Nile Valle All

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NileValley

EGYPT

Historical cities:

Cairo, Alexandria,

Luxor, Aswan...


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Felucca on the Nile River


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ContentsP.6-9 WELCOME TO THE NILE VALLEY

P.10-19 ATMOSPHERE

P.10-11 ROMANCE...SAILING THE NILE RIVER

P.12-13 URBAN LIFE

P.14-15 NATURE

P.16-17 GASTRONOMY

P.18-19 PHARAONIC EGYPT

P.20-41 GEOGRAPHICAL APPROACH

P.20-21 THE COAST: FROM MARSA MATROUH

TO DAMIETTA AND PORT SAID

P.22-23 ALEXANDRIA

P.24-27 CAIRO AND GIZA

P.28-29 EL FAYOUM TO HERMOPOLIS

P.30-31 ASYUT TO DANDARA

P.32-35 LUXOR AND THE West BANK

P.36-37 VALLEY OF THE KINGS

P.38-39 ASWAN

P.40-41 ABU SIMBEL

P.46-47 PRACTICAL INFORMATION

P.42-45 PLANNING THE TRIP

P.48-51 ACCOMMODATION

P.52-53 ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTS

P.54 DOS & DONTS

P.55 EGYPT GENERAL MAP


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The land of pharaohs, intriguing legends, ancient civilizations andamazing temples, Egypt is one of the worlds greatest and mostcaptivating countries.

Egypt enjoys a strategic location in North

Africa close to the Middle East. Ofcially

the Arab Republic of Egypt, it borders Libya

to the west, Sudan to the south, and Israel

and the Gaza Strip to the east via the Sinai

Peninsula and a land bridge that crosses

the Suez Canal. It is, however, far from

landlocked. Its north coast is lapped by theMediterranean, while its lower east coast

and south Sinai lie alongside the Red Sea.

The country has long played an important

role in connecting Africa with Asia, and

the Mediterranean with the Indian Ocean,

and as such has been at the centre of the

worlds political and economical arena for

centuries. It is a vast country, totalling wellover million square kilometres. Thats four

times the size of the United Kingdom and

twice the size of France, and yet most of its

cities like Cairo, Aswan, Asyut and Luxor

hug the shores of the Nile Valley. Even

Alexandria, the countrys second largest

city after Cairo, is in the Nile Delta.

Egypt has four distinct areas. The NileDelta, itself, is a stretch of land that fans

out north from a point close to Cairo where

the Nile splits into smaller ows of water,

reaching a stretch of coastline that runs

from Alexandria to Port Said. At the coast

the waters of the Nile ow into the Mediter-

ranean. Along the coastline are the towns

and cities of El Alamein, famed for its Sec-

ond World War battles and museums, along

with Marsa Matrouh and Sallum to the

west of Alexandria, while to its east is the

historic Rosetta, where the Rosetta Stone,

an important artefact that was key to de-ciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic

writing, was discovered. Further along the

coast is Damietta and Port Said.

The Nile Valley stretches from the delta to

Egypts southernmost border with Sudan,

and along with its great cities is home to

some of the worlds most iconic symbols

of ancient civilizations. It is here visitorscan see the three Great Pyramids of Giza

and the Sphinx that guards them, the

fabulous Luxor Temple and the Karnak

Temples in Luxor, the Valley of the Kings

and, of course, the Nile River itself. The

Sahara Desert, the worlds second largest,

makes up much of Egypts distinct desert

and oases areas, which are fascinating if

sparsely inhabited, while the Sinai Pen-insula and the Red Sea coastline and re-

sorts are the countrys top spots for fam-

ily fun and water sport themed holidays.

A fabulously rich history and achieve-

ments sit comfortably with the Egypt of

today. Deserts that stretch for kilometres

into the distance and holiday resorts with

top notch hotels offering family fun such

as swimming and diving in the Red Sea

contrast well with the Nile Delta and the

Nile Valley that leave you breathless at

their bustling cities and ancient temples.

Visitors arrive in their thousands, are

totally captivated and return time after

time. Whether its a view of the sun going

down behind the centuries-old pyramids,

turning the sky to a magical bright orange,

G E O G R A P H Y

E N V I R O N M E N T

NileValleyE G Y P

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Welcome To The


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WELCOM

ETOTHENILEVALLEY

or seeing the mesmerising sun-scorched

Sphinx, the priceless treasures contained

tantalisingly behind glass in Cairos Egyp-

tian Museum or standing in awe of the

fabulous temples the sights of the worlds

most entrancing country stay with visitorsfor a lifetime.

Add to this experiences of seeing one of

Egypts most trusted residents, the camel,

make its way casually across the sands,

perhaps dressed in brightly coloured rugs

and tassels for a festival, street vendors

selling their goods in the bustling souks,

children playing in the streets, craftspeo-ple weaving carpets or locals mingling in

an animated fashion around the streets, all

of which sit well with innovative new com-

mercial buildings, and you have a country

that will become part of your soul.

Egypt is a religious country. Islam is the

ofcial religion and most Egyptians are

Muslim, although over 12 million are Chris-

tians. The atmosphere is one of friendship.

Egyptians like to work hard and live life to

the full, and tend to work in the heart of

the cities which have seen many changes in

recent years and are now at the forefrontof world politics, or working the agricul-

tural lands of the Nile Valley or in tourism.

Everyone can enjoy lively cultural experi-

ences too - everything from the latest art

sensations to music, theatre and dance.

Egypt is a warm country for most of the

year. Some days in summer the tempera-

tures can reach 25-35C (95F) in Cairo, andso the way Egyptians live tends to reect

this as it has done for centuries. The pace

of life is generally slow, and although city

centres often appear bustling it isnt long

before everyone gives in and nds a cool

place to rest awhile.

The history of Egypt stretches back to

unimaginable times. It is a country prob-

ably best known to the world over for its

pharaohs, such as Tutankhamun, and its

ancient civilizations that largely existed

along the banks of the Nile River and

created so many of its iconic structures.

The earliest signs of civilization have been

dated to prehistoric times, although the

towns and cities of today can probably

trace their roots back to around 8000

BC when the Sahara was formed and

settlers started moving closer to the fertile

land of the Nile River banks and eventually

created communities. These ancient

civilizations developed and grew almost

entirely because of the Nile during a period

known as the predynastic, a time before

the pharaohs ruled the country.

The dynastic period, widely regarded as

one of the oldest ever cultural periods in

the world and so called because it was a

series of dynasties that ruled the coun-

try, began in around 3100 BC. The rst

pharaoh is generally believed to have been

Menes, who was instrumental in joining a

then divided Egypt into one. The country

was known as tawy, meaning two lands.

A total of 30 dynasties ruled over the next

three millennia until around the year 30

BC. Many, if not all of the pharaohs, wanted

to put their own mark on Egypt and had

supremely beautiful palaces, temples,

tombs and structures built. It was dur-

ing this time that most of the astonish-

ing sights that can still be seen today

were constructed, among them the

Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx of the Old

Kingdom and the Temples of Luxor in

the New Kingdom.

Egypt has seen many periods of history

since the ancient dynastic era and has

reminders of how it ourished under

different civilizations.

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H I S T O R Y

Nile Valley


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NileValleyE G Y P

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Welcome To TheIt has been occupied by the Persians,

Romans, the Greeks, Arabs, Ottoman Turks,

British and the French, but it is probablythe pharaohs that have left the most mes-

merising legacy on the country and one

which makes tourism one of the countrys

leading industry sectors today.

Who cannot be captivated by the story

of Tutankhamun, the young boy who

became king in 1333 BC, becoming the

Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, and whose

solid gold death mask is probably the mostfamous artefact ever found in Egypt. Or

the beautiful Nefertiti, the wife of the

Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten, who might

have ruled in her own right before

Tutankhamun became king. Both-from

many-make Egypt legendary.

H I S T O R Y

S O C I O E C O N O M I C

Today, Egypt is one of the key political and

cultural leaders in the Middle East. It has a

buoyant economy as a result of economic

reforms and foreign investment and a rap-

idly evolving high technology communica-

tions sector. Its government continues to

pledge investment into its infrastructure

of highways, railways and waterways that

stretch from the north coast and the Nile

Delta to the southern points of the Nile

Valley at Aswan and Abu Simbel, into the

Western Desert and across to the Red

Sea coast and into Sinai.

Egypt also has one of the highest popu-

lations of all the countries in this part of

the world with around 83 million people.

Many live in the densely populated cities

of Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan,

where they are engaged in commerce, poli-

tics, retailing and tourism, while others live

in rural areas near the banks of the Nile

River and are engaged in agriculture. The

rich soil of the banks provides the most ar-

able agricultural land in Egypt today as it

has done for around 10,000 years. It is on

this land that man has relied on since an-

cient times. Without the river the country

would likely only ever have been desert.

Much of Egypts national income relies on

agriculture, along with tourism, petroleum

exports and capital generated by trafc us-

ing the Suez Canal.

Far fewer people live in areas like the

Sahara Desert, which although massive

is unsympathetic to human needs, while

Sinai and the Red Sea coastal areas have

strong population gures, especially in

the major towns which have good general

infrastructures and amenities. There are

healthcare facilities, shops, restaurants,many sports centres, especially those for

water sports, and top hotels. The popu-

lation in these areas is bolstered by the

many visitors who arrive during the sum-

mer months on leisure, sea & land adven-

tures, spa and wellness holidays, golf holi-

days, and short breaks.

