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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Silsila
Stop at Silsila on a Nile cruise or felucca for 2–3 hours to see ancient quarries and rock chapels; otherwise skip.
Silsila is a narrow gorge on the Nile with Pharaonic sandstone quarries and 18th‑Dynasty rock chapels. It is best visited as a brief stop on a cruise or felucca; there are no hotels, so plan a half‑day visit and stay in nearby Edfu or Aswan.
- Country
- Egypt
- Best months
- Oct–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (high heat)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EGP
- Money
- Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E). Hotels, cruise boats and larger restaurants take cards; taxis, markets, small cafés, tips and toilet attendants are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget EGP 150–250 excl. bed · Mid EGP 250–400 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.
- Emergency
- Police 122 · Ambulance 123 · Tourist police 126
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).; Guide, full day: US$10–20 per person.; Driver, full day: US$5–10.; Cruise crew: About US$5–10 per person per day in the envelope.; Toilet, porter, small help: EGP 10–30.
- Water
- Tap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a local café | EGP 10–15 |
| Sandwich or falafel wrap | EGP 15–25 |
| Bottle of water (1.5 L) | EGP 5–8 |
| Taxi (10 km (6.2 mi))Taxi (6.2 mi (10 km)) | EGP 150–200 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ASW · Aswan International Airport
- ≈ 65 km (40 mi) south, taxi or shuttle 1 h≈ 40 mi (65 km) south, taxi or shuttle 1 h
Typical fares
- Felucca stop at Silsila
- about EGP 100 per passenger (check with captain)
- Taxi from Aswan to Silsila
- about EGP 150–200, negotiate beforehand
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Felucca or cruise ship stop (best view), private car or taxi (drivers may need baksheesh), limited local transport.
See and do
Known for
- Ancient sandstone quarries
- Rock chapels of the 18th Dynasty
- Royal shrines (Seti I, Ramesses II, Merneptah, Horemheb)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Edfu | Felucca or cruise ship stop; about 45 min downstream | ≈ 1 h including embark/disembark |
| Aswan | Taxi or private car; ~1 h north‑south road | ≈ 1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- No dedicated lodging in Silsila
- Stay in Edfu (≈ 42 km (26 mi) north) or Aswan (≈ 65 km (40 mi) south). Both have hotels and guesthouses.Stay in Edfu (≈ 26 mi (42 km) north) or Aswan (≈ 40 mi (65 km) south). Both have hotels and guesthouses.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | عفواًʿafwan |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much is it? | بكم؟bikam? |
| Can I pay by card? | هل أستطيع الدفع بالبطاقة؟hal astaṭīʿ al‑dafʿ bil‑biṭāqa? |
| Where is the toilet? | أين الحمام؟ayn al‑ḥammām? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum', handshake; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging strangers
- Eating: Right hand; accept tea; avoid: Refusing hospitality flatly
- Bargaining: Humour and patience; avoid: Anger
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in cities; avoid: Beachwear outside resorts
- Baksheesh: Keep small notes ready; avoid: Showing a thick wallet
- Photos: Ask; pay if agreed; avoid: Photographing police or military
Scams and watch-outs
- Taxi drivers often refuse stops; negotiate and offer baksheesh.
- Security police presence can cause delays; keep documents handy.
- Entry fee for the Speos of Horemheb shrine: EGP 100 (students EGP 50).
Generally safe for day visitors; stay alert to occasional police checks and negotiate transport stops.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Silsila yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ancient sandstone quarries
- Rock chapels of the 18th Dynasty
- Royal shrines (Seti I, Ramesses II, Merneptah, Horemheb)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Silsila: www.wikidata.org/wiki/QXXXXX
- Wikivoyage: Silsila, revision 5294358 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5294358
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/silsila). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.