tourist locations 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.

More on Egypt

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 January 2022 and updated August 2023

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16 Best Places to Visit in Egypt

With a fascinating history that reaches back to the dawn of civilization, Egypt is considered the oldest travel destination on earth. The African nation’s awe-inspiring temples and pyramids have captured the imagination of travelers for thousands of years.

Although most people come to Egypt to view its ancient monuments, natural attractions beckon travelers too. The Red Sea coast is known for its coral reefs and beach resorts. A trek through the Sahara can lead visitors to refreshing freshwater spring oasis.

Such is the nature of this country, its history and landscape that traveling here is an adventure. That’s whether you do it on a budget or surrounded by luxury comforts. The best places to visit in Egypt provide an exceptional mix of history, culture, and geography.

Map of Places to Visit in Egypt

Set between Aswan and Luxor on the West Bank of the Nile, Edfu is but a small river city. Yet among it stands one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. Pharaonic history bursts to life at the Temple of Horus and seeps through every crevice of its sightly sandstone structure.

One of Egypt’s holiest sanctuaries, the Temple of Horus maintains much of its original structure. Those who designed it wasted no space with reliefs encrypted across the halls, showcasing stories from beyond the ancient world.

Statues representing the falcon god of Egypt, Horus guides you on a journey back to 3,000 BC and deep into the Ptolemaic era. Surrounding the temple are remnants of age-old villages, some of which once encased the temple, hiding it from plain sight.

Much has been both saved and lost in Edfu. Yet within the town’s communities is a diverse culture that has stood the test of time.

The scale of the story of Abydos is hard to grasp. A place of burial and religious significance as far back as 4000 BC, discoveries here have completely transformed the timeline of ancient Egypt. Tombs have been discovered here that existed before the 1st dynasty, including that of the earliest known pharaoh.

So why Abydos? It was here the original gods made themselves known along the desert’s edge and banks of the Nile. Those that stood here 6,000 years ago reveled in the evening light that shone from the heavens and imagined it as a staircase to the afterlife.

Between 3000 and 4000 BC, pilgrims arrived by the thousands alongside ancient leaders to leave tokens hoping to gain favor from those in command. Today, you can discover incredible burial grounds and memorials. The best being the stunning Great Temple of Seti I.

14. Saint Catherine’s Monastery

At the base of the jagged and fast-rising Sinai Mountains lays Saint Catherine’s Monastery. It’s one of the world’s oldest operating Christian monasteries. Marking the spot where Moses heard the words of God through a burning bush, telling him that he stood on holy ground.

Now over 1,400 years old, the colors of the beautiful monastery blend in with the spectacular backdrop. Its surrounding fortress walls and the main church are from the original construction, with the basilica design being a staple of the Byzantine era.

As you enter the monastery, you’ll follow centuries of the footsteps of worshipers who’ve wandered down the central nave and admired the brilliant apse mosaic. It’s one of the many samples of iconography here that dates back over a thousand years. These represent the real celebration here of art that seems immortal and with a touch of divinity.

Egypt’s premier seaside town, Dahab, attracts scuba divers the world over. Home to the famed Blue Hole along with Bells, Gabr El Bint, and Umm Sid, among others, it’s a diving destination to be revered.

Set along the Red Sea in the Gulf of Aqaba, the town of Dahab itself is a representation of those who visit most. A tourist town by definition, it’s utterly relaxing, with ample hippy charm and just enough Bedouin culture laid in to create a welcome balance.

Backed by the Sinai Desert, the colors of the Red Sea pop. The deep blues and turquoise mix with aplomb, providing just enough insight into the treasures below that you’ll wake up ready to dive.

Just north of Dahab is the Blue Hole. One of the most celebrated dive sites on earth. Just off the shore, the captivating and equally frightening sea shelf makes itself known. The reef-laden wall drops an incredible 120 meters into the abyss.

12. White Desert

Once a seabed, Egypt’s White Desert is today a postcard to the past. It’s a mesmerizing example that life never stays still. Like the seashells on the mountaintops in Yellowstone National Park, the White Desert is rich in sedimentary limestone, showcasing a time when its landscape was polar opposite.

When you first gaze upon the White Desert, you’d be forgiven for not trusting your eyes. In the morning light, the desert’s white chalk spires spin-out from the desert floor. The orange hues of the early day combine with the shades to create a spectacular dance that feels beyond surreal.

Iron pyrites and quartz dazzle within the limestone, often creating more than just stunning spires. Instead, craggy bluffs surge out of the desert floor to create mountains and thus canyons and valleys. Those made almost entirely of quartz crystals, like Crystal Mountain, take the experience in a more supernatural direction.

11. Dahshur

Dahshur is a little village south of Cairo that’s home to some lesser-known, less-crowded pyramids – you won’t find the massive queues that you’d expect at the Giza complex or Saqqara here. In fact, until 1996, it was a restricted military zone.

Like Saqqara, Dahshur was part of the ancient necropolis of Memphis. The same pharaoh behind the building of the Great Pyramid built two more complete pyramids in Dahshur. In the years after, many more pharaohs had their own pyramids built here to form a total of 11, but none of them could compete with the original ones.

Highlights include the unusually-shaped Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid, both constructed during the reign of Pharaoh Sneferu (2613-2589 BC). The Red Pyramid (also known as the North Pyramid), is famously the oldest true pyramid in Egypt because it doesn’t have any steps or bends.

The Black Pyramid of Amenemhat III is another sight that can be enjoyed from the base of the Bent Pyramid. It cannot be visited, and it isn’t actually a pyramid at all; rather, a strange-looking mound of dark rock.

10. Alexandria

The second-largest city and leading seaport in Egypt, Alexandria has a prime location on the edge of the Mediterranean. Founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great, the city was once considered the crossroads of the world. Several of Egypt’s pharaohs, including Cleopatra, ruled the country from Alexandria until the nation fell to Rome in 30 BC.

Under Roman rule, the city earned a reputation as a center for arts and literature. The city’s Roman Theater, which features stunning mosaic flooring and marble seating, is a remnant of Alexandria’s Roman occupation.

Today’s Alexandria is a dusty seaside city with an over-inflated population of 5 million, that is badly in need of a lick of paint. It’s a faded shade of its former glorious cosmopolitan self, but still worth a visit for its many cultural attractions and glimpses of its past.

Many of Alexandria’s most famous historic sites, including a library that housed more than 500,000 books, were destroyed by devastating earthquakes in the 14th century. Completed in 2002, a new library stands near the site of the original Library of Alexandria.

Exhibits of Alexandria’s long history are on display at the Alexandria National Museum. The museum’s more than 1,800 artifacts are arranged chronologically, from the Greco-Roman period to the Coptic and Islamic eras.

In ancient Alexandria, the most prominent feature was the Lighthouse of Alexandria, a towering structure that was considered one the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The lighthouse crumbled into sea during an earthquake along with much of the ancient metropolis. Scuba divers can still view massive stones and statues lying on the seabed floor.

9. Hurghada

Hurghada is a resort town on the edge of the Red Sea, easily reached via a bumpy six-hour bus ride from Cairo. It offers a more popular alternative to Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab and is now one of Egypt’s most-visited tourist destinations. But that’s understandable, as there’s plenty to love about Hurghada with its many beaches and warm waters.

Once a simple fishing village, this famous resort town has hundreds of high-end hotels along the seafront, yet the focus is still mainly on relaxation. This section of the Red Sea is renowned for its excellent scuba diving opportunities, with gorgeous colorful coral reefs to discover just offshore. Other watersports, like snorkeling, windsurfing, and jet-skiing, are just as popular.

For those who prefer to admire the magical marine life from above the water, there are many places offering glass-bottom boat trips, so you can usually shop around to find the best offer.

Hurghada is extremely popular with Eastern Europeans and especially Russians, hundreds of thousands of whom visit each year. Many tourists choose to combine their holiday here with visits to other prominent locations along the Nile Valley, including the relatively nearby city of Luxor.

Egypt’s southernmost city, Aswan is another major city nestled along the banks of the Nile River. However, due to its location and size, it offers a much more relaxed alternative to big cities Luxor or Cairo.

Although its own monuments are minor compared to Luxor’s, Aswan is the base for excursions to the temples of Philae and Kabasha and to the Sun Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel, to the south. It is also the best starting point for excursions to the temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu, between Aswan and Luxor.

Aswan itself has one of the most beguiling settings in Egypt. Granite cliffs overlook the Nile’s First Cataract, the first of a series of shallow white water rapids broken by rocky islets that stretch north to Khartoum. Home to a large community of Nubian people, it was once the gateway to Africa in ancient Egypt. You can learn more about these people at the Nubian Museum, which is filled with treasures and relics that were kept safe from the flood of Nubia.

Aswan is famous for its granite quarries that were used to build Luxor’s many obelisks. Some of these unfinished obelisks can still be seen in the city today, such as the largest known ancient obelisk in the world located in the south of Aswan that was intended to be over 40 meters tall.

7. Siwa Oasis

Located near Egypt’s western border, Siwa Oasis remained culturally isolated from the rest of the country until late in the 19th century. Surrounded by the Egyptian Sand Sea, the Siwan people developed their own unique customs as well as their own language, Siwi, a Berber dialect.

The small community was not unknown to the outside world, however, even centuries ago. The famous Temple of the Oracle of Amun, believed to have been built in the 6th or 7th century B.C., made the oasis a place of pilgrimage. The most famous visitor to seek the oracle’s wisdom was Alexander the Great.

Today, Siwa Oasis is an increasingly popular travel destination. Vacationers come to the city to enjoy the town’s many freshwater springs, to stroll through acres of palm groves and to explore ancient mud-built fortresses and remnants of Siwa’s Greco-Roman past. Bubbling springs are in abundance here. One of the most popular is a stone pool known as Cleopatra’s Bath. A more secluded pool is located on an island in Lake Siwa. Visitors reach Fatnas Spring by navigating a narrow causeway.

Cafés in the small town of around 23,000 people are designed for relaxation as well. Local and visitors alike enjoy sipping tea and smoking from a communal hookah. A trip to the local marketplace gives visitors the opportunity to explore the city’s unique culture and to sample dates and olives grown in the region.

6. Sharm el-Sheikh

Sharm el Sheikh is one of the most popular resort towns in Egypt, located at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula. With its warm, deep blue water and great golden beaches , Sharm (as it’s affectionately called) is a popular package holiday destination with its own airport.

But this old fishing village has so much more to offer than simply sunbathing. Nicknamed the City of Peace after the countless international peace talks that have been hosted here, Sharm el Sheikh is one of the best scuba diving spots in the world. Don’t miss the chance to snorkel or dive the extraordinary reefs around Tiran Island and Ras Mohammed National Park, home to some astonishingly colorful marine life.

Despite being the perfect spot for a fly and flop holiday, those looking for adventure will find it here too. Sharm el Sheikh’s at the southern tip of the peninsula gives easy access into the desert, where you can visit Bedouin camps and climb Mount Sinai, an ancient biblical spot known for its spectacular view of the sunrise.

