NEWS & SPOTLIGHT
Egypt: NEWS & SPOTLIGHT
Corinthian Spotlight: Abu Simbel – the great rock temples of Ramses II
Often considered the most impressive monument in Egypt after the Great Pyramid, the great temples of Abu Simbel are located in southern Egypt, 2 hours by plane from Cairo, and 30 minutes from Aswan. When Florence Nightingale visited in 1850, she wrote that the temples : “makes the impression on one that a thousand voices do...the temple of Ipsamboul [Abu Simbel] is the only thing which has ever made an impression upon me like that of St Peter’s, yet how different”. Built by the Pharaoh Ramses II 30 centuries ago to impress his Nubian subjects of Egyptian power, the façade of the main rock-cut temple is dominated by four colossal statues of the king, each 20 metres high with Nubians, his mother and several of his children at his feet! The site is remarkably well preserved having been largely covered by sand for many centuries. It was rediscovered for the West by the Swiss Explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1813. Then, in the 1960s the temple was rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser and moved to its present position 65 meters higher than the original site. Abu Simbel is undeniably one of the greatest monuments in Egypt. Most people visit the site when travelling between Cairo and Aswan (and vice versa) by air. It is also possible to reach the temples (or sail from them) on a Lake Nasser Cruise that ply the waters between here and Aswan visiting the almost forgotten temples of Lower Nubia en route.
»Click here to see Egypt tours
|
Corinthian Experience: Pyramids without the Crowds?
The ancient historian Herodotus said of Egypt’s magnificent ruins that: 'nowhere are there so many marvellous thinghs' as in Egypt, 'nor in the world besides are to be seen so many things of unspeakable greatness'. Today, the sites of Egypt are no less wonderful, and the country is one of the world’s top cultural tourist destinations. This poses particular challenges to specialist Tour Operators such as Corinthian Travel who seek to deliver an Egyptian experience that will enable the visitor to appreciate ancient Egypt’s magnificence without being subject at all times to an involuntary crash course in a multitude of foreign languages. Creativity and destination knowledge are the key here, and through employing these skills, Corinthian Travel can deliver an Egyptian holiday experience which is often free from the dreaded queues and crowds. One example of how we can engineer a crowd beating experience is by arranging a visit to Dashur, a site that is located only 35 minutes away by car from the Great Pyramid of Giza. Here, surrounded on all sides by the desert, are to be found two enormous and virtually complete pyramids, which despite their magnificence, are ignored by at least 99% of visitors. In fact you would be unlucky to find more than 10 people present on the occasion of your visit! Dashur’s ‘Red Pyramid’ was one of the first ‘true’ pyramids ever built and has a 3 grandiose burial chambers hidden within it, while entry is not permitted to the ‘Bent Pyramid’ its superstructure is one of the most distinctive of any pyramid. Escaping humanity is not always possible in Egypt, but visits to sites such as Dashur can be arranged. Ask Corinthian for our off the beaten track experiences. These are designed to take you away from the maddening crowds for a few precious hours and show you an Egypt unseen by most.
»Click here to see Egypt tours
|
Destination Spotlight: Islamic Cairo - A Historic Walk
Known as the 'city of a thousand minarets', Islamic Cairo is a Middle Eastern gem conjuring up images of the Arabian Nights with its narrow winding alleys, exquisite Islamic architecture, bustling aromatic bazaars, and the cries of its colourful people. This historic off the beaten track guided walk between Bab Futuh and Bab Zuwayla along Al Muezz Street will last between one to two hours taking you through you through the heart of historic Cairo passing 29 noted monuments and the famed Khan el Khalili bazaar along the way.
With your back to the seething hubbub of 21st century Cairo, look up at the magnificent defensive walls of the Islamic City, built by Saladin in 1176. Walk through the imposing massive twin towers of the 'Gate of Conquest' (Bab Futuh - built 1081 AD) and you will enter El Qahira: The Victorious built by the Fatamid caliph in 974 as a princely suburb. A narrow lane leads you past elegant palaces, mosques with wonderfully rich decorative stonework and minarets: past glimpses of courtyards with a flame tree in flower. Look up at the intricate wooden grills where ladies could look down and not be seen. Your urge to peep in is insatiable: every corner seems to hide a secret. As you penetrate further, you come to the famous 'Khan el Khalili'; the Bazaar where you brush past silks and garments blowing gently in the wind as the lane gets ever narrower. Next, you come to the colourful shops of the Tentmakers and a shop looking just as it did 100 years ago where 'Tarbushes' (Fezzes) are still being made. Round a corner you are in a spice market full of warm colours and hot aromas in the bright sunshine. Pause on your way to look at the beautiful Damascus style tiles and the black and white striped stone facade at the entrance to a mosque. Enter and you will find a space of peace and serenity with an inner courtyard, having on three sides elegant recesses or 'Iwans' handing with mosque lamps and on the fourth side - a forest of reused classical columns supports an intricate coloured and gilded roof over the prayer niche (Mihrab). And eventually you arrive at the Bab Zuwayla and out again into the modern city.
Note: This historic walk can be included in any of our private Egypt luxury holidays. A half day visit to Islamic Cairo will give you a flavour of the sites and perhaps, in addition to the walk, also include Cairo's great Citadel and the magnificent Sultan Hassan Mosque. On a full day tour amongst other places you might also visit the wonderful, and recently opened, Museum of Islamic Art - considered to hold one of the greatest Islamic collections in the world.
»Click here to see Egypt tours
|
Your Financial Protection: The air holiday packages offered by Corinthian Travel are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL T7335. Where flights are not included your holiday is protected through our membership of the Travel Trust Association. We hold TTA membership number U6485. Please see Financial Protection or our booking Terms & Conditions for further information.