Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management
t o top attractions in
Egypt
A GUIDE TO TOP ATTRACTIONS IN EGYPT
This work was edited and published by students attending the class of “Advanced English Terminology ENG 305”, Fall 2018 -2019. This project highlights the top tourist attractions in Egypt in addition to shedding the light on some off –the –beaten track destinations with the aim of spreading the awareness towards the importance of such treasures. This work also helps students, researchers, tourists, travel agents and all those who work for this vital industry to easily find out information about Egyptian destinations through its alphabetized sections. Moreover, this guide facilitates the process of deciding your next vacation as it displays a variety of unique attractions. The project comes in the framework of the faculty’s efforts to support all those involved in this crucial sector
Al -Alamain
NEW ALAMIEN CITY ABOUT
New El Alamein City is considered the First model of the new generation of the millennium cities, The city is located on an area of 50,000 feddans, it is designed to accommodate more than 3,000,000 inhabitants by the end of the First phase and ready to be not only a summer resort only but as a housing units all over the year as well. It will be iconic city for the Western North Coast after its implementation
Alamein Military Museum
Due to the importance of the city of El Alamein, the museum was built in 1965 and was renovated and reopened in 1992 on the 50th anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein, where Germany, England and Italy participated in the exhibition
The Commonwealth Cemetery
Opening times: The cemetery is open every day from 07:00 - 17:00
Alamein is a city, approximately 130 kilometers west of Alexandria on the road to Mersa Matruh. The cemetery lies off the road, slightly beyond a ridge, and is indicated by road direction signs. The campaign in the Western Desert was fought between the Commonwealth forces (with, later, the addition of two brigades of Free French and one each of Polish and Greek troops) all based in Egypt, and the Axis forces (German and Italian) based in Libya. The battlefield, across which the fighting surged back and forth between 1940 and 1942, was the 1,000 kilometers of desert between Alexandria in Egypt and Benghazi in Libya. The cemetery now contains 7,240 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, of which 815 are unidentified. There are also 102 war graves of other nationalities.
German War Memorial
German War Memorial About 7km west of El Alamein, what looks like a hermetically sealed sandstone fortress overlooking the sea is actually the German War Memorial. In the center, there is a memorial obelisk. To reach the memorial, take the marked turn-off from the main highway; the entrance to the memorial is locked, but if you wait for a moment, the keeper will let you in. El Alamein German War Cemetery was built in the shape of a fortress. It contains 4,213 German burials from the Second and 30 from the First World War. There are also 31 casualties with an unknown nationality buried here.
Italian War Memorial About 11km west of El Alamein, roughly where the front line between opposing armies ran in WWII, the Italian memorial has a wide path rimmed by flowering shrubs leading up to a tall, slender tower. It's moving to see the simple design inside the tower – square white marble slabs covering the walls, engraved only with the names of the dead. The tower is kept locked, but the caretaker will appear and open it up for you soon after you arrive.
At the roadside entrance to the memorial, there is a small oneroom museum with some interesting maps, artillery, photos and memorabilia from the battle. Most of the information is in Italian only, although there are a couple of translations into English and Arabic. Before reaching the memorial, you’ll notice on the left (south) side of the road what appears to be a large rock milestone. Inscribed on it is the Italian summary of the battle: ‘Mancò la fortuna, non il valore’ (‘We were short on luck, not on bravery’).
Alexandria
Montazah Palace and Gardens
The Montazah Palace and Royal Gardens to the east of central Alexandria is beautifully maintained and features two royal palaces built during the 19th and 20th centuries. Years ago, Montazah was a popular spot for the royal palaces. The area that once belonged to Mohamed Ali family was used by king Abbas II, Egypt last Khedive, in 1892 to build a large palace inside the complex called the Salamlek. The palace was constructed to serve the royal family summer residence. In 1932, king Fouad built a larger palace and called it the Haramlik. Later, his son, King Farouk built a Victorian-style bridge to act as a waterfront. In 1952,, after the exile of King Farouk to Italy and the fall of the monarchy in Egypt. Late President Anwar El-Sadat renovated the Salamlek Palace, to become the official presidential residence.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina Location: Corniche, Shatby This gorgeously designed cultural center contains a host of museums as well as being one of the modern world's most ambitious libraries. The Library of Alexandria was reborn in October 2002 to reclaim the mantle of its ancient namesake. It is not just an extraordinarily beautiful building; it is also a vast complex where the arts, history, philosophy, and science come together. Moreover, the myriad activities it offers have made it a place for open discussion, dialogue, and understanding.
The Roman Theater The Roman Amphitheatre we see today in Alexandria was constructed in the 4th century AD and it was a common feature of the Greco Roman period. This site was discovered in 1967 when foundations were being laid for an apartment building on a site known unceremoniously as Kom Al Dikka – There is also an open –air –museum for displaying sunken monuments.
The audience section has a diameter of about 33 meters and consists of 13 rows made of European white marble with the uppermost part being a portico made out of granite columns that were brought from Aswan and some of them are still standing until today. The thirteen rows of the Roman Amphitheatre of Alexandria were numbered with Roman digits and letters to regulate the seating of the audience on different occasions.
There are some other exhibits which were discovered during the underwater excavations and they too are displayed at the galleries of the Alexandria National Museum with the innumerable Greco Roman Artifacts. New methods have been adopted in the display techniques of the exhibits. The National museum has been up dated with recent lighting systems for proper illumination of the objects, fire alarms and audio visual equipments.
Alexandria National Museum Alexandria National Museum covers a total area of 3,480 square meters and is built in the style of an Italian Mansion with four spacious floors. The museum is surrounded by a beautiful garden full of shady trees and flowering plants. - The National Museum which was formerly a palace, served as the meeting place for the royalties and merchant class hierarchy of Alexandria. Even the place has the prestige of being visited by the former Prime Ministers of Egypt.
The Museum currently has 1800 artifacts. All the valuable objects are the narrators of the rich history of Alexandria and open chapters related to the Pharaonic, Roman, Coptic and the Islamic ages. - The valuable exhibits at the Alexandria National Museum include a statue of the Roman emperor Hadrian, Female Pharaoh of Egypt, a collection of 162 gold and silver coins minted in Alexandria and other objects related to ritual offerings, utensils and expensive jewelry.
The objects on display are in diagonallyplaced cabinets that do not detract from the elegant architectural features of the building. When one considers that many of the rooms in the palace were small, and that some 1,800 works of art were to go on display in a confined area, yet space must be allowed for free movement of visitors through narrow doorways, the enormity of the task can be realised
Qaitbay Citadel
Sultan Qaitbey built this picturesque fortress during the 14th century to defend Alexandria from the advances of the Ottoman Empire. His efforts were in vain since the Ottomans took control of Egypt in 1512, but the fortress has remained, strategically located on a thin arm of land that extends out into Alexandria’s harbor from the corniche. The fortress’ current form is not the original. It was heavily damaged during the British bombardment of Alexandria during a nationalist uprising against British hegemony in 1882 and rebuilt around the turn of the 20th century.
Ras El- Tin Palace Ras El- Tin Palace was founded by Muhammad Ali Pahsa on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in Alexandria, Egypt, Ras el-Tin Palace is the oldest royal Egyptian palace still in use.
Ras El- Tin Palace has imaginable historical breadth along Egyptian Royalty, Construction started at 1834, taking eleven years to complete design and two year for building activities. It is one of few palaces in Egypt that witnessed the early 19th century initiation by Muhammad Ali Pasha Dynasty, Following the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, the palace was where the penultimate monarch of Egypt and Sudan, King Farouk, signed his abdication, and departed from Egypt in exile.
Ras El-Tin Palace location is very fascinating, After the Second World War, King Farouk had a marine pool built on the Mediterranean breakwater. The pool was linked to Ras AlTeen with a narrow and long paved lane atop the breakwater, with a jeep used to pass through waves breaking over it. The adjacent pool house included a sitting room, bed chamber, fully equipped small kitchen, and rooms for staff and storing recreation and fishing gear.
Ras El-Tin Palace was built on the Italian Style like Abdeen Palace the large royal Palace at Cairo Cairo with architectural elements and ornamentation inspired by at that era, it was built on a foundation of 17,000 square, and 12 acres Fig Trees Gardens, Through the reign of successive kings the complex was used as their residence and the government headquarters during the summer season.
The Royal Jewelry Museum of Egypt is located in Alexandria's Zizenia neighborhood and is one of the largest museums in Egypt with a surface area of around 4,185 meters. Moreover, the Royal Jewelry Museum hosts the most valuable displays including the jewelry and the ornaments that the queens and the princesses of the last royal family of Egypt have worn for a considerable period of time. The building of the museum itself is truly marvelous as the museum is housed in the palace of Princess Fatema El Zahraa, a rare gem of architectural excellence that was constructed in the 19th century . Some of the displays of the Royal Jewelry Museum go back to the period when Mohamed Ali Pasha became the Khedive of Egypt in 1805. Pasha took control of the country making it independent from Ottoman rule and he established a dynasty that ruled Egypt for the next 147 years.
The Royal Jewelry Museum
Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque
Abu al-Abbas lived in Alexandria for 43 years as a scholar and teacher until his death in 1286. He was buried in a small building near the eastern harbor in Alexandria. In 1307, El Sheikh Zein El Din Ibn El Qattan, one of the richest traders of Alexandria, visited the tomb. He funded a mausoleum and dome for the tomb, along with a small mosque. The tomb of Abu alAbbas became a place of pilgrimage for many Muslims from Egypt and Morocco who passed through Alexandria on their way to and from Mecca.
The cream-colored Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque stands 23 m high and dressed in artificial stone, with a minaret on the southern side rising to 73 m. Situated near the shore of the eastern harbor, the mosque and its neighbors can be clearly seen from the sea. The minaret has an Ayoubids design, with four sections of different shapes. The mosque has an entrance on the north and one on the east, both of which overlook the square. The main part of the mosque is an octagon, with internal walls are dressed in artificial stone except for a 5.6 m-high mosaic.
The mosque was periodically restored over the centuries by rulers who built themselves tombs next to the saint. Most of the present structure dates from 1775, when the Algerian Sheikh Abu el Hassan El Maghreby built a much larger mosque on the site. It was fully renovated in 1863, and an annual festival was established to celebrate the birth of Abu al-Abbas alMursi.
The Cata –comb of Kom el Shoqafa On Friday, September 28th, 1900, in Alexandria, Egypt, a donkey, hauling a cart full of stone, made a misstep and disappeared into a hole in the ground. If that story is accurate, this beast of burden made one of the most astounding discoveries in archeological history; A set of rock-cut tombs with features unlike that of any other catacomb in the ancient world.
