The Glossary

calèches - "a traditional horse drawn carriage common in the East Bank of Luxor, Egypt."

Egypt Travel Guide

/ Africa / Egypt / Introduction

Words like opulent and antiquarian are not enough to describe the land of pharaohs and kings. Egypt, as the seat of one of the greatest civilizations, doesn't need a highfaluting prelude. The mere mention of its name evokes a kaleidoscope of pattern, pictures and events narrating a glimpse of a country that has been the point of interests of various historians, archeologists and academician since time immemorial. As Herodotus put it, "Egypt is the Gift of the Nile." It is, however, more appropriate to say that it is a gift bestowed on the whole human race.

Pyramids, royal catacombs, sprawling temple complexes dot the landscape of Egypt, with the Pyramid of Giza as the most arresting, standing tall and proud despite of its "old age." Much of the renowned archeological sites are concentrated in the Lower and Upper Egypt with the prominence of the hewn-stone temple complexes and pyramids at Saqqara (Step Pyramid Complex of Djoser) and Dashur (Snofru's Bend and Red Pyramids), the Avenue of the Sphinxes at Luxor Temple in the West and East Bank and the tombs of Tutankhamun, Thutmose III, Horemheb and Rameses VI at the Valley of the Kings.

A usual tourist route starts with the spectacular view of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, is Egypt's largest harbor and the country's corridor to the Mediterranean Sea, and detours to the Temples of Abu Simbel where the colossal statues of Rameses II offer a warm welcome to the visitors entering the Great Temple. Those who intend to scale the heights of Mt. Sinai or plan to see the temples in Abydos can't afford to be languorous for the two sights entail real hard work to be reached.

After a "pilgrimage" to the copious historical and religious sights, visitors might as well take a tour around Egypt's spit of shoreline where they can find some of the lavish resorts in Red Sea, including the Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada and Dahab, all of which are considered as some of the most sought-after diving locations in the world.

Apart from the underwater odyssey, visitors can also enjoy exploring the desert and oasis of Dakhla, the White Desert and unfathomable Great Sand Sea to satisfy the urge for some off-the-beaten adventures. Before heading to their hotels at Cairo, they can enjoy an afternoon cruise via felucca on the Nile River or simply wait for the sunset at the banks of Aswan to complete the whole Egyptian experience.