Rare plants
From around the world.
Olaf Tausch — CC BY 3.0 · Jocelyn Erskine-Kellie from London, UK — CC BY 2.0 · Olaf Tausch — CC BY 3.0 · Karelj — Public domain · Chabe01 — CC BY-SA 4.0
A small, oval island in the Nile west of Elephantine that has become a lush botanical garden, known as Kitchener's Island after the British commander Lord Kitchener, who owned it while Consul-General in Egypt between 1911 and 1914 and brought rare plants to it from around the world. You wander shaded paths between palms, fig trees, tropical trees and flower beds, with the calls of the birds that nest there, and from its edges look out over the Nile, sailing boats and the sand hills of the west bank. It is a quiet place to rest from Aswan's heat and the temple crowds, and entry is a token fee of about fifty to a hundred Egyptian pounds for foreigners according to guides; it opens from eight in the morning to five. Reach it by felucca or motorboat from the Corniche; it usually features on a felucca tour of the islands with a Nubian village and the Tombs of the Nobles.
From around the world.
Relief from Aswan's heat.
Among islands and boats.
Botanical Island (Kitchener's Island) in the Nile, west of Elephantine
Elephantine IslandA large island in the Nile opposite the Aswan Corniche, from the dawn of history13 minutes walk
Tombs of the Nobles (Qubbet el-Hawa)Tombs cut into a hill on the west bank of the Nile opposite Aswan, where the reg13 minutes walk
Monastery of St SimeonOne of the largest and best-preserved ancient Coptic monasteries in Egypt, stand14 minutes walk
Nubian MuseumA museum devoted to the heritage, history and culture of Nubia, opened in 1997 a20 minutes walkBy felucca or motorboat from the Corniche; the best way is an afternoon felucca tour combining it with Elephantine and a Nubian village.