Tour Overview
This Aswan horse carriage ride takes you through the city in a hantour, the open horse-drawn carriage that is a familiar sight in the towns of Upper Egypt. We collect you from your hotel, Nile cruise or residence in Aswan, the carriage fee is already paid, and the outing includes an Egyptian lunch with tea or coffee, plus mineral water and soft drinks. A guide rides along with you. It shows you the everyday side of Egypt's great southern city at a horse's pace.
Tour Highlights
- Ride through Aswan in an open carriage, sitting high enough to look over the traffic at shopfronts, cafés and the daily comings and goings of a Nile city.
- Have a guide beside you to explain what you pass, from local customs to how Aswan grew from an ancient frontier and trading town.
- Stop for an Egyptian lunch with tea or coffee, included in the price together with mineral water and soft drinks through the outing.
- Leave the arranging to us: the carriage fee is covered, and you are collected from and returned to your hotel, cruise boat or residence in Aswan.
- Give yourself an easy break between temple days, with almost no walking, which suits families, older travelers and anyone low on energy.
Tour Route
Is a horse carriage ride in Aswan worth it?
It is worth it if you want to slow down and see how people in Aswan actually live. The city is far smaller and calmer than Cairo, which makes a carriage a comfortable way to take it in. With a guide, lunch and drinks included, it is a complete outing that asks very little of you.
Most visitors see Aswan only on the way between the dam, the temples and their boat. A carriage puts you in the ordinary flow of the city for a while, close enough to hear it, instead of watching it go by behind glass.
What will you see on the Aswan carriage ride?
The program is about the city's everyday life rather than a list of sites: streets, shops, cafés and the people of Aswan going about their day. No temple or museum visits are included. If there is a part of town you want to see, tell us when you book and we will let you know what is possible.
When is the best time for a carriage ride in Aswan?
Aswan is one of the hottest and driest places in Egypt, so the season matters. From October to April the weather is usually pleasant for an open-air ride. In the summer months, a ride in the cooler part of the day is far more comfortable. Whatever the month, come prepared:
- Sun: a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, since you sit in the open for most of the ride.
- Water: drinks are included, so keep sipping, especially in warm weather.
- Cash: small Egyptian pound notes for tips and any small purchases.
- Clothing: light, loose clothes that cover shoulders and knees are comfortable and respectful in town.
What if you are concerned about the carriage horse?
It is reasonable to want the horse pulling your carriage to be treated well. If anything about its condition worries you during the ride, such as signs of exhaustion, injury or rough handling, tell your guide and let us know as well. We take these reports seriously and will deal with it.
How does the carriage ride fit with other things to do in Aswan?
Because it is so light physically, the carriage ride fits well on your arrival day, on the day after a long trip to Abu Simbel, or into a free half day between bigger tours. It does not include monument visits or their entrance fees.
For the ancient sites, book the Aswan sightseeing tour of the High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk and Philae. To get out on the river, choose the felucca ride around Elephantine Island or the Nubian village tour by motorboat.
Tour Itinerary
An unhurried outing with no fixed list of monuments: pickup, the carriage ride through town, an Egyptian meal, and the trip back.
We collect you from your hotel, Nile cruise boat or the address where you are staying in Aswan and bring you to your carriage, where your guide joins you. Before setting off, mention anything you are curious about, such as markets, local food or family life, so the conversation follows your interests.
The carriage moves at a walking pace through the streets of Aswan, sharing the road with cars, motorbikes and people on foot. From the open seat you notice far more than from a car: open shop doors, men talking over tea in cafés, and the sounds and smells of a working southern city.
Aswan has been a border and trading town since the time of the pharaohs, when it was called Swenet and marked the edge of Egypt's southern frontier. Pink granite from its quarries went into temples, statues and obelisks across the country. Your guide connects what you see in the modern city with that long history.
Lunch is included, and so are tea or coffee, mineral water and soft drinks. Everyday food in Aswan is simple and filling: fresh bread, rice, stews of beans or vegetables and grilled meat. In the south many people also drink karkadeh, a deep red hibiscus tea served hot or cold, so look out for it.
When the ride is over, you are taken back to where you are staying. Pickup, the carriage fee, lunch, drinks and all service charges are already covered, so you only need some cash for tips and for anything you decide to buy along the way.
What's Included
What the tour price covers, and what to plan for separately.
Paid
★
Your
Own
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about this tour. For anything else, message us on WhatsApp — we reply fast.
We pick you up from your hotel, Nile cruise boat or the residence where you are staying in Aswan, and take you back to the same place afterward. Share the address or the name of your boat when you book, and we will confirm where you meet the carriage and your guide.
Pickup and drop-off, the carriage riding fee, one lunch meal, mineral water and soft drinks during the outing, and all service charges and taxes. Tips and anything outside the program are extra. Entrance tickets to monuments are not part of it, since the program does not include any ticketed site.
Prices are per person and depend on group size, from one traveler up to 16, with larger groups paying less each because the costs are split. Rates also shift a little by season. Tell us your group size and we will confirm the carriages. Prices start from {price} per person.
Usually, yes. You are seated almost the whole time and there is very little walking. The main effort is climbing up into the carriage, which has a fairly high step, so tell us in advance if anyone needs a hand. Young children are safest seated on the inside, away from the open side.
Yes. Avicon Travel is a Class "A" travel agency licensed by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism under License No. 1962 and registered since 2010. Our office and team are in Karnak, Luxor, so the guides, drivers and cars on this tour are our own local team, not a booking desk abroad.
