Consult Horus for the weather in Aswan
Climate: in southern Egypt is a desert climate. Summers are hot, the daytime temperatures can sometimes reach 50 degrees Celcius or more! In winter it is to our understanding summer, during the day then between 20 and 30 degrees. In the evenings it pretty cool. The months of April and October are transitional months between the two seasons. Aswan is one of the driest cities in the world, it rains practically never!
Clothing: recommended is clothing made of natural materials such as cotton and linen. In winter a thick sweater or something necessary. For women too bare clothing is considered inappropriate. So t-shirts or blouses with at least short sleeves and wide skirts or pants that cover your knees are recommended. Also for men too bare clothing is considered inappropriate.
Please note that in the heat adequate head covering can be necessary and don't forget a good sunscreen!
Travel pharmacy: is always useful to take, which includes paracetamol, plasters, betadine, insect repellent, a sunscreen with a high protection, medicine for diarrhea, etc.
Tips: it is very common in Egypt to give a tip for services rendered. Most people have little income so some extra can really make the difference. As a guideline would 10% of the received amount paid may be reasonable.
Safety: It can be restless in some parts of Egypt. Please check the travel advise of your Foreign Affairs Ministery.
In the south - Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and also the Red Sea area (with the exception of the Sinai) life is more quiet and safe and the number of tourists is therefore growing again.
Since tourism is a major source of income, the Egyptian government is keen to ensure the safety of tourists.
Practical information:
After several hours of travel you are suddenly there. Far away from the familiar life, in the middle of another culture where many things are different from the usual. Everything looks different, it smells different, it's different, time has another dimension. Let yourself be drawn into that unknown and enjoy. In short: "nubia experience".
Practical tips for preparing a trip:
Culture: you will get to know other cultures, Arabic and Nubian. This means different customs, different values, a different religion. You will discover that in this culture throughout other things are important than in ours. Our western abundance towards life with scarcity can be confronting, but also very enriching and inspiring, if you can meet this other world with an open mind. And it requires some adjustment in clothing, dealing with people, respect for prayer, etc.
