Aswan tour: San Simon Monastery and Tombs by boat

Visit two millennia of history without arranging the boat, the camels, or the logistics

A private tour of Aswan's West Bank combines a motor boat ride to the Tombs of the Nobles (where you visit three rock-cut tombs from the Pharaonic and Greek eras) with a camel ride to the Monastery of San Simon, a 5th-century structure abandoned in the 12th century. Your French-speaking Egyptologist guide picks you up at your hotel, handles all entry tickets, and returns you by boat. The camels are reserved in advance. The tour runs about four and a half hours and suits travelers with moderate fitness.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Tombs and San Simon Monastery

• Pick up at hotel reception
• Travel by private motor boat to La Rive Ouest
• Visit 3 Tombs of the Nobles
• Ride camels to San Simon Monastery
• Explore San Simon Monastery
• Return to hotel by boat

The experience

How do you get to the West Bank without a rental car or a guide you've never met? Your guide collects you at your hotel reception in the morning and takes you by private motor boat across the Nile to La Rive Ouest. The boat itself is the first piece of the logistics handled: no negotiating with a boatman at the dock, no waiting for a shared departure. You arrive at the Tombs of the Nobles, a mountain site containing 42 tombs dug into the rock, most from the Pharaonic era and a few from the Greek period. The entrance ticket covers three tombs: Mekho and Sabini, Siranbout 1, and Siranbout 2.

The tombs sit at height, and the itinerary gives you a choice: climb the large staircase or hire a dromedary to carry you up. The rock itself is pale rose inside, and the walls hold scenes of daily and religious life. The color and the detail are what make the site worth the climb. A small Nubian village sits nearby, and the West Bank setting means the Nile is always in view. Once you've finished at the tombs, your camel is waiting. You ride it to the Monastery of San Simon, a 5th-century foundation that was abandoned in the 12th century and now stands as a ruin on the same West Bank plateau.

The guide is a French-speaking Egyptologist chosen for experience and knowledge of the sites, and the tour wraps with a return to your hotel by the same private boat. All entry tickets, the boat, the camels, and the guide's expertise are included. You bring only yourself and moderate fitness for the camel ride and the climb through the tombs.

What’s included

• A private motor boat ride to and from the West Bank.
• a French-speaking Egyptologist guide for the full tour.
• entry tickets to three tombs at the Tombs of the Nobles.
• a reserved dromedary for each person to ride from the tombs to the monastery.
• hotel pickup and return.

Information

Lasts 4h 30m, runs every day except Thursday and Friday, 5 start times, from US$ 86 per person, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day except Thursday and Friday5 departure times: 07:30, 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30Another day? ›

GroupPrivate

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 31 pickup points.

AgesAdult (12 to 70 years) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 5 years): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Voyage sur Le Nil

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based in Aswan and want a French-speaking guide to handle the boat and camel logistics between the Tombs of the Nobles and the Monastery of San Simon in one morning.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 5 years): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What are the three tombs I'll visit at the Tombs of the Nobles?

The three tombs included in your ticket are Mekho and Sabini, Siranbout 1, and Siranbout 2. They date from the Pharaonic and Greek eras and contain scenes of daily and religious life painted on the pale rose-colored rock walls inside.

Do I have to climb stairs to reach the tombs, or can I ride a camel instead?

A large staircase leads to the top of the site, but a dromedary is available if you prefer not to climb. The choice is yours once you arrive.

What is the Monastery of San Simon, and how do I get there from the tombs?

The Monastery of San Simon is a 5th-century structure that was abandoned in the 12th century and now stands as a ruin. You reach it by camel from the Tombs of the Nobles, riding across the West Bank plateau.

Is my hotel pickup included, and how long does the whole tour take?

Yes, your guide picks you up at your hotel reception and returns you there by private boat at the end. The tour runs approximately four and a half hours from start to finish.

What language does the guide speak?

Your guide is a French-speaking Egyptologist, so the tour is conducted in French.

Are tips for the guide and the camel handler included in the price?

Tips for your guide and the camel handler are optional and not included. You can choose to offer them at the end of the tour.