Egypt is one of Africa’s major tourist destinations, with the main drawcards being the Red Sea, Egyptology and the Nile. The Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the Valley of the Kings need no introduction in the world of antiquity, the sun-soaked beaches of the Red Sea with their scuba diving are a massive attraction to those from colder climes, and a cruise on the Nile floods back memories of Cleopatra. Aside from these famous attractions, this desert country houses ancient ruins and mystical Oases, and in Cairo, ancient cultures remain, blending with the very modern. Egypt offers so much more than its world-famous pyramids. Visitors can enjoy desert trekking, scuba diving, golfing, fishing, bird watching or floating along the Red Sea.
Giza, while technically a separate administrative district, is part of the sprawling urban city of Cairo. The area is most famous as the location of the Giza Plateau: the site of some of the most impressive ancient monuments in the world. Although there are over a hundred pyramids in Egypt, by far the most famous are the Giza Pyramids. During the Greek and Roman eras, they were marvelled at as the first of the Seven Wonders of the World, and they still exert a powerful fascination, both as an extraordinary technical achievement and as a demonstration of the might, power, and ambition of Egypt's pharaonic rulers. No tour of Egypt would be complete without a visit to this extraordinary site which has inspired the most fantastic legends since ancient times and continues to fascinate and inspire visitors.
Luxor is a historic city on the Nile in Upper Egypt and one of the world's foremost destinations for ancient Egyptian heritage. Centred on the remains of ancient Thebes, it is home to monumental temples, royal tombs and archaeological sites spanning thousands of years of history. Visitors can explore the vast Karnak Temple Complex and atmospheric Luxor Temple on the East Bank, then cross the Nile to the Valley of the Kings, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut and the tombs and temples of the Theban Necropolis. Felucca cruises and hot-air balloon flights offer striking perspectives of the river and surrounding desert landscape, while traditional markets and riverside streets provide a glimpse of modern Egyptian life.
