Elephantine Island

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Grand Egyptian Adventure This tour starts with visits to the Pyramids & Sphinx in Gisa. In Aswan, enjoy a peaceful felucca sailboat or luxury Nile cruise to Luxor, where we tour the temples & tombs on both sides of the river. Finish with time by the beach in Dahab. 15 days, from £430 (Group tour). Egypt Uncovered »

An island in the middle of the River Nile, Elephantine is filled with ancient relics and ruins from its storied past. At one time, Elephantine was a very busy trading spot for ivory, which could be how the island got its name. Today, you can still come to the island and explore whats left of thousands of years of history- beginning in the Early Dynastic Period through the Romans and into the present day. The best structure that has survived is the temple of the creator-god Khnum. The large granite gateway is the only thing that is entirely intact but it has an arching presence over all the unidentifiable ruins that remain behind it. German archaeologists have been excavating and testing these ruins for a hundred years, but for the most part have had no luck. The Aswan Museum, found at the entrance of the island, has some interesting facts and relics, dating back to the Predynastic times.

1 / 5 Review by contributing editor Mary Kate Alfieri

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