THE GREAT TEMPLE AT ABU SIMBEL
SOFITEL LEGEND OLD CATARACT
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DELICIOUS VIEWS , SOFITEL LEGEND OLD CATARACT
3 DAYS
ASWAN
STAY Take a late-morning or early afternoon flight from Cairo to Aswan . Transfer to the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract , one of the world ’ s great historic hotels . Its view of Elephantine Island , the neighboring archipelago and the west bank of the Nile , is stupendous . Ideally , reserve a Nile-view suite in the original palace wing . Spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying the grounds , the splendid infinity pool and the sunset-view terrace .
EXPLORE Visit sites in Aswan that you won ’ t see as part of your incipient cruise . The Travel Office or the Sofitel ’ s concierge can arrange for a private motorboat and guide to take you across the river to the Tombs of the Nobles , some of which date as far back as the Old Kingdom ( circa 2700 to 2200 B . C .). Their interiors retain sections of original decoration , and the path among their entrances offers panoramic views . Continue upriver to the seventh-century Monastery of St . Simeon . Your guide can arrange for you to ride camels to reach the ruins , which are about a mile uphill from the Nile in the rocky sands of the Sahara ( it ’ s also possible just to walk ). Explore the mud-walled monastery , including the ruins of a frescoed church and cells where Muslim guests and monks en route to Mecca slept .
Make an excursion to Abu Simbel in the far south of Egypt . Although it took three hours one way , we prefer traveling by road and avoiding the hassles of the airport . Abu Simbel , home to two magnificent temples hewn from mountains , merits the effort required to reach it . The Great Temple of Ramses II is iconic , and seeing it is all the more astonishing knowing that it was cut to pieces and moved uphill to save it from the rising waters of Lake Nasser . Return to Aswan after exploring the temples .
UNLIMITED TRAVEL PLANNING TEL . 1 ( 800 ) 375-4685
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