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Egypt
Egypt, the land of the Pharaohs, of the Pyramids and the Sphinx. Egypt sits on over 100,000 square miles of oases and deserts, with the Mediterranean and the Red Sea as borders, the and the silvery green waters of the Nile spanning its length. Egypt can boast one of the greatest heritages from the ancient world and has an unparalleled wealth of archaeological and historical sites. The capital of the ancient kingdom was Mempis, located quite close to Cairo. Near here we find the step pyramids of the early dynasties at Saqqara. The capital of the Middle Kingdom was Thebes, on the site of today Luxor, named after the splendor of the old capital full of palaces. The New Kingdom also saw Thebes as capital along with the greatest period of Egyptian splendor with rulers as Ramses II and queens like Nefertari. The era of Pharaos ended with the arrival of Alexander the Great who moved the capital to the newly founded city of Alexandria. Afterwards, empires came and went: first Rome, then Byzantium, then the Arabs who founded Cairo as the new capital, the Mamalukes and, finally the Ottoman Empire. When in 1798 Napoleon landed in Egypt, the country was put into contact with Europe and the rest of the world. The era of the Sultans started and lasted till 1936 when the British occupied Egypt and with the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty King Farouk was given the reins of power. In 1954 Nasser became the full leader of Egypt and entered Egypt fully in the modern world.
Egypt is a land of climatic contrast with marked differences between the coastal Mediterranean climate and the hot dryness of the interior. In desertic areas there is also a great difference between day and night temperatures. It is sunny for most of the year and rain falls only in a few places and not more than 40 days a year at that. June, July and August are hot but with cooler evening due to the desert breezes that blow into the Nile Valley. Egypt is probably one of the oldest vacation spots. Early Greeks, Romans and others went there just for fun, and to see the wonders of some of mankind’s earliest triumphs. And Egypt is much more than Pyramids and monuments: it is also Red Sea scuba diving, hot night spots, luxury hotels and five star restaurants, it is romantic cruises down the Nile on festive river boats, a night at the grand opera and a cultural experience like none you have ever experienced.
Country Information - Find more information on all areas of Egypt.
Suggested Egypt Discoveries
- CLASSIC TOURS - From oases and deserts to the Nile valley and the Red Sea, Egypt offers so many possibilities for great discoveries, soft adventure programs and cultural visits. This is, of course, the land of the Pharaohs, of the Pyramids and the Sphinx, but Egypt is much more than Pyramids and monuments, it is also Red Sea scuba diving, hot night spots, luxury hotels and five star restaurants. It is romantic cruises down the Nile on festive river boats, a night at the grand opera and it is a cultural experience like none you have ever experienced.
- CLASSIC CRUISES - A first time visitor to Egypt wanting to discover the ancient history of the country would do well to book a Nile or a lake Nasser (or both) cruise, as this was historically (for the Nile) the way to visit the temples and tombs located along the river. Cruising along the Nile, whose banks are lined with ancient villages, temples, cotton fields and date palms, all unchanged since biblical time, is meeting with the kings, queens and gods of a civilization that goes back 6,000 year.
- CUSTOMIZED PROGRAMS - As specialists on this destination, we can prepare “the” specific itinerary you desire with the exact services you need. If you would like to have “your own” itinerary, contact us and advise us of all your requirements
