Egypt is probably the world’s oldest civilization having emerged from the Nile Valley around 3,100 BC, historically. Egypt is one of the oldest vacation spots. Early Greeks, Romans and others went there just for fun, and to see the wonders of some of mankind’s earliest triumphs. But Egypt is much more than Pyramids and monuments. It is also Red Sea scuba diving, hot night spots, luxury hotels and five star restaurants. It is romantic cruises down the Nile on festive river boats, a night at the grand opera and it is a cultural experience like none you have ever experienced. Egypt is a land bustling with life, sound, visual beauty and excitement. More than anything else, we want you to think of Egypt as fun. For thousands of years, it has been the playground of emperors and kings.
Cairo
At its heart are Tahrir Square and the Egyptian Museum, antiquities including royal mummies and gilded King Tutankhamun artifacts. Nearby, Giza is the site of the iconic pyramids and Great Sphinx, dating to the 26th century BC.
Best places to visit in Cairo:
The Great Pyramid of Giza is a defining symbol of Egypt and the last of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World. It is located on the Giza plateau near the modern city of Cairo and was built over a twenty-year period during the reign of the king Khufu. Until the Eiffel Tower was completed in Paris, France in 1889 CE, the Great Pyramid was the tallest structure made by human hands in the world; a record it held for over 3,000 years.
The Pyramid, 756 feet wide and 481 feet high, is the largest of three principal pyramids at the Giza Necropolis. It was built by 100,000 men between 2580 and 2560 BC using over 5 million tons of limestone. The largest blocks, transported from Aswan (over 500 miles away) weigh about 80 tons.
The Pyramid is exceptionally well-preserved and is surrounded by a large burial site, which includes two temples, two other large pyramids (dedicated to Khafre and Menkaure), a number of smaller satellite pyramids, small mastaba tombs for nobles, large cemeteries to the east and west, and the Great Sphinx to the south east.
Built between 1830 and 1848, the Citadel of Saladin is the largest mosque constructed in the nineteenth century and the most visible mosque in Cairo
The spacious building, constructed in Ottoman style using limestone and alabaster, has a central dome which is 21 metres in diameter and stands 51 metres high.
It is decorated with gold, hanging globe lamps and a number of small stained glass windows, and is surrounded by four semi-circular domes and four smaller corner domes.
Established in 1902, and housed in a distinctive red brick building on Tahrir Square, the Museum’s collection extends to over 120,000 artefacts. The highlight is undoubtedly the Golden Mask of Tutankhamen, which rested over the King’s bandaged face in his sarcophagus; composed of 11 kilograms of solid gold, the Mask is thought to represent the King’s features.
The Museum also houses a large number of other artefacts discovered in Tutankhamen’s tomb, including a decorated chest, ivory and gold bracelets and other jewellery and weapons.
Other notable pieces include the mummified remains of a number of Pharaohs, including the newly discovered mummy of Queen Hatshepsut.
The El-Khalili dates from 1382, when Emir Djaharks El-Khalili built a large roadside inn on the site to accommodate weary travelers. The El-Khalili is today the heart of Cairo, found to the west of the Medan El Hussein square.
You can expect vendors hawking wares such as spices, food, lamps, gold, silver and copper goods and souvenirs.
The El-Khalili’s tea and coffee shops are another draw; many also offer fruit flavoured shisha. The most famous is Fishawi’s cafe, found close to Gamal el Sawy; dripping with atmosphere, its staff claim that it has been continuously open for the last 200 years!
The Market also has a place in literature: nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz’s 1947 work Midaq Alley is based in one of the El-Khalili’s back streets.
It has become one of Cairo’s most famous landmarks after the Pyramids of Giza and many famous figures – presidents, politicians and movie-stars including Katherine Hepburn – have marvelled at a truly unique view of Cairo.
Designed by Egyptian architect, Naoun Chebib, the tower was built using ganite, between the years 1954 to 1961. Granite is also the same material used by ancient Egyptians which is symbolic in its own way as is its unique structure and fantastical form.
The best time to visit is at dusk, to take in the illumination of the Tower, the city’s twinkling lights, and the Giza and Sakkara pyramids to the west.
Alexandria
Alexandria was created by Alexander the Great in 333 BCE. It is a Mediterranean port city in Egypt. It was home to a lighthouse ranking among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The city has Greco-Roman landmarks, old-world cafes and sandy beaches. Among the fabulous monuments mentioned by ancient Greek books also are the Enclosure Walls and the Gates of the City, the Lighthouse, the Great Library, the Royal Necropolis including the Tomb of Alexander and the Museums.
