1
Heritage Walk in Cairo
Cairo, known as the ‘city of a thousand minarets’, contains one of the greatest concentrations of medieval buildings in Egypt. Its towering mosques, mausolea, religious schools, and caravanserais can be best appreciated on a heritage half day walking tour. A walk along Al-Muezz Street between Bab al Futuh and Bab al-Zawayla, two gates of the medieval city, will take you past 29 noted Islamic monuments. This is a really immersion in the Middle East experience.
2
Shopping in a Medieval Bazaar (Khan el Khalili)
Cairo’s Khan el Khalili Bazaar is the ultimate orientalist fantasy. Built at the end of the 14th century its maze of alleyways, brightly coloured stalls, the din of its hagglers and heady scent of spices all leave an indelible impression. Though swamped with souvenirs there are real treasures to be found ranging from inlayed boxes, to jewellery.
3
See Pyramids without Crowds
Giza’s three magnificent pyramids, and to a lesser extent the Stepped Pyramid at Saqqara, attract nearly all the limelight, yet nearby the well preserved pyramids at Dashur are almost completely ignored, and usually devoid of visitors. Dashur’s ‘Red’ and ‘Bent’ pyramids are a little earlier than those of Giza and were built by the Pharaoh Sneferu. Another ignored pyramid is the picturesque ruin at Medium to the south of Dashur.
4
Dawn Hot-Air Balloon Journey
Imagine gliding slowly through the air as dawn breaks over the monuments of the Pharaohs in Luxor. The full 35 – 45 minutes that the balloon is in the air is a truly magical experience. From your basket the magnificent panorama over the Nile Valley in the early light of the day in unbeatable, as is the sensation of utter peace and calm during the flight and sense of enjoyment and adventure.
5
Cruise along the Nile in Style
It is hard to beat the experience of a Nile cruise. The temples and tombs are incredible, the views over the Nile to cultivated fields, swaying palm trees are stunning, and the opportunity to sit back and relax whilst enjoying excellent service and comfortable accommodation is almost unbeatable. Choose between 3, 4 and 7 night cruises between Luxor and Aswan (and vice versa) on the most luxurious boats on the river.
6
Slowly down the Nile by traditional Dahabiya
Dahabiyas: twin-masted sailing yachts with 4 to 8 cabins were the preferred mode of Nile transport for ‘grand tourists’ up to 100 years ago; today their deluxe modern incarnations are an increasingly popular way to see the sites of Upper Egypt. A singular attraction of a dahabiya cruise is that it allows you and a small group of fellow travellers to sail on the Nile at a leisurely pace largely removed from the hustle and bustle of modern touring. En route, your dahabiya will visit small islands, local villages, and Pharaonic sites that are often missed by the larger Nile cruises, enabling you to experience an Egypt that has long been removed from the tourist radar.
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Cruise through the ‘Land of Gold’ – Lake Nasser
A cruise on Lake Nasser through the ancient land of Nubia from Aswan to Abu Simbel (and vice versa) is a very different experience from the Nile. Called the ‘Land of Gold’ by the ancient Egyptians, Nubia is a vast, dramatic desert wilderness, dotted with lesser known Egyptian temples. Currently only 5 boats ply the waters of Lake Nasser lending real feeling of adventure as you discover Nubia on either a 3 or 4 night cruise.
8
See Luxor without the Crowds
Luxor and its surrounding countryside contain some of the finest temples and tombs from ancient Egypt and attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. What may come as a surprise is that most itineraries and tours include the exact same sites leaving many other fine temples and tombs largely crowd free. With more time on your hands it is possible to escape the crowds and visit some of these less famous, but in many cases, hardly less magnificent sites.
9
Fossils and Desert Adventure (Valley of the Whales)
The Valley of the Whales (Wadi el-Hitan) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to hundreds of fossilised bones of early Whales dating back 40 million years, as well as amazing rock formations. The site reveals one of the greatest mysteries of the evolution of whales: the emergence of the whale as an ocean-going mammal from a previous life as a land based animal. Wadi el Hitan is accessible from Cairo and is a offers a wonderful off the beaten track desert adventure, as well as an insight deep into our planet’s past.