Egyptian society is geared very mucharound the family, and it is not uncommon

to see all generations dining together or

on an outing. Religion is important, with

Muslims and Christians living and work-

ing together in harmony. As a visitor, you

will always be made to feel welcome and

protected.

Giza Pyramids


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WELCOM

ETOTHENILEVALLEY

Nile Valley

It is the longest river in the world. the Nile

follows a path along the length of Egypt

from its southernmost boundary to thenorth Mediterranean coast, Damietta and

on to its sources the White Nile and the

Blue Nile, in the depths of Africa.

Alexandria, the countrys second largest

city and founded by Alexander the Great,

hugs the Mediterranean coastline to the

north and forms part of the Nile Delta

along with two branches Damietta and

Rosetta which embrace the highly fertileagricultural lands of the Delta

Visitors to Egypt should always schedule

into their agenda a stay in Cairo. One of

the last remaining seven wonders of the

ancient world, the Pyramids at Giza are

must sees. The Great Pyramid was built

by King Cheops of the 5th dynasty around

2600 BC and stands some 137 meters high.

Its well worth stepping inside to see the

fabulous chambers. There are two other

large pyramids to see, plus lots of smaller

ones dedicated to family members of the

kings.

A few steps away is the huge Sphinx with

its body of a lion and a human head. Make

a point of visiting Memphis and Saqqara

to see the Colossus of Ramses II, the

Serapeum and the ancient cemetery too.

Spend time in Old Cairo. Its rather likea living museum of historic and religious

buildings, plus traditional markets to snap

up some souvenirs to take home. And, of

course, no visit to Cairo would be complete

without a visit to the Egyptian Museum.

It is one of the worlds most famous mu-

seums with an astonishing collection of

ancient artefacts. Its most famous displays

are treasures from Tutankhamuns tomb.

Heading south, the Nile River ows through

Al-Fayoum, Biba, Beni Mazar and on to

the delightful El Minya. It has beautiful

villas reminiscent of those found in old

Tuscany which were built by the cotton

merchants who made the town wealthy.

The trading centre of Asyut and famous

Dandara are reached, and then its on to

the wondrous Luxor and Thebes with their

fabulous temples, museums and tombs.

Here the world famous iconic Karnak

Temples and the Luxor Temple, the

Valley of the Kings and the Valley

of the Queens, the Temple of Hat-

shepsut, the colossi of Memnon and

the Ramesseum are just some of the

sights that simply cannot be missed.

Every visit to Egypt should include timespent in Luxor.

Finally, the Nile Valley reaches Esna and

Kom Ombo, both historic sites, Aswan

which has a large Nubian community,

temples and the feat of engineering the

Aswan Dam to see, and nally to Abu

Simbel where the notable Great Temple

of Abu Simbel and the Temple of Hathormake a remarkable sight carved into sheer

rock faces.

The Nile Valley is a mix of the old and the

new, the classic and the innovative. It is

cultural Egypt at its best.

T H E N I L E V A L L E Y

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Karnak Temple


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To enjoy your ultimate romantic

adventure make sure you book

your cruise between Luxor

& Aswan around the time of

El Sadda El Shitwia (the time

of closing the Nile), lock of Esna

two weeks each December &

June otherwise you will use landtransportation to reach Luxor

from Esna.

Romance

Sailing the Nile...Theres nothing quite like a touch

of romance under the stars with

that special person, and if you hap-

pen to be on the Nile drifting slowly

along past temples and sand duneswatching the sun set together then

it doesnt get much more memorable

than that. It will be a highlight of a

holiday in Egypt.

The Nile has held a fascination for

centuries and even today conjures up

images of whimsical days and roman-

tic nights on board elegant steamers,

but then perhaps thats all down toEnglish novelist Agatha Christie and

her famous work Death on the Nile.

The book was later made into a lm

starring Peter Ustinov as the Belgian

detective Hercule Poirot and much of

the lming was done in the Nile Val-

ley.

Cruising on the Nile has been a

popular pastime for countless

visitors since the 19th century.

Florence Nightingale was so

captivated by the river and wrote

about it in glowing terms, and

Thomas Cook, the entrepreneurbehind the leading travel com-

pany, was so smitten he began

offering cruises to his clientele,

one of the rst to do so.


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WELCOMETOTHENILEVALLEY

ROMANCE

11

There are a number of ways to sail

on the Nile. You can take a short hop

of a few hours on a cruise boat or a

felucca, a small wooden sailing boat,

and while this doesnt give you the

full experience of a romantic journeyelegantly drifting down the Nile it

does give you a taste. Its especially

good way to sail if you have a limited

amount of time.

Another way is to take a journey

of several days on board one of

the cruise ships or restored ornatesteamers that are a familiar sight

along the Nile. Many are to a luxuri-

ous 5-star standard, complete with

wood-cladded walls, top notch linens

and gourmet cuisine. They have be-

come as much a part of the Egypt

scene as the Pyramids.

Typically, a cruise will see you board-

ing the ship at Aswan, setting sail

and seeing great sights. You can

take a luxury cruise to Abu Simbel

passing by Kalabsha, Bait el-Walli,

Wadi el-Subua and Amada Temple

or head north towards Luxor. Your

cruise might then see you sailing

to Kom Ombo to see the Temple of

Sobek and Hareoeris, a captivating

sight from the river. Then its on-

wards to Edfu and maybe stoppingawhile to visit the Temple of Horus

and Esna to see the Temple of Khunum.

Finally, your cruise might end in Lux-

or where you can visit the fabulous

Karnak Temples, the Luxor Temple

and the museum, or take a trip to the

extraordinary Valley of the Kings.

Some ships may start at Luxor and so

your journey will be in reverse, or you

may choose to travel beyond Luxor

and see Dandara or Abydos, but all will

sail at a slow pace, giving you time to

see the sights, relax and take in the

atmosphere. You will be able to wave

to children on the riverbank and see

shing boats go by.

Its a great way to combine a trip on

the river with seeing the ancient sites

along the way too. Be sure to share

the memorable experience with

loved ones.


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Urban life...

While Egypt will be forever famous

for its ancient civilizations and

pharaohs, it is also home to around

83 million people who live and work

here today. Egypt has a strongpolitical, religious and cultural identity.

In addition, you can experience both

the feel of ancient life when you

visit the historical places as well as

modern life through technology

found throughout the country.

The countrys people work mainly in

agriculture, the petroleum industry,

commerce, government and tourism,

although real estate linked to

tourist hotspots is starting to be-come a buoyant sector too. The vast

majority of Egyptians live and work

in the cities of the Nile Valley. Here

you can nd trendy cafes and restau-

rants serving Egyptian and Interna-

tional cuisine, bustling souks, leisure

opportunities, sports and venues full

of cultural experiences from art to

theatre and dance.

Khan el-Khalili

City Stars Mall

Egypts economy is booming

through tourism, oil and gas

exports, revenue from the Suez

Canal and foreign investment.

Much of daily urban life revolves

around the cities souks and

markets. Cairos Khan el-Khalili,for instance, is an astonishing

labyrinth of shops teeming with

locals and tourists alike.

Almost every neighbourhood will

have a market selling fruit and

vegetables, and it is from these

that most Egyptians will buy their

fresh products.


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URBANLIFE

Egypt is changing though and now

more shopping malls complete withglass lifts, shiny decors, swish shops

and even cinemas are emerging.

A casual stroll around one of the

malls will reveal names like Nike and

Adidas, with music from the likes of

Justin Timberlake emerging from

stores selling CDs. The malls tend to be

located in modern Cairo, or cities such

as Alexandria.

The trendy set is leading the way when

it comes to nightlife and culture, es-

pecially in Cairo and Alexandria. Where

once entertainment consisted solely

of traditional music and dancing thechoice is expanding as Egyptians be-

come more accustomed to western

styles too. Concerts by worldwide

rock stars and westernised classical

music, musical theatre, opera and bal-

let can all be found. Even the historic

sights have adopted new technology

by offering sound and light shows (at

the Pyramids of Giza, the Karnak Temples

in Luxor, the Philae temple in Aswan and in

Abu Simbel)

Art galleries and cultural centres,

conference venues, theatres andcinemas are all growing in number.

The El Sawy Culture Wheel art centre

in Zamalek which hosts contemporary

art collections and the fabulous Cairo

Opera House where the Cairo Symphony

Orchestra perform.

There are venues in Luxor, Aswan,

Sinai and Red Sea resorts.

In Alexandria, Opera House and Sayed

Darwish Theatre have concerts

and dance events, while the citys

Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a futuristic

building containing a library of

millions of books and multimedia,three museums, a planetarium, four

art galleries and numerous exhibition

centres. It is a fabulous facility for the

people of Egypt.

Bibliotheca Alexandrina


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Nature

The climate provides the perfect

environment for many species of

animals, reptiles and amphibians.

This area is home to turtles and

tortoises, frogs, mongooses andthe Nile Monitor, a fabulous if

somewhat menacing prehistoric-

like lizard that can grow up to two

metres long.

Much of the Nile Valley lies in what

is known as the Upper Egypt,

a stretch of fertile land that runs

from the southernmost boundar-

ies of Cairo due south to Aswan.To the north it is bordered by the

Nile Delta. To the east theres the

Eastern Desert and the Western

Desert to the west.

Upper Egypt has by far the rich-

est soil and it is here that most ofthe crops are grown. Almost all of

the 83 million population relies on

the region for food. It is also here,

that most of the plants and wildlife

species of Egypt thrive. Look out for

the Lotus Flower. Its bright petals

provide a carpet of colour over theNile riverbanks in summer months.

