I am visiting Egypt this summer. What are some attractions I should be sure to see (besides the obvious)?

Answer 1

I am sure you have heard about most,that is most likely what has drawn you to Egypt.
It is actually a good idea to get hold of a copy of the Lonely Planet Guide to Egypt. It is well worth the money.
I would go so far as to say it is invaluable,check it out. You can get them in any country in any language.
Has everything you need to know about Egypt .
From places to go and where to eat.How much to expect to pay for taxi's and all sorts of things.
Recommended hotels and their prices(and condition) ,plus the prices and the entrance fee's to the sites.
You may choose to go on a tour to Egypt. Even so you will be given what they call free time,( I don't agree with it and call it wasted money time)and during that time you can get to see some of the places most tours don't go.
Such as Old Cairo.It is so old, quaint and peaceful.You can see the Roman tower and ruins, the early Coptic churches and close by is the magical area known as Islamic Cairo.
Just wandering around the tiny lanes and looking at the amazing old homes that seem to close in over your head. That is an experience! You feel like you are in another time.
Then there are the beautiful, serene mosques to call into.
But do dress appropriately ,long sleeves, and take a scarf to throw on.
It all costs nothing, except the Metro ticket or taxi ride there.
If you go to Khan El Khallili to get some bargains, then call for a coffee at Fishawis.It has been open 24/7 for over 200 years and is a unique experience.
A gallop around the Pyramids on an Arab horse at sunset.
That is another classic memory you will love. There are good horse stables in Giza and its so easy to get there.
If you are out at Giza don't miss seeing the workers town. This is the huge ruins of the town, where the workers who built the pyramids and their families lived.
Over 5,000 people lived there.Hardly any tourists go there and I don't know why?
Stay away from the camel rides. They really are shifty guys.
I love Egypt and the Egyptians, but watch these guys.
If you do want to go on a camel ride, settle the price and time of the ride, before you get on the camel.
Then there are the fabulous Sufi dancers,or whirling dervishes. They have a performance Sat .Mon.Wed. 7-9 at the Sarayat al Gabal Theatre, and it is free.That is something really unusual!
If you go to Luxor and you most likely will. Try and spend some time on the West Bank. Go over on the ferry for 1L.E.(20c)
There is a guy called Mohummed there, who is an amazing guide. I use him myself. But you can check him out as he is featured in a UTube upload from an American couple who used him.
Find it this way.- Go to the Tour Egypt site-. then to Jane's Luxor blog, and have a look .It is a great little film,and covers a lot of Luxor.It is really well made.
He is such a gentleman and was raised at Gurna, right near the Tombs of the Nobles.
Actually his house is on a tomb. It is in the UTube video also.
The Tombs of the Nobles ,you must see.
No doubt you are planning going the The Valley of The Kings. Well there are tombs here just as good.
You will find a lot of the King's Tomb's, closed at present as well. It is a pain but conserving them is a must.
A lot are really suffering from so many tourists the past few years.
You will also go to Deir El Barhi I hope, it is my favourite place. The Temple of Hatshepsut.
But taking a donkey ride up over the cliffs at the back of her tomb is amazing. What a view!
If you look at a picture of her temple and see how high the cliff is you will get an idea.You can see across the Nile, sometimes to Karnak it is so high.
The other way is The Valley of the Kings.
There is so much to see in Luxor ,you can only try and see as much as you can.
If you have time I would go for a couple of days to the White Desert. It is like another planet. Such amazing crystal stone in natural wind blown shapes.
Camping out under the Moon and stars is magic.
Before you leave Cairo. Say goodbye in a great way, go up to the Citadel.
As well as seeing the Mosques and the Palace of Mohummed Ali with its beautiful fountain.The view of Cairo, way over to the Pyramids is the perfect last sight to see, and hold in your head as you take the plane back home.
Enjoy and make your own adventure.

Should you need any more info., about anything, email me from address in my profile.