10
The Red Sea – an Underwater Paradise
Diving and snorkelling in the Red Sea is simply unforgettable. The Red Sea offers superb visibility (up to 50 metres), abundant and diverse marine life (there are over 1,000 species of fish), and countless varieties of hard and soft coral. The comfortable year-round water temperature ranges between 18° and 26° C. Discover the richness, vibrancy and clarity of the waters whilst enjoying luxurious facilities in either Sharm el Sheikh or Sahl Hasheesh.
11
Experience the Palace Hotels of Egypt
The end of the 19th century saw the construction of several grand palatial hotels to accommodate the growing numbers of well-heeled visitors to Egypt. These historic buildings, while not always in the first flush of youth, are full of character and old world charm harking back to a more elegant age of travel. The Mena House Hotel in Cairo overlooks the pyramids; while the Winter Palace Hotel in Luxor drips with chandeliers; to the south in Aswan, the Old Cataract Hotel has one of the most famous terraces in Egypt and is where Agatha Christie is said to have written “Death of the Nile.”
12
Felucca Sailing at Sunset
Sailing on the Nile in a privately chartered traditional felucca sailing boat at sunset is a magical experience. As your boat unfurls is huge white sail and quietly tacks its way across the river, and the setting sun nears the horizon, you will be able to sit back and admire the world’s longest river as the whole sky turns a brilliant orange. This is a perfect way to end your day.
13
Christian Egypt & The Desert Monasteries
Egypt has an important place in Biblical history: here Joseph was made Vizier of Egypt by the Pharaoh; Moses was rescued from a basket on the Nile and later led his people to the Promised Land; and the Holy Family took refuge to escape King Herod’s ‘Massacre of the Innocents’. Christianity has deep roots in Egypt where today approximately 10% of the population are Coptic Christians. The country has many fascinating Christian sites ranging from the ancient churches in Coptic Cairo, to the desert monasteries of Wadi Natrun between Cairo and Alexandria, and St Antony and St Paul in the desolate Eastern Desert. Arguably, the most famous site is the Monastery of St Catherine in Sinai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built on the spot where God appeared to Moses in the Burning Bush.
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Egyptian Monuments by Night
After sunset several of the great monuments of Egypt come alive with dramatic lighting, sound, and narration. Learn the story of the Sphinx and construction of the pyramids of Giza; walk through the amazing temple of Karnak with its forest of columns and enjoy a laser light display; or cross over by boat to beautiful Philae Island to hear the story of Isis and her consort Osiris in Aswan. The great temple of Abu Simbel also has an excellent sound & light show which can be visited if you are cruising on Lake Nasser.
15
Daraw Camel & Cattle Market
Every Saturday and Sunday hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of camels are sold at Daraw amidst much excitement by Sudanese and Somali merchants to their Egyptian counterparts. The camels which travel for between 15 and 60 days to market are the stars of the show, but the merchants themselves dressed in the long traditional galabiyas and tall turbans, are an almost equal attraction as they inspect the goods and haggle for the best price, thus presenting a timeless scene that can’t have altered in centuries. Daraw which is a 40 minute drive north of Aswan also holds a cattle market on Tuesdays.
16
Spa
Take your body on a journey of rediscovery to one of Egypt’s fine spas in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, or at the Red Sea resorts of Sharm el Sheikh and along the Eastern Sea-Board. Should you enjoy the idea of being pampered whilst taking a Nile cruise it would be worth considering a boat such as the sleek Oberoi Zahra which boasts 4 on-board spa suites.
17
Golf
Egypt boasts some of the most spectacular backdrops in the world for an unforgettable round of golf. Imagine verdant fairways laid out on an arid desertscape emulating an emerald carpet. Palm trees swaying gently, fanning manicured greens, or teeing-off with a view of the Great Pyramid. The country boasts 20 top class golf courses, some designed by the likes of Gary Player, Fred Couples and Karl Litten.