Fodor's Expert Review Aswan Botanical Garden

This botanical garden occupies all 17 acres of Kitchener's Island, named after Lord Horatio Kitchener, a 19th-century British commander of the Egyptian army who was fascinated by botany. Some of the nearly 750 species planted here don't exist anywhere else in Egypt, hailing from tropical Africa as well as from as far away as India and Brazil. The grounds make for a mildly pleasant stroll, but unfortunately too much of the space has been taken over by market stalls selling the same sort of stuff that you'll find at every tourist site in the country.

To reach Kitchener's Island, you have two choices. The easiest way is to arrange a full- or half-day felucca tour to all the sights on the West Bank and Nile islands through a company like Aswan Individual or your accommodations. Alternatively, you can hire a boat captain along the Corniche on the East Bank.