The name Saqqara refers to an Egyptian village, but more importantly, an age-old necropolis with a scattering of both large and smaller satellite pyramids spread across a dusty desert plateau. Buried beneath the sand overlooking the Nile Valley until the 19th-century, Saqqara has since been undergoing a significant restoration process.

Named after Sokar, the Memphite god of the dead, Saqqara served as a cemetery for the ancient city of Memphis for thousands of years and is the largest archeological site in Egypt. As such, it’s home to hundreds of fascinating tombs and burial sites for pharaohs and other Egyptian royals.

The highlight of Saqqara is the Step Pyramid of Djoser – the oldest pyramid on Earth. You’ll find some of the best views of the Nile from the top of this pyramid, accessible via a wooden ramp when the gate is open. Try one of the many doors and explore any that are unlocked – you never know what kind of mysteries lie behind them. The Pyramid of Teti with its fascinating Pyramid Texts and the Mastaba of Ti with its incredible reliefs are two more must-sees.

4. Abu Simbel

Set over a glistening Lake Nasser, the Temples of Abu Simbel are a collection of some of the most stunning monuments in Egypt. It’s an ancient engineering marvel that includes the Temple of Hathor and the Great Temples of Ramses II.

It took a stroke of genius to create such an incredible site, yet an even better one to save it. When the construction of the Aswan High Dam was completed in the 1960s the 3,200-year-old site lay in the path of the rising waters of Lake Nasser. The edifices and their temples were dismantled and reassembled brick by brick on a bank high above the reservoir.

Ramses, the larger of the two temples, boasts a quartet of colossal statues that tower over visitors at 21 meters tall. On the 22nd of October and February, the sun shines through the entrance and into the inner sanctuary where a statue of Ramses the II shimmers in the morning light.

The smaller Temple of Hathor honors the queen Nefertari and has six exterior statues each about 10 meters tall. About a 3 hours bus drive from Aswan, a day trip to view the massive temples is a can’t-miss activity.

This dusty capital city is one of the most sprawling cities on Earth, home to more than 17 million people. Built on the banks of the Nile River, Cairo is a medieval Islamic city with an eternally hazy horizon and beige-colored buildings topped with TV satellites.

Built near the ancient capital city of Memphis, modern Cairo is a popular starting point for cruises up the Nile and for explorations of the Pyramids at Giza just outside the city’s limits. But there is so much to do within this enormous city itself.

At the world-renowned Egyptian Museum of Tahrir Square, visitors can get a close-up view of the treasure of Tutankhamun as well as mummies and other artifacts from Egypt’s ancient past.

The city’s most historic mosques are worth a visit as well. Dating back to the 9th century when the Fatimids made the city their capital, the Ibn Tulun Mosque is the oldest in Cairo. The stunning Citadel and Mosque of Mohammed Ali Pasha, also known as the Alabaster Mosque for its gleaming white edifice, was named after the man who is regarded as the founder of modern Egypt.

When you’ve tired of Cairo’s historical sights, get a true taste of Egypt by immersing yourself in everyday life. Embrace the crowds while shopping at one of the city’s chaotic markets like the Khan al-Khalili bazaar, smoke some shisha amongst locals at a local Ahwaz or escape the heat of the inner city entirely with a breezy felucca trip along the Nile on a traditional Egyptian sailing boat.

One thousand years after the construction of the Great Pyramids , the New Kingdom arose in Egypt, and power shifted from the ancient capital of Memphis to Thebes in the south, the site of modern-day Luxor. Enriched by gold mined in the deserts of Nubia and transported to the city on the river Nile, Thebes became the country’s cultural and political hub.

Today, the mid-sized city Luxor is known as the “world’s largest open air museum” and is one of Egypt’s most popular travel destinations. There’s so much to see and do in Luxor – from temples to tombs and everything in between. You’ll need to allow a couple of days to do it all justice.

Most of the Luxor attractions are located either on the East Bank or the West Bank of the Nile. Famous highlights on the East Bank include Karnak Temple – also known as Ipet-isu (‘Most Select of Places’) – an extraordinary temple city that took over 2,000 years to build. Although the entire Karnak complex consists of four main parts, the main structure known as the Temple of Amun is the only one that is open to the general public.

The largest religious building ever built, the temple’s pillared hall is a breathtaking stone forest of 134 columns that stand as high as 21 meters (69 feet). Stroll.

The beautifully illuminated Luxor Temple is a particularly stunning temple to explore at night. On the other side of the Nile, the West Bank boasts the white-washed scenery of the Valley of the Kings, home to many elaborate and colorfully-muraled tombs, pits, and burial chambers. Some of the tombs are included in your ticket entrance, but prepare to pay more to visit King Tut’s tomb – the highlight – the final resting place of King Tutankhamun’s mummy.

1. Giza Necropolis

The Giza Plateau is probably one of the most recognizable destinations on Earth. Located on a desert plateau to the west of the capital of Cairo, Giza is its own city but in recent years it’s grown so much that it feels like another district of ever-expanding Cairo.

While once a humble carriage track, Giza is now one of the most touristy parts of Egypt, home to upmarket hotels, big-name restaurants, giant shopping malls, and pulsing nightclubs. But most famously, Giza is the closest part of the city to the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, which is why most people center themselves around this neighborhood for at least a few days during their trip to Cairo.

The three main pyramids of Giza are an ancient necropolis that were built as tombs for three Egyptian pharaohs – Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. A scattering of satellite pyramids in the area were built as a place to bury their wives and royal family members.

The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) is the one you can enter if you’re happy to pay extra. Alternatively, you can take a camel ride out into the desert and get a photo with all of the pyramids in the background before heading to the Sphinx for the stock standard Sphinx-kissing tourist photo.

If you happen to be staying close to Giza overnight, don’t miss the Pyramids Sound and Light Show. It’s exactly what it sounds like, but it’s a great way to appreciate the Great Pyramid a little differently. While you’ll have to pay for a seat at the official light show, if you have dinner on the balcony of the nearby Pizza Hut, you can watch both the sunset and the show for free.

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Reader interactions.

May 4, 2019 at 12:29 pm

We just came back from Egypt. It has been the best vacation we have had, very interesting history, beautiful sites, amazing culture. Two weeks were not enough to see everything. We are planning our next trip to see the north side of Egypt. It is an amazing place to visit! This is a country with more history than any another country.

July 12, 2016 at 9:45 am

Where is Marsa Allam, Marsa Matrouh, Newabaa, Saint Katherine and Taba

July 31, 2015 at 8:34 am

just visited Egypt this summer. What a tremendous culture they had so many centuries ago and well worth seeing. I highly recommend finding a good tour company for this one! Travel can be confusing, there are also some language barriers and safety concerns.

April 16, 2015 at 10:05 pm

There are so many places to travel to Egypt. This summer we might be able to go to Egypt.

July 30, 2014 at 7:29 am

Oh man, you can miss El gouna….It is like heaven!

March 22, 2014 at 1:53 am

they are very beautiful and nice pictures

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Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Egypt (Can't-Miss for First-Timers)

A visit to Egypt is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you don't want to miss any of the top sights while you're there. From temples and tombs to museums and beautiful coral reefs in the Red Sea , these are the top 10 tourist attractions to build your trip to Egypt around.

1. Giza Necropolis (Near Cairo)

2. the karnak temple complex (in luxor), 3. the egyptian museum (in cairo).

• 4. Nile River Cruise (Between Luxor and Aswan)

5. The Valley of the Kings (Near Luxor)

6. abu simbel (near aswan), 7. red sea reefs (in sharm el-sheikh), 8. the siwa oasis (east of the libyan border), 9. the step pyramid of djoser (in saqqara), 10. dahab (near sinai).

Probably one of the most recognizable tourist attractions in the entire world , the Giza Necropolis is a must-see and tops the list easily. You'll want a full day to explore the site.

The Giza Necropolis consists of three main pyramids and the Sphinx . The three pyramids were built as tombs for three ancient Egyptian pharaohs: Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. Khufu's pyramid is the one you can also enter at the moment . Only 300 visitors a day are allowed in though, so you'll have to plan ahead. Contact us to make appointment.

The Pyramid of Khufu is also the largest pyramid in Egypt , and is also known as the Great Pyramid of Giza or the Pyramid of Cheops. It was believed to have been built in 2560 BC, with construction allegedly taking between 10 and 20 years.

The second-biggest pyramid at Giza is the Pyramid of Khafre , often considered the sister structure of Khufu. It is sometimes seen as being bigger but it was built on a bedrock giving it some height advantage. Architecturally it is also steeper, giving it a more pointed top.

The Great Sphinx of Giza is a statue of a sphinx , a mythical creature combining a human head with a lion's body, and it represents the pharaoh Khafre. It is the oldest known sculpture in Egypt , having been built between approximately 2558 and 2532 BC.

Get to know more information about planning a trip to Egypt >>>

Located in Luxor, Karnak, known also as Ipet-isu, is the largest temple in the entire world . It took over 2,000 years to build, and has four different parts, only one of which is currently open to the public: the Temple of Amun .

Apart from the Temple of Amun there are a mix of decayed temples, pylons, chapels, and remains of other buildings, making for an impressive sight. A total of approximately thirty pharaohs contributed to the complex, explaining the size and diversity not seen at any other religious complex in the world.

The most famous sight at the Temple of Amun encompasses 134 columns standing 21 meters high, part of the Great Hypostyle Hall, which is 4,600 square meters or 50,000 square feet large.

Karnak was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 alongside Thebes, the ancient city it is in, which is located in modern-day Luxor.

You could spend an entire day exploring Karnak.

Suggested read: How to Avoid Crowds When Traveling in Egypt

Nestled in Egypt's capital Cairo is the Egyptian Museum, probably one of the most incredible museums in the entire world . The museum is full of ancient Egyptian antiquities , storing over 120,000 items with descriptions of the items on display. You'll find items from many different time periods and of different origins.

There are plans to move this museum to Giza , to the new Grand Egyptian Museum around November 2022, but the date for this has already been pushed back multiple times as construction was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As for the time of writing this (August, 2022), the museum is still located in Cairo.

A visit to the museum can take most of the day depending on how much time you have available and how long you like to spend in museums!

Suggested read: Egypt Holidays 2024, A Full List is Here!

4. A Nile River Cruise (Between Luxor and Aswan)

A cruise on the Nile is an unforgettable experience, and a must-do when it comes to an Egypt trip given the Nile's role in Egypt's past as well as its future. The Nile is the longest river in the world, and is Egypt's primary water source , as well as an important economic river for agriculture and fishing.

Most routes on the Nile go between Luxor and Aswan , which is a scenic and safe route, and gets you between two of Egypt's most important towns.

When it comes to your trip, you can either take a Felucca , a sail boat that has been used on the Nile for a long time, or otherwise you can take a luxury cruise ship which is a bit more comfortable but perhaps less authentic. There are also various lengths that you can take your boat tour for, making it easy to fit a Nile River cruise into your itinerary.

