The city of Egypt is mostly characterized by extensive deserts in which it is only possible to find winds and sands. But it is also possible to find small eco-regions, such as the Mediterranean part, the savanna part of the Nile River, the desert next to the Red Sea and the Sahara desert. The variety of zones that can be defined as independent ecological systems allows you to enjoy different levels of landscapes of traditional Egypt, only in the sand around the pyramids.
Among the options to visit and tour Egypt in its entirety, it can be recommended from the most known places worldwide to the most picturesque and traditional places in the country. If what you want in the first place is to enjoy nature, then the indicated thing is to visit some of the natural parks or the National Park of Egypt.
Among the cities to visit in Egypt the offer is wide, all of them have a lot of history to learn, a lot of tradition and a universally known culture. The main cities are very close to the Nile River and are a source of interest in the world for its strong cultural and archaeological heritage, for its beautiful landscapes and for the variety of offerings for entertainment.
City of Cairo
It is the capital of Egypt and the main city of the country, has more than 16 million inhabitants and is the largest city in Africa and the Middle East, full of history and traditions, its main attractions are in the museums and their monuments. The city of Cairo is also known as the “City of a Thousand Minarets”.
Among its places to know we can highlight the district of Copto, where monumental churches such as Abu Serga, as well as the Amir mosque, the mosques of Al Azhar and Al Hussein meet. Among the museums you should visit the Museum of Islamic Art and the Khan el Khalili bazaar, places where you can learn about the history of medieval Egyptian times.
On the hills you can find the ancient citadel of Saladito, along with the mosque of Mohamed Ali, also known as the Alabaster Mosque. In the interior it is possible to know the old necropolis known as the City of the Dead.
Already back to the museum, one of the most interesting places is where the treasure of Tutankhamun resides, which is accompanied by the mummies of the most important pharaohs of the ancient era. Near the museum, in the area of Gizeh, are the famous pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Menkaure, also the Sphinx and the Temple of Khafre.
In the area of Saqqara you can visit the necropolis belonging to Memphis, next to it the funerary temple and the pyramid of Pharaoh Zoser, it is interesting to remember that this pyramid keeps a peculiar form in its construction, in a staggered way. Another important archeology area to know in Cairo is the Dahshur area.
City of Luxor
It is located about 730 kilometers from the city of Cairo, formerly known as the city of Thebes, it is the second most important in Egypt. In the Homeric era it was known as “The City of One Hundred Gates”. The city borders on both opposite banks of the Nile River, so its natural beauty is prodigious, among the most recommended places to take advantage of this city is its architectural monuments, such as the Temple of Luxor and the Temple of Karnak. To the west of the city you can visit the famous temples of Ramses, along with the valleys of the ancient Kings and Queens.
If you visit Alexandria, an unmissable place in the route should be the Column of Pompey, a historical place and famous for believing that the Library of Alexandria was under its columns.
In Alexandria you can also enjoy its wonderful beaches, the sand and the sun under which you can rest after long walks and hectic archaeological traces.
To visit Alexandria more comfortably, there is a bus company that departs from Thair Square in Cairo.
City of Edfu
It is located about 80 kilometers from the city of Luxor, known in ancient Egypt as Dyeb and Apolinopolis Magna by the Romans. The main place to know in this city is the temple, one of the best preserved in all of Egypt, besides being one of the most beautiful in its construction, dates from 237 BC in the time of Ptolemy III.
Kom Ombo
It is located on the banks of the Nile River, the temple stands built and divided into two main areas, each area dedicated to a couple of triads of gods. The god Sobek (Crocodile god), the goddess HathorTasenetnofret (sister goddess), and the Panebtawy (mother goddess). The second zone is dedicated to the god Horus, the god of the two countries. Another place to visit is the ancient city of Nubia.
City of Aswan
Considered the most important city of Upper Egypt, it is located about 885 kilometers south of Cairo and about 213 kilometers from the city of Luxor. The city was built between 2575 and2143 BC
In Aswan you can take advantage of the ancient temple of Piale, the temple of Kalabsha, the Elephantine island, also the botanical garden of the island of Kitchener and the Mausoleum of Agha Jan.
Among the museums, the Nubian Museum stands out. To visit it is also recommended the Nile falls located in this part of the city.
The Red Sea
It has a total area of 470,000 square kilometers and borders countries such as Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and Yemen. This sea is known for its clear waters and coral reefs that can be found in its depths, it is ideal for diving.
On its shores you can find important tourist centers that provide the best services to be on its beaches and practice various water sports in its waters.
The Sinai Peninsula
Located in the middle of the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez, it borders the Mediterranean Sea on the north and the Red Sea on the south side. The best thing about this place are its beautiful beaches and its mountains for hiking. To know this the monastery of Santa Catalina, among its main monuments.
To visit the Sinai you can depart from Tahrir Square and reach Abbasiyya Square. Two buses depart daily from El Cairo.
City of Abu Simbel
This city is located about 50 kilometers from the border with Sudan and about 290 kilometers from the city of Aswan, in this place you can find the temple built by the pharaoh Ramses II, in honor of his wife Nefertari, the temple is the most large built.
To get to this city it is advisable to arrive by plane, since it only takes half an hour from Aswan, the visit to the main temples and its complete journey takes about two hours. The other alternative way to get there is by using the bus that leaves at three in the morning and arrives at the temples at seven in the morning.
The Western Oasis
Located in the deep zone of the deserts, there are five main oases, formerly used by the pharaohs to rest from the long journeys they made through the vast desert.
Among the main oases is El Bahareya, located about 450 kilometers away; the Wadi, the Guided and the Fárfara.
Sports and Activities in Egypt
Egypt is also a place to practice sports, especially those that take place in the water, whether diving also Windsurfing, which is a variant of the first; Most of these water sports can be practiced in the waters of the Red Sea, the most popular place for sports and also in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
Other less humid sports that can be practiced in the land of the pyramids are hiking and long walks, these can be done throughout the deserts or through the ruins located in the area of Ancient Egypt.
For walks it is advisable to take a lot of water since sun and sand often tend to weaken quickly, in greater proportion than those who do not accustom to walk under the sun and deserts. The most interesting walks are those that are made crossing the Sahara desert and its dunes.
Another sport to practice is golf, in Egypt it has wide golf courses that have all the comforts, you could even require the teaching of this game in short classes under the supervision of professionals.
Tags: Cairo, Edfu Temple, oasis, The Red Sea
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