Also the bright yellow pom-poms of

the Acacia tree can be spotted.

Middle Egypt and the northern

areas of Upper Egypt enjoy a warm

climate, with dry summers and

very little rainfall. July and August

are the hottest months.


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The Nile Valley is also a birdwatch-

ers paradise. Ornithologists come

to see the incredible number of

birds that live or winter in the

region, including Little Gulls,

Whiskered Terns and the smallwader, the Kentish Plover. The

Grey Heron makes a dramatic

sight in the marshy areas too, as

does similar species of egret. Birds

have always played an important

role in both day-to-day life and

the sacred culture of Egypt. There

are over 150 indigenous species of

birds that live here all year round,

with a further 280 or more species

migrating in the summer months.

As you travel further south along

the Nile the temperature rises.

Summer temperatures in Aswanare dry and warm, although if plan-

ning an excursion into the desert

go in the morning before the sun

is high. The desert makes up well

over 90 per cent of the land mass

of Egypt, leaving only around

3.5 per cent of the total million

or more square kilometres being

cultivated.

The Nile Valley becomes more

desert-like the closer you get toAswan and beyond to Kom Ombo

and Abu Simbel. The desert envi-

ronment is ideal for Fennec foxes,

the Desert Lynx, snakes such as

the Spitting Cobra, the iconic

symbol of Pharaonic Egypt, and

scorpions, all of which should be

treated with respect.

The Nile Valley, the delta and the

surrounding desert is a fabulous

mix of contrasts with vastly dif-

ferent natural environments and

habitats.

NATURE

15

Egyptian countryside


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When the Great Pyramids of Giza

were excavated it was found that

workers in Ancient Egypt were paid

with onions and a type of bread

that would have been coarse and

lling. The two remain staple foods

of the Egyptian diet today. It was

discovered that many workers also

received beer made from cereals.

Gastronomy

Egyptian cuisine...Some of the worlds most delicious

and healthiest cuisine can be found

in Egypt. With inuences from the

Mediterranean and Europe, Africa

and the Middle East, the dishes ofmodern day Egypt combine fresh

often brightly coloured vegetables

and fruit straight off the trees with

sh, seafood, meats and an abun-

dance of pulses, aromatic herbs

and strong spices.

While many cooking practices are

much the same as they were in

Pharaonic times, the periods of

history that saw, among others,

the Ottomans and the French live

alongside the Egyptians, bringing

with them their very distinct style

of cooking, has left an indelible

mark.

Typically, a meal will start with

soup, such as melokhiyah made

from green leafy vegetables.

There are many soup recipes

that use tomatoes, watercress,pulses or beans, with herbs such as

fennel giving them a real kick.

Garlic is used lavishly, as is onion.

Spices too.

Traditional herbs

Egyptian bread


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Egyptian restaurants will have rows

of dishes full of brightly coloured

spices that are a key ingredient.

Soups are served with atbreads like

aish or pitta.

Fresh sh (samak), seafood or shstew accompanied by rice may

follow. Meat is prepared to perfection.

Chicken, lamb and veal are the most

popular, and usually slow roasted,

grilled with lots of herbs, or minced

and added to dishes like stuffed vine

leaves. Pigeon, hamaam, is consid-

ered a delicacy, and you will nd itsalways delicious as it is cooked with

much care.

Koshari is a national dish and can

be found delicately prepared on

gourmet menus, as well as in fast

food outlets or on street carts. Made

from macaroni or spaghetti, rice,lentils and chickpeas, all served with

a thick garlic and tomato sauce,

topped with fried onions and herbs,

it may sound a rare combination but

is truly delicious. Other traditional

dishes include Foul Medames, a dish

of beans served with boiled eggs, and

the popular falafel, a dish of spicy

beans mashed together with herbs

into patties and fried.

Almost all meals will be served with a

fresh salad, and probably some dipslike hummus or tahini, or the local

babaghanoug, a dip made from

pureed eggplant. Foul is a avour-

some dip made from beans, mashed

with olive oil, lemon and herbs.

Egyptian desserts usually take the

form of a rice pudding made withrosewater and sprinkled with spice,

or yoghurt or pastries lled with

gs, nuts or dates. Honey is often

drenched over desserts in much the

same way as is done in Middle East-

ern or Mediterranean countries. Fresh

fruit, especially gs and dates, as well

as oranges will almost certainly beserved at the end of a meal.

EGYP

TIANCUISINE

Salads

17


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The history of Egypt can betraced back to prehistoric times

and when the Sahara Desert

wasformed in around 8000 BC,

prompting early civilizations

to move closer towards the

Nile in order to catch sh andgrow crops, but it is Pharaonic

Egypt that began some 5,000

years ago that truly captures

the imagination of people the

world over. Great people from

30 different dynasties, their

lives, cultures and phenomenal

knowledge of mummication,

mathematics and astronomy

have created iconic images of an

ancient Egypt.

Who cannot be intrigued bythe lives of ancient kings like

Tutankhamun, the young boy

who came to the throne in

around 1333 BC. He ruled for

just ten years and his golden

death mask unearthed when his

tomb was discovered the Valley

of the Kings near Luxor in 1922

is one of the most fabulous trea-

sures in the world today.

Or the great female pharaoh

Hatshepsut who was the longest

ruling Egyptian king (indeed she

was considered by her people

as a king and not a queen) The

mighty Ramses II who changed

the face of ancient Egypt and

defended it against invaders,

or Nefertiti, the wife of theEgyptian pharaoh Akhenaten,

who might have ruled in her

own right. Her life, as well as the

location of her tomb, remains a

tantalising mystery.

The start of Pharaonic Egyptsaw more than 3000 years of

remarkable achievements and

prosperity, with the pharaohs be-

ing the most important people

in the land. They created strong

government, military and reli-

gious structures, held court and

ruled the land unquestioned.

They were worshipped as if gods

and had phenomenal wealth,

which they lavished on building

temples and other monuments.

Abu Simbel Temple

Giza Pyramid

Pharaonic Egypt


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PHAR

AONICEGYPT

19

The Pharaonic period, known as the

Dynastic era because Egypt was

ruled by a series of dynasties, in fact

30 in total, began around 3150 BC

under the rst Pharaoh who unitedthe then divided Upper and Lower

Egypt. The rst pharaoh is widely

believed to have been Menes,although there is belief that he was

in fact the pharaoh Narmer or Aha

depicted in many archaeological

records. He established a capital

called Memphis, which became theheart of the country.

There is little known about the kings

of the 1st and 2nd dynasties, but it

is the kings from the 3rd dynasty

onwards in a period that became

known as the Old Kingdom who

made Egypt one of the wealthiest

in the ancient world. Massive and

elaborate buildings were erected,

the culmination of which was the

Pyramids and the Sphinx in Giza.

The Pyramids are an extraordinary

example of the pharaohs advanced

understanding of the science of

mathematics and still perplex

experts today.

The next period of pharaonic rulewas known as the First Intermedi-

ate Period starting in around 2150

BC, followed by the Middle King-dom from around 2000 BC when

the capital became Thebes, the

next period, the New Kingdom,

began around 1539 BC and gave

us some of the greatest pharaohsof all time, including Ahmose,

Hatshepsut, Akhenaten and

Tutankhamun. In around 1279 BCthe heroic Ramses II came to the

throne where he stayed for over

67 years.

Pharaonic Egypt, meaning aland ruled by Pharaohs, ended in

around 30 BC, although a form of

monarchy continued for several

thousand years until the countrywas conquered by the Romans.

Leading gures include Alexander

the Great and Cleopatra.

Tutankhamuns mask


18/52

El-Alamein is 200 km or so further along the coast road from Marsa Matrouh. A smallvillage that is developing into a popular tourist spot, it is best known for theimportant role it played in the Second World War. Visitors can visit a war museumthat tells of the battles that changed the campaign in the Allies favour, as well asthe Commonwealth War Cemetery with monuments dedicated to the Greek, SouthAfrican, Australian and New Zealand troops who fought on the British side, and

cemeteries commemorating the bravery of the Italianand German soldiers.

There were two battles fought in El Alamein, the firstinJuly 1942, when Axis troops tried unsuccessfully toadvanceon Alexandria, and the second when BritishGeneral Montgomerys 8th Army fought a bitter battlewithRommels troops who were forced to retreat toTunisia. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said ofthe battles, Before Alamein we had no victory and afterit we had no defeats.

Marsa Matrouh Beach

Located some 290 km from Alexandria, Marsa Matrouh is a gem.It is hugely popular with Egyptians looking for their own escapefrom the busy cities, and families can often be seen enjoying theseven or so kilometres of soft white sand that are protected by anecklace of natural rocky breakwaters. Calm turquoise seas lapthe shores of the bay.

There are several beaches, including the Cleopatra Beach that liesjust to the west of the town, the quiet and relaxing Raas Al-Hak-

ma Beach, Al-Abyad Beach and Agiba Beach. Marsa Matrouh town,itself, is said to have been founded by Alexander the Great on hisway to Siwa where he was to pay homage to the god Amun.

Other attractions for visitors are the remains of a navel eetanchorage built by the Ptolemies, a Coptic chapel and theRommel Museum created within a cave where ErwinRommel, a German Commander, is said to have nalised hismilitary plans during the Second World War. The museumdisplays arms and tools from the period.

