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Egypt Egypt Guide

The guide · 31 chapters

Egypt Guide

From the Pyramids to the Valley of the Kings

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Chapter01 · 1 chapter

Introduction

The essential read that puts the country on the map before the journey begins.

01.01 · 10 minEgypt: beyond the pyramidsWhy Egypt is unlike any other destination and how this guide helps you understand itRead the chapter↗

Chapter02 · 5 chapters

History

The essential moments that explain everything you will see afterwards.

0102.01 · 15 minAncient Egypt: three thousand years of pharaohsFrom the Old Kingdom to the New: the dynasties that built the pyramids, the temples, and the Valley of the KingsRead→0202.02 · 12 minThe Greco-Roman era: from Alexander to CleopatraHow the Ptolemies and Rome transformed Egypt and left their mark on the temples of the NileLocked→0302.03 · 12 minIslamic Cairo: the city of a thousand minaretsFatimids, Mamluks, and Ottomans: how Cairo became the capital of the Islamic worldLocked→0402.04 · 10 minModern Egypt: from the Suez Canal to TahrirMuhammad Ali, the British occupation, Nasser, Camp David, and the 2011 revolutionLocked→0502.05 · 14 minThe temples: how to read themThe cosmic machine of pharaonic Egypt: why temples are where they are and what every part meansLocked→

Chapter03 · 2 chapters

Cairo & surroundings

A considered selection for entering the destination with context.

03.01 · 16 minCairoThe largest city in Africa: from Islamic Cairo to the new Grand Egyptian Museum→03.02 · 14 minPyramids & MemphisGiza, Saqqara, Dahshur and the necropolis of Memphis: four and a half thousand years of vertical history→

Chapter04 · 4 chapters

The Nile

A considered selection for entering the destination with context.

04.01 · 18 minLuxor & ThebesKarnak, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon: the capital of pharaonic Egypt→04.02 · 14 minNile cruiseFrom Luxor to Aswan (or vice versa): the inland temples, life on board and practical advice→04.03 · 12 minAswanPhilae, the dam, the Nubian villages and the gateway to Egypt's south→04.04 · 10 minAbu SimbelThe temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari: the greatest archaeological rescue operation in history→

Chapter05 · 3 chapters

Coast & desert

A considered selection for entering the destination with context.

05.01 · 12 minAlexandriaThe city of Alexander and Cleopatra: the Library, the catacombs and Egypt's Mediterranean face→05.02 · 12 minWestern DesertSiwa, the White Desert and the Black Desert: Egypt beyond the Nile→05.03 · 10 minRed SeaHurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab and the Sinai: diving, desert and rest→

Chapter06 · 6 chapters

Culture & daily life

The codes, flavours and rhythms that never fit on a map.

06.01 · 8 minCulture & daily lifeHow Egypt really works: the table, the language, the rhythms of the day, and what no temple will tell youRead the chapter→
06.02 · 12 minEgyptian food: koshari and beyondStreet food, Coptic cuisine, tea rituals and why Egypt is far more than falafel and hummus●06.03 · 8 minThe rhythm of the daySchedules, customs and the tempo of a country where the clock measures something else●06.04 · 6 minEssential phrasebook35 phrases in Egyptian Arabic with pronunciation to get you beyond shukran and inshallah●06.05 · 8 minWhat to skip (and what to do instead)Tourist traps, common scams and where it is actually worth spending your time in Egypt●06.06 · 6 minBooks & filmsBooks, films and documentaries to understand Egypt before you see the pyramids●

Chapter07 · 6 chapters

Practical information

Clear answers for travelling with fewer doubts and more freedom.

3 minVisa & insuranceE-visa, visa on arrival and travel insurance for Egypt●3 minMoney & baksheeshCurrency, exchange, ATMs, cards and the tipping system in Egypt●3 minTransportFlights, trains, buses, Uber and microbuses for getting around Egypt●3 minSafety & dress codeSafety, common scams, women travelling alone and dress code in Egypt●2 minBest time & RamadanWhen to travel to Egypt and what to expect if your trip coincides with Ramadan●3 minHealth, connectivity & languageHealth, water, pharmacies, SIM cards, WiFi and useful Egyptian Arabic phrases●

Chapter08 · 4 chapters

Itineraries

Choose a structure and make it yours. No two journeys need be the same.

01Classic routeTen reference days for a first trip to Egypt: Cairo, a Nile cruise and Abu Simbel, with room to breathe.10 daysLocked ↗02Classic + Red SeaThe ten-day classic route, closed off with three nights of beach or diving on the Red Sea before flying home.12 daysLocked ↗03Complete routeFourteen days, nothing cut: the classic route plus Alexandria and a night camping in the White Desert.14 daysLocked ↗04Cairo & LuxorOne week in Cairo and Luxor, no cruise or Aswan: the most compact route when time is tight.7 daysLocked ↗