Today the remaining monuments of ancient Alexandria are different cemeteries scattered in many various locations, some of which date back to the Ptolemaic period: El-Shatby, Moustafa Kamel, El-Anfoushy and El-Wardain. Others date back to the Roman period: the tombs of Kom El-Shouqafa (the Catacombs), the tomb of Tigran, Pompeii’s pillar, Tomb of Silvago and the cemetery of El-Qabbary which was only recently discovered. There are other important monuments in the city that date back to various periods, such as the Serapium, the Roman Theatre, the Temple of El-Ras El-Souda, Citadel of Quaitbay, the Jewellery Museum, Mosque of El-Naby Daniel, Mosque of El-Moursi Abou El-Abbas and the Memorial of the unknown soldier.
Best places to visit in Alexandria:
The Citadel of Qaitbay is a 15th-century defensive fortress located on the Mediterranean Sea coast, in Alexandria, Egypt. It was established in 1477 AD by Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa’it Bay.
Montazah Palace is a palace, museum and extensive gardens in the Montazah district of Alexandria, Egypt. It was built on a low plateau east of central Alexandria overlooking a beach on the Mediterranean Sea.
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a major library and cultural center located on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.
The Alexandria National Museum is a museum in Alexandria, Egypt. It was inaugurated the 31 December 2003 and it is located in a renovated Italian style palace in Tariq Al-Horreya Street.
The Royal Jewelry Museum is an art and history museum in the Zizenia neighborhood of Alexandria, Egypt. It is located in the former palace of Princess Fatma Al-Zahra.
Ras El Tin Palace is a palace on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in Alexandria, Egypt. It is one of the official residences for a serving President of Egypt. Under the Muhammad Ali Dynasty of Egypt and Sudan, it was a royal palace.
Sinai Peninsula in Egypt is a famous tourist destination in the country which is spread over an area of 64,000 Sq KM. The town is referred as a perfect destination to enjoy the sun, sea and adventures. Sinai houses the most popular as well as least developed beach resorts of Egypt, offering travelers of every kind an ideal accommodation option. Sinai also enjoys fame as being the scuba diving center offering many other activities like canyons and mountains for trekking, rock climbing, mountain biking, camping and even room for indulging in desert dune buggies and safari adventures.
In olden days, Sinai was famous as a chief pilgrim route and was a home to many cultures and the meeting point for three great religions; where god gave Moses the Ten Commandments, the holy family passed along during its flight into Egypt and where Amr Ibn El Aas went across on his Islamic invasion of county.
Sinai overall is amazing, but the southern part is most beautiful adorned with exquisite coral reefs and best diving spots on globe.
Sharm el-Sheikh is an Egyptian resort town between the desert of the Sinai Peninsula and the Red Sea. It’s known for its wonderful distinctive fauna and flora that are difficult to be found anywhere else in the world, the finest underwater coral reefs, fish, and colorful sea creatures, the fine weather of the city have all qualified Sharm to be one of the most favorite resorts in the world.
Naama Bay, with a palm tree-lined promenade, is filled with bars and restaurants.
Ras Muhammad National Park is a major diving destination, with marine life around the Shark and Yolanda reefs and the Thistlegorm wreck.
Nabq Bay, home to many of Sharm’s high-end hotels, is also an access point for scuba and snorkeling sites in the Straits of Tiran, including Gordon, Thomas and Jackson reefs.
Sharm El-Maya, another beach area, offers Bedouin goods in its Old Market. Farther north, the 600-sq.-km Nabq Protected Area is a reserve for water birds and marine animals.
Desert Safari Walking, Camel, Horse, Buggy Dune or truck is the most popular activity in Sharm El Sheikh.
Dahab is an attractive touristic city in South Sinai. It is considered to be the second most famous city in Sinai, after the world wide popular city of Sharm El Sheikh, according to the number of tourists who visit Dahab annually. Dahab in Arabic means gold, and the city was named “Dahab” because of its golden sand beaches.
Dahab is famous for its golden sand beaches. This is besides its fascinating diving spots, as diving is the most popular activity to do in Dahab. The city is famous for being the cheapest diving resort in Sinai in comparison to other resorts like Sharm El Sheikh and Ras Suder.
Dahab consists of (from the North to the South):
Ras Abu Galuom, which is a protected area and an amazing spot for diving,
the Blue Hole which is the most famous diving location in Dahab and in all Sinai.
the Asla area which hosts more than 75% of the city’s population in three small towns: Mubarak, Al Zarnook, and Al Asla, which is the most famous section of Dahab with a lot small camps, beaches, and bedwin houses and cafes.
The city of Hurghada is one of the most major tourist attractions in Egypt. This city draws more than 2.5 million visitors every year.
Hurghada and the Red Sea coast enjoy a very moderate weather throughout the year, making it an ideal place for sea sports. Average temperature from March to November ranges from 26C to 29C. Water temperature is also very moderate, which makes it possible to practice diving throughout the year.