Of course, there was the ancient history of the great Egyptian kingdoms which went back thousands of years. Also, in 332 B.C. Alexander the Great had conquered the land, established the city of Alexandria, and started a dynasty of Greek rulers who brought their own culture to the metropolis
Archeologists believe that the Catacomb of Kom el Shoqafa was started in the 2nd century A.D. and was used to intern the dead for the next 200 years. This was a period in the history of the city of Alexandria when there was a great mixing of different cultures.
Pompey's Pillar is a Roman triumphal column in Alexandria, Egypt, and the largest of its type constructed outside of the imperial capitals of Rome and Constantinople. The only known freestanding column in Roman Egypt which was not composed of drums, it is one of the largest ancient monoliths and one of the largest monolithic columns ever erected. The monolithic column shaft measures 20.46 m in height with a diameter of 2.71 m at its base. The weight of the single piece of red Aswan granite is estimated at 285 t. The column is 26.85 m high including its base and capital. Other authors give slightly deviating dimensions. Erroneously dated to the time of Pompey, the Corinthian column was actually built in 297 AD, commemorating the victory of Roman emperor Diocletian over an Alexandrian revolt.
Pompey's Pillar
Sunken Monuments Franck Goddio with the inscribed Heracleion stele
As you see in the pictures, the relics recovered from the excavations boldly reveal the cities’ beauty and glory before it was buried by water. Anything from colossal statues, inscriptions and architectural elements, jewellery and coins, ritual objects and ceramics, were found and each reveals the opulence Heracleion experienced during its time. Many of the finds illustrate how crucial this city was to the
An ancient Egyptian city found 6.5 km off modern Egypt’s coastline reveals fascinating relics of Heracleion, also known as Thonis. The city’s ruins are located in Abu Qir Bay, originally existing near Alexandria, 2.5 km off the coast. Heracleion’s ruins span an area that is 11km by 15km – deservedly so considering the classical tale of Heracleion which was said to be a prosperous, brilliant, thriving city before it was engulfed by the sea around 1,500 years ago The ruins were first discovered by Franck Goddio using his unique survey-based approach that utilizes the most sophisticated technical equipment. In cooperation with the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, Oxford’s Centre for Maritime Archaeology and the Department of Antiquities of Egypt, Franck was able to locate, map and excavate several parts of the city Franck’s discovery accomplished many things including uncovering important information about the ancient landmarks of ThonisHeracleion, such as the grand temple of Amun and his son
Khonsou (Herakles for the Greeks), the harbours that once controlled all trade into Egypt, and the daily life of its inhabitants. Through his discovery he was able to solve a historic enigma that has baffled Egyptologists for years, that Heracleion and Thonis were actually the same city with two different names.
ancient world economy. This is also seen by the huge amount of gold coins and bronze, lead and stone weights used to measure value of goods in ancient times. The importance of Heracleion has also been proved by the discovery of 64 ships, which is the largest number of ancient vessels ever found in one place. Along with these ships, a mindboggling 700 anchors were found on the ocean floor
Down -town walk
Local Shopping
El Nabi Danial St. Nabi Daniel Street is the linkage between "Cairo Station" in the south and “Al Raml Station” in the north is considered one of the oldest streets in Alexandria. It is well known for the street of books, where many people are selling rare books over there in a cheap price. There is no doubt that the street is considered a cultural station in Alexandria, not only because of the large number of libraries that are located there, but also because of the vendors who stand in lines to sell books. They sell all kinds of Arab and foreign books in various disciplines.
Zane't El-Setat (Women's market) Tucked away in the Manshia district, this market was first created in the beginning of the twentieth century. It is a compound of alleys with one or two-storey houses that date back to the Ottoman Period in the eighteenth century. People inhabit these houses with an intimate interaction and a great sense of familiarity. What particularly distinguishes this place, is that it is a shopping area like no other. It even beats the Khan El-Khalili market, one of Cairo’s foremost tourist attractions. At Zane’t El-Setat, you can find anything and everything you need. From cloth to jewellery, and from toys to computer supplies are sold there.
Assiut
Assiut is the capital of the Modern Assiut Governorate in Egypt, which has one of the largest Coptic Catholic bishopric churches in the country; the ancient city of the same name, which is situated nearby.
ASSIUT - EGYPT
The Monastery of the Holy Virgin Mary
Also known as the Burnt Monastery, lies on the path of the flight of the Holy Family in Egypt. It is located about 60 km from Assiut The monastery is usually very peaceful, even though it is one of the largest and most wealthy Coptic monasteries in Egypt. The site is considered very holy to Egyptian Copts who have nicknamed the location the "Second Bethlehem". A 13th century historian wrote that multitudes of pilgrims from every district have made the journey to the monastery's churches during ancient times, and that the location was well known for signs and wonders and the healing of many diseases. Opening Hours : 8;00 A.m : 6;00 P.m
Banana Island
Address: Gezirat al-Moz, Asyut, Egypt
Banana Island is a quiet and peaceful place in the north of town and it’s the perfect place for a picnic. This place is famous for its bananas and other fruit trees. You can see oranges, papaya trees and a host of banana trees with different stages of fruit. The views are amazing and the sunset is magical. In order to get there, you’ll have to take a boat ride on the Nile. You can take a tour around to see the many varieties of different fruits and herbs that are grown there. There’s also a coffee shop called Asda that is worth a visit. You can take a short trip to the banana tree farm to see how that popular fruit grows. You can also see crocodiles and monkeys here, and after you visit the banana tree farm, you can sit and enjoy some treats they offer. A good guide will take you on Felucca, where you’ll have a quick visit with a small bite and head back at sunset.
Asyut Barrage
The Asyut Barrage is located on the Nile River and it was built in 1903. It was designed by the famous British engineer Sir William Willcocks. It’s located in a crowded square surrounded by local markets and shops. Address: Bridge, Bani Morr, Markaz ElFath, Assiut Governorate,
Assiut Barrage was constructed between 1892 and 1902 to sustain a water level difference of about 4 m in order to feed the Ibrahimia Canal. Since its completing in 1902, Assiut Barrage, along with the old Aswan Dam, remains in service as the oldest Barrage on the Nile in Upper Egypt. The two other old Barrages (Naga Hamadi and Isna Barrages) were replaced with new Barrages in the 1990s. Assiut Barrage supplies up to 440 m3/s of Nile water. With total length about 350 km, Ibrahimia Canal irrigates an area of almost 690.000 ha of Nile valley land in Upper Egypt. The barrage was remodeled by 1938 to increase the permissible headpond level difference to 4.2 m and thereby increasing the capacity of the Ibrahimia Canal. After construction of High Aswan Dam in 1960s, and during 1970s and 1980s, structural stability of Assiut Barrage has been reduced due to subsequent change in flow regime of the Nile and accelerated riverbed degradation downstream the barrages, so higher heads and higher hydraulic forces across the barrage structure and the civil works have been affected by age and also by tail water erosion as a consequence of a modified river regime. On the Nile River, as a milestone of a National Program of rehabilitation and upgrading barrages, Egypt intends to replace the existing Nile barrage in Assiut with a new one. New Assiut Barrage would provide an increase in the allowed head, allowing more water discharges into the Ibrahimiya Canal and will improve navigation conditions. The new Barrage will also include a low head hydropower plant providing about 40 Megawatts. Egypt has investigated the options of rehabilitation of the existing Assiut Barrage and the Ibrahimiya head regulator against reconstruction of a new barrage with a hydropower plant. Two alternatives at the same level for correct evaluation have been analyzed, the first option “New Assiut Barrage 200-300 m downstream of the existing one with hydropower plant” and the other alternative is “Rehabilitation with hydropower”.
Asyut Barrage
The most economic option is constructing a new Barrage 200 m downstream of the existing barrage with power generating capabilities. There is a concern that the new maximum pool level will increase the groundwater levels in Assiut city and in some areas in the upstream. Dealing with this situation, different layouts of the project have been studied and some mitigation measures have been suggested. The corresponding measures would cover an increase of the headpond level for improvement of waterintake to Ibrahimia Canal, improvement of navigation conditions as well as optimization hydropower output, without serious environmental impacts.
Aswan
Elephantine Island
Address: Elephantine, Sheyakhah Oula, Qism Aswan, The Elephantine is the largest island in the Aswan archipelago with many traces of its ancient history. Located opposite the Corniche, the island derived its name from historic ivory trading. In Ancient Egyptian times, the island had a fort that stood at Egypt’s southern border with Nubia, making it an excellent defensive site for a city and a natural cargo transfer point for river trade. Elephantine was also an important stone quarry, providing granite materials that would be transported widely within Egypt for monuments and buildings. With such rich historical significance, the island is a must-visit for Ancient Egypt enthusiasts!
Nubia Museum
The locale of Aswan originally belonged not to Ancient Egypt (before it was conquered), but to a kingdom known as Nubia or the “Land of Gold� in ancient times. A kingdom south of Ancient Egypt, Nubian history was rich as one of the indigenous peoples of the region. More recently, the controversial construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s threatened the destruction of monuments and villages in the Nile Valley of Nubia, with the rising waters of the man-made Lake Nasser. To preserve this crucial and ancient heritage, the Egyptian government appealed to UNESCO, kick starting an immense international plan to excavate and record hundreds of sites. These precious materials were thereby preserved and showcased in a museum in Aswan to exhibit the unique Nubian heritage. Multiple temples on the island such as the ones at Abu Simbel and Philae were also disassembled and reconstructed on higher grounds.
Address:Sheyakhah Oula, Qism Aswan
Philae Temple
The Philae Temple has an equally enchanting location–downstream of the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, mentioned by multiple ancient writers in their works. The island temple contains multiple ruins and rocks, inscribed with the names and titles of Amenhotep III, Ramesses II, Psamtik II, Apries, and Amasis II, together with memorials of the later Macedonian and Roman rulers of Egypt. It is magnificently a crossroad of the different eras in Egypt’s cultural and religious history. Upon entrance, the First Pylon leads into the main temple area, where you can admire the huge relief depicting Egyptian king Dionysos grasping a band of enemies by the hair and raising his club to smite them, with gods Isis and Hathor on the left. A grand sight to witness indeed. One more interesting thing to note would be Napoleon’s inscription on the central doorway, commemorating his campaign in 1799.
