Upper Egypt is a narrow strip of land on both sides of the Nile that extends from modern-day Aswan to the area south of modern-day Cairo . Upper Egypt ( Sa ` id Misr ) is the strip of land , on both sides of the Nile valley , that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur ( which is south of modern-day Cairo ) .