The main tourist attraction in Hurghada is the marine life, with lots of coral and colorful fish, which is located very close to the shore: Hurghada has some of the finest coral in the world. If you like to practice diving, Hurghada is one of the best places to go.
Hurghada also has many offshore islands, such as:
Hurghada today is a world centre for sea sports such as diving, snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing, and deep-sea fishing. The unique offshore underwater gardens are justifiably famous amongst divers. The warm waters here are ideal for many varieties of rare fish and coral reefs, which may also be observed through glass bottom boats.
The Monastery of St. Katherine and Mt. Sinai (Jebel Musa) are located in the town of St Catherine, in the centre of the interior. The monastery is the oldest continuously inhabited monastery in the World and its library has the largest religious collection after the Vatican. It was built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD. Mt. Sinai is revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims as a holy place, where a covenant between God and His people was established. It is one of the highest mountains around town, offering stunning sunsets and sunrises.
Taba is a paradise of deluxe holiday resorts; Taba overlooks the legendary beautyof the Red Sea on Egypt’s famed “Riviera,” the Gulf of Aqaba.
The small town of Taba is located at the top of the Gulf of Aqaba between the mountains and plateau of Eastern Taba from one side and the water of the Gulf of Aqaba from the other side, it has a very strategic position near the borders of Saudi Arabia and Jordan which borders are located on the edge of the City of Taba.
Nuweiba is different than any other city in Sinai because of the Bedioun dwellings that are still living in the city giving it a unique atmosphere because of the special habits and lives of the Sinai Bediouns. The lifestyle which a huge number of Egyptians and tourists love to enjoy their time in.
The major activities for tourists and Egyptians in Nuweiba are diving, snorkeling, going in safari trips, or chilling out on the beautiful beaches.
It doesn’t make a difference if you are a professional diver or a beginner because you will find the diving spot that suits you in Nuweiba. The city is also famous for its exceptional coral reefs that you can never find anywhere else around the world. Individual and group divers can enjoy their favorite sport with four equipped diving centers in Nuweiba.
Rent a four by four car or ride a camel and go explore the secrets of the desert in Nuweiba. You can go visit the many near by water wells and drink healthy fresh mineral water. You can enjoy wonderful Yuga sessions in the heart of the mountains in a surrounding that you would never ever forger.
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt enjoys the warmth and charm of nature, in addition to the stability of the weather throughout the year so it is the best choice for those who escape the extreme heat in their country as well as looking for a warm atmosphere in exchange for the harsh cold inside their homelands .
It’s a region of the Nile Valley in Egypt, between Luxor and Aswan and the historical region of Lower Nubia, characterized by a number of ancient settlements and temple towns that draw thousands of travelers every year.
Aswan
Egypt’s third largest city, and the largest in Upper Egypt, is situated at the end of the Nile Valley to the North end of Lake Nasser. It is a major mining area for aluminum and iron as well as also being one of the favorite places for tourists to visit due to it being a major stop for cruise boats; for the River Nile as well as Lake Nasser. It has a local market that is an excellent place to do your holiday shopping; this is especially true if you want spices as you will find the best types of fresh spices here.
Let’s take a tour in Aswan and discover the world’s oldest civilization:
One of the most beautiful tourist spots in Aswan, where it is decorated with charming palm trees and brightly colored village houses. It is considered one of the most attractive landmarks of Aswan.
The Aswan Museum is located in the end of island, and the ruins of the oldest settlement in Aswan, which include the Khenum Temple and the Satit Temple. The eastern dam is located beneath the ruins of the settlement, the Nile scale that was built in the Pharaonic era to determine the level of the Nile at the time of harvest.
Phila temple was dismantled and reassembled on Agilika Island (about 500m. from its original home on Philae Island) in the wake of high Dam. The temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, is in a beautiful setting which has been landscaped to match its original site. Its various shrines and sanctuaries, which include a temple of Hathor, a Birth House and two pylons, celebrate all deities involved in the Isis and Osiris myth. At night, enjoy the Sound and light show, a magical experience as floodlit buildings are silhouetted against the volcanic rocks and the surrounding water.
Aswan Cultural Centre
Every night Nubian dancers and musician perform in the cultural centre, just off the cornice.
Folklore Troupes recreate scenes from village life and perform the famous Nubian mock stick-flight dances.
Plantation Island
Almost the whole Island is a botanical garden, filled with exotic plants and trees imported from all over the world. The perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon in the shade.
Age khan mausoleum
Take a felucca to the mausoleum, atop a hill at the southern end of the west bank. Age khan spent every winter in Aswan and was buried here in this magnificent Mausoleum, modeled on the Fatimid tombs in Cairo. The interior shrine of the Mausoleum is made of marble.
