10 Great Reasons to Visit Egypt

Egypt is a country rich in ancient history and packed with things to do that will suit almost every interest. A holiday to Egypt provides so many options we’ve run through the top ten reasons to visit this fascinating country.

1. The Pyramids
   An absolute must see - the Pyramids at Giza and the Great Sphinx are part of the ancient Giza pyramid comple.

   x – a site which has been granted UNESCO World Heritage status and is a true marvel of the ancient world.

   The Pyramids at Giza were built during Egypt’s Old and Middle Kingdom Periods, and the Great Pyramid is the only remaining monument of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

2. Mt Sinai
   The Sinai Peninsula isn’t just home to many first-rate beach resorts, but also has a rugged and mountainous interior. Trips from the coast can take you to Mount Sinai, the Biblical site where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments.

   Many people trek up the mountain to see the magnificent sunrise, and at its base you can visit Saint Catherine’s Monastery, an ancient Christian site that houses the Burning Bush as described in the Bible.

3. Nile Cruise
   Cruise down the Nile, the longest river in the world, to glide past reeds and palm-trees and stop off at places like the temples of Karnak, Edfu, Philae and Abu Simbel – the magnificent two rock temples on the western bank of Lake Nassar in southern Egypt.

   Most Nile Cruises will take you to Luxor, which is home to the Karnak temple complex and the Valley of the Kings, where for some 500 years tombs for pharaohs and other nobles were constructed, and what is now a site of incredible archaeological importance.

4. Desert Trekking
   Trekking, camel tours or 4WD adventures into the desert is another great reason to visit Egypt. Trek through the other-worldly mineral sculptures of the White Desert in the west of the country, or experience the Bahariya Oasis which is home to the ruins of the ancient Greek conqueror Alexander the Great.

   Tours in Egypt provide the perfect means to discover the country’s natural beauty, and come face to face with its rich history. Discover traditional Bedouin culture at desert camps and dine under a canopy of stars. The rugged interior of the Sinai Peninsula is easily reached from all the coastal resorts.

5. Diving
   The clear blue waters of the Red Sea are the perfect spot for scuba diving, with beautiful coral reefs lining the Sinai coastline. Located on the shallow shelves off the coast of Egypt, and considered to be between five and seven thousand years old, the region is considered to be one of the best in the world for divers.

   The depths and efficient water circulation of the Red Sea are the main reasons for the fantastic reef systems lining the coast, which is teeming with over 1,000 species of fish, around 10% of which are not found anywhere else in the world.

   The wreck of the SS Thistlegorm, a British Merchant Navy ship which sunk in the Red Sea and discovered by Jacques Cousteau in the 1950s, has been ranked third best diving location by the readers of Scuba Diving Magazine.

   The depth of the wreck, at around 30m, makes for perfect diving conditions, and divers today can see the supplies that perished along with the vessel, including armoured Rolls Royce, Bedford trucks, Norton motorcycles, Bren guns and ammunition.

6. Temples
   Egypt is scattered with ancient temples, with each city in Egypt having its own temple for the god of that city.