Suggested read: Best of Luxor and Aswan: Short Tour Planner

In a valley near Luxor, you'll find the Valley of the Kings, a must-see on your trip. This is where, for approximately 500 years between the 16th and 11th century BC, kings and other privileged people were buried .

As of today, approximately 63 tombs and chambers have been unearthed , with the most famous one being the tomb of Tutankhamun . The most recent discoveries here were in 2008 and 2005, showing that there is likely more to be uncovered on the site.

Some tombs in the Valley of the Kings contain just one chamber, while others have constructions featuring over 120 separate chambers. Many of tombs that had previously been opened were robbed of their treasure and emptied out, but you'll still be able to visit and see the incredible artwork on the walls and their sometimes-complex constructions .

You can visit the Valley of the Kings and see a range of different tombs on your visit. The tombs that are open to the public sometimes rotate to maintain and conserve them by avoiding crowding them.

Approximately three hours from Aswan (300 kilometers or 190 miles), Abu Simbel, close to the border of Sudan, contains two massive temples cut into rocks . The temples are beautiful and unique because of the way that they are carved out of huge rocks, which was done in the 13th century BC during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II. They are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Nubian Monuments .

These temples relocated in 1968 as part of a campaign ran by UNESCO , as they would have flooded after the creation of Lake Nasser, a massive water reservoir that was created after the Aswan High Dam Project. In order to relocate them they were very carefully taken apart and rebuilt over 4 years by engineers from many different countries, in what is known as one of the greatest challenges of archeological engineering in history. That story alone makes the visit worth the trip , regardless of time it takes to get there.

Egypt is home to some beautiful, colorful reefs, and rich marine life at the Red Sea reefs. If you are a diver, they are a must-see attraction, and there are also incredible sights to see for those who prefer to snorkel as the area is known for the clarity of its waters.

The Red Sea is home to just over five percent of the entire world's coral reefs , over 209 types of corals. Some of the fish you'll see on your dive or snorkel are some of the rarest in the world, and can only be seen in the Red Sea.

You can visit the Red Sea in Sharm el-Sheikh , a popular tourist destination with a lot of great resorts, beaches and restaurants. Another town at which you can start your sea adventures is Hurghada , which has long been a tourist destination.

The Siwa Oasis, located just 50 kilometers (30 mi) east of the Libyan border in the Libyan desert, is popular with tourists because of its vast, beautiful landscapes , freshwater springs , and historical significance . It has historically also been one of Egypt's most isolated settlements with mostly Berbers living here .

The oasis is home to an oracle of Ammon, the ruins which named the Siwa Oasis after Amun Ra, a major ancient Egyptian deity. These ruins of the Temple of Amun, which was believed to have been built in the 6th or 7th century BC originally, made the Siwa Oasis a destination for pilgrims . One famous person known to have sought wisdom here was Alexander the Great.

When visiting you'll find lots of hotels that are built using local materials that blend in with the unique surroundings.

A village close to Giza , Saqqara also covers vast ancient burial grounds for many Egyptian royalty, one of who's tombs was recently featured in the popular Netflix documentary Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb .

Within these grounds (which are actually the largest archeological site in Egypt , due to it being a site of importance for 3,000 years) there are also pyramids.

Apart from visiting tombs here, you absolutely must see the Step Pyramid of Djoser . Despite not being the most famous pyramid in Egypt, it is the oldest pyramid in Egypt , having been built in the 27th century BC. It is a huge 6-tier and 4-sided structure, and the earliest colossal stone building in Egypt.

In 2020 the Step Pyramid of Djoser was reopened for visitors after restoration that took approximately 14 years.

When visiting on-site you'll learn a lot more about how the plan of the construction of the pyramid changed while it was being built, as evidenced in the inner walls. It is also a great spot to get a beautiful view over the Nile from .

A Bedouin fishing village , Dahab, on the southern tip of Sinai, makes for a great stop to get a taste of life beside the Red Sea . It is a beautiful and laid-back town with only 15,000 residents, sporting some beautiful clear, blue water that has attracted tourists from all over the world, particularly since the 1980s.

Activities here include windsurfing , kitesurfing , snorkeling , scuba diving , camel riding and jeep trips . In fact, it is one of Egypt's most treasured diving destinations, and windsurfing is incredible due to strong winds further out at sea and flat-water conditions inside Dahab's sand spit.

Dahab is generally seen as the more "hippie" or "alternative" destination to Sharm el-Sheikh for those who want to enjoy Egypt's coast on a slightly lower budget .

From Dahab, you can get to Mount Sinai within just two hours , if you'd like to add that to your itinerary too!

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The Best Things to do in Egypt: 25 Amazing Sights & Attractions

Have you ever wondered why Egypt attracts flocks of tourists, historians, and adventure-seekers? Well, buckle up and dive into this expert’s guide to the best things to do in Egypt – the sights and attractions you shouldn’t miss. 

If you’re planning (or even just dreaming of) a trip to Egypt – I have some sage advice for you… book it. 

We’ve all heard tell of this fabled land – one filled with pyramids, ancient tombs and stone-built temples, carved lengthways by the sinuous Nile. Well – it’s all true – Egypt really does live up to its reputation. 

Those of you following along here will know that I’ve recently spent a couple of brilliant weeks travelling around Egypt with a guide and – I don’t say this lightly – it was one of my favourite trips ever. 

Enough about me though, this guide is all about helping you plan a stellar Egypt trip and walking you through all the places you shouldn’t miss.

Let’s dive into the best attractions in Egypt – hold on to your hats! 

Looking for a place to stay? The Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo hotel offers jaw-dropping scenery of the nearby Pyramids of Giza. 

PS: Take a sneak peek at my full Egypt itinerary in this video!

Top 5 Things to Do in Egypt

Visit the pyramids of giza.

Undeniably at the top of any list of Egypt’s tourist attractions, Cairo’s mighty Pyramids of Giza are a symbol of the country’s ancient architectural prowess. 

As if the three aren’t stunning enough, The Great Pyramid is the last remaining Ancient Wonder of the World – placing it front and centre as the best place to visit Egypt. 

I have to say – I almost burst with excitement seeing them up close and personal. 

PS: If I only give you one tip, it’s to pay extra to go inside the Great Pyramid. Here – I’ll even give you a sneak peek of what to expect. 

@thediscoveriesof Ever wondered what it looks like inside? 🤔 see the whole egypt itinerary 👉🏾 @thediscoveriesof #egypt #egypttravelguide #egyptrip #greatpyramid #cairotravel #travelbucketlist ♬ Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) – Kate Bush

But what’s the deal with the Pyramids of Giza? 

Built sometime between 2550 BC and 2490 BC with nothing but chisels, iron hammers, levers and, of course, lots of manpower, The Pyramids of Giza as they’re collectively known, stood as burial temples full of gold and other riches. 

Individually, the three pyramids – of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure – built in that order, are even more stunning up close.

Top Tip: Book a half-day guided tour to learn all about the pyramids too 

Explore The Valley of the Kings (And The Valley of the Queens)

The world’s best-known necropolis (wait, is that even a thing?) The Valley of the Kings (and the less well-known Valley of the Queens) boast a series of royal tombs. 

Not just any royal tombs either, but rather ones containing the creme de la creme of the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties (the New Kingdom). 

They’re aesthetically decorated with ornate murals and sculptures and, when they were built, would have been filled with treasures for the deceased to use in the afterlife. Now that’s one way to lay to rest.

For thousands of years, kings, queens, and other nobles of the earmarked these valleys as tomb sites. They hoped to prevent robbers and raiders alike from plunging their afterlife treasures.

There’s so much to see in each area that I’ve written individual guides to visiting The Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens – but if you need a quick takeaway, don’t miss the tombs of Tutankhamun and Queen Neferteri. 

Top Tip: If you book a tour of the valleys , be sure to book the extra tickets to visit Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings and Queen Nefertari’s tomb in the Valley of the Queens . 

Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride over Luxor

Luxor is a modern Egyptian city nestled within the ancient Egyptian capital of Thebes. There’s so much to discover in the region, which is dotted with historic temples, monuments, and royal burial valley – and, IMHO, t aking a hot air balloon ride is hands down the best way to see this intriguing metropolis. 

Experience one of the most stunning sunrises in the world, boasting an eyeful of Valley of the Kings and the Queens. 

That would be worth the experience alone – but then there’s the added bonus of views of the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon and the stunning rolling dunes of the Egyptian desert thrown in for good measure. 

Top Tip: Ensure you book a hot air balloon at sunrise for the best views.  Read Next: Hot Air Ballooning Over the Valley of the Kings

Float Down the Nile on a Cruise

Perhaps the most visited tourist attraction in Egypt (after the Giza Pyramids), the 6,650 km-long Nile River is the lifeline of the nation. 

How better to explore it than onboard a Nile Cruise? 

Very few cruises ply the whole route of the Egyptian Nile, but the section between Aswan and Luxor is the most popular stretch for cruises. This is largely thanks to an abundance of sights from Philae Temple to the Temple of Kom Ombo to stop off along the way. 

Different types of boat ply the route – from basic (but peaceful) feluccas to all-out luxury cruises. 

Top Tip: Not sure which type of cruise to book? I’ve written all about them in this Nile Cruise guide

Marvel at Abu Simbel

Built by Ramses II in honour of himself and his favourite wife, Queen Nefertari, the temples of Abu Simbel are also a dedication to the sun gods, Amon-Ra, Ptah, and Ra-Horakhty.

Frankly speaking, the Pharaoh built the temples to intimidate his enemies and ordain himself as a god — what a brag! 

Still, you can’t quibble with the final result – two glorious temples, the main one and a smaller one dedicated to Ramses’ wife Nefertari, glinting in the sun overlooking the vast waters of Lake Nasser. 

Top Tip: Abu Simbel is best visited on a day trip from Aswan and you can choose to do it by car or by air. 

Brilliant Things to See & Do in Egypt

Delve into history at karnak temple.

Despite Egypt being full of temples, the wonders of each one never cease to amaze me. But Karnak Temple stands head and shoulders above the rest. 

Built over the course of 1,000 years, according to legend, this religious complex is where the sun god Amun-Ra lived with his wife Mut, and son, Khonsu.

You should set aside at least a couple of hours (preferably a half-day) to explore, but if you really shouldn’t miss the stunning Hypostyle Hall. 

Wander Around Coptic Cairo

As I mentioned earlier in this guide, Egypt is more than pyramids and deserts. The nation also has a profound Christian history dating as far back as the 1st century A.D – nowhere is this more visible than in Cairo’s Coptic Quarter – a maze of centuries-old churches and historical sights – as well as the understated Coptic Museum. 

In the Interfaith Complex, you’ll find the white-stone Roman-built fortress of Babylon. Synagogues and other places of worship predating the founding of modern-day Cairo are there as well. 

This stronghold of Christianity offers an exceptional Egypt sightseeing experience, making it one of the best things to do in Cairo — no pyramids involved.