Aswan High Dam
The creation of the Aswan High Dam and its counterpart, the man-made Lake Nasser, was a project that received much debate. Culturally, it destroyed traditional Nubian villages and temples, while multiple artifacts were disturbed and had to be relocated. The aforementioned Temple of Abu Simbel was one of many. Environmentally, the dam stopped the annual flood of the Nile which provided extremely fertile soil for farmers downstream. This resulted in the need for fertilisers to grow crops, where the expense damaged the livelihoods of farmers. This controversy was intensified with construction of the dam being aided by the Soviets in the Cold War, where Nasser was trying to champion Arab nationalism in opposition to American influence in the region. Thereby, the Aswan High Dam possesses extremely significant historical, political and environmental connotations, making it a must-visit for those who come to Aswan Address: Manteqet as Sad Al Aali, Qism Aswan, Aswan Governorate, Egypt
The Temple of Abu Simbel The complex of Abu Simbel was originally cut into a solid rock cliff in southern Egypt, demonstrating the artistic skill and effort put into its construction. While it is named the Temple of Abu Simbel, the complex actually has two temples - The Great Temple and The Small Temple, both created during the reign of Ramesses II. Nonetheless, the complex of Abu Simbel was deemed holy to Egyptian goddess Hathor long before the creation of the temples, making its location doubly sacred. The Great Temple was dedicated to the gods RaHorakty, Ptah, and the deified Ramesses II while the Small Temple was for the goddess Hathor and Queen Nefertari, Ramesses’ favourite wife. The Great Temple stands a whopping 30 meters high (98 feet) and with four grand colossi flanking the entrance, depicting Ramesses II on his throne. Beneath these giant figures are smaller statues depicting Ramesses’ conquered enemies, the Nubians, Libyans, and Hittites. It is an architectural wonder to witness indeed. Address: Abu Simbel, Aswan Governorate, Egypt
The Tombs of the Nobles
The Tombs of the Nobles actually comprises a number of distinct areas on the West Bank at modern Luxor (Ancient Thebes). These areas mostly lie in five different regions. Farthermost north is an area known as el-Tarif, where large, row tombs were dug during the late Second Intermediate Period and early Middle Kingdom. Just south of el-Tarif is Dra Abu el-Naga, which is a hillside with about 80 numbered tombs most belonging to priests and officials of the 17th through 20th dynasty, including some rulers of the 17th dynasty. Just southwest of Dra Abu el-Naga is an area called El-Assasif, where there are 40 tombs, mostly from the New Kingdom and later. Just south of El-Assasif is El-Khokha, a hill with five Old Kingdom tombs and 53 numbered tombs from the 18th and 19th dynasty
TEMPLE OF HORUS In the old Greek documents, Edfu was known as "Apollopolis Magna" because the Greeks identified Horus with their god Apollo. Edfu flourished in ancient times.. Edfu is located 60km north of Aswan
Today, the most important monument in the city of Edfu is the Temple of Horus, one of the most beautiful and preserved Temples in Egypt. Its origins likely date back to the Second Intermediate Period, but the actual Temple only dates back to Ptolemaic times
3,500Year-Old Unfinished Obelisk Reveals Incredible Engineering of Ancient Egypt Lying as a sleeping giant in a bed of granite, the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan, Egypt is an incredible look at the building methods of these monolithic monuments. It would have measured about 137 feet (42 meters) if completed and is estimated to weigh around 1,200 tons. It’s thought that the female pharaoh Hatshepsut commission ed the work during the 18th dynasty, more than 3,500 years ago.
Just what are obelisks? These foursided, tapered monuments were called tekhenu by the Ancient Egyptians, but we now know them as obelisks—taken from the Greek word obeliskos. Typically placed at the entrances of temples, they are the hallmark of Ancient Egyptian ingenuity and engineering. So beloved by successive civilizations, more than half of the remaining ancient obelisks actually reside outside of Egypt, having been especially prized by the Romans. In fact, 13 are located in Italy.
One of the more interesting aspects of the Unfinished Obelisk is that it allows us to see just how they would have liberated the mammoth structure from the bedrock had it not cracked. It sounds unbelievable, but wet wood was the answer. Workers carved small cavities in the stone, creating a line that is not unlike a perforated piece of paper. The slots were filled with sun dried wooden wedges. The wedges were then repeatedly soaked in water, and believe it or not, the expansion of this wood would cause the carved rock to break free from its home.
Kalabsha Temple
Kalabsha Temple Kalabsha Temple is an impressive Ptolemaic and Roman structure, not unlike nearby Philae in its layout. The early 19th-century Swiss traveller Burckhardt (who rediscovered Abu Simbel) thought it was 'amongst the most precious remains of Egyptian antiquity'. The temple, started in the late Ptolemaic period and completed during the reign of Emperor Augustus (30 BC–AD 14), was dedicated to the Nubian solar god Merwel, known to the Greeks as Mandulis. Later it was used as a church.
How to get there
An impressive stone causeway leads from the lake to the first pylon of the temple, beyond which are the colonnaded court and the eightcolumned hypostyle hall. Inscriptions on the walls show various emperors or pharaohs in the presence of gods and goddesses. Just beyond the hall is the sanctuary, consisting of three chambers. Stairs from one chamber lead up to the roof, from where there are superb views of Lake Nasser and the High Dam, across the capitals of the hall and court.
An inner passage, between the temple and the encircling wall, leads to a wellpreserved Nilometer. The temple's original outer stone gateway was given by the Egyptian government to Germany in 1977, in thanks for helping to move this building. It is now in the Egyptian Museum, Berlin. As a result of a massive Unesco effort, the temples here were transplanted from a now-submerged site about 50km south of Aswan. The new site is on the west bank of Lake Nasser just south of the High Dam.
The island of New Kalabsha, at last accessible to tourists, can be reached by taxi from Aswan, then a boat to the island’s quay. A new wooden dock has been constructed making it possible for Lake Nasser cruise boats to visit the island as part of their itinerary.
Monastery of St Simeon Anba Hedra, known today as St. Simeon spent the next seven years doing religious studies under the direction of Saint Baiman. On completion of his studies, Anba Hedra spent the next eight years involved in ascetic practices before finally retiring to the desert so that he could devote his life to studying St. Anthony. The ruins of the old Christian monastery, the largest ancient Coptic architecture complex in Egypt, known as the monastery of St. Simeon, are located in the Aswan desert, in 700 meters from the west bank of the Nile, opposite to the island of Elephantine. The fortress-like 7th-century Monastery of St Simeon was first dedicated to the local saint Anba Hedra, who renounced the world on his wedding day. It was rebuilt in the 10th century and dedicated to St Simeon. From here the monks travelled into Nubia, in the hope of converting the Nubians to Christianity. To get there, take a private boat across the Nile then walk up the (mostly paved) desert track, or hire a camel to take you up.
Anba Hedra later moved onto Elephantine Island and began building a monastery. The original structure was built from stone and mud bricks, and surrounded by a ten foot high wall which gave the Saint Simeon Monastery a fortress-like appearance. Records show that the monastery was also rebuilt or at least extended during the 10th century. By the time work on the monastery was completed in the 10th century, it provided accommodation for around 300 monks, and it had room for roughly 100 pilgrims. The monks that lived at the monastery would travel into Nubia in groups with the aim of converting Nubians to Christianity. Unfortunately, Saint Simeon Monastery was all but destroyed by Saladin and his forces in 1173 and it was sadly never rebuilt.
Mausoleum of the Aga Khan At first sight, the Mausoleum of the Agha Khan in Aswan may appear to you as an austere and isolated building, on the west bank of the Nile River. Inspired by the architecture of the Cairo Fatimids, the structure is recognizable by its elegance and by its special use of pink granite. It was built at the request of the begum, wife of the Aga Khan III who died in 1957.The begum – who died in 2000 – lived in the white villa below but closed the mausoleum to the public in 1997 to allow the deceased to rest in peace away from the bustle of the living. Nevertheless, the spot is more than worth a visit, be it for the serenity of the place or the amazing panoramas of the Nile and the villa below.
The structure is recognizable by its elegance and by its special use of pink granite and calcareous sandstone. The interior of the building features light colors and gloriously red carpet that is still regularly Who Was Aga Khan? maintained The Aga Khan was the 48th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, one of the founders of the All-India Muslim League, and even briefly served as President of the League of Nations in 1937. Aga Khan was the spiritual leader of the Ismailis, a Shi’ite sect, which mostly developed in India. Though this spiritual leader died in 1957, his mausoleum still stands and can be seen above the white villa where he once lived. The Aga Khan mausoleum can be seen even from as far away as the Nile.
Aga Khan III was extremely wealthy. In fact, his people say that on his birthday in the year 1945 he was weighed in diamonds, which he then gave to his followers in a spirit of generosity. The mausoleum was built according to his wife Yvette Blanche Labrousse’s wishes. She was also known as Begum Om Habibeh Aga Khan and then eventually given the title Mata Salama. When Aga Khan knew it was his time to die he decided to build a location for his burial place; it would be somewhere along the West Bank of the Nile River. When her husband died, she oversaw the construction of the Aga Khan Mausoleum, and finished the project in 16 months with the help of famous architects and contractors.
Starting from the southern end, Sharia As Souq appears very much like the tourist bazaars all over Egypt, with slightly less persistent traders than elsewhere in the country trying to lure passers-by into their shops to buy scarves, perfume, spice and roughly carved copies of Pharaonic statues. But a closer look reveals more exotic elements. Traders sell colourful Nubian baskets and skullcaps, Sudanese swords, African masks, and enormous stuffed crocodiles and desert creatures.
Bani Swayf
Abu Sir Cemetery
Bani Swayf
It is a large cemetery that includes tombs from the Middle Kingdom until the Islamic era. The name of Abu Sir al-Malak comes from the word Bar-Uzir, the house of Osiris, followed by the god Osiris (god of the dead). It contains a large collection of tombs carved in the ground, which reach depths of about 14 m Abusir is located several kilometres north of Saqqara and, like it, served as one of the main elite cemeteries for the ancient Egyptian capital city of Memphis
Cairo
Cairo
Cairo, Egypt’s sprawling capital, is set on the Nile River. At its heart is Tahrir Square and the vast Egyptian Museum, a trove of antiquities including royal mummies and gilded King Tutankhamun artifacts. Nearby, Giza is the site of the iconic pyramids and Great Sphinx, dating to the 26th century BC. In Gezira Island’s leafy Zamalek district, 187m Cairo Tower affords panoramic city views
The Egyptian Museum
The Museum Of Egyptian Antiquities is considered to be one of the oldest, most famous, and largest museums in the world. The Egyptian Museum has a long history that dates back to the year 1825 when Mohamed Ali Pasha, the ruler of Egypt at the time, issued a decree to establish a museum for the precious antiquities of Egypt. The first location of the museum was in front of Azabakeya Lake, between the squares of Opera and Atabba today.