M a r s a M a t r o u h

The Coast: MarsaMatrouh to Damietta,

Rosetta and Port SaidWith its jugged coastline, bays and long sweeps of golden sands, the north coast ofEgypt is quiet, supremely beautiful and attracts a steady stream of visitors. It stretchesfrom Sallum to the west, the last Egyptian town before hitting the Libyan border whichperches high on the cliff looking out to sea, along the coast road to Marsa Matrouh,El-Alamein, the huge colonial city of Alexandria to Abu Quir in the Nile Delta,the famous Rosetta and to Damietta and Port Said at the mouth of the Suez Canal.Along the way you will see historic monuments and wonderful beaches.

E l - A l a m e i n

DONTMISS

Agiba Beach, meaningwonder, which lives upto its name with naturalcaves and coves toexplore.

Marsa Matrouh, Agiba Beach


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21

Rosetta, or Rashid as it is historically known,lies 60 or so kilometres east of Alexandria. Abustling port town, Rosetta can trace itshistory way back to 800 AD when it wasfounded by the Muslim governor of Egypt,Ibn Tulun. Known for its beautiful Ottoman

mansions from the time of the Ottomanconquest when, as a port, it was immenselyprosperous, its citrus groves and its elegantfeel, Rosetta has long been a popular holi-day spot. What really puts it on the maphowever is the fact that it was here that theRosetta Stone was discovered in 1799.

An Egyptian stone slab from the Ptolemaicera, the Rosetta Stone has proved key to de-ciphering the ancient hieroglyphic style of

writing discovered in places like the tombsof the Valley of the Kings. Hieroglyphic wasthe form of writing used in Egypt 3,000years ago, but it took until the discovery ofthe stone and the work of a 19th centuryscientist and professor to understand it.Finally, the coastaljourney ends at Damiettaand Port Said, both busy ports, and the famousSuez Canal.

INFO POINT

EASY TRAVEL

Alexandria and Marsa Matrouth have air-

ports with regular ights most of the year,

and the coast is well served by train and

bus services from Alexandria and Cairo.Port SaidTourist Ofce :Phone : 066 3235289 - Fax : 066 3235289

Marsa Matrouh Tourist Ofce :Phone : 046 4931841 - Fax : 046 4931841

R O S E T T A ( R a s h i d )

THECOAST:FROMM

ARSAMATR

OUHTODAMIETTA

,ROSETTAANDPO

RTSAID

Continuing along the coast road, you passthe road to Abu Mina and its beautifulCoptic Monastery of Abu Mina, Deir MariMina, which honours the saint Mina orMena as it is sometimes spelt. He is oneof the best known Egyptian saints and,as the story goes, many miracles havebeen attributed to him. It is believed he

was tortured and killed for his religiousbeliefs by Asia Minor rulers in the 3rd cen-tury and today pilgrims regularly visit thesite, especially on November 11, St MinasDay. The monastery, which is relativelynew and stands on the site of an ancientbasilica, is known throughout Egypt. Thevillage, itself, is a World Heritage Site andwell worth a visit.

The resort of Agami has been top of the list

for holidaying professionals from Cairoand Alexandria since the 1950s. It is thelast town along the coast before you en-ter the environs of the elegant Alexandria,Egypts second largest city and known asthe Pearl of the Mediterranean.

The north coast was Cleopatrasfavourite spot and, according tolegend, she would bathe in theclear waters. Cleopatra was themonarch of Egypt during thetime of Caesar as the countryentered its Roman era.

DID YOU KNOW?

Rosetta, Muallaq Mosque

Rosetta Stone

Port Said

MediterraneanCoast

TheNileDelta

Fayoum

Oasis

Th

eNile

Ri

ve

r

Marsa

Matrouh

El Alamein

Rosetta

Cairo

Damietta

Port Said

AlexandriaPorto

Marina

Sidi Abd

El Rahman


20/52

A 20 kilometre-long palm tree-lined esplanade and boulevards, swish hotels, long stretchesof ne sandy beach and gardens characteriseAlexandria, widely considered to be one of thenest summer resorts in this part of the world. Unlike many other areas of Egypt, its culturalheritage, climate of warm summers, mild winters and pleasingly warm spring and autumnmonths and its cosmopolitan atmosphere give it a Mediterranean feel. Alexandria is known asthe Pearl of the Mediterranean.

Egypts second largest city with a population of aroundfour million, Alexandria is the countrys largest sea-port and the centre of much of its maritime activity. Itis also one of the oldest cities in Egypt and lies around225 kilometres northwest of Cairo. As records suggest,Alexandria was established by Alexander the Greatin around 332 BC on the site of a small village calledRhakotis. He wanted to create one of the nest capitalcities in the world, and one for which his reign would godown in history.

Alexandria remained the capital of Egypt for nearly athousand years and was immensely prosperous becauseof its strategic trading location between the Mediter-ranean and the Red Sea. It also became the centre oflearning for the ancient world, and retains its academicimportance to this day.

Among the sights for visitors to see is the beautiful Montazah Palace, which is perched ona hill overlooking the sea. It was once the summer home of the Egyptian royal family andnow houses a museum in their honour. Built to a Turkish and Italian architectural design, itstands in some of the prettiest gardens in Alexandria. They are open to the public and wellworth a visit.

Holidaying visitors ock to Alexandria for its good diving sites, and its beaches which areamong the best in Egypt if not the Mediterranean. Its most famous are the beaches of

Al-Mamoura, Mandara, Al-Assafrah, Miami, Sidi Bishrand Montazah, as well as Sidi Gaber, Rushdi, Stanley,Gleem and Cleopatra. All are dotted along the corniche, theseafront boulevard.

Qaitbay Citadel, a turreted fortress that was built in the 15thcentury on the site of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of theSeven Wonders of the Ancient World, is a must see. It is saidthat stones from the original lighthouse built in the 3rd centuryBC on an island in the harbour were used in its construction.Excavations in the harbour continue to this day, and recentlythere have been more ancient stone found which in all likeli-hood once formed part of the lighthouses structure. The cityhas many mosques too, the most notable being the Al-MursiAbul Abbas with a towering minaret and domes that dominatethe citys skyline, and the 14th century Al-Attareen Mosque.

P e a r l o f t h e M e d i t e r r a n e a n

DONTMISS

The Shallalat Gardensin the Al Shatby districtis a massive expanse oflawns, trees and shrubswith lakes designed sothat the water tumblesin waterfalls. It is a calmspace in a busy city.Also the Mediterranean-style street cafes.

Alexandria

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Alexandria seafront


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23

ALEx

ANDRIA

The Graeco-Roman Museum, located inthe heart of modern Alexandria, houses animpressive collection of 40,000 or more ar-tefacts found in and around the city, somedating as far back to 332 BC. The museumwas founded in the 19th century, quicklybecame an important exhibitor of ancientartefacts and remains a key amenity in

Alexandria today, along with the NationalMuseum of Alexandria.

Alexandria also has lots of archaeologicalsites too, including a Roman amphitheatreat Kom Al-Dekka, a Serapium pillar dating

from the 3rd century known as PompeysPillar, the ancient catacombs at Kom el Sho-qafa that show a mix of Pharaonic and GrecoRoman art, the Al-Shatby Necropolis site anda series of tombs.

The city, however, while celebrating its gloriouspast also has a thoroughly modern approach toproviding facilities for its residents and visitors.This is supremely evident in the opening of theBibliotheca Alexandrina, an important library

and cultural centre designed to put Alexandriaback on the academic map. It stands near thesite of the ancient Library of Alexandria datingfrom the 3rd century, which was consideredto be the largest library in the ancient world.Among the famous scholars who studiedhere are mathematicians Euclid in 300 BCand Heron in 62 AD, and philosopher andastronomer Eratosthenes in around 200 BC.

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina opened in 2002following a competition organised by UNESCO

to nd the best architectural design for thecommemorative building. A futuristic designwas chosen, complete with a glass roof angledso that it faces the sea. There are specialisedlibraries for children, those who are blind or vi-sually impaired and the young, along with sec-tions dedicated to the arts, multimedia, audio-visual, microforms and rare books.

This extraordinary facility also has four art gal-leries for temporary exhibitions and a further

nine for permanent displays, three museumsdedicated to antiquities, manuscripts and sci-ence, a planetarium, internet archive, a manu-script restoration laboratory and seven aca-demic research centres. Its cultural centre hasnine screens for projection presentations, andan interactive environment. It is a fabulousfacility for the people of Alexandria, an award-winner and considered one of the leading suchcentres in the world.

INFO POINT

EASY TRAVEL

Alexandria has its own international air-

port, as well as being a seaport for cruise

ships. It is served by the express service

buses and rail network that link it to Cai-

ro and other major towns and cities.

You can live different experiences by

exploring the under-water treasures in

Alexandria. Dont miss also the Wadi ElNatroun Monasteries.

Along the Mediterrean coast luxurious

resorts open their endless possibilities

for memorable vacations (one of them is

Porto Marina).Alexandria Tourist Ofce :Phone : 034843380/51556

Fax : 034843380

The Bibliotheca Alexandrinahas a library capable of holdingeight million books, and is oneof the largest libraries in theworld.

DID YOU KNOW?