Top Tip: The Coptic Quarter can be a bit of a maze – get the full lowdown on this tour of Old Cairo. 

Visit the Egyptian Museum (Or the Grand Egyptian Museum When it Opens)

The Egyptian Museum — not confused with the newly built Grand Egyptian Museum — is home to a collection of ancient artefacts and antiquities. If you want to see the country’s history in one place, this is where to go in Egypt. 

The Neoclassical French-designed building sits centrally in the heart of Tahrir Square, making a perfect stopover on a Cairo walking tour .

Top Tip: The Egyptian Museum will be replaced with the Grand Egyptian Museum when it opens later this year. The new museum promises to be one of the biggest in the world and will definitely be one not to miss. 

Explore Islamic Cairo

Among the several conquests of Egypt, the Islamic caliphate expanded its civilisation into the country in the 7th century, introducing the Muslim religion that now reigns. 

As a symbol of conquest, the caliphate built a new capital in an area now known as Islamic Cairo. 

Roam around the ancient city, full of dome-topped mosques, madrassas, and mediaeval fortifications like the Salah al-Din Citadel. 

A full-day private tour includes visiting famous places in Egypt like the Hanging Church in Coptic Cairo, the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, and the Mosque of Muhammed Ali Pasha.

Top Tip: Want to see the best of Cairo in a short time? Read my two-day Cairo itinerary. 

Go Diving in the Red Sea

Still, think Egypt has nothing but pyramids? Let’s explore the salty Red Sea, and I’m not just referring to seawater. 

Named after its noticeable colour variations, this saline inlet is one of the most heavily travelled channels globally, often carrying maritime cargo between Asia and Europe.

Apart from its significance in global supply chains, the gulf is also home to over 1,200 species of fish and 250 species of gorgeous coral. So take a Red Sea cruise and discover magnificent scuba diving and snorkelling spots – it has some of the best dive sites in the world. 

See the Ancient Structures in Saqqara

Saqqara — also spelt as “Sakkara” — is hands down one of the richest architectural sites in Egypt. 

Prominent for being an ancient burial ground for nobles and a destination for many cultic pilgrims.

However, the highlight of Saqqara is the Step Pyramid of Djoser — this 4,700-year-old stone structure is the oldest in Egypt and, indeed, the world. 

Explore the fascinating interior on a full-day tour , and wander the bewildering series of tunnels and burial chambers of many royals, including Pharaoh Djoser.

Discover the Ancient Egyptian City of Memphis

Another noteworthy ancient capital and one of the most underrated of Egypt’s attractions, Memphis boasts an array of mastabas, pyramids, and temples. 

This millenia-old city has long lost its grandeur, but there’s an incredible story in its remains. 

The most intriguing sight in Memphis is the limestone Alabaster Sphinx. 

Embark on a day tour to Memphis , and stand in awe of one of the world’s biggest and oldest monolithic statues.

Marvel at the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor

At this point, you’ve realised that Egypt isn’t shy of temples and tombs, but each is unique, carrying complexities that serve as a doorway to ancient civilisations. 

To put it quite bluntly, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor is exceptional.

Unlike many temples in Egypt, this one pays homage to Pharaoh Hatshepsut, one of the few historically recorded female Pharaohs — can someone say “Girl Power?” 

Don’t go expecting a tomb – Hatshepsut wasn’t buried here. Instead, she lies in The Valley of the Kings, nearly 4 km away.

See the Beautiful Philae Temple in Aswan

Known as the “Pearl of Egypt”, Philae Temple illustrates the unimaginable beauty of the Aswan region. I hate to play favourites (OK – I kind of love it) but Philae really is one of the most beautiful temples you’ll find in Egypt. 

The tiny island has lush vegetation surrounding stone-carved structures with ancient hieroglyphs. The most striking is the giant carving of Isis, the goddess of the moon.

Take a walk around this monumental storybook and pay close attention to the tales it tells. Marvel at intricate  wall carvings depicting a captivating mythic narrative of Isis bringing her husband Osiris back to life and giving birth to their son Horus. Look closely and you’ll also see carvings depicting the mummification of Osiris. 

Spend Time Exploring Aswan

Don’t be surprised if Aswan becomes your favourite city in Egypt – you certainly won’t be the first person it’s happened to. 

This busy market city holds some of the most unique and historically rich places to see in Egypt. Spoiler alert — Philae Temple is just the beginning. 

Begin your trip at the Tombs of the Nobles, sitting majestically atop high cliffs overlooking the west bank with spectacular scenes of Aswan. 

Then make your way to the prehistoric Nubian Museum, and stroll through the impressive cultural hub full of antique exhibitions and artefact collections from various ages. 

Stop by the riveting Unfinished Obelisk before taking a boat trip to the colourful Nubian Village for a much-needed escape from the bustling city.

Top Tip : Want to know more? Read my guide to the best things to do in Aswan. 

Pop into the Temples at Edfu

Comfortably sitting along the west bank and tucked between the cities of Esna and Aswan, find a serene getaway in the ancient settlement of Edfu. 

With a population of fewer than 70,000 people, this preserved site houses the Ptolemaic Temple of Horus. If you’re looking for a less crowded place to go to in Egypt, Edfu should be at the top of your list. 

See the Double Temple at Kom Ombo

For more unusual sights of Egypt’s landmarks, the uniquely constructed double temple of Kom Ombo is one for the books. 

The ancient Greek-Roman temple is best-known for its mysterious mummified crocodiles – not content with just one or two – there are 40 of them!

Get (Not Too) Lost in the White Desert

You can’t go to Egypt and not go on a desert tour . But this one is like none other, boasting oddly-shaped dunes and the jaw-dropping Bahariya Oasis. 

Uncover the oddities of the Black and White Desert and marvel at the picturesque and sprawling views of sandy landscapes that stretch across the horizons.

The Tomb of Nefertari

As I mentioned, Queen Nefertari was Ramses II’s first and most beloved wife. Her tomb — also known as the Sistine Chapel of Ancient Egypt — houses some of Egypt’s most ornate and well-preserved paintings.

Radiating with vivid colours and descriptive hieroglyphs, the murals in this tomb surpass the others in The Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens by far — now that’s what I call a queen’s burial. Of all the best places to visit in Egypt, Nefertari’s tomb transports you to the peak of this great civilisation.

Unique Things to See & Do in Egypt: Hidden Gems That are Off the Beaten Track

Check out the city of the dead.

If you’re up for a spooky adventure — the City of the Dead is one of the world’s largest cemeteries. Boasting a sea of seemingly infinite white conical-shaped domes, this city, also called Cairo Necropolis, is where the dead genuinely live among the living.

What do I mean? Due to the high population congestion in Cairo, many low-income earners (about 500,000) built their homes here, filling the gaps between the 7th-century mausoleums.  

Tip : If you have a touch of necrophobia, perhaps it’s best to skip this attraction.

See the Nilometer

If you still don’t believe that modern mathematics has to do with the advancement of ancient Egyptian civilisations, here’s a place that will dispel your doubt. 

The Nilometer is an old instrument that farmers used to measure the waters of the Nile.

The Nile River’s behaviour could mean life or death for ancient Egyptians. Thus to know whether they should prepare for flood or famine, the citizens built this device to predict the most likely outcome.

Stand Beneath the Towering Colossi of Memnon

Ancient Egyptians strongly believed in the afterlife, so they would build temples and towering figures to protect their tombs from all kinds of evil. Colossi Of Memnon is one such temple.

Built by Pharaoh Amenhotep III, two towering seated statues of the king sit side by side, guarding his Mortuary Temple against unwanted raiders. These statues survived 3,400 years of changing climates, invasions, and even earthquakes.

See the Rainbow-Hued Coloured Canyon

One thing I bet you thought you’d never see in the arid Egyptian desert is a sprawling oasis of kaleidoscopic hills. Spanning over 800 metres long and 30 metres deep, these rainbow mountains are just 338 km away from Cairo.

With many not aware of this breathtaking geographical marvel, the Coloured Canyon boasts the perfect escape from typically crowded Egypt tourist attractions, giving you a serene visit and tonnes of stunning views. 

Delve into the Labyrinth of the Shali Fortress

Closing off this expansive list of places to visit in Egypt, the sensational Shali Fortress boasts a labyrinth of crowded buildings that were initially four storeys high and sheltered hundreds of people.

Get lost in this maze of mud buildings, built using kershef (a mixture of rock, salt, and clay), and witness the best-kept secret of Egypt’s Siwa Oasis.

Things to Do in Egypt: Practical Tips for Your Trip

How Long to Visit Egypt?

If you’re looking to explore all these attractions, you’ll need at least a week or two to get through just half of these listed excursions. 

Want more detail on how much time to spend at each location? Start with my 10 days in Egypt itinerary . 

Best Time to Visit Egypt

Egypt’s arid climate is dry, with hot summers and cool winters with rainfall along the coastal areas. 

However, the best time to visit Egypt is between October and April. During this time, temperatures are cooler, but you’re still guaranteed a lot of sun.

May to July is peak season, so flight tickets skyrocket. 

Top Tip: If you’re in the planning stage – check out my super-detailed guide on how much an Egypt trip costs to find out when to catch the best deals.

Where Should I Stay in Egypt?

With so many tourists visiting Egypt every year, the country has a sophisticated network of hotels and accommodation, from budget-friendly to mid-range and luxury. Also, check out this guide on where to stay in Cairo for more lodging options.

Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo Hotel (Mid-Range)

Boasting stunning scenes of the Pyramids of Giza and the Nile’s west bank, the  Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo hotel offers an ideal stay for a seasoned 2 Days in Cairo itinerary.  

Four Seasons Cairo At The First Residence (Luxury)

The Four Seasons Cairo At The First Residence offers exclusive Nile River sights and sweeping views of the greater Cairo skyline for a more luxurious stay. If you book the right room, you may also get glimpses of the Giza Pyramids as a stunning backdrop.

Recommended Tours in Egypt

• From Hurghada: Luxor Valley of the Kings Full-Day Trip
• Giza Pyramids and Sphinx: Half-Day Private Tour
• Cairo: Dinner Cruise on the Nile River with Entertainment

Things to Do in Egypt: Map

Places to Visit in Egypt: Read Next

• The Ultimate 10-Day Egypt Itinerary 
• What You Need to Know Before Travelling to Egypt 
• How (and what) to Pack for an Egypt Trip 
• Unmissable Things to do in Cairo 
• The Places You Have to See in Luxor 
• Your Go-To Guide for Visiting Aswan

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I’m Julianna Barnaby - a professional travel writer and geek extraordinaire. I started The Discoveries Of to help you to discover the best of new destinations from around the world.

Discovering new places is a thrill - whether it’s close to home, a new country or continent, I write to help you explore more and explore differently.

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25 of the best things to do in Egypt

Discover the best egypt has to offer, from camel rides in the desert and sailing trips along the nile to ancient sites where you can walk in the footsteps of pharaohs.

