Egypt Holiday

Egypt offers travellers a wealth of unforgettable holiday experiences, from the Red Sea and Mediterranean resorts to the pyramids and temples of its ancient civilisation. Situated in North Africa, the Nile River has fed the country throughout its history and runs through most major centres, ancient and modern.

Isolated by its deserts, Egypt developed into a great civilisation 5,000 years ago. Its succession of powerful, god-like rulers ended in the fourth century BC with the arrival of the Persians and the country has been ruled in turn by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs. The Suez Canal turned it into a trade hub and Egypt fell under control of the British Empire in 1882 before being granted full sovereignty after World War II.

Most travellers to Egypt start in the crowded capital, Cairo. Egypt has seen its population grow rapidly to the current 77.5 million and Cairo is a noisy, bustling metropolis, renowned for its crazy drivers. The vast divide between rich and poor is most apparent here, the poverty of the mud-brick dwellings in stark contrast with the luxurious tourist hotels.

On the edge of Cairo, the Pyramids at Giza and the enigmatic Sphinx perch on the edge of the desert and are a striking example of the ingenuity of Ancient Egypt’s craftsmen. The Cairo Archaeological Museum is a vast and well presented home to many of the most important ancient treasures, including the famed death mask of Tutankhamun. The markets are also worth visiting, as are the ancient stepped pyramids at Sakkara and the mosque of Mohammed Ali at the Citadel.

Luxor offers a good base to explore key sites, though it is advisable to arrive early in the day and avoid the stifling midday sun, particularly during the summer months. The Valley of the Kings houses tombs of important Pharoahs, some of which were open to Greek and Roman visitors centuries ago, while others have been excavated in recent decades. The Valley of the Queens and the Valley of the Artisans are also worth a visit.

The Temple of Karnac at Luxor is remarkably well-preserved, with massive pillars rising up out of the sand. The rest of Egypt offers an inexhaustible wealth of incredible sites and those with time to explore should also see the Roman ruins of Alexandria (Cleopatra’s capital), the temple of Nefertari at Abu Simbel, the towering Aswan Dam, the country’s important Christian sites and the cemetery at El Alamein.

For travellers seeking more contemporary adventure in Eqypt, desert tours are on offer, both by camel and more modern forms of transport and scuba diving holidays offer a unique chance to see the technicolour life of the Red Sea. Egypt is a popular haunt for birdwatchers, with a number of interesting indigenous species, and there are a number of excellent golf courses.

A trip down the Nile offers a chance to meander down one of the world’s most important rivers in style and stop off at ancient sites, such as the beautiful Cleopatra’s Temple, the Temple of Horus, the Colossi at Memnon and the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut.

Egypt is predominantly Muslim and Arabic-speaking and visitors are advised to dress conservatively when travelling around the country. A number of travel companies arrange tours, which can offer a stress-free way of seeing the important sites, though they can sometimes feel rushed.

Most educated Egyptians speak English and with the thousands of holiday deals on offer each year, there is something to suit every traveller. Eqyptian food is excellent and the country has many delightful outdoor restaurants in the major tourist centres. No trip to Egypt is complete without bartering and tourists should arrive prepared to haggle for almost everything, particularly at the famous famed Khan-El-Khalil bazaar in Cairo.