ancient tourist attractions in egypt

20 Top-Rated Attractions & Places to Visit in Egypt

Written by Jess Lee Updated Oct 16, 2023

Home of the ancient Pharaohs, Egypt is a destination full of dazzling temples and tombs that wow all who visit. It's not all historic treasures and tourist attractions, though. With vast tracts of desert for 4WD adventures, the Red Sea's world-class coral reefs and wrecks for divers, and cruising on the famed Nile River, there are plenty of things to do in Egypt for all types of travelers.

Beach lovers head to the Sinai or the Red Sea Coast to soak up the sun, while archaeology fans will have a field day in Luxor.

Cairo is the megalopolis that can't be beaten for city slickers, while Siwa oasis and the southern town of Aswan offer a slice of the slow pace of the countryside.

With so much to see and do, Egypt offers visitors a chance to create itineraries that combine culture, adventure, and relaxation all on one trip.

Plan your sightseeing with our list of the top attractions and places to visit in Egypt.

1. Pyramids of Giza

2. luxor's temples & tombs, 3. cruising the nile, 5. abu simbel, 6. diving the red sea, 7. explore historic cairo, 8. south sinai's beach life, 10. egyptian museum, 11. white desert, 12. alexandria, 13. abydos temple, 14. siwa oasis, 15. st. catherine's monastery, 16. red sea beaches, 17. coptic cairo, 18. wadi al-hitan, 19. temple of hathor, 20. monastery of st. anthony.

The last surviving wonder of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Pyramids of Giza are one of the world's most recognizable landmarks.

Having awed travelers down through the ages, these tombs of the Pharaohs Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren), and Menkaure (Mycerinus), guarded by the enigmatic Sphinx, are usually top of most visitor's lists of tourist attractions to see in Egypt and often the first sight they head to after landing.

Today, sitting on the desert edge of Cairo's sprawl, these megalithic memorials to dead pharaohs are still as wondrous a sight as they ever were and an undeniable highlight of any Egypt trip.

To beat the crowds , get here around 7:30am and enter through the main Pyramid of Khufu site entrance (rather than the Sphinx entrance). This means you can have finished exploring the interior tunnels and burial chambers of the Pyramid of Khufu by the time the tour buses start pulling in at 8:15am.

Most visitors limit their site visit to the three pyramids and the Sphinx, but there is plenty more to see on the Giza Plateau. If you can, reserve time to explore the funerary complexes of the eastern cemetery (on the east side of the Pyramid of Khufu). The tombs of 6th dynasty high officials Qar and Idu and the tomb of Meresankh III (who was one of Pharaoh Khafre's wives) are all open to the public.

• Read More: Pyramids of Giza: Attractions, Tips & Tours

Famed for the Valley of the Kings , Karnak Temple , and the Memorial Temple of Hatshepsut, the Nile-side town of Luxor in Upper Egypt has a glut of tourist attractions.

This is ancient Thebes, the power base of the New Kingdom pharaohs, and home to more sights than most can see on one visit.

Luxor's east bank is home to the modern city, with its vibrant souq; the two temples of Karnak and Luxor; and the museum. The west bank's lush farmland and barren cliffs are where the vast majority of Luxor's tourist attractions sit, with so many tomb and temple sights that it has been called the biggest open-air museum in the world.

Spend a few days here exploring the colorful wall art of the tombs and gazing in awe at the colossal columns in the temples, and you'll see why Luxor continues to fascinate historians and archaeologists.

The Valley of the Kings is one of Egypt's most visited sites but, if you are willing to get up extra early, you can beat the crowds . All of Luxor's archaeological sites open at 6am, but hardly any visitors (and no large tour operators) take advantage of this.

Kick off your sightseeing with a 6am start at the Valley of the Kings, and you'll get to experience the interiors of Luxor's famed New Kingdom tombs with hardly anyone else (except the handful of other wily early risers) there.

Egypt is defined by the Nile. For many visitors, a multi-day cruise upon this famed waterway that saw the rise of the Pharaonic era is a highlight of their Egypt trip.

Cruising the Nile is also the most relaxing way to see the temples that stud the banks of the river on the route between Luxor and Aswan, plus sunrise and sunset over the date-palm-studded river banks, backed by sand dunes, is one of Egypt's most tranquil vistas.

The two famous sights on a Nile Cruise are the Temple of Kom Ombo and Edfu's Temple of Horus , where all the big cruise boats stop.

If you'd prefer a less crowded and slower experience, though, and don't mind "roughing it" a bit, you can also cruise the Nile by felucca (Egypt's traditional lateen-sailed wooden boats), which also allows you to create your own itinerary.

The vast amount of cruise boat itineraries depart from either Luxor or Aswan, but feluccas can only be chartered for multi-day trips from Aswan.

Egypt's most tranquil town is Aswan, set upon the winding curves of the Nile. Backed by orange-hued dunes, this is the perfect place to stop and unwind for a few days and soak up the chilled-out atmosphere.

Take the river ferry across to Elephantine Island and stroll the colorful streets of the Nubian villages. Then ride a camel to the desert monastery of St. Simeon on Aswan's east bank. Afterwards, relax in one of the riverboat restaurants while watching the lateen-sailed feluccas drift past.

Make sure to jump aboard a felucca at sunset to sail around Aswan's islands. This is by far, Aswan's most popular activity and the most relaxing way to take in the local sights.

There are plenty of historic sites here and numerous temples nearby, including Philae Temple on its island, but one of Aswan's most popular things to do is simply kicking back and watching the river life go by.

Even in a country festooned with temples, Abu Simbel is something special. This is Ramses II's great temple, adorned with colossal statuary standing guard outside, and with an interior sumptuously decorated with wall paintings.

Justly famous for its megalithic proportions, Abu Simbel is also known for the incredible engineering feat carried out by UNESCO in the 1960s, which saw the entire temple moved from its original setting to save it from disappearing under the rising water of the Aswan Dam.

Today, exploring Abu Simbel is just as much about admiring the triumph of this international effort to save the temple complex as it is about gaping in wonder at Ramses II's awe-inspiring building works, itself.

Most people arrive in Abu Simbel on organized day trips from Aswan, which all have an early morning start to get to the temple complex at 8am or 9am.

After 11am, nearly everyone has cleared out and headed back to Aswan. To wander through Ramses II's colossal monument without the crowds, overnight in Abu Simbel village itself and visit the temples after midday.

Below the Red Sea's surface is another world as fascinating as the temples and tombs on land.

The coral reefs of the Red Sea are renowned among scuba divers for both the soft corals on display and the vast amount of sea life, ranging from colorful reef fish and nudibranchs to sharks, dolphins, turtles, rays, and even dugongs.

For divers, the most famous town to base yourself in is Sharm el-Sheikh on the Sinai Peninsula, closest to the reefs of Ras Mohammed National Park, as well as the reefs of the Straits of Tiran.

To dive the sites of the Straits of Gubal head to Hurghada or El Gouna on the Red Sea coast, while advanced divers should check out the resort of Marsa Alam, the nearest base for diving Egypt's "deep south" dive sites.

As well as fish life and coral, the Red Sea is a major wreck-diving destination. The most famous wreck is the Thistlegorm, a British WWII cargo ship that was on its way to resupply Allied troops when it was bombed by the Germans in 1941.

Today the site is regarded by divers as one of the top five wreck dives in the world due to the vast cargo of cars, motorbikes, and WWII memorabilia that can be seen both scattered on the sea bed around the wreck and inside the ship itself.

Dive boat trips to the wreck are organized from both Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada.

The Red Sea offers year-round diving but for the calmest sea conditions and best underwater visibility, July and August are the best months . This is high summer in Egypt though with its accompanying sweltering on-land temperatures. If your Egypt trip doesn't solely revolve around diving, it's still best to avoid these months.

Read More: Diving in the Red Sea: Best Dive Sites

The atmospheric, narrow lanes of the capital's Historic Cairo district are crammed full of mosques, madrassas (Islamic schools of learning), and monuments dating from the Fatimid through to the Mameluke eras.

This is where you'll find the labyrinth shopping souq of Khan el-Khalili, where coppersmiths and artisans still have their tiny workshops, and stalls are laden with ceramics, textiles, spice, and perfume.

Surrounding the market is a muddle of roads, home to some of the most beautiful preserved architecture of the old Islamic empires.

There is a wealth of history here to explore. Visit Al-Azhar Mosque and the dazzling Sultan Hassan Mosque , and make sure to climb up to the roof of the ancient medieval gate of Bab Zuweila for the best minaret-speckled panoramas across the district.

Mornings are the best time to visit this district as the narrow lanes are at their quietest. If you're planning to visit the area's mosques though, avoid visiting on Fridays (the Muslim holy day) . If you want to enter mosques as a tourist, dress conservatively (covering arms and legs) and bring along a scarf to throw over your head if you're female.

Keen shoppers should head to Khan el-Khalili in the evening: the shops here are all open until late and the souq is at its most vibrant after dark.

• Read More: Top Tourist Attractions in Cairo & Easy Day Trips

Egypt's South Sinai region, on the Sinai Peninsula, offers a beach for every type of traveler.

Sharm el-Sheikh is a European-style resort town packed full of luxury hotels, international restaurants, and bags of entertainment options. A favorite with Europeans on winter-sun vacations, many of the resorts here cater to families on one- or two-week sun-and-sand breaks.

Dahab is a low-key beach town with a budget-traveler heart, which is just as much about desert excursions and adventures as the sea. It's particularly known for its cheap dive-package deals and for its lagoon beach area where windsurfing and kitesurfing are the top activity.

Up the coast, between the port town of Nuweiba and the border town of Taba are the bamboo hut retreats that offer complete get-away-from-it-all respites from life and back-to-basics beach life.

Everyone's heard of Giza's Pyramids, but they're not the only pyramids Egypt has up its sleeve. Day-tripping distance from Cairo , Saqqara is a vast necropolis of tombs and pyramids that was utilized during every era of Pharaonic rule.

It's best known for its Old Kingdom Step Pyramid, which shows how the architects of Ancient Egypt advanced their engineering knowledge to finally create a true pyramid shape.

There's much more to see beyond the Step Pyramid, though, with some of the surrounding tombs, such as the Mastaba of Ti, showcasing some of the finest tomb paintings you'll see in the country.

Nearby, the pyramid site of Dahshur is home to the Red Pyramid and Bent Pyramid, which should be included on any Saqqara visit.

• Read More: Exploring Saqqara: A Visitor's Guide

A treasure trove of the Pharaonic world, Cairo's Egyptian Museum is one of the world's great museum collections . The faded pink mansion in downtown Cairo is home to a dazzling amount of exhibits.

The museum's exhibits cover the breadth of the Pharaonic era with highlights including its artifacts from pre-dynastic Egypt, the Old Kingdom galleries displaying the fine statuary from Egypt's period of pyramid builders, and the displays of glittering funerary goods unearthed from the country's most famous tomb finds.

Make sure to reserve enough time at the museum to fully view the galleries devoted to the grave goods of Yuya and Thuya and the royal tombs of Tanis (both upstairs).

Until Giza's much-delayed Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) opens, the Egyptian Museum is also where you come to see a selection of the riches from Tutankhamen's Valley of the Kings tomb. When the GEM finally does open, these will be moved there (and the entire Tutankhamen collection will be displayed in full for the first time).

Everything else though in the Egyptian Museum's collection will be staying in place.

Egypt's kookiest natural wonder is White Desert National Park, out in the Western Desert, just south of Bahariya Oasis. Here, surreally shaped chalk pinnacles and huge boulders loom over the desert plateau, creating a scene that looks like icebergs have found themselves stranded amid a landscape of sand.

This highly scenic environment looks like something out of a science fiction movie and is a favorite destination for 4WD desert trips and overnight camping , which are both easiest organized in Bahariya Oasis.

For desert fans and adventurers, this is the ultimate weird playground, while anybody who's had their fill of temples and tombs will enjoy this spectacular natural scenery.

Alexandria has a history that not many others can match.

Founded by Alexander the Great, home of Cleopatra, and razzmatazz renegade city of the Mediterranean for much of its life, this seafront city has an appealing days-gone-by atmosphere that can't be beaten.

Although today, there are few historic remnants of its illustrious past left to see, Alexandria's long seafront Corniche road leading to its fort (sitting on the site where its famous ancient lighthouse once sat) remains a favorite summer destination to capture cooling sea breezes for Egyptians and foreign visitors alike.

Underwater archaeological projects here have imbued Alexandria's museums with interesting exhibits. The modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a contemporary interpretation of Alexandria's famed ancient library, and the handful of historic sights in town include an atmospheric catacombs site.

• Read More: Top-Rated Attractions & Things to Do in Alexandria

The Temple of Osiris in Abydos is one of Ancient Egypt's most fascinating artistic treasures.

The temple, begun by Seti I, sits amid a vast necropolis site where archaeological excavations are ongoing. There a various other temple remnants to see here but for most visitors, the Temple of Osiris is the main reason to visit.

Its hypostyle halls, graced by papyrus-headed columns, contain some of the finest relief-work in Egypt, with various scenes portraying the pharaoh and the gods of Ancient Egypt.

As the temple lies north of Luxor, it isn't on the main Nile cruise ship route, so it receives much fewer visitors than the temple sites in Luxor itself and the Nile-side temples to the south. This means you are often lucky enough to wander through the temple's halls with only a few other visitors on site.

• Read More: Exploring The Temples of Abydos: A Visitor's Guide

Sitting in isolation, in the western corner of the Western Desert, Siwa is the tranquil tonic to the hustle of Egypt's cities. This gorgeous little oasis, surrounded by date palm plantations and numerous hot-water springs, is one of the Western Desert's most picturesque spots.

Siwa town is centered around the ruins of a vast mud-brick citadel, known as the Fortress of Shali, which dominates the view, while various temple remnants, including the Temple of the Oracle where Alexander the Great is said to have come to receive advice, are scattered throughout the wider oasis area.

This is a top spot to wind down and go slow for a few days, as well as being an excellent base from which to plan adventures into the surrounding desert.

One of the oldest monasteries in the world, St. Catherine's stands at the foot of Mount Sinai, amid the desert mountains of the Sinai Peninsula, where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments.

This desert monastery is home to an incredible collection of religious iconography, art, and manuscripts (some of which can be seen in the on-site museum), as well as the burning bush.

For most visitors here, a trip to St. Catherine's also involves a hike up Mount Sinai to see sunrise or sunset. Take the camel path for the easy route, or climb the famous Steps of Repentance if you want better views.

Egypt's Red Sea coastline offers swaths of sand for travelers who want a time-out from temple viewing.

During winter, the resorts scattered along the shore surrounding Hurghada jump into life as European families arrive on package tourism breaks.

The big bonus of choosing a resort on the Red Sea coast over one on the Sinai Peninsula is that you are within day-tripping distance to Luxor, so this is the best place to visit for beach life if you still want to easily see some of Egypt's most famous monuments.

Hurghada and El Gouna are the two main resort towns, while the smaller, and still being-developed, town of Marsa Alam is much farther south.

Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the Red Sea Region

The Cairo district known as Coptic Cairo is one of the most important Christian sites in the country.

Originally the Fortress of Babylon, dating back to the Achaemenid Empire's conquest of Egypt in 525 BCE, this district is home to Cairo's oldest surviving church, synagogue, and mosque, as well as the excellent Coptic Museum, which holds the world's largest collection of Coptic Christian art and antiquities.

A section of the Fortress of Babylon's walls, which were repaired and expanded under Roman rule, are also still standing and are the entrance into the district.

Make sure to visit the Hanging Church, which holds a fine collection of icons and was built half over the Roman-era water wheel (hence the church's name). Then thread your way down the narrow alley to the Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus which, according to local tradition, was built atop the site where the Holy Family with the infant Jesus lived in refuge after fleeing King Herod.

Nearby, the Ben Ezra Synagogue is famous for being the site where the Geniza documents cache were discovered.

A short walk away is the Mosque of Amr Ibn Al As, built by the Arab Muslim army commander (and later, first governor of Egypt) after conquering Egypt.

Wadi Al-Hitan is in the Fayoum area, a lush and fertile depression fed by ancient canals and surrounded by desert.

The Fayoum itself, with Lake Quran, the pottery village of Tunis, and Pharaonic ruins scattered across the hinterland, is an interesting place to visit, but the main tourist attraction here, in the nearby desert, is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Wadi Al-Hitan.

Amid the orange dunes and jagged rocks of this desert valley, a vast fossil cache of the oldest prehistoric whales (the basilosaurus and dorodontus) were discovered, hugely aiding human understanding of the evolution of whales.

Some of the finds have been kept in situ, with walking tracks radiating out from the visitor's center to skeleton sites sitting amid the sand.

In the visitor center itself, a museum dedicated to the site does an excellent job of explaining Wadi Al-Hitan's importance, and displays many of the site's other finds, including a skeleton of a basilosaurus whale that measures 18 meters long.

The Temple of Hathor at Dendara was built in the late Pharaonic era and extended during the Roman period, though Dendara itself was an important cult center from early on in the period of Ancient Egypt.

A trip here is well worth a day trip from Luxor, as the temple's youth (in comparison to other Pharaonic temples) means that it is one of the most complete surviving temples in Egypt.

The reliefs and decoration here are in an excellently preserved state. In particular, while in the hypostyle hall, which was built by the Roman Emperor Tiberius, note the columns topped by heads of the Egyptian god Hathor, and the wall reliefs of the emperor paying tribute to the Egyptian gods.

Dendara is just outside the city of Qena, 80 kilometers north from Luxor.

Secreted within the jagged northern mountains of the Red Sea coast, the Monastery of St. Anthony has been a working monastery since the 4th century, and today is still home to around 120 monks.

The Church of St. Anthony, within the fortress-like compound, has an interior of secco wall paintings that are considered one of the most important collections of Egyptian Coptic art in the world and date from around the 11th and 12th centuries. The church is also home to the tomb of St. Anthony (the father of monasticism) and is a major pilgrimage destination for Egyptian Coptic Christians.

Monks run tours of the monastery that include visiting the church and some of the monastery's gardens, as well as allowing you to head up and walk on top of the monastery's walls.

St. Anthony's Monastery is very isolated. If you don't have your own transport, the easiest way to get here is to hire a driver from Cairo or Hurghada.

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18 Top Tourist Attractions in Egypt

By Mike Kaplan · Last updated on May 4, 2024

One of the most popular countries to visit on the continent, Egypt lies in the northeast corner of Africa, bordered by the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Home to incredible tourist attractions such as the Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, and the pyramids at Giza, it is famed around the world for its ancient monuments and age-old archaeological sites.

Although focus of most tourist visits remains the great monuments along the Nile, possibilities for Egyptian travel also includes snorkeling and diving along the Red Sea coast. Other things to do in Egypt include camel trips into the mountains of Sinai, tours to remote oases or visits to the Coptic monasteries of the Eastern Desert.

In addition, the country has a rich culture and heritage for you to delve into, with fantastic museums and monasteries alongside a plethora of Ancient Egyptian attractions.

18. Temple of Isis at Philae

Located in southern Egypt, the Temple of Isis lies on a small island in a reservoir of the Aswan Low Dam, surrounded by the swift-flowing waters of the river Nile. Originally located on Philae, it was dismantled and then relocated and reconstructed on Agilkia Island in the 1970s to protect and preserve the ancient complex from flooding.

Impressively, the temple is the oldest built in the classical Egyptian style and dates back to the third century BC. Dedicated to the goddess Isis, it features sturdy stone columns and carefully carved capitals, with age-old hieroglyphs also on show.

Besides the terrific Temple of Isis, there are some stunning shrines, statues, and sculptures for visitors to check out, with Aswan’s alluring sights lying not far away.

One of the most important and impressive archaeological sites in Egypt, the ancient city of Abydos lies in the center of the country, just a couple of hours north of Luxor. Home to an astounding array of temples, tombs, and tantalizing treasures, it was here that the early pharaohs were buried, with the royal necropolis of Seti I being the undoubted highlight.

Wandering around the extensive yet largely unexcavated site is an awe-inspiring experience as massive monuments and cavernous chapels, chambers and courts lie all around. Once the main cult center of Osiris, the god of the afterlife, Abydos is thought to have been founded over six thousand years ago, remaining in use as a necropolis for most of that time.

16. Temple of Edfu

Boasting an extraordinary entrance, the Temple of Edfu lies on the banks of the river Nile, between Luxor and Aswan. Built between 237 and 57 BC, the Ptolemaic temple is dedicated to Horus; one of the most important ancient Egyptian deities.

Very well-preserved, it showcases remarkable reliefs and delightfully detailed carvings and hieroglyphs; even its roof is intact. Surrounding its sanctuary are nine chapels, and large stone columns line its divinely decorated halls.

It is its gigantic gateway that is the Temple of Edfu’s standout feature; it is guarded by grand granite statues and decorated with reliefs of long-gone pharaohs.

15. Bibliotheca Alexandrina

One of the most important centers of learning and culture in the country, Bibliotheca Alexandrina is located in Egypt’s second-largest city of Alexandria, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Opened in 2002, it attempts to replicate, commemorate, and celebrate the knowledge and learning that once took place in the Great Library of Alexandria – one of the ancient world’s greatest institutions.

It certainly achieves its goal. Within the complex are a number of magnificent museums and art galleries and a fabulous planetarium, while its main reading room can hold up to eight million books. The library exhibits lovely architecture: its design imitates the rising sun, and its exterior is coated in symbols and scripts from all around the world.

14. Red Pyramid

Surrounded by the endless sands of the Sahara, the Red Pyramid is located some 40 kilometers to the south of Cairo at the Dahshur necropolis. Widely believed to be the first successful smooth-sided pyramid ever built, it dates to 2590 BCE and lies next to the Bent Pyramid, an earlier and unique but ultimately unsuccessful attempt.

Once encased in white limestone, the 105-meter-high pyramid is now a ruddy red – residents of Cairo carted off its outer layer and used it to erect buildings. Visitors to the Red Pyramid can enter its interior chambers through a series of narrow passageways and marvel at the astonishing feat of engineering which paved the way for the pyramids at Giza to be built.

13. Siwa Oasis

Set in a scenic yet secluded spot in the Sahara, Siwa Oasis lies not far from the border with Libya. It boasts its own unique desert culture and distinct dialect. Mostly made up of Berbers, the town is primarily known for being home to the powerful and prestigious Temple of the Oracle, which even Alexander the Great came to consult.

While its revered ruins attract the most visitors, astounding archaeological sites, such as the rock tombs of Gebel al Mawta and the crumbling mud-brick fortress of Shali, are also well worth checking out. Siwa Oasis has a rich history, culture and heritage for you to delve into, with stunning salt lakes and desert scenery found nearby.

12. Blue Hole (Dahab)

One of Egypt’s most popular dive sites, the Blue Hole, lies just north of Dahab on the southeast of the Sinai Peninsula. Dropping straight down for over a hundred meters, the sinkhole is brimming with colorful coral reefs and shimmering shoals of fish.

Due to the abundance of marine life and shoreline accessibility, recreational scuba divers line up to explore its underwater riches every day. While it is perfectly safe, the Blue Hole has unfortunately claimed the lives of a number of deep divers as they attempted to pass through its archway – a 26 meter-long tunnel which lies more than 55 meters below the surface.

11. Al Azhar Mosque

The first mosque founded in the city, Al Azhar was built by the Fatimids in 972 in their newly established capital of Cairo . Located in its mesmerizing medieval quarter, the mosque exhibits exquisite architecture, with majestic minarets and madrasas lying alongside divinely decorated prayer halls and marble-coated courtyards.

In addition to the fine features and flourishes that date to the Mamluks and Ottomans, among others, Al Azhar is also one of the oldest seats of learning in the world and still functions as a university to this day.

