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Great Historic Sites DVD $19.95 buy now
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Egypt: Locations |
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Cairo
Cairo is one of the world's largest cities, travellers will
find everything from slums to ritzy hotels, KFC fast food
outlets to atmospheric coffee houses where locals suck on
shisha water pipes to while away the hours. The city is divided
in two by the River Nile, and distinct neighbourhoods
like Islamic Cairo and Old Cairo are fascinating
places to wander and explore. Don't miss the Egyptian Museum,
home to the world's largest collection of Egyptian relics
and most famously of all, the artefacts buried with King
Tutankamun. At night, catch a belly or Sufi dancing performance
at a posh hotel. For shopping, head to the Khan Al Khalili
Bazaar, a vast market in operation since the 1300's,
to browse through stalls selling gold jewellery, alabaster
pyramids and just about everything in between. As the world's
largest Islamic country, the mosques in Cairo make interesting
visits, especially the Mohammed Ali Mosque in the Citadel;
the Al-Azhar which is also the oldest university in
the world, and the Ibn Tulun whose climbable minarets
offer magnificent views of the city.
Giza
Home to the most famous of Egypt's sites, Giza is now a suburb
of Cairo which is in easy reach downtown (and is even a stop
on the subway line). Here you will be accosted with all kinds
of tacky desert camel treks, evening sound and light shows
and guided tours to the three Pyramids and Sphinx,
but its hard not to succumb to the charms of the place; after
all you're visiting one of the most recognizable landmarks
that rank in the top three world tourist sites, aside from
the Taj Mahal in India and the Cristo Redentor in Rio.
Alexandria and the Nile Delta
The Nile Delta extends above Cairo in a maze of canals and
vibrant green fields. This is Egypt's breadbasket where much
of the population lives. To the west is Alexandria,
the country's second largest city, though it has been the
location of many historical events, including the location
of one of the world's greatest libraries, the Pharos Lighthouse,
the city doesn't have much in the way of history to see now.
The recent discovery of what is believed to have been Cleopatra's
Palace beneath the waves off the waterfront is changing
the perception of Alexandria, and for the traveller with time
on their hands, it offers an interesting place to stay for
a few days. |
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Siwa and The Western Desert Oases
The entire western portion of Egypt is a vast desert that
stretches to the Libyan border and makes up the most eastern
part of the Sahara. It is one of the driest regions on the
planet, although it hasn't always been this way: millions
of years ago the whole area was a vast wet tropical ecosystem
that was steadily destroyed by climate change. Water still
can be found underground, and this helps the desert communities
like Siwa survive the extreme heat and punishing sandstorms.
For adventurous travellers, the large oases of Kharga
makes for an interesting side trip from Luxor, or Siwa and
Farafra can be a more intrepid link between Cairo and Aswan.
Travellers should be aware of the current travel situation
between the oases, particularly in the far south between Kharga
and Luxor; fundamentalist areas can be restricted or even
off limits to travellers from time to time.
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Hurghada and the Red Sea Coast
The Red Sea coast is as fascinating geologically as it is biologically;
it is here that the earth's tectonic plates are pulling apart the
continents to form a new ocean. Though this will take millions of
years, the sea here has very little incoming flow of fresh seawater
from the Indian Ocean, making the calm, clear waters highly salty
and perfect for coral reefs to form. All along its fringes are white
sand beaches, such as those found at Hurghada, and reefs that burst
with marine life like lionfish, grey reef sharks, barracuda and
trevally. The further south you go the more pristine the reefs get,
though facilities are sparse and separated by large distances.
Sharm al Sheik and the Sinai Peninsula
This is the epicentre of the Red Sea diving industry, propelled
by the discoveries by Jacques Cousteau in the 50's and 60's.
Here in Sharm Al Sheik, amid the 5 star luxury resorts and hotels
that have sprung up here in recent decades, you can board some of
the worlds most modern dive boats and dive in the fabled Ras
Mohammad Marine Park and the Straits of Tiran which offer
huge schools of pelagic fish and soft corals. The rugged Sinai
Peninsula nearby offers fantastic camel, jeep trekking and camping
opportunities, with Mt Sinai a popular climb.
Luxor
Straddling the Nile, Luxor is often referred to as a living museum
because of its vast numbers of ancient Egyptian monuments found
here. The City of Luxor on the East side of the Nile, the
town of Karnak on the north of Luxor, and Thebes on
the west side of the Nile make up the three major sites here that
include the fabled Valley of the Kings, the Valley of
the Queens, the Temple of Luxor, the Temple of Karnak
and many others.
Aswan and Abu Simbel
In the far south of Egypt lies Aswan, Egypt's sunniest southern
city and the ancient frontier town located about 81 miles south
of Luxor. With its Nubian influence the town has a strong African
feel, and is a popular jumping off point for Abu Simbel. This
temple was built to declare to travellers coming from southern African
nations the greatness of the Egyptian civilization. Stone by stone
the temple was moved to make way for Lake Nasser and though
it now sits embedded in an artificial mountain, the experience is
nothing less that spectacular.
By Dave Lowe
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