The Pyramids

Tourism to Egypt starts and ends with the Great Sphinx and the Giza Pyramids. They are a real marvel of the ancient Egyptian civilization, now protected by UNESCO, as a world heritage. The Pyramids are the only monuments remaining from the ancient Seven Wonders of the World. Besides the Giza Pyramids, a trip to the lesser-known Saqqara, older than Giza, should be on your touring program.

The desert

Time permitting, include a desert trekking. These are very well organized and will give you an incredible sensation of the nature of the desert. Bahariya Oasis is home of the ruins of Alexander the Great. The White Desert will impress you with its mineral sculptures. A dinner and overnight under the stars in a Bedouin campus will make your trip unforgettable.

Cairo

Cairo is among the most crowded cities in the world - 17 million inhabitants (or thereabout). It is a fantastic destination for your trip to Egypt. You may explore its Islamic culture and its monuments, the markets, the food and the wealth of color of its streets. Do not miss the opportunity to see the astonishing view from the 187 meter high Tower in the city.

Nile

Since the dawn of recorded history, the Nile has been a major highway for commerce, festivals and holidays. Ancient Egypt thrived on its waters, and history is full of stories about the river. Along its banks stand magnificent temples, thousands of years old, yet still exhibiting their grandeur and ingraining themselves in people's minds. The longest river in the world has seen several civilizations appear on its banks and … also disappear. A Nile cruise will take you to Luxor, famous by the Valley of Kings and the Karnak temple complex, Esna and Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan. One can also take a cruise on Lake Nasser.

Year round Sunshine

The Sinai Peninsula and the Red Sea coast are very popular among travelers to Egypt, with their luxury hotels and beach resorts. The resorts are exceptionally developed, assuring the perfect conditions for rest and fun for the whole family. One of the best and well-known travel destinations is the Sharm-el-Sheikh resort. This is a high quality spot for world-class diving opportunities. If you like shopping, and enjoy the picturesque oriental markets, Sharm-el-Sheikh is your place. Spring and autumn are the best times for the tourists who wish to avoid the high summer temperatures.

Another modern resort is Hurghada, with its large beaches, watersport opportunities, lot of fun activities and excellent accommodation. It is situated on the African coast and has grown from a small fishing village. The fame of Hurghada is related to diving and shopping. But it offers many other activities popular on any trip to Egypt: trips to the desert and visits to a Bedouin’s camp. In recent times, so many other seaside resorts have been developed. Your choice of a resort will actually depend on what your beach holidays wishes are made of.

Alexandria
The best way to explore this city is to meander in it, as it is just as important to soak in its atmosphere as it is to visit the sites. Alexandria, now the second largest city in Egypt, was once a great city of the Hellenistic period, named after its founder Alexander the Great. Unfortunately, time and nature have eroded away much of the remains of the ancient city. However, the Pompey Pillar still stands 30m tall, and a maze of catacombs lies south of the pillar.

Aswan
Egypt's sunniest southern city and ancient frontier town is located about 81 miles south of Luxor and has a distinctive African atmosphere. Its ancient name is Syene and it is small enough to walk around in. It is graced with the most beautiful setting on the Nile, where the pace of life is slow and relaxed. You can spend days strolling up and down the broad Corniche watching the sail boats (feluccas) etching the sky with their small masts or just sit in a floating restaurant listening to Nubian music and eating freshly caught fish. In Aswan, the Nile is at its most beautiful, flowing through the amber desert and granite rocks, around emerald islands covered in palm groves and tropical plants. Explore its souk, full of scent and exploding with the vibrant colour of spices, perfumes, scarves and baskets. View the spectacular sunsets while having tea on the terrace of the Old Cataract Hotel. Aswan has been a favourite winter resort since the beginning of the 19th century and is still the perfect place to get away from it all.

Cairo
Cairo has been the largest city in Africa for centuries. Modern Cairo encompasses many former cities and its monuments: The pyramids of the Pharaohs, early Christian monasteries and churches, Salah al-din's Citadel, mosques of the Mamlukes and the Ottoman sultans, to name just a few - testify to the five thousand years of culture that have been concentrated here. Travel through time in a city that is a living index of ancient civilisation, whilst the creature comforts of a modern cosmopolitan city are at your fingertips.

"The Nile does not change. Indeed I know of no place where everything changes as much as it does here and yet nothing changes...you feel quite at home in Cairo." Henry Adams describing Cairo in 1898.