Kom el-Shoqafa

Fish market

Medit

errane

an

Sea

The

NileD

elt

a

MontazahPalace

San Stefano

Stanley

Bibliotheca Alexandrina

National Museum of Alexandrina

QaitbayCitadelAl-Mursi

Abu el Abbas

Mosque

Pompeys Pillar

RomanAmphitheatre

Catacombs atKom el Shoqafa

Graeco-Roman Museum

To El Alamein

To Abu Quir and Rosetta

Desert Highway,To Wadi El Natrounand Cairo


22/52

To say Cairo is a city of contrasts is perhaps an under-statement. It is an astonishing mix of reminders froman ancient world that sit, surprisingly comfortably,with modern day life. You can see historic buildingsand market squares in Old Cairo, fabulous Mamluk andOttoman mosques, Christian churches, swish hotels andcontemporary commercial ofces in Greater Cairo, lushparks, residential areas and the amazing area where thePyramids and the Sphinx in Giza dominate the skyline

and the city meets the desert.

Add to this the chance of visiting the Egyptian Mu-seum where exhibits are too ancient and too fabulousto comprehend, the streets of Khan el-Khalili, the old-est bazaar in the world, and the huge museum andcultural centre complex of the Opera House and youhave a city that captivates. To visit Cairo, one of thelargest and most densely populated cities in the worldwith a population said to be almost 8 million in themetropolitan area alone, will be a thoroughly memo-

rable, if hectic, and at times bewildering, experience.

Millions of Egyptian liveand work in the city, withthe total number of peoplebolstered by tourists fromevery corner of the worldat most times of the years.Spring and autumn tendto be the busiest times

as the sun is not so hot,although winter and sum-mer see many visitors too.Expect to hear Japanese,Chinese, American voices,Canadians, French, Italianand English among thethrongs of people whogather to see the sights ofthis glorious city.

Cairo lies on the banks ofthe Nile River, at the pointwhere it splits in a fan-likemanner for its onwardroute north through thelow-lying Nile Delta to theMediterranean. It is a warmcity, although has a raisinghumidly level due to theNile. July to August are

Giza, Sphinx and the Pyramids

Cairo and Giza

DONTMISSThe Sound and Light show at the Pyramids of Giza thenarrator of Egypts ancient history is the Sphinx itself.Languages include French, English, Spanish, Arabic, Italianand Japanese. Also dont miss the chance of lunch or din-ner on a oating restaurant the often luxurious boats canbe seen moored along the riverside.

Sphinx

Tutankhamuns treasures


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25

CAIROA

NDGIZAThe best way to avoid having to queue to get into the Cairo Museum is to book

in advance or join a group visit. Mid-morning tends to be especially busy, so tryvisiting early in the day or in the afternoon when it is quieter.

DID YOU KNOW?

the hottest months when temperatures tend to be 30-40C (107.6oF), while in winter itis cooler at around 24-30C (86oF). It has little rainfall.

Cairo is divided into several main areas, each with their own character and many at-tractions that should be a must on every visitors itinerary. Central Cairo, or GreaterCairo, is where the administrative heart of the city, and indeed the country, is located.It lies to the north of the city and takes in part of Giza on the western side of the riverand a large expanse of area to the east. The area feels contemporary and modern witha network of wide 19th century boulevards resembling the layout of cities such as Paris,shiny futuristic buildings, parklands, swish restaurants and hotels. It is quite different

to almost all other areas of the city.

Corniche el-Nil runs along the length of the Nile on the east side and offers bridgesacross the water to the island of Gezira in the Zamalek district, and in turn to the westbank. The Cairo Tower, a tall television tower with a lattice-like exterior, is a famous

landmark of the island and can be seen for some distance. You can go to the top for agreat panoramic view of the city. Central Cairo contains some fabulous sights, such asthe 19th century Midan Opera and Midan Ataba, the Mausoleum of former Prime MinisterSaad Zaghloul, Manial Palace which was once a royal home and the new sprawling OperaHouse complex where residents and visitors can hear classical music and opera, andsee dance performances, theatre and ballet.

Midan Tahrir is the busy heart of Central Cairo, and it is here where there are numerousshops, cafes and restaurants in streets such as Qasr el-Nil. Theres also the American

University housed in a grand neo-Islamic building, plus the citys absolute must do at-traction, the Egyptian Museum. You can reach it via the Sadat subway station.

Housed in a neo-classical building colour washed in pink, it is the home of the largestcollection of ancient Egyptian antiquities in the world. In fact, it is said there are around120,000 pieces on display, including mummies, numerous sarcophagi and, of course,the world famous Tut Ankh Amun (Tutankhamun) collection of gold and alabaster trea-sures found when the boy pharaohs tomb was discovered in 1922.You can also see a replica of the Rosetta Stone in the foyer as you enter the museum.The original was discovered in Rosetta, Rashid, on the north coast and was

The Citadel


24/52

instrumental in deciphering hieroglyphics, the ancientEgyptian form of handwriting that dates from beforePharaonic Egypt times. If visiting the museum you canbook a guided tour or purchase a book and wanderaround at your own pace. Allow several hours or, if adedicated Egyptologist, many days.East of Central Cairo is the Islamic part of the city, while tothe south is the oldest. Full of atmosphere and charm,

they both are characterised by narrow streets and laby-rinths of tiny alleyways and lanes, ancient architectureseen on mosques and churches, and residential streetsthat stretch for several kilometres into the distance.Khan el-Khalili, the famous network of streets thatmake up the largest bazaar in the Middle East, and oneof the oldest markets in the world, is in the Islamic partof Cairo. It was built by Emir Djaharks el-Khalili whocreated a khan, a caravanserai for traders. From as farback as 1382 traders have plied their goods of gems,gold and silver, copper and highly scented spices. Today,

similar items can be found although they are joined bytrinkets more suited to holidaying visitors looking for asouvenir to take home. To wander around the bazaar isfascinating, and good fun. Nearby, is the great Mosque of Sayyidna al-Hussein, consid-ered the holiest site in Cairo, which is well worth seeing, along with the fabulously oldMosque of al-Azhar, the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, the 12th century citadel built by Salah El Dinto protect the city from invaders, the Mosque of Mohamed Ali on the Citadel and theWikalat al-Ghouri, a medieval former caravanserai that now houses an arts and craftscentre. The Islamic part of the city is generally bustling, but is a key area for visitorsnew to Cairo to experience.To the west of Central Cairo are the Pyramids of Giza on the Giza plateau, not far from

the site of the ancient city of Memphis and Saqqara. The last remaining Seven Wondersof the Ancient World, the pyramids are the iconic image of Egypt. You can visit theGreat Pyramid built for King Khufu of the 4th dynasty, the slightly smaller Pyramidof Khafre dated from around 2500 BC and the Pyramid of Menkaure. Dotted aroundare several smaller pyramids where members of the kings families would have beenentombed. To one side stands the much-photographed Sphinx with its body of a lionand the head of a human, while a short walk away isthe Solar Boat Museum that housesa full-size ancient Egyptian boat that was discovered in pieces but put together againwith much care. It is fascinating to see.Saqqara complex of pyramids and monuments, the centrepieces of which are the Step

The Egyptian Museum

Al-Azhar Mosque


25/52

INFO POINT

27

CAIROA

NDGIZA

Pyramid of Djoser and the Pyramid ofSekhmket, along with the city of Memphisthat during much of the Pharaonic Egyptperiod was the capital city.

While the Pyramids of Giza and the beau-tiful Sphinx that guards them date fromPharaonic times and are one of the oldestmonuments in the city today, Old Cairo, orCoptic Cairo as it is known, is where the city

actually began. In fact, the area, along withMemphis, Saqqara and Dahshur, predatesthe city as we know it today.

Old Cairo was founded in around the 6thcentury AD, at a time when Alexandria wasthe capital of Egypt and the Pyramids andSphinx lay way beyond the small communi-tys boundary. Then the site that was to be-come Cairo was little more than a few dwell-ings on the banks of the Nile and a Romanfortress that guarded the route between the

ancient cities of Memphis and Heliopolis.

As the stories go, an Arab general, Amr Ibnal-Aas, decided the area was a good spotfor establishing a much larger communityand began to construct homes and placesof worship. The community grew and grewat a time when the country was predomi-nately Christian. Today, some of the mosthistoric and important Christian buildingsand churches in the city can be found inthe narrow little alleyways and streets ofCoptic Cairo. Be sure to visit the Church ofSt Barbara, one of the largest in Egypt, isstill used regularly for worship.

Other buildings to look out for in this areaare the Church of St George, the Church ofSt Sergius, which is the oldest church inCoptic Cairo and lies a few feet below streetlevel, the Ben Ezra Synagogue, the Amr Ibnal-Aas Mosque and the beautiful HangingChurch, so called because it is built high ontop of the old Roman fortress structure, theBabylon Fort. A splendid building, it has adistinctive front faade with twin bell tow-ers and inside a vaulted roof and a seriesof columns.

The Coptic Museum tucked away down oneof the alleyways not far away is well wortha visit too. It hides a lovely courtyard gar-den behind its walls, which is a quiet placeto visit amongst the hustle and bustle of

EASY TRAVEL

Shuttle buses run regularly from Cairo

International Airport into the city centre,

plus theres limousine and car hire facilities

available. In town, there are taxis galore.

Look out for the black and white cars,

which can be hailed, or book a bright yellow

air-conditioned City Cab. Taxis also wait

outside hotels. Cairo has a good metro

railway system and a bus network too.Pyramids Tourist Ofce :Phone : 33838823 - Fax : 33853526Dowtown Cairo Tourist Ofce :Phone : 23913454 - Fax : 23913454Railway Station Ramses Tourist Ofce:Phone : 25790767 - Fax : 25790767

Cairo. Look out for the delicately carvedmashrabiya windows. Inside, the muse-

um offers a surprise at every turn. Withone of the nest collections of Coptic artin the world, it covers the periods fromPharaonic times through to Graeco-Ro-man and Islamic. On display are pulpits,ancient textiles and embroidered silks,icons, manuscripts and ceramics.

