A Complete Guide to Egypt’s Top Tourist Attractions
Most travel starts with inspiration and excitement, such as visiting the country’s famous monuments, exploring the culture and tradition of the people, and learning how the country is glorified by its history and civilization. In this regard, many travellers set their travel to Egypt to stand before the world’s ancient monuments and to be thrilled by the water sports activities on the Nile River. Egypt certainly has a beautiful landscape, and travellers can enjoy multiple kinds of vacations within the country. The Sahara Desert area in Egypt is the best-suited place to enjoy desert camping, quad biking, camel riding, etc. Egypt also has beautiful beaches perfect for beach vacations, some popular beaches are Sharm El Luli, El Gouna, Nuweiba, etc.
The tourist places in Egypt demand a visit of 12-14 days or even more because a few places like the Giza Pyramids and the Egyptian Museum and other adventure activities might take a whole day. However, if the travellers plan to include only the iconic destination in Egypt, the trip can take around 7-8 days. Making a travel itinerary with all the top-attracted tourist destinations is extremely important to make the most out of an Egypt trip. Here are a few tourist places to explore in Egypt.
Giza Pyramids
Most Egypt trips start with an inspiration or wish to stand in front of the Giza Pyramids, the world’s most renowned ancient monument. It is hard to find a traveller leaving Egypt without visiting the stunning Pyramids of Giza. The man-made monument definitely secures a place in the travel itinerary. An iconic place to visit in Egypt is the Giza Pyramids. Every detail about the places, such as the three great pyramids, the burial site, the museum, the desert landscape, etc., compliments the beauty of the monument. It stands as an iconic symbol that reflects Egyptian architecture. The man-made monument is situated on the Giza Plateau, Cairo.
Travellers are advised to come prepared because exploring the monuments might take a whole day. Entering inside the pyramids, Solar Boat Museum, etc., requires a separate ticket. The opening and closing times of the pyramids are between 8 AM and 5 PM, and they change according to the seasons. Check the timings before planning the visit. Besides, the place is also famous for quad biking, desert safaris, sound and light show, etc.
Islamic Cairo
The historic area of Islamic Cairo is the center of the city. The old city walls and mosques make the place stunning to visit. The place is also known as “Medieval Cairo” because most of the buildings and monuments in the area were built during the reign of the Fatimid rulers. Travellers can take a self-guided or guided walking tour exploring the monument in Islamic Cairo. The tour timing and days depend on the places the traveller desires to visit. Islamic Cairo is a large area that encompasses many symbolic medieval and ancient monuments, most of which are mosques. Exploring the highlights and the market in Islamic Cairo might take up to 2 days.
Madrasa of Sultan Hassan Mosque is a 14th century mosque, which stands as an outstanding example of Islamic architecture. Islamic Cairo is also home to Amr ibn al-As, the oldest mosque in Egypt, which was constructed in 642 A.D. A few other highlights of Islamic Cairo are the Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Tulun, Al-Rifa'i Mosque, Khan el-Khalili, etc. Travellers are advised to follow the dress code for visiting the mosques and check the timings.
Valley of Kings
Another splendid marvel that glorifies the Egyptian architectural style is the Valley of Kings. It is situated in a beautiful ancient city named Luxor. The Valley of Kings is said to have over sixty tombs, and only a few among them are open to visitors. The Egyptians choose the Valley for its natural protective landscape. The spotlight should be given to intricate carvings and hieroglyphics from ancient Egyptian mythology. The construction started around 1550 B.C., and it functioned as a burial site for Egyptian rulers and pharaohs. The Valley of Kings monument testifies to the afterlife customs and beliefs practiced by the Egyptians.
The tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62) is the highlight of the Valley of Kings. The tomb also had treasures such as various artifacts, gold and the golden mask of Tutankhamun. The other tombs inside the Valley of Kings are the Tomb of Ramses II (KV7), the Tomb of Hatshepsut (KV20, a female pharaoh), the Tomb of Seti I (KV17), etc. Travellers can try out the hot air balloon ride near the Valley of the Kings to view the whole Valley and its surrounding landscape.
