Visiting In and Around Aswan

[Winged Isis]

Has anyone been in the last two years, or heard of places worth visiting, staying in, eating in, guides etc.? I know of and have been to a good number, but am interested in fairly recent, and preferably first-hand accounts, please, but am happy to hear of what you have heard from others. If you have been to a pharaonic site, even more than two years ago, I'm interested as well, especially if you can recommend particular features of interest. In particular, can anyone recommend accommodation at Abu Simbel? It's so long since I did (pre revolutions) it will be very different. For a start, there were no Nubian-style places in existence, only the two government hotels.

[carrie]

Been to Aswan many times and usually stayed on the east bank but the last 2 times stayed on the west at the Nubian House Hotel. It's only small with small, simple but very clean rooms. No TV. The food is excellent and the setting delightful. If you want a quiet hotel overlooking the Nile with the dunes and mountains behind, you couldn't do better. The sky at night was beautiful, the lack of light pollution made you feel you could almost touch the stars.
Last year visited again, Elephantine Island, the museum and the sculpture park near the Basma Hotel. Nothing new there much the same as every other time I have been to see them. Well worth a return visit though. I have always loved Aswan but found the hassle there had increased so that walking round the east bank of Aswan was unpleasant and this coming from one who usually doesn't get hassled any where.
Not been to Abu Simbal for a few years so no use commenting on that.

[Winged Isis]

Thanks carrie. I've just been reading your two posts on this trip, having just remembered you'd been fairly recently. Can you recommend any good restaurants and cafés?
I've been looking at your accommodation again and other Nubian places. There seems to have been a general overhaul of them, compared to when we were there last, and a number of new ones.

[carrie]

We ate at the hotel one night WI, we only stayed two nights the other we went to another hotel and I can't for the life of me remember the name but it wasn't very far from where we were staying that was good too. I first stayed on the west bank about 4 years ago and then again last year, certainly a lot more development there last time than the first. Friends are there at the moment so when they come back I will ask them where they stayed and ate and let you know.