The Museum Of Egyptian Antiquities consists of two floors; the ground floor that hosts the bigger displays such as coffins, huge statues, and stone carvings. The displays of the ground floor were organized according to the historical periods which are the Old Kingdom, the Intermediate Period, the New Kingdom, the Late Period, the Greco Roman Period, and the antiquities of the Nubia. The upper floor of the Museum Of Egyptian Antiquities hosts the smaller displays that include gadgets and tools, funerary objects, smaller statues, papyrus papers, wooden coffins, jewelry, and most importantly, the displays of the Tut Ankh Amun tomb. It is an experience not to be missed.
Sakkara Sakkara is best known for the Step Pyramid, the oldest known of Egypt's 97 pyramids. It was built for King Djoser of the 3rd Dynasty by the architect and genius Imhotep, who designed it and its surrounding complex to be as grand as it was unique and revolutionary. Imhotep was the first to build stone tombs in honor of the king's majesty. His many titles included 'Treasurer of the King of Lower Egypt', 'Administrator of the Great Palace', and 'Imhotep the Builder, the Sculptor, the Maker of Stone Vessels'. Imhotep may have also designed the pyramid of Djoser's successor, Sekhemkhet.
During the New Kingdom (c 1570-332 BC) Memphis took second place to Thebes as Egypt's capital. But although the administration was established at Thebes, the government officials who ruled Upper Egypt lived in Memphis and were buried at Sakkara. Here Geoffrey Martin found the famous tomb that Horemheb built for himself before he became pharaoh, while he was still the overseer of Tutankhamun's army.
Three major discoveries have recently been made at Sakkara, including a prime ministers tomb, a queens pyramid, and the tomb of the son of a dynasty-founding king. Each discovery has a fascinating story, with many adventures for the archaeologists as they revealed the secrets of the past.
Martin also found the tomb of Mava, Tutankhamun's Treasurer. The first of the recent discoveries at Sakkara dates from the New Kingdom. This site is being developed by the French Archaeological Mission of the Bubasteion at Sakkara under the direction of Alain Zivie, Director of Research at the Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique at Paris
Cairo Tower CAIRO TOWR is a freestanding concrete tower in Cairo, Egypt. At 187 m (614 ft), it was the tallest structure in Egypt and North Africa for about 50 years. It had been the tallest structure in Africa for ten years until 1971, when it was surpassed by Hillbrow Tower in South Africa. Cairo Tower is open all weekdays from 9:00 am to11:00 pm
Though certainly not one of the most ancient mosques in Cairo, nor even one of the most historic, because of its grandeur and its location in the Citadel, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali is the most popular Islamic mosque among tourists. This mosque is also sometimes referred to as the Alabaster Mosque due to its extensive use of that stone on some of the exterior walls and other surfaces. Sometimes it is popularly known as alqal'a, meaning citadel, and thus confused with the fortress in which it is located.
The complex consists of two parts, the mosque proper to the east and the open courtyard, or sahn, to the west.
Mohamed Ali Mosque
The mosque, the largest such structure built during the first half of the 19th century, is more impressive at a distance than close up. Though there its artistic merit is questionable, it is an unparalleled contribution to the skyline of Cairo, visible high atop the Citadel grounds. Indeed, its great dome and towering minarets give the Citadel a romantic, oriental quality that makes up for any shortcomings in its detail. It is almost certainly the first feature that catches ones eyes at the fortress.
Al Moez Street
It is one of the most amazing streets in Islamic Cairo it dates back to the Fatimid. Visit Al Moez Street is the best place to discover the Islamic civilization. Its unforgettable to have a wonderful walking tour at El-Moez Street, the trip may Start from Azhar mosque; one of the best medieval architectural treasures in the Islamic world, then continue to Bab Zuweila, a medieval gate in Cairo, which is still standing in modern times and it is considered one of the major landmarks of the city
Al Azhar Mosque Located in El Hussein Square, the Al-Azhar Mosque (the most blooming), established in 972 (361 H) in a porticoed style shortly after the founding of Cairo itself, was originally designed by the Fatimid general Jawhar El-Sequili (Gawhara Qunqubay, Gawhar al-Sakkaly) and built on the orders of Caliph Muezz Li-Din Allah. Located in the center of an area teaming with the most beautiful Islamic monuments from the 10th century, it was called "Al-Azhar" after Fatama al-Zahraa, daughter of the Prophet Mohamed (Peace and Prayers Be Upon Him). It imitated both the Amr Ibn El-As and Ibn Tulun mosques. The first Fatimid monument in Egypt, the Azhar was both a meeting place for Shi'a students and through the centuries, it has remained a focal point of the famous university which has grown up around it. It was under Yaqoub Ibn Cals that the mosque became a teaching institute. This is the oldest university in the world, where the first lecture was delivered in 975 AD. Today the university built around the Mosque is the most prestigious of Muslim schools, and its students are highly esteemed for their traditional training. While ten thousand students once studied here, today the university classes are conducted in adjacent buildings and the Mosque is reserved for prayer. In addition to the religious studies, modern schools of medicine, science and foreign languages have also been added.
Architecturally, the mosque is a palimpsest of all styles and influences that have passed through Egypt, with a large part of it having been renovated by Abdarrahman Khesheda. There are five very fine minarets with small balconies and intricately carved columns. It has six entrances, with the main entrance being the 18th Century Bab el-Muzayini (barber's gate), where students were once shaved.
This gate leads into a small courtyard and then into the Aqbaughawiya Medersa to the left, which was built in 1340 and serves as a library. On the right is the Taybarsiya Medersa built in 1310 which has a very fine mihrab. The Qaitbay Entrance was built in 1469 and has a minaret built atop.
.Inside is a large courtyard that is 275 by 112 feet which is surrounded with porticos supported by over three hundred marble columns of ancient origin. To the east is the prayer hall which is larger than the courtyard and has several rows of columns. The Kufic inscription on the interior of the mihrab is original, though the mihrab has been modified several times, and behind is a hall added in 1753 by Abd el-Rahman Katkhuda. At the northern end is the tomb medersa of Jawhar El-Sequili.
Al Azhar Park Al-Azhar Park is important for tourists to Egypt because this hilly site is surrounded by the most significant historic districts of Islamic Cairo. This is one of the primary destinations for many visitors to the city, and this new park located in its heart provides many advantages, including a wonderful view of the surrounding area.
The creation of the 30 hectare (74 acre) Al-Azhar Park on Al-Darassa, by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, came when his highness the Aga Khan decided to donate a park to the citizens of Cairo in 1984, out of the Islamic belief that we are all trustees of Gods creation and therefore must seek to leave the world a better place than it was before us. This decision was made during the 1984 conference The Expanding Metropolis: Coping with Cairos Urban Growth.
There is also the Lakeside Cafe, which is breathtaking. Designed by Serge Santelli, the cluster of white pavilions floating on a lake breathes new life into traditional Islamic architecture and exudes an exhilarating feeling of lightness, joy and serenity. With its wooden screens and surrounding citrus groves, at places it extends into the park itself. The cuisine at Lakeside is mainly Lebanese.
The park functions as a green lung because of its enormous potential, being located at the center of a historic location. It was clear that Cairo needed more green space. One study found that the amount of green space per inhabitant was roughly equivalent to the size of a footprint, one of the lowest proportions in the world.The park is the largest green space created in Cairo in over a century, reversing a trend in which unchecked development has virtually eradicated the city's once famous parks. The Park vegetation vary from dry, succulent plants on the western slopes to lush, grassy meadows with shade trees, to formal gardens and, finally, to bustan-like orchard spaces. The variety of species, particularly native Egyptian plants, will aim at establishing a new benchmark for park spaces in the region.
Sultan Hassan Mosque & Madrasa Although it stands in the shadow of the Citadel, Sultan Hassan’s Madrassa-Mosque still manages to make a strong impression. The building is a massive example of Mamluk architecture, constructed during the 14th century reign of a sultan who was famous for his extravagant spending.
The massive size of the building made it a spectacle in its day, but even modern visitors are certain to be impressed by its beautiful and imposing architecture. Sultan Hassan is not only famous for its size though. The mosque is noted as the most stylistically coherent of any of Cairo’s monumental mosques—a huge and prototypical example of architectural style of its day. The interior is beautifully decorated and the effect of its huge central court and imposing verticality is impressive.
The mosque was designed in the madrassa style, rather than as a congregational mosque. For this reason it is laid out in a cruciform pattern with a liwan (teaching areas) on each of the four walls of the inner courtyard for each of the 4 main schools of Sunni Islamic theology—Hanafi, Malaki, Hanbali, and Shafi’i. The building also included housing for up to 500 students, as well as the teachers and staff required to run a school on this size.
Next to Sultan Hassan stands another monumental looking mosque that seems similar in style although it was not completed until 1912. Al-Rafa’i Mosque was built as an imitation of Mamluk style by the mother of Khedive Ismail as a tomb for the royal family.
Ibn Tulun Mosque The Mosque of Ibn Tulun, is considered the second oldest mosque extant in Egypt. It is the only remaining monument in the City of Qata'i', established in AH 256 / AD 870 as the capital of the Tulunid state in Egypt. The floor plan of the mosque assumes the form of a square, measuring approximately 26,318 sq m. Its architectural layout adheres to the traditional plan for the congregational mosques in the region consisting of an open, square central courtyard measuring approximately 92 m sq. In the middle of the courtyard is an ablutions fountain, an innovation of the Mamluk sultan, Hosam al-Din Lajin (r. AH 696–8 / AD 1297–9) in AH 696 / AD 1296. Four porticoes surround the courtyard, the largest is the eastern portico (that of the qibla) consisting of five arcades.
The exterior façades of the building are crowned by crenellations composed of unique forms known as 'arais which resemble human abstract shapes or paper dolls. The upper half of the building façades are pierced with a row of windows with pointed arches. Placed in their corners are compact columns, which resemble their counterparts in the Nilometer (built AH 247 / AD 861) in Cairo.
