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• Giza Necropolis

  

  The Giza Pyramids have become nearly synonymous with Egypt herself. Their incredible size continues to impress millions of visitors each year, as they struggle to comprehend how three kings, Khafre, Khufu, and Menkaure, could have constructed such huge structures so long ago. Despite their fame, the Giza Pyramids represent only a short moment in the long history of Ancient Egypt. All three great pyramids, as well as the secondary pyramids next to them, were built during the 4th dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. The Old Kingdom (c. 2686- 2181 BC) was the first of the three major eras of Ancient Egypt's history.. Archaeologists believe that the 4th dynasty (c. 2613-2493 BC) was the "golden age" of the Old Kingdom because of the size and quality of the pyramids that were built during this time at Giza.

  Subsequent pyramids did not come close to rivaling the size or quality of construction of these huge structure. The huge blocks of limestone used in construction have stood the test of time much better than any of the other pyramids (and there are over 100) built before or after them. Although they dominate the view, the pyramids are not the only site to see on the GIza Necropolis. Like the other pyramid fields in Egypt, the sites was used for less significant burials as well. The tombs of nobles have also excavated on the site and there is a Valley Temple, the processional entrance to the pyramids, associated with each structure.

• Luxor

  

  One thousand years after the construction of the Great Pyramids, the New Kingdom arose in Egypt, and power shifted from the ancient capital of Memphis to Thebes in the south, the site of modern-day Luxor. Enriched by gold mined in the deserts of Nubia and transported to the city on the river Nile, Thebes became the country's cultural and political hub. Today, the mid-sized city Luxor is known as the "world's largest open air museum" and is one of Egypt's most popular travel destinations.

  The Luxor Temple in the center of town provides a good introduction to the region's historical sites. The ruin's pylons and columns take about an hour to explore and appreciate. The nearby Mummification Museum helps visitors understand ancient Egypt's preoccupation with death. Several well-preserved mummies are on exhibit, as are artifacts used in the mummification process. To the north, the Luxor Museum displays statues and funeral items unearthed from nearby tombs and temples.

• Cairo

  

  Located near the mouth of Nile River delta, Egypt's modern capital is a busy, bustling metropolis with a long and turbulent history. Built near the ancient capital city of Memphis, modern Cairo is a popular starting point for cruises up the Nile and for explorations of the Pyramids at Giza just outside the city's limits. A felucca ride on the Nile offers visitors a tranquil way to orient themselves to the sights within the city.

  At the world-renowned Egyptian Museum of Tahrir Square, visitors can get a close-up view of the treasure of Tutankhamun as well as mummies and other artifacts from Egypt's ancient past. The city's most historic mosques are worth a visit as well. Dating back to the 9th century when the Fatimids made the city their capital, the Ibn Tulun Mosque is the oldest in Cairo. The stunning Citadel and Mosque of Mohammed Ali Pasha, also known as the Alabaster Mosque for its gleaming white edifice, was named after the man who is regarded as the founder of modern Egypt.

• Aswan

  

  Egypt's southernmost city, Aswan is a mid-sized city located north of Lake Nasser. Although its own monuments are minor compared to Luxor's, Aswan is the base for excursions to the temples of Philae and Kabasha and to the Sun Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel, to the south. It is also the best starting point for excursions to the temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu, between Aswan and Luxor.

  Aswan itself has one of the most beguiling settings in Egypt. Granite cliffs overlook the Nile's First Cataract, the first of a series of shallow white water rapids broken by rocky islets that stretch north to Khartoum. Once the site where Nubians quarried granite stone for many of Egypt's Obelisks, Elephantine Island is now home to several Nubian villages as well as the Aswan Museum, which features Nubian artifacts dating back to predynastic times.

  The Aswan region attracted world-wide attention in the 1960s when the construction of the Aswan High Dam was completed. Two ancient stone temples built by Ramesses II at Abu Simbel lay in the path of the rising waters of Lake Nasser. The edifices and their temples were dismantled and reassembled on a bank high above the reservoir. About a 3 hours bus drive from Aswan, a day trip to view the massive temples is a can't-miss activity.

• Dahshur

  

  Dahshur is a necropolis located in the desert on the west bank of the Nile River approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Cairo. Compared to Giza and Saqqara, it is a more tranquil and isolated location to see some very large pyramids. Visitor numbers are much smaller, queues are way shorter and there is far less hassle. Pyramids at Dahshur include the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid, constructed during the reign of Pharaoh Sneferu (2613-2589 BC) of the Old Kingdom and father of Khufu, the builder of the Great Pyramid at Giza. Somewhat later, pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom's 12th Dynasty erected their own pyramids at Dahshur, though on a greatly reduced scale.