Cairos history is wondrous. It has seenpharaohs, Christians and Islam followers,and has also been the seat of the rulingRoyal dynasty, the Fatimid Caliphate, thecapital during the Mamluk and Ottomanperiods, and the centre of Napoleonsempire when France occupied Egypt inthe 18th century. It retained its capitalcity status under British rule until Egyptbecame independent in 1922. Today, it isthe administrative capital and heart ofthe country.

Coptic Cairo, St Georges Church

Khan el-Khalili Bazaar

TheNileD

elt

a

TheNileR

iver

GizaPyramids

SakkarahMemphis

Old Cairo Coptic Monuments

Sultan Hasan Mosque /El Rifai Mosque

Coptic Museum

InternationalAirport

Cairo TowerIslamic Cairo /

Khan el-Khalili bazaar

Citadel

EgyptianMuseum

Sphinx


26/52

El Fayoum lies just to the west of the Nile, a few kilometressouth of Abusir, one of the most ancient archaeological sites inEgypt. Its monuments include the Pyramid of Sahure, the Pyra-mid of Nyuserre, the Pyramid of Neferirkare and the Pyramid ofNeferefere.

El Fayoum is a wondrous site. An exceptionally lush and green areathat comes into view as you head out through the sand dunes ofthe Western Desert to the west of the Nile, it is Egypts largestoasis. Surrounded by high plateaux, the city revolves around the

great and ancient Lake Qarun, which is fed by water from the Nilevia the Bahr Youssef. A series of canals were constructed by thePharaoh Amenemhat III of the 12th dynasty, around the time whenit was part of the ancient Moeris Lake, which lies 43 metres belowsea level.

Enjoying a temperate climate, the area is noted for its signicantleisure, cultural and historical importance. Said to have been a fa-vourite holiday spot of the pharaohs, the oasis saw many buildingsconstructed during the dynastic reigns and, indeed, in later yearsmeaning there are manyreminders of ancient Pharaonic, Graeco-

Roman, Coptic and Islamic times.

Of the Pharaonic monuments to see there is the Hawara Pyramid built by Amenemhat III,the Al-Lahoun Pyramid and the remains of the Amenemhat III pyramid, plus the fascinatingSenousert I Obelisk that stands at the entrance to El Fayoum. Look out also for the MedinetMadi Temple dating from the 12th dynasty, the small temple of Qasr Al Sagha that lies just

to the north of the lake and Kiman Fares where the remains ofthe original ancient city can be seen.

To see monuments from later periods head off north to theruins of the Karanis Town. Here there are temples, a Roman

bath, winery and the remains of Coptic, early Arab and theancient Ptolemaic communities. Closer to the oasis are theremains of the ancient city of Um Al-Atal to see, the ruins ofDemiet al-Sebaa complete with ancient Greek monuments andthe astonishing Qasr Qarun Temple where much of its originaldecorative carvings and inscriptions can still be seen. Be sureto see the Pyramid of Meidum, a beautiful step structure thatis believed to have been built for the last pharaoh of the 3rdDynasty, Huni, and the nearby UNESCO sites of Wadi Rayyanand Wadi El Hitan or the Valley of the Whales.

E l F a y o u m

The stretch of Nile Valley from El Fayoum to Hermopolis, taking in the towns and areas ofBiba, Beni Suef, Beni Mazar and El Minya with its famous Beni Hassan Tombs, Mallawiand Tel El Amarna is as popular with visitors as it is with residents of Cairo looking fora break away from the citys hustle and bustle. The landscape is one of beautiful sceneryand tall date palms combined with great expanses of land dedicated to agriculture, andyet has a desert-like ambience.

DONT

MISSThe cemetery at Mal-lawi, famous for itsdisplays of beautifulancient Pharaonicand Greek art seen onmurals.

El Fayoum

to Hermopolis

El Fayoum Oasis

Qarun Lake


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29

El Minya is in North Upper Egypt and thecapital of Minya Governorate . It is a ruralarea on the west bank of the Nile that hasprospered over the years since the early 20thcentury through its cotton industry. Merchantsbuilt Italian styled houses that can still beenseen today. With the towns pretty tree-linedcorniche and squares, and its monuments fromPharaonic, Greco Roman, Byzantine, Copticand Islamic eras, El Minya is an attractive andlively town with a great cultural heritage.

It is best known for Beni Hassan, a collection ofpaintings that date from the Pharaonic EgyptsMiddle Kingdom. They display astonishingengravings that are considered important forthey show a change of style from the Old to theMiddle Kingdom. Amenemhats tomb, whichshows hunting scenes, and those of the 12thDynasty governor Khunum Hotep, and Baketand Khety from the 11th Dynasty are the mostimportant.

E l M i n y a

ELFAYOUMT

OHERMOPOLIS

Nearby are temples built by the femalepharaoh Hatshepsut and Thutmosis III,along with Pharaonic tombs at Deir ElBarsha and remains of a city and tombsfrom the period at Tel el-Amarna. It is said tobe the home of the pharaoh Akhenaten andhis wife, the famous Nefertiti. At Mallawi,

just along the Nile riverbank is the remainsof the Graeco-Roman capital Ashmounein

where the ruins of an acropolis-stylebasilica can still be seen. Finally, you willarrive at the important site of Hermopolis,or Tuna El Gebel as it is known locally, andalthough it offers only a few remains tosee today such as the archaeological sitesof the Tomb of Petosiris, the catacombswhere mummied birds and animals werefound and Isadora, it was one of the mostprosperous cities in ancient Egyptian times.

H e r m o p o l i s

INFO POINT

EASY TRAVEL

El Fayoum is reached by train and coachfrom Cairo and the major towns and citiesof the Nile Valley. Organised guided tourscan be provided by the tourist ofce forexploring the area around El Minya.El Minya Tourist ofcephone: 086/2371521

Lake Qarun is a protected area and,along with the nearby springs ofEin Silleen and waterways of WadiAl Rayyan, are famous for watersports, shing and bird watching.

DID YOU KNOW?

El Fayoum has been both an ancient Christianand Islamic settlement during its history, andthere are beautiful churches and mosques tosee too. The nest examples are the Al-AzabMonastery in Al-Azab village, which is easyto nd just a few kilometres south of the city,and contains a fascinating Coptic museum.There is also the Al-Malak Monastery and the

Islamic monuments of Qaitbay Mosque thatdates from the Mameluke period and has themost delighted rostrum inlaid with ivory, plusthe Suspended Mosque to Prince Sulaiman,so called because it is built on the side of a hill.It dates from the Ottoman period.

Travelling south along the Nile from El Fayoumyou pass through the small town of Biba, BeniSuef which is famous for its cotton, and thetraditional village of Beni Mazar. You then

arrive in the beautiful town of El Minya.

El Fayoum Oasis

Wadi Hitan

TheNile

Riv

er

El FayoumPyramid of

Hawara

To Cairo Pyramid ofMeidum

Beni Suef

Qasr QarunTemple

Bani Mazar

Eastern Desert

and the Red SeaWestern Desert

El Minya

Mallawi

Tel El Amarna

Bani HassanTombsHermopolis

To Luxorand the Valley

of the Kings

Lake Qarun

WadiEl Rayyan

Ba

hr

Yusef

Valleyof Whales


28/52

Felucca riding the Nile

Characterised by its Coptic Christian population which grew as a result of an apparitionof the Virgin Mary that was said to have appeared in the city, an event acknowledgedin the Coptic Orthodox Church, Asyut is one of the holiest places in Egypt. It is alsoone of the largest, in fact the largest in Upper Egypt. With a population of around400,000, many of its residents are students studying at one of the countrys foremostuniversities, the University of Asyut.

Asyut has a modern feel and yet can trace its history back centuries. The rstcommunities are said to have settled during the Pharaonic period and named it Syut.Later it became known as Lycopolis, prompting a distinct local dialect in Graeco-Romantimes to be called Lycopolitan. For a spell it was a capital city, although lost out to

Thebes which took the crown during the New Kingdom period. Today, though, Asyutdoes have many reminders of its ancient past.

One of its most valuable treasures is the major archaeological site of the Tombs ofAssiut, located to the west of the city. The tombs are carved into the limestone rockof the mountain, and are said to include those of pharaohs from the 9th, 10th and 12thdynasties such as Kheti I and II. Other ancient sites around the city include the MeirRocky Tombs that contain the Princes of Qusseia, the Deir El Gabrawy in Abnub wheretombs can be found in the monastery, and the Deir el-Barsha necropolis which was animportant cemetery in the Middle Kingdom and where leading nobles and governorswere entombed.

Nearby, is the Deir Al Adra, otherwise known as the Virgins Monastery, where it is saidthe holy family crossed on their way back from the holy land, and in Shatub village, justto the south of Asyut, is the Al Muharraq Monastery where a church bears the VirginMarys name. It was here the family is said to have stayed during their journey to Egypt.Its alter stone is believed to have been the exact same one that blocked the entranceto a cave where the holy family lived. Every summer, festivals are held at both venueswhen pilgrims from the world over gather.

In more recent times, Asyut became known for being at theend of the camel caravan route from Darfur in the Sudan and,as a result, was home to the largest slave market in Egypt.Today, it has thriving cotton, grain and carpet industries,and a prosperous feel. One of the relatively modern sightsof the city, if compared to its ancient monuments, is theAsyut Barrage. It was built in the late 1800s to regulate thewater ow from the Nile into the main canal, the IbrahimiyyaCanal, which is a key resource for irrigating the agriculturalland upon which the population relies.