There are 19 simple rectangular doors on the mosque walls. The eastern portico of the mosque is the most decorative and contains mihrabs from the Tulunid, Fatimid and Mamluk periods. The arcade arches are supported by piers built from red brick
Al Hakim Mosque The Construction of AlHakim Mosque began in 990 during the rule of Caliph Al-Aziz, but it was completed by Al-Hakim Bi Amrillah in 1012, and duly named after him. Al-Hakim Bi Amrillah inherited the throne from his father, AlAziz, in 996, just six years after building work started. Unlike his father and his grandfather who ruled before him, Al-Hakim Bi Amrillah was brutal and was routinely accused of torture, and it was no secret that he had rivals assassinated. Ironically, he himself was later assassinated in 1021, just 9 years after the Al-Hakim Mosque was completed.
At the time when the mosque was built, it stood just outside the old city of Cairo, just behind the northern wall. However, in 1087, it was incorporated into the city, at which point its own northern wall, along with its two minarets, became a part of the city’s fortifications.
Much of the mosque’s architectural style and design is a combination of the styles and features which were employed during the construction of two other Fatimid mosques in Cairo, the Ibn Tulun Mosque and the Al-Azhar Mosque. It is perhaps worth noting that some of the architectural styles and features found at these three Fatimid mosques were later replicated by architects in Europe.
Bab Zuweila At the south end of Al-Muizz Al-Deen Street, there are two minarets that tower over the gates of Fatimid Cairo. This is Bab Zuweila, built as the south gate to the city in the 11th century. Its twin spires were added in the 15th century when the Mu’ayyad Mosque that sits just inside of the gate on the west side of the street was built by the Mamluk Sultan Mu’ayyad Sayf AdDin Sheikh. The legend goes that the Sultan was imprisoned in the prison standing at the same site under a previous Sultan. He vowed that he would turn the location into a center for worship and learning if he ever escaped and came to power.
In 1412, Sayf Ad-Din Sheikh helped to overthrow Sultan Faraj, who was responsible for his imprisonment, and in the ensuing power struggle Mu’ayyad became the Sultan of Egypt. He made good on his pledge by building the Mu’ayyid Mosque, which contains a large space for Friday prayers as well as a smaller madrassa style mosque, where he employed the greatest scholars of the day to teach about Islam.Today, the Mu’ayyad Mosque is still one of the most beautiful mosques in the city, a tribute to Sultan Mu’ayad’s reputation as a great patron of architecture in Cairo. The complex of Bab Zuweila next to the mosque was recently restored. Inside you can find explanation of the gate’s construction and renovation through the centuries. Plaques even point out where pharaonic inscriptions can be found on the walls, etched into stones that were recycled from older pharaonic temples. Climb up to the top of the wall and the minarets allow a beautiful view over Islamic Cairo, Azhar Park, and the Citadel. The twin minarets provide a unique photo opportunity. Since both are open to be climbed, you can send someone with a camera to the top of each one. Both people can then take a picture of the other standing at the top of the opposite minaret.
Coptic Cairo
There is an icon of St. Mark on the southern wall of the main church (St. Mark is the first Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church). A total of 110 icons are kept in the Hanging Church, the oldest of which is the “Coptic Mona Lisa” dating back to the 8th century A.D. and representing Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ and John the Baptist. Numerous altar icons date back to the 18th century A.D.
The Hanging Church is also referred to as the Suspended Church or Al-Moallaqa. It is called the Hanging Church because it was built on the southern gate of the Roman Fortress. Logs of palm trees and layers of stones were constructed above the ruins of the Roman fortress to be used as a fundament. The Hanging Church is a unique church and has a wooden roof in the shape of Noah’s ark. From the 7th century to the 13th century, the Hanging Church served as the residence of the Coptic Patriarch. Al-Moallaqa has witnessed important elections and religious ceremonies.
There are three sanctuaries at the eastern side of the church, the one in the middle is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the one to the left is named after St. George and the one to the right is named after John the Baptist. Inside the sanctuaries painted baldachins are placed above the altars. The wooden screen is a unique piece of art and richly decorated with geometric patterns and crosses in ebony and ivory.
The Hanging Church
There is a door at the south-eastern corner of the church leading to the oldest part of the building. This part has three sanctuaries at the eastern side. The one in the middle is called after St. Dimiana, the one to the left is named after St. Takla Hymanot (an Ethiopian saint), and the one to the right is named after St. Andrew.
Abbasiya Coptic Cathedral Abbasiya Coptic Cathedral was built in 1968 and inaugurated by President Nasser and Emperor Hilasilasi of Ethiopia when Pope KirolosVI was appointed the Patriarch and Pope of Alexandria and it is considered the largest church in Africa.
The cathedral is considered a unique example of architectural evolution which includes seven churches of which some have a great historic value such as Anba Rouis' Church. The remains of St. Mark ,the Evangelist who started Christianity in Egypt, marking the beginning of the Coptic history, were transferred to the cathedral since he was the first to preach Christianity in Egypt.The Cathedral represents the rapid development of church architecture.
Khan El-Khalili Established in the 14th century, Khan El-Khalili in Old Cairo has always been an important district for cultural and economic .activities
No visit to Cairo is Complete without a stop at the Khan El-Khalili bazaar, where you will be transported back in time to an old Arab souk. Shop owners calling you to their stalls, the scent of spices, the hustle and bustle of trade, and the many beautiful objects that can purchased will have you lost among alleys for hours,
Put your haggling skills to the test when buying statuettes, spices, souvenirs, silver jewellery, t-shirts, galabiyyas, etc. When your shopping's done, don't miss out on a traditional cup of tea at the famous Fishawi's cafe.
Down Town Cairo Egyptians refer to Downtown as Wust al-Balad, which can be poetically understood to mean “the heart of the country”. This crowded, bustling district of Cairo certainly lives up to the name. It is not only the physical center of Cairo, but also a hub for transportation, business, and culture, centered on Midan Talaat Harb and Midan Tahrir.
The Downtown was built in the 1880’s as part of Khedive Ismail’s massive building project to modernize Cairo and other Egyptian cities. The Khedive’s goal was to make like a European city and he set out to do this by hiring European architects to design a whole new section of the city with wide boulevards and architecture that calls to mind Paris during the same era.
it is an interesting place to take a walk—full of faded relics of the grandeur of Cairo a century ago. There are several famous sights to visit in Downtown, as well as many lesser-known locations that are still worth a visit given their historical significance to the cosmopolitan culture that thrived here in the middle of the 20th century.
Interesting Stops, Food and Drink Midan Falaky—this square and the surrounding area, east of Midan Tahrir and south of Midan Talaat Harb, are full of lively coffee shops and classic architecture. This is a great area to sit in a café and watch Cairo life go by. Enjoy some shisha and game of backgammon (taoula in Arabic). Enjoy a cold beer or coffee in the Café Horreya located in Midan Falaky. This is a lively place to visit at night.
MY
VACATION V IS HERE NEW CAIRO EGYPT WISH YOU WERE HERE !
Ski Egypt is launching the first ski resort in Africa with the world’s largest indoor snow park and unmatchable scope of activities at a refreshing degrees of arctic, frosty weather
Cairo Festival City Mall is a regional shopping center located in the heart of the Cairo Festival City. The mall extends over 158,000 square meters spread on three levels, anchored by furniture flagship store IKEA, hypermarket Carrefour, and four department stores : Debenhams, H&M, Marks& Spencer and ZARA
The mall includes a village area, with some 35 restaurants surrounding a water fountain and an amphitheater
Cairo Festival City, an Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate development, is a mixed-use urban community located east of the ring road in New
Deserts (The Western Desert)
SUN&FUN The White Desert Experience Real Adventures Camping in the White Desert of Egypt is a must-to -do activity. The White Desert is a typical place visited by students from different universities and schools in Egypt, as a location for camping trips.
Black
The Western Desert
A little to the North of the White Desert, the Black Desert is closer to Bahariya than Farafra; approximately 50 km to the South of Bawiti.
Mountain The mountains have eroded to coat the desert with a layer of black powder and rocks giving it its name. Towards the end of the Black Desert are black volcanic hills that ages ago erupted a dark volcanic material called dolerite, which is what the black rocks are made of. Climb up the English Mountain which is the highest point in the Black Desert and you will be awarded with an amazing view of the strange landscape. The Black Desert can be seen as you pass the road from Bahariya to Farafra, but if you want to venture in to its depths a tour guide is advised, tours can
Farafra Oasis is the starting point for many interesting tours to the White Desert, Black Desert, water wells and Crystal Mountain.
Also, it is a gateway to precious places such as Farafra Palace, Qaser Abu Onkar, ruins of a Roman temple and some other ancient rock cut tombs. Due to its small size and isolated location in southern Egypt, Farafra is only populated by 20,000 people.
Most of its inhabitants originate from the Nile Valley and came to the Farafra Oasis to work as farmers, and they are famous for practicing their old traditions and customs.
FARAFRA
OASIS
Is an urban oasis in Egypt between the Qattara Depression and the Great Sand Sea in the Western Desert, nearly 50 km (30 mi) east of the Libyan border, and 560 km (348 mi) from Cairo.About 80 km (50 mi) in length and 20 km (12 mi) wide,[1] Siwa Oasis is one of Egypt's most isolated settlements, with about 33,000 people,[4] mostly Berbers,[1] who developed a unique culture and a distinct language of the Berber family called Siwi. Its fame lies primarily in its ancient role as the home to an oracle of Ammon, the ruins of which are a popular tourist attraction which gave the oasis its ancient name Oasis of Amun Ra. Historically, it is part of Ancient Libya.
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SIWA OASIS
THE GREAT SAND SEA The Great Sand Sea of the eastern Sahara is aptly named; an unbroken mass of dunes the size of New Mexico which smothers the barren frontiers of Libya and Egypt and is home to not one living soul.Parallel dune ridges run north-south for hundreds of miles, and anyone journeying here has to be exceptionally well prepared, as there’s not a single well or water source in 150,000 square miles –extreme even by Saharan standards.
Until the 1930s, this hyper-arid region had barely been explored, but during WWII, clandestine German and British desert patrols, including Count Almasy, aka The English Patient, probed this remote area, spying on each other’s movements. Today, the area still remains largely unknown and is so rarely visited that 60-year-old tire tracks are still visible on certain surfaces.