Answer 2

You should try a desert tour of the oasis, you can camp out and party with some real bedouin guys. Try this website egyptoffroad.com, this guy that runs this tour knows every inch of the desert and he's fun. Also you have to see Dahab and Sharm el Sheik, they are beautiful red sea resort areas full of naked sun-bathing europeans and hippies from around the world. When in Cairo you definitely have to see the Khan il Kalili, it's a historical large market place where you can buy anything. Some nice places to stay are The Flamenco Hotel in Zamalek, Cairo, and also the Windsor Hotel in Cairo. You must see the beautiful sahara desert though, alot of people going to Egypt over look this and think it would be rough and dull. The desert has so much to discover and it's so pristine and beautiful. If you do go to the desert, the oasis Siwa is farthest west and is where the Oracle Temple of Ammon is said to have claimed Alexander the Great as a divine personnage and a legitimate pharoah of Egypt. There's the roman -era -necropolis featuring dozens of rock cut tombs, and Cleopatra's Bath a natural sulphur spring. There's also Abu Simbel which is south of Aswan on the western bank of the nile. After the pyramids it represents one of the most firmiliar images of ancient Egypt, it's Ramssess the 2nd rock cut temple and it is massive. You can also find many mummies while out in the desert in small caves and cubby holes in the rocks. My sister has a website where she put a movie of one of the times we were in Egypt threewebe.typepad.com, you will have to scroll down until you see a video with some palm trees in the desert, and then choose to watch from google video.

Answer 3

In Cairo : Old Cairo area (some Mosques and Churches)
Al Azhar Park, Citadel, Khan El Khalily
Alexandria : Alexandria Bibloteca, Montazah, see shore walk
South Egypt : A Nile cruise including visits
Sinai : Sharm, Ras Mohamed, St. Katherine monastery and mountain, the blue hole in Dahab if you dive
Marsa Matrouh : to enjoy one of the best sea shores in the Mediterranean

Answer 4

Hey, I know this is the obvious but gotta state it anyways :

The Pyramids
Red sea (Sharm El Sheikh)
Sphinx
Nile cruise
Night life and Culture in Egypt..your gonna love it!
The great library in Alexandria
The seaside in Alexandria...

In the summer the culture is at it's best coz no-one sleeps to 3am!

Be sure to take sun-cream and a hat if you don't wanna get burnt!

Have a nice time in Egypt, which I'm sure you will do!

God bless and take care..x

Answer 5

OK the obvious ones will be the ancient or historical places or monuments,so besides you may check the modern life in Egypt Cinemas,theaters and night spots

Answer 6

There' an amusement park near cairo called "Dream park".

Answer 7

that sphinx i like dat lil thing wit a lion n a pharoah as da head

Answer 8

alexandre
or luxor

Answer 9

Egypt is a great place to visit.Egypt is know for its archaeological wonders.If you are going to visit it then please do visit The pyramids, temples, mosques and great monuments of the Nile Valley, as well as the stunning diving resorts of the Red Sea.

I will tell you all the req information. Let me describe each and every city to ease my task.

Cairo :

A central landmark in Cairo is Midan Hussain, a large open square with tea houses around the perimeter, and dominated by the sacred Mosque of Sayyidna Al-Hussain. Adjacent is the famous Khan-el Khalili, one of the world’s largest bazaars, pulsing with commerce and crammed with spices, coppersmiths, perfume and trinkets.Here, Fishawi’s tea house has been in business for over 200 years, and is still a great people-watching venue.

Nearby is Al-Azhar Mosque, containing the oldest university in the world (AD 970). The pre-Ottoman Madrassa and Mausoleum of Al-Ghouri, has Sufi dancing, and opposite is Wakala of Al-Ghouri, an attractively preserved cultural center. Exhibits in the Museum of Islamic Art bring Islamic Cairo to life, with arts, ceramics, mosaics and calligraphy.

The Citadel was home to Egypt’s rulers for 700 years; an imposing medieval fortress offering sweeping views of the city. Within it is the Midan Salah al-Din with the unmissable Sultan Hassan and Rifai Mosques. The Mohammad Ali Mosque has classic Ottoman minarets and interior. Within the Citadel, other attractions include the Military National Museum, Al-Gawhara Palace and Museum and the National Police Museum.