10. St Catherine’s Monastery

Set in the center of the Sinai Peninsula, St Catherine’s Monastery lies not far from the small town of the same name, beneath the wonderfully weathered Willow Peak. Sacred to Christians, Muslims, and Jews, it is one of the oldest monasteries in the world, having been established in the year 324.

Enclosed within its ancient walls, you can find a lovely church, mosque, and library, as well as innumerable important icons and mosaics. On top of its historical, cultural, and religious value, St Catherine’s Monastery also boasts some superb scenery: it is set in a spectacular spot in the desert.

9. Pyramid of Djoser

Out of all of Egypt’s astonishing and awe-inspiring archaeological sites, the Pyramid of Djoser stands alone as the first colossal stone monument constructed in the world. Due to the amount of labor and level of societal organizing needed, its construction represented an astounding leap from previous architectural styles and norms.

Dating all the way back to the 27th century BC, the stunning step pyramid was built to house the burial chamber of Pharaoh Djoser, and many tunnels and galleries can be found inside it. Part of the sprawling Saqarra necropolis, the phenomenal pyramid is flanked by colonnaded corridors, monumental halls, and courts, and lies some 30 kilometers to the south of Cairo.

8. Egyptian Museum

Full of glittering jewels, marvelous mummies, and stupendous statues, the Egyptian Museum is home to one of the world’s most extensive collections of ancient artifacts. First opened in 1902, the large pinkish-red building can be found in Downtown Cairo overlooking Tahrir Square.

Wedged within its grand galleries are over 100,000 objects, with sublime stone sculptures and tantalizing treasures wherever you look. While its intricately decorated furniture, boats, and sarcophagi make for fascinating viewing, the undoubted highlight is the glittering Gold Mask of Tutankhamun, which is renowned around the world.

7. Ras Mohammed

Lying right in the south of the Sinai Peninsula, the small and scenic peninsula of Ras Mohammed juts into the warm waters of the Red Sea. Now a national park, its desolate landscapes contrast delightfully with the colors and life found beneath its waves.

As such, it is one of the most popular places in Egypt to go scuba diving and snorkeling, with the famous Shark and Yolanda Reef sites being the pick of the lot. Besides its gorgeous coral reefs and shimmering shoals of fish, Ras Mohammed also has some beautiful beaches and superb scenery for visitors to enjoy.

6. River Nile Cruise

Cruising the Nile is one of the most popular things to do in Egypt. The Nile River has been Egypt’s lifeline since ancient times and there is no better way to trace the passage of Egypt’s history than to follow the course of the Nile.

Almost all Egyptian cruise ships travel the Luxor-Aswan route which is safe, scenic and terminates at two of Egypt’s most important towns.

Taking a Felucca down the Nile is an adventurous option. Feluccas are sail boats that have been used on the Nile since antiquity. A Felucca is not quite as comfortable as a luxury cruise ship but nothing can beat sailing in a quiet rig that was designed thousands of years ago.

5. White Desert National Park

Boasting some of the most unique, unusual, and incredible landscapes in Egypt, White Desert National Park lies in the west of the country, not far from Farafra. Here, you’ll find sparkling white chalk rock formations, outcrops of glinting quartz, and the magically named Crystal Mountain.

Sculpted over millennia by the desert winds and sands of the Sahara, their surreal shapes and colors are mesmerizing to gaze upon, with the best views to be had from atop the two towering Twin Peaks. As the fantastic formations are so spectacularly lit up at sunset and sunrise, it is well worth camping the night in the national park to see them in all their glimmering glory.

4. Karnak Temple

Renowned for its staggering size, scale, and splendor, the Karnak Temple complex covers a vast area and is one of Luxor’s most popular attractions. While work first began on the site around 2000 BC, approximately 30 pharaohs contributed to its dazzling and decadent design, with each ruler adding their own temples and sanctuaries, chapels and obelisks.

Wandering around the temple really does feel like stepping back in time as you pass by colossal colonnades, human-headed sphinxes, and astounding architecture. The standout sight is the great Temple of Amun-Ra that dominates and defines the complex and boasts a majestic hypostyle hall.

3. Valley of the Kings

One of the most remarkable archaeological sites on Earth, the Valley of the Kings lies on the west bank of the river Nile, facing Luxor. Cut into the surrounding cliffs, valleys, and mountains are an incredible 63 royal tombs, with pharaohs such as Tutankhamun and Ramesses buried here from the 16th to 11th century BC.

Most of these chambers are sumptuously decorated with religious texts and resplendent reliefs, although their glittering treasures and sarcophagi have long since been removed. Visiting the age-old tombs is an awe-inspiring experience as you navigate cool rock-cut corridors and emerge into burial chambers painted with arresting scenes from Egyptian mythology.

2. Temples of Abu Simbel

Set in the deep south of Egypt, not far from the border with Sudan, the Temples of Abu Simbel look out over the shimmering waters of Lake Nasser. Carved out of the mountainside in the 13th century BC, the twin temples are one of the most iconic sights in Egypt thanks to the enormous rock relief figures flanking their entrance.

While the famed facades attract the most attention, their interiors are just as delightful to explore, with statues, reliefs, and pillared halls all on show. Almost as impressive as the Great Temple of Ramses II and the Temple of Hathor is the fact that the complex was relocated entirely in 1968 to avoid the rising waters of the Aswan Dam.

1. Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza

Lying on the outskirts of Greater Cairo is one of humankind’s most astonishing architectural achievements – the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza. Built between 2580 to 2510 BC are three phenomenal pyramids, with the enormous Great Sphinx and its human-like features set beside them.

While the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure both make for stunning sights, the Pyramid of Khufu – the oldest, largest, and most intact of the trio – is the real showstopper. Towering to a staggering 146 meters, it is made out of more than 2.3 million blocks, with grand galleries and burial chambers found within.

Exploring the Giza Pyramid Complex on foot or camelback is an experience like no other as you pass by some of the oldest buildings on Earth with the desert stretching out all around you.

Map of Things to Do in Egypt

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Reader interactions.

June 11, 2018 at 6:26 pm

It’s very hard to put a list of only 10 top attractions in Egypt, because there are many more! Have you camped at the white desert and seen its magnificent rock formations? have you star-gazed in Sinai? or watched the sun-rise over the fossils and rock formations at the Whales Valley in Fayoum? or walked Mu’izz street in Islamic Cairo at night, watched a whirling dervishes show, then had tea at El-Fishawy Cafe? or walked the streets of downtown, and had coffee at one of its historical cafes? Well, the list is just endless..

September 26, 2015 at 10:04 am

Thank you so much for the descriptions and pictures. I’m visiting Cairo in October and already wrote down places I’m going to visit. You made it easy and very exciting for me. Thanks again 🙂

August 6, 2014 at 11:37 pm

Great article! Since I was a child, I’ve always been interested in the Valley of the Kings. I especially want to see King Tut’s tomb at least once in my life. Well, its great to know that there are a lot of beautiful tourist destinations in Egypt. I also saw one of the comments. Is there really such a thing as the sunken city in Alexandria? I hope you can write about it soon!

July 30, 2014 at 7:32 am

Well, this article has very nice pictures. But you missed the sunken city in Alexandria. it is full of sunken ancient Egyptian and Greek monuments!

March 8, 2014 at 10:55 am

Hundreds of miles of coral, a wealth of sea life, and crystal-clear waters earn Egypt’s Red Sea Coast recognition as one of the planet’s best dive destinations. The warm water, great visibility, and availability of excellent instructors make this a good spot to learn how to dive. Most scuba activity here is based out of Dahab, Hurghada, Marsa Alam, Safaga, and Sharm El-Sheikh. The best diving spot on world by fodors.com top 10 list .this is my country 🙂

February 21, 2014 at 3:12 am

I want to see Giza, it is just a stone’s throw from Cairo and lies literally across the road from many of the most popular hotels.

August 19, 2013 at 3:19 pm

My number 1 place to visit in Egypt is Elephantine Island! It is in the middle of the nile and used to be used at a river check point into Lower Egypt. Great archeological site!

July 10, 2013 at 9:54 pm

What a wonderful place to visit and the sites and people of this land were incredible. We have just returned from the most memorable holiday ever.Our touring experience was exciting, safe and welcoming.No need to dig we had immediate access to knowledgeable, skilled and world class tour guides with great insight .Yes, from brilliant sunrise to splendid sunset every step of the tour, we were treated with warm friendly hospitality -Shukran

May 29, 2013 at 8:51 am

Looks very cool, I can’t wait to be on the river Nile cruise….. Pyramid of Giza , red sea reef etc Egypt I’m coming soon….

May 18, 2011 at 9:27 am

Wow, you’ve got some great pictures here! I remember studying Ancient Egypt at school and since then have loved the place!

December 5, 2010 at 1:49 pm

Egypt has always been the first travel destination choice for me. It is breathtaking and holds so much history. Travel is always joyous to me. The idea of getting lost in a unknown place is exciting to me. There are so many places to go, and no one to stop you. I have wanted to watch the sun rise and set among the great pyramids since I was 9 years old, and I am now considering deep diving into the Red Sea and have a look around.

December 5, 2010 at 1:44 pm

Egypt is a place that I would love to travel to. It has always been the place I imagined myself to watch the sun raise, while looking at the great pyramids. I have never thought the Red Sea would be a place to add to my list to visit in my travels while in Egypt but just the one picture shown above is beautiful and I would definatly take a dive in and wonder the sea.

Just knowing the history of Egypt is so inspriring to me. There are so many places in the world that are remarkable but yet there is not enough time do make it to every place. For the longest time I have wanted to travel around the world and film it, then sale them for domcumentaion to schools and other academic areas. I would be able to travel and make a profit off of it.

December 3, 2010 at 11:40 am

Argh the red sea reef looks amazing!! But the temples must also be pretty impressive. I really have to visit!

December 1, 2010 at 7:08 pm

I have not been to any of those tourists spots in Egypt and I am hoping that I can visit there next year. My first stop would be at the Pyramids of Giza.

November 26, 2010 at 11:42 pm

Egypt has been attracting tourist for several thousand years. The Pyramids of Giza, the beach resorts along the Red Sea, and the bazaars of Medieval Cairo this are the most attractive place in egypt. The best time to go is between October to May when a visit to the temples in Luxor.

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Ancient Egypt Bucket List: 20 Must-See Ancient Egyptian Sites

There are literally hundreds of incredible Ancient Egyptian sites dating back thousands and thousands of years peppered all over modern day Egypt, and it’s almost impossible to see them all in one trip.

But which are the most important and the most impressive? Well, we created a bucket list of just that: the twenty most jaw-dropping Ancient Egyptian sites that exist today. So whether you’re a traveller trying to see as much as you can in one trip, or a local who’s slowly but surely seeing ticking off site by site, this list will help lead you in the right direction.

1. The Pyramids of Giza & Sphinx

Well, this is a no-brainer. Also known as the Giza necropolis, this desert plateau on the outskirts of Cairo is home to the three Pyramids of Giza (Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure), their associated pyramid complexes, the Great Sphinx, a workers’ village and several cemeteries. The Pyramids of Giza were built in the 4th Dynasty of the Old Kingdom, and the pyramids of Khufu (the Great Pyramid) and Khafre are the two largest pyramids in Egypt (Khufu’s pyramid is also the last remaining ancient wonder of the world!).

Read more: Visiting the Pyramids of Giza - A Local's Guide to Everything You Need to Know

2. Karnak Temple

The temple complex of Karnak is the largest religious building ever built, and was constructed over a span of 2,000 years. Construction started in the Old Kingdom and was continuously added to up until the Ptolemaic era, with approximately 30 different pharaohs contributing. It’s the second most visited site in Egypt after the Pyramids of Giza.

It’s also home to the Open Air Karnak Museum -- for more important museums in Egypt, head here.

3. Step Pyramid of Saqqara & Saqqara Necropolis

The necropolis at Saqqara is home to the famous Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest pyramid in Egypt. It’s also where you’ll find the mastaba tombs of government officials and palace workers, as well as the pyramids of Unas and Teti, the only two pyramids in Egypt with Pyramid Texts inscribedin their inner walls.

The Step Pyramid is thought of as the initial prototype for the later smooth-sided pyramids; the architect was Djoser’s vizier Imhotep, thought of now as the founding father of Egyptian pyramids, and the design is six mastabas of decreasing size atop one another. Mastabas were how pharaohs and other Egyptian royalty and VIPs were buried before the invention of the pyramids -- mastabas were rectangular, flat-roofed tombs.

Read more: Saqqara, Egypt - A Local's Guide to Visiting the Step Pyramid of Djoser & the Saqqara Tombs

4. Valley of the Kings

In the former ancient Egyptian capital of Thebes (now modern-day Luxor in Upper Egypt), is the infamous Valley of the Kings. For a period of 500 years in the New Kingdom (1550 BC - 1069 BC), pharaohs were buried in rock-cut tombs in the Theban Hills, hidden from plain view. 62 tombs have been excavated to present day, with King Tut’s tomb being the most famous (but ironically, not the most impressive). Note: not all the tombs are open to the public, and some are on rotation.

Read more: 8 Best Ancient Egyptian Tomb Sites in Modern Egypt

5. Valley of the Queens

Nearby to the Valley of the Kings is the Valley of the Queens, where the wives of the pharaohs were buried during the same period. The main valley has 91 tombs discovered to date, and they’re generally smaller than the tombs in the Valley of the Kings.

6. Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel is comprised of two massive rock temples, about 3 hours from Aswan. The twin temples were constructed in the 19th Dynasty of the New Kingdom as an everlasting monument to Ramses II and his Great Royal Wife Nefertari. The massive temples were relocated from their original spot in an international effort to save the ancient monuments from Nile flooding, and are one of Egypt’s 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

7. Deir el Bahri

Known primarily for the mortuary temple of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut of the New Kingdom, Deir el Bahri was originally chosen as the location for the mortuary temple of the pharaoh who founded the Middle Kingdom, Mentuhotep II. Hatshepsut’s temple though is the star of the show, and the massive terraced monument is surrounded by a steep cliff. It was in this cliff that archaeologists found a cache of royal mummies, moved in antiquity from the Valley of the Kings.

Read more: 12 Most Impressive Ancient Egyptian Temples Still Standing Today

8. Luxor Temple

Constructed around 1400 BC (more than 3,400 years ago), Luxor Temple differs from most other ancient Egyptian temples due to the fact that it wasn’t built for worship of a particular god or pharaoh. It was mainly used as a place where pharaohs were coronated and crowned, sometimes even conceptually (for example, Alexander the Great claimed he was crowned there but no evidence suggests he was ever there).

During medieval times, the Muslim community built on the Luxor Temple site, and until now a functional mosque remains part of the temple complex (you can read more about Egypt’s most beautiful mosques here ).

9. Philae Temple

The temple complex at Philae in Aswan was primarily built during Ptolemaic times, and finished during the Roman conquest. It’s known for being the last place where hieroglyphs were written, and the last place where the Ancient Egyptian religion was practiced. Christianity became present in Philae starting the 4th century, where it first was practiced alongside the Ancient Egyptian religion and then solely. Today you can see both the original Ancient Egyptian temples and the temples that were converted into churches.

Read more: 12 Most Interesting Things To See And Do In Aswan

10. Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid

Not very far from the Giza and Saqqara pyramids you’ll find the necropolis of Dahshur, home to the Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid, both built by the pharaoh Sneferu. The Red Pyramid, received its moniker due to its reddish hue, although it wasn’t always red. The entire pyramid used to be encased in white limestone, which you can still see at the base.

The Bent Pyramid was built right before the Red Pyramid. Archaeologists believe that the Bent Pyramid represents a transitional form between the step pyramid and smooth-sided pyramid. The ‘bent’ appearance is due to its base having a 54 degree inclination, but the top section having a narrower 43 degree angle. There are different theories as to why it was built this way: one was that as the builders reached the top, the top section started to show instability, so they narrowed the angle.

Read more: Dahshur Pyramids - A Local's Guide to Visiting the Bent Pyramid, Red Pyramid & Black Pyramid of Egypt

11. Deir el Medina

This necropolis is often overlooked in favor of its more famous neighbors, the Valleys of the Kings and Queens, but you’d be doing yourself a huge disservice by not visiting Deir el Medina while in Luxor. Also known as the Valley of the Artisans, it’s home to the tombs of the artists, builders and craftsmen who worked on the tombs in the Valleys of the Kings and Queens.

12. Temple of Hathor at Dendera

Known for its still-startling blue more than 2,000 years later, the Temple of Hathor is the most impressive site at the temple complex at Dendera. Built in the Ptolemaic era, it shows Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman influences and has several shrines to different gods. It’s also known for the clear depictions of Cleopatra and her son Caeserion, fathered by Julius Caesar.

13. Medinet Habu

Ramses III is widely considered the last truly powerful pharaoh of the New Kingdom, and his mortuary temple dominates the archaeological site of Medinet Habu in Luxor. The temple is especially known for the depictions of Ramses III defeating the ‘Sea Peoples’, invaders of Ancient Egypt whose origins are unknown.

14. Edfu Temple

Built during the Ptolemaic times, the Temple of Horus at Edfu (or Edfu Temple) is one of the best preserved temples in all of Egypt. It’s also the largest temple dedicated to Horus. The wall inscriptions provided archeologists with important information about Ancient Egyptian religion and language during the Hellenistic/Ptolemaic era.

15. Memphis

Memphis was the first capital of Egypt and was established by Mena (Menes), the first pharaoh and uniter of Upper and Lower Egypt. Memphis, besides being the capital, was known for being a holy center of worship for the god Ptah. The city started to decline during the New Kingdom and the rise of Thebes in the south.

Today what remains of Memphis is mainly ruins, but the great colossus of Ramses II is definitely worth seeing, as is the rest of the open-air museum.

16. Unfinished Obelisk

The Unfinished Obelisk is the largest obelisk built in Ancient Egypt, and if it had been completed it would’ve reached 42 meters (around 137 feet), which is one third larger than any other existing obelisk.

Commissioned by the female pharaoh Hatshepsut, it was carved out of bedrock in a stone quarry, but cracks appeared in the granite during its construction, leading to its abandonment.

You can still see it in its original quarry, giving interesting insight into the stone-working techniques of the Ancient Egyptians.

17. Colossi of Memnon

These are the remains of two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III that date back to the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom. They were originally guarding the gate of Amenhotep III’s mortuary temple, which at the time was the largest and most awe-inspiring temple in Egypt — the Ramesseum (below) and Medinet Habu paled in comparison, and even Karnak Temple was smaller.

Sadly years of flooding and earthquakes completely destroyed the temple, and later earthquakes also damaged the Colossi of Memnon, leaving them faceless.

18. Ramesseum

The Ramessum is the mortuary temple of Ramses II (the same pharaoh who built Abu Simbel, and Seti I’s son). It was built with the intention of being a place of worship after Ramses II died, so his memory would be kept alive; this was of the utmost importance in the Ancient Egyptian religion.

19. Kom Ombo

Kom Ombo, about an hour’s drive from central Aswan, is an unusual double temple dating back to the Ptolemaic era. A ‘double’ temple means it has two sets of halls, sanctuaries and rooms dedicated to two different gods; in the case of Kom Ombo, the two gods were Sobek (the crocodile god) and Horus (the falcon god). Over 300 crocodile mummies were found at the site, and they’re now in the adjacent Crocodile Museum.

Kom Ombo also has engravings of what it is believed to be the first representation of medical tools and surgical instruments in the world.

20. Temple of Khnum at Esna

Khnum was the Ancient Egyptian ram-headed god who created the world on his potter’s wheel, and this temple to him was built during Ptolemaic times but added to by the Romans. Because it was such a deeply religious site, inscriptions on the temple walls instruct visitors that to enter they must have trimmed fingernails and toenails, wear linen, remove body hair, wash their hands with natron (a type of salt) and not have had sex for several days (makes modern-day places of worship seem like a walk in the park).

You might also like: Visiting the Pyramids of Giza - A Local's Guide to Everything You Need to Know

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15 best experiences in Egypt for history, adventure and culture

Aug 16, 2023 • 9 min read

From food tours in Cairo to floating in a desert oasis in Siwa, here are the best things to do in Egypt © Oleh_Slobodeniuk / Getty Images

One day you’re climbing the desert’s highest peak, the next you’re walking amid remnants of the world’s oldest civilization or diving into the depths of the Red Sea. Whether Egypt 's on your travel radar for the history, the adventure, the beaches or even just the pyramids, when it comes to things to do, you are spoiled for choice.

Here's our guide to Egypt's very best experiences. 

1. Have breakfast at the pyramids 

8. Why not kick your visit to the pyramids  up a notch with some falafel, hot mint tea and a vast picture-perfect panoramic view of the ancient wonder? Head to the 9 Pyramids Lounge  for influencer-worthy photo ops and a solid Egyptian breakfast of freshly baked bread, feta cheese or a Tahini salad. 

2. Watch an authentic Tanoura performance in Cairo

Old Cairo is also home to the beautifully restored Wekalet el Ghouri Arts Center that hosts a wide array of cultural events. Here you can see an unforgettable Tanoura show – a whirling dervish performance that merges Egyptian folklore and Sufi spiritual chants. This colorful and mesmerizing one-hour experience is a must-see for anyone visiting Cairo. 

Planning tip: The show runs every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 7pm, but make sure to show up at 6pm to snag your tickets before they’re gone.

3. Experience Egyptian street food at Cairo's Kebdet El Prince 

Situated in the heart of Cairo’s Imbaba neighborhood is Kebdet El Prince, a haven of Egyptian street food with a side of quintessentially Cairene sensory overload. This bustling joint is ideal for anyone looking to experience Egyptian street food. 

Start with the basics: molokhia (jute mallow), kebda (liver), and sogo’ (sausage). More adventurous foodies should try mombar (stuffed sausage), makhasi (bull tesitcles) and shorbet kaware’ (cow’s foot soup).

Detour: If you can still breathe, have dessert next door at El-Malky and top it off with a mint tea from the cafe across the street. 

4. Wander through the alleys of Old Cairo

The ancient streets of Old Cairo are mazes of narrow alleys filled with monuments, mansions, museums, and mosques. Start at El Moez Street and soak in how the rich architectural, religious and cultural history fuses with the vibrant din of daily local life in this bustling neighborhood. 

Walk until you reach the Khan El-Khalili bazaar where you can shop for everything from soap powder to ornate clothing and small trinkets. Then head to Bab Zuweila – one of three remaining gates from the Old City of Cairo.

Planning tip: Time your arrival to watch the sun setting over the ancient buildings from the towering minarets of Bab Zuweila – one of the best views you’ll find in the city. 

5. Camp in the Fayoum Desert 

Disconnect from the mayhem of modern life with desert camping in  Fayoum . Experience the dunes on a 4WD safari ride with stops at the Wadi el Rayan waterfalls and the crystal blue lakes in the middle of the desert, and top it off with a freshly prepared Bedouin dinner under the stars. Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a light jacket if your trip is in the summer; for winter, pack your whole closet – the desert gets cold at night. Fayoum is just two hours south of the capital, so this trip can easily be done as a weekend getaway from Cairo.

Planning tip:  For an optimal night of clear stargazing without light pollution, time your visit to Wadi el Rayan or Wadi al Hittan (Valley of the Whales) for when there’s no moon.

6. Go kitesurfing at the Blue Lagoon  

Time stands still at the turquoise Blue Lagoon. Located between the shadows of the Sinai Mountains and the crystal waters of the Red Sea, the Blue Lagoon has flat waters and strong winds, making this Red Sea sweet spot a kitesurfer’s paradise. 

Novices can book a private kitesurfing course upon arrival. If you’re not into kitesurfing, the Blue Lagoon is a perfect spot to do absolutely nothing by laying on the beach, enjoying the sea and serenity.

