Sinai
Tradition holds that these hot springs, about 5km from Al Tor, were one of the possible stopping points used by Moses and the Israelites on their journey…
Must-see attractions in Egypt
Alexandria
Miami Beach (pronounced me-ami) has a sheltered cove with a water slide and jungle gym set up in the sea for kids to frolic on, but note that these get…
Siwa Oasis
In the Tomb of Niperpathot, one of the oldest in the oasis, the inscriptions and crude drawings are made in the same reddish ink you can see on modern…
Simon Arzt Department Store Building
Port Said
Despite the smashed windows and years of neglect, the art deco finesse of this building still shines through. Built in the early 1920s, this was Port Said…
Hurghada
The Ashrafi Islands, north of Hurghada, are less-visited than many other dive sites in the area, but have several wrecks in relatively shallow water (8m…
Alexandria
This intimate walled Jewish cemetery has largely escaped vandalism and is pretty well kept. The many graves stand as lonely reminders of Alexandria's once…
Marsa Alam
Atop an inshore reef 60km north of Berenice lies the wreck of this 65m-long cargo ship. Lying on its side in just 14m of water, Hamada is a fairly easy,…
Western Desert
During the stifling heat of summer, a plunge in Abu Nuss Lake offers instant relief from hot and sweaty afternoons. There's some interesting bird life…
Marsa Alam
Horseshoe-shaped Sataya, 50km north of Berenice, is the main reef of the Fury Shoals, and has steep walls leading down to a sandy slope scattered with a…
Bahariya Oasis
At Bir Al Mattar, 7km northeast of Bawiti, cold springs pour into a viaduct and then down into a concrete pool, which you can splash in during the hot…
Giza
Head east from the Pyramid of Menkaure to visit the ruins of Menkaure's valley temple. Excavations here unearthed many statues of Menkaure and also…
Giza
Along the Great Pyramid of Khufu's east face, three small structures some 20m high resemble piles of rubble. These are the Queens’ Pyramids, the tombs of…
Pyramid of Queen Khentkawes II
Cairo Outskirts & the Nile Delta
South of Neferirkare’s pyramid lies the badly ruined Pyramid of Queen Khentkawes II, wife of Neferirkare and mother of both Raneferef and Nyuserra. In her…
Luxor
Ipuy was a sculptor during the reign of Ramses II. Here the artist dispenses with the usual scenes of religious ritual and instead is shown farming and…
Cairo
This is one of the most important shrines in the Al Khalifa area, dedicated to Sayyida Ruqayya, the Prophet's granddaughter. Inside, the stucco mihrab …
Northern Nile Valley
Penthu, the royal physician and 'First under the King', was buried in a simple tomb. The left-hand wall of the corridor is decorated with images of the…
Cairo Outskirts & the Nile Delta
This pyramid is little more than a slowly collapsing pile of rock, though it is significant as ‘Memphis’ appears in one of its names. Originally, a large…
Northern Nile Valley
Isadora was a wealthy woman who drowned in the Nile during the rule of Antoninus Pius (AD 138–161). Her tomb has few decorations but it does contain the…
Cairo Outskirts & the Nile Delta
Like the nearby Pyramid of Pepi I, this pyramid is basically a slumping, collapsing pile of rock. Excavations of the pyramid's burial chamber revealed a…
Siwa Oasis
This small museum contains an interesting display of traditional clothing, jewellery and crafts typical of the oasis. It’s worth the entry fee just to…
Marsa Alam
Impressive topography and excellent marine life (hammerheads, barracuda, groper and yellowmouth moray eels) mark this large, kidney-shaped offshore reef…
Cairo
Napoleon’s commanders took the liberty of naming the towers of Bab An Nasr (Gate of Victory) after themselves – and carved their names into it. The entire…
Northern Nile Valley
An isolated building on the north of the city and once entered through a monumental gate, this domestic complex contained a central courtyard with rooms…
Garden of Freedom & Friendship
Cairo
Across Midan Saad Zaghloul from the Andalus Garden, on the southwest side, is the entrance to the grandly named Garden of Freedom and Friendship, much…
Western Desert
This sandstone tomb was occupied by Senussi soldiers during WWI and by a village family after that. Nevertheless, some funerary reliefs have survived and…
Sinai
This spot amid the Sinai's high mountains is home to a sheikh’s tomb and Bedouin settlement. Due to the diverse mountain scenery on the trails leading…
Red Sea Coast
Just behind the old police station is the fortress-like facade of the granary. It dates to the early 19th century and was used to store wheat that was…
Red Sea Coast
Panorama Reef is famous for its schooling barracuda, as well as numerous dolphins, eagle rays, grey reef sharks and silvertips, and for its soft and hard…
Cairo
This Florentine-style Roman Catholic church is a major landmark along Sharia Mohammed Farid. It dates from 1909 when Cairo was home to a sizeable Italian…
Hurghada
The reef’s upper section is home to bannerfish, angelfish and snapper. If the current is strong, you can drift along the wall skirting the edges of huge…
Nuweiba
The highlight of this dive 15km north of Nuweiba is undoubtedly the contoured topography, including narrow valleys, sand-filled depressions and deep…
Giza
Just outside the Pyramid of Menkaure you can see the excavated remains of Menkaure’s Funerary Temple with its courtyard leading onto a sanctuary…
Giza
To the south of the Pyramid of Menkaure is a set of three small Queens’ Pyramids. Archaeologists presume they were intended as the tombs for Menkaure's…
Bahariya Oasis
The sulphurous spring of Bir Al Ramla, 3km north of town, is very hot (45°C) and suitable for a soak, though you may feel a bit exposed to the donkey…
Sinai
The oasis area of Wadi Sheikh Atiya is named after the father of the Tarabin tribe – the largest tribe in the area – who lies buried here under a white…
Port Said
The old Italian consulate building, erected in the 1930s, is adorned with an engraved piece of the propaganda of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini: ‘Rome …
Port Said
This set of rather grand archways looming over the pavement on Sharia Al Gomhuriyya announce what was once the entrance to the Bible Society building…
Western Desert
The Tomb of Pasha Hindi is covered by an Islamic-era dome, which sits over a Roman structure, clearly visible from inside the building. Locals make…
Port Said
At the very northern end of Sharia Palestine is this large stone plinth that once held a statue of Ferdinand de Lesseps, until it was torn down in 1956…
Sharm El Sheikh
A comparatively shallow site that is good for a second or third dive, Jackfish Alley has two enormous caves filled with shoaling glassfish. Depth: 6m to…