City of the Dead (Northern Cemetery) is a Mamluk necropolis with hundreds of thousands of tombs dating from the 12th century. Many thousands more live here in something resembling a shanty town amongst the ornate mausoleums.

Sharia Talat Harb street and Midan Tahrir (Liberation Square) are typical of the more modern, commercial center of Cairo – filled with concrete and cars, and containing countless hotels, restaurants, office blocks and museums. Here is one of the country’s greatest attractions; the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities housing over 130,000 exhibits, including Pharaonic and Byzantine art and sculpture, the Mummy Room and the celebrated Tutankhamun exhibition.

Behind the museum, bridges cross the Nile, and riverside walks along the corniche bring some relief from traffic. Here, river taxis travel to local docks, and feluccas (sail boats) are available for private trips.

Here, the Coptic Museum has exhibits from AD 300 to AD 1000, in the world’s greatest collection of Coptic art. The Hanging Church, Monastery of St George and the churches of St Sergius and St Barbara are all in the same area. The Ben Ezra Synagogue is one of the oldest in Egypt, and represents the remains of the Jewish community.

The small island of Gezira is a modern upmarket area with the Opera House (a US$30 million arts complex) containing the Museum of Modern Art, and the Cairo Tower with great city views. The adjacent neighborhood of Zamalek contains elegant town houses and embassies. On the southwest outskirts of the city is Giza with Cairo Zoo and the University. But Cairo is most famous for the Great Pyramids, Egypt’s most visited monuments. Of the three main pyramids (Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus), the largest is 137m (449ft) high and contains some three million blocks of stone. Exploring the interiors is possible via labyrinthine tunnels and staircases. Adjacent is the bewitching Sphinx, as named by the ancient Greeks, with the head of a woman and body of a lion. Erosion was partly rectified by restoration, which finished in 1998. Early morning and late afternoon are a little less crowded, and every evening there are son et lumière - extravagant light shows telling the story of ancient Egypt. Camels, horses and donkeys can be hired to explore the site.

There are more ancient tombs and pyramids outside the city - more difficult to get to but much less crowded. There are remains of the Old Kingdom’s capital Memphis; the necropolis at Saqqara, with the Step Pyramid older than those at Giza, with well-preserved wall reliefs and royal tombs. Dahshur has only been open to foreigners since 1996, and is famous for its Bent Pyramid and a huge field of royal tombs.

In contrast to ancient sights, the Camel Market (Souq al-Gamaal), is held every morning at Birqash, around 35km (21 miles) from the city, located on the edge of the Western Desert. Hundreds of camels are sold daily, most having been brought from Sudan.

Oases :

Egypt’s six oases can provide relief from cities. All have accommodation and can be accessed by public transport. The desert forms 94 per cent of the country’s area, yet only 1 per cent of the population lives in it. The largest and most developed oasis is Kharga, with a Berber community, temples and museums. Dhakla Oasis has hot springs, and camel rides over the sand dunes. The nearby village of Bashandi sells handicrafts made by local girls. The smallest is Farafra, an ancient fort town; Bahariyya is made up of several small villages, famed for its olives and dates. Al-Faiyum Oasis is 100km (60 miles) southwest of Cairo, and the area contains small pyramids, the old city of Karanis, and temples. Siwa is the furthest west and remote, but the most picturesque and idyllic. The community is traditional and Berber-speaking.

The Nile :

Many tour operators offer Nile cruises, usually between Luxor and Aswan, and generally lasting around five days. It is also possible to get a cruise to Minia (a charming town with Roman, Greek and Pharaonic ruins, including the Beni Hassan archaeological area) and/or through to Cairo. Felucca trips offer the same route – with more basic facilities. For further information, see the Activities section.