7. Float in Siwa’s picturesque Salt Lakes 

Picture this: floating in a perfect pool of crystal blue waters in the middle of the desert, surrounded by shimmering towers of sea salt. The Siwa’s salt lakes have long been a treasured local spot. Float effortlessly in an otherworldly pool with the highest water to salt ratios that’s not just picture-perfect, but it's said to clear sinuses and treat infections. 

Siwa Oasis is dotted with hundreds of turquoise salt pools – a stark contrast against the oasis’ palm greens and desert yellows, all laid against the backdrop of stunning sunsets that earned it the title of Sunset Oasis.

Local tip: Keep a few bottles of clean water with you to wash the layers of salt off your body and avoid any skin irritation. Or, even better, go for a dip in Cleopatra’s Spring afterward.

8. Snorkel or dive in the Red Sea's Sataya Reef 

Marsa Alam is great base for divers looking to discover the riches of the Red Sea. Horseshoe-shaped Sataya Reef  ranks as one of the most beautiful dive spots on the planet, with its striking sea life and colorful corals. This wonder of the natural world is suitable for snorkelers too.

9. Temple hop in Luxor

Luxor , the world’s greatest open-air museum, is a testament to the ancient Egyptian civilization through its sheer wealth of temples and monuments. 

Begin your temple-hopping at the Temple of Karnak – the perfect manifestation of pharaonic ambition. A few kilometers southwest of Karnak is the stunning Luxor Temple . If you can, visit at night when the temple lights are turned on. About 40 minutes northwest of the Luxor Temple lies The Valley of the Kings – a popular tourist destination and includes the tombs of Ramses III , Seti I and Ay .  

At the southern portion of the Theban hillside and about 7km (4mi) from the Valley of the Kings is The Valley of the Queens . A 75-tomb area that includes the final resting places of Nefertari and one of the five wives of Ramses II.      

Detour: Other major points along the way include: Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple, the Luxor Museum and Ramses III’s Medinat Habu on the West Bank.

10. Eat like an Egyptian with a local food tour in Cairo

Food is an international love language and Cairo is bursting with culinary gems, but where do you start? What do you try? Where do you go? Connect with local culture on a food tour where you immerse yourself in Egypt’s history and local life, one authentic dish at a time. 

Ideal for solo female travelers, Bellies En-Route is a female-owned food tour provider that skips the culinary tourist hot spots and takes visitors to local mom-and-pop spots or neighborhood favorites known for fantastic street fare. You can even help out in the kitchen at some of the restaurants, an excellent opportunity to connect with the community while preparing food. 

11. Float above Luxor in a hot-air balloon  

Dozens of balloons take to Luxor’s skies every day at dawn for a view that’s literally breathtaking. Watch the sun rise and light up the Theban hills, local farms and ancient monuments. See the Nile River glistening in the distance and wave at locals watching from their balconies. Trust us, it’s definitely worth that 3am wake-up call and pre-ride anxiety. 

12. Take a sunset felucca ride along the Nile  

The world’s longest river is best experienced floating peacefully in a felucca (traditional wooden sailboat) at sunrise or sunset, whether you’re in Cairo or Aswan or anywhere in between. 

In Cairo, docks line the corniche in Maadi, Zamalek and Garden City, and give you a gorgeous view of the Cairene skyline; if you’re in Aswan, feluccas are your go-to mode of transportation between the city’s 20 islands. Either way, grab a few friends, snacks, and drinks and spend some time taking in the stunning serenity of the Nile. 

13. Hike the Sinai Trail or Red Sea Mountain Trail 

Experience Egypt’s most iconic mountain peaks and untrodden wildernesses by hiking alongside local Bedouin guides through the country’s two sister trails: the Sinai Trail and the Red Sea Mountain Trail. 

The Sinai Trail is Egypt’s first long-distance hiking trail, a circuit that runs 550km (342 miles) through the territories of the eight Bedouin tribes of South Sinai. The 170km (106 mile) Red Sea Mountain Trail , located just outside the beachside resort town of Hurghada , showcases the best of the region’s inimitable beauty – from vast desert plains to deep gorges, and from crumbling Roman towns to prehistoric rock art and chapels of Egypt’s Desert Fathers. 

Local tip: Both trails are sustainable tourism initiatives that directly support the local Bedouin communities by creating jobs and help keep the region’s traditional Bedouin knowledge, skills, and heritage alive. And don’t worry, the trails are divided into segments so you can choose whether to take between two- and five-day hikes as part of your trip. 

14. Dive and snorkel near Dahab

Dahab , South Sinai’s token beach town, is ideal for divers and snorkelers to experience mind-blowing marine life. If you're not already a qualified diver, you can start your PADI certification process at one of Dahab’s many dive centers.

A few kilometers north of Dahab is Egypt’s Blue Hole , a submarine sinkhole that drops straight down to a depth of over 100m (328ft), and attracts experienced divers from all over the world. It’s a fascinating but risky dive that’s unfortunately claimed many lives, and it should be left to pro and advanced divers only. 

15. Relax with the view from Castle Zaman 

Come for the view, stay for – well, the view. This medieval-style castle that’s actually a slow-food restaurant, is nestled between Sinai’s signature mountains and lies somewhere between Nuweiba and Taba by the Gulf of Aqaba – an unparalleled vantage point across the Red Sea that spans the shores and mountains of Egypt, Jordan , Israel , and Saudi Arabia . 

Spend a full day at Castle Zaman chilling in the pool, having a drink at the bar, and enjoying a slow-cooked lunch or dinner that includes items like a meat tagine or the catch of the day. Although Castle Zaman doesn’t offer overnight accommodation, you can make use of its amenities such as the sauna and massage treatments.

Planning tip: And for an overnight stay, head to Dayra Camp , a collection of wildly decorated straw huts and wooden bungalows located in the coastal town of Nuweiba  – just 23km (14mi) away.  

This article was first published Jan 7, 2022 and updated Aug 16, 2023.

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The History Hit Miscellany of Facts, Figures and Fascinating Finds

Egypt’s 6 Cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Explore the wonders of ancient egypt with a journey to its unesco world heritage sites. from the majestic pyramids of giza to the historic treasures of luxor and the mystical temples of abu simbel, immerse yourself in the rich history and architectural marvels of this captivating land..

24 May 2023

Egypt is a land steeped in ancient history, and is home to a collection of UNESCO World Heritage sites of remnants of one of the world’s greatest civilisations. From the iconic Pyramids of Giza to the awe-inspiring temples of Luxor and the mystical Abu Simbel , each site holds a unique story and continues to draw tourists from around the world.

Egypt contains 7 UNESCO World Heritage sites in total, including the natural site of Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley) which contains invaluable whale fossil remains, but here we explore Egypt’s 6 cultural UNESCO World Heritage sites. Each contain a plethora of fascinating and ancient buildings and monuments famous worldwide, and are synonymous with our view of Ancient Egypt, land of the pharaohs .

1. Historic Cairo

Hidden amidst the modern bustling city of Cairo is one of the world’s oldest Islamic cities. Originally founded in the 10th century as al-Mu’izziyya al-Qaahirah, it served as a seat of power and grew into the vibrant metropolis of al-Qahira, now known as Cairo. Cairo became a significant centre under the rule of Saladin and later the Mamluk Sultanate, reaching its zenith in 1340 as the largest city in the Islamic world, with a population of almost half a million. However, 14th century plagues and changing trade routes led to its gradual decline.

Historic Cairo was designated a UNSECO World Heritage Site in 1979. Situated on the eastern bank of the Nile , it encompasses over 600 classified monuments and buildings, ranging from the 7th to the 20th centuries. Notable landmarks include The Citadel of Cairo, constructed by Saladin in the 12th century, and the Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hasan, built between 1356-1363. Historic Cairo includes Coptic Cairo, which showcases the Ancient Roman Babylon Fortress, dating to around 30 BC.

2. Ancient Thebes, Egypt

The ancient city of Thebes was once the capital of Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom Egypt . Along with its famous Necropolis, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Founded during the Early Dynastic period of Lower Egypt, some of its oldest surviving buildings are roughly 4,000 years old, dating from the 11th dynasty and the beginning of the Middle Kingdom. Ancient Egyptians referred to the city as Nowe or Nuwe (‘City of Amon’). Thebes played a crucial role in reunifying Egypt and initiating the New Kingdom in the 16th century BC.

During the last great Golden Age of Ancient Egypt, Pharaohs brought immense wealth from their conquests in Nubia and the Near East, leading to the construction of magnificent palaces and temples. The Valley of the Kings , located on the west bank of the Nile opposite Thebes was established during this period. However, Thebes declined, culminating in its sack by the Assyrians in the 7th century BC, dwindling to the size of a village by the Roman  period.

Today, its ruins lie within the modern Egyptian city of Luxor. Many well-preserved structures continue to attract numerous tourists, including the Karnak Temple Complex (the main place of worship during the 18th dynasty), Hatshepsut ‘s mortuary temple, Luxor Temple (connected to Karnak Temple by the Avenue of Sphinxes), Ramesseum (a memorial temple to Ramses II ) and the Colossi of Memnon (two monumental statues of pharaoh Amenhotep III ). Many of these sites have been renowned tourist attractions since ancient Roman times.

3. Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae

This  UNESCO World Heritage Site consists of 11 monuments, found between the two temples of Abu Simbel and Philae. Remarkably only two monuments have remained in their original location, the rest were moved during the construction of the Aswan High Dam to protect them from flooding. The site gained its name partly from the Nubian people whose history was deeply intertwined with Ancient Egypt .

One of the most famous landmarks is the Abu Simbel – a remarkable collection of Ancient Egyptian monuments and rock temples constructed by Ramesses II around 1,279 BC to immortalise himself and honour the gods. The larger temple, known as the Great Temple, is dedicated to Re-Horakhti, Amon Ra and Ptah, as well as Ramesses and his wife, Nefertari . Carved into the sandstone, it features two rows of Osirid statues of Ramses, each one 30 feet high. The smaller temple, the Temple of Hathor, is devoted to the goddess Hathor.

The temple of Philae was a popular place of pilgrimage where people worshipped the goddess Isis, whilst the ruins of the Temples of Kalabsha are comparatively ‘new’, completed around 30 BC during Roman Egypt . Significant sites also include the Qasr Ibrim Fortress, the Temple of Dakka, the Temple of Beit al-Wali, the ancient Granite Quarries, the Temple of Maharraqua, the Temple of Amada, the Temple of Derr, the Roman Kiosk of Quertassi and the temple of Wadi as-Subua.

4. Abu Mena

Located southwest of Alexandria in Egypt, Abu Mena is a historic Christian pilgrimage site and UNESCO World Heritage site. It was constructed in commemoration of early Christian martyr, Saint Menas of Alexandria, who died in 296 AD. His body is said to have been taken from Alexandria by camel and led into the desert beyond Lake Mareotis. At some point, the camel refused to walk any further – this was taken as a sign of divine will, and the body’s attendants buried it on that spot.

The tomb’s location was then thought to be forgotten until its miraculous rediscovery by a local shepherd, who is said to have seen a sheep healed by the site’s water, then used the water and dust from the tomb to heal sick people brought to him, including Constantine I ‘s sick daughter. She is said to have found Menas’ body, after which Constantine ordered the construction of a church. The site was a significant destination for Christian pilgrims in the late 4th century, and Roman Emperor Arcadius ordered its expansion.

Today, there are very few standing remains, but the foundations of most major buildings such as the large basilica church and monastic structures can still be seen. The underground tomb of Saint Menas, adorned with stunning frescoes, is a notable highlight. Recent excavations have unveiled additional features such as a pilgrim dormitory and a complex of wine presses. However, the site is a risk due to land subsidence caused by excessive groundwater extraction, leading to efforts to preserve and protect Abu Mena’s valuable heritage.

5. Memphis and its Necropolis

The  Ancient Egyptian  city of Memphis was the first ever capital of a unified  Egypt. Founded approximately 5,000 years ago by Pharaoh Menes, the settlement with its surrounding Necropolis have become one of Egypt’s most enduring icons, given UNESCO World Heritage Site  status in 1979.

Memphis served as the capital throughout the Old Kingdom (and in parts during the Middle and New Kingdom), and remained an important settlement up to the Islamic period. Memphis was surrounded by an ever increasing necropolis to the north and south, showcasing not only its administrative weight but also its role in the religious spheres of the Egyptian world as a city sacred to the Gods .

Whilst much of the city of Memphis has been lost to the sands of time, its surrounding Necropolis contains many of Egypt’s most famous graves, pyramids and temple ruins, including the famed stepped Pyramid of Djoser, the pyramids of Abusir , Saqqara and Dahshur , and the Giza Necropolis . Described as one of the seven wonders of the world, this site includes Khufu’s Great Pyramid at 145 metres high. Visitors can enter each of the pyramids or view them together from the dramatic panorama point, while the Great Sphinx is also located nearby.

6. Saint Catherine’s Monastery

This Eastern Orthodox Monastic complex , located on the Sinai Peninsula, is the oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery in the world. The area as a whole became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. The monastery stands at the foot of Mount Horeb where, the Old Testament records, Moses received the Tablets of the Law. The mountain is known and revered by Muslims as Jebel Musa, and the entire area is sacred to Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.

Saint Catherine’s monastery itself was founded by Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I in 527 AD. The location was believed to have been the site of the burning bush observed by Moses on the lower slopes of Mount Sinai. The rugged mountainous landscape, containing numerous archaeological and religious sites and monuments, forms a perfect backdrop to the monastery.

Besides being the world’s oldest Christian monastery still in use for its initial function, Saint Catherine’s is also the home to the oldest still operating library in existence and renowned for having one of the largest collections of early Christian icons. The monastery library houses the second largest collection of early codices and manuscripts in the world, outnumbered only by the  Vatican . Two of the most significant works found in the monastic complex are  Codex Sinaiticus  and the  Syriac Sinaiticus , both dating between the 4th to 5th century.

Must-See Ancient Sights

Guide to the Pyramids of Giza

Visiting the Nile Delta

Luxor Guide

Valley of the Kings

Visiting Alexandria

Traditional Food to Try

What to Drink in Egypt

Best Time to Visit

Weather & Climate

One Week in Egypt

Things to Do in Egypt

25 Top Things to Do in Egypt

For centuries, tourists have flocked to Egypt to admire its ancient pyramids and temples, as well as its natural wonders. The River Nile is the longest in the world, and the Red Sea coast is a playground for resort-style relaxation and adventurous water sports. At the heart of Egypt’s cultural identity is Cairo, a cosmopolitan capital where historic churches, mosques, and museums rub shoulders with luxury hotels and gourmet restaurants. Discover all this and more with our helpful guide to Egypt’s top attractions.

Dive for Ancient Ruins Around Alexandria

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While many of Egypt's ancient ruins can be seen standing tall above ground or hidden in tombs throughout the landscape, there are also a sizable amount of ruins still hiding below the surface of the sea near Alexandria. Discoveries are constantly being made, such as the city of Thonis-Heracleion which was rediscovered by divers in the early 2000s.

Although the water is not known for its clarity, divers will still see some incredible sights, such as the Ruins of Cleopatra's palace and the ancient lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. Look for a PADI-certified dive shop to arrange a tour.

Dine on the Nile

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If you don't have the time for a multi-day journey down the Nile, you can still enjoy the water by booking a dinner cruise from Cairo. Cruises last about two hours, where you'll be able to enjoy views of the city at sunset and live music, belly-dancing, and Tanoura, a dazzling traditional style that employs the use of a dynamic skirt to dazzle audiences. The food is typically buffet style, but you'll have a lot of different cruise operators to choose from so it's best to do a little digging and read reviews.

Ride Quads in the Desert

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The desert is an incredible landscape to explore, but you'll find yourself quite overheated doing so just on two feet. Instead, opt for a tour by quad. These 4x4 vehicles are fun to drive and you can appreciate the sights as they whizz by you. Quad or ATV tours from Cairo can take you past the pyramids and the sphinx, and often include extras like trips to Memphis or Sahara City, as well as camel rides and sand-boarding experiences.

Venture Through the Valley of the Queens

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While the pharaohs are memorialized in the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens is the designated burial site for the wives of pharaohs, as well as several of the few female pharaohs that served throughout history. Located near Luxor, the site has over 90 tombs, the most impressive of which is the Tomb of Nefertari, Ramesses II's favorite wife, which is very large and decorated with incredible paintings. Although it is not as famous as the Valley of the Kings, many royal princes and princesses were also buried in this location.

Chill Out in Dahab

A trip to Egypt doesn't have to just be about history and ancient ruins, it can also be about laying out on the beach. A resort town like Dahab offers plenty of opportunities to relax and reset with many laid-back and family-friendly resorts where you can dip your toes into the Gulf of Aqaba, located at the top of the Red Sea. When you crave adventure, you can look to the nearby mountains for hiking or check out the incredible dive sites for scuba and snorkeling, such as the famous Blue Hole, which is accessible from the shoreline.

Learn About Cairo’s Multicultural History

At one time or another, Cairo has been occupied by Romans, Byzantines, Coptic Christians, Islamic caliphs, Mamluks, Ottomans, and British colonialists. Its architecture reflects its multicultural heritage, as you’ll discover on a walking tour of medieval citadel or with a visit to landmark religious sites such as the Hanging Church or Al-Azhar Mosque . For an overview of the country’s ancient history, head to the Egyptian Museum.

Experience Contemporary Cairo in Zamalek

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Head to Cairo's trendy Zamalek neighborhood (located on Gezira Island in the middle of the River Nile) to discover contemporary art galleries, five-star hotels, and world-class restaurants. El Sawy Culture Wheel is a hub for concerts, plays, and lectures; while the Museum of Modern Egyptian Art and the Cairo Opera House are located nearby. Floating venue Le Pacha 1901 boasts no fewer than nine gourmet riverfront restaurants.

Shop for Souvenirs at Khan El-Khalili Bazaar

Little has changed at Khan El-Khalili Bazaar since its foundation in the 14th century. In Cairo's most authentic souk, narrow cobbled streets open into alcoves packed with fragrant spices and handcrafted silver jewelry. Come to stock up on souvenirs, remembering that haggling is expected. Afterward, unwind with a cup of mint tea or Arabic coffee at the famous marketplace café Fishawi’s. The bazaar is located in Islamic Cairo.

Marvel at the Ancient Pyramids of Giza

The Pyramids of Giza lie on the outskirts of Cairo. The largest of the three pyramid complexes is the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing today–an impressive feat, considering that the pyramids were built some 4,500 years ago. In front of the pyramids lies the Sphinx, a cat-like creature carved from a single block of stone. Tickets to view the Great Pyramid cost EGP 100.

Visit the Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara

Those with a passion for pyramids should also make sure to visit the Pyramid of Djoser, located just south of Cairo at Saqqara , the necropolis of ancient Memphis. The pyramid was built in the 27th century BC, using a unique stepped style that pre-dates the smooth-sided pyramids at Giza. It is the oldest stone-cut monument in the world. The best way to visit Saqqara is on a day tour from Cairo .

Walk Amongst Luxor's Ancient Monuments

The modern city of Luxor sits on the east bank of the River Nile, on top of the ancient pharaonic capital of Thebes. Its temples, statues, and monuments give a sense of the city’s past grandeur. The top attraction is Luxor Temple, which was commissioned by Amenhotep III in the late 14th century. Monumental statues of Ramesses II guard the temple gate, and walking in between them is a breathtaking experience.

Explore the Karnak Temple Complex

The Karnak temple complex is located just north of Luxor. Karnak was a place of great religious importance for the pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty, and it became the main place of worship for the ancient Thebans. Today, you can walk amongst an astonishing collection of sanctuaries and temples dedicated to the Theban Triad. The largest is the Temple of Amun-Ra, which costs EGP 120 to enter.

View Ancient Tombs in the Valley of the Kings

Across the river from Luxor lies the Theban necropolis, the Valley of the Kings. There are more than 60 subterranean tombs here, built for the mummies of New Kingdom pharaohs from as early as the 16th century BC. The pharaohs were buried with their worldly treasures amidst spectacular hieroglyphs. You’ll have to pay an extra EGP 100 on top of the standard ticket price to visit the most famous tomb – that of boy-king Tutankhamun. 

Uncover Ancient and Modern History at Philae

The Philae temple complex was built by Nectanebo I and added to by Ptolemaic and Roman rulers up until the 3rd century AD. As such, it provides an architectural account of Egypt’s transition from paganism to Christianity. In modern times, it was moved brick by brick from its original location on Philae Island to nearby Agilkia Island after the former was flooded during the construction of the Aswan Dam. Learn more on a day tour from Aswan .

Admire Incredible Reliefs at the Temple of Horus

The Temple of Horus at Edfu may not be the oldest structure in Egypt, but it is one of the best-preserved. The sandstone structure was built between 237 and 57 BC by the Ptolemaic kings, who dedicated it to the cult of the falcon god Horus. When paganism was banished, the abandoned temple began to fill with desert sand which kept its fabulous reliefs and statues intact.

Discover the Symmetrical Temple of Kom Ombo

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The Temple of Kom Ombo is unique in that it is divided into two symmetrical halves. One is dedicated to Horus the Elder, the other to the crocodile god Sobek. Each half contains an identical entrance, hypostyle hall, and sanctuary, and many of the temple’s reliefs show traces of their original color. Don’t miss the nearby Crocodile Museum with its collection of mummified crocodiles.

See it All on a Full Nile River Cruise

One of the most atmospheric ways to see the ancient sights between Luxor and Aswan is to sign up for a multi-day River Nile cruise . There are countless different options, from historic steamships like the S.S. Sudan to luxury cruisers like the Oberoi Zahra . The latter has its own on board spa and swimming pool. Budget travelers can explore with a no-frills tour on a traditional felucca.

Stand in Awe Before the Abu Simbel Temples

The two temples at Abu Simbel were built during the 13th century BC as monuments to Ramesses II and his queen, Nefertari. They were also relocated to higher ground to prevent flood damage in the 1960s. The entrance of the Great Temple is guarded by four colossal statues of Ramesses II. Inside, eight more enormous statues represent the pharaoh in his deified form and can be viewed on an Abu Simbel tour .

Experience Berber Culture at Siwa Oasis

Experience the road less traveled at Siwa Oasis, a desert settlement located near the Libyan border. The town is known for its unique Berber culture, abundant date and olive plantations, and the ruined temple of the ancient Oracle of Ammon. The latter was once visited by Alexander the Great. Make sure to check current travel warnings before booking a trip to Siwa, as the Western Desert can be unsafe.

Make the Pilgrimage Up Mount Sinai

Robert Harding / Getty Images 

Located near Dahab on the Sinai Peninsula, Mount Sinai is a place of pilgrimage for Christians who believe that this is where Moses saw the Burning Bush and later received the Ten Commandments. At the foot of the mountain lies St. Catherine’s Monastery with its museum full of religious icons and relics. There are two routes to the summit: the challenging Steps of Repentance, or the more forgiving Camel Trail.

Soak Up the Atmosphere in Cosmopolitan Alexandria

Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BC and, as one of the most important cities of its time, was home to a wealth of iconic landmarks. These included the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. After a period of decline, Alex is once again a thriving port with an enviable culinary scene and several excellent cultural venues including the amazing Bibliotheca Alexandrina .

Cross the Suez Canal in Port Said

The coastal city of Port Said marks the northern entry into the historic Suez Canal. Wander along the port’s waterfront boardwalk to view the supertankers preparing to make the journey from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea . To experience a crossing for yourself, hop aboard the free ferries that run from Port Said to Port Fuad. On the way across, you’ll traverse the border between Africa and Asia.

Learn to Scuba Dive in Sharm El-Sheikh

Egypt’s entire Red Sea coast is a treasure trove for scuba divers, and the peninsula resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh is a great place to learn. There are plenty of different dive schools to choose from, allowing you to shop around for the best course price. You’ll also have access to beginner-friendly shore diving sites as well as spectacular reefs in nearby Ras Mohammed National Park.