  Dahshur is very much off the traditional tourist trail around Cairo, having been a restricted military zone until 1996. The Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities has in recent years, however, been encouraging travelers to visit Dashur, in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure on the Giza pyramids.

• Sharm el-Sheikh

  

  Sharm el-Sheikh is a city situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in South Sinai Governorate, Egypt, on the coastal strip along the Red Sea .It is a well-known beach resort at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, popular with package holiday makers and divers. It is one of the finest diving spots in the world. About 40 years ago, Sharm el-Sheikh was nothing but a small fishing village with about 100 Bedouin citizens. When Sinai was occupied by Israel in 1967 Sharm el-Sheikh started to develop as a tourist destination. After the Israelis left, the Egyptians continued the development of Sharm in the 1980's and today Sharm el-Sheikh is now one of Egypt's most visited cities.

  All the hotels and travel agencies in Sharm el-Sheikh can arrange tours by jeep, camel, motorcycle or quad bike. Some of the most popular day excursions include snorkeling visits to Nabeq, jeep trips to the Coloured Canyon and overnight trips to St Catherine's Monastery and Mount Sinai.

• Siwa Oasis

  

  Located near Egypt's western border, Siwa Oasis remained culturally isolated from the rest of the country until late in the 19th century. Surrounded by the Egyptian Sand Sea, the Siwan people developed their own unique customs as well as their own language, Siwi, a Berber dialect. The small community was not unknown to the outside world, however, even centuries ago. The famous Temple of the Oracle of Amun, believed to have been built in the 6th or 7th century B.C., made the oasis a place of pilgrimage. The most famous visitor to seek the oracle's wisdom was Alexander the Great.

  Today, Siwa Oasis is an increasingly popular travel destination. Vacationers come to the city to enjoy the town's many freshwater springs, to stroll through acres of palm groves and to explore ancient mud-built fortresses and remnants of Siwa's Greco-Roman past. Bubbling springs are in abundance here. One of the most popular is a stone pool known as Cleopatra's Bath. A more secluded pool is located on an island in Lake Siwa. Visitors reach Fatnas Spring by navigating a narrow causeway.

• Dahab

  

  Dahab is a town in Egypt, located some 85 km (53 miles) north of Sharm el-Sheikh on the Gulf of Aqaba, near the southern tip of Sinai. It is a place that many have fallen in love with over the years, and return to time & time again.

  Dahab was once an isolated coastal village inhabited only by the local Bedouin. As little as 30 years ago, there were fewer than 30 Bedouin families in Dahab. Like the Bedouin inland, they had a self-sustaining lifestyle but in Dahab this was based on fishing as well as traditional goat herds. During the summer, many inland Bedouin came to Dahab for fishing and to collect dates, and to enjoy life by the sea. To this day, favourite presents from Dahab (for the inland Bedouin) are dried fish & dates.

  The combination of Red Sea & Sinai desert make Dahab perfect for world class windsurfing, scuba diving, freediving, rock climbing & of course desert trekking with the Bedouin. Add to this cheap accommodation on or near the beach, inexpensive food and drink and a relaxed atmosphere, and you have a heady enticement for the young and young at heart.

• Alexandria

  

  Located on the coast of the Mediterranean sea, Alexandria is Egypt's leading port and transportation hub. Founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great, the city was once considered the crossroads of the world. Several of Egypt's pharaohs, including Cleopatra, ruled the country from Alexandria until the nation fell to Rome in 30 BC Under Roman rule, the city earned a reputation as a center for arts and literature. The city's Roman Theater, which features stunning mosaic flooring and marble seating, is a remnant of Alexandria's Roman occupation.

  Today's Alexandria is a dusty seaside city with an over-inflated population of 5 million, that is badly in need of a lick of paint. It's a faded shade of its former glorious cosmopolitan self, but still worth a visit for its many cultural attractions and glimpses of its past. Many of Alexandria's most famous historic sites, including a library that housed more than 500,000 books, were destroyed by devastating earthquakes in the 14th century. Completed in 2002, a new library stands near the site of the original Library of Alexandria. The collection at the new Bibliotheca includes ancient manuscripts and books donated by countries all over the world. Exhibits of Alexandria's long history are on display at the Alexandria National Museum. The museum's more than 1,800 artifacts are arranged chronologically, from the Greco-Roman period to the Coptic and Islamic eras.