Luxor :

A highlight is the Karnak Temple, covering an immense 100 acres (40.5 hectares). Of the three temple enclosures, the grandest is the Precinct of Amun, the main place of worship. The Great Hypostyle Hall is 6000 sq m (64,584 sq ft) and filled with immense stone pillars. The whole site has colossal statues, reliefs, obelisks and halls and, of course, the Avenue of the Sphinxes. There are nightly son et lumière shows.

Along the riverbank, Luxor Temple is guarded by a huge statue of Ramses II, and although a fraction of the area of Karnak, it also contains countless columns, statues and sphinxes. A pleasant walk north along the corniche brings you to the Luxor Museum where a small, interesting collection of relics from the Theban Temples and Necropolis can be viewed. The recently opened Mummification Museum has exhibits of human, reptile and bird mummies, as well as explanations of how they are made.

On the West Bank of the Nile is the vast Theban Necropolis, containing some of the world’s finest tombs: the Valley of the Kings; Valley of the Queens; and Tombs of the Nobles. Highlights include the Tomb of Tutankhamun; Ramses II; and the Tomb of Nefertari, reputed to be the country’s finest, which is newly restored and allows only 150 visitors a day for 10 minutes. Nearby is Deir el-Bahri (Northern Monastery), a picturesque temple set amidst the amphitheater of the Theban Hills.

Along the Nile, felucca owners tout for custom, and it is possible to hire one for a brief sunset cruise to Banana Island, or even to organize a trip upriver to Aswan. Hot-air balloon trips are also available, offering the best views of Luxor.

Around Luxor Temple, shopping is dominated by tourist bazaars with enthusiastic salesmen. The more traditional souk, with household goods, spices and clothes, is on Sharia el-Birka. Cafes and stalls sell hot food, and there are rooftop terraces overlooking the river. A livestock market is held every Tuesday morning at El-Hebel, a village 4km (2.4 miles) from Luxor.

Aswan :

The corniche provides attractive riverside walks, and a stop-off for many cruise ships. In the evenings, floating restaurants provide a lively gathering place, and the world-famous folkloric dance troupe performs nightly during winter months at the Cultural Center. Southernmost is the Old Cataract Hotel (famous as the location of the film ‘Death on the Nile’). Sharia el-Souq is the atmospheric market stretching for streets, with spices, food and clothes, as well as predictable tourist souvenirs.

Elephantine Island is easily accessible by river taxi. Formerly Egypt’s frontier town, recent excavations of this ancient site have revealed temples and a fortress. Aswan Museum contains exhibits found in Nubia and Aswan. The Nilometer on the south of the island, dating back to Pharaonic times, was used to measure the height of the Nile.

Further south is the tiny Island of Plants, presented to Lord Horatio Kitchener in the 1890s in recognition of his military services. Importing exotic flowers and plants from India and Malaysia, he created a beautiful botanical garden, open daily to the public, attracting a wide variety of birds.

On the West Bank of the Nile lies the Monastery of St Simeon, which resembles a fortress. Nearby is the domed granite and sandstone Mausoleum of Aga Khan.

Beyond Aswan :

Outside the city are the Aswan Dam, built by the British at the beginning of the century, and the Temple of Philae, on the Island of Philae. The Temple is one of Egypt’s most famous attractions, and after being under threat from flooding from the High Dam, UNESCO moved it stone by stone to a higher point on the island.

Further afield is Abu Simbel, the magnificent Sun Temple of Ramses II, also rescued from flooding by UNESCO. Ramses had four gigantic statues of himself built in order to intimidate travelers entering Egypt from Africa, especially the Nubians.

Kom Ombo, 30km (18 miles) north of Aswan, is a largely Nubian settlement, known for its Temple of Haroeris and Sobek. Nearby is the Darow Camel Market, held every Tuesday morning and mainly frequented by tribesmen from the northern Sudanese deserts.

Edfu is famed for the largest and best preserved Pharaoronic Temple in Egypt, the Temple of Horus. It is a favored starting/stopping point for felucca trips to and from Luxor.

Alexandria :

The Northern Coast is dominated by Alexandria, conquered and designed by Alexander the Great. More Mediterranean than Arabic, it was always considered affluent and liberal, and still attracts wealthy Cairenes as a summer retreat. Egypt’s second city is less chaotic than Cairo, and famed for its numerous Hellenistic and Roman relics from the age when it was the cultural capital of Europe.