A s y u t

Asyut to DandaraWith a combination of fabulously ancient temples, some of the holiest places in Egypt,great expanses of agricultural lands and a wealth of modern amenities, the stretch of theNile Valley from Asyut to Dandera has one step in the past and the other very muchin the future.

DONTMISS

The astronomical ceilinginside the Temple ofHathor at Dandara itsdetailing is exquisite.


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D a n d a r a

Dandara is the jewel in the crown of thisstretch of the Nile. It sits on the edge of thedesert, and offers visitors the chance to seeone of the best, if not the best, preservedtemples in Egypt. The huge Dandara Templecomplex, which includes the great Temple ofHathor which is almost intact, was buried

under the sand until the 19th century.When it was discovered there was muchexcitement. The present building datesfrom Ptolemaic times, although takes theform of Graeco-Roman architectural styling.It stands on the site of buildings dating fromaround 2500 BC. Visitors can see a Copticchurch, chapel and a modern centre thattells the fascinating story of the temples.

31

S u h a g

From Asyut, heading south, you passthrough the town of Suhag, where theAbydos tombs were discovered in the 19thcentury and are said to have been those

of kings from the 1st and 2nd dynasties.You can also see the Temple of Seti I, acommemorative monument to the greatKing Seti I, along with the Temple of RamsesII where scenes of battle that have lost littleof their original coloured decoration. Thereare numerous churches and monasteriesto see too. Perhaps the most notable is thePope Shenouda monastery, sometimes knownas the Deir El Abyad or the White Monastery,which has a beautiful 5th century church.

From here its onward to Dandera.

ASYUTTODANDARA

It is believed that in the Biblical storyof when Joseph, Mary and the babyJesus ed from King Herods menwho were killing all the baby boys inBetlehem they took refuge in a cavenear Asyut.

DID YOU KNOW?

Another signicant building in Asyut is theLillian Trasher Orphanage, the rst orphanagein Egypt. It was founded by Lillian Trasher, aChristian missionary who left her homeland

of Florida in the US to travel to Africa andseek her lifes work. Today it is one of theworlds largest orphanages and a source ofmuch local pride.

INFO POINT

EASY TRAVEL

You can get to Asyut by train and theUpper Egypt Coach company serves most of thetowns in the area. Tours by road or river run toDandara from Luxor.Asyut Tourist obhice phone: 088/2305110Suhag Tourist obhice Phone: 093/4604453

Sunset on the Nile

Shores of the Nile

Fauna of the Nile

TheN

ileR

iver

Abydos TombsDandara

Temple Complex(Temple of Hathor)

Qena

Eastern Desertand the Red Sea

WesternDesert

Luxor

Valleyof the Kings

Sohag

The White

Monastery

To Cairo

Asyut

Tombsof Asyut


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To say Luxor is one of the worlds greatest cities is nothingless than an understatement. It is, in fact, one of its mostastonishing, if not singularly the best, outdoor museumanywhere on the planet and offers visitors the chance ofseeing almost a third of all the ancient antiquities knownto man in just a few kilometres. The temples and struc-tures that have stood for thousands of years are beauti-fully preserved.

Home to the city of Thebes, the ancient capital ofEgypt during the Pharaonic New Kingdom period, alongwith the fabulous Karnak Temples, Luxor Templeand the necropolis of the Valley of the Kings and theValley of the Queens, Luxor can trace its history backto unimaginable times. It actually has three distinctareas, the city centre on the East Bank of the Nile,Karnak which is a town in its own right and lies just tothe north and Thebes, location of the Valley of the Kings.

The city is said to havegained importance as earlyas around 2000 BC underthe rule of the 11th dynas-ty. In ancient times it wasknown as Waset, a namethat indicated its power,and later Thebes underthe Greeks. Homer is saidto have described Luxor as

the City of the HundredGates. It was, for a greatmany years, one of themost important cities in theworld, and certainly at thecentre of political, econom-ic, religious and military lifeof Ancient Egypt.

The Luxor of today is acompact city, running

lengthways along the banksof the Nile and bordered bythe desert. Its populationstands at around 380,000with a regular streamof international visitorsincreasing this gure duringthe spring and autumnmonths when the tempera-ture is at a pleasing level

Luxor Temple

Luxor and the

West Bank

DONTMISS

The Sound and Light show at the Karnak Temples. A nar-ration in several languages, including English, French,Arabic and Japanese, tells the story of the temples tolight and music. Also a day cruise from Luxor to Dandaraor Abydos with sight-seeing and lunch.

Luxor, Karnak Temple

Luxor Temple and the Nile corniche


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The Arabs once dubbed Luxor the City of Palaces because of the astonishingnumber of great buildings that were beautifully preserved.

DID YOU KNOW?

for sightseeing. Temperatures of 31-40C (107.6F) in June to August are not uncommon.

Luxors size makes it easy to navigate. Its a short hop of 20 minutes or so from the LuxorInternational Airport into the city centre, which largely only comprises three main roads.The corniche, a pretty tree-lined boulevard that runs along the banks of the Nile in an es-planade fashion, is central for all the citys attractions. It is home to the Winter Palace Hotel,now run by the hotel group Sotel, that was where Agatha Christie is said to have pennedher classic work Death on the Nile.

The two other main roads are the street al-Mahatta in which lies the train station, and thestreet al-Karnak that runs from the Karnak Temple into town past the Luxor Temple. Forvisitors the size and layout of Luxor means that all the sites are within a short distance ofeach other and easy to nd.

Getting across from the East Bank or city centre to the West Bank to visit the Valley of theKings and the Valley of the Queens is now straightforward by road with the opening of abridge ten years ago. Its just a few kilometres upstream. Before the bridge opened it wasvery much a case of hopping on one of the frequent and inexpensive ferries or motorboatsthat ran, and still do run, across the Nile. Theres a landing just opposite the Luxor Temple.

Its a great way to cross the river. Visitors have a wealth of opportunities to sightsee inLuxor. There are the two big attractions of the Luxor Temple and the Karnak Temples, ofcourse, plus the fabulous Luxor Museum and the Mummication Museum.

The Luxor Temple is an astonishing sight from the corniche. It is particularly attractivewhen subtlety lit in the evening. Dating from the time of Amenhotep II andRamses II, it is dedicated to the god Amun Ra and his wife Mut. You enter it from an entrancefacing north, at the point where at one time it would have been connected to the KarnakTemples via a causeway. The causeway, which is currently being restored and is set to be ahighlight of Luxor, would have been lined with sphinx statues. A later addition was a longroad, a dromos, built by Nectanebo I in the 30th dynasty. Sadly, most of the sphinxes havedisappeared over the years, but a few exceptionally good examples still exist close to thetemple today.

Built during the New Kingdom, the temple is entered past a huge pylon built by Ramses II,

with two of the original six statues representing the king on either side. There is also theremaining one of two matching 25-metre high granite obelisks. The other is erected in thePlace de la Concorde in Paris, and a much loved and photographed landmark.

Ramesseum, Ramses II Temple


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Inside, there are courtyards, columns and fabulous colonnades, one a hundred me-

tres in length and built by Amenhotep III. Its columns are topped with carvings of thepapyrus plant. Along the way there are inscriptions, scenes from ancient Egypt and evenRoman stuccoes that can be seen partially covering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. On theouter wall of the pylon are inscriptions that tell of the battle between Ramses II andHittites. The temple is a glorious celebration of the power of the pharaohs of the NewKingdom and a must see sight.

Heading out of the Luxor Temple towards the next must see sight, the Karnak Temples, youwill reach the Luxor Museum on the corniche. Be sure to goinside. Quite modern in appearance, it was founded in 1975to house antiquities dating from the ancient civilizations

of the area found in more recent times, including someof the Tutankhamun treasures. While the EgyptianMuseum in Cairo displays ancient artefacts toperfection, it is quite moving to see such extraordinaryitems exhibited in Luxor, the city where they were found.

The Karnak Temples barely need an introduction, they areso famous. The largest ancient religious site in theworld, the complex takes its name from the village ofAl-Karnak and, in fact, comprises three distinct temples.The largest, the Precinct of Amun-Ra, is ancient and

dedicated to the god Amun. It is the only area open to thepublic. There is also the Precinct of Montu, the Precinct ofMut and a now dismantled building, the Temple of Amen-hotep IV. The triad of Luxor is Amun, Mut and Khonsu.

The site dates from as far back as 2000 BC and al-though building would have been low key in the begin-ning it is said that around 30 pharaohs added build-ings, temples, chapels and architectural wonders to it over a period of about 2,000years from the Middle Kingdom right through to Ptolemaic times. The result is a fabu-lous treasure trove of ancient buildings and structures, columns, courtyards, pylons and

obelisks, even a sacred lake, the scale of which is unparalleled anywhere in the world.

At the entrance you pass over what is believed to have been a canal connected to theNile, complete with an ancient dock. Sadly, there is little remaining of the dock today.The entrance road, dromos, is lined with a row of statues either side and is known as theAvenue of Rams. The statues represent Amun and are beautifully preserved. Once insidethe building be sure to see the huge statue of Ramses II, one of the iconic images of theKarnak Temples.

