A short list of the words you will hear from guides, on tour pages and on a Nile cruise, explained plainly.
Abu Simbel · Agilkia Island · Cartouche · Downstream and upstream · Esna Lock · Felucca · High Dam · Nubia · Philae Temple · Ptolemaic period · Pylon · Unfinished Obelisk · Private tour · DMC
Two rock-cut temples built for Ramesses II in southern Egypt, near the Sudanese border. They were moved to higher ground in the 1960s to save them from the rising waters of the High Dam's reservoir. See our Abu Simbel tour.
The island in the Nile at Aswan where Philae Temple stands today, after the temple complex was relocated from its original island.
An oval ring that encloses a royal name written in hieroglyphs.
The Nile flows north, so travelling from Aswan to Luxor is downstream (with the current) and from Luxor to Aswan is upstream (against it). See 3 vs 4 nights on the Nile.
A lock on the Nile at Esna that Nile cruise ships pass through between Luxor and Aswan.
A traditional wooden sailboat with a triangular sail, used on the Nile for centuries. See our felucca and Nubian village tour.
The Aswan High Dam, built across the Nile in the 1960s. The reservoir behind it is Lake Nasser. It is one of the three landmarks on our Philae, High Dam and Unfinished Obelisk tour.
The region along the Nile in southern Egypt and northern Sudan, home to the Nubian people and their distinctive culture, music and colourful houses.
A temple dedicated to the goddess Isis, moved to Agilkia Island in the 20th century. See our Philae Temple tour.
The era of Egyptian history ruled by the Ptolemaic dynasty, founded by Ptolemy I after the death of Alexander the Great. Kom Ombo and Edfu temples date from this period.
The massive sloping gateway at the entrance of an Egyptian temple, usually built as a pair of towers.
A giant obelisk left in the granite quarries of Aswan after it cracked during carving. Had it been completed, it would have been the largest obelisk ever carved.
A tour that runs for your group only, in your own vehicle. All Seven Tours experiences in Aswan are private. See Private Aswan Tours.
Destination management company: a local company that plans and runs tours, transfers and services for travellers visiting its country. Seven Tours Egypt is a family-owned DMC founded in 1981.
Written by the team at Seven Tours Egypt, a family-owned Category A travel agency founded in 1981 and based in Aswan. Read our editorial policy.
