Described by ancient Greek historian Herodotus as ‘the Gift of the Nile’, Egypt has captured the imagination of visitors since time immemorial. Littered with monuments left by Pharaohs and Greeks, Romans, Christians and Muslims, Egypt’s historical attractions are ample reason to come, but its pyramids and monasteries, tombs and temples are merely part of the country’s myriad charms. Standing at the cultural crossroads of East and West, ancient and modern, Egypt today is an intoxicating, accessible mix of the modern and the old, from the crowded apartment blocks of Cairo to the mud homes and goatskin tents of the Bedouins, with the peasant farmers – the fellahin – throughout the Nile’s fertile valley still tending their fields with primitive tools. Spectacular monuments and cultural fascination aside, Egypt’s appeal lies in its incredible natural beauty, from the subaqua riches of the Red Sea and the epic, biblical beauty of the Sahara, to the arid mountains of Sinai and vast sandy beaches of its Mediterranean coast. And at the physical and spiritual heart of all this, the Nile flows serene and majestic, Egypt’s constant pulse. Linking Alexandria to the North, Aswan in the south, with the great temples of Luxor and Abu Simbel in between, the Nile is Egypt’s lifeblood, and to river cruises offers a timeless, magical insight into the country’s ancient, rural ways. A diverse, fascinating, dramatically beautiful country, Egypt is inhabited by one of the most overwhelmingly friendly and hospitable people on earth. With a magnificent collection of boutique, seaside and colonial hotels, not to mention a climate where winter temperatures can still push 20C, Egypt is a fabulous destination for all interests and budgets.
Facts
CapitalCairo
Airport
Cairo, Alexandria, Sharm-el-Sheikh, Hurghada and Aswan are the main airports with flights from the UK
Currency
Egyptian Pound (£1=9.58 Egyptian Pounds)
Size
387,000 sq miles
Population
79 million
Average temperatureswith vast deserts, mountains over 2500m and long coastlines, Egypt experiences many different types of weather from arid heat to snow. Climate along the Nile, including Cairo and Luxor, is basically hot and dry. Average temperatures range from 14°C to 28°C; desert temperatures range from low teens right up to 50C in summer; temperatures on the Red Sea resorts range between 14°C and 38°C.
Local highlights
Cairo, with its magnificent museums, busy souks, and for a glimpse of its colonial past, wander the dusty old Garden City, a labyrinth of crumbling 19th and early 20th century mansions; friendly Alexandria, with the antique coffee houses that have spawned many a literary giant from Lawrence Durrell to Cavafy, as well as Coptic churches and seafood cafes; the Pyramids of Giza, as well as the Sphinx; Abydos, the supposed burial sit of the god Osiris, now one of the best preserved temples; the Great Sand Sea dunes that guard the Sahara; the White Desert, an area of ghost-white rock formations sprouting from the desert sands; the mud-brick villages of Dakhla Oasis; snorkelling and diving in the Red Sea resorts; St Katherine’s Monastery, site of Moses’s burning bush, now an ancient desert monastery on the Sinai peninsula; Mt Sinai itself, a holy mountain many people climb at night for a fantastic sunset over the desert; Aswan, Egypt’s southern frontier town, with its monuments, dam, and Nile cruises either by felucca, cruiser, or dahabiyya, elegant sail-boats evoking the Victorian age of exploration; Luxor and Karnak’s stunning temple and tombs, including the Valley of the Kings; El Alamein, with its fascinating WWII battlefield museum and cemetery; the Suez Canal; the Great Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel; trams in Alexandria.
Getting out and about
Egypt has a very extensive public and private transport system, and you can travel just about anywhere in Egypt relatively cheaply. Buses service just about every city, town and village in Egypt. Ticket prices are generally comparable with the cost of 2nd-class train tickets. Trains with sleeping cars are the most comfortable and among the fastest in Egypt. The cars, which are run by Abela Egypt, are the same as those used by trains in Europe. At least one sleeping train travels between Alexandria, Cairo, Luxor and Aswan daily. No trip to Egypt is complete without a trip down the Nile River. Egyptians have been plying these muddy waters for countless generations, and you can still take the trip on a felucca (a traditional sailing vessel) or opt for a modern steamer or cruise ship.
Travel arrangements
Egypt’s many international airlines are served by a number of airlines from the UK, with carriers offering scheduled flights including Egypt Air, British Airways and BMI. Flight time from the UK is about five hours.