T he prospect of the pyramids — perhaps with a camel or two passing in front — might be the thing that draws people to Egypt, but there’s so much more there awaiting you. Expect an astonishing number of ancient sights, from the tombs of the pharaohs strung out along the Nile valley to temples found far from the riverbanks. As well as exploring the valley, no trip should miss a journey on the Nile river itself, preferably on a felucca — a wooden sailing boat — at sunset. Water-based adventures continue at the Red Sea, home to coral reefs that make it one of the world’s best snorkelling and diving sites. And then there’s the desert — camping under the stars after a meal cooked on the open fire is an experience you’ll never forget.

Main photo: visitors to Feryal Garden in Aswan get a view of the Nile ( Alamy)

1. Marvel at the pyramids of Giza

Your first glimpse of Egypt ’s most famous pyramids will likely be from the plane flying into Cairo. From that distance the gargantuan structures, slowly being absorbed into the sprawl of the city, are impressive enough, but you need to get up close to really appreciate them. A half-day guided tour with an Egyptologist is the ideal way to take in the Giza complex. You’ll explore the three pyramids of Giza, and the Sphinx that acts as their guard, learning about their construction 4,500 years ago and life in the ancient world. The trip ends with that most classic of desert experiences: a camel ride.

2. Learn to dive in the Red Sea

The Red Sea is one of the world’s greatest dive locations — and the good news is that it’s accessible even to beginners. Sharm el-Sheikh is well set up for novices, with plenty of operators offering Padi courses over several days. Get comfortable with the equipment in the pool; once you’re confident, you’ll be taken out with a divemaster for scuba diving over the reefs, gliding among clownfish and rays. If you already know what you’re doing, there are plenty of outfitters who’ll take you out to the best dive sites,including Ras Mohammed, one of Egypt’s national parks. There are multiple snorkelling opportunities too.

3. Sail along the Nile

There can’t be many more romantic or timeless experiences than watching the sun set over the Nile, with the bankside palm trees casting shadows on the water and the distant mountains turning pink in the fading light. Ramp up the romance a notch by taking to the river on a felucca from Luxor. These wooden sailing boats are a common sight and have been used for millennia. A sunset trip also includes dinner on Banana Island (named for its fruit trees) and a dip in the water, should you wish. The true highlight, though, is the simple pleasure of drinking hibiscus tea on deck as the day slowly fades away.

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• Best luxury Nile cruises

4. See the first pyramids

The pyramids at Giza get all the attention, but there are well over 100 pyramids in Egypt. Those at Djoser and the Dahshur complex, south of Cairo, are less crowded than at Giza, and can be visited on one of the city’s easiest day trips, combined with a tour of Memphis, Egypt’s first capital. Highlights are the Step Pyramid, the world’s oldest pyramid (built 2,630BC) and now reopened to visitors after a long restoration; the perfectly shaped Red Pyramid; and the Bent Pyramid, with a top section that seems to bend in from the base. You can go inside all three.

5. Go for a camel ride

Families who base themselves in Sharm el-Sheikh have plenty of activities on tap — and not just the watery pursuits offered by the Red Sea. A great day trip is to head inland and have an action-packed time exploring the Sinai desert. There are plenty of itineraries to choose from, but a fun all-round option for children includes a quad-bike safari, camel ride and barbecue dinner in a Bedouin camp, with entertainment provided by belly dancers. End the day by gazing at the constellations through a telescope; free from light pollution, the night sky is ablaze with stars here.

• Best all-inclusive hotels in Egypt

6. Sleep in the desert

The wonders of the White Desert, another national park, are most often appreciated on a day excursion but you’ll add a whole other dimension to your experience if you stay the night. After travelling into the desert by cross-country vehicle from Cairo, you’ll spend time exploring the otherworldy landscape of rock formations, palm groves and oasis villages, before enjoying a traditional Arabic dinner cooked on the fire. You can choose to sleep either in a tent pitched on the sand or in the open air under the stars. Either way, you’ll drift off amid utter silence, with the feeling that you’re miles from anywhere.

7. Explore the Karnak and Luxor temple complexes

The east bank of the Nile valley around Luxor is home to some of the most important and impressive historical sites in Egypt, if not the world — the Karnak temple complex and Luxor temple among them. A day’s guided tour can take in both, with a knowledgeable Egyptologist providing insight into the towering statues, columns and stone buildings, translating the hieroglyphics, and generally bringing ancient Egypt to life. The tour ends at the Luxor museum, home to artefacts collected from the tombs and temples. You can also visit in the evening, when the rose-pink sky fades to black, for the spectacle of the hokey if evocative evening Sound and Light Show.

8. Visit the Valley of the Kings

Most famous, perhaps, for the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun (and its associated curse), this was the burial place for Egypt’s most important pharaohs for over 500 years. Sixty-three of their tombs remain today, on a site to the west of Luxor. A few are open to the public and are best visited on a guided excursion from the city. You can explore the Valley of the Kings a private tour for the best insight into the tombs and their incredibly intact hieroglyphics; knowledgeable Egyptologists will pick you up from your hotel for a half-day visit.

9. Come face to face with Tutankhamun

The pharaoh Tutankhamun (or King Tut) reigned in Egypt over 3,000 years ago and his tomb lay undisturbed in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor until it was discovered by archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922. Some of the incredible haul of objects found with him are displayed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, including his instantly recognisable golden death mask. Give yourself enough time to see it all — there are another 120,000 artefacts and antiquities waiting to be discovered.

10. Walk in the footsteps of Moses

According to the Old Testament, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God on the summit of Mount Sinai on the Sinai peninsula. Known in Arabic as Jabal Musa, the mountain is an important biblical site and climbing it is a suitably religious experience, whatever your beliefs. For maximum atmosphere, go up at night under a star-filled sky, stopping to drink coffee from Bedouin stalls; you’ll be at the top for sunrise — watching the peaks of the surrounding mountains turn red in the morning light is a truly epic moment. On the way back down, stop at Unesco-listed St Catherine’s Monastery; built around AD330, it’s the oldest functioning monastery in the world.

11. Learn to cook Egyptian food

Once you’ve had your first few meals in Egypt, you’ll wonder why so little of the cuisine has spread across the globe. Dishes are packed full of the freshest, most flavourful vegetables, sourced from the fertile Nile delta; meats are cooked over the fire to give intensity and depth; and the bread is absolutely delicious. Discover some of the country’s favourite dishes and learn to make them back home by taking a cooking class. There are a number available in Cairo but our favourites are run by local families and include a visit to a produce market, with the results enjoyed over a long, leisurely lunch.

12. Tour a learned city

The attractions of the Nile valley south of Cairo are so vast and varied that few people think to travel north and to Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. Those who don’t miss out on the city of Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great more than 2,000 years ago. It was once the country’s centre of culture and learning, home to an ancient library and the Lighthouse of Pharos, one of the seven wonders of the world. Both are now gone, but there’s a new library to explore, as well as cathedrals, churches and ancient Roman ruins — and the chance to soak up the atmosphere of a coastal city that feels very different to Cairo.

13. Watch boats pass along the Suez Canal

If you were transfixed by the news of the Ever Given cargo ship wedging itself in the Suez Canal for six days in March 2021, causing a backlog of 450 vessels and around $10 billion of damage to global trade, head to the site of the story. The 120-mile long channel connects the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and divides Africa and Asia, and can be visited on a guided day trip from Cairo. You can bone up on the history and engineering feats behind the canal and see some of the 50 or so enormous boats that pass along it on a normal, blockage-free day.

14. Swim with dolphins in Hurghada

The Red Sea is rightfully popular with divers, but you can still enjoy it without the need of oxygen tanks and Padi certification — both above and below the surface. From the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, it’s possible to head out on a private boat, bouncing across the waves to an area of coral reefs. Here you can snorkel or sunbathe — and, if you’re lucky, get into the sea as pods of dolphins slice through the water around you. You’ll also visit a marine reserve and a shipwreck before bouncing back to shore again.

• Best things to do in Hurghada • 12 of the best hotels in Hurghada

15. Travel to a relocated temple

What to do when the planned building of a dam threatens to drown a pair of 3,000-year-old temples? Build an artificial hill and move them stone by stone to safety. The whole operation to move Abu Simbel started in 1964 and took four years, and you can see the extraordinary results on a day trip from Aswan. The Unesco-listed temples emerge from the cliff face as though they’ve been there forever. The larger of the two, the Great Temple, is colossal, rising 30m high and receding 60m into the rock. It’s a long journey from Aswan, but the stories of the guide help pass the time.

16. Learn to bargain in a bazaar

Egyptians have been trading at the Khan el-Khalili bazaar since the 14th century and it remains an atmospheric place to shop — and get lost in. In the heart of Islamic Cairo, the open-air market opens from dawn to dusk. Spend a day wandering its narrow, winding lanes, passing under stone arches and stopping at stalls selling brassware, spices, lanterns, leather and silver. Plenty of artisans still have their workshops here, too. A guided tour will help you make sense of it all.

17. Take a hot-air balloon ride over Luxor

If you thought the ancient Egyptian sites along the Nile valley couldn’t get any more impressive, try viewing them from on high. Soaring in a hot-air balloon as the rising sun casts a golden glow over Luxor, the thick winding river and the ancient temples lining its banks — this may well be the most magical start to a day you’ve ever had. Around 20 balloons take off for flights of up to an hour, creating a wonderful spectacle in the sky. You’ll need to get up well before dawn, but it’s totally worth the early alarm call.

18. Get under the skin of Aswan

Aswan, home of the Nubians and a place with a time-honoured affinity for Sudan, is Egypt’s most intriguingly beautiful city. It was here that Cleopatra invited Julius Caesar on a Nile cruise, before they fell in love on Elephantine Island. The Greeks also built temples to the Gods on its islands, before the Romans finished them off. Outside the unmissable temple of Philae, Hadrian came to build an imposing gate (not a wall), while Napoleon’s words were immortalised in stone to mark his arrival in 1799 when he claimed Aswan and its architectural glories for the French. Come unprepared, and it’s a lot to take in. Besides all the history, its location on the Nile headwaters is utterly exhilarating.

19. Step into history at Bibliotheca Alexandrina

First came the Great Library of Alexandria, one of the most dazzling sites of the ancient world. Now the Mediterranean city is home to Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a trophy building and commemorative tribute to the lost site with shelf space for eight million books — it’s Waterstones, WHSmith, Blackwell’s and Barnes & Noble on steroids. It’s more than a library, of course: consider museums, art galleries with rotating exhibitions, a planetarium and culture complex.

20. Have a religious experience in Cairo

Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities have all made their home in Cairo over the millennia and left an impressive mark on the city’s landscape. Take in some of the highlights on a private tour of Coptic and Islamic Cairo, visiting, among other things, the vast medieval citadel, the ornate Hanging Church, the 14th-century Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan, and the atmospheric Ben Ezra Synagogue. Between the historic sights you’ll wander storied cobbled streets, check out market stalls and duck in and out of tea houses, all the while accompanied by a friendly local guide.

