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Introducing Egypt
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.
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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.
Make it happen
Ready to go? These recommended tours make it easy:
- explore the mountain wilderness of the Sinai in the company of Bedouin guides
- take a luxurious Nile cruise
- travel from the Pyramids to Petra
- find exciting things to do in Cairo
Want more? Choose from a wide selection of similar trips in Egypt
Last updated: Oct 22, 2009
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Egypt
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
Related Groups
Our favourite Egypt Blogs (beta)
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DÍA 11: LUXOR Y ZARPAMOS
Blog: Diario de a bordo - 23 November 2009
¡Debería estar prohibido despertarse tan pronto! A las 5:30 am nos llamaron al camarote para despertarnos. La agenda del día era muy completita y teníamos que levantarnos pronto para aprovechar la última mañana en Luxor. En la mesa, todos medio zombis todavía, desayunamos y, a la hora convenida, fuimos al autocar. Primera parada: los colosos de Memnon. Los colosos son dos estatuas de 18 metros de altura que hay a la entrada del templo de Amenhotep III, el mayor construido en Egipto.
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My 3 Best Kept Travel “Adventure” Secrets
Blog: Canada's Adventure Couple - 21 November 2009
We were recently nominated to participate in Tripbase’s “3 Best Kept Travel Secrets” game by our great Twitter friend, Isabelle of @IsabellesTravel. So here are our Travel Adventure Secrets. The Pinnacles of Borneo, The White Desert of Egypt and Huacachina Peru. These destinations on 3 different continents are some of our favorite adventures. Enjoy these photos and an overview of what exactly each one is about.
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DÍA 10: EMBARCAMOS
Blog: Diario de a bordo - 20 November 2009
Y yo que me pensaba que no tendríamos que levantarnos pronto el día que embarcamos en el crucero en Luxor. Pues sí. Nos llamaron cuando estábamos en Abydos para decirnos que teníamos que estar en el barco a las 9 del día siguiente porque a las 9.30 teníamos la primera excursión con el grupo. Esta era la única parte que habíamos contratado con una agencia e íbamos a hacer en plan organizado: el crucero por el Nilo. Por cuestiones de planificación de los días, al final decidimos hacer el crucero de 5 días (4 noches) que va de Luxor a Asúan.
