Luxor And Aswan

Once ancient Thebes, the City of a Hundred Gates has aged with impeccable grace. The recent discovery of a tomb containing seven sarcophagi at Luxor's Valley of the Kings, the first of its kind in about 80 years, has already boosted the city's tourism numbers — as if tourists needed another excuse to visit one of the world's most archaeologically significant locales.

Start with a visit to the awe-inspiring Karnak temple. Once upon a Pharaonic time, everyone was allowed to stand in the first of its three courtyards, while only the nobles were granted access to the second, and the third and most sacred was solely reserved for the High Priest and the Pharaoh. Attend the daily multilingual sound and light show and learn the story of Thebes by the Sacred Lake.

The Luxor temple, which preserves the remains of a church on its grounds, also houses the mosque of Sufi Sheikh Yusuf Abu Al-Hajjaj. Other perennial tourist favorites include the temple of Hatshepsut and the grand tombs in the Valley of the Nobles, the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens — all well worth the visit. Touring the antiquities is lots of fun, but expect to walk a lot and stand even more.

On the east bank of the Nile, Sheraton Luxor Resort's ideal location makes it the perfect place to stay if you want to explore Luxor's treasures. Get up super early to avoid the heat and head straight for the sights, all of which can easily be reached from the hotel. Nothing is better than a relaxing sunset dip in the pool after a day's arduous sightseeing.

On the West bank, Deir El-Medina (the Valley of Artisans) is where workers from the royal tombs lived, and the remains of the tomb decorations are still worth seeing. Other must-sees include the Ancient Egyptian art at the Luxor Museum, the Mummification Museum and the Ramasseum, where the remains of the ancient statue that inspired Shelley's poem "Ozymandias" can be seen; the head is at the British Museum. The Colossi of Memnon (the singing statues) — although they've gone mute post renovations — are still stunning. The movement of wind through cracks in the statues accounted for the eerie whistling that can no longer be heard.

But Luxor is not only about ancient monuments: hone your haggling skills on a serene sunset felucca ride along the banks of the Nile or a hantoor (carriage) ride into the heart of the city. Make sure to dine at a restaurant by the Nile, then hit the cafés for a shisha to end your night.

No trip to Luxor is complete without a dash to Aswan, which sits majestically along the banks of what many regard as the Nile at its most beautiful. Its forbidding summer heat makes it an ideal winter destination where you can spend your days walking along the Corniche or relaxing on a felucca ride at the end of a long day of sightseeing.

Start with Elephantine Island, which dates to the pre-dynastic period. So named because the boulders off its shore are said to resemble bathing elephants — and for the trade in ivory that continued there through 2600 BC — attractions include the Nilometer, used to measure the river's water levels. On the west bank, visit the Aga Khan Mausoleum, where the spiritual leader of the Ismaili sect is buried. The impressive pink granite structure was built in 1950 and it is said that, until she died in 2000, his widow placed a red rose on his tomb every day during her annual three-month stay in Aswan.

The mausoleum is not open to the public, but you can get a good view of it from Elephantine. Also check out the extensive Yebu ruins on the southern end of the island and the Nubian villages of Siou and Koti on the northern shore.

Nearby Kitchener's Island is a feast for the senses. This botanical garden filled with exotic plants and trees imported from all over the world was named after Lord Kitchener, who was given the island as a reward for his successful campaign in Sudan in the 1890s. Take a boat to reach it, but avoid going on Fridays when it is swarmed with picnicking crowds.

Two must-sees in the area: The Temple of Philae in Aswan and the Great Temple of Ramses II in Abu Simbel. The island of Philae housed the temple complex of Isis, which was disassembled and reconstructed by UNESCO between 1972 and 1980, moving 20 meters higher to the nearby Agilkia Island to save it from the swamps created by the High Dam (which happens to be a major tourist attraction itself). The temple can be reached by a short boat trip.

A trip to the Nubian Museum is a must; its displays include over 3,000 antiquities spanning from the Pharaonic and Roman, through to the Coptic and Islamic eras. look at the permanent display of sculptures from the Annual Aswan Sculpture Symposium, featuring works by both Egyptian and foreign artists. Also see the unfinished Obelisk at the ancient granite quarries. Folkloric dance troupes perform at the Aswan Cultural Palace (Corniche El-Nil).

Make certain you check out the Monastery of St. Simeon, built in the seventh century and one of the best-preserved original Christian strongholds (Deir Amba Samaan. The two-level fortress-like structure includes a church, shops, bakery and stunning views. Also worth a glimpse: more Pharaonic tombs than you can shake a stick at, including those of the Nobles, Mekhu & Sabni, Sarenput II Harkhuf, Pepinakht and Sarenpit I. The west bank tomb of local Sheikh Kubbet Al-Hawa offers stunning views.

Aswanis themselves are the highlights of a visit here. Mostly Nubians, they are as kind-hearted and hospitable as they come. The serene smiles of the little boat boys in their spotless white galabeyyas make you want to move permanently to this jewel of a city. It's a delight to haggle with vendors in one of the most engaging souqs outside of Cairo, and Aswan's market street overflows with colorful, tempting and aromatic spices. It is most famous for henna, karakade and sun-roasted peanuts

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