It is located in the Western Desert, about 200 km (125 miles) to the west of the Nile valley. "Kharga" or "El Kharga" is also the name of a major town located in the oasis, the capital of New Valley Governorate.[1] The oasis, which was known as the 'Southern Oasis' to the Ancient Egyptians and Oasis Magna to Romans, is the largest of the oases in the Libyan desert of Egypt. It is in a depression about 160 km (100 miles) long and from 20 km (12 miles) to 80 km (50 miles) wide.[2] Its population is 67,700 (2012). Kharga is the most modernised of Egypt's western oases. The main town is highly functional with all modern facilities, and virtually nothing left of old architecture. Although framed by the oasis, there is no oasis feeling to it; unlike all other oases in this part of Egypt.
Kharga Oasis
BALAT After the stretch of desert beyond Asmant, it’s delightful to reach BALAT, shaded by mature trees, where minibuses drop passengers at a teahouse. Cross the road to explore the old village beyond the TV mast, with its three hundred-year-old mosque upheld by palm-trunks and a maze of twisting covered streets that protect the villagers from sun and sandstorms, and once prevented invaders from entering on horseback. Painted oxblood, salmon, terracotta or pale blue, with carved lintels and wooden peg-locks, its mud-brick houses are only slightly less impressive than the ones in Al-Qasr, with many still inhabited.
DEIR AL-HAGAR Notwithstanding its Arabic name, “Stone Monastery”, this was once a Roman temple dedicated to the Theban Triad and the god of the oasis, Seth. The temple’s sandstone hypostyle hall, sanctuary and brick enclosure wall were built in the first century AD, under emperors Nero, Vespasian, Titus and Domitian (whose cartouches can be seen).
Temple of Hibis
the largest and best preserved ancient Egyptian temple in the Kharga Oasis, as well as the only structure in Egypt dating to the 26th dynasty or Saite-Persian period (664-404 BCE) which has come down to modern times in relatively good condition. Located about 2 km north of Kharga, it was devoted to a syncretism of two local forms of the deity Amun: "Amun of Hibis" and "Amun-Ra of Karnak who dwells in Hibis". The temple of Hibis was once surrounded by the city of Hibis (Egyptian: Hebet, meaning "the plough"[1]), which nowadays lies under the crops.[2] Construction of the temple started during the 26th Dynasty, most likely under Pharaoh Psamtik II,[2] or possibly even earlier, during the 25th Dynasty
Bahriya Oasis Heritage Museum
Bawiti’s most visible “sight” is the Oasis Heritage Museum, a palace-like ensemble beside the highway beyond the town limits. Created by Mahmoud Eed, a selftaught sculptor inspired by Badr in Farafra, the museum is a work-in-progress. Both artists’ figurines portray a way of life that’s almost disappeared in the oases, for men at least, whose job it once was to hunt gazelles and weave mats (women’s roles haven’t changed so much). Besides Mahmoud’s terracotta tableaux there’s a rather sad Reptile Collection of lizards, snakes and hedgehogs from the desert.
The Temple of Nadura is about 700 years younger than the one at Hibis, and belongs to the 2nd century CE and was built under Roman rulers. Few of Kharga's sights have been so badly treated by time as this, and except for the pieces of the wall, there is little to see here. It is generally attributed to the god Amon, but the few remains of wall decorations represents musicians playing on percussion instruments and sistra. This indicates that a goddess was worshipped here. Near the temple, a semi-troglodyte village lies. The inhabitants built a mudbrick houses, with cellars largely underground. The purpose of this sort of structure, found all over North Africa, was to escape the worst heat in summer time.
TEMPLE OF NADURA
WADI NATRUN A valley located in Beheira Governorate, Egypt, including a town with the same name. The name refers to the presence of eight different lakes in there gi on that produce natron salt. In Christian liter a ture it is usually known as Scetis and is one of the three early Christian monastic centers located in the desert of the north western Nile Delta. The other two monastic centers are Nitria and Kellia. These three centers are often easily confused and sometimes refer red to as asingle place (such as "Nitria" or "Nitrian Desert"), but the local esare distinc, though geographically close together and with inter related his to ries. Scetis, now called Wadi El Natrun, is best known today because its ancient monasteries remain in use, unlike Nitria and Kelli a which have only archaeologicalre mains . The Nitrian Desert is sometimes used to mean the entire region where them on asteries are located.
Badr Abdel Moughny
Museum
Badr Abdel Moghny is a self-taught artist who encapsulates the local life in sculpture, oil and watercolor. He has shaped models out of local clay into postures illustrating the crafts and pastimes of the people of Farafra.
In the Farafra Oasis, about 700 kilometers south-west of Cairo, Badr Museum was built by the talented artist Abd El Moghny Badr who was born in 1985 in Farafra Oasis, the museum is a combination between a house and a museum.
Badr Abd El Moghny built a small house as a gallery, the gallery contains sand paintings and ceramics of the desert and nature of Farafra Oasis, beside many sculptures of smaller size, the gallery sell these things to tourists as souvenirs
Fayoum
Wadi Al-Hitan located in the western desert, about 200 km west of Cairo
This area is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a National Park. The site is referred to as, ‘Whale Valley’ on account of fossilized skeletons of a whale sub-species strewn across the Egyptian Western desert. The site also has a modern interpretive center.
Tunis Village located in the oasis of Fayoum , on the way to Wadi Rayan.
In 1962, the famous poet Sayed Hegab with his Swiss wife Evelynne came to the village. They fell in love with the place, quickly purchased land to build a house and the pottery workshop which taught generations of locals a refinement of their art, propelling their products to national celebration. Many famous writers, intellectuals, artists and architects came and purchase houses in it, thus was born the intellectual community that is now Tunis.
located on a small hill commanding a strategic position This ancient city is one of the most isolated in Al Fayoum, but this is part of its appeal, as you’re often alone out in the blowing sand that drifts over the heads of the stone sphinxes. Medinat Madi (Arabic for ‘City of the Past’) is noted for a wellpreserved Middle Kingdom temple, few of which have survived in Egypt. It is dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the cobra goddess Renenutet, built by Amenemhat III and Amenemhat IVItalian excavations in the early 20th century uncovered an archive of Greek texts, that refer to the city as Narmouthis. They also found a separate crocodile-cult temple where the beasts appear to have been bred in captivity – a cache of eggs was found, along with bodies of the creatures in various stages of development. Often they were sacrificed when still quite young..
Madi city
Hawara Pyramid The Pyramid of Hawara was made for Amenemhet III of the 12th Dynasty in ancient Egypt and is located about 9 kilometers east of the oasis of Faiyoum. Amenemhet III was the sixth Pharaoh of the 12th dynasty of the Old Kingdom and reigned around 1850 B.C. The Pyramid of Hawara was built out of brick stones and then coated by limestone. It is sometimes called the Black Pyramid. When it was still standing, the Pyramid of Hawara was a large structure that was 58 meters high and each side of the base of the pyramid was around 100 meters .located about 9 kilometers east of the oasis of Fayoum
Giza
PYRAMID OF KHUFU GIZA
The Great Pyramid of Giza (also known as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact
The pyramid is available for visits all days of the week from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
PYRAMID OF KHAFRE
The Pyramid of Khafre or of Chephren is the second tallest and largest pyramid of the Ancient Egyptian Pyramids of Giza and the tomb of the Fourth-Dynasty pharaoh Khafre. The Pyramid of Khafra is available for visits all days of the week from 8:00am to 5:00 pm
PYRAMID OF Menkaure
The Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the three main Pyramids of Giza, located on the Giza Plateau in the southwestern outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. It is thought to have been built to serve as the tomb of the fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Menkaure. Pyramid of Minkara is available for visiting all days of the week from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
The Sphinx
The leonine Sphinx, known as Abu al-Hol (Father Of Terror) to the Arabs, has been guarding the Giza Plateau for about 4500 years. Located at the approach to the Khafre Pyramid & facing the sunrise, this statue is about 66 ft high & is the largest monolithic statue in the world
Ismaalia
De Lesseps's house The House of Ferdinand de Lesseps, promoter of the Suez Canal, in Ismailia, Egypt Unfortunately, unless you're a guest of the Suez Canal Authority (the house is its private guesthouse), you can only admire the exterior of the one-time residence of the French consul to Egypt from the road outside. Inside the grounds de Lesseps’s private carriage has been encased in glass and remains in impeccable condition. The house is located near the corner of Ahmed Orabi Street.
Ismaalia Museum Location: Mohamed Aly St. ،EL AFRANG DISTRICT ، ISMAILEYA More than 4000 objects from Pharaonic and Graeco-Roman times are housed in this tiny but interesting museum on the eastern edge of town The museum is open daily between 9 AM and 4 PM
Lakes
Lakes of Egypt
Qarun LAKE
Not until the Egyptian Middle Kingdom (c. 2040–1786 bc) were attempts made to stop the gradual silting of the channel connecting the lake with the Nile. Probably either Sesostris II or Amenemhet III widened and deepened the channel, thus setting the lake once more in hydraulic equilibrium with the river. The lake, which was then 55 feet (17 m) above sea level, served both as a flood control that was able to take excess water from overly high Nile floods and as a reservoir whose waters could be used for irrigation after the Nile flood had subsided.
In about 450 bc when Herodotus visited the lake, he assumed it to be artificial and was told that it had been dug by King Moeris at least 900 years before. Large landreclamation projects in the Fayyum region were carried out by the Ptolemaic kings of Egypt. Under Ptolemy II Philadelphus in the 3rd century bc, Lake Moeris was partially drained by means of a dam that restricted the entry of Nile water into it. The rich alluvial soil that was thus laid bare (approximately 450 square miles [1,200 square km] of it) was irrigated by canals and subjected to intensive cultivation
Lake Qarun
The population around the lake thus increased at a rapid rate, and a number of new towns sprang up. The modern-day excavation of several of these sites has yielded a rich harvest of Hellenistic and Roman papyri. The Fayyum region continued to flourish during the first two centuries of Roman rule, but thereafter it declined. The water levels of Lake Moeris subsequently continued to decrease, leading to the shallow and relatively small Lake Qārūn of modern times.