Dive the Wreck of the S.S. Thistlegorm

Experienced divers can explore the S.S. Thistlegorm , often ranked as one of the best wreck-diving sites in the world. The freighter was drafted into military service during the Second World War and arrived in the Red Sea in 1941. Shortly afterward it was sunk by German bombers with ammunition, armored vehicles, and military motorcycles on board. You can book the dive with a local operator like Eagle Divers .

Stay in a Luxury Hurghada Resort

Hurghada is a popular getaway for divers, watersports enthusiasts, and sun worshippers. It’s also home to several luxurious 5-star resorts including The Oberoi Beach Resort Sahl Hasheesh and Premier Le Reve Hotel & Spa . Expect landscaped grounds, sprawling swimming pools, fine-dining restaurants, and of course, excellent spa and water sports amenities. The offshore Giftun Islands are an idyllic day-trip destination.

One Week in Egypt: The Ultimate Itinerary

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Your Trip to Egypt: The Complete Guide

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Egypt's Top 10 Ancient Sites

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Cruise Destination Maps of Countries Around the Red Sea and in SW Asia

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Philae Temple Complex, Egypt: The Complete Guide

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Pyramids of Giza, Egypt: The Complete Guide

10 wonders of ancient Egypt

June 30, 2021

The appeal of these stunning sites is far from ancient history

1. The Pyramids of Giza

Part of the Giza Necropolis – Egypt’s most-visited tourist attraction – are the three large Pyramids of Giza. The largest is the Great Pyramid of Giza – also known as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops. A royal tomb standing nearly 140 m high, it was built from more than two million blocks of limestone, most likely mined from nearby quarries. This reflects the influence of the Fourth Dynasty in Ancient Egypt, which reigned more than 4,000 years ago. The pyramids’ original smooth limestone exteriors have long since weathered away, but the chance to explore the site is a chance to reconnect with the past.

2. The Great Sphinx

Also located in Giza, the 73m tall Great Sphinx is a monument to the Egyptians ancient myths and religion but its origins remain mysterious. Facing due east and carved into a solid block of limestone in the Giza plateau, it depicts a human head on the body of a lion. The head may be that of the pharaoh Khafre, who also had built the second-largest pyramid in Giza. Another theory is that was built to honour the ancient Egyptian sun god, Ra. Its name literally translates to ‘The Father of Dread,’ which perhaps says it all.

A complex of temples not far from Luxor, Karnak is a fantastic site for exploration, boasting a diverse mix of ruins, columns and obelisks. The former capital of ancient Egypt, Karnak – then Thebes – was constructed over centuries and retains its impressive spectacle. Visit Karnak if you want a comprehensive history lesson or, are hoping to spot a familiar backdrop from one of the many Hollywood movies that have used it as an otherworldly location.

4. Tutankhamun

The resident of Egypt’s most famous pharaoh’s tomb – the only one on record to be discovered almost fully preserved and not raided by thieves – remains in his final resting place, but his treasures are on display at the Egyptian Museum. The most stunning artifact uncovered remains his gold and blue funerary mask but there is plenty more to explore. Not least are the remnants of the life of a pharaoh who was the son of siblings, began his reign while still a child and whose death marked the end of one of ancient Egypt’s noble family lines.

5. Abu Simbel Temples

Two gigantic structures carved from mountainside rock, the Abu Simbel temples take their place among Egypt’s most notable landmarks. The temples have an imposing authority that reflects the leader who built them: Ramesses the Great, a 19th dynasty monarch who reigned for seven decades until 1213 BC. Four seated pharaohs, carved onto the outside wall of the larger temple, greet visitors before they journey inside to marvel at a remarkable array of inscriptions, painting and statues within both temples. Equally impressive was the project was undertaken in the 1960s to relocate both structures from their original site and avoid flooding.

6. Kom Ombo Temple

All ancient Egyptian temples are unique, but the Kom Ombo Temple is the only one that honours two gods with a symmetrical design. Haroeris, the falcon god, and Sobek, the crocodile god, were both enduring figures in Egyptian mythology and led to the construction of this structure’s two sets of gateways and chapels. Built during the 1st century BC, it is a relatively modern structure that survived ancient Egypt’s final, 19th dynasty by honouring centuries of tradition, culture and religion.

7. Luxor Temple

Located near the former capital of ancient Egypt, Luxor is a beautiful city with plenty of modern tourist attractions. At its centre, its ancient temple has stood the test of time as its most recognisable landmark. Built from sandstone during the 2nd century BC, it features a series of open courtyards and impressive statues of Ramesses the Great and other Egyptian icons. Open until late, it’s a treat to watch the sunset over its columns but not the civilisation that it preserves.

8. The Valley of the Kings

Possibly the largest number of pharaohs you’ll find commemorated in one place – which for Egypt is a truly impressive claim – is in the Valley of the Kings. Constructed over the course of nearly 500 years the Valley is a series of tombs each dedicated to ancient Egyptian leaders. The site was maintained until the 11th century BC and has been excavated and maintained for more than 200 years in the modern era. Among more than 60 tombs and numerous chambers are many startling designs and opulent interiors which, at the time, were filled with valuables. The wall markings alone provide a fascinating lesson in life and death in Ancient Egypt.

9. Philae Temples

One for true explorers and ancient history aficionados, Philae is an island located in a reservoir, with much of what surrounded it at one point now submerged underwater. Surviving today is its iconic temple complex with its largest structure honouring Isis, the ancient Egyptian goddess whose worshippers spread into Italy, Greece and Hungary. The Temple of Isis was part of another relocation project to avoid further flooding and covers about a quarter of the island. It also contains other fascinating remnants of what was a strategic outpost for the Egyptian empire.

10. The Nile

While the monuments of ancient Egypt are important for remembering what was built, equally fascinating is the river running through its history. No civilisation can flourish without water to sustain itself, something the Nile provided by creating a route for trade and a source of food. Journeying along the river is not only an opportunity to see the sights – many are not far from its banks – but to tap into the consciousness of ancient Egypt. The rising of its tide was attributed to the tears of Isis, one of Egypt’s many myths and customs.

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Egypt Landmarks: 20 Famous Landmarks in Egypt You Should Visit

Planning to travel to Egypt? Here are the most famous landmarks in Egypt that should be on your Egypt bucket list from the Giza pyramids to the ancient temples.

Home to the ancient Pharaohs and artifacts which are over 7,000 years old, Egypt is endowed with so much history and treasure that will fascinate anyone that travels to this great destination.

Other than the pyramids of Giza, there are so many Egyptian landmarks that have made Egypt a popular destination for history lovers.

From the famous tombs, countless temples, to the Giza pyramids, here is a detailed list of landmarks in Egypt that every traveler should visit on their trip to the land of the Pharaohs.

Disclaimer* All prices listed were accurate by the time this post was written but they can change any time. So please check the official websites for the current prices. Thank you!

Famous Landmarks in Egypt

1. pyramids of giza.

The pyramids of Giza are undeniably the most famous landmarks in Egypt that are top on almost every traveler’s bucket list.

Actually, when you mention Egypt , the first thing that comes to everyone’s mind is the pyramids of Giza .

Built over 4,500 years ago, the pyramids of Giza which feature The great pyramid of Giza also known as the pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure (which is the smallest of the three)  are the only remaining wonder from the seven wonders of the ancient world.

The pyramids of Giza were constructed on directives of Pharaoh Khufu, Pharaoh Khafre and Pharaoh Menkaure respectively in preparation for their next life as they believed that they would be gods in the afterlife.

Up to now, the pyramids of Giza are still a wonder that amazes everyone on how the ancient men were able to put together an estimated 2.3 million stone blocks each weighing an average of 2.5 to 15 tons.

It is something that even today’s scientists haven’t been able to find out after countless researches.

The Giza pyramids are approximately 1 hour from Cairo city and it costs 160 EGP (Egyptian pounds) for adults and 80 EGP for students to enter the site.

For an additional 360 EGP (180 EGP for students), you get to enter inside the great pyramid of Khufu, and 100 EGP to enter either the Pyramid of Khafre or the Pyramid of Menkaure.

Related post: Tips for visiting the Giza pyramids

2. The Great Sphinx of Giza

Just in front of the Giza pyramids lies the Sphinx of Giza. Straddling at 240 feet(73 meters) long and 66 feet (20 meters) high, the sphinx of Giza is not only one of the greatest and largest Egyptian monuments but also one of the largest in the world.

The sphinx is a mythological creature with the head of a human and the body of a lion.

In ancient Egypt, the sphinx was a spiritual guardian and it is believed that the great sphinx of Giza was constructed to guard the Pharaohs’ tombs.

Dating back in the 2603 BC, the sphinx was constructed by Pharaoh Khafre and it is also believed that the head and face of the sphinx resembles a life-size statue of Khafre which was found in the Valley Temple.

Since the sphinx is at the same place as the Giza pyramids, the entrance fee to the Giza pyramids gives you direct access to the great sphinx as well.

Related post: Things to know before traveling to Egypt

3. Luxor Temple

Located on the banks of River Nile in the city of Luxor , Luxor Temple is one of the Egypt landmarks which was also one of the largest and most significant religious places in ancient Egypt.

The temple’s construction which was started by pharaoh Amenhotep III in 1390 BC and fully completed in 1279 BC by Rameses II is one one of the most preserved Egyptian monuments with large amounts of structure, statuary, and relief carvings still intact.

Luxor temple is just a few minutes walk from Luxor city center and it costs 140 EGP to enter the temple for adults and 70 EGP for children.

Check out some amazing tours in Luxor .

4. Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel is one of the famous landmarks of Egypt and also an ancient complex temple comprising of two temples constructed during the reign of Ramesses II.

The two massive rock temples serve as lasting monuments to the king and his queen.

The bigger temple (which stands at 98 feet(30 meters) high and 115 feet (35 meters) long) represents King Ramesses and the smaller temple (which stands at 40 feet (12 meters) high and 92 feet (28 meters) long) represents his queen Nefertari.

The front entrance of the great temple is adorned with four seated colossi – 2 at each side showing Ramesses II on his throne.

And what makes the temple more interesting are the engravings on the interior walls that depict Ramesses and Nefertari making sacrifices to the gods.

Abu Simbel is located on the western bank of Lake Nasser in a small village of Nubia about 230km southwest of Aswan.

It costs 400 EGP to be granted access to both of the Abu Simbel temples.

Related post: Big mistakes to avoid while traveling in Egypt

5. Valley of the Kings

Located on the West bank of the River Nile opposite Luxor, the valley of kings is one of the landmarks of ancient Egypt and also one of the historical places in Egypt.

Also known as the Valley of Gates of Kings, ancient Egyptians excavated rock cuts tombs for Pharaohs and great nobles at a time – something that took almost 500 years to realize from the 16th to the 11th century BC.

The valley consists of 2 valleys – the East valley which has the most number of royal tombs and the West valley which makes up the other tombs totaling up to 63.

During the period of 1539- 1075 BC, the valleys became a royal burial ground for the pharaohs and high priests.

It is also important to know that most of the famous Egyptian pharaohs like Tutankhamen, Seti I,  Ramesses II, and others were buried here which has made the valley of kings one of the major tourist spots in Egypt for individuals who want to learn more about Ancient Egypt and its Pharaohs.

The entrance fee to the Valley of the Kings is 200EGP which includes access to 3 tombs from any of these; Ramses I, IV, VII, IX, Seti II, Tawsert/ Sethnakhte, Tuthmosis III, IV, Saptah, Horemoheb, and Menttuherkhopshef.

Before you go, please note that only 18 out of the 63 tombs are open to the public and not all are open all the time and some of the treasures have been moved from the valley to the Egyptian museum.

This is done by the authorities to reduce the damaging effect of mass tourism.

Related post: How to spend 2 days in Cairo

6. Egyptian Museum

Housing over 120,000 artifacts, (although not all of them are on display since they have to be kept in certain conditions not to be destroyed ) including but not limited to Mummies, Sarcophagi, jewelry, and Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s treasures, the Egyptian museum is one of the Egpyt landmarks that everyone should add to their African bucket list .

Located in Tahrir square in the heart of Cairo city , the Egyptian Museum houses the Royal mummy room which showcases 11 mummies including the recently discovered one – that of Hatshepsut.

The Museum also showcases thousands of sculptures that were recovered from Egypt’s famous archeological sites including the pyramids, temples, desert sands, and others.

The Egyptian museum also has an entire section dedicated to the boy king – Tutankhamen who is undeniably the most famous Pharaoh in Egypt including the Sarcophagus and golden death mask which are the most important items in the Museum.

The entrance fee to the Egyptian museum is 160EGP plus an extra 180EGP if you want to access the mummies room.

But to get the most of your Museum tour, I’d recommend booking a tour guide who will explain in details all the artifacts in the museum.

Related post: Best places to visit in Cairo

7. Karnak Temple

Gradually built over centuries from the Middle Kingdom (20140- 1782 BCE) throughout the Ptolemaic Dynasty (323 – 30 BCE), Karnak (historically known as the Temple of Amun) is the largest religious building in the world covering over 200 acres of land making it one of the greatest landmarks of Egypt.

Karnak has a number of buildings but the Great Temple of Amun is the Temple’s main building with Karnak Open-Air Museum which is a collection of shrines lying directly north of the Temple of Amun’s Great court.

Some of the other sites to see in the Karnak temple complex include; Avenue of sphinxes, Kiosk of Sesostris which is one of the oldest structures in the temple complex, Temple of Ptah which was constructed by Tuthmosis III, Temple of Montu which is unfortunately so ruined that it’s hard to figure out the ground plan, Temple of Ramses II which is also badly ruined and a couple of other temples in the complex.

To get to the Karnak temple complex, you can walk from downtown Luxor along the Nile-side road or take a taxi.

The entrance fee to the Karnak Temple is 150 EGP, an additional 80EGP if you want to access the Karnak open-air museum and 250EGP more to enjoy the Karnak Sound and Light show .

8. Monastery of St Catherine

Located in Qesm Sharm Ash Sheikh in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, the Monastery of St Catherine is believed to enshrine the burning bushes from which God first revealed himself to Moses.

It is also believed to be the oldest Christian monastery in the world.

The monastery is surrounded by a huge wall which was constructed by Justinian in the 6th century as a way of protection from the Marauders since the location was rather too open.

Though the unburnt bush was transplanted a few meters away from its original location, it still lives on over a protective stone wall and being catered for by the monks from time to time.

Some of the places to see at the Monastery of St Catherine are;

• The Chapel of the burning bush which is the holiest part of the monastery though it is sometimes closed to the public and people who get a chance to enter are required to take off their shoes as Moses did.
• The well of Moses also known as the well of Jethro where Moses met his wife Zipporah which is up to now still the main source of water for the monastery.

The best way to get to St Catherine Monastery is by booking a tour .

This is one of the best tours from Sharm el sheikh to St Catherine monastery to opt for.

Related post:  Best China landmarks to visit

9. Mt. Sinai

Although there is some controversy about where the “true Mt Sinai” is located, most scholars believe that Mt Sinai is located in South Sinai in Egypt and not Saudi Arabia as some suggested.

Mt Sinai (also known as Mount Moses) is a 2,285 meter (7,497 ft) high mountain in the Sinai region nex to St Catherine monastery.

It is a significant site and a place of pilgrimage to Christians as it is where Moses received the Ten commandments making it one of the Egypt landmarks that you should visit.

The summit of mt. Sinai has a mosque that is currently used by the Moslems and a Greek Orthodox chapel which was constructed in 1934 on the ruins of the 16th-century church although it is not open to the general public.

A hike to the mount summit is doable with 2 possible routes; the longer and the shallower route taking about 2 and half hours on foot but camels can also be used.

Related post: What to wear in Egypt plus the complete packing list

10. Abydos Temple

Located in one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, Abydos (162 km north of Luxor), Abydos Temple (also known as the Temple of the first city) is considered one of the most archeological sites in Egypt.

The sacred city of Abydos was a site of many ancient temples which later became the most important burial site for ancient Egypt.

One of the most fascinating temples in Abydos is the Temple of Osiris which showcases spectacular artistic treasures of ancient Egypt.

If you want to run away from the crowds but still experience one of Egypt’s historical places, then head to Abydos temple since it gets a few visitors compared to other nearby temples in Luxor.

To get to Abydos Temple, you can hire a private taxi from Luxor or join one of the popular tours. Entrance to Abydos Temple is 100EGP.

11. Saqqara

Though the Giza pyramids are the most common pyramids in Egypt, they are certainly not the only ones in the country.

Located 30km south of Cairo, Saqqara covers an area of over 6km with a number of pyramids and tombs scattered around.

Saqqara features numerous pyramids including the famous Step Pyramid of Djoser,(also referred to as the step Tomb), the Bent Pyramids, and the Red pyramids. Saqqara was also an important burial ground for ancient Egypt featuring various tombs of court administrators, nobles whose tombs can be traced at the northern side of the Saqqara plateau.

The Saqqara can be reached by taking a private taxi from Cairo city center and the entrance fee is 150EGP.

12. Temple of Kom Ombo

Built during the Graeco-Roman period of 180–47 BC during the Ptolemaic dynasty, Kom Ombo is a double temple located in Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt.

The temple, dedicated to Sobek the crocodile god in the southern half and Horus the falcon-headed god in the northern half, is a double temple with each side having its own entrance making the temple unique and worth a visit.

Since the temple is dedicated to two gods, everything in the temple is in twos; two identical entrances, two linked hypostyle halls, two courts, two sanctuaries, and two rooms for the two gods.

The best way to get to the Temple of Kom Ombo is by booking a day trip with a tour operator and if you book a Nile cruise, chances a high that a stop at the temple of Kom Ombo will be included in the itinerary. The entrance fee to the temple is 100EGP.

13. White Dessert

Located just a few hours away in the megalopolis city of Cairo in Western Egypt (in Farafra to be exact), this white desert is a natural wonder where chalk shaped mountains have been formed due to centuries of erosion and sandstorms.

The snow-white chalk rocks have been given names due to how they were formed with the most characteristic one being the “chicken and tree ” set.

Other rocks that resemble food have been given names like “Icecream cone”, Mushroom and many others.

While a visit to the white desert can be treated as a day trip, most people opt for camping to be able to experience the awe moments at sunrise and sunset when the sun lights them up with the orangey-pink hues or under a full moon proving that the white desert is one of the ultimate picturesque Egypt landmarks.

Related post: Best Landmarks in Africa

14. Cairo Tower

Standing at 187 meters (614 ft) with 90 floors, Cairo tower is a free-standing concrete tower in Cairo city.

It was the tallest structure in Africa for ten years until 1971 when it was surpassed by Hillbrow Tower in South Africa.

The Cairo tower is one of the most recognizable modern monuments in Cairo and hence becoming a popular tourist attraction in Egypt.

The tower offers 360 degrees views of the entire city of Cairo – it is actually the best spot for the best views in the entire city.

The tower also has a 360 revolving restaurant at the top  (for an amazing dining experience) whose full revolution takes 70 minutes for a single rotation.

Cairo tower can be reached by taking a taxi or even by walking if you want to explore the city more. The entrance to the tower is 60EGP.

15.  Cairo Citadel

Built by Salah ad-Din and further developed by other subsequent leaders, the Citadel of Cairo also known as the Citadel of Saladin is a medieval Islamic-era fortification in Cairo that should not miss on the list of landmarks to visit in Egypt.

Dating back in the 12th century, the Citadel provides a glimpse into Islamic Cairo.

It is also home to 4 museums and 3 mosques with the highlight being the Mosque of Muhammad Ali.

The mosque of Mohammad Ali is an architectural marvel that was commissioned by Muhammad Ali Pasha between 1830 and 1848  to rival the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul .

The mosque has a huge chandelier hanging from the domed ceiling – a feature that leaves visitors in awe.

The other mosque to visit at the Citadel is the Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qala’un mosque which was originally built in the 14th century for Sultan al-Nasir for his daily prayers.

Just in front of the mosque, there is a grand terrace which offers panoramic views of Cairo city, the old Islamic Cairo which is just below the Citadel, the Nile and partial views of the Great Pyramid of Giza on very clear days.

The Citadel of Cairo can be accessed from Cairo downtown by taking a taxi and it costs only 140EGP to enter this amazing place.

16. Dendera Temple Complex

Located 2.5 Kilometers southeast of Dendera, Dendera Temple complex is one of the best-preserved temple complexes in Egypt and one of the famous landmarks in Egypt.

Built around 54 BC, the temple depicts signs of Roman, Greek, and European influence that makes it stand out from the rest.

Though the temple complex has 2 temples (Hathor temple and the temple of the birth of Isis) and other various features, the most dominant one is the temple of Hathor which was dedicated to Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of love and fertility.

The architectural design of the Hathor temple is a masterpiece with the Hypostyle hall being probably the most captivating as twenty-four massive columns, each with the head of Hathor, support the stunning blue ceiling.

It is believed that the modern Archaeologists took years of meticulous time to clean out the dust to show the ceiling’s original colors because it was being covered with 2,000 years of uncountable dust particles.

With the history attached to the Dendera Temple Complex and the significance it plays in the country’s history, it’s so clear that it’s one of Egypt’s famous landmarks.

To visit this Egyptian landmark, you only need to part with 120 EGP.

17. Philae Temple Complex

Philae Temple Complex is one of the interesting ancient Egypt landmarks.

It was originally situated on Philae Island, a small island in the Nile River but due to floods, the temples were transferred to Agilika Island, 12 kilometers south of Aswan where tourists can still admire it from. 

Though the complex has a number of buildings, the most notable one is the Temple of Isis .

The temple was dedicated to the goddess Isis, the wife of Osiris, and mother of Horus who played a very important figure in the ancient Egyptian world.   

To take in all the wonders of Philae Temple Complex, you’ll need 75 EGP.

18. The Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa

If you are looking for unusual but famous landmarks of Egypt to visit, then visiting the Catacombs will definitely give you a thrilling experience.

Located in Alexandria, the Catacomb of Kom EI Shoqafa is one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages.

Though it is believed that the catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa were initially built for a single affluent family, they were later expanded into a public burial site acting as the main burial site in Alexandria between the 2 nd and the 4 th centuries A.D.

Today, it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Alexandria and also a famous landmark in Egypt at large.

Though the Catacombs of Kom EI Shoqafa have a close resemblance to the Valley of Kings in design, they portray a mix of Egyptian, Roman, and Greek design creating an amazing style that all architectural lovers appreciate.

The entrance fee to the Catacombs of Kom EI Shoqafa is 35 EGP with opening hours starting from 9 am to 4:30 pm daily.

19. Suez Canal

Suez Canal is one of Egypt’s greatest engineering marvels standing at the crossroads of Asia, Europe, and Africa, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.

A trip to Cairo would be incomplete without discovering this beautiful masterpiece opened in 1869 by the French explorer and engineer “ Linant de Bellefonds”.

Since its inception, this 193.30 km waterway that connects Asia and Europe became a very important Egyptian landmark, especially to world trade.

Each year, around 12% of the world’s trade passes through this canal which means that without the Suez Canal, European companies would have to travel an extra 6,000 miles to Africa to deliver crude oil which would add up to almost $300,000 in their fuel cost. All this goes to show how important the Suez Canal is.

And besides being an important trade landmark, the Suez Canal is a beautiful spot offering spectacular views to its visitors.

While cruising on this beautiful human-made marvel, you will witness the scenic beauty of the Nile Delta to your west, and the arid landscape of the Sinai Peninsula to the East.

20. Khan El-Khalili Market

Located in the Islamic district of Cairo and near Al-Azhar, Khan EI-Khalili market is a famous open bazaar in Cairo that has become increasingly popular among tourists.

Being the best place in Cairo for shopping bees, this place offers countless shopping opportunities. From basic market items, souvenirs, food spices, to unique antiques, you will find everything here.

