St. Simeon Monastery Tour in Aswan

3 Hours Round trip from Pickup service provided in Aswan. Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Ride a camel to St. Simeon Monastery on Elephantine Island
  • 02 Explore a fortress-like 7th-century monastery with a guide
  • 03 Cross the Nile by motor boat as part of the journey
  • 04 Learn the history of Anba Hatre and the monastery site
  • 05 Enjoy hotel or port pickup and drop-off in Aswan
  • 06 Stay refreshed with bottled water on demand

Discover one of Aswan’s most atmospheric historic sites on this guided visit to St. Simeon Monastery. Cross the Nile, ride a camel to the southern tip of Elephantine Island, and explore the remains of this fortress-like 7th-century monastery with insights from your guide.

Along the way, learn about the monastery’s religious history, its connection to early Christian life in the region, and the stories preserved within its walls. With round-trip pickup included and bottled water provided, this short tour offers an easy and memorable way to experience a remarkable monument near Aswan.

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 3 Hours
Tour type Private
Activity level Easy
Accommodation Included
Transport Included
Wheelchair access No
City Aswan
Languages English, French, Spanish

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Overview Negotiating with camel drivers is a real Egypt low point—and the visitor never wins. Enjoy all the fun of a bumpy, humpy ride with none of the haggling as you steer your steed to St. Simeon Monastery, a fortress-like 7th-century monastery on Elephantine Island. Your guide will collect you from your hotel or port, accompany you on the ferry, help with your camel, and show you the ruins. Ride a camel from the boat landing to the southern tip of Elephantine Island Explore 7th-century St. Simeon Monastery with a guide Beat the heat with bottled water on demand Take it easy with door-to-door round-trip transfers

What To Expect Itinerary This is a typical itinerary for this product Stop At: Monastery of St. Simeon, Aswan, Aswan Governorate, Nile River Valley Today you will join to a camel ride to the southern tip of Elephantine Island where you will find St Simeon's Monastery, an ancient, abandoned fortress monastery mostly built during the 7th century and located near Aswan. The monastery was given the name St Simeon by archaeologists and travelers, but earlier Arabic and Coptic sources called it Anba Hatre (Hidra, Hadri, Hadra), after an anchorite who was consecrated a bishop of Syene (now Aswan) by Patriarch Theophilus (385-412 AD). Anba Hatre married at the age of eighteen. Tradition says that just after the wedding, he encountered a funeral procession which inspired him to preserve his chastity and later become a disciple of Saint Baiman. After eight years of ascetic practices under the supervision of his teacher, he retired to the desert and applied himself to the study of the life of Saint Antony. He died during the time of Theodosius I.

Departure & Return Departure Point Tour departs from Aswan hotels or Port area Departure Time 8:30am (later departures are available until 3:00pm) Hotel pickups commence approximately 30 - 60 minutes prior to this time, exact pickup time will be advised on reconfirmation. Return Details Tour returns to original point of departure

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • Hotel/port pickup and drop-off
  • entry/Admission - Monastery of St. Simeon
  • Motor boat to cross the Nile
  • camel to the Monastery

What's Not Included

  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities

Know before you go

  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Not stroller accessible
  • Not suitable for pets
  • No public transportation nearby
  • Infants must not sit on laps
  • Infant seats unavailable
  • Not recommended for people with back problems
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Not recommended for people with heart conditions

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Pickup service provided in Aswan.
Tour start
Pickup service provided in Aswan.
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 3 hours finish where they began, in Pickup service provided in Aswan..

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