Why Egypt Is For You
Author: J Schipper

Most people who consider visiting Egypt think of antiquities
museums and the pyramids, but Egypt offers much more. It also
hosts Holy Land tours which visit Pharaonic, Islamic and
Christian historical sites and religious monuments. Egypt also
has a variety of nature tours, and luxurious beach resorts for
those who want to relax on the coast of the Red Sea. Take in
the modern culture of Cairo, or cruise down the Nile.

A visa is required in order to visit Egypt. These cost $15 US
per person and can be obtained from the Egyptian Embassy or
Consulate nearest you. It is also possible for most tourists
and visitors to obtain an entry visa upon arriving in Egypt at
any of the major Ports of Entry.

Egypt has a hot, dry climate and tourists are advised to bring
hats, sunscreen, sunglasses and good walking shoes, preferably
breathable ones such as ventilated sneakers. Those who plan to
tour tombs and monuments should bring high-speed film as many
historical sites do not allow flash photography. Also remember
to take along a power adapter as well as a wall plug converter,
as Egypt uses 220 volt power and plugs are two prong rounded.

Most Egyptians are Muslim, with a minority of Coptic
Christians. Due to conservative local dress codes, especially
in churches and mosques, women and men are both advised to
bring some long-sleeved shirts and long pants. In addition,
women will encounter much more social acceptance when touring
old churches and mosques if they are wearing some sort of head
covering. Scarves or other apparel which covers shoulders and
arms is not only important for visiting religious sites, but
also serves as sun protection during treks. Be sure to remember
to drink plenty of water in the desert heat. The most practical
garments are loose and layered, so they can be added in the
cool evenings and removed during the furnace-like heat of the
day.

The classic tour of Egypt is mostly Pharaonic, which means that
it visits historical sites of Ancient Egypt. This will also
often include some religious and Islamic sightseeing. The most
commonly offered tour is usually 10 to 14 days long, and
generally includes Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, and sometimes a Nile
cruise. Usually these tours begin in Cairo, since this the major
airport where most tourists enter.

For instance, such a tour might cover the Giza Pyramids (Great
Pyramid), as well as Saqqara (Step Pyramid) and even the
Egyptian Antiquities museum on the first day of the tour. Then,
after traveling to Luxor and Aswan, the tour will return to
Cairo and visit the Citadel and Khan el-Khalili market in
Islamic Cairo and the churches and Coptic museum in Old Cairo.

A trip to Luxor is often arranged as either a one or two day
tour. In the morning (to avoid the midday heat), or one day of
a two-day stay, the tour visits the West Bank to see the many
tombs and monuments. Then, the afternoon or the subsequent day
will be reserved for the Luxor and Karnak temples on the East
bank, and also the excellent Luxor museum. Other activities
might include a visit to the local bazaar.

Usually a day is spent in Aswan in the south of Egypt. Visitors
will be shown such sites as Elephantine Island, St. Simeon's
Monastery, the unfinished Obelisk, the Nubian Museum, the High
Dam, Philae Island, and the Temples at Abu Simbel.

There are four different types of Religious Tours. Muslim
tourists will be interested in an in-depth tour of Islamic
sites. Holy Family and Exodus tours follow the route of these
biblical journeys. Unstructured religious tours will cover a
spectrum of religious sites including those on both the Holy
Family and Exodus tours. Many such religious tours include
visits to important Pharaonic sites such as the Pyramids and
the Egyptian Antiquity museum.

Consider a Nile cruise for both an educational and relaxing
holiday. It is a great time saver to unpack just once and have
your hotel travel with you, rather then the hectic routine that
accompanies the stop and go itineraries of air and land tours.
Nile cruises visit a wide variety of antiquities located along
the banks of the river, which was once the main thoroughfare
through Egypt. In addition, they give tourists a perspective of
rural Egypt, whose people have much the same lifestyle they did
thousands of years ago, living in simple mudbrick homes,
cultivating their fields with wooden plows and moving produce
to market on the backs of donkeys. Enjoy sitting on the shaded
deck of your floating hotel, sipping an iced beverage while
watching five thousand years of culture slowly pass before you.


Adventure and specialty tours include desert treks, golfing, or
fishing in Lake Nasser, which holds some of the largest fresh
water fish in the world. Egypt's Red Sea has world-class scuba
diving, including pristine reefs and many shipwrecks. Bird
watching is becoming more popular in Egypt, as the country is
on the migratory path of many species of birds. Most commonly,
nature treks occur in the Sinai, and specifically in the
mountainous region of middle southern Sinai. Such treks in the
Sinai mountains are as much spiritually oriented as nature
oriented.

Many visitors, especially Europeans, come to Egypt for an
affordable sand and sea holiday. Often beach vacations include
some classical or religious sightseeing.

Whatever your interests and your reasons for visiting Egypt,
you are guaranteed to have an unforgettable holiday.


About The Author: J Schipper loves to travel
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