It's an ancient lake that once occupied a large area of the al-Fayyūm depression in Egypt and is now represented by the much smaller Lake Qārūn. Researches on the desert margin of the depression indicate that in early Paleolithic times the lake’s waters stood about 120 feet (37 m) above sea level and probably filled the depression; the lake’s level gradually fell until about 10,000 bc, when it was about 15 feet (4 1/2 m) below sea level, perhaps because its connection with the Nile River was temporarily cut off. Early in the Neolithic Period (nearly 4,000–11,000 years ago), the lake rose again and then gradually subsided. Neolithic and Early Dynastic people made their homes on the slowly shrinking shores
Lake Qarun
Lake Bardawil Lake Bardawil, a shallow saline lake in North Sinai separated from the sea by a narrow ridge of sand, is both a major fish resource and a valued temporary home for migratory birds. A place of serene, idyllic beauty, it is one of the few lakes in the world that remain unpolluted. Yet the present condition of the lake is alarming. Tarek Qanawati, director-general of biodiversity at the Ministry of Environment’s natural reserves department says: “In the past few years, the condition of the lake deteriorated; its fish production declined
SIWA Oasis
Salt lakes of siwa One of the most beautiful oases in Egypt, Siwa Oasis lies in the Western Desert where visitors flock here for its healing hot springs, beautiful landscapes and unique desert activities. It’s a place where you can stroll amid palm trees while enjoying the view of its salt lakes. While passing by these lakes
You would think that they are beaches due to their crystal blue color; however, they are, in fact, lakes, but not your typical lakes. Due to the large amount of salt found in Siwa’s water, they act as a medical treatment for the eyes and skin.
Luxor
Luxor Museum
One of Egypt's best museums, Luxor Museum holds a beautifully exhibited collection from the local area that tells the story of ancient Thebes from the Old Kingdom right up to the Islamic Period. The museum's prize possessions are the two Royal Mummies of Ahmose I and what is believed to be Ramses I in two rooms on the ground floor, which are worth a visit here alone. Location: Cornish, west bank
Colossi of Memnon Before heading to popular attractions like the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut, stop at the Colossi of Memnon. This pair of statues, which stand about 59 feet tall and depict King Amenhotep III, once guarded the king's temple. Though both statues' faces have suffered significant damage and little remains of King Amenhotep III's temple, the statues' impressive size and the lack of an entrance fee make this site well worth a visit. Past visitors noted that despite its somewhat random location, the Colossi of Memnon is one of Luxor's best photo spots. If you're interested in learning more about the history of the statues, consider visiting via a local bus tour. Most tour operators, including Memphis Tours and Love Egypt Tours, provide private tour guides with backgrounds in Egyptian history Location: West Bank
Temple of Karnak
If you're in search of Luxor's largest (and most impressive) collection of temple ruins, look no further than the Karnak Temple Complex. Located about 2 miles northeast of the Temple of Luxor, the Karnak Temple Complex features multiple temples, two obelisks, hieroglyphs and a sacred lake that was .used for special rituals. Leading up to the property's entrance is the Avenue of Sphinxes, which connects the site to the Temple of Luxor Past visitors noted that exploring the Karnak Temple Complex is like traveling back in time. The temples are large and offer insight into life in ancient Egypt. Keep in mind that it can get hot (especially in the summer) and no drinks are sold inside, so pack water or purchase refreshments at one of the outdoor cafes before entering Location: Karnak, Luxor, Egypt
Luxor Temple
Though additions to the Temple of Luxor were made by many of Egypt's pharaohs (Tutankhamun, Horemheb and Hatshepsut, to name a few), the bulk of this ancient structure was created in the 14th century B.C. during the reigns of Amenhotep III and Ramses II. Notable features of this historic structure include an obelisk, hieroglyphs and an avenue lined with sphinxes. A second obelisk originally from the temple now resides in Paris at the eastern end of the ChampsÉlysÊes. Recent travelers said the Temple of Luxor is one of the city's must-see attractions. Though parts of the temple are closed for renovations, visitors say the site is impressive Location : On the West and East River Nile in
Hatshepsut Temple
As its name suggests, the Valley of the Kings is where dozens of pharaohs were laid to rest. In fact, you'll find 63 royal tombs here, including notable pharaohs like Tutankhamun (or King Tut), Ay and Ramses VI. The tombs are spread across two areas: the East Valley, where the bulk of the tombs lie, and the West Valley, which features steep cliffs and three royal tombs. Both sections sit within view of Al-Qurn, a large pyramid-shaped mountain According to recent travelers, visiting the .peak Valley of the Kings is a must. Past visitors recommended avoiding the area during the summer, since temperatures rises during then Location: West Bank
Marsa Matrouh
Marsa Matrouh Marsa Matruh, or the port of Matruh in Arabic, is the capital and main city in the governorate of Matruh. It lies 290 kilometers away from Alexandria and 524 km away from Cairo. The most significant characteristic of this city is its long amazing 7 km shore with its crystal clear water and white soft sand and the bay is protected with a series of rocks forming a natural wave breaker. This makes Marsa Matruh one of the most beautiful sea resorts in the whole world . Another major aspect of Matruh is the number of different beaches spread all over its long shore. There is the Ageeba Beach, Al Obayed Beach, Al Gharam Beach, Cleopatra Beach, and the other public beaches that are located in the city of Marsa Matruh like Al Awam Beach and Romel Beach. Also Cleopatra had a palace that overlooked her basins there (known as Cleopatra
Beach
today).
Apparently
Matrouh has the historical side covered with so many tourist attractions you could spend weeks before you finish, but today we have only one gem in particular from Matrouh
The other reason Marsa Matruh is an interesting place for shopping is that it is at the top of the Western Desert of Egypt and this gives it the chance to sell special desert herbs that can hardly be found anywhere else. These herbs can cure different sorts of diseases and illness. These include colon disorders, toothache, coughing and lung problems, headache, hair herbs, and so many other things.
The accent of the people in Matruh is different than any other Egyptian city. Their Arabic language is more like the Libyans. The population in Marsa Matruh has exceeded 100,000 in the past few years. Most of these people work mainly with local tourism as thousands of Egyptians visit Matruh in the summer. The original people of Matruh still live in tribes around the major city of Marsa Matruh.
Agiba Beach
The famous Marsa Matrouh beach, Agiba, is so visually stunning that Egyptians called it “A Wonder”. Agiba’s shades of blue and the various colors of the seabed make it all the way better; leaving you not only with a great summer resort but also with enjoyable scenery that you can just sit and enjoy watching
Al Gharam Beach
The Largest of Marsa Matrouh's Beaches, Al Gharam Beach, meaning "The Shore of Love". It is only 17 kilometres away from town. This paradisiacal location is a perfect romantic beach getaway. Come feel the calm waves caressing the fine and soft sand. Do not fight the temptation of sinking your toes into it and diving into the infinite blue. And although "Gharam" is more secluded than most of the Egyptian White Med beaches, rest assured, you will still find places nearby to buy refreshments or any other beach-related products you might need. So relax, lie down on the sand and soak up the Mediterranean sun at "The Shore of Love".
Possibly the most beautiful piece of coastline in the area, Cleopatra’s Beach sits about a 14km drive north-west of Marsa Matruh around the bay’s thin tentacle of land. The sea here is an exquisite hue, and the rock formations are worth a look. You can wade to Cleopatra’s Bath, a natural pool where legend has imagined the queen and Mark Antony enjoying a dip, but you can't actually swim because of the waves and rocks just offshore
Cleopatra Beach
Rommel's Cave Museum .
The cave is located near the Rommel Beach in Marsa Matrouh, and it was originally cut out of the rocky cliffs during the Roman period as a storage space due to its position near an ancient seaport. When the German troops entered Al-Alamein, Rommel selected the cave as his military headquarters because it was hidden in the cliffs overlooking the harbour.
In 1977, the idea of transforming the cave into a museum was launched as a way of paying tribute to Rommel’s career. However, the plan was not put into effect until 1988, when it was opened to the public in order to display a collection of Rommel’s personal possessions, many of them donated by his son Manfred, as well as weapons, shells and military equipment used during World War I.
Marshal Erwin Rommel, the so-called “Desert Fox”,
Rommel was one of Germany’s leading field commanders in World War II, and he was famous for his battle tricks, courage, determination and leadership. He fought the 12day Battle of Alamein against the British from 23 October 1942, only to retreat on 4 November in the face of an onslaught by British troops.
Minya
Beni Hassan The site lies on the Eastern Bank of the Nile, 20 km south of the city of Al-Minya The burial chamber of Beni Hassan dates back to the Middle Kingdom, from 2055 until 1650 B.C. The tombs of Beni Hassan are carved into some limestone hills on the East Bank of the Nile. They are situated about 20 Kilometers south of Al Minya and 245 kilometers south of Cairo.
Tell elAamarna
Situated around 12 kilometers to the South West of the city of Al Minya site of the ruins and tombs of the city of Akhetaton (“Horizon of Aton”) in Upper Egypt, 44 miles (71 km) north of modern Asyūt
The Red Sea & Sinai
AIN ELSOKHNA The name Ain El Sokhna (which is translated as ‘hot springs’) refers to the nearby sulfur springs that flow from Gebel Ataqa, the Eastern Desert’s northernmost mountain. Being a year-round sunshine destination with gentle waves of the clear Red Sea that is located barely more than an hour from the capital make Ain El Sokhna the ideal destination to have a break from the congestion of the city.
A PLACE YOU SHOULD VISIT Its crystal waters and pristine beaches are the reason why Ain El Sokhna is known as a center for deepsea fishing, while Zaafarana is among the world's premier diving locations and famous for its wind and kite surfing too.
Beaches and water sports aren’t only what this tourist resort has to offer you, as it is also a favorite spot for underwater photography, as well as an ideal one for camping. With a constant breeze, windsurfing is also popular in this city. In land, desert safaris in the nearby oasis and mountain canyons add to the list of attractions.
PORTO
ELSOKHNA
Porto Sokhna was Launched in 2007. Spread over 2.5 million square meters and 270 meters above the warm waters of the Red Sea Porto Sokhna is Porto’s most ambitious residential development to date. The beautiful mountain top residential inclusive compound meets the needs of the whole family
MARSA ALAM
Marsa Alam is a resort town on the Red Sea in Egypt. It’s renowned for its sandy beaches and coral reefs. The U-shaped Abu Dabab Bay is known for its sea turtles and dugongs (sea cows). Kite-surf site El Naaba Lagoon is separated from the open sea by a coral reef. Wadi el-Gemal National Park, south of the town, encompasses desert, seagrass beds, reefs and islands
Wadi El Gemal Is an extensive area of land and crystal water south Marsa Alam. Wadi El Gemal includes many diverse ecological habitats and a rich of animal and birds types including several endangered species. The shores of Wadi El Gemal are heterogeneous in nature encompassing rocky, sandy and muddy beaches. The coastline of the park is about 120 km and has several important landmarks such as the headlands of Ras Baghdadi and Ras Honkorab, Sharm El Louly and Quraa El Hartway bay
Hurghada
Hurghada is a beach resort town stretching some 40km along Egy pt’s Red Sea coast. It’s renowned for scuba diving, and has numerous dive shops and schools in its modern Sekalla district. While the old town, El Dahar, is home to traditional Egyptian coffee shops and souks. Hurghada’s long stretch of sandy beach is lined with resort hotels.
Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai is a 2,285-metre (7,497 ft) moderately high mountain near the city of Saint Catherine in the Sinai region. It is next to Mount Catherine (at 2,629 m or 8,625 ft, the highest peak in Egypt).
It is surrounded on all sides by higher peaks of the mountain range. Sinai is one of the coldest provinces in Egypt because of its high altitudes and mountainous topographies.Winter temperatures in some of Sinai's cities and towns reach −16 °C (3 °F)
Feel the magic
Shedwan Island
Shadwan is a barren rocky island 30 miles southwest of the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh on the Sinai Peninsula and 20 miles northeast of el Gouna. The Island has Shadwan Lighthouse which was built in 1889 and rebulit 1987. The island is 40.99782 km 2
Shedwan
The island was used as a military base during the attribution war 1968-1970 the Artillery & missile batteries on the islands shelled island forces occupying the nearby Sinai Peninsula.
Island
On the 22nd of January the Red Sea Governorate celebrates its National Day when the Israeli army “paratroopers, naval commands" attempted to land on the island trying to occupy it, But due to the stiff resistance on land and the massive air strikes from Egyptian air forces, the Israeli forces failed to remain on the island.
History
The Monastery Of St. Catherine The Monastery of St. Catherine, also known as the Monastery of the Transfiguration, is located in a triangular area between the Desert of El-Tih, the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba in the Sinai. It is situated at an altitude of 4854 feet in a small, picturesque gorge. It is a region of wilderness made up of granite rock and rugged mountains which, at first glance, seems inaccessible. In fact, while small towns and villages have grown up on the shores of the two gulfs, only a few Bedouin nomads roam the mountains and arid land inland. Well known mountains dominate this region, including Mount Sinai (2,285 meters), Mount St.Catherine (2,637 meters), Mount Serbal (2,070 meters) and Mount Episteme. This is the region through which Moses is said to have led his people, eventually to the Promised Land, and there are legends of their passing in many places. Of course, one of the most exceptional locations is that of Mount Sinai, where Moses met with God who delivered to him the Ten Commandments. Obviously, the region is sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims alike.
Canyons in
Sinai You find quite a few canyons in Sinai, both in the desert and mountains, but they are quite small as compared to other well-known canyons in the world. Nevertheless, they are beautiful places, and also quite adventurous as they often involve a little scrambling.
Some of the canyons are popular safari destinations easy to reach by an offroad vehicle, others are lesser known and can only be reached on foot. Taking a Bedouin guide is compulsory either case; you can find good ones in all the tourist towns and sometimes right on the spot.
A canyon is defined as a deep valley between hills or mountains, typically with steep rocky walls and a stream running through it. Based on this you could claim there are hundreds of canyons in South Sinai, as you find narrow valleys all over the region. Water, however, only flows seasonally in most of them after rains, for a longer or shorter time. Underground streams might be running for several months, resurfacing at bottlenecks, filling up pools. In fact, you find a few places with permanent waterpools or streams, and according to locals and maps, in the past there used to be many more. Unfortunately the Sinai endured a decades-long drought, although the last few years were better than average – let’s hope the trend continues.
Walking and camel safaris The real safari, the way the Bedouin have done for at least a couple of thousand years, is on camel and foot. Camel riding safaris include walks and most people are happy for a change time to time. You can also do the whole distance on foot, using the camel only to carry bags, food and water. Camel safaris involve camping in the desert, one of the highlights of the experience. They can last from a couple of days for up to two weeks or more. Safaris are usually all inclusive, that is all food, hot drinks, water, mattress and blankets are provided apart from transfers, the camel and guide. Camels are tied together or led on a lead in most cases.
Dahab Today's Dahab has evolved into an "alternative resort" the home of independent & adventurous travellers, but also with some more upmarket resorts & hotels. Most of the latter are in the Laguna area or outlying. 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.
Sharm El Sheikh
Sharm el sheikh is the largest city in south Sinai governorate in Egypt, it four hundred and eighty kilometers it is a link between Gulf of Aqaba and Gulf of Suez on the red sea coast, it is home to 35,000 people from all over the world, it is one of the world most popular diving centers. Climate the city of Sharm el sheikh is affected by the climate of Sinai desert, due to desert climate it doesn’t have a large rainfall, and its average temperature is twenty three degrees while the average rainfall is four millimeters
Sharm's marina has been redeveloped for private yachts and sailing boats, with a passenger terminal for cruise ships. The city is served by Sharm El Sheikh International Airport, the third largest airport in Egypt. Sharm has frequent coach services to Cairo leaving from the Delta Sharm bus station. Na'ama Bay part of the city is the center of nightlife and dining: most of Sharm's clubs, cafes, restaurants and shops are here. Sharm el Sheikh has grown into three distinct areas now, Nabq is a new area to the North of Na'ama, Old Market and Hadaba to the South of Na'amaa Bay.
SOHO Square Sharm El Sheikh SOHO Square Sharm El Sheikh - the Middle East's latest shopping and entertainment centre and the finest in the Red Sea region, brings a complete family entertainment centre to White Knight Bay.
SOHO Square isn't just a highclass promenade lined with hassle-free shops, it’s a hub of entertainment, shopping, clubbing, dining and sports activities and has numerous pieces of public art, a dancing fountain, fabulous statues, international restaurants, public stage and kids’ zones, all working together for a great environment to enjoy with friends and family, both young and old. Indulge in some fabulous high class shopping before sampling the exquisite international cuisine from one of the four themed à la carte restaurants.
Real Night Life!!!
Naama Bay Sharm El Sheikh
There are plentiful restaurants, cafĂŠs, and souvenir stores if you get bored of the sand, but Naama Bay is really all about the beach. A pedestrian-only promenade rims the entire beach area, backed by a cluster of luxury resorts. For those looking for a holiday, Naama Bay is one of Egypt's top choices. The entire beach area has excellent facilities including ample sun-shades and loungers, and the beachside cafĂŠs mean you don't even have to move from your patch of sandy bliss all day.
Night Life at
Naama Bay
Natural Reserves There's so much more to see when visiting Egypt than the typical sites. Often ignored in travel agencies' tour packages are Egypt's many nature reserves. Although for many foreigners from around the world a trip to Egypt means a visit to the Giza Pyramids and a few ancient Egyptian temples in Luxor and Aswan, there's so much more to visiting Egypt than that. Often ignored in travel agencies' tour packages are Egypt's many natural reserves. Egypt had declared more than 20 protected areas since the 1980s in hope of protecting its fragile ecosystems. The protectorates are home to different forms of biodiversity, ranging from the Red Sea's coral reefs to the Sinai Mountains to the heat-ridden deserts. These seven protected areas are some of Egypt's most beautiful natural reserves.
Ras Muhammed Ras Muhammed National Park, Egypt's oldest and most well-known nature reserve, was established as a protected area in 1983 by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency. It lies in the southern extreme of the Sinai Peninsula and is a well-known diving destination as it is home to more than 220 species of coral and more than 1,000 species of fish.
St. Catherine Protected Area Although many people visit the famous St. Catherine Monastery and climb Egypt's highest mountains, Mount Sinai and Mount Catherine, most are unaware that both are part of a natural reserve. The protectorate was established in 1996 to conserve the mountainous area of central south .Sinai as it contains some of the world's oldest rock formations, as well as a variety of plant species
Abu Galum Protected Area
Located in South Sinai and established in 1992, this incredibly beautiful protectorate is home to breathtaking granite mountains, rich coral reefs, fresh water springs, coastal sand dunes and over 160 plant species. Away from the noise of resort cities such as Sharm El-Sheikh, it is areas like Abu Galum that give travelers the chance to experience the true beauty and serenity of Egypt's Red Sea coast.
Nabq Protected Area Nabq Bay Located 20 minutes’ drive from Sharm International Airport, this place is a city within the city. It has several advantages over the rest of the town. The beach formation at Nabq is different, as it consists of a 1 km shallow ankle-high water, followed by a sharp drop off. National Park of Nabq is a beautifully plush area, brimming with life right in the middle of the desert, the region of Nabq has been announced as a protected spot in 1992, and has been made part of the Ras Mohamed National Park’s territory.
WADI ELRAYAN Wadi El Rayan is a unique nature protectorate in Faiyum Governorate, Egypt The valley of Wadi El-Rayan is an area of 1759km2, 113km2 of which are the dominating water body of the Wadi El Rayan lakes. It is located about 65km southwest of Faiyum city and 80km west of the Nile River. The Wadi has been used for man-made lakes from agricultural drainage which has made a reserve of the two separate Wadi El Rayan Lakes. The reserve is composed of a 50.90km2 upper lake and a 62.00km2 lower lake, with waterfalls between the two. Among the springs, there are three sulphur springs at the southern side of the lower lake, with extensive mobile sand dunes. Wadi El Rayan Waterfalls are considered to be the largest waterfalls in Egypt.
Located on the coastal road between Port Said and Damietta, seven kilometers west of Port Said. It stretches over 35 square kilometers, while Tennis Island alone is eight square kilometers. The protectorate’s climate is moderate in the summer and warm in the winter with rain on the coastal areas. It is also considered a main stop for migratory bird species seeking food and rest during the long migration in the spring and fall seasons.
Ashtum El Gamil
Ras Shaitan protectorate This is a piece of heaven on Egyptian land that you really should pay a visit to, but before you go, here is everything you need to know about it. It takes around six hours from Cairo. The trip is not expensive, especially if you take your own car or rent a minivan with a group.
Wadi Qulaan protectorate
A unique quiet resort town south of Marsa Alam on the Red Sea. Qulaan boasts vast tracts of large mangrove trees growing in the salty water among 140 other types of plants that host many of the endemic birds and give the area a breathtaking scenery.
The White Desert
Reserve A national park of Egypt and 45 km north of the town of Farafra, the main draw of which is its rock type colored from snowwhite to cream. It has massive chalk rock formations which have been created as a result of occasional sandstorm in the area. Farafra is mostly inhabited by the local Bedouins. Parts of the town have complete quarters of traditional architecture, simple, smooth, unadorned, all in mud colour — local culture and traditional methods of building and carrying out repairs have been supported by its tourism.
A main geographic attraction of Farafra is its White Desert (known as Al Sahara el Beyda, if you tend to pronounce it like Egyptians)