Luxor
Located about 500 km south of Cairo, Homer once called Luxor "the 100 gated Thebes". It contains a vast conglomeration of ancient monuments - the Temples of Amon at KARNAK, colossal statues, obelisks and halls, the VALLEY of the KINGS and QUEENS, burial site of 64 Pharaohs. All other temples and tombs are awe-inspiring and visitors will have ample opportunities to visit them.

Red Sea
Egypt's Red Sea coastline runs from the Suez all the way to the Sudanese border. Its mineral rich red mountain ranges could account for the name, although a number of colourful theories abound about the origins of the naming. Hermits seeking seclusion started the first Christian monasteries here, sharing the wilderness with camel-trading Bedouins. Today the limestone wadis of the Eastern Desert remain relatively unexplored and are still home to herds of ibex and gazelle. Coral reefs, fringed by ancient ports, are teeming with underwater life in an area with rich maritime history stretching all the way back to Pharaonic times.

Ships have sailed and also sunk in the Red Sea as it was the main route to the Indies for Phoenicians and ancient Egyptian traders. Ships were loaded with copper, cooking pots and cotton to return laden with ivory, spices and other gems. The Red Sea area remained an untouched shipwreck heaven and a place of adventure for smugglers, merchants, pirates and pilgrims for centuries. But with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, European travellers made their entrance. The thermal winds still bring thousands of migrating birds to the shores of the Red Sea and makes it a paradise for bird watchers. Ancient ports are now known for excellent diving and fishing resorts, with sunbathers relaxing on the pristine white sand beaches. The underwater wonders are a living tapestry of vibrant corals filled with exotic fish. A paradise waiting to be rediscovered. Suez and Ain Sukhna were both commercial ports as far back at the 7th century. The spice traders and pilgrims to Mecca made both cities prosperous throughout the Middle Ages. It became a naval base during the 15th century and with the opening of the Suez developed into a modern city. Suez is today one of Egypt's largest harbour cities and can be visited in one day when in Cairo.

HURGHADA
Hurghada only appeared on the tourist scene during the 1900s, but has become one of the foremost tourism resorts of the Red Sea. Here one can windsurf, sail, get some wind in your hair and salt on your skin with deep-sea fishing but above all snorkelling and diving are the main attractions. The unique underwater gardens are some of the finest in the world and justifiably famous amongst divers. Take a day trip to Giftun Island for snorkelling followed by a delicious fish barbecue. View the ocean through glass bottom boats or from a submarine. When not in the sea, you can shop at one of the many boutiques, relax in your luxury hotel or visit the Aquarium. Day trips to Luxor or a safari into the mountains by camel or the more conventional jeep can be added onto you holiday activities.

Sinai Peninsula
The Blue Desert is A quirky stopover between St Catherine and Dahab. Belgian artist Jean Berame used ten tonnes of blue paint in 1980 to paint a bizarre landscape covering more than six kilometres of rock installations, some as tall as nine metres. The Blue rocks create a vivid contrast with the deep reds and yellows of the desert, and the artwork stands as a memorial to the declaration of peace between Israel and Egypt.

Feiran Oasis is the wadi where Moses is said to have struck his staff upon a rock, bringing forth a spring water for his people to drink, and where the Hebrews camped in their battle with the Amelecities. The Biblical heritage has for thousands of years made Feiran a religious centre for pilgrims. The wadi is peppered with dozens of ancient church ruins, some dated to the 4th century AD. Known as the pearl of Sinai, the wadi itself is a stunningly picturesque oasis with four kilometres of luxuriant palms and spectacular cliff walls.

The Coloured Canyon near Nuweiba is a stunning crevice of walls coloured and shaped by sea waters, which covered the Sinai millions of years ago. The canyon is about 700 metres long and the dramtaic wall shapes and hues are the result of water eroding a mixture of sandstone and limestone. The canyon can be reached by car.

Ras Mohammed National Park at the southern tip of the Sinai is well worth visiting if only to soak up the dramatic views from its arid promontory looking out over rich coral reefs which protect some of the most abundant marine life in the Red Sea. Much of Ras Mohammed, declared a national park in 1983, is the legacy of a giant coral reef, which drained away tens of thousands of years ago, leaving an array of limestone outcrops littered with marine fossils.