historically Nubia extended from Dongola, in northern Sudan, up the Nile to Aswan in southern Egypt. Today Nubians are concentrated in three cities: Kom Ombo in Southern Egypt, and Wadi Halfa and Khashm el-Girba in Sudan. Nubians have a proud and rich heritage. They existed long before the pharaohs, and in 580 AD, Christianity became the official religion of Nubia. Eight years after the death of Mohammed in 632 AD, Arab conquerors carried Islam into Egypt. Over the next two years, Muslim Arabs invaded Nubia.  Nubians are a non-Arab Muslim people who once lived in the historic region of Nubia. They have dark skin and are visibly distinct from their Egyptian neighbors. Today, Nubians belong to two major societies, the Kenuzi and the Fedidja.	Nubian House
While in Aswan, tourists have a chance to visit the nearby Nubian villages, meeting the local people, enjoying the local delicacies, and getting acquainted with their culture while being a guest at their homes. (Optional Tour)