The newly constructed Bibliotheka Alexandria, costing over US$300m, is the greatest library in the ancient world and a major research center for scholars. Relics from the third century BC are exhibited in the Graeco-Roman Museum, and there is a recently excavated Roman Amphitheater. Fort Qait Bey is a 15th-century fort built on the foundations of the Pharos Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The modern Mosque of Abu al-Abbas Mursi dominates the main square on Sharia Tatwig, and other places of interest include the Museum of Fine Arts, and Montazah Palace with attractive gardens, often the summer venue of theater performances.

Swimming and diving are popular, although beaches tend to be overcrowded in summer. Ma’amoura is a more liberal and Westernised beach, and further out of the city Agami and Hannoville are cleaner and less crowded. Diving is possible on Montazah beach.

Beyond Alexandria :

The ancient city of Rosetta, 65km (39 miles) away from Alexandria, is famed for being where the Rosetta Stone was discovered (now housed in the British Museum) and has attractive Ottoman, ‘Delta Style’ architecture.

El Alamein is a small coastal village 100km (60 miles) west of Alexandria and an easy day trip. Famous as the scene of a decisive Allied victory, which determined the fate of Egypt and Britain’s Empire, there is a War Museum, Cemetery and Memorial to the soldiers who died in battle.
Further west is the coastal resort of Mersa Matrouh, which has a good beach, although it can be overcrowded in summer.

Sinai & The Red Sea Coast :

great example of modern engineering, the Suez Canal links the Red Sea with the Mediterranean. Completed in 1869, it has repeatedly been the cause of dispute, most recently when blocked during the 1967 war with Israel. Port Said is the main city. Anyone traveling to Sinai by road would cross the Suez on a small shuttle boat, or under the tunnel.

The Red Sea Coast sits strategically between Africa and Asia, rich in mineral wealth and revered as the place of miracles and prophets in Judaism, Islam and Christianity. God is said to have appeared to Moses here, and thought to have delivered the Israelites from the Egyptian army into the Red Sea. These days, the region is revered for its spectacular diving resorts, beaches, stunning coastline and vast deserts. This area has some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world, and has a more liberal atmosphere than the rest of Egypt.

The coastline attracts tourists ranging from top-class package deals, to backpackers in campsites: Sharm el-Sheikh is a large resort, and is best for diving. Na’ama Bay is much better developed and upmarket, with private beaches. A few kilometers north is Shark Bay, a quieter resort camp. The beaches at Dahab are spectacularly framed by jagged mountains. Holiday villages within a Bedouin settlement are close by. Nuweiba is a port city, with a plethora of resorts, and is famous for Olin the dolphin, with which people can pay to swim. Local Bedouins offer jeep safaris into the interior. Between here and Taba, there are many small, quiet resorts that threaten to be overshadowed by a huge new tourist development, Taba Heights. On the west of the Red Sea Coast, the biggest diving resort is Hurghada, once a fishing village and now a major commercial tourist center. Ras Muhammed is the southernmost point on the peninsula, fringed with lagoons and reefs, and is now a National Park.

Little is accessible in Sinai’s interior, a barren area with rocks and sands, and the best way to explore this is by treks or safari by camel or jeep. One of the highlights is St Catherine’s Monastery, now home to Greek Orthodox monks. St Catherine was the legendary martyr of Alexandria, who was tortured and beheaded for her Christianity. It has been a place of pilgrimage since the 4th century. Within the monastery is the ‘burning bush’ from which God is said to have appeared to speak to Moses. Mount Sinai, revered as the site of God’s revelation of the Ten Commandments, is a craggy and sheer-faced mount of grey and red, dramatic and steep. Care should be taken when ascending. Other places to visit in this region include Oyun Musa (‘Springs of Moses’), Qalat al-Gindi, an 800-year-old fortress, and Hammam Fara’un’s hot springs and isolated beach.