Aswan’s Kitchener’s Island is a popular tourist destination.

The beautiful and peaceful Island of Lord Kitchener is across the Nile from Aswan, past the Cataract Islands, and in the middle of the Nile. All of these places are near Aswan.

In the spring and summer, many people like to spend a few hours relaxing in a lush setting with cafés and views of the Nile. This trip is a great chance to do just that. This trip is best made in the spring and summer when the weather is more excellent.

 

Location:

You must drive from Luxor City to Aswan for three hours and take a small boat called a Felucca from the Corniche in Aswan. It will take about an hour and fifteen minutes to fly from Cairo to Aswan.

 

History:

Aswan is the most southern city in Egypt. Just off its coast is Kitchener’s Island, often called the “Island of Plants” (Geziret an-Nabatat). It is a popular tourist spot because it is near the Nile.

Consul-General Kitchener was given a chance to use the island to pursue his love of exotic plants as a reward for his work in Sudan. He went as far as India and Malaysia to get bushes and seeds to plant so that his collection of rare plants and flowers would last.

This beautiful place is a great place to spend the day relaxing (except on Fridays) and is a great place to see a wide range of bird species.

From the west side of the Elephantine peninsula, you can take a felucca or paddle your boat to get to the island. Both of these places can be reached by water.

When seen from a Felucca, the narrow channel between Elephantine and Amun island seems to be at its most beautiful.

If you don’t have a boat, the young men who hang out in the nearby coves would be happy to take you out on the water and show you around any of the islands or the West Bank as long as you don’t already have a boat of your own.