“A relaxing sanctuary on the other side of the Nile . . .”
Nubian Farm Aswan has its own vibe. If you want to escape everything and relax, this is the spot! It’s about a 20‑minute boat ride across the Nile, through reed‑lined channels. I was greeted by Sherief, who basically runs the place, cleans the rooms, maintains the grounds, and cooks simple, delicious meals. I booked a single room but was upgraded to the two‑room family suite, which had four comfortable beds, a kitchen area that isn’t yet equipped for use, and a large bathroom with both shower and tub. The grounds are lovely with plenty of shade trees—mostly citrus, mangoes, and flowering bushes. Tables and benches along the Nile edge let you enjoy the views while eating breakfast or dinner. I had both vegetarian and fish options on request. Mahrous is the owner and he’s very intent on making sure you’re comfortable and enjoying your stay. The word “farm” refers more to an agricultural farm, not so much animals, although there are some happy ducks that are well cared for, some goats, and yes, even four Nile crocodiles kept in a rather small enclosure. They look well fed. There’s a wonderful group of friendly dogs that roam around the place. Unfortunately, they aren’t given much attention and all of them are really underweight. If you visit, consider bringing some meat for them. I bought a couple of pounds of beef and they obviously devoured it gratefully! The lodge is about a 40‑minute walk north of the Nubian village, a pleasant walk behind some properties and along the Nile. You can also climb the dunes right by the lodge for great sunrises and sunsets. Mohammed owns a felucca and will take you out on the river, on request. Mahrous and Sherief can shuttle you to Aswan or to one of the islands on a small motorboat. Be aware that you’re getting away from the hustle and bustle of Aswan and Egypt if you come here. You need to arrange pickup in Aswan, and whenever you want to travel back or visit one of the islands, Mahrous or Sherief will gladly transport you on their small motorboat. Any excursions you want to take are easily arranged ahead of time. Food needs to be arranged ahead of time as well. I never used the internet, so I’m not sure how well it worked. There was a morning when I was pretty much left to myself; no one was around to check if I needed anything, a drink, breakfast, etc. I had made arrangements the night before to go on an excursion in the morning to Seheyl Island, but had to wait until noon to go on it. However, it was the first day of Ramadan, so maybe that had something to do with it. For me, the main negative was the condition of the dogs. The ducks, goats, and crocodiles looked well cared for, but the dogs were half starving. As I mentioned above, I brought them some meat and spoke to Mahrous about it. Hopefully, he’ll start taking better care of them. Otherwise, Nubian Farm Aswan is an ideal place to relax and restore your energies. The guys, Mahrous, Mohammed, Sherief, and the others are very chill, friendly, and respectful. It was wonderful to connect with them, eating dinner or just having tea on the felucca, sharing life stories in the quiet of the night by the swift flowing stream of the Nile. I initially booked three nights but ended up staying six, and I could have stayed longer! It’s that sweet of a place…
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