21. Explore Kom Ombo and Edfu

Giza and the temples and tombs of Luxor take the plaudits, but the ancient houses of lesser-known Kom Ombo and Edfu are equally rewarding. Broken bas-reliefs of crocodiles, damaged colonnades, worn-down flagstones and arches mark out Kom Ombo, which stands abruptly on the Nile’s water edge, while the city of Edfu is similarly ragged farther downriver. It’s home to the Temple of Horus and set in a landscape of bullrushes and water buffalo, beside a lapping shoreline and date palms.

22. Take tea like Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie famously decamped to the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan to write Death on the Nile , penning the Poirot mystery here in 1937. Her desk is still in the building, and the hotel (now owned by Sofitel) has a suite named after her, but you needn’t book in for an overnight stay to feel close to the novelist; an afternoon tea on the terrace will do just as nicely. You’ll get all the usual components of an English high tea (cakes, scones and sandwiches), though the views of felucca sailing boats slowly drifting down the Nile are entirely Egyptian.

23. Take a food tour of Cairo

One of the best ways to get straight to the heart of a country and its culture is through its cuisine. That’s certainly the view of the two local women who run Bellies En-Route, with two tempting food walking tours in Cairo — one a more general introduction, the other on the city’s street food. You’ll learn how falafel is made and be introduced to the history and culture of certain Egyptian dishes, including ful medames (mashed fava beans), koshari (a mix of lentils, rice, onions, chickpeas and tomato sauce) and thick Egyptian coffee, all the while tucking into samples and making friends along the way.

belliesenroute.com

24. Discover world-beating antiquities

The world of Egyptology is about to change for good. The Grand Egyptian Museum, Giza’s long-overdue antiquities treasure trove located adjacent to the Pyramids, is due to open late in 2023 to shed new light on ancient artefacts and thousands of finds that have never been seen before. Until then, you’ll still be able to ogle the century-old Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square in nearby Cairo, which the new archaeological temple is replacing.

egymonuments.gov.eg/en

25. Spend time in an oasis

Siwa oasis is everything you imagined an oasis might be — a small village that seems to rise organically out of the desert, its streets lined with date palms and surroundings dotted with pools. It’s a long journey here (eight hours from Cairo) so you’re best off carving out a few days, heading out on excursions in the day and returning to candlelit dinners under a star-speckled sky at night. Your hotel will provide a host of activities to choose from; perhaps going on a 4×4 safari around the huge dunes of the Great Sand Sea, floating in a salt lake, taking a dip in a natural spring or learning how olive oil is made at the local press.

• Is it safe to travel to Egypt? • Best Egypt tours: Cairo, Nile cruises and the pyramids • Best all-inclusive hotels in Egypt

Inspired to visit Egypt but yet to book your trip? Here are the best packages from Tui and Expedia , as well as the best tours of Egypt from our trusted partners .

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Egypt Tourist Attractions

– 163 amazing places to visit in egypt.

Egypt tourist attractions are like nothing you will find anywhere else in the world. Ancient Egypt, before its ultimate collapse some 1,700 years ago, was the Land of the Pharaohs, and monuments like the legendary Great Pyramids and Sphinx , and the many royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings  stand as a commemoration to all of the Egyptian pharaohs who once ruled this ancient land.

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Explore 163 Amazing Tourist Attractions in Egypt

Top 10 epic places you must visit in egypt, #10 – hurghada, red sea.

Hurghada is a Red Sea resort town and has become an incredibly popular tourist destination, particularly among diving and snorkeling enthusiasts. It also very popular as a family holiday destination, thanks to its many family-friendly resorts and hotels, and an abundance of fun activities, such as scuba diving, wind surfing, sailing, horse riding and deep sea fishing.

Not only is Hurghada the ideal place to relax, but it is also well known for its very vibrant nightlife and its extensive shopping opportunities. In short, Hurghada is a great place to visit in Egypt to relax and unwind for a few days following days of sightseeing tours, and for this reason, it is often included in the itineraries of Nile cruise package tours  – as well as the reason why we have listed it as one of the most important Egypt tourist attractions.

→ Find out more about Hurghada

#9 – Western Sahara Desert

The Western Desert is home to many popular Egypt tourist attractions, most of which are located in or near to the various oases. The best way to view these attractions is by booking an oases package tour or a Sahara desert adventure tour . Most good oases tours will include a visit to all the different oases, and you will often be taken to see the best sites found at each of them.

In addition to the oases and their historical monuments, the Western Desert is also home to several natural Egypt attractions, including the White Desert ; the Black Desert , and the Valley of the Whales , to name just a few.

→ Explore Sahara

→ Explore the Oases

#8 – Karnak Temple Complex

Nearly all Egypt tour packages that focus on Egypt tourist attractions will include a visit to Karnak Temple which is essentially the ruins of an ancient temple city. It is the largest place of worship ever discovered, and was constructed over the course of hundreds of years. According to records, construction first began during the time of the Middle Kingdom, and continued until the reign of the pharaohs ended. The most popular and most impressive structure at the site is the massive Hypostyle Hall which covers an area of 5000 square meters.

Be sure to visit the nearby Luxor Temple while you are in the area, which you can reach by way of the newly discovered Avenue of Sphinxes . There is also a daily sound and light show at Karnak Temple in the evenings, and considering the temple is only 2.5 km away from Luxor, Karnak Temple is definitely one of the most important places to visit in Egypt.

→ Find out more about Karnak

→ Explore Luxor

#7 – The Egyptian Museum

The Egyptian Museum , located right in the heart of Cairo is considered to be one of the top Egypt tourist attractions , and for this reason it is featured not only in most Cairo tour packages , but also in most Egypt tour packages . The museum currently houses around 120,000 Egyptian artifacts, although not all of these are on display. While the ground floor part of the museum is certainly fascinating, many visitors find the first floor to be the highlight of their visit.

As you ascend to the first floor, expect to be greeted by a vast display of artifacts documenting the history of the final two dynasties, along with countless artifacts recovered from the Valley of Kings in Luxor . The first floor is also home to the extremely popular Mummies Room which houses 27 mummies, although again, not all of these are on display.

→ Find out more about the Egyptian Museum

→ Explore other museums in Egypt

#6 – Temple of Philae

Constructed in 690 AD, Philae Temple is widely considered to be the last ancient temple built in true ancient Egyptian style. It is a truly remarkable structure that features prominently in virtually all Egypt tourism packages that include spending some time in and around Aswan . It is also one of the Egypt tourist attractions included in the itineraries of nearly all Nile cruise holidays .

Philae Temple which today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site was relocated in its entirety from its original location on Philae Island, to its present location on Agilkia Island.  Had the temple not been moved, it would have been lost forever to the rising waters of Lake Nasser following the construction of the Aswan High Dam .

According to legend, the temple, along with the island on which it stood, was so sacred that not even fish or birds would approach the island’s shores. Dedicated to the goddess Isis, Philae Temple remains one of the very best Egypt tourist attractions, and visitors are encouraged to visit this ancient marvel both during the day and in the evening to witness the spectacular Philae Temple Sound and Light Show .

→ Find out more about Philae Temple

→ Explore Aswan

#5 – Temple of Sobek and Horus

Also known as Kom Ombo Temple , this is one structure which has always fascinated historians because it was the only temple of its time that was built in honor of two Gods. This in itself presented the architects with a huge challenge. Because the structure was to be dedicated to two different Gods, Sobek and Horus, two identical temples had to be constructed within the framework of a single temple. This was necessary in order to avoid offending either Horus or Sobek.

To achieve this, one half of the temple complex was designed to be a mirror image of the other half. Each side has the same number of halls; rooms; sanctuaries, and even the same number of columns. The precision in terms of construction is something one needs to see in order to believe.

Unfortunately, several earthquakes have resulted in quite a lot of damage over the centuries, and the temple was further destroyed and defaced by the early Coptic Christians when they were attempting to stamp out all forms of paganism. Nonetheless, it is a remarkable site to visit, hence the reason why it’s featured in so many Egypt tour packages .

#4 – Abu Simbel

The Abu Simbel temples are considered to be the second most recognizable Egyptian icon after the Giza pyramids and the Sphinx . These are two massive rock-cut temples constructed during the reign of Ramesses the Great. They were constructed not only to serve as places of worship, but also to serve as lasting monuments of him and his wife, Queen Nefertari.

Like several other points of interest in Egypt, the Abu Simbel temples where swallowed up by the desert and only rediscovered 2,000 years later, which explains why they are so well preserved. The entire structure also had to be relocated to save it from the rising waters of Lake Nasser following the completion of the Aswan High Dam . Today the temples are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is one site you really don’t want to miss if you are in the area.

→ Explore Lake Nasser

#3 – Tomb of King Tut (Valley of the Kings)

One seasoned historian once wrote that in life, King Tutankhamen was the least esteemed of all the pharaohs who ruled before him, but in death he became the most esteemed of them all. People the world over have been fascinated by Tutankhamen ever since his tomb was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922, and most travelers touring the sites of ancient Egypt long to visit his tomb.

Today, Tutankhamen once again rests in his original sarcophagus inside the tomb, which only makes the site even more appealing to tourists. However, if you are planning on visiting his tomb, keep in mind that the vast amount of treasures recovered from the site are now on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo . Additionally, his tomb is not always open to the public, so to avoid any disappointment, it is best to discuss this with your travel agent before you book your tour.

The tomb of King Tutankhamen is located in the Valley of the Kings , home to 63 ancient royal tombs, so even if King Tutankhamen’s t isn’t open when you visit, there will still be plenty to see, bearing in mind that this site is one of the most visited sites in all of Egypt.

→ Find out more about King Tutankhamen

→ Explore the Valley of the Kings

#2 – Nile River Cruises

The Nile River which is the longest river in the world has been Egypt’s lifeline since antiquity, and there is no better way to experience the treasures and delights of Upper Egypt than with a Nile River cruise. Nile cruise vacations have long since been one of the major tourist attractions in Egypt, and as a result, Nile cruises  now come in all shapes and sizes.

The most popular and most affordable cruises tend to be those which are undertaken on the many luxury cruise ships that can be seen sailing between Luxor and Aswan. Other options include refurbished luxury paddle steamers and traditional Dahabiyas. These days some tourists are also making the journey on Feluccas, but trips from Luxor to Aswan on board one of these small sail boats is yet to catch on with mainstream tourists.

Practically all Nile cruise vacations include a tour of Aswan and Luxor, as well as tours of several other historical sites and points of interest along the route. Most people who have been on a Nile River cruise will say that you haven’t experienced Egypt until you have experienced a cruise through the Nile Valley

Egypt Tourist Attractions #1 – The Giza Necropolis

Not only is the Giza Necropolis the most visited of all Egypt tourist attractions, but it is also one of the most visited attractions in the world and by far the most important site to Egypt tourism, attracting thousands of tourists every single day. The Giza pyramids which are conveniently located on the outskirts of Cairo were built over a period of three generations, with the first one being the pyramid of Khufu. At 139 meters, it is the largest pyramid ever built. Alongside this impressive structure, visitors can see the pyramid of Khafre, Khufu’s second reigning son, and also the pyramid of Pharaoh Menkaure. In addition to the Pyramids of Giza, the site is also home to the Great Sphinx and the Valley Temple.

