Attractions of Egypt

Cairo

Cairo is Egypt's capital and Africa's largest city, with a population of over 15 million. Cairo is one of the world's oldest Islamic cities, founded initially in the 7th century after Arab armies entered Egypt. Cairo thrived in the following centuries under various dynasties and rulers including the Fatimids, Saladin, the Mamelukes and the Ottomans. Amidst the vast urban landscape of modern Cairo, much of this historical heritage remains with over 600 classified monuments. These include the 9th century Great Mosque of Ibn-Tulun, the 10th century Mosque of al-Azhar, Saldin's Citadel, the City of the Dead cemetery and the Ottoman Mosque of Mohammed Ali. The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities is a must-see - an incredible collection of relics and artefacts from Egypt's rich history dating back to 4000 BC, including the amazing Tutankhamen treasures.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Historic Cairo

Alexandria is located on the Mediterranean coast and is a city with a long history, famed for its library, the lighthouse at Pharos (one of the Ancient Wonders of the World) and its associations with Alexander the Great and Cleopatra. Today, little physical evidence of its past remains but Egypt's second city is a cosmopolitan and attractive city in an excellent coastal location. The National Museum contains excellent collections from the Pharaonic, Greco-Roman and Islamic periods. The Roman Catacombs are the largest Roman burial site in Egypt and comprise three tiers of tombs and chambers cut out of the rock 35 metres deep. The only ancient monument in Alexandria is Pompey's Pillar, the remains of a 3rd century temple complex. The Qaitbey Fort is situated on the site of the Pharos Lighthouse.

The Egyptian Pyramids

The Pyramids at Giza are without doubt one of the most extraordinary sights in the world, the only surviving of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. Built as tombs for the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, they served as a necropolis for Memphis, the capital in the 3rd millennium BC, and are a testament to the brilliance of its civilisation. The first stone pyramids were built at Saqqara for the pharaoh Djoser who ruled from around 2668 BC and at Maidum by Huni, the last pharaoh of the Third Dynasty. These are the oldest step pyramids in the world. The necropolis at Dahshur to the south was used by the pharaoh Snefru who founded the Fourth Dynasty and ruled from 2613 BC. He introduced the square-based pyramid seen at Giza and built the Red Pyramid and the Rhomboid (or Bent) Pyramid. At Giza, just south of Cairo, the pyramids reached their pinnacle - the Great Pyramid of Cheops, Snefru's son, is the largest at 145 metres high with a base of 232 metres while his successors built the Pyramids of Chephren and Mycerinus. Together with the Sphinx, a lion with a human head carved from rock, they form an astonishing and must-see site.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur

Temples at Dendara and Abydos

North of Luxor are the impressive temples at Dendara and Abydos. The Temple of Hathor at Dendara is dedicated to the cow goddess of joy and sexual love. This beautifully preserved temple displays a Ptolemaic architectural style. Abydoa Temple is a shrine to Osiris, the god of the afterlife, and was an important place of pilgrimage for Egyptians. The temple displays many fine carved bas-reliefs.

Luxor

Luxor, or Thebes as it was known then, was capital of Egypt during the Middle and New Kingdoms between 2134 and 1070 BC during the height of Egyptian power. What has been left behind are the most magnificent series of buildings, temples and relics in Egypt and some of the finest historical monuments in the world. On the west bank of the Nile at Luxor is 'Thebes of the Dead' where funerary temples and tombs of pharaohs and other dignitaries were built over 15 centuries. The most significant cemetery is the Valley of the Kings which contains the tombs of over 60 pharaohs, including the tomb of Tutankhamen discovered in 1922. A hillside entrance takes you underground to the burial chambers with the walls covered in brightly painted images and hieroglyphs. Other features in this area include the Colossi of Memnon, huge twin statues of Amenhotep III, and the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a monument to the only female pharaoh which has a spectacular setting and scale as well as finely detailed carvings. On the east bank of the Nile is 'Thebes of the Living' featuring the remarkable Luxor and Karnak Temples. The temples were dedicated to the gods Amon, Mut and Montu. Karnak Temple is an astonishing site, built over a period of 1,500 years. The Great Hypostyle Hall contains 134 columns in 16 rows, resembling papyrus stalks, each 23 metres high, and carved with scenes of the King worshipping Amon. The Luxor Museum is also well worth a visit, with an excellent display of relics from the temples and tombs of Thebes.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis

Nile Cruise

A cruise along the Nile, the world's longest river, is one of the quintessential experiences of a trip to Egypt. Whether on a felucca sailing boat or a more luxury cruise boat, the trip usually travels from Luxor to Aswan (or in reverse) in southern Egypt. The cruise offers the chance to observe the traditional rural life along the riverbank, relax on one of the world's great rivers and visit two of the best preserved Ptolemaic temples, dating from the 3rd to the 1st centuries BC. The Temple of Horus at Edfu is the second largest in Egypt after Karnak Temple and is in excellent condition due to being covered in sand for centuries. It is notable for having its roof intact, elaborate reliefs, black granite falcon statues and its huge Pylon or Gateway, 79 metres wide and 35 metres high. Further upriver, the twin temple of Kom Ombo is dedicated to the falcon-headed god Horus and the crocodile god Sobek.

