Introducing Egypt
Travel advisory: At the end of January 2011, violent protests broke out in various spots across Egypt, centring on Cairo. Check BBC for the latest news and your government's travel information site for advisories.
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The land that gave birth to the first great civilisation needs little introduction. The pyramids, the minarets, the Nile – the scope of Egypt is magnificent.
Visitors are surprised to discover that those legendary pyramids are merely the tip of the archaeological iceberg. Pharaonic nations, ancient Greeks, Romans, Christians and Arab dynasties have all played their part in fashioning Egypt’s embarrassment of architectural wealth.
Cairo’s chaos whirrs around a medieval core that has remained unchanged since the founding days of Islam. Upriver, Luxor, the site of ancient Thebes, is lined with warrens of opulent burial chambers and boasts some of the most formidable monuments in all antiquity. Further south at Aswan, even more geometrically imposing temples write a testament to the power of archaic gods and omnipotent pharaohs. It is here that the Nile is best explored by ancient sail, on a felucca (Egyptian sailing boat) at the hands of the prevailing currents and winds.
Out west, Egypt’s ocean of sand stretches infinitely to the Sahara, with a handful of oases feeding solitary islands of green. Hivelike, medieval fortresses cower out here, interspersed with bubbling springs and ghostly rock formations. Meanwhile, the deep, crystal waters of the Red Sea lie brilliantly awash in coral, surrounded by an aquatic frenzy of underwater life. In the deserts of Sinai’s interior, visitors can climb the mount where God had word with Moses, and spend their remaining days in halcyon bliss at coastal Dahab’s backpacker Shangri-La.
Though it is one of the more politically stable countries in the region, modern-day Egypt is not without strife. Thirty years of authoritarian rule, an erratic economy and rising living costs fan the flames of social unrest. Still, Egyptians are a resilient lot, and visitors making the journey here will find as much ancient history as they will modern hospitality.
Ready to go? Our recommended tours make it easy:
- Explore Egypt in 15 days
- Take a private tour of the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx
Last updated: Jan 24, 2012
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Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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buying a visa in the Sinai
by frisbee 14 September 2011
I plan on entering Egypt at Sharm El Sheikh, getting a free 14 day visa, spending a few days in Taba and then heading westwards. I realise…
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RE: Taba to Eilat and back again.
by Ros85 14 September 2011
I'm not sure where this information came from that Taba is not in the visa-free area; I have been there several times (each time arriving…
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RE: Unrest
by sandyfoot 14 September 2011
More nonsense from #7’s Department of Misinformation. Can you honestly believe that Israeli Russian Jews having a break in Egypt, makes…
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Egypt
Things to do
- All things to do (1,008)
- Activities (185)
- Entertainment (104)
- Restaurants (245)
- Shopping (104)
- Sights (339)
- Tours (31)
Make it happen
Our Top Picks For Egypt
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1 Cairo
For a glimpse of the more recent past, wander through the dusty, decrepit glamour of Garden City, a labyrinth of crumbling 19th and early-20th-century mansions
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2 Alexandria
Sip coffee, smoke sheesha (water pipe), or join in on the heated debates that take place in the many antique coffee houses that dot this hip metropolis
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3 Pyramids of Giza
You haven't been to Egypt unless you've stood at the base of these megaton monuments
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4 Abydos
Make a pilgrimage to the supposed burial site of the god Osiris, one of the most revered sites in antiquity, and now one of the best-preserved temples
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5 Great Sand Sea
Skirt the edge of the vast sand dunes that make up one of the most impenetrable deserts in the world
Fast Facts about Egypt
- Area
997,739 sq km
- Capital
- Country code
20
- Population
81.7 million
- Money
Egyptian pound (E£); US$1 = E£5.55; €1 = E£7.81
- Official name
Arab Republic of Egypt
Our favourite Egypt Blogs (beta)
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Day Tripping to Saqqara, Memphis, and Dahshur
Blog: Living the Dream: RTW - 4 February 2012
For most visitors, the highlight of a trip to Cairo is almost always the majestic pyramids on the Giza plateau and the Sphinx. As this spot is always on the top of must see lists, it is not uncommon for it to be the very first place all travelers in Egypt visit. As I was
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Boats and Fort Qataby in Alexandria, Egypt
Blog: Everything Everywhere - 30 January 2012
Originally posted on the Everything Everywhere Travel Blog. Discover great travel quotes.
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High Tea at the Old Cataract in Aswan
Blog: Sophie's World - 29 January 2012
From the Nile, the Old Cataract Hotel looks grand, perched on the granite bluff above. If you’ve seen Death on the Nile, it will also look familiar. My oldest daughter enjoys sipping tea in old world hotels, preferably while wearing a big hat, looking mysterious. Uniformed guards at the gate inform us we have to [...]High Tea at the Old Cataract in Aswan is a post from Sophie's World