The best part about visiting Khan El-Khalili Market is that it’s absolutely free to enter! All you need is to carry enough money to buy all the souvenirs you need.

So if you were looking for places to visit, make sure that you add Khan El-Khalili market to the list of Egyptian famous landmarks not to miss.

Final Thoughts on the Famous Landmarks in Egypt

There you have it, friends, those were some of the famous landmarks in Egypt that make this North African country an ultimate bucket list destination.

With all the history, culture, and beauty that lives in Egypt, it would be a shame not to visit! So don’t wait up, start planning your trip and I guarantee that you’ll have a trip of a lifetime.

Have you been to any of these Egyptian landmarks? Which one did you love the most? If not, which one are you most excited about visiting? Either way, let me know in the comments below!

More posts to inspire your wanderlust

• Best places to visit in Cairo
• How to spend 2 days in Cairo
• Best tips for backpacking Africa
• Things to do in Dahab, Egypt
• Things to know before traveling to Egypt

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Top 35 Famous Landmarks in Egypt You Must Visit

What are the most famous landmarks in egypt.

Many wonders of historical landmarks in Egypt’s civilization are still standing after more than three millennia. These Egyptian monuments are some of the tourists’ most popular and enduring landmarks worldwide.

If you are planning a great vacation and are looking for the most famous places in Egypt to visit , this article is what you need to close your Egypt itinerary and prioritize the sights!

In this list, you will find the best tourist landmarks in Egypt , those historical sites that you cannot exclude from your plans for a super complete experience!

Let’s start with a tip: the best way to enjoy Egypt is to plan. To do this, compile and book your itinerary with a licensed travel agency that will be safer for you.

Get up to 10%Off when booking one of our Egypt Vacation Packages check then now!

In our article on the best places to visit during your vacation to Egypt , one of the important tips we are talking about is: to divide your itinerary into four main regions – Cairo / Alexandria, Egypt Oases, Nile Valley (Luxor / Aswan), and the Red Sea.

The country has quite a history, in addition to the famous landmarks . From the traditional Pyramids of Egypt to a balloon ride in Luxor and diving in the Red Sea, Egypt has a lot to offer! Depending on your interest and the time you have available for this trip, it is always possible to fit something a little off the main tourist route, like the White Desert.

Now let’s get down to business: the best Egypt tourist attractions for you to enjoy the best of what the country has to offer!

Top landmarks to visit in Egypt: Cairo and the surroundings

1- egypt’s famous landmarks: cairo.

Now you’re in the capital of Egypt. Cairo has many landmarks in Egypt like the Egyptian Museum of Cairo, one of the most important in the world, and this place houses the most extensive collection of objects from Ancient Egypt (more than 150,000!). And don’t miss getting lost in the labyrinthine streets of its Khan el-Khalili bazaar and haggle endlessly for that souvenir to take home.

Don’t miss reading some of our articles about Cairo attractions:

• Coptic Quarter: The Christian quarter of Cairo; in it, you can find the Church of Santa Barbara or the Hanging Church !
• Khan el-Khalili bazaar : A large market at the entrance of a mosque with many alleys full of souks.
• National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
• The Citadel of Saladin and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali
• Bayt Al Suhaymi in Cairo
• Hanging Church in Cairo
• Cairo Tower

Try its rich Egyptian cuisine in one of its street stalls, smoke a hookah in one of its tea shops, and talk with the locals. Cairo is a city that never sleeps, and you will find activity in its streets whatever time it is.

Browse our guide on the most famous attractions in Cairo

Only when you get to know Cairo in all its essence, will it be time to continue this journey through Egypt.

Book one of our Cairo Day Tours to discover its attractions.

2-landmarks Egypt: Pyramids of Giza

Who does not think about what to see in Egypt and automatically draws the pyramids of Giza in his head? They make up the most famous landmarks image of the country and, of course, they had to be on our list of must-haves.

Only 15 kilometers away from Cairo are the pyramids of Giza, which are one of the Famous historical landmarks in Egypt.

• Cheops pyramid : The Cheops pyramid is the largest, tallest, and most important pyramid in the world. A sarcophagus was found, but it was empty.
• Chephren pyramid : Chephren was the son of Cheops, his pyramid looks bigger to the untrained eye than that of his father. This is a fallacy since the Khafre pyramid is simply a little higher.
• Mykerinos pyramid : Menkaure, in turn, was the son of Khafre, he is the smallest of the three pyramids. Statues found in the Mykerinos pyramid can be seen today on display in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

The last remaining of the ancient wonders of the world was built between 2620 and 2500 BC by around 10,000 workers.

The pyramids are located on a site previously used as a cemetery for pharaohs.

There are no records whatsoever about the construction of the pyramids, so scientists and archaeologists are still puzzling today about how the stone blocks, which weigh up to 2.5 tons, could be piled up in a relatively short time.

Also, the architecture has such precision that can only be achieved with the most modern technology and can therefore hardly be explained.

The myth of the pyramids also includes the fact that they are practically empty: neither the grave goods typical for systems of this type nor mummies could be recovered. so it considers the great ancient Egypt landmarks

Did you know there are more pyramids in the area than just the three famous Pyramids of Giza? Several other pyramids may be found in Saqqara , which is not far to the south of Giza. These pyramids include the “step” pyramid of Djoser and the “red” pyramid in Dahshur .

To enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the pyramids, check out our Camel Ride in the Pyramids of Giza , and if you want to enjoy exploring all the pyramids inside that area, check out our Memphis, Saqqara, and Pyramids of Giza Tour

Browse our guide and learn more about the Giza Necropolis .

Info & Tips: Location: Al Haram, Cairo, Egypt Distance from Cairo: approx. 15 km Distance from Hurghada: approx. 470 km Distance from Sharm El Sheikh: approx. 520 km Distance from Marsa Alam: approx. 750 km

Fun Fact: Truly impressive and hardly explainable is that the pyramids are aligned exactly in the four cardinal directions and at right angles.

Book a half-day tour to the Pyramids of Giza to witness the majesty of the pharaohs.

3- landmarks in Egypt: Great Sphinx of Giza

The Great Sphinx of Giza is an imposing sculpture with a human head and a lion’s body located next to the Pyramids of Giza. It is one of the most historical and emblematic landmarks in Egypt and the whole world.

The enigmatic Sphinx has a height of about 20 meters and a little more than 70 meters long and is endowed with a human head and a lion’s body, something that ancient Egyptians gathered in the exact figure of intelligence and strength. Even so, it is almost wholly preserved as it was covered by sand most of the time.

Over the years, the Sphinx has been revised again and again and was last uncovered in 1818. Still, it is no longer allowed to be excavated because the Egyptian authorities are afraid of any damage to the monument.

Curious facts about Egyptian landmark” the Great Sphinx of Giza”: Why doesn’t it have a nose?

This is another mystery that has never been solved. The rock from which the sphinx was built varies according to its parts. The solid body is made of soft yellowish limestone and the head of hard gray limestone. So logic suggests that the nose should have been better preserved, as is the case with the rest of the sphinx’s head in relation to its body. But to this day, it has disappeared.

Some theories blame Napoleon for its destruction, but it is a hypothesis that was dismantled after the discovery of some drawings made by an explorer who visited long before the birth of the famous French emperor and in which the sphinx already appeared without his nose.

Other versions speak of a Muslim leader of the fifteenth century named Muhammad Sa’im al-Dahr who, offended by seeing so many people worshiping the sphinx, ordered to destroy his nose. But the mystery remains unsolved. It was full of colors.

Today the sphinx retains almost none of the vivid colors it once wore and to appreciate any remaining color you have to get very close (or as close as is allowed inside the enclosure). Its loss of colors is due to the erosion of the desert. It is believed that the body and head were red, and the headdress with an Egyptian garment that covered his head with white and blue stripes.

See our full guide about the Great Sphinx of Giza .

4-landmarks of Egypt: Egyptian Museum

The Egyptian Museum has the largest collection of Pharaonic artifacts in the world and is the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East. The museum has a lot of artifacts from the Predynastic Period to the Greco-Roman Period. so it considers one of the landmarks in Egypt

In 1895, the building’s architect was chosen through the first-ever international competition, which was won by the French architect Marcel Dourgnon. Khedive Abbas Helmy II opened the museum in 1902. It is now a historic landmark in downtown Cairo and is home to some of the world’s most beautiful ancient works of art.

The complete burials of Yuya and Thuya, Psusennes I and the treasures of Tanis, and the Narmer Palette, which shows that Upper and Lower Egypt were united under one king, are all part of the museum’s unbeatable collection. The Narmer Palette is also one of the museum’s most valuable artifacts. The great kings Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, built the pyramids on the Giza plateau. The museum also has beautiful statues of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. This huge museum also has an extensive collection of papyri, coffins, and jewelry, among other things.

Don’t miss to browse our article about the Cairo Museum .

Therefore, more museums are now being (expanded). What is special about the Egyptian Museum is that, in contrast to European museums, for example, it only shows Egyptian exhibits.

But this is also due to the incredible number of preserved exhibits.

Info & Tips: Address: Tahrir Square, Cairo Governorate, Egypt. Opening times: Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thu & Sun: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Fun Fact: In 2010 a section for children was also opened, there is child-friendly information about ancient Egypt, and the most important artifacts such as Tutankhamun’s death mask were made from Lego bricks.

Book a day tour to the Egyptian Museum to see wonderful artifacts.

5- Coptic Quarter of Cairo

The popularly called Coptic Quarter is located in one of the oldest areas of Cairo, known as Misr el-Qadima, where the oldest remains are those of a fortification from the time of Trajan, which was called Babylon by the Romans. The word Coptic derives from the ancient Egyptian language and is used as an appellative to designate the early Christian religion of Egypt. Despite the Arab invasion and the spread of the Islamic religion throughout the country, the Coptic Orthodox Church remained powerful and influential for many centuries and is now the second religion in Egypt.

Numerous churches and monasteries were built on this site, which is considered sacred by both Jews and Christians, whose tradition states that the Holy Family rested in a cave on the site when they arrived in Egypt.

Monuments in the Coptic Quarter include the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, considered the oldest church in Cairo, the Church of St. George, the Convent of St. George and the Church of St. Barbara among others. A Jewish synagogue, of great historical value but not currently used as a place of worship, can also be visited.

Among the many Coptic churches that can be visited, el-Moallaqa, also known as the “Hanging Church”, stands out. This is the nickname of the Metropolitan Church of St. Mary the Virgin, which was erected on the site of the ancient Roman colony of Babylon in the 4th century AD. The church is built just above the Roman fortifications, with its nave suspended over the passage of the entrance gate.

6- Historical landmarks in Egypt: Muhammad-Ali Mosque

The mosque is located inside the Citadel of Saladin, built by the sultan of Egypt, its purpose was to protect the city from the attacks of the Crusades. On top of Mount Muqatam, southeast of what was the ancient Fatimid capital, allowing it to be visible from anywhere in Old Cairo, and was the largest mosque built in the first half of the nineteenth century. makes it one of the primary ancient Egyptian landmarks.

Additionally, approaching it from anywhere in the city, it stands imposingly on the heights, which undoubtedly motivates you to visit it. Further, its location within the citadel is an escape from the bustling lifestyle of Cairo, as walking through its calm interiors allows you to enjoy it from a different perspective.

The plan of the mosque was modeled after Ottoman mosques, with a large central dome over 52 meters high bordered by smaller semi-domes and two stylized minarets at its corners. The Muhammad Ali Mosque is also known as the alabaster mosque because of its interior and exterior covering, made of this material.

The mosque has a rectangular shape and has two sections: the main “Beit al-Salah” to the east and the courtyard or “Al-Sahn” to the west. The eastern part is dedicated to prayer and has a unique decoration made partly with wood carvings and with style resulting from the French influence. It has 100 stained glass windows on the walls and domes that cause a beautiful effect inside—sitting calmly on its carpets while admiring the hundreds of lamps that are located on the ceiling.

Info & Tips: Location: Al Abageyah, Qism El-Khalifa, Al-Qahira Governorate, Egypt Entry: free of charge Visiting hours: The mosque can be visited outside of prayer times. Arrival: The journey from the tourist centers in Egypt is similar to the pyramids, the Sphinx, and the Egyptian Museum.

Tip: From the Muhammad-Ali mosque, provided the smog is not too strong, you have a great view over all of Cairo!

Check our article about the Muhammad Ali Mosque .

7- Major landmarks in Egypt: Khan el Khalili

Among the many Egypt landmarks attractions, you can explore in Cairo, be sure to include a tour of the Khan el Khalili market in your plans. It is an old commercial region that is a real maze with several streets and tents with incredible goods. It’s great for shopping and even taking souvenirs as a gift.

There you can find a little of everything: fabrics, clothing items, handicrafts, decoration, teas, spices… You can spend a lot of time exploring the region! I suggest at least an entire afternoon dedicated to the grand bazaar.

And as we are talking about Egypt, the important historical part could not be missing: along with the Al-Muski market, Khan el Khalili is super important for making Cairo a place of tradition in trade in the country and the world.

Read more about Khan El Khalili Bazaar

8-Cairo Tower

The Cairo Tower is one of Egypt’s most famous and modern landmarks. After seeing all the important ancient Egyptian sites, the Cairo Tower is a great way to get a bird’s-eye view of the city as it is now.

This observation tower is the tallest building in Egypt and North Africa. It is 187 meters high. The building is made in a modern style that makes it stand out from the older buildings in the city. It looks like a lotus plant.

When you go to the observation deck, you can see the whole city in every direction. You can see the Pyramids of Giza, Sakkara, the Citadel, and a lot more from here. When you add a telescope, you can see farther and more clearly.

The tower also has a rotating bar and restaurant that serves expensive cocktails and Asian food.

9- Al Azhar Park

Al Azhar Park is near the Old City of Cairo. It has 30 hectares of green space where there used to be dust and rubble for more than 200 years. The spine has a modern design that was inspired by old Islamic gardens. It is a formal axis with a water channel that leads to a small lake and alleyways that lead to the Citadel. Gardens and pavilions make the lake’s edge a better place to meet.

10-The Monastery of St. Simon the Tanner and the Virgin Mary

The monastery is behind “Mansheiyet Nasser”, the Monastery of St. Simon. A vast expanse carved into the heart of the mountain welcomes the unsuspecting visitor. Colorful carvings and sculptures created by a Polish artist named Mario, who voluntarily devoted his life to this monastery, surround you as you make your entrance through the main gate. Ancient, hand-dug caves, replete with paintings, carpets, and antique furniture, lead you to an amphitheater that seats 10,000 people and a library that collects copies dating back to the third century. The walls of this mega-sculpture house seven churches, plus a fully equipped cafeteria and rooms available for rent and use by visitors and travelers. It is impossible to reproduce in words the splendor that emanates from this sacred precinct, so much so that even Marco Polo mentioned it in his “Book of the Wonders of the World.

Historical landmarks in Egypt: Alexandria

11-  egypt’s landmarks: alexandria”the mediterranean bride”.

We come to what is probably the second most famous destination in the country: the port city of Alexandria on the north coast of Egypt.

The city founded by Alexander the Great was next to Rome the most important city of antiquity and even if much of its former glory has been lost, this metropolis on the sea still has a certain charm.

One of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, the famous lighthouse of Alexandria, is unfortunately no longer there and the formerly important Great Library of Alexandria was also destroyed.

Instead, the Qaitbay, an impressive fortress, now stands on the remains of the lighthouse and a new library has been opened, the Bibliotheca of Alexandria, contains writings from all over the world and has the largest reading room in the world.

Browse our guide on the most famous attractions in Alexandria

You should also pay a visit to the park around the Montazah Palace and enjoy the view of the sea from there. Alexandria is also known for its good and fresh fish, which you should try! Just be careful where you buy it, restaurants are usually more suitable for hygiene reasons than street stalls – especially if you don’t know your way around.

Info & Tips: Location: Alexandria, North Coast, Egypt. Distance from Cairo: approx. 215 km Distance from Hurghada: approx. 680 km Distance from Sharm El Sheikh: approx. 735 km Distance from Marsa Alam: approx. 960 km

Fun Fact: The north coast on the Mediterranean is very popular with the locals due to its dreamy, almost white sandy beaches, its turquoise sea, and a cool breeze in summer.

Book a day tour to Alexandria from Cairo to see its amazing attractions.

12- Egypt landmarks: Library of Alexandria

The Library of Alexandria was once the largest library in the world. At its peak, it housed more than 900,000 manuscripts.

In later times, however, its importance declined and its collections were lost due to changes in power and successive invasions.

It is located in the city of Alexandria which was built by Alexander the Great, and the library faces the Mediterranean Sea.

It was founded at the beginning of the 3rd century B.C. by Ptolemy I Soter and enlarged by his son Ptolemy II.

The burning of the library has been attributed to different actors, but no version has been able to be preserved. The only certainty is that it finally disappeared.

In 1987 an international project was initiated to rescue the cultural significance of the site and the symbol that the mythical library represents in the collective imagination of humanity.

UNESCO coordinated the project and finally, under the name of Biblioteca Alexandrina, it was inaugurated in 1996.

In 2002 the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina was opened, which is close to the original location and has around eight million books.

About half of the building is filled with a huge reading room.

Info & Tips: Location: Al Azaritah WA Ash Shatebi, Qesm Bab Sharqi, al-Iskandariyya Governorate 21526, Egypt. Distance from Cairo: approx. 215 km Distance from Hurghada: approx. 680 km Distance from Sharm El Sheikh: approx. 735 km Distance from Marsa Alam: approx. 960 km

Good to know: The integrated Taha Hussein library also offers the visually impaired the opportunity to experience literature.

Know more about the history of the Library of Alexandria

13- Citadel of Qaitbay

The citadel is located at the entrance of the port of Alexandria in Egypt, on what was once the island that housed the famous Alexandria lighthouse, which now forms a peninsula that divides the port into its eastern and western parts.

The citadel was built on the orders of Sultan Al-Ashraf Abu Alnasr Saif El Din Qaitibay, who came to Egypt as a slave when he was nearly 20 years old and rose to power during the Mamluk period.

It was built as an element for the defense of the city and the Mediterranean coast, during the 1480s. Sultan Quaitbay ordered its construction on the same site where the lighthouse once stood, and took advantage of its remains. Its defensive architecture and strategic position give it great relevance.

During the British invasion of 1882, it suffered severe damage due to the bombardment of British ships, but soon after it was rebuilt. Today it is a beautiful promenade that locals and tourists take advantage of to enjoy the sunsets, the sea breeze in the warmer months, and the views of the city. It houses a maritime museum and an aquarium.

Top Egyptian landmarks in Upper Egypt:  (Luxor & Aswan)

14- cruising the nile.

And what would the country be without that mythical and immense river that runs through it? Without a doubt, a cruise on the Nile is one of the essential experiences on a trip to Egypt.

You don’t have to have too much imagination to be able to visualize yourself contemplating wonderful sunsets on the deck while the call to prayer, coming from the speakers of the nearby mosques, becomes the perfect soundtrack.

The Nile, with its 6,600 kilometers in length (one of the longest in the world), invites you to discover the country from a completely different perspective. Many are the boats that make the typical journey from Luxor to Aswan or vice versa. So don’t think twice: include it in your list of activities to do in Egypt and enjoy a few days sailing through its waters.

Tip: Nile cruises start in Egypt from Luxor and Aswan, and the itinerary of the Nile cruise varies according to the place of departure of the trip, so if started from Luxor, the trip takes 5 days / 4 nights, but if started from Aswan, it takes 4 days / 3 nights.

Book one of our Egypt Nile Cruises to see a lot of Egypt tourist attractions in Upper Egypt.

15- Historical landmarks in Egypt:  Luxor

The city of Luxor is one of the most important and famous tourist landmarks in Egypt also all over the world, according the statistics made by the organizations dealing with tourism and archaeological monuments confirmed that the city of Luxor is located on the east bank of the Nile as it is a very famous city in tourism and ancient Egyptian history that represents the glory of our ancient Egyptian pharaohs and their history that proved the greatness of Egypt, includes more than 500.000 inhabitants who live in Luxor and is about 700 km from Cairo and has 4000 years of glory and development and one of the most famous temples is the temple of Luxor which is located in the center of the city and was linked to the temple of Karnak .

Even today, Luxor has a lot to offer tourists, because nearby are the Valley of the Kings and Queens as well as the Kar n ak temple complex and the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut, the temple of the Egyptian queen, which was built in the 16th century BC. Ruled over Egypt.

In the city there is also the Luxor Temple, which is relatively “new” compared to Karnak, it was built in 1070 BC and is the god Amun and dedicated to his family.

In the evening hours, the light of the sun falls particularly beautifully on the columns and impressive statues, creating a mystical picture.

Discover the complete attractions of Luxor with our Luxor guide

Also, you shouldn’t miss the Luxor Museum when you visit, where you can learn everything about the background of the old city and the temples that you have viewed before and you can also take a look at old war weapons, mummies, and sarcophagi.

There is still a 13-day festival once a year at the beginning of Ramadan, which takes place in a boat procession from Luxor to the Karnak Temple and is an exciting, colorful experience.

Info & Tips: Address: Luxor, Egypt Note: To take pictures you need an additional permit. Distance from Cairo: approx. 660 km Distance from Hurghada: approx. 300 km Distance from Sharm El Sheikh: approx. 404 km Distance from Marsa Alam: approx. 360 km

Fun Fact: The Luxor Obelisk, which previously stood in the forecourt of the temple, was donated to France in 1836 and is now at the Louvre.

Discover the magic of Luxor with a one-day Luxor tour from Cairo

16- Ancient Egyptian landmarks: Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings is located on the West bank of the Nile in Luxor, 25 km from the train station. It is one of the necropoleis that together with the city of Thebes is classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

It is a necropolis of ancient Egypt, near Luxor, where are the tombs of most of the pharaohs of the New Empire (XVIII, XIX, and XX dynasties), as well as several queens, princes, nobles, and even some animals.

It was inaugurated by Thutmose I, the third pharaoh of the XVIII dynasty, who around 1500 BC ordered the royal architect Inani, the construct his tomb in the greatest secrecy. It is believed that it was originally intended to be used as a family tomb, but with the successive changes in power, and the construction of new tombs, the valley became a necropolis that remained in use for over 400 years.

The Valley of the Kings is made up of two parts: the Valley of the East and the Valley of the West. The first is one of the most visited places by tourists and is where most of the tombs are located. It includes 62 tombs that were originally numbered as they were discovered, but have now been renumbered according to their location within the valley.

The most known and visited tombs are those of King Thutmose I, Thutmose III, Ramses VI, Mrenptah, and Amenhotep II; however, the tomb of Tutankhamun (Tut-Anj-Amun) is the one that has deserved more fame, because until today is the only one to have been discovered with all its treasures, as it remained buried and therefore out of reach of looters until 1922.

Discover the complete guide to the Valley of the Kings

After Tutankhamun’s burial chamber was opened, the legend of the pharaoh’s curse spread quickly, according to which archaeologists would die a cruel death.

As a result, some of the people involved in the excavations died, many of them by suicide for fear of the curse.

Info & Tips: Location: Luxor, Al-Wadi al-Jadid, Egypt

Tip: To protect the important historical finds, there is a rule that each visitor is only allowed to visit three graves. So it’s best to think about what you want to see in advance. By the way, you have to buy an extra ticket for the famous tomb of Tutankhamun.

Book a private tour to explore Luxor’s Valley of the Kings & Queens with us.

17-Egyptian landmark: Karnak Temple Complex

If you are planning what to do in Egypt and what places to visit in Egypt? the Karnak Temple is a place that cannot be left out of your itinerary!