Abu Simbel Temples
One of the worthy places to visit in Aswan is the Abu Simbel Temple. It is situated near the Sudan border. By visiting the Abu Simbel, travellers can witness Egypt’s stunning temple. The Abu Simple Temples were constructed around 1279–1213 BCE by Ramesses II. The 65-foot statue of Ramesses II seated on a throne on each side of the entrance is the massive feature of the temple. It took around 20 to 24 years to complete the temple. A noteworthy mention goes to the temple’s position and interior. The temple was positioned in a way that the interiors would be illuminated by the sun's rays twice a year (22nd October and 22nd February).
The small Temple of Hathor and Nefertari was built in 1264 BC for Hathor, the Egyptian Goddess and the Queen Nefertari. Do not miss out the Sound and Light show depicting the history of the Abu Simbel Temple in a unique way. The spectacular show starts in the late evening around 6 or 6.30 PM. However, the time schedule differs during summer and winter season, travellers are advised to book early and check the show and temple timings.
The Egyptian Museum
The history of Egypt and its ancient civilization are exhibited in the Egyptian Museum. One of the treasure troves of Cairo is the Egyptian Museum. It is situated in Downtown Cairo. The architecture of the museum reflects the Neoclassical style. Since its construction, the museum has exhibited various precious statues, mummies, and other artifacts, which amuses the travellers and makes them lose track of time. The museum has 12 exhibition halls and over 120,000 artifacts or objects on display. The Rosetta Stone in the museum is a huge granite piece that has inscriptions in demotic, Ancient Greek and hieroglyphic (three different scripts). It helped scholars to read hieroglyphs.
The King Tutankhamun Exhibit displays over 1700 artifacts retrieved from the tomb of Tutankhamon. A most popular artifact of the museum is the golden mask from the 18th century, the Mask of Tutankhamun. The mask is displayed in a dark room, which highlights the significance of the mask. Never leave the museum without visiting the Mummies Room, which displays over 20-25 mummies of the Egyptian Pharaohs from the ancient period.
Hurghada
The coastal city of Hurghada in Egypt is the best-suited destination for beach vacations. Hurghada offers a lot of sightseeing places to explore the landscape of the coastal city. The city is renowned for beautiful islands such as Orange Bay Island, Giftun Island, Paradise Island Hurghada, Omo Gamaar, Mahmya Island, etc. The Giftun Islands are popular for snorkelling and diving activities because of the marine life surrounding the island. Travellers can explore different species of plants, seagulls, turtles and over 190 types of coral reefs. The Hurghada Grand Aquarium has 24 galleries, including a mini zoo, a fossil museum, etc., and exhibits over 1,200 marine lives.
A few other attractions to see in Hurghada are Makadi Water World, Al Mina Mosque, El Dahar Bazars, Sand City Hurghada and exploring the old town. Travellers can choose the Makadi Water World to enjoy the water slide with family and friends. The water park has over 50 water slides, offering exciting water activities for kids and adults. The Hurghada Museum is the best place to learn a little bit of history while gazing at the ancient artifacts.
The Egypt Nile River Cruise Ride is one of the easiest ways to explore all the highlights of Egypt without worrying about preparing a travel itinerary, booking tickets, applying for an Egypt visa and arranging transport. It entitles travellers to explore Egypt and enjoy riding along the banks of the Nile River. Travellers can expect a lot more from Egypt, and it will never end in disappointment. Besides the above-listed places, a few other unique places to visit in Egypt are Kom Ombo Temple, Jabal Mousa, Fort Qaitbey, White Desert National Park, Karnak Temple, Mummification Museum, and many more.
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The capital of Egypt, Cairo, is also nicknamed “the city of a thousand minarets” owing to its beautiful Islamic architecture and stunning mosques located all over the city. Getting to the city is easy, it is home to Egypt’s significant airport, the Cairo International Airport (CIA). Find out more at Guide to Cairo Egypt for First Time Tourists.
Check your eligibility for Online Egypt Visa and apply for Egypt e-Visa 5 (five) days in advance of your flight. Citizens of many countries including Norwegian citizens, Czech citizens, Brazilian citizens, British citizens and Peruvian citizens can apply online for Egypt e-Visa.