Other major sights to see on the East Bank of Luxor include the Mummication Museum,which is located right on the corniche. It has a huge sign outside and is really easy to

Karnak Temple

Medinet Habu, Ramses III Temple


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INFO POINT

EASY TRAVEL

Luxor is served by its internationalairport, and has a good bus networkwhich is mainly used by locals, lots oftaxis and horse-drawn carriages knownas caleches for getting around the citycentre. Access from the East Bank to theWest Bank can be done by road using amodern bridge a few kilometres upstreamor by ferry or motorboat across the river.A landing is located opposite the LuxorTemple. There are regular trains andsleeping luxurious one that run fromCairo to Aswan via Luxor. Wi-Fi service isnow available in Luxor.To travel between Luxor and Aswan byland, you will have to follow one of thePolice Convoys.Tourist Ofce :Luxor (Head Ofce) :Phone : 0952373294 - Fax : 0952373294

Hatshepsut Temple

nd. Inside, theres a graphic display of howthe ancient Egyptians would mummify notonly humans, but also crocodiles, of whichthere were plenty in the Nile, household petsand even sh. All are exhibited in mummiedform, including the body of Masaharta, a HighPriest of Amun in Thebes around 1050 BC.

In the museum you can also see examples ofthe tools used to remove bodies vital organsand drain uids, and to replace voids withsalt, plus artefacts like embalming uid, cano-pic jars and cofns. Like the Cairo Mummi-cation Museum inside the Egyptian Museum,this is fascinating place but not one for thefaint hearted.

Look out also for the oldest mosque in Luxor,

the El-Mekashkesh Mosque, where it is saidto contain the remains of a 10th centuryIslamic saint, several churches and the greatCoptic basilica next to Luxor Temple. For a lei-surely way to see Luxor from the river, take afelucca, which is a wooden sailing boat, or oneof the motorboats that can be seen makingtheir way up or downstream at most timesof the day. The landing stages along the EastBank are the starting point for many of thecruise ships that run to and from Aswan too.

On the West Bank, the Valley of the Kings,the Valley of the Queens and the Valley of theNobles, plus many other fabulous templesand structures can be seen. Look out for theMadinet Habu Temple, which includes templesto Amenhotep I and Ramses III, the two hugestatues known as the Colossi of Memnon,the funerary temple of Ramesseum and thelandmark temple to the great female pharaohHatshepsut, the elegant building known asthe Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir ElBahari.Carved into the sheer limestone rock face,the beautiful temple has three oors anda long sweep of steps and a walkway as itsentrance. It is said to have been designed bythe pharaohs own architect Senenmut dur-ing the time of the 18th dynasty. It makes anastonishing, almost haunting, sight from theEast Bank.

To one side of Hatshepsuts temple are theruins of the Temple of Montuhotep II, whileto the other is the Shrine to Amun and theSanctuary of the Sun. A row of statuesare said to depict the queen, although ap-pear in a male form. You can also visit theChapel of Anubis where the paintings and

reliefs on the walls and columns are fas-cinating and retain much of their originalcolour. They tell the story of Hatshepsut,one of only three females to have ruledEgypt.

Luxor, the West Bank

Th

eNile

River

THEBES

LUXOR

Luxor Museum

Mummification Museum

LuxorTemple

Karnak Temples

HatshepsutTemple

WesternDesert


Dandara

To Aswan

KhnoumTempleEsna

Necropolis ofValley of the Kings

Valley ofthe Queens

Valley ofthe Nobles

Old Gurna

New Gurna


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37

VALLEYOFTH

EKINGS

and then you are at the heart of the valley.It is here that most of the more signicanttombs are located.

To the right is the tomb of Tutankhamun,numbered KV62, and almost everyone whovisits the valley will wish to enter the boy

pharaohs last resting place. The tomb wasdiscovered in November 1922 by British ar-chaeologist Howard Carter, who spent days,months and years in his search for the tomb.Carters small domed house where he livedduring this time can still be seen as you jour-ney to the valley.

When Carter found steps leading to thetomb and then an antechamber full of goldand ivory treasures it caused worldwide ex-

citement. He then went on to nd a sealeddoor which, when opened, contained theouter sarcophagus of Tutankhamun. He wasburied in cofns one inside the other. Somewere solid gold, others wood with gold. Thetreasures are now contained in the EgyptianMuseum in Cairo, and include the sarcopha-guses, jewellery, smaller sarcophaguses forhis organs that would have been removedduring the mummication process and the

iconic gold death mask that is the image ofancient Egypt.

The tomb, itself, is quite small and undeco-rated, but the tombs of other pharaohs, likeRamses I and Ramses III, for example, arehighly decorated and colourful. These lie tothe left of Tutankhamuns tomb.You enter by stairways that lead downpast extraordinary wall paintings and

hieroglyphics. The colours yellow, orangeand red feature strongly, and are so brightit is hard to imagine that they weredrawn so many centuries ago.The Tomb of Ramses I (KV16), the secondpharaoh of the 19th dynasty, is particularlyenchanting, as is the Tomb of Ramses III(KV11), which was discovered in the 18thcentury. It is known as The Harpers Tombafter drawings depicting musicians were

found inside. It is sometimes known asBruces Tomb too, after the man, JamesBruce, who discovered it.

Another tomb, that of the Pharaoh Akhenre

INFO POINT

EASY TRAVEL

The Valley of the Kings is easily reachedfrom Luxor by car or guided tour bus. Alittle train takes you from the entrancegate and information centre to the heartof the valley.

Hatshepsut Temple

The Curse of the Pharaohs, aphenomenon said to be bestowedon anyone who disturbs anancient Egyptian mummy, origi-nated after many of HowardCarters archaeological teamwere said to have contractedlethal diseases and viruses whenopening Tutankhamuns tomb.

DID YOU KNOW?

Setepenre Siptah (KV47) of the 19th dy-nasty, is one of the longest in the Valley ofthe Kings, however his mummy was oddlydiscovered in the tomb of Amenhotep II(KV35) in 1898.

A visit to the Valley of the Kings is an ab-solute must on any agenda, and the factthat it is so easily accessible from Luxorcity centre where there is a good choiceof hotel accommodation makes a familyexcursion straightforward. Tickets includevisits to many tombs, although King Tut-

ankhamuns is extra. Many guided toursinclude a visit to the nearby Valley of theQueens too, and perhaps even the Valleyof the Nobles, which lies just to the southof the Valley of the Kings and containshundreds of tombs of high ofcials of theday. Nearby, too, is Deir El-Madina, wherethere are the tombs of artisans and work-men who worked on the kings tombs. Itdates from the Ptolemic era.

Th

eNile

River

THEBES

LUXOR

Luxor Museum

Mummification Museum

LuxorTemple

Karnak Temples

HatshepsutTemple

WesternDesert


Dandara

To Aswan

KhnoumTempleEsna

Necropolis ofValley of the Kings

Valley ofthe Queens

Valley ofthe Nobles

Old Gurna

New Gurna


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Aswan

Aswan, Felucca and the Aga Khan Mausoleumon the West Bank

Aswan is Egypts southernmost city and lies, like Luxor and Cairo, on the shores of the NileRiver, at its rst cataract. To its north lies some 750 miles of the Nile until it reaches theNile Delta and the Mediterranean Sea. What sets this beautiful city apart from Cairo andLuxor, however, is that its buildings occupy only the East Bank and two islands in the river,with its barren West Banks sand dunes, literally, on the watersedge. The West Bank hasonly a handful, albeit supremely notable, structures including the Monastery of St Simeon,the Aga Khan Mausoleum and the Tombs of the Nobles.

Aswan is located roughly where the Western Desert andthe Eastern Desert meet, and just north of the greatexpanse of water created by the Aswan Dam known asLake Nasser. Aswan has a gorgeous winter climate andis a popular sun resort from November through to Marchwith Egyptians as well as international holidaymakers.Temperatures tend to be around 22-32C (89.6F).

Hugely attractive, Aswan is the busy market centre of theregion. In fact, its ancient name of Swenet, if translatedliterally from symbols of the time, means trade. It cantrace its history back to ancient times when it is believed tohave been the site of the very rst Egyptian community.Its people had moved from the desert dunes to the fertilebanks of the Nile in search of a supply of water, sh andland on which to grow produce. They would then trade theirgoods and so its reputation as a trading centre developed.

As Swenet, the city had the important role of protecting Egypt from invaders at its south-

ernmost boundary. In Pharaonic Egypt times, during it is believed every dynasty, the citywas a military town. Its stone quarries are said to have provided the granite rock knownas Syenite for most of the fabulous temples, columns and obelisks built by the pharaohs,including the Pyramids of Giza.

Today, Aswan is characterised by its abundance of palm trees and tropical gardens,standing beside one of the widest parts of the Nile River. As such, it has many islandsdotted off its shores. Two of the largest are Plants Island(Kitcheners Island), known forbeing covered with exotic plants, and the much larger Elephantine Island.

Plants Island(Kitcheners Island) lies mid-streamand is so called because it was given to Lord Kitchen-er in recognition of his services to the Egyptian armyduring the Sudan Campaign of the late 1800s. A keenhorticulturist, Lord Kitchener created an island offantastic trees and plants. In fact, it would not beinaccurate to call it a botanical exhibition. Many of thespecies were imported from around the world, andinclude huge palms where birds nest. Today, it is one

DONTMISS

The Unnished Obelisk, animportant relic from the NewKingdom because it clearlyshows how the ancient Egyptianscreated such structures.

Bazaar


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of the loveliest places along the Nile and agreat place to relax. You can hop across on aboat and go ashore to take advantage of theshade.

The much larger Elephantine Island cantrace its history back to ancient times when,

as a fort, its role was to defend the cit

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