The Karnak Temple, the largest temple complex in Egypt, is also near Luxor and opposite the Valley of the Kings. Like parts of Luxor, Karnak is a UNESCO World Heritage Site , and Egypt famous landmarks

The largest ancient temples in the world include the temples of Ramses III, Chons, and Amun-Re. A gigantic stone hall and finely decorated columns make Karnak a very special experience.

Discover the complete guide to Karnak Temple Complex

The facility was used to hold sacrificial presentations and prayers to appease the gods. This had to be done by kings or specially trained high priests to maintain world order.

Therefore, the temples of ancient Egypt were of enormous importance, which explains why the temples, which were considered a small model of the world, were so carefully maintained and previously furnished.

Info & Tips: Location: Karnak, Luxor Governorate, Egypt

Fun Fact: Unlike the pyramids, which are west of the River Nile, the Karnak Temple is on the east side, dedicated to the living and the living.

Book a private guided tour to explore the temples of Karnak and Luxor with us.

18- Ancient Egyptian landmarks: Aswan

Aswan is located on the cataract north of the Nile, Aswan marked the traditional southern border of Egypt with the enemy territory of Nubia, it had great importance in the ancient Pharaonic era on the historical and security side, when we read the ancient Egyptian history we can see that the city of Aswan has contributed a remarkable role in history and battles against enemies who wanted to conquer Egypt, the Nile River also played a very important role in the economy and politics.

 it is a popular Egypt famous landmark and sought after by tourists thanks to a large number of ancient monuments and statues that have written a great civilization to study and visit to discover the power of the Egyptian pharaohs and how they managed to build a history to study until the present time. These two civilizations contested each other’s territory and their respective areas of influence for centuries.

In the course of this conflictual relationship, Aswan always remained a border town between the two territories, not only politically, but as an economic and natural intersection, prosperous commercial city, and transit point between Egypt and the rest of Africa.

Read more about the attractions of Aswan .

This island was of vital importance both for the Egyptians and subsequently for the Romans. Inside you will find the Nilometer, an ancient well that was used to measure the height of the river’s waters.

But the most important archaeological site in the area is certainly the Temple of Philae, which preserves the beautiful Sanctuary of Isis and the cell that preserves the sacred figure of Horus.

We recommend that you visit the Nubian Village just outside the city of Aswan, then go to the High Dam built-in 1960, from which you can enjoy a beautiful view of Lake Nasser.

Book a private guided tour to explore the Aswan with us.

19- Egypt historical sites: Temple of Philae

One of the most beautiful temples in Egypt – You have to take a small boat to get there, and you will have a view of Egyptian sites and monuments surrounded by water and palm trees. It is considered one of the most visited places in Egypt by tourists.

But, when you go, notice a curious aspect: Philae is, in a way, the most “feminine” temple in Egypt. That’s because it was built in honor of the goddess Isis, one of the strongest in Egyptian mythology, and was used as a venue for ceremonies in honor of her, performed by many priestesses.

Legend has it that Cleopatra traveled there more than once to make offerings, receive blessings and even seek spiritual and even loving guidance.

Fun Facts: One of the theories is that the Queen knew the power of the venom of a snake species and that she was instructed to keep secret and use it as a resource if necessary.

The tour can be done in half a day and is a great option to do and get a glimpse of what the two worlds were like (one extremely masculine and the other delicately feminine) millennia ago.

And, I must confess: it was by visiting this temple that I understood that a trip through Egypt is like this: outdoor history class!

Browse our article about the temples of Philae Island

20- Landmark in Egypt: Nubian Village (Aswan)

When you get to the village, you’ll see very colorful houses made of mud bricks made from clay, water, hay, and sand. This is typical Nubian architecture. All of these materials are natural, so they are less likely to spread diseases. They are also cheap, and the bricks’ clay texture is less affected by heat. Each house has a ceiling in the shape of a dome, which is meant to spread the sun’s heat evenly throughout the house. The Nubian people also love to decorate their homes with simple but beautiful colors. They also often draw shapes from their culture, like boats, camels, and palm trees, on the walls of their homes.

People know that Nubian villages are small and quiet. The same could be said about how a traditional Nubian home is set up inside. What is unusual, though, is the choice of a crocodile as a house pet. Don’t worry, though, because these crocodiles are kept in cages. In Nubian homes, both living and mummified crocodiles were hung and admired very much. The Nubian people like crocodiles because ancient Egyptians thought that having a crocodile around would protect them and their families from the “evil eye.” You could also find chickens and goats, which are more common.

Don’t miss to browse the Nubian Museum article to know more about Nubian Life.

For those who like to shop and take a souvenir of the places they pass, in Nubian Village you will find many options of super different and original crafts. A curiosity of this village is the presence of crocodiles, which were once used as a means of protection, and today are domestic animals.

Fun Fact: Nubian Village still retains the traditional houses of the Clouds, very colorful and with beautiful internal patios.

Book a private guided tour to explore the Nubian Village with us.

21-Ancient Egypt monuments: Edfu Temple

The temple of Edfu was dedicated to the Egyptian god Horus, who roughly corresponds to the Greek god of light Apollo.

Horus, the god with the falcon’s head, is said to have fought his important battle against Seth at this point, so the temple complex was a well-known sanctuary in ancient times.

In addition to the temple, a large part of the ancient city ​​of Edfu has also been preserved, which you should visit. Marvel at huge columns, wander through impressive halls, look at the artistically engraved reliefs, and dream of a bygone era!

Read more about Edfu temple .

This Egyptian temple on the west bank of the Nile is surprisingly well preserved, so it is hard to believe that it was built around 2,300 years ago. You are sure to be as impressed as I am when you visit!

Info & Tips: Location: Markaz Edfu, Aswan, Egypt Distance from Cairo: approx. 750 km Distance from Hurghada: approx. 400 km Distance from Sharm El Sheikh: approx. 500 km (car + ferry) Distance from Marsa Alam : approx. 225 km

Book a private guided tour to explore the Edfu temple with Kom Ombo .

22- Landmark in Egypt: Abu Simbel Temple

The Abu Simbel temples are a complex of two temples that were carved into the rock during the reign of Ramses II in the thirteenth century BC, as a memorial dedicated to him and his wife Nefertari and to memorialize his victory in the Battle of Kadesh in 1274 BC, consider one of the Aswan Egypt tourist attractions. it was built in (1279-1213 BC) and took a full 20 years. The large temple was dedicated to Ramses II and the small temple was dedicated to his wife Nefertari.

The small temple was built for two main reasons, to show his love for his wife, Nefertari. The temple was rediscovered after being buried under the sand for a long time in 1813. The sand was completely removed from the temple in 1909 to become one of the best tourist attractions in Egypt. The temple was saved from destruction through a project to save Egyptian antiquities by UNESCO in the sixties until the seventies.

Read more about Abu Simbel Temples .

The entire temple complex was laboriously removed and rebuilt piece by piece. By the way: On February 21st and October 21stthe sun miracle takes place every year.

Then the sun is at such a favorable angle that it can go straight into the temple and illuminate the statues of gods inside.

Info & Tips: Location: Aswan, Egypt Opening times: daily: 5 a.m. – 6 p.m. Distance from Cairo: approx. 1,110 km Distance from Hurghada: approx. 770 km Distance from Sharm ُl Sheikh: approx. 870 km (ferry + car) Distance from Marsa Alam: approx. 650 km

Book a private guided tour to explore Abu Simbel Temples .

23- The Temple of Abydos or The Temple of Seti I i

The temple was built in 1895 A.D. and is attributed to the kings of the first and second dynasties. It has some differences in its architectural design from the rest of Egyptian temples since the temple was built on two axes, the first part from east to west and the second axis from north to south.

The Temple of Abydos or The Temple of Seti I is located in Abydos, the eighth province of ancient Egypt. The area is considered one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. In ancient times it was called Abdu, and the Greeks called it Abydos. Many kings built temples at Abydos, including King Pepi I, King Ahmose I, King Seti I, and King Ramses II.

The ancient Egyptians believed that the tomb of Osiris, the “God of the dead and the underworld” was located at Abydos, and is where his head was buried. This temple was built during the reign of King Seti I and was completed by his son and grandson: Ramses II and Mern-Ptah.

This temple has a unique upside-down “L” shaped design. It also contains the most complete list of kings and gods in Egypt. The Temple contains 7 shrines dedicated to 7 Gods: Osiris, Isis, Horus, Amon Ra, Ra Hor Akhty and Ptah, and Seti I as a deified King. In this temple, you can also find the best-preserved reliefs and painted texts of the XVIII Dynasty. The earliest kings of Egypt, including those of the first dynasty of Egyptian history, were buried at Abydos.

The temple is entered through a largely destroyed pylon and two open courtyards, built by the son of Seti I, Ramses II. Then, the first hypostyle hall, was also completed by Ramses II. The reliefs represent the pharaoh making offerings to the gods and preparing the construction of the temple.

24-Dendera Temple complex

The Dendera Temple complex, considered one of the best preserved in Egypt, is located southeast of the city of Dendera, on the west bank of the Nile River, 60 km north of Luxor.

The entire complex covers an area of 40,000 square meters and is bounded by a mud-brick wall.

The cult temple, dedicated in 380 BC to Hathor, the goddess of love, joy, and beauty, was formerly known as the sistro castle or the house of Hathor.

This impressive temple is considered to be the largest and most impressive building in this religious complex.

However, the complex also includes the temple of the birth of Isis, the sacred lake, the sanatorium, the mammisi of Nectanebo II, a Christian basilica, a Roman mammisi, the monumental gates of Domitian and Trajan, the sanctuary of the boat and a Roman kiosk.

There are indications that the complex was originally erected at the hands of Pharaoh Pepi I (circa 2250 BC) in the 18th dynasty (circa 1500 BC), but the oldest building it houses is the mammisi of Nectanebo II, the last indigenous pharaoh of Egypt (360-343 BC).

The temple of Hathor referred to in earlier times as the Temple of Tentyra, has undergone several renovations beginning in the Middle Empire, although the present structure was built during the reign of Ptolemy XII and Cleopatra VII in the extinct Ptolemaic Empire. In fact, carved on the outer face of one of the walls of the temple we find a colossal relief of Cleopatra VII and her son Caesarion, heir of Julius Caesar.

Later some additions were made until the time of the Roman Empire, such as the Roman mammisi or “the house of birth”, attributed to the Roman emperor Trajan but built by Nero.

Also, since Hathor was also the goddess of healing, the city of Dendera has always been associated with the healing of travelers and pilgrims, who sought a remedy for their illnesses and the blessing of the gods.

25-The Colossi of Memnon

The Colossi of Memnon, which are on the western side of Luxor, are some of the most famous and beautiful monuments that the Pharaohs left behind.

The Colossi of Memnon are the only visible parts of Amenhotep III’s tomb temple, which was near Medinet Habu.

The Colossi of Memnon were made during the reign of Amenhotep III (1386-1349 B.C.). These two large stone masses are big versions of this king, whose reign was a time of splendour and when the arts were at their best.

The king is shown sitting on a throne with his hands on his legs. He is wearing the Nemes headdress, which is typical of the Egyptian monarchy, and the shape of the protective cobra on his forehead can still be guessed.

Top Egypt landmarks: Egypt Oases (Siwa & Bahariya)

26- siwa oasis.

Siwa is a beautiful oasis in Egypt’s Western Desert that is full of greenery. It used to be called “Sekht-am,” which means “palm land” in ancient Egyptian. The name of the oasis is a perfect match for its famous palm trees. The oasis is also famous for its olive trees and clear salt lakes.

A wonderful, mind-blowing paradise. Siwa Oasis is located in the Libyan desert in the northwest of the country.

There you can marvel at olive trees and date palms in the middle of the desert. It was not without reason that Alexander the Great loved this unusual place, because the ruins of the Amun temple, where his familiar oracle is said to have stayed, still stand here.

Read and discover more about the oases of Egypt

You can also discover the remains of the old clay town of Siwa. Various Bedouin peoples still live in Siwa today, and their marketplace, mosque, and local museum should also be on your to-do list when you visit them.

Info & Tips: Location: Qesm Siwah, Matruh Governorate, Egypt Distance from Cairo: approx. 750 km Distance from Hurghada: approx. 1,200 km Distance from Sharm El Sheikh: approx. 1,270 km Distance from Marsa Alam : approx. 1,500 km

Fun Fact: Alexander the Great wanted to be buried in Siwa, but this request was not followed by the ruling Pharaoh.

27- The Salt Lake at Siwa Oasis

One of the best experiences you will have in Siwa. You don’t actually need to travel to the Dead Sea to float on the water instead of swimming, you can just go to Siwa.

Not to mention its beauty and curative effect. Due to its extreme salt, it has healing power for sinuses, skin, and eye infections.

Besides, Siwan’s use salts in building and their tools and also in making lamps because they have the power to heal the soul by eliminating negative energy.

Check & Book one of our Egypt Safari Tours to explore all Egypt deserts & Oasis.

28- Bahariya Oasis

Bahariya Oasis, one of the oases that are easiest to reach from Cairo, its landscape is enclosed by high ridges and is dotted with date plantations, as well as freshwater sources.

In recent years it has also been made famous for important archaeological finds such as the “golden mummies” found in 1996.

Read and discover more about the oasis of Bahariya

The administrative capital Bawiti hides other treasures: fertile palm groves that guard springs such as that of El-Beshmo, discovered in Roman times, or Bir Ramla which has sulfurous water at more than 40 degrees of temperature.

On the hillock of Qasr Salim, in the heart of the village of Bawti, the remains of two tombs of the ancient XXVI dynasty are visible. The Oasis Heritage Museum offers clay reproductions of rural life.

29- White Desert

It is capable of leaving you breathless: the Sahara El Beyda, or the white desert. It extends between the oasis of Farafra and that of Bahariya, on the border with Libya.

The magic is all in the immaculate color of the sand but not only. Even the extraordinary rock formations give an unusual aspect to the whole environment as well as the colors that the sky takes on at different hours of the day and night.

Where there is now the desert, once (5 thousand years ago) there were springs, rivers, lakes, and animals of every kind. Today traces of that distant past remain in the sand.

Read and discover more about the white desert .

Over 2 square kilometers of magic. Which includes the Mount of the Dead, an archaeological area with the Temple of Amun, and the famous Cleopatra’s pool with its emerald green waters.

Today the White Desert is a national park. Every August it is cleaned after the passage of tourists. A blinding glow characterizes it. The limestone forms areas similar to sea waves, where hundreds of fossil shells bear witness to the voice of the sea from millions of years ago.

Book amazing tour to Bahariya Oasis & White Desert

The Most famous landmarks in Egypt: The Red Sea (Hurghada, Marsa Alam & Shael El Sheikh)

30- the red sea.

What would Egypt’s sights be without the Red Sea? There is still much speculation about the name of the not-so-red Red Sea.

First of all, the name Eritrea is based on Greek and means something like red – the lighting conditions that make the land around the sea appear red also contribute to this.

There is also a large occurrence of a special type of algae that also makes the sea glow reddish. Regardless of the reasons, it has been called ” Mare Rubum “, or the Red Sea, since ancient times.

As in the national park, you can of course also enjoy the wonderful, clear water and colorful reefs at the beaches of the sea. You should only dive and snorkel under the supervision of a guide, as the currents can be very strong and sudden.

Read and discover more about the Red Sea Attractions .

Also for surfers, the Red Sea is an absolute highlight. Enjoy the water, regardless of whether it is just for relaxation or sports.

Info & Tips: In our Egypt travel guide, you will find articles about snorkeling in the Red Sea and diving in Egypt. Here you can find out everything you need to know about the Red Sea and its underwater diversity.

31- Hurghada

If you are looking for things to do in Egypt, you should include Hurghada in your planning! The marine life is very rich there, not to mention the wonderful turquoise beaches!

Hurghada is one of the cities on the Red Sea with the best structure for tourism. It is an excellent destination in Egypt to relax by the sea because, in addition to the paradisiacal beaches, there are many shopping options, restaurants, clubs, and resorts.

Check out our article about the Hurghada .

Diving in that turquoise water is one of those memorable trips you will have in Egypt. A great tip for you to include in your experiences in Egypt is to take a snorkel tour on the tour to the Giftun Islands .

Check all-day tours that you can do with our Hurghada Tours .

32- Marsa Alam

On the south coast of the Red Sea, there are other options of super cool beaches, each with a style. In the case of Marsa Alam, in addition to being outside the most traditional tourist route, it is the most trendy diving destination in Egypt today due to the rich marine nature, with incredibly colorful corals, manatees, and dolphins, for example.

This was, without a doubt, one of the top destinations in Egypt that I visited during my trip! It is always nice to visit a little-explored place and Marsa Alam is one of those places with an air of untouched paradise. I recommend it for those who want to venture out, either by discovering a new destination or by diving.

Check out our article about the Marsa Alam .

I am already a certified diver, but for those who just want to try this activity, it is possible to hire a diving experience in Marsa Alam.

If you want to know one of the paradisiacal beaches in Egypt and get all the details about going to Marsa Alam, check out this article here.

33- Sharm El Sheikh

The beauty of this well-known tourist destination on the southern tip of Sinai has a thousand facets not only related to the beaches and the blue-green sea with fish of a thousand colors. One is enchanted, for example, to admire the night sky full of stars.

In the evening, after a day of relaxation, you discover the old town and the Old Market, while inland the Bedouin fields scented with embers and hookahs.

Here the gray rock hides the cemeteries of the dromedaries against the backdrop of rugged mountains where jewels such as the Byzantine-style Monastery of St. Catherine are hidden.

The real surprise is to discover, in an arid landscape, gardens of olive trees and vines, thanks to the water from the wells.

Check out our article about the Sharm El Sheikh .

For centuries, the fortress built by Justinian has been the garrison of the monks in a place where the stories of the three monotheistic religions meet. Here where his fate was announced to Moses.

And then there is the seabed that attracts crowds of snorkelers and scuba divers. Thirty kilometers of rugged and rocky coastline that opens into beautiful beaches and sudden inlets.

From the north of El Nabq to the lively Sharm El Maya. From the quiet beaches of Ras Nasrani, you can enjoy the view over the island of Tiran.

The center of holiday tourism is in Naama Bay, full of night attractions, souvenirs, and a clear sea.

The most beautiful coral reef in the Red Sea is located in Ras Um Sid, where the desert with the colors of sunset and morning offers moments of absolute enchantment.

Check all-day tours that you can do with our Sharm El Sheikh Tours .

34- Ras-Mohammed National Park

Ras Mohammed National Park is a place for conservation. It was Egypt’s first national park when it opened in 1989, and the country is very proud of it. It was made to protect the species that are representative of both plants and animals, as well as their natural growth.

The park is 480 square kilometers in size, and more than two-thirds of that is water. The park’s land is made up of two islands: Tiran and Sanafir.

Ras Mohammed National Park, also called “Cape of Mohammed,” is in the south of the Sinai Peninsula, about 25 km southwest of Sharm el-Sheikh. It is on the coast of the Red Sea. Some of the best places to snorkel in the world are in the southernmost part. Corals that are about two billion years old can be found in the park.

Lake of Desires and Salt Lake are two very different lakes in the park. The water in the first one is partially salt-free because it comes from fresh springs that bubble up from the ground. The second lake is fed by unique salt springs, so its water is twice as salty as the sea.

Check out our article about the Ras Mohammed National Park .

In this park, you get a lot on offer so that almost nothing is left to be desired in terms of outdoor activities. From mountain bike tours to swimming or snorkeling, everything is on offer. The underwater world can trump nature on land by a lot. Here you can marvel at exotic fish and marine animals amidst colorful coral reefs. Divers get their money’s worth in the Ras-Mohammed National Park.

Info & Tips: Location: Sinai, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt Distance from Cairo: approx. 490 km Distance from Hurghada: approx. 125 km (ferry) Distance from Sharm El Sheikh: approx. 40 km Distance from Marsa Alam: approx. 420 km (car + ferry)

Fun Fact: The Yolanda Reef was named after the ship of the same name that sank on the spot in 1980. The remains of the ship may not be dived for conservation reasons, but parts of Yolanda’s former cargo can be found everywhere in the reef: toilet bowls and sinks. Curious!

Book a private tour to Ras Mohammed National Park

35- Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai

St. Catharine Monastery at the foot of the Sinai is the oldest, still living, Greek Orthodox monastery in the world.

It was completed in its current form in 560 and, according to legend, is said to house the bones of St. Catherine. Mount Sinai is due to the transfer of the Ten Commandments to Moses and his encounter with God in the burning bush known.

An offshoot of this legendary bush is said to still be found near the monastery. In 2002 the Katharinen Kloster was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Check out our article about the St. Catharine Monastery .

Ascent and sightseeing: The ascent to the monastery is a bit difficult, so you can book a guided hike at night, for which you will be rewarded with cooler temperatures and a breathtaking sunrise. If the hike is too strenuous for you, you can also ride a camel. After a break, you will visit the monastery together as a group.

There are some providers for these tours, but when planning your excursion, keep in mind the current travel warning for Egypt issued by the Foreign Office. This currently advises against trips away from the coastal strip such as to Mount Sinai and the St. Catherine’s Monastery.

Info & Tips: Location: Qesm Sharm Ash Sheikh, Janub Sina, Egypt Distance from Cairo: approx. 450 km Distance from Hurghada: approx. 310 km (car + ferry) Distance from Sharm El Sheik: approx. 210 km Distance from Marsa Alam: approx. 980 km (car + ferry)

Book a private tour to St. Catharine Monastery from Cairo

What are you waiting for after knowing what to see in Egypt? If you have been seduced by the idea of ​​visiting one or more of these destinations, Egypt Time Travel will help you organize your vacation package to Egypt  without stress and at the most affordable prices. Book a dream trip now by discovering the top Egypt tourist attractions and all the places to visit in Egypt!

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Magdy Fattouh

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Early tourists visiting the Pyramids and the ruins of Ancient Egypt, 1860-1930

Tourists take tea atop the Great Pyramid. 1938.

By the late eighteenth century, Egypt had been reduced to nothing more than an impoverished and neglected corner of the Ottoman Empire, crippled by endless power struggles among its Mamluk leadership.

Then in 1798, Napoleon arrived at the head of a French army, closely followed by the British, who had hitherto shown little interest in Egypt.

After the French retreat, Egypt became gradually Westernised under the Albanian Ottoman Muhammad Ali Pasha, so that by the time the English novelist Thackeray visited Alexandria in 1845, the Nile ‘was lined with steel mills’ and looked ‘scarcely Eastern at all’.

Egypt’s early tourism trade started in the 19th century and increased in popularity alongside the rise of Egyptology as an academic and amateur pursuit. Especially, after the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, it became much easier to visit Egypt.

Organized group holidays offering an all-inclusive price that reduced the travelers’ costs were an innovation of the 1840s. Thomas Cook (1808-1892), a brilliant entrepreneur from England, is seen as their inventor and thus the pioneer of commercialized mass tourism.

In the 1870s, Cook offered his famous tour of Palestine and the Nile, a way for wealthy people to explore the wonders of Ancient Egypt. Many of these tourists took pictures in front of the ancient ruins or the Great Sphinx, some of them even climbed all the way to the top of the pyramids.

British tourists. 1900.

Scores of photographers, seeking to establish their studios, began arriving in Egypt following the tourist gaze. They hauled heavy equipment across the desert to photograph the wonders of the Nile Valley.

Some opened studios in the larger cities where they sold their wares to tourists; a few were engaged by Egyptologists to document excavations. Travelers exploring the monuments of ancient Egypt could return home with souvenir photographs of the sights they encountered.

For Europeans, Egypt and Egyptian history offered a more vivid and exotic picture of the ancient world than probably any other culture. With a history covering over 3,000 years, dynasties of pharaohs lasting for centuries, and extraordinary figures like Alexander, Cleopatra, and Tutankhamun illuminating the story, this is hardly surprising.