The monastery of St. Simeon
Ride a camel or climb to the ruins of the Coptic monastery of St. Simeon, originally founded in the 7th century. Rebuilt in the 10th century, the monastery was a base for missionary monks who converted the Nubians to Christianity. Frescoes of the Apostles still remain in the roofless Basilica.
The tombs of the nobles
The northern hills of the west bank are filled with the rock-hewn of princes dating from the old kingdom to the roman period: at the night they are illuminated with hidden spotlights and can be Cleary seen from the east bank of the Nile at Aswan Inside, the tombs are decorated with vivid murals depicting scenes of everyday life, hieroglyphic biographies and inscriptions showing the noblemen’s journeys into Africa.
The unfinished obelisk
The unfinished obelisk still lies where a crack was discovered as it was being hewn from the rock. Possibly intended as a companion to the Lateran obelisk, originally Karnak, now in Rome, it would have measured 120 feet and weighed over 1150 tons when complete. It is a concrete example of how the ancient Egyptians went about fashioning these graceful monuments. Nearby is the Fatimid cemetery which includes hundreds of mud-brick tombs dating back to the 9th century.
The High Dam
The world-famous high Dam was an engineering miracle when it was built in the 1960s. Today it provides irrigation and electricity for the whole of Egypt and, together with the old Aswan Dam, 6km downriver, offers wonderful views for visitors. From the top of the two-mile-long High Dam you can gaze across Lake Nasser, the huge reservoir temple in the south and the huge power station to the north.
To sail a felucca on the calm water of the River Nile is an unforgettable experience.
It has been estimated that Luxor contains about a third of the most valuable monuments and antiquities in the whole world, which makes it one of this planet’s most important tourism sites. Monuments such as The Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, Deir El-Bahri (the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut), the workers village at Deir El-Medina, the list goes on and on and on.
Once known as Thebes, Luxor’s importance in ancient Egyptian history cannot be denied. It was the religious capital for almost all of the Pharaonic period which is why the town is dominated by the two temples; The Temple of Luxor, and the immense Temple of karnak; the world’s largest temple complex.
Today Luxor is split into two, by the River Nile, and these two areas are known as the East Bank (where the town lies) and the West Bank. Though this was also true in ancient times, the two parts were called the city of the living (East Bank) and the city of the dead (West Bank). Like most of the River Nile, the western side tends to be more desert, with the eastern side having far more arable land, and so settlement sites tended to favor this latter side.
The Karnak Temple Complex, commonly known as Karnak, comprises a vast mix of decayed temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings in Egypt.
Let’s take a tour in Luxor and discover the world’s oldest civilization :
Luxor Temple
Luxor Temple is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the Nile River in the city today known as Luxor and was constructed from 1100 BC-1600 BC.
Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Gates of the Kings, is a valley in Egypt where, for a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, rock cut tombs were excavated for the Pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom.
Colossi of Memnon
The Colossi of Memnon are two massive stone statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, who reigned in Egypt during the Dynasty XVIII.
Deir el-Bahari
Deir el-Bahari or Dayr al-Bahri is a complex of mortuary temples and tombs located on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the city of Luxor, Egypt. This is a part of the Theban Necropolis.
Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut
The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, also known as the Djeser-Djeseru, is an ancient funerary shrine in Upper Egypt.
Valley of the Queens
The Valley of the Queens is a place in Egypt where wives of Pharaohs were buried in ancient times. In ancient times, it was known as Ta-Set-Neferu, meaning –”the place of beauty”
Ramesseum
The Ramesseum is the memorial temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II. It is located in the Theban necropolis in Upper Egypt, across the River Nile from the modern city of Luxor.
Tombs of the Nobles
The Tombs of the Nobles are sepulchres in Thebes (Luxor), Upper Egypt. Located in the Theban Necropolis, they are the burial places of some of the powerful courtiers and persons of the ancient city.
Luxor Museum
Luxor Museum is an archaeological museum in Luxor, Egypt. It stands on the corniche, overlooking the west bank of the River Nile.
Mummification Museum
The Mummification Museum is an archaeological museum in Luxor, Upper Egypt. It is dedicated to the art of Ancient Egyptian mummification.
Precinct of Amun-Re
The Precinct of Amun-Re, located near Luxor, Egypt, is one of the four main temple enclosures that make up the immense Karnak Temple Complex. The precinct is by far the largest of these and the only one that is open to the general public.
Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III
The Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III, also known as Kom el-Hettân, was built by the main architect Amenhotep, son of Habu, for the Pharaoh Amenhotep III during the 18th Dynasty in the New Kingdom.
Abu Haggag Mosque
The Mosque of Abu Haggag is a mosque located in the Egyptian city of Luxor. Specifically, it stands atop the ruins of Luxor Temple, an Ancient Egyptian centre of worship dating back to the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep III in the 14th century BC.