Aswan

Aswan is Egypt's third largest and most southerly city. It's a laid back and relaxed city and had retained its feel as a frontier town between Arab Egypt and black Africa. Aswan has a wealth of attractions both within the city and as a base for exploring nearby. These include taking a felucca sailboat across to the Botanical Gardens on Lord Kitchener's Island, taking a camel ride to the abandoned Coptic Monastery of St. Simeon, exploring the Nubian bazaar through the back streets of the city and visiting the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk. The Temple of Isis at Philae is the most important historical monument close to Aswan. Constructed between the 4th century BC and the 3rd century AD, the temple was recently relocated to Agilika Island to preserve it from the rising waters of the Nile.

Great Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel

The Great Temple of Ramses II was built at Abu Simbel in the Nubian desert in the 13th century BC. The temple is guarded by four colossal statues of Ramses (each 20 metres high), one of Egypt's great pharaohs and known as the Great Builder, carved into the cliff face. They were buried in sand until being discovered in 1813 and 150 years later were in danger of being submerged due to the construction of the Aswan High Dam but a UNESCO project led to the relocation of the statues to higher ground overlooking Lake Nasser, now staring east at the rising sun.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae

In October 1942, the Battle of El Alamein changed the course of the war in North Africa after the Allied Eighth Army led by General Montgomery defeated the Afrika Korps of General Rommel. The battle is commemorated through the 7,000 white headstones at the British and Commonwealth War Memorial, the German and Italian War Memorial and the war museum which explains the importance of the battle and has a collection of tanks and other items from conflict. Further up the coast near Marsa Matruh lies Rommel's Cave, which was the Desert Fox's headquarters for a period and now houses a small museum.

The oasis of Siwa lies in a shallow depression in the Western Desert, where more than 300 freshwater springs create a richly fertile and verdant landscape in complete contrast to its surroundings. Siwa is a Berber town with characteristic mud brick architecture and has a number of historical features of interest in its proximity. These include the crumbling ruins of the 13th century citadel at Shali, the hillside tombs at Gebel al-Mawta (Mountain of the Dead) and the Temple of the Oracle at Aghurmi where Alexander the Great confirmed he was the son of Amon and the son of Zeus before setting off to conquer much of Asia.

The White Desert is a surreal landscape of wind-eroded chalk formations that rise from the sands of the desert. These bizarre structures can be pinnacle, mushroom or dome-shaped and range in colour from bright white in the morning to orange and pink hues at sunset.

The Western Desert covers the vast area of Egypt to the west of the Nile Valley and forms part of the Sahara Desert. There are a number of oases which can be used to explore this region and provide interesting destinations in themselves. Kharga oasis west of Luxor is a renowned producer of dates and is a base for exploring the Persian period Temple of Hibis and the Christian burial ground at Al Bagawat, dating to between the 4th and 6th centuries and containing 263 mud brick tombs. Further west Dakhla Oasis has the fascinating medieval mud brick Islamic village of Al Qasr, with old schools, mosques and workshops. Deep in the desert this is an excellent spot for camel riding through the wilderness and sleeping out underneath the stars. North of Dakhla lies the Farafra Oasis, the smallest of the major oases and home to many Bedouin tribesmen. This is a good base for exploring the White Desert. Finally, Bahariya Oasis is surrounded by high escarpment and close to the recently discovered Valley of the Golden Mummies, tombs containing the mummies of ordinary Egyptians.

The early Christian holy city of Abu Mena was built near the Mediterranean coast and was an important site of pilgrimage. Archaeological excavations have revealed an entire town comprising a basilica complex, monasteries, houses, cemeteries and public buildings.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Abu Mena

Wadi Al-Hitan or Whale Valley in the Western Desert contains fossils of the earliest and now extinct order of whales, Archaeoceti. These fossils portray the evolution of whales from land-based to ocean-going mammals.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley)

The Orthodox Monastery of St Catherine was built in 342 AD at the foot of Mount Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments. It is one of the oldest continually functioning monasteries in the world and is a sacred place for Christians, Jews and Muslims. The 6th century Church of the Transfiguration within the complex houses an outstanding collection of early Christian manuscripts and icons.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Saint Catherine Area

A trek to the summit of Mount Sinai is a relatively short and easy climb, taking no more than three hours to ascend. The views from the top over the Sinai mountains are spectacular though, especially at sunset or sunrise when the light casts brilliant colours over the desert. The ascent is a steep climb along the camel path followed by 750 stone steps to the summit. The descent can be along the same route or via the 3,000 'Steps of Repentance'.

Red Sea

The Red Sea is one of the premier locations in the world for diving and snorkelling. In addition to the fascinating coral reefs and colourful marine life to discover underwater, the resorts along the Red Sea offer pristine golden beaches to relax on and warm, tropical waters to swim in. The main locations are Sharm el Sheikh, Dahab and Ras Mohammed on the Sinai Peninsula and Hurghada and El Gouna on the mainland.