The pictures collected here are part of a collection documenting the British occupation of Egypt and show the early tourists exploring the ruins of Ancient Egypt.

Britsh tourists in front of the Great Sphinx. 1910.

The ruins of Ancient Egypt. 1905.

Some of the more adventuresome tourists were determined to see the view from the top of the 455-foot Pyramid of Cheops.

The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Gloucester climb one of the pyramids. 1930.

British tourists in Egypt. 1895.

Egyptians and tourists clamber up one of the pyramids. 1880.

Tourists in 1892.

The smooth white limestone which had once encased the pyramid had long since been torn off for use in buildings in Cairo, leaving the massive structural blocks for tourists and local guides to clamber over. 1930.

Locals helping a tourist climbing the pyramid. 1860.

With the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, visits by wealthy tourists increased. 1900.

Early tourists in Egypt.

A lady climbing the pyramid. 1900.

It was quite a challenge to climb the pyramid! (1867)

Men rest atop the Great Pyramid. 1900.

Photographer Lewis Larsson composes a photo from atop the Great Pyramid. 1900.

A view from the top of the pyramid. 1900.

Egyptian men watch as the Graf Zeppelin floats over the pyramids of Giza. 1931.

Two ladies and a local man watching the sunset. 1925.

(Photo credit: Library of Congress).

Updated on: November 30, 2021

Any factual error or typo?  Let us know.

Welcome to Egypt!

The land of ancient wonders and vibrant culture, egypt. breathtaking., before you travel.

Egypt is a place where natural wonders and ancient culture blend harmoniously together to create a truly unique and unforgettable holiday experience. With miles of coastline along the Mediterranean and Red Seas, rolling sand dunes, towering pyramids, and lush oases, Egypt offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts to explore and be amazed by one of the world’s oldest civilizations.

From the iconic Pyramids of Giza and the Valley of the Kings to the sparkling waters of the Red Sea and the incredible Mount Sinai, Egypt is blessed with some of the most breathtaking natural wonders on earth. History lovers can embark on tours to witness ancient Egyptian ruins, marvel at the intricate hieroglyphics, or explore the treasures of King Tutankhamun’s tomb.

For adventure seekers, Egypt offers a range of exhilarating activities such as diving, snorkeling, and camel trekking in the desert. And for those seeking a more relaxed pace, the white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea offer the perfect spot to soak up the sun and unwind.

But Egypt is more than just a natural and historical paradise – it’s a country rich with culture and tradition. From the bustling streets of Cairo to the serene beauty of Aswan, Egypt offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in ancient Egyptian culture, Coptic traditions, and Islamic architecture. From traditional music and dance to artisan crafts and flavorful cuisine, Egypt offers a glimpse into a vibrant and colorful way of life.

Egypt is the ideal destination for anyone seeking a once-in-a-lifetime experience that awakens the senses and creates lasting memories. Whether you are an adventurer, a history buff, or a culture enthusiast, Egypt has a little something for everyone. With warm and friendly locals always ready to welcome visitors with open arms, all that’s left to do is pack a bag and embark on an unforgettable journey to this ancient wonderland.

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Don’t get stuck or lost. All you need to travel and comply with local requirements.

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Book a flight, our services, travel advisory & assistance, best experiences, travel compliance, "yellow pages", our service, we will help you every step of the trip, travel requirements & restrictions revision., 24/7 before & during-travel assistance, online book of all the required and recommended services., we will assist you in any situation. let us know..

Egyptetourism.com is a comprehensive tourism portal and advisor for Egypt, designed to provide travelers with all the information they need to plan a perfect trip to the country. The website offers a wealth of information on Egypt’s culture, history, attractions, and activities, as well as practical tips on visa requirements, transportation, and accommodations. Egyptetourism.com is dedicated to promoting tourism in Egyptand showcasing the best the country has to offer. With expert advice and insider tips, Egyptetourism.com is the ultimate guide for anyone planning to visit Egypt.

Disclaimer: Egyptetourism.com is an independent travel advisor and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency or organization. We provide travel assistance services to individuals who are planning to travel to Egyptetourism.com. Our services are designed to help travelers navigate the complex travel requirements and procedures, and our team of experienced professionals provides personalized support to ensure that travelers have a seamless and hassle-free travel experience. Please note that Egyptetourism.com is not a substitute for official government resources or processes, and we strongly advise travelers to refer to the relevant government websites and resources for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

Egypt Bucket List: Your Expert Guide to Cairo & The Nile

Table of contents, why egypt should be on your bucket list, egypt bucket list #1-journey to cairo, egypt, egypt bucket list #2-exploring the nile river cruise, best time to visit egypt, planning your trip: visa requirements and travel costs , unique egyptian adventures to experience, is egypt safe to visit , what are the best ways to get around egypt, do you need to book tours in advance, or can you explore on your own, what should you wear when visiting ancient sites and mosques in egypt , are there any health concerns or vaccinations required for traveling to egypt, do you need a visa to visit egypt, your egypt bucket list adventure awaits.

Your Egypt bucket list adventure starts here! Egypt , a land steeped in ancient history and rich culture, is a destination that should be on every traveler’s bucket list . From the iconic monuments of Cairo to the winding Nile River, this captivating country offers a unique blend of awe-inspiring sights and immersive cultural experiences.

Having personally experienced the magic of Cairo and a mesmerizing Nile river cruise, here’s my expert guide, insider tips, and recommendations to help you plan an unforgettable Egypt vacation to this bucket list-worthy destination.

There are many reasons to visit Egypt and why it should be on your bucket list. Imagine standing in the shadow of the Great Pyramids of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, or gazing upon the enigmatic Sphinx, a testament to the ingenuity of ancient Egyptian civilization.

Beyond these iconic landmarks, Egypt offers a diverse array of experiences, from exploring bustling cities like Cairo to cruising along the mighty Nile River, witnessing remnants of ancient temples and tombs.

Egypt is also known for its welcoming people, delicious cuisine, and vibrant markets, making it an immersive cultural journey unlike any other.

Whether you’re a history buff, an adventure seeker, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of ancient wonders, Egypt has something to offer every traveler on an Egypt tour or Egypt vacation.

As the vibrant capital of Egypt, Cairo is a bustling metropolis that seamlessly blends ancient wonders with modern life. Here, you’ll find some of the country’s most iconic attractions, along with a lively cultural scene and a rich culinary heritage.

No visit to Cairo is complete without witnessing the awe-inspiring Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx . These ancient marvels, dating back over 4,500 years, are a testament to the ingenuity and engineering prowess of the ancient Egyptians.

For a unique experience , consider booking a camel ride to explore the Giza plateau and capture stunning views of the pyramids .

Beyond the pyramids, Cairo offers a wealth of cultural experiences. The Egyptian Museum is a must-visit, housing an unparalleled collection of ancient artifacts, including the treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb .

For a taste of local culture, head to the vibrant Khan El Khalili Bazaar , where you can haggle for souvenirs, sample delicious street food, and immerse yourself in the lively atmosphere.

For a comprehensive guide to the best things to do in Cairo, check out our article on things to do in Cairo Egypt .

Want to see more of Cairo? Get a glimpse of the beauty of Cairo in this video:

The mighty Nile River played a crucial role in the development of ancient Egyptian civilization, and today, it offers a unique way to explore the country’s rich history. A Nile River cruise is an unforgettable experience , providing a luxurious and convenient way to witness some of Egypt’s most remarkable ancient sites.

As you glide along the Nile, you’ll have the opportunity to visit iconic temples and tombs that have stood the test of time.

From the awe-inspiring Philae Temple Complex to the intricate carvings of Edfu Temple , each site offers a glimpse into the grandeur and sophistication of ancient Egyptian architecture.

One of the highlights of a Nile cruise is the chance to explore Luxor , known as the “world’s greatest open-air museum.” Here, you can delve into the Valley of the Kings, where ancient pharaohs were laid to rest, and marvel at the stunning Temple of Queen Hatshepsut , a stunning example of ancient engineering carved into the cliffs.

Throughout your journey, you’ll be treated to the comfort and luxury of a modern riverboat, complete with amenities such as spacious cabins, fine dining, and entertainment. It’s a truly immersive way to experience the wonders of ancient Egypt.

Egypt’s ancient history is also brought to life through captivating performances, such as the whirling dervish dance, a mesmerizing spiritual ritual that dates back centuries. Consider attending a show to witness this captivating display of music, movement, and devotion.

See these ancient wonders come alive in this video:

When planning your trip to Egypt, timing is crucial. The best time to visit Egypt is during the cooler months, from October to April, when temperatures are milder and more comfortable for sightseeing. Here are some key factors to consider:

• The shoulder seasons (spring and fall) offer the best balance of pleasant weather and fewer crowds.
• Peak season brings more tourists, but if that’s your only option, be prepared for the crowds.
• Summer months in Egypt can be scorching hot, so consider that if you’re particularly heat sensitive.

When planning your trip to Egypt, consider attending major festivals like Ramadan or national holidays, which can impact opening hours and crowd levels at popular attractions.

To help you, I’ve created a guide covering everything you need to know while Visiting Egypt During Ramadan: Insider Guide to Celebration .

Before embarking on your Egyptian adventure, it’s essential to understand the visa requirements and travel costs. Check the visa requirements for your nationality well in advance. Many countries can obtain a visa upon arrival at Egyptian airports, but it’s best to confirm and be prepared. The visa fee is generally around $25 USD.

As for the trip to Egypt cost is relatively affordable compared to other popular destinations. You can expect to spend around $50-$100 per day for a mid-range traveler, including accommodation, food, transportation, and entry fees to major attractions. Here’s a rough estimate of some common expenses:

• Airfare: $500-$1,000 roundtrip from major U.S. cities
• Mid-range hotel: $50-$100 per night
• Budget hotel: $20-$50 per night
• Meals: $10-$25 per day (street food and casual restaurants)
• Transportation: $5-$10 per day (for taxis and public transport)
• Entrance fees: $10-$25 per site (e.g., pyramids, temples, museums)

To save money, consider staying in budget-friendly accommodations. A wide range of options exist, from budget hostels to luxurious hotels. Eating at local street food stalls and local eateries is incredibly affordable, and you’ll find delicious meals for just a few dollars. When exploring attractions, transportation like local buses and taxis is budget-friendly. Consider a Nile Cruise package for an all-inclusive experience.

Here are some unique adventures that you must experience when traveling to Egypt.

• Soar over Luxor in a hot air balloon for breathtaking views of temples and the Valley of the Kings at sunrise-a true bucket list moment!
• Camel rides near the Pyramids are a popular choice, but it’s important to be aware of the ethical concerns. To learn more, check out this article, Why A Camel Ride in Egypt Commands a Conflicting Ethical Decision delves into this complex topic.
• Immerse yourself in Islamic Cairo. Discover its rich history and architectural beauty at the magnificent Al-Azhar Mosque.
• No trip to Egypt is complete without sampling the delicious local cuisine! Try  koshari  (a hearty mix of rice, lentils, and pasta),  falafel  (chickpea fritters), and don’t forget stuffed pigeon – an Egyptian delicacy.

Planning a trip to Egypt can raise a lot of questions, so we’ve compiled some frequently asked questions to help you prepare for your journey.

Egypt is generally safe for tourists, especially when traveling with a reputable tour company or guide. However, it’s always important to exercise caution, be aware of your surroundings, and follow the advice of local authorities.

For long-distance travel, consider taking domestic flights or booking a Nile River cruise. Within cities, taxis and public transportation are affordable and convenient options. Hiring a private driver or tour guide can also make navigating Egypt more comfortable.

While it’s possible to explore some sites independently, booking guided tours in advance can provide invaluable insights and ensure a smoother experience. Guided tours are highly recommended for complex sites like the pyramids, Valley of the Kings, and ancient temples.

It’s important to dress modestly when visiting religious sites or Islamic mosques. Opt for lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Women may also want to carry a scarf to cover their heads when entering mosques.

No specific vaccinations are required for most travelers, but it’s always a good idea to consult with your healthcare provider before your trip. Ensure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date, and consider getting vaccinated against hepatitis A and typhoid fever. Bringing insect repellent and staying hydrated are also recommended.

Yes, most nationalities require a visa to visit Egypt. However, the process is relatively straightforward, and there are a couple of ways to obtain one:

Visa on Arrival: Citizens of many countries can obtain a visa upon arrival at Egypt’s international airports. The process involves filling out a form, paying a fee (typically around $25 USD, payable in cash), and having a passport valid for at least six months beyond your intended stay.

E-Visa: For added convenience, many nationalities can apply for an e-Visa in advance through the official Egyptian government portal ([invalid URL removed]). The process is entirely online and typically takes a few days for approval.

Important Notes:

Specific Requirements:  Always double-check the visa requirements for your specific nationality, as there may be variations. Some countries may have additional requirements or longer processing times.

Visa Validity:  The most common tourist visa for Egypt is valid for 30 days. If you plan to stay longer, consider applying for a multiple-entry visa or inquire about visa extensions upon arrival.

Resources:  For official visa information and updates, visit the Egyptian government website or consult your nearest Egyptian embassy or consulate.

By following this expert Egypt travel guide, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and insider tips to plan an extraordinary journey through Cairo and the heart of ancient Egyptian civilization, Nile.

Egypt promises to leave a lasting impression and will surely capture your heart. So, pack your sense of adventure, embrace the rich culture, and embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to this bucket list-worthy destination.

The post Egypt Bucket List: Your Expert Guide to Cairo & The Nile appeared first on The Design Tourist .

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• HISTORY & CULTURE

Scientists find evidence of ancient waterway beside Egypt’s pyramids

A 40-mile stretch of a long-gone branch of the Nile may explain why the ancient monuments were built where they were.

The pyramids of Giza now stand amid a desert landscape of sand and rock, miles from the lush banks of the Nile.

Their modern isolation enhances the sense of majestic relics from a vanished kingdom, but it wasn’t always so: A new study suggests the pyramids once stood beside a major branch of the Nile that was swarming with boats.

“We think this was a superhighway for ancient Egypt,” says geomorphologist Eman Ghoneim , a professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Phantom River

Today, 31 pyramids built between the 27th and 18th centuries B.C.—almost 1,000 years—are strung along the foothills of Egypt’s Western Desert plateau. Researchers have long suspected that they were built beside a dried-up channel of the Nile, and earlier studies have found evidence of a waterway at different sites.

But Ghoneim and her colleagues are the first to map part of its ancient course—and they’ve discovered it was much larger than they expected.

Their study, published today in the journal Communications Earth & Environment , describes the detection of the now-vanished branch of the Nile in satellite photographs by Ghoneim’s expert eye; and their geophysical verification of its path.

For Hungry Minds

The result is a map of a 40-mile stretch of the lost waterway between the town of Lisht, some 30 miles south of Cairo, and the site of the Giza pyramids.

Only a small, watery stretch still survives today as the Bahr el-Libeini canal near the Abu Sir pyramids , but this channel of the Nile was once more than half a mile wide in places and sometimes more than 80 feet deep. The authors of the latest study have named it the Ahramat branch, from the Arabic word for pyramids.

Satellites and sand

Ghoneim, who grew up in Egypt, first saw traces of the Ahramat branch about two years ago in multispectral satellite photographs, which display data captured in wavelengths of light that the eye cannot see. She also examined digital elevation models extracted from the satellite radar data, to determine the heights of landscape features and anomalies.

Following her training as a geomorphologist—an expert on the processes that change a landscape—Ghoneim identified signs of the long-lost waterway now covered by desert sands and many centuries of agricultural development.

Such satellite data wasn’t available before, and so this seems to be the first time that a significant length of the vanished river channel has been identified.

“The actual channel itself—the width, the depth, the length, and its proximity to the pyramid fields—is something new,” Ghoneim says.

Egyptologists have developed a rough chronology of early human development in the Nile valley.

The region transformed from a desert to a savannah-like environment about 12,000 years ago, due to a rise in global sea level after the last phase of the last Ice Age.

From around 12,000 to about 5,000 years ago, much of the Nile valley was inhospitable because of the high water levels and swampy environment—what’s known as the “Wild Nile” period, says University of Cambridge geoarchaeologist Judith Bunbury , who wasn’t involved in the latest study.

People only started entering the Nile valley after that, perhaps to fish, she says; and by about 2700 B.C. the various branches of the Nile had become “tame” enough for the founding of Egypt’s Old Kingdom, although widespread flooding was still frequent.

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Building the pyramids.

Ghoneim says the Ahramat Branch must have been an important waterway during the Old Kingdom until about 2200 B.C; knowing more about its route will help archaeologists target and protect important cultural sites.

Importantly, the river branch would have allowed boats to ferry construction materials for the many pyramids built at that time. “The ancient Egyptians needed a major waterway to transport very heavy building materials and workers to the pyramid sites,” Ghoneim says. “So they used this branch like a highway.”

In some cases, the Ahramat branch ran only a few hundred feet from the pyramids themselves. Many pyramids were connected by causeways to temples on the ancient riverbank that may have served as harbors.

The vast size of the Ahramat branch, revealed during months of geophysical surveys and soil samples at selected spots, surprised the researchers.

It was typically more than a quarter of a mile across, and their study suggests it widened at the northern end to form an inlet near Giza.

“It’s a big branch, similar to the width of the current Nile,” Ghoneim says. “And its proximity to the pyramid sites implies a functional waterway of great importance during ancient Egypt.”

Two-way traffic

Today, however, almost the entire Ahramat branch has disappeared; the study suggests it started moving east and silting up by about 2000 B.C., perhaps from geological activity and windblown sand from the Western Desert.

The researchers found that pyramids built during Egypt’s Middle Kingdom, from about 2040 until about 1780 B.C., were built further east than those built during the Old Kingdom—presumably to be closer to the Ahramat branch as it migrated eastwards.

But Bunbury thinks the silting process could have been worsened by the pyramid-building activities themselves, and that it may have started even earlier, by about 2500 B.C.

At that time the Shepseskaf Masataba —a flat-roofed tomb, rather than a full pyramid—was built between Saqqara and Dahshur; and the diminishing Ahramat branch could explain why it was hurried: “It was a bit of a minimal job, because water transport was more difficult,” Bunbury says.

University of Marseilles palynologist Hader Sheisha also wasn’t involved in the latest study; but she has examined ancient environmental evidence for a water channel near Giza , which may correspond to the Ahramat branch.

Sheisha notes the size and depth of the Ahramat branch challenge some existing theories, such as the idea that the waterway supplying the pyramid sites was narrow and shallow along its length, and therefore probably over-crowded with boat traffic. But Ghoneim believes that the Ahramat branch would have been large enough for boat traffic in both directions.

The research team’s next step will be to radiocarbon date the remains of plants and seashells in buried sediments to fix the ages of the Ahramat branch over the time it was in use; and to continue to map the waterway north and the south beyond its 40-mile stretch beside the pyramids.

“This part of the branch is located in northern Egypt—we still have middle Egypt and southern Egypt that have not been covered yet,” Ghoneim says. “We are going to expand our analysis to see where this branch started, probably near the border with Sudan.”

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New Research

Did a Dried-Up Branch of the Nile Help the Egyptians Build the Pyramids?

Researchers say 31 of the monuments were constructed on the banks of the ancient waterway

Sonja Anderson

Daily Correspondent

Today’s travelers to Egypt will find the ancient pyramids surrounded by barren, inhospitable desert landscapes. But perhaps this wasn’t always the case: New research suggests that a branch of the Nile River may have once flowed alongside 31 of the monuments.

This dried-up branch, which the researchers have named Ahramat (the Arabic word for “pyramids”) was about 40 miles long, according to a study published this month in the journal  Communications Earth and Environment . Its winding path’s proximity to the pyramids suggests it acted as a highway for the transport of building materials beginning some 4,700 years ago.

“Many of us who are interested in ancient Egypt are aware that the Egyptians must have used a waterway to build their enormous monuments, like the pyramids and valley temples, but nobody was certain of the location, the shape, the size or proximity” to the site of the pyramids, says lead author Eman Ghoneim , a geomorphologist at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, in a statement . “Our research offers the first map of one of the main ancient branches of the Nile at such a large scale and links it with the largest pyramid fields of Egypt.”

Ahramat ran “at the foothills of the Western Desert Plateau, where the majority of the pyramids lie,” referring to fields of monuments stretching from Giza to Lisht, per the researchers. They used radar satellite imagery, geophysical surveys and soil samples to confirm the branch’s location.

“Even though many efforts to reconstruct the early Nile waterways have been conducted, they have largely been confined to soil sample collections from small sites, which has led to the mapping of only fragmented sections of the ancient Nile channel systems,” Ghoneim tells  CNN ’s Katie Hunt.

As the researchers write, the Nile River played a pivotal role in ancient Egyptian civilization’s growth and expansion. It served as a “lifeline in a largely arid landscape,” providing sustenance and allowing for easy transportation of goods and building materials. “For this reason,” they add, “most of the key cities and monuments were in close proximity to the banks of the Nile and its peripheral branches.”

Ghoneim, who is from Egypt, had long wondered why the pyramids were built so far from the Nile, according to CNN. After finding evidence of an unmarked riverbank in some radar satellite data of the region, she set out to investigate.

The team found that in its day, Ahramat was about a third of a mile wide and at least 82 feet deep. What happened to it? As Ghoneim tells  Live Science ’s Owen Jarus, “There is no exact date on when the branch come[s] to an end.”

While the researchers aren’t sure why the branch dried up, they think a build-up of windblown sand dislodged by a drought some 4,200 years ago might have contributed, per the statement. Now, the footprint of Ahramat is buried beneath farmland and desert sand.

Nick Marriner , a geographer at the French National Center for Scientific Research who wasn’t involved in the study, tells CNN that the Nile has changed significantly over time. Its phases help explain important shifts in ancient Egyptian history.

“The study completes an important part of the past landscape puzzle,” he says. “By putting together these pieces, we can gain a clearer picture of what the Nile floodplain looked like at the time of the pyramid builders and how the ancient Egyptians harnessed their environments to transport building materials for their monumental construction endeavors.”

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Sonja Anderson is a writer and reporter based in New York City.

Egypt is building a $1-billion mega-museum

Will it bring Egyptology home?

By Miryam Naddaf Photography by Rehab Eldalil for Nature 22 May 2024

For 100 years, Egypt’s scientists have watched as their nation’s story was largely told by institutions from Europe and the United States.

Can a stunning new museum change that narrative?

An aerial view of the Great Pyramid of Giza (bottom), built by the pharaoh Khufu, showing its proximity to the Grand Egyptian Museum site (top). Credit: Amir Makar/AFP Via Getty

T wo kilometres north of the Pyramids of Giza, around 20 minutes’ drive from the centre of Cairo, is a sprawling complex that opens a gateway to the past. When it opens fully, the Grand Egyptian Museum will be the world’s largest such facility devoted to a single civilization. The site occupies 500,000 square metres, or the size of about 80 football fields. A new airport, Sphinx International, has been built to serve those visiting the pyramids and the museum. A small section of the museum is open, and the whole facility is due to be inaugurated later this year.

Visitors are greeted by a colossal statue of Ramses II, the third pharaoh of the nineteenth dynasty, who ruled Egypt for nearly seven decades. Twice a year, the Sun’s rays beam down onto the face of this 3,200-year-old statue in the museum’s lobby. This effect is intended to mirror a solar alignment phenomenon on another Ramses II statue, at the Abu Simbel temple in Nubia, southwest of Aswan, where sunlight falls on the face of the statue on the king’s birthday and on coronation day.

 To the left of the lobby is the Grand Staircase. This comprises 108 steps rising to a height of 26 metres and it is lined with statues and sculptures denoting mystical temples and burial and funeral rites. At the top of the staircase is a panoramic vista of the Giza plateau and its iconic pyramids. That sight — and the museum itself — is intended to change how the world sees Egypt, and how Egypt sees the world.

