National Tourist Information Egypt

Traveladvisor in Egypt: Are you going on a vacation you can get lots of free and professional help, traveladvice and information from the National Tourism Organisation.

Discover the country and the cities getting the most out of your vacation with the professional help from the people who knows their country and their culture the best.

Egypt Tourism Authority

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The land of the Pharaohs. The child of the Nile. Call it by any name but the mystic land never ends to attract the greatest people to it. It’s the country, which is home to the oldest civilization of the world. The magnanimity and the grandeur of the Egyptian civilization is what make it the traveler’s paradise. The popularity of the place is mainly because of the great pyramids at Giza. These architectural and construction wonders have made a firm footing in the list of the Seven Wonders of the World. And that is not all. The pyramids are present at other places too. The famous statue of the Sphinx is also there in Giza. The fertility of the Nile Basin is the main reason why the greatest civilization could thrive there.

The capital city of Cairo is also an international hub now. The city is a smooth blend of culture and modernization. The city has the greatest business centers and the best infrastructure in the country. Ancient museums and art galleries adorn this city. The city holds the distinction of being the oldest in the world. The best way to travel around the city is on foot. This gives the inquisitive tourist ample time to see each structure. But for the people wit less time, transportation is easy in the city. Many mosques are there and they give an impression of the grandeur of architecture.

The great desert surrounds the country and the most important sources of life in the desert are the oases. These are the fertile lands in the middle of the desert, which are used for agriculture and cultivation. They are the cradles of life in the very challenging weathers of the desert. The Dakhla, the Siwa are some of the oases locations where the Egyptian people cultivate. The nomads of the desert find a resting place in the oases. The Foyum is a large oasis and is the source of salt. Many tourists from Islamic and non-islamic countries come to visit the country.

Mount Sinai is one of the sacred spots of the country. It was the place where Moses gave the ten commandments to his disciples and explained them the message of the God. The place is known for its religious importance. The place is lined by the Red Sea, which houses very beautiful coral reef, and it offers fantastic geographic beauty. Apart from the religious pursuits the city also offers the best shopping hubs and showrooms. The city is never short of new things to show. But the spots of religious and historical importance remain the most visited. There are many water parks that offer joy rides and other entertainment offers. The cities of Egypt are always bustling with activity and the bird watchers can find the natural beauties around Lake Nasser. The country fulfills all the expectations of the visitors completely. The most important point remains the preservation of the cultural heritage and that had to in the hands of the residents.

By far the most famous of Egypt’s architectural wonders are the 3 Great Pyramids located at Giza, near Cairo. These monuments are hundreds of feet in height, and have survived the test of time for the last 4500 years. There are over a hundred pyramids of various sizes in Egypt, and more in neighboring Sudan. These monuments serve as tombs for the great pharaohs of ancient Egypt, and stand as testimony to the power and influence of these pharaohs.

The Great Pyramids

When you stand at the bottom of the Great Pyramids, looking up at their magnificence, the feeling is indescribable. You begin to wonder just how the ancient people managed to construct this huge structure with only the help of the simple tools available at that time. And this feeling of awe intensifies when you take the opportunity to descend into the pyramids via the original entrances that were used thousands of years ago. When you touch the walls of the now-empty tombs beneath the pyramids, you will feel as if you were there thousands of years ago when the tombs were freshly carved. (One warning: You might not want to enter the pyramids if you are claustrophobic!)

The Sphinx

Next to the Great Pyramids at Giza is the enigmatic Sphinx. A gigantic statue with the head of a man and the body of a lion, the great Sphinx stares silently at the east, perhaps watching the sunrise, or perhaps protecting the great pyramids from whatever evils that may threaten to destroy them. The Sphinx is just as old as the pyramids, aging over 4500 years (or more, depending on which group of archaeologists you believe).

Almost everyone has heard of the Sphinx with its missing nose, and some might wonder how he actually lost his nose. (Do not believe what you saw in the Disney cartoon Aladdin) Almost everyone has seen many pictures, or perhaps the Discovery channel, showing the Sphinx in various angles. But you have to visit it, to stand there right next to it, to realize why both the Sphinx and the Pyramids are the most famous man-made structures in the world. Just the front paw of the Sphinx is larger than a human being!

The Wonders of the Nile

The architectural wonders of ancient Egypt are not limited to those at Giza. As you travel along the Nile River (incidentally the longest river in the world), you will come across other monuments. Chief of these is the Valley of Kings near Luxor. It is here that many kings from many of the ancient Egyptian dynasties were entombed. Each tomb is unqiue and is a wonder in its own right. Unfortunately, most of the treasure that was entombed with the pharaohs have long been stolen by tomb raiders. Only the well-hidden tomb of Tutankhamun managed to survive more or less intact to this day.

Further south, near the town of Aswan, are the famous temples of Abu Simbel. Constructed during the reign of Ramses II, better known as Ramses the Great, these two temples feature much-larger-than-life statues guarding the entrances. And beautiful hieroglyphs still adorn the walls of the temples.

This is just a small fraction of the many wonders that can be found in Egypt, below we list 10 things we think you should see or do in Egypt

Best sights in Egypt

1. The pyramids at Giza. Visit them and night and view the awesome Sound and Light Show at the pyramids. In the darkness of night, the Sphinx is lit up and narrates the history of the Pyramids. In addition a fantastic soundtrack plays and lasers dance all over the Pyramids. This show is a MUST.

2. Kings Tuts Mask. The mask of the child king, just has to be seen in person to be believed. The intricate work is one thing, but there is just an amazing “aura” of peace around this artefact. Words simply cannot describe what you will feel as you stand in front of it.

3. Abu Simbel. This is a true past and present wonder. The past is obvious, but as a present day wonder, not everyone realises that this entire structure was moved to make way for Lake Nasser. That alone makes it well worth the trip out from Aswan to view it.

4. Valley of the Kings. Luxor and the Valley of the Kings is a true site to behold. Despite its close links to death, there is a truly peaceful feeling there. It should be mentioned however that not all the tombs are worth seeing. You entry tickets gets you into 3 of the tombs and you can pay extra for others and for King Tuts tomb too. The 3 we suggest visiting are Ramses I, Tuthmosis III and Ramses VI .

5. Luxor Temple. This temple is located right on the bank of the River Nile and is a great place to stroll at leisure.

6. A Felucca sailing on the Nile. Best taken in Luxor, this is a simple yet fantastic pleasure. We suggest heading out early in the afternoon, partly because the river provides a welcome rest from the days heat, but mainly because the return journey will see the sun setting over the Nile and this is something just not to be missed.

7. Karnak Temple. This temple complex can be visited either by day or night.

8. Diving in the Red Sea. Diving in places like Hurghada, Dahab and Sharm el Sheikh is some of the best in the world

9. A Nile Dinner Cruise in Cairo. A Nile river cruise in Cairo is well worth doing. The skyline is beautifully lit and as your cruise ship heads out into the dark waters, you are sure to have a romantic evening which you will never forget.

10 Riding a Camel. It just has to be done ! The best locations are at the pyramids on the West Bank of the Nile in Luxor. Here it can be done nicely in conjunction with a trip on the Nile by felucca.