Egypt

Egypt is probably the world's oldest civilization having emerged from the Nile Valley around 3,100 BC, historically. Egypt is probably one of the oldest vacation spots. Early Greeks, Romans and others went there just for fun, and to see the wonders of some of mankind's earliest triumphs. But Egypt is much more than Pyramids and monuments. It is also Red Sea scuba diving, hot night spots, luxury hotels and five star restaurants.

Alexandria and the immediate area around the City
It could in fact be argued that this area extends to Marsa Matruh to the west on the coast. The area has a Mediterranean feel about it, and the attraction is the Mediterranean Sea, and to the people of Cairo, a somewhat cooler climate.

Cairo and the immediate area around the City
Cairo has everything. Cairo has great hotels, entertainment, restaurants, all manner of monuments from throughout the history of Egypt and it is often the entry point for most people visiting Egypt. It even has bowling allies and several golf courses to chose from.

Luxor, and the surrounding area
Luxor is a living museum with vast numbers of ancient Egyptian monuments. It is also highly oriented to tourists, and might be thought of in the same regard as a theme park, where the attractions just happen to be real monuments.

Aswan and the surrounding area
Aswan is probably the least of the super site tourist areas, but has great hotels, along with the huge Lake Nasser just to the south.

Hurghada and the surrounding area, particularly El Gouna
Not to far apart are El Gouna, Hurghada and Safaga, and these areas contain just about everything a tourist would like to have, with the exception of ancient monuments. They make up for that with every variety of water sports, several golf courses, casinos and more. The Red Sea area has less of an Egyptian feel, but not as European as the Sinai.

Sharm El Sheikh, and the surrounding area including Sharks Bay
This is the Sinai super site, again with most everything any tourist might wish. There are even some wonderful Christian monuments nearby, and the water sports, as at Hurghada, are all inclusive.

Activities and Tours

Dahshur
Dahshur forms the southernmost area of the Memphis Necropolis and contains a number of pyramid complexes and monuments. Dahshur has only recently been opened to the public, having been a military zone until 1996. As a result, the area is not as developed commercially as Giza, and there is a certain peace and tranquility to the site still.

Egyptian Musuem
The Egyptian Museum was first built in Boulak. In 1891, it was moved to Giza Palace of "Ismail Pasha" which housed the antiquities that were later moved to the present building. The Egyptian Museum is situated at Tahrir square in Cairo. It was built during the reign of Khedive Abbass Helmi II in 1897, and opened on November 15, 1902. It has 107 halls. At the ground floor there are the huge statues. The upper floor houses small statues, jewels, Tutankhamon treasures and the mummies.

Lake Nasser
The Aswan dam or Sadd el Ali, of its Egyptian name, is a colossal work and one of most impressive in the world in this domain. Thick of 980 metres at the base, of 40 metres at the top, it makes 3 600 metres length and 111 metres in height. As for the artificial lake that it created, the lake Nasser, with 500 km length of which 150 belong to Sudan, over a width going from 10 to 30 km, it is by its capacity of volume of water (157 billion m3) the second of the world after that of the Zambezi.

Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx
In a depression to the south of Khafre's pyramid at Giza near Cairo sits a huge creature with the head of a human and a lion's body. This monumental statue, the first truly colossal royal sculpture in Egypt, known as the Great Sphinx, is a national symbol of Egypt, both ancient and modern.

Temples of Karnak
Karnak describes a vast conglomerate of ruined temples, chapels and other buildings of various dates. The name Karnak comes from the nearby village of el Karnak.

Travel Tip and useful information

Climate
Throughout Egypt, days are commonly warm or hot, and nights are cool. Egypt has only two seasons: a mild winter from November to April and a hot summer from May to October. The only differences between the seasons are variations in daytime temperatures and changes in prevailing winds. In the coastal regions, temperatures range between an average minimum of 14° C in winter and an average maximum of 30° C in summer.

Time Zone
Egypt is 2 hours ahead of GMT (+2 GMT).

Population
Egypt is one of the most populous countries in Africa. The vast majority of its estimated 78 million people live near the banks of the Nile River where the only arable agricultural land is found. Large areas of land form part of the Sahara Desert and are sparsely inhabited. Around half of Egypt's residents live in urban areas, with the majority spread across the densely populated centres of greater Cairo, Alexandria and other major cities in the Nile Delta.

Transport
By Rail The Egyptian State Railway is a government owned system founded in 1851 which services the entire Nile Valley down to Aswan, the Red Sea cities of Suez and Port Said, the Delta and Northern Coast cities of Alexandria (two stops) and Mersa Matruh. There are at least half a dozen through trains a day on major routes.
By Bus Air conditioned buses link most parts of Egypt to Cairo and Alexandria. Seats may be reserved up to two days in advance. There is also a fleet of cheaper non air conditioned buses. Although bus times may change without notice, departures are so frequent that schedule changes are not a problem.
Metro & Tram Both Alexandria and Cairo have tram or metro systems that run through at least part of the city. Trains run every few minutes from early morning (5:30 a.m.) to midnight and fares are inexpensive, usually under a pound to the farthest destination.

Currency and credit cards
Money: The unit of currency is the Egyptian Pound (EGP), which is divided into 100 piastres. Most credit cards are accepted in major hotels and restaurants. Visitors are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds to avoid additional exchange rate charges.

Dress Code
Egypt is a conservative country and visitors should respect this attitude. No topless or nude bathing is permitted. On the practical side, leave your synthetics at home as they will prove to be too hot in summer and not warm enough in winter - bring materials that breathe. It is advisable to wear cotton in summer as the heat can be like a furnace. In winter wear layers that can be taken off during the heat of the day and put back on for cool evenings.

Safety and security
Crime in Egypt is nearly nonexistent, and violence is usually limited to family feuds. However, in tourism areas some pickpockets and petty thieves may exists, so be careful and remember that the ever helpful tourism police are usually nearby. Women must be cautious, especially in out lying areas. Stay completely away from drugs and leave yours at home.