Discovery Tours Egypt
Day TourAswan

Elephantine Island & Aswan Botanical Garden by Private Motorboat

4 hours, your own motorboat and Egyptologist, tickets included, pick-up from your Aswan hotel or boat at 08:30.

The short answer

A 4-hour private motorboat tour at Aswan: Elephantine Island ruins and Nilometer, the Nubian villages of Siou and Koti, the Botanical Garden on Kitchener's Island, and a ride past the Aga Khan Mausoleum, with an Egyptologist and tickets.
  • New
  • Private

Snapshot

Good to know

Destinations
Aswan · Elephantine Island · Aswan Botanical Garden · Nile River
Includes
Private pick-up and drop-off at your Aswan hotel or cruise boat · Private motorboat with a boatman · Private Egyptologist guide who speaks English · Entrance tickets for the Elephantine Island ruins and the Botanical Garden · Bottled water
Guide languages
English

Best time to go

October to April is mild and pleasant on the water. In summer the morning start avoids the worst heat.

  • Arranged by our Aswan office, part of an Egyptian tour operator working since 1988
  • Travel licence ETAA 718 (Category A); IATA accredited agent

02Overview

A first look

This is a private 4-hour half day on the Nile at Aswan. A driver and guide collect you at 08:30 and take you to the corniche, where your own motorboat is waiting. You cross to Elephantine Island to see the ruins of the temple of Khnum and the Nilometer, then walk through the colorful Nubian villages of Siou and Koti. After that you visit the Botanical Garden on Kitchener's Island and ride past the Aga Khan Mausoleum and the rocks of the First Cataract. The pace is easy, and the boat keeps you cool. You are back at your hotel or boat at about 12:30.

Background

The facts

Elephantine Island and Kitchener's Island lie in the Nile at Aswan, a short motorboat ride from the corniche, near the rocks of the First Cataract.

Named in this entry

Aswan·Elephantine Island·Nilometer·Siou·Kitchener's Island·Aga Khan Mausoleum

Suited to

Is this for you?

Yes, if

  • Travelers who want a calm morning on the Nile with culture and gardens.

Maybe not, if

  • Not for anyone who cannot manage boat steps and uneven paths.

What lingers

  • 01A private motorboat with a boatman and an English-speaking Egyptologist
  • 02The ruins of the temple of Khnum and the Nilometer on Elephantine Island
  • 03A walk through the Nubian villages of Siou and Koti
  • 04The Botanical Garden on Kitchener's Island
  • 05A boat ride past the Aga Khan Mausoleum and the First Cataract rocks

Honest assessment

Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.

Highlights

  • Private boat and guide
  • Easy pace and shady garden
  • Tickets included

Things to Consider

  • Lunch is not included
  • Aga Khan Mausoleum is a view only

Stop by stop

Detailed itinerary

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  5. 5

  6. 6

The fine print

What's included – and what isn't

Included

  • Private pick-up and drop-off at your Aswan hotel or cruise boat
  • Private motorboat with a boatman
  • Private Egyptologist guide who speaks English
  • Entrance tickets for the Elephantine Island ruins and the Botanical Garden
  • Bottled water

Not included

  • Gratuities
  • Lunch
  • Personal expenses
  • Entry to the Aga Khan Mausoleum (closed to visitors)

Field notes

From our Egyptologists

  1. 01

    Bring small notes for crafts in the villages

  2. 02

    Ask your guide about the Nilometer

Before you go

What to pack & wear

Children & families

This is a private trip, so children's prices are set from the ages you enter in your request. There is no minimum age. The boat ride and the garden suit children well, and life jackets are available on request.

Indicative rates only – pricing and departure fluctuate. Please enquire for live rates on your specific dates.

On the ground

Where it is

Aswan

Asked & answered

Frequent questions

  1. 01How is this private trip priced?
    The price is per person and goes down as your group gets bigger, because the boat, driver and guide are shared among you. It covers the transfers, the motorboat, the Egyptologist and the entrance tickets. Children's prices are set from the ages you give in your request. Prices are provisional until our team confirms.
  2. 02Can we go inside the Aga Khan Mausoleum?
    No. The mausoleum is closed to visitors, so you see it from the boat. It sits on the west bank and looks best from the water.
  3. 03Do we need to swim?
    No. The trip stays on the river and the islands, and no swimming is involved. Non-swimmers are welcome.
  4. 04What should we wear and bring?
    Wear light clothes covering shoulders and knees for the villages, and comfortable walking shoes. Bring a hat, sunscreen and cash for tips and small crafts.
  5. 05What is the cancellation policy?
    A cancellation made three days or more ahead is paid back in full. One made inside three days but outside 24 hours is paid back by half. A later one, or a missed pick-up, is not refunded. Tell us early about any change.
  6. 06Is this trip private, or will others join us?
    It is private. Only your own party travels on the boat, and the Egyptologist guides only you. The maximum party size is 8.

If plans change

Cancellation and refunds

If you cancel, your refund depends on how early you tell us and on the type of trip. Read our current cancellation and refund policy

Continue reading

From the archives

Last updated Product ID: EXC-ASW-093388

At a glance

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