Image captions

Credit: Fareed Kotb/Anadolu via Getty

“It’s a world museum in alignment with the British Museum and the Louvre,” says Shirin Frangoul-Brückner, an architect and co-founder of the firm Atelier Brückner in Stuttgart, Germany, which has designed key parts of the museum’s interior. The museum has the potential to inspire and train a new generation of research leaders from Egypt, says Monica Hanna, an Egyptologist at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, who is based in Aswan.

The museum has been funded through US$950 million in loans from Japan, which must be repaid. Ultimate control over its design and operations, including its research functions, rests with the Egyptian Armed Forces Engineering Authority. With such an array of influences, many scholars wonder how this museum devoted to Egypt’s past will shape the country’s future.

Colossal scale

The golden death mask of Tutankhamun, who was pharaoh during the eighteenth dynasty. Credit: Amir Makar/AFP via Getty

The museum’s extent is immediately evident to any visitor. It will showcase more than 50,000 ancient Egyptian artefacts — some 30,000 of which have not been displayed before.

Its star attraction will be the treasures of the boy king Tutankhamun, the pharaoh who ruled in 1332–1323 BC during the late eighteenth dynasty. The tomb was discovered in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor more than 100 years ago, but only now will the complete collection of some 5,000 burial artefacts be displayed, including his golden thrones, rings, magical amulets, decorated boxes, chariots and famous golden funerary mask. Only one-third of these have so far been exhibited at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, in Tahrir Square. The treasures will be on display in two galleries designed by Atelier Brückner and will reveal elements of Tutankhamun’s lifestyle and royal fashion during that period.

Credit: Courtesy of BESIX

Research revealed

Conservator Ahmed Atef examines a non-royal female mummy from the Late Period of ancient Egypt.

Nesrin Kharboush, head of the inorganic lab at the museum’s conservation centre.

The museum also houses one of the world’s biggest archaeological conservation research centres. This opened in 2010, and by 2017, some 40,000 artefacts had been transported there to undergo restorations in preparation for moving them to their new home. Both the museum and the conservation centre aim to boost local research on the artefacts, with a target of producing 20 papers each year about their archaeology, preservation and restoration.

Some 144 conservators and researchers — 66 of whom are women — work in 17 specialized laboratories 10 metres below ground. They use non-destructive methods to restore artefacts, including mummies and items made of stone, metal, leather, textiles, glass and papyrus, while analysing their historical and cultural significance. The aim is to determine the appropriate environmental conditions, such as exposure to light, humidity and temperature, that will prevent an object from deteriorating 1 . “The accumulated experience is immense,” says Tarek Tawfik, an archaeologist at the University of Cairo and a former director of the museum.

The core of their work is around Tutankhamun’s treasures, some 70% of which have not been analysed scientifically. “This very famous find has been under-published in a way,” says Marleen De Meyer, assistant director for archaeology and Egyptology at the Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo. “Most of the objects have never had a scientific publication,” she says.

Conservators at the Grand Egyptian Museum restore a collection of pottery from Hetepheres, queen of Egypt during the fourth dynasty.

A conservator at the inorganic lab works on pottery from the reign of Hetepheres, whose tomb was discovered at Giza in 1925. She was mother to king Khufu, the pyramid builder.

A conservator works on a bronze lion sculpture that was previously displayed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

The conservation centre’s researchers use non-destructive methods to restore artefacts.

Armour analysis

Hussein Kamal, director of the Grand Egyptian Museum’s conservation centre, explains the team’s work on Tutankhamun’s armour.

Safwat Mohamed Sayed, head of the organic lab.

On the day of Nature ’s visit, researchers at the organic lab at the conservation research centre are hard at work. One of their achievements is the conservation and restoration of a suit of armour belonging to Tutankhamun. The armour is made from fabric and animal hide and will be on display for the first time.

It is unique because it is the most complete example of armour from the Eastern Mediterranean during the Late Bronze Age (3300 to 1200 BC). For many years, researchers had seen pictures of ancient Egyptian armour only in battle scenes on temple walls.

The armour was designed to fit over the king’s chest and back like a sleeveless tunic and was originally made from about 4,000 small, shield-shaped pieces of rawhide that overlapped to form a fish-scale pattern.

Now, only one-quarter of the armour remains, and it was in a poor state when it arrived at the lab. Storage in high humidity had led to microbiological contamination of the materials, causing a rotting smell. Safwat Mohamed Sayed, head of the organic lab, and his team identified three categories of fungus and two types of bacterium with different cell walls on the armour. They published their findings earlier this year 2 .

When the armour was discovered in 1922, it was not considered important, but it was covered in castor oil, celluloid and paraffin wax in a failed attempt to prevent it from deteriorating. This caused more damage to the scales, forming a thin white layer, according to the study. The museum’s researchers used a variety of conservation techniques to treat the armour and separate the scales that were stuck together.

Tutankhamun's armour, made of cattle hide and linen, was in a state of decay because of high humidity and contamination by bacteria and fungi.

Egyptologist Salima Ikram at the American University in Cairo, who is not involved with the museum, and her colleagues had previously analysed 3 the thickness of the scales and suggested that they were made of untreated cattle hide. This material, although not as protective as bronze plates, would have afforded Tutankhamun greater mobility in battle than metal armour, but it’s not known if the rawhide armour was used in his lifetime, or if it was ceremonial garb for his burial.

Sayed and his conservation team imaged the armour using ultraviolet light, but found no blood stains or evidence of weapon strikes 2 . They also shot arrows into a replica of the armour from different distances to see how far they penetrated; these results have not yet been published. The arrows, fired from a distance of 12 metres at a speed of 120 kilometres per hour, failed to penetrate the replica, but an arrow shot from 2 metres away did. Researchers have told Nature that an attack on the king at such close range would have been unlikely. That said, “the absence of blood stains and arrow holes in the armour isn’t evidence that Tutankhamun didn’t use it in battle”, says Bob Brier, an Egyptologist at Long Island University in New York City. “It is evidence that he didn’t get shot.”

The conservation team is working on another item that has not been displayed before — one of Tutankhamun’s tunics, made of dyed linen. The garment has been damaged by moisture and the high temperatures inside the tomb. By looking for signs of wear and tear or traces of chemicals used for washing it, the team’s analysis will reveal whether the boy king wore the tunic in his everyday life or if it was a funeral costume.

Conservator Enas Mohamed (left) restores a linen tunic that belonged to Tutankhamun. 

Hussein Kamal points to a microscope image of the tunic to explain how the team analyses the garment’s composition and condition.

Tutankhamun’s tunic was damaged by moisture and the high temperatures inside his tomb.

Enas Mohamed studies the tunic to determine whether it was used in Tutankhamun’s daily life or if it was a funeral costume.

The vulture goddess

For the first time, visitors will also be able to see a restored collar, shaped to represent the vulture goddess Nekhbet, that was found on the neck of Tutankhamun’s mummy. The collar has been studied 4 by the conservation centre’s researchers, including Abdelaziz Elmarazky, a conservator at the inorganic lab. Its wings are stretched around the king’s neck as a symbol of protection. The item is understood to have been a funeral collar that was not worn during the king’s lifetime.

Using various imaging tools and analyses, the lab’s conservators have revealed the collar’s original shape and colours. They discovered that the collar was missing some blue beads that had been documented when the collar was found in 1925; the item was then kept in a small box in the storage rooms of the Tahrir Square museum. Some red and turquoise opaque glass had fallen off, and several of its golden plaques were missing small gold eyelets.

The conservation team also noticed that the original craftspeople had inscribed numbers on the reverse of the collar’s beads. The researchers dismantled the collar and reassembled it according to the sequence originally set by ancient Egyptian goldsmiths.

Credit: Bettmann/Getty

Cruising to an afterlife

The first boat of Khufu, who was a pharaoh during the fourth dynasty, in its new home at the Grand Egyptian Museum.

The museum is also the new home for two boats that belonged to Khufu, a pharaoh in the fourth dynasty some 4,600 years ago, one of which has never been displayed in public.

Khufu’s first boat dates back 4,600 years and is understood to be the world’s oldest surviving wooden vessel.

Built from Lebanese cedar, the boats were discovered by Egyptian archaeologist Kamal El-Mallakh near the southern side of the Great Pyramid in 1954.

The first boat was in relatively good condition and was displayed after reconstruction in a small museum near the Great Pyramid. It is understood to be the world’s oldest surviving wooden ship-like structure. It weighs 45 tonnes and is 44 metres long and 6 metres wide. In 2021, the intact vessel was transported very slowly in a massive, custom-built metal box 5 . What would usually be a 20-minute journey took a whole day and was an international event, streamed live. Once the boat arrived in its new location, the team built a structure to house it.

Brier and his colleagues made a two-metre model of the boat and tested it in a tank to see what it can do. They found that the boat is unlikely to have been used by the pharaoh to sail. “There’s no sail and mast. Also the oars that were with it were not powerful enough to move the boat,” says Brier. Their study 6 suggested that the boat was a funeral barge designed to cross the Nile. “It was used to take the body of Khufu from the east bank, the land of the living, to the west bank, the land of the dead,” says Brier.

Museum staff escorted a specialized large vehicle transporting the first Khufu boat to the Grand Egyptian Museum in August 2021. Credit: Xinhua/Shutterstock

A conservator works on restoring wooden pieces of Khufu’s second boat.

Khufu’s second boat had been dismantled into small pieces by ancient Egyptians and was buried south of the Great Pyramid in Giza.

The second boat had been dismantled into small pieces by ancient Egyptians and buried in pits south of the Great Pyramid, then covered with massive limestone slabs. A joint Egyptian–Japanese research team has so far excavated 1,700 wooden pieces of the boat and is working on restoring and reconstructing it 7 .

The researchers have found 8 steering oars, 52 oars for rowing and distinct copper fixtures, suggesting that it could have been used in water, according to Eissa Zeidan, who leads the team responsible for restoring the second boat. “The second boat might have been used to pull and drag the first boat behind it,” he adds. It is likely that it would have taken more than 50 people to move the boat down the Nile, according to a study by Kanan Yoshimura at the American University in Cairo 7 .

A military affair

Atef Moftah, an architect and senior officer in the Egyptian armed forces, was appointed to run the museum project in February 2016.

Notwithstanding these and other achievements, the museum’s progress has not been all plain sailing. The idea was first proposed in the 1990s, when it became clear that the Tahrir Square museum had become too small to accommodate the 7,000 daily visitors.

The Egyptian government secured loans from Japan for a new museum, and some 1,550 architects from 83 countries submitted design concepts for a competition overseen by the United Nations culture and science agency UNESCO and the International Union of Architects. Dublin-based architects Heneghan Peng were chosen in 2003, with a 2009 target date for completion.

The project has been beset with delays and changes to its administration, although for reasons outside its control. First came the Arab Spring protests against authoritarian rule that swept the Middle East in 2010–12. In 2016, a team of engineers led by Atef Moftah, an architect and a major-general in Egypt’s army, took over supervision of the museum project. This was followed by the COVID-19 pandemic and an ensuing economic crisis.

Atef Moftah (right), and Eissa Zeidan, who leads the team restoring Khufu’s second boat.

It is not uncommon for the armed forces to run big projects in countries where public institutions are weak. Moftah told Nature : “Previously, the ship had many captains and was going in circles, not moving in a straight line.” “As a military man, I have a mission and this mission must be accomplished successfully.”

Brier is also not surprised that the army is involved. “The military is involved in everything in Egypt,” he explains. It also owns companies and the museum is likely to be big business, Brier adds. Tourism is a crucial source of foreign currency and employment for Egypt’s struggling economy, and brought in $13.6 billion in the 2022–23 financial year. The museum is expected to generate about $55 million per year in admissions from an estimated 5 million visitors per year.

Some researchers whom Nature spoke to questioned how long the nation’s armed forces would be running the museum and research centre for. Zahi Hawass, a former Egyptian minister for antiquities, says the army is helping during construction and will leave after it opens fully. “The museum cannot be planned by army people,” he says.

Others, who asked not to be named, are concerned about the military’s previous use of museums in Egypt. The 122-year-old Tahrir Square museum was used to detain protesters during the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. Moftah declined to answer Nature ’s questions about when the military will withdraw from the new museum after it opens.

Protesters in front of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo’s Tahrir Square during the Arab Spring in February 2011. Credit: Andre Pain/EPA/Shutterstock

Writing Egypt’s story

British archaeologist Howard Carter examines the sarcophagus from Tutankhamun’s tomb in Luxor in 1925. Credit: Harry Burton via Ian Dagnall Computing/Alamy

Howard Carter (left) and aristocrat George Herbert, Earl of Carnarvon, who sponsored Carter’s excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor. Credit: GraphicaArtis/Getty

One of the museum’s aims is to take back some control of the study of Egyptology, a field that has long been entangled with historical colonialism. Most excavations and research in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries were conducted by people from Europe and the United States during periods when Egypt was under the control of external authorities.

“We’ve managed to keep the collection of Tutankhamun, but still colonialism stripped us of the agency to produce knowledge about our past,” says Hanna. Western archaeologists framed the narrative of ancient Egyptian history in a way that was barely accessible to Egyptians, because most publications were in European languages. Even the term Egyptology — which covers a period of history that excludes the country’s Christian and Islamic eras — was coined by scholars from Europe.

Tutankhamun’s tomb was famously discovered in November 1922 by the British archaeologist Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor. The aristocrat George Herbert, Earl of Carnarvon, who sponsored Carter’s excavation, gave the exclusive rights to the Tutankhamun story to The Times newspaper in London. “Egyptian journalists couldn’t find out about the discovery, except for the London Times , and that caused the real furore,” says Brier.

Although for some researchers, the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb marked the beginning of the end of colonial-era Egyptology, it was not until 1970 that Cairo University opened a stand-alone college for the study of archaeology, followed by a department for conservation studies seven years later. Even today, Egypt’s archaeological research capacity does not compare with that of high-income countries. The team behind the museum told Nature that it is determined to change this.

Restitution

Researchers in Egypt say the opening of the museum needs to be accompanied by a plan to return artefacts to the nation, including archive materials. Although laws against the export of antiquities have existed in Egypt since at least 1835, many ancient Egyptian treasures have been shipped abroad, populating more than 350 institutions in 27 countries on 5 continents 8 .

“The real problem is that Howard Carter exported all his excavation notes to the Griffith Institute,” which is based at the University of Oxford, UK, says Hanna. “I think that the archive should come back from the Griffith Institute. This should also be part of the exhibition of the Tutankhamun objects,” she adds. “We cannot produce knowledge about the past without these archives, because then we’re just dealing with objects from the ground, not with something that has been thoroughly excavated and documented.”

The institute’s deputy director, Richard Parkinson, told Nature that the archive is in a fragile condition but that “requests for repatriation would always be welcome”. The archive has been digitized and is free to access, although images are of low resolution. The museum can provide high-resolution images at no cost to Egyptian researchers, he adds.

Hanna is also calling for systemic changes to Egyptology, beyond individual projects or institutions such as the Grand Egyptian Museum. “What would really help decolonize Egyptology is not necessarily a big museum, but putting in place policies that empower academics to actually excavate and produce knowledge about the past. That does not exist.”

“Unless we have financial independence to be able to carry out our excavations, conservation projects, site-management or public archaeology projects, we cannot really decolonize Egyptology,” says Hanna.

Ikram is hopeful. “What the museum offers with its state-of-the-art labs, and some really kick-ass scientists, is that people can collaborate, people can carry out work. But one should not just do bells-and-whistles science, one should have real research questions and be able to address them to move the discipline and our understanding of ancient Egypt forward,” she says.

But for others, including Ikram, efforts to reclaim a national narrative of Egyptology should not come at the expense of cancelling researchers who come from outside Egypt. “To learn about ancient Egypt is not for any one culture, or one group. Knowledge transcends, science and research transcends nationalistic boundaries,” she says.

The museum is “a big leap forward in the field of research, nationally and internationally”, says Tawfik. “It has the potential to really take research concerning Egyptology and conservation to new dimensions in Egypt, in cooperation with Egyptology and conservation all around the world. Before, “archaeology was in the hands of foreigners”, says Hawass. “Now it’s in our hands.”

• Author: Miryam Naddaf
• Original photography: Rehab Eldalil for Nature
• Photo editor: Tom Houghton
• Map design: Paul Jackman
• Subeditor: Anne Haggart
• Editor: Ehsan Masood

• Kamal, H. M., Elkhial, M. M. & Tawfik, T. S. Stud. Conserv. 63 (Suppl. 1), 138–145 (2018).
• Mohamed Sayed, S., Metawi, R., Alshoky, A. & Kamal, H. J. Gen. Union Arab Archaeol. 9 , 110–126 (2024).
• Veldmeijer, A. J., Hulit, L., Skinner, A. & Ikram, S. J. Anc. Near-East. Soc. Ex Oriente Lux 48 , 125–156 (2022).
• Elmarazky, A., Kharboush, N., Abdrabou, A. & Kamal, H. in Proc. 20th Int. Counc. Mus. Comm. Conserv. Trienn. Conf. (Valencia, Spain) abstr. 140 (ICOM-CC, 2023).
• Hamza, N. et al. in Proc. 20th Int. Counc. Mus. Comm. Conserv. Trienn. Conf. (Valencia, Spain) abstr. 183 (ICOM-CC, 2023).
• Brier, B., Morabito, M. G. & Greene, S. J. Am. Res. Center Egypt 56 , 83–99 (2021).
• Yoshimura, K. A Comparative Study between Khufu’s First and Second Boats in Respect of their Materials, Archaeological Conditions, and Conservation. Master’s thesis, American Univ. Cairo (2022).
• Stevenson, A. Scattered Finds: Archaeology, Egyptology and Museums (UCL Press, 2019).
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Watch CBS News

Radar detects long-lost river in Egypt, possibly solving ancient pyramid mystery

Updated on: May 17, 2024 / 7:47 AM EDT / CBS/AFP

Scientists have discovered a long-buried branch of the Nile river that once flowed alongside more than 30 pyramids in Egypt, potentially solving the mystery of how ancient Egyptians transported the massive stone blocks to build the famous monuments.

The 40-mile-long river branch, which ran by the iconic Giza pyramid complex among other wonders, was hidden under desert and farmland for millennia, according to a study revealing the find on Thursday.

The existence of the river would explain why the 31 pyramids were built in a chain along a now inhospitable desert strip in the Nile Valley between 4,700 and 3,700 years ago.

The strip near the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis includes the Great Pyramid of Giza -- the only surviving structure of the seven wonders of the ancient world -- as well as the Khafre, Cheops and Mykerinos pyramids.

Archaeologists had long thought that ancient Egyptians must have used a nearby waterway to move the giant materials used to build the pyramids.

"But nobody was certain of the location, the shape, the size or proximity of this mega waterway to the actual pyramids site," lead study author Eman Ghoneim of the University of North Carolina Wilmington in the United States told AFP.

The international team of researchers used radar satellite imagery to map the river branch, which they called Ahramat -- "pyramids" in Arabic.

Radar gave them the "unique ability to penetrate the sand surface and produce images of hidden features including buried rivers and ancient structures," Ghoneim said.

Surveys in the field and cores of sediment from the site confirmed the presence of the river, according to the study in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.

The once mighty river was increasingly covered in sand, potentially starting during a major drought around 4,200 years ago, the scientists suggested.

"Easier to float down the river"

The Giza pyramids stood on a plateau roughly a kilometer from the banks of the river.

Many of the pyramids had a "ceremonial raised walkway" which ran alongside the river before ending at the Valley Temples which served as harbors, Ghoneim said.

This indicates that the river played "a key role in the transportation of the enormous building materials and workmen needed for the pyramid's construction," she added.

Exactly how ancient Egyptians managed to build such huge and long-standing structures has been one of history's great mysteries.  

These heavy materials, most of which were from the south, "would have been much easier to float down the river" than transport over land, study co-author Suzanne Onstine of the University of Memphis told AFP.

The banks of the rivers could have been where the funeral entourages of pharaohs were received before their bodies were moved to their "final burial place within the pyramid," she suggested.

The river may also indicate why the pyramids were built in different spots.

"The water's course and its volume changed over time, so fourth dynasty kings had to make different choices than 12th dynasty kings," she said.

"The discovery reminded me about the intimate connection between geography, climate, environment and human behavior."

The study comes on the heels of recent research projects focusing on the iconic pyramids.

Earlier this year, archaeologists launched a massive projec t to restore the smallest of Giza's three famous pyramids to what they believe it looked like when it was built more than 4,000 years ago. An Egyptian-Japanese archaeological mission announced the project to put back in place hundreds of granite blocks that used to form the outer casing of the pyramid of King Menkaure.

Some archeologists, however, including a former head of Egypt's antiquities ministry, aren't on board with the project, and expressed concern as the digging got underway. Dr. Mohamed Abd El-Maqsoud, former Director of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector and a former senior official in Egypt's antiquities ministry, told CBS News that before the granite blocks are moved, they should first be studied extensively to verify that they were all even part of the structure to begin with.

Last year, a team of archaeologists and other scientists in Egypt used cutting-edge technology that relies on rays of radiation from space to get a clear picture of a 30-foot-long corridor inside the Great Pyramid of Giza , which remains hidden behind a main entrance to the ancient structure. 

Ahmed Shawkat contributed to this report.

• Archaeologist

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Archaeologists Found an ‘Anomaly’ Near the Pyramids That May Reveal an Ancient Portal

New findings beneath the desert floor hint at entrances to long-lost chambers.

• Ground-penetrating radar has helped archeologists identified buried wonders below the surface.
• Now, a new study from Japanese and Egyptian researchers reveals the discovery of an L-shaped structure along with an accompanying anomaly right next to the Great Pyramids of Giza.
• Although its impossible to know for sure what the anomaly is, the researchers guess that the L-shaped discovery could be an entrance to a deeper structure.

Using GPR—along with a method known as electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), which uses electrical resistance to map underground structures—an international team of researchers led by Tohoku University’s Motoyuki Sato discovered what’s being described as an “L-shaped anomaly” in the western cemetery near the world-renowned pyramids . According to the team’s research paper, published earlier this month in the journal Archeological Prospection , the structure is roughly 6.5 feet from the surface, measures 33 feet in length, and was backfilled after construction.

“The Western Cemetery at Giza is known as an important burial place of members of the royal family and high-class officers,” the paper reads. “In the initial survey by GPR and ERT we found an anomaly in the north of the survey site. The area of the anomaly could be established approximately, but the structure and the location were unclear.”

Below this L-shaped structure was an anomaly, lying 16 to 33 feet down, that the researchers described as “highly electrically resistive.” Such an anomaly could have a few explanations, but the team identified two main possibilities—a mixture of sand and gravel, or “sparse spacing with air voids.” While we know that the surrounding area (built roughly 4,500 years ago, around the same time as its adjacent pyramids) is filled with flat-roofed tombs known in Arabic as mastaba , the stretch of sand where the anomaly was found has not been nearly as intensely excavated, largely because the area sported no impressive structures to warrant a thorough investigation.

So, what exactly could this L-shape structure and its lower anomaly represent? Speaking with Live Science , Sato said the structure is likely not natural, as the shape is too sharp.

“It may have been an entrance to the deeper structure,” Sato and his colleagues wrote in the paper. That deeper structure sounds suspiciously like a tomb . “We believe that the continuity of the shallow structure and the deep large structure is important. From the survey results, we cannot determine the material causing the anomaly, but it may be a large subsurface archaeological structure.”

Of course, as is true of nearly all GPR surveys, archeologists will have to start digging if they want to know exactly lies buried beneath the sand—a process that the research team hopes to get underway soon.

Darren lives in Portland, has a cat, and writes/edits about sci-fi and how our world works. You can find his previous stuff at Gizmodo and Paste if you look hard enough. 

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