→ Find out more about the Giza Necropolis

→ Explore more ancient Egyptian pyramids

→ Explore ALL Cairo, Egypt Tourist Attractions

→ Egypt Pyramids Tours

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24 Best Tourist Attractions in Egypt

Use our list of the Best Tourist Attractions in Egypt to plan your trip. If you have finally decided to visit the country of the pharaohs, you are surely wondering what are the best things to see and do in Egypt. Well, in this post we are going to recommend the 20 essential places to visit in Egypt!

Egypt, where the ancient Pharaohs lived, is a place full of beautiful temples and tombs that amaze everyone who goes there. Not everything here is a historic treasure or a tourist attraction. Cairo is the largest city, and city dwellers can’t beat it. The Siwa oasis and the town of Aswan in the south offer a taste of the slow pace of the countryside.

Egypt is a great place to visit because there is so much to see and do. Visitors can plan trips that include culture, adventure, and relaxation.

Check out the following items on our content list for information on the Best Tourist Attractions in Egypt:

*Best Tourist Attractions in Cairo 

(Giza pyramids, Islamic Cairo, Coptic Cairo, Saladin’s Citadel, Egyptian Museum, and Khan el Khalili)

*Best Tourist Attractions in Luxor and Aswan

(Abu Simbel Temple, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Karnak Temple, Temple of Philae, Temple of Kom Ombo, Edfu Temple, and Nile Cruise)

*Best Tourist Attractions in the Red Sea

(Hurghada, El Gouna, Sharm El-Sheikh, dahab, and Marsa Alam)

*Best Tourist Attractions In the Mediterranean sea

(Alexandria,and El Alamein)

*Best Tourist Attractions in the Western Desert

(White Desert, Bahariya Oasis, and Siwa Oasis)

Best Tourist Attractions in Egypt

1- the giza pyramids.

khafra pyramid and Sphinx in Giza Complex

One of the most magnificent destinations to visit in Egypt and throughout the globe is the Pyramids of Giza, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that has been maintained.

The three huge pyramids, which are fewer than 20 kilometers from Cairo and include the tombs of the pharaohs Cheops, Khafre, and Micerinos, stand out among the rest of the country’s structures.

The fantastic  Pyramids of Giza  are the world’s oldest tourist attraction, having survived as the sole survivors of the ancient Greek-listed Seven Wonders of the World. The three pyramids, known as Cheops, Chephren, and Mycerinus, had been standing for more than 2,000 years when Herodotus, the Greek historian, paid a visit to them (5th century BC).

The Pyramids were built by a highly competent corps of mathematicians, masons, surveyors, and stonecutters who worked together as a team. The backbreaking labor of lifting and setting the stones of the world’s most enormous pyramid, Cheops, was carried out by 100,000 enslaved people over many years. Even today, experts are divided on how they accomplished this incredible feat of architecture, given the prehistoric tools that were available to the Egyptians at the time.

Egypt has thus far been home to 138 pyramids that have been uncovered. During the Old and Middle Kingdom eras, most were constructed as tombs for the country’s Pharaohs and their consorts. According to Egyptian mythology, all of the pyramids were built on or near the west bank of the Nile, which, being the location of the sinking sun, was connected with the world of the dead. The Pyramids are a labyrinth of convoluted corridors that were built to keep the great Pharaohs in the afterlife, as well as their hordes of riches, from being discovered.

2- Islamic Cairo 

Mosque of Rifai and Sultan Hassan in Cairo

One of the top tourist destinations in Egypt is the Islamic Cairo neighborhood, which is home to several mosques, monuments, and madrassas from the medieval era. The Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan serves as a striking illustration and outward symbol of the Islamic legacy of this lovely city. If you dig deep enough, the area close to the walled city is one of the greatest sites to visit in Egypt in 2022. You can also locate workshops and artisan families that have worked there for a century.

3- Coptic Cairo

Hanging Church in Coptic Cairo

One of Egypt’s most influential Christian places is the Coptic Cairo neighborhood.

This district was the Fortress of Babylon until the Achaemenid Empire took over Egypt in 525 BCE. It is now home to Cairo’s oldest church, synagogue, and mosque and the excellent Coptic Museum, which has the world’s most extensive collection of Coptic Christian art and antiquities.

A part of the Fortress of Babylon’s walls, which were fixed up and made bigger when the Romans were in charge, is still standing and serves as the entrance to the neighborhood.

The Hanging Church has a great collection of icons and was built half over a Roman water wheel, which is how it got its name. Then, make your way down the narrow alley to the Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus, which, according to local legend, was built on the spot where the Holy Family and baby Jesus hid after fleeing King Herod.

The famous Geniza document cache was found close by at the Ben Ezra Synagogue.

The Mosque of Amr Ibn Al-As is just a short walk away. It was built by the Arab Muslim army commander who took control of Egypt and became the first governor of Egypt.

4-Saladin’s Citadel

Panorama view of Saladin’s Citadel in Cairo

The renowned Ayyubid monarch, Saladin, constructed the castle to defend Cairo and Fustat (the first Egyptian capital under the Caliphate) from the Crusaders. It is one of several historic Egyptian locations designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The enormous fortification’s perimeter is ringed with multiple watchtowers, and within are several magnificent mosques and the Well of Joseph. Three locations, the Al-Naseer, Sulayman Pasha, and the Al Gawhara Palace museum, are essential stops in Cairo, Egypt sightseeing excursions.

5- Egyptian Museum

Amazing top view of Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Cairo

You may be wondering where all the famed riches went after discovering temples, palaces, and tombs that date back thousands of years in the ancient Egyptian towns that have been found. The Egyptians were known for interring their deceased with various items, including gold, golden objects, literature, and other things. Fear not, because that desire has come true thanks to the Egyptian Museum. The pyramids only tell you a portion of the narrative; the other part is preserved in the world’s most extensive collection of Egyptian artifacts, which includes the renowned Tutankhamun tomb excavation and is one of the most breathtaking tourist attractions in Egypt.

6- Khan el Khalili

Khan El Khalili bazaar in Cairo

Khan el Khalili market is one of Cairo’s numerous Egyptian tourist attractions. It is a former business district that resembles an absolute labyrinth with several streets and tents selling unique things. It’s fantastic for shopping and even for bringing gifts of mementos.

Everything from textiles to garments to handicrafts to decorations to teas and spices may be found there. The area is one that you could spend a lot of time investigating, and I recommend spending at least a whole day in the vast market.

Khan el Khalili and the Al-Muski market are crucial for making Cairo a location of tradition in commerce in the nation and the globe. This is especially true, given that we are talking about Egypt.

*In Luxor and Aswan

7- abu simbel temple.

Abu Simbel temple in Aswan city

This archaeological site is famous for the two rock-cut temples that the great pharaoh Ramses II had built to celebrate a war victory in the 13th century BC. Both temples, which were built in honor of the pharaoh and his favorite wife, Nefertari, had to be moved in 1968 because a dam was built on the Nile River , making them even more well-known worldwide.

Temples of Abu Simble Built in honor of the renowned King Ramses II of Egypt, the colossal Sun Temple of King Ramses II at Abu Simbel is considered to be the most impressive temple in all of ancient Egypt, because of its massive rock-cut façade and massive pillars. Four huge sculptures of the pharaoh himself stand guard at the entrance to the temple, which has been hewn into the mountainside to protect it. In a fit of architectural egotism and meticulous planning, Ramses II had the entire temple meticulously angled and oriented so that the sun’s rays would align twice a year on his ascension to the throne (21 February) and on his birthday (21 October) and illuminate the temple’s inner sanctum, as well as the surrounding areas. This remarkable natural occurrence creates a very stunning spectacle, which has come to be known as the Sun Festival of King Ramses II due to its dazzling nature. We suggest you go first thing in the morning to avoid the heat and most people. We also offer you to stay near the complex for one night to see the nightly light show.

8- Valley of the Kings

Top view of Valley of the Kings in upper Egypt

The Valley of the Kings , which is located in the 4,000-year-old city of Luxor, is studded with tombs that are frequently lavishly painted, and which were built to hold the royal sarcophagi-enclosed mummies of the great pharaohs who were awaiting their passage into the afterlife. The tombs of Ramses II, Seti I, Amenhotep II, and, of course, the tomb of King Tutankhamun are among the most well-known of the city’s monuments.

In all, more than 60 magnificent and ornate tombs have been unearthed in this region. There are at least 75 tombs in Biban al-Harim, also known as the Valley of the Queens, with just around 4 of them being available to the public. The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, also known as Deir al- Bahri, rises out of the desert plain in a series of terraces and is one of the most renowned structures in the world. It is one of Egypt’s most beautiful and photographed monuments, and it is partially rock-cut and partly freestanding.

9-Temple of Hatshepsut

Panorama of Hatshepsut Temple

It is advised to visit the Temple of Hatshepsut , one of Egypt’s most spectacular temples, on the day of the tour to the Valley of the Kings and to pause in front of the commanding Colossi of Memnon.

In addition to its distinctive style, the Temple of Hatshepsut is exceptional in Egypt because it honors Queen Hatshepsut, the only female pharaoh. It was created by the architect Senemut and stood apart from the rest of the nation’s monuments thanks to three terraces on an outside portion and an excavation in the rock. Although all of the references to the queen were destroyed by her stepson, Tutmosis III, as retaliation for stealing her reign from him, the temple’s reliefs explain her history.

The Colossi of Memnon is located near Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. These two twins and colossal stone sculptures stand in for Pharaoh Amenhotep III, who oversaw the entrance to his everlasting burial place, and four other fallen colossi.

10- Karnak temple

The Road of Rams in Karnak Temple

  The temples of Karnak and Luxor, which are second only to the famous pyramids in terms of attraction, are some of the most spectacular monuments of ancient history anywhere on the globe. Karnak is considered to be one of the world’s biggest temple complexes, and it has grown in size over hundreds of years as each pharaoh built on top of the previous one. The Karnak complex is divided into four different portions, only the Amun-Re precinct is available to the public. The rest of the complex is closed to visitors. The Amun-Re section of the complex comprises a slew of elaborate temples, columns, and an obelisk that are all worth seeing. They are as, if not more, spectacular as the Memphis temples, which were erected about 1,400 BC. The Luxor temples , which were built around the same time, represent an unusually vital chapter in Egyptian history since they were the place where many of the country’s monarchs were crowned. Among the many sandstone constructions on the site are sculptures of gods and pharaohs as well as paintings and friezes that are both magnificent. It should go without saying that no vacation to Egypt would be complete without taking in the ancient grounds on which these temples are located.

11- Temple of Philae

Amazing top view of Philae island surrounded by the Nile River

The magnificent town of Aswan, located on the banks of the River Nile, serves as the starting point for both the felucca ride downstream to Kom Ombo and the optional Abu Simbel excursions, which are all optional. Visiting Elephantine and Kitchener Islands is highly recommended, as is dining at one of the many eateries located along the corniche. Travel by boat to Agelika Island, where you will be able to see the  Temple of Philae , which dates back to the Ptolemaic and Roman times. The temple of Isis, which occupies almost one-quarter of the island, is the most impressive structure on the island. Pictures of Ptolemaic and Roman rulers going about their everyday lives and conducting ceremonial rites adorn the walls of the temple. Later, when this temple was transformed into a church, Christians adorned the stones with crosses of their own. As well as being a tourist attraction in and of itself, the laid-back Nubian town itself is brimming with vibrant marketplaces, spicy fragrances, old Pharaonic and Roman ruins, and history dating back to the ancient country of Nubia.

12- The Temple of Kom Ombo

Sunrise in Temple of Kom Ombo in Aswan

The second temple we visited on our Nile trip was the Temple of Kom Ombo , situated on the Nile’s banks, approximately 50 kilometers from Aswan. This temple, which Ramses II built, is unique because it is a twin temple with two symmetrical portions, one dedicated to the deity Sobek and the other to the god Haroeris.

Horus had the head of a falcon, but Sobek had a crocodile head on a human body. A crocodile mummy may be found within the temple as a curiosity, while reliefs made with historical medical tools can be seen outside.

You may read this article on the most stunning locations in Aswan for more details.

13- Edfu Temple

Amazing view of Edfu Temple

One of Egypt’s most stunning sights is the Temple of Edfu also known as Horus, the country’s second-largest temple after Karnak. Under Ptolemy III’s rule, work on the temple to the deity Horus started in the city of Edfu, which is situated on the banks of the Nile. The temple was submerged under the desert sand for many years before being uncovered by the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette.

Due to its underground location in this period, it is one of the best-preserved temples with beautiful sculptures and reliefs, and since it is close to the Nile, cruise ships that cross the river often stop here.

14- One of the things to do in Egypt is a Nile cruise

Nile Cruise is sailing in the Egypt Nile River

Most of Egypt’s most important tourist destinations are centered around the banks of the Nile, the world’s second-longest river after the Amazon. Being in one of the world’s most desolate regions, the river has always been an unending source of life and resources, ethereal for the creation and development of Ancient Egypt. If you go on a trip, whether it’s organized or unplanned, you must take a cruise on the Nile for a few days; we can assure you that it will be an experience you will never forget.

Most cruise ships go from Aswan to Luxor in three or four days, sailing at night and making stops at several of the most significant monuments.

Don’t miss to check out our Egypt Nile Cruise

*In the Red sea

15- hurghada.

Snorkeling in the Red sea in Hurghada

The Red Sea  resort of Hurghada, which was established in the early twentieth century, had a tremendous boom in the 1980s, owing to the influx of tourists. It is now possible to visit three major centers and a large number of self-contained tourist communities in Hurghada. Ed-Dahar is located to the north of Hurghada, and it is home to more than half of the city’s inhabitants, as well as some of the city’s most luxurious hotels, restaurants, and tourist marts. Sigala is a few km south of Ed-Dahar and is arguably less well-known than the former. The town of New Hurghada is even farther south, and here you will find a concentration of upmarket hotels and restaurants. As a result of all of this growth, Hurghada has emerged as one of Egypt’s most popular tourist destinations on the Red Sea coast. Holidaymakers may enjoy superb aquatic amenities such as sailing, yachting, deep-sea fishing, SCUBA diving, and snorkeling thanks to new hotels and improved infrastructure.

As a result of Hurghada’s central position, it is a gateway to some of the world’s most spectacular offshore reefs. Hurghada is also well-known for having a thriving nightlife scene. Shopping is easy in the town, which offers a variety of businesses offering knock-off bags and shirts, snorkeling gear, and other similar items. A little distance outside of Hurghada lies a historic Roman quarry known as Mons Porphyritic, as well as Port Safaga, which is renowned for being a windy location and an ideal area for windsurfing.

For further information, refer to this list of things to see and do in Hurghada .

16- El Gouna

Top view of marina in El Gouna

El Gouna offers a variety of leisure activities that may provide both peace and an element of adventure. Diverse water sports and activities, including kite and windsurfing, snorkeling, and diving, are prevalent in the city. Along with several beaches, including Zeytuna, Mangroovy, and Moods Beach, El Gouna has more than 18 hotels, three enormous marinas, and two enormous golf courses. Additional amenities include Smokery Beach, Makani Beach Club, Element Watersports, Marina Beach, and DuPont Pool Club. The Silver Cable Park, swimming with dolphins in the dolphin house, boarding a fishing boat, and a submarine excursion through the belly of the red sea are some of the most fun things to do in El Gouna.

17- Sharm el-Sheikh

Scuba diving in Sharm El sheikh

Numerous excursions and tours in Egypt conclude with a few days of rest at the Red Sea, located in the Indian Ocean south of the Sinai Peninsula. It is a paradisiacal location with vast coral reefs teeming with exotic species and crystal clear seas that are said to be the warmest sea on the globe. You can engage in some of the most incredible diving and snorkeling worldwide here.

Sharm el Sheikh stands out among the tourist destinations where you may base yourself and take advantage of its thrilling activities. At the same time, Hurghada has also recently gained popularity, which we shall cover at a later point.

In addition to diving and snorkeling trips, Sharm el Sheikh, a modest fishing hamlet in the center of the Sinai desert, has grown into a metropolis with a sizable all-inclusive hotel infrastructure. You can also enjoy its vibrant nightlife, excellent beaches, and quad excursions across the desert here. If you’d rather get a cozy guided tour of the nation that visits the top attractions in Egypt and the Red Sea.

Windsurfing in clear water in Dahab Egypt with mountains in the background

Dahab is one of the best tourist attractions in Egypt to go to the Red Sea, and the Blue Hole is the most dangerous place to dive in the world and is close to Dahab. There are many ways to have fun in the city, such as camel and horse rides, cycling, jeep and quad bike trips, safari trips into the desert, where you can have a magical time in a Bedouin village, the best hotels and restaurants, and the coolest nightclubs. Compared to Sharm El Sheikh and Ras Suder, the city is known for being the cheapest place to dive in Sinai.

19- Marsa Alam

Amazing beaches in Marsa Alam

There are more possibilities for excellent beaches on the southern Red Sea coast, each with a distinct flair. The rich marine environment in Marsa Alam, which includes incredible multicolored corals, manatees, and dolphins, makes it the most popular diving destination in Egypt today. Marsa Alam is also a part of one of the best tourist attractions in Egypt.

Without a doubt, this was among the best places to see in Egypt! A little-traveled location is always pleasant, and Marsa Alam feels like an unspoiled paradise. I recommend it to anybody looking to explore new territory, dive, or travel.

*In the Mediterranean sea

20- alexandria.

Qaitbay Citadel Surrounded by the sea in Alexandria Egypt

Alexandria , Egypt’s historic capital, was built by the famous Alexander the Great and is a fascinating city located on the country’s northern coast, where the magnificent Mediterranean Sea laps at its shore. The city, which was built some 2,300 years ago, has gone a long way, but its old magnificence still shines through and is mingled with aspects of modernity, resulting in a distinct aura that needs to be experienced to be truly appreciated. Even though the Pharos, a lighthouse that was once considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was demolished long ago, the idea that Alexandria was formerly home to it is a significant attraction for tourists. Even if you won’t be able to see this magnificent monument anymore, the city is still infused with its importance, and a visit to the Alexandria National Museum will undoubtedly aid you in your quest to understand Alexandria’s rich cultural legacy and interesting past.

Discover the history of the area and its key attractions, including the Kom el Dekka site, the National Museum of Alexandria, the Qaitbay Fortress , Montazah Palace , Pompey’s Pillar , and the Catacombs of Kom El Shuqqafa .

21-El Alamein

Amazing top view of El Alamein

El Alamein is best known as the location of some of the most terrible battles of the Second World War, and it has since become a place of pilgrimage for those who seek to pay their respects to those who perished during the fighting there. Allied leaders realized that if Germany set its sights on the Suez Canal, they would have no choice but to defeat their soldiers or face a significant setback in their capacity to get supplies. It was after the deaths of 80,000 troops that the combat came to a close, and the Allies were victorious, making it one of the most pivotal events of the war in its entirety. Even after more than seven decades, the rows of graves in the numerous war cemeteries serve as a constant reminder of the devastating loss that each of the countries engaged experience. But El Alamein is more than just a somber reminder of the past; it also has beautiful beaches, lapped by sparkling sea, that provide the ideal setting for appreciating life and its pleasures in the present and past.

*In the Western Desert

22- white desert.

The White Desert in the Western Desert

Spending two days seeing the White Desert is another unusual activity in Egypt that is becoming increasingly popular among visitors traveling alone.

The White Desert is an area of Egypt’s great western desert that is 45 kilometers north of the city of Farafra , on the Libyan border, and about 400 kilometers southwest of Cairo. It is distinguished by its imposing white mountains, enormous dunes of golden-colored sand, and unusual limestone and chalk formations that create a landscape right at home in a Star Wars film.

Other attractions seen throughout the journey include the Bahariya Oasis, the Black Desert, the Agabat Valley, and the Crystal Mountain. You will also have a classic Bedouin supper and spend the night in a tent beneath a starry sky, in addition to seeing the fantastic formations of the White Desert.

23-Bahariya Oasis

Bahariya in the Western Desert in Egypt

In 1996, a large cemetery with more than thirty tombs was found in the Bahariya Oasis . This made the oasis famous. About 250 “golden mummies” were at the site, all from different times in history. There are also ruins and pieces of the Temple of Alexander on the site. Aside from being a place where mummies were found, Bahariya was also an important agricultural center in Egypt, and it is still known for making wine. Some of the most popular places to visit in and around Bahariya are the White Desert and Crystal Mountain. Both are known for their strange rock formations that tend to fascinate tourists.

24- Siwa Oasis

Siwa oasis in the Western Desert in Egypt

Siwa Oasis is a quiet place that sits alone in the western corner of the Western Desert , opposite Egypt’s busy cities. This beautiful oasis is one of the most beautiful places in the Western Desert; it is surrounded by date palm plantations and has many hot water springs.

Siwa town is centered around the ruins of the Fortress of Shali, a sizeable mud-brick citadel that dominates the view. Other temple ruins, such as the Temple of the Oracle, where Alexander the Great is said to have gone to get advice, are scattered around the oasis area.

This is a great place to relax and take it easy for a few days. It’s also a great place to plan trips into the desert that’s all around.

Now that you know what to see in Egypt, what are you waiting for? If the idea of going to one or more of these places has gotten you excited, “Egypt Trip Guides” can help you plan your trip to Egypt without stress and at the best price. Find out about the best tourist spots in Egypt and all the places to go in Egypt so you can book your dream trip right away. Check out our Egypt Vacation Packages with our qualified Egyptologist with the best Egypt travel guide in Egