Nubian Villages are the main charm of Gharb Soheil; located very close to Aswan, visiting the Nubian villages is a journey into the past and the traditional way of life of a millenary culture developed between southern Egypt and northern Sudan.
There are several Nubian villages, of which Gharb Soheil is the most critical locality. Still, the rest extends along the Nile valley, and all maintain a physiognomy that makes them different from the rest of the inhabitants of Egypt: beautiful dark skin and very notable features with very light eyes, blue in many cases.
What can you find in Nubian Villages?
Most of the houses in the town are made of mud bricks made from clay, water, hay, and sand. They have bright primary or secondary colors on the outside and the same color on the inside. These natural materials make sickness less likely to spread through the house.
They are also cheap and can withstand heat because bricks are the clay. Each cabin has a dome-shaped ceiling that reflects the sun’s rays and keeps the inside warm. The Nubian people also like to decorate their homes with simple but nice colors and shapes from their culture, like boats, camels, and palm trees.
Like a typical hamlet, a typical Nubian home is small and quiet. Crocodiles are an unusual choice for a house pet, but these reptiles are kept in cages, so you don’t have to worry. Both alive and dead, Crocodiles are seen as holy in Nubian culture.
Ancient Egyptians started the idea that having a crocodile in the house would keep the evil eye away, and the Nubian people still believe this to this day. The most common animals you’d see are goats and chickens.
What to do in a neighborhood full of Nubians?
In a Nubian city, you can shop for, among other things, authentic Nubian jewelry, textiles, and leather goods. When you return home, people will want to know more about the bright colors and unique Nubian symbols. You could also buy tea, curry, cinnamon, cumin, and other unusual spices.
Aswan is the place to get authentic spices, so spices are the perfect thing to bring back from Nubia. Walking around these fantastic towns, you’ll find many cute cafés and restaurants. Many of them have great views of the Nile and are great places to stop for a drink and a quiet evening. While you’re in Nubia, you should also try riding a camel.
It’s exciting and fun to do. Also, moms and kids can do a lot of fun things together. For instance, many women in the village of Nubia like to get temporary henna tattoos made by putting a paste of natural herbs and oils on the skin. The Nubian Museum is another place you should not miss. There are things from the Islamic, Coptic, and Pharaonic cultures and displays about how the Nubians lived.
How to get to the Nubian Village?
Gharb Soheil is located south of Aswan and is usually visited before or after the start or end of the Nile cruise (depending on whether the cruise you hire beginnings or endings in Aswan). And the best way to get there is by hiring a boat or bus tour, but we do not recommend going on your own because it is tough to get there if you do not know the way. And if you can hire your excursion aboard a felucca.
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