Once home to the powerful ancient Egyptian civilization, Egypt has an amazing array of ancient ruins to view and explore. While the ancient sites are nearly too numerous to list, Egypt also has much to offer in terms of outdoor activities, with some outstanding diving opportunities.
Start your visit in Cairo, a massive and bustling city that combines the ancient and the new in stark contrast. The Egyptian Museum contains a staggering amount of ancient treasure (including King Tut’s treasure), while if you want to find your own personal treasure, you can visit the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, which sells a very diverse array of goods. Nearby are the wonders of Giza, with the iconic Sphinx and the pyramids (including the only surviving member of the Seven Wonders of the World – the Great Pyramid of Khufu). More pyramids and funerary complexes can be seen at Saqqarah.
Luxor is the site of the ancient Egyptian capital of Thebes and has been called the “world’s greatest open air museum”. Among the many highlights are the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, and the Tombs of the Nobles, each of which contain wondrous decorated tombs. The Temples of Karnak, Temple of Hatshepsut and Temple of Luxor are equally amazing.
From Luxor take a cruise up the Nile to Aswan, where you can view the massive Aswan High Dam, and take a Felucca trip around the area. The Temples of Philae are located nearby, having been moved and rebuilt piece by piece before the High Dam flooded its original location. The Great Temple of Abu Simbel was similarly moved to higher ground. As it is carved directly into a massive rockface, the rockface itself was moved.
The Red Sea resorts of Hurghada, El-Gouna, and Sharm-El-Sheik each offer excellent diving and beaches and are great breaks from the archeological tourism in Egypt. From these resorts, you can reach the multicolored coral reefs of Ras Mohammed National Park, considered to be some of the finest in the world.
Other attractive places to visit include the Monastery of St. Katherine, built at the base of Mount Sinai. The Burning Bush that Moses saw is located at this Monastery, and one can also hike up Mount Sinai and watch the sunrise. The seaside city of Alexandria no longer has the ancient world wonders that were the Lighthouse and the Great Library. It does contain the massive New Library of Alexandria, helping the city regain its place as a center of learning. One can scuba dive near the site of the ancient Library if they wish, however. Don’t miss the opportunity to take a trip into the desert either for a camel ride or to experience life at one of Egypt’s desert oases.
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