Egypt Travel Guide
Information
Where to go and what to see
Red Sea
We were staying on the beach at Na'ama Bay, just a bunch of blokes on holiday without much idea to do anything apart from ogle girls, sunbathe and splash in the sea. Then someone suggested going snorkelling. We hired masks, snorkels and flippers and off we went. From the first moment I stuck my head into the sparkling, crystal sea I was hooked. If you have never tried it before I urge you to. Snorkelling in the Red Sea will take your breath away. The corals are a million different, vivid colours and the fish that dance in and out are equally dazzling.
Since my visit the coastal resorts that line the Red Sea have become much more developed. On the Sinai coastline the places to go are Na'ama Bay and Sharm El Sheikh whilst on the main Red Sea coast go to either Hurghada or Safaga. Apart from the snorkelling there are other water sports widely available and the seafood is excellent. If you venture inland into the Sinai you will see some of the most stunning but dangerous looking scenery imaginable.
The desert
The desert is an intrinsic part of the popular image of Egypt. Barren sand makes up some 95% of the total land area, which does make it kind of difficult to disregard. Yet for all its terrible, desolate beauty it is home to many people and, in small areas, is remarkably verdant and productive. There are 4 main oases that can be reached by road from Luxor and Siwa (further to the north) can be reached from the Mediterranean resort of Marsa Matruh. Siwa is also connected by a very poor road to the oasis at Bahariyya and you need permission from the military to travel this route.
The oasis at Kharga is the largest of the desert oases and is the regions capital with a population of 50,000. It is not the most inspiring of places but is in a good position to use as a base for exploring the oases to the west and the myriad of historical sites in the region. Dakhla, Farafara and Bahariyya are all worth a visit, they all offer the site of life brought forth from the desert and there are antiquities from various ages everywhere.
The most isolated oasis is Siwa famed for its dates and olives and natural springs. Siwa is also famed as the place where Alexander the Great visited on his trip out to the East. Apparently it was the oracle here that told Alexander he was, in fact, a god. An excellent thing for the ego of a man bent on world domination to hear.
It is possible to take a number of desert safaris. If you do plan to go on such a trip into one of the world's great wild places, go with a reputable company.
Cairo
A thrilling place to visit, Cairo is Africa's largest city. It is also one of the most crowded, this, coupled with the historical aura of the place lends it an atmosphere like no other. Here all the icons that epitomise Egypt gather together, the Nile passes by, the Pyramids are visible from all over the city and desert sands blow through the streets.
Despite the presence of the Pyramids in its suburbs Cairo is not an ancient city. The Fatamids founded the city in the latter part of the 9th century AD. The city became a royal residence and capital; it was a centre of the Islamic world as well as for the Coptic Christian church. It had its best moments under the Mamelukes, the former mercenaries who turned on their rulers. They built the cities best mosques and palaces between 1250 and the end of their rule in 1517.
Apart from the Pyramids the place to visit in Cairo is the Egyptian Museum. This houses, as you might imagine all manner of archaeological articles. The world famous contents of Tutankhamuns tomb reside here as well as 11 royal mummies.
Also worth a look is Islamic Cairo with numerous mosques, an Islamic museum and the Citadel. The districts that make up much of Islamic Cairo have remained unchanged for centuries.
Testimony to the resilience and adaptability of their faith is the Coptic community, one of the world's earliest Christian outposts. Visit the Coptic Museum for more background information and a look at examples of early Christian art.
The Nile
This is where it all begins and ends for Egypt. Were the river with its annual miracle not there then we would have had no pyramids, no 'cradle of civilisation' and subsequently no Pharaohs and no Egypt. The bulk of the countries population are resident on its banks living in the ribbon of towns and cities that stretch from the Med to Lake Nasser.
Here is how it all works: The Nile is a massive entity, the worlds longest river it stretches, debatably, from Lake Victoria to the Med some 5,600 km. The reason why Egypt is there is because every year the miracle of the Nile occurs. The monsoon like weather in Equatorial Africa causes the river to flood miles down stream. As the water pours across the Nile valley it deposits vast amounts of rich, fertile, alluvial soil. This provided the trigger for agricultural settlement, which in turn led to the area becoming a major centre of population, and, well you know the rest. Since time immemorial the Nile has been the lifeblood of Egypt and this continues down to today. With the bulk of the nations populace engaged in agricultural production the river is still a vital part of everyday life.
The best way to watch Egypt past and present unfold before your very eyes is to get on a Nile cruise. For the true Egyptian experience, take a three or four week trip from Cairo to Aswan on a triangular sailed Felucca. The other thing about the Nile is that all the major Pharoanoic sites are along its sun drenched banks...
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