One of the best reasons to visit Aswan is to see the botanical gardens of Aswan. Travelers can sail on a local felucca boat or take a motor boat to the eastern bank of the Nile to reach this island. It is located opposite the city of Aswan and the elephantine island.
History of the Island:
The island is also called Kitchener Island because in 1899, Lord Kitchener during his military campaigns in Sudan made this island the headquarters for his army. It was then known as Lord's House.
Soon after he left the island, it was given back to the Ministry of Irrigation and was then known as the King's Island.
Since 1928, the Ministry of Irrigation has transformed the island to feature trees from the 5 continents.
How to Visit the Island:
The island has 3 entrances. The main entrance is located on the northern tip of the island; the entrance fee is 10 EGP. The best way to see the island, without lots of walking, is to enter the main entrance and walk the full length of the island until you reach the southern tip book a felucca from there and ask the captain to wait for you at the other end. The Aswan botanical island is divided into 27 squares with vertical and horizontal paths cutting each other making it like a chess board. It is an amazing experience exploring this island and all that it has to offer.
Click o the thumbnails below to enlarge them:
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There is a massive variety of plantations and trees on the island. Some of these were naturally found on the island before it was converted into a botanical island, and others have been brought in. There is a number of rare palm trees such as the Royal Palm tree, the Sabal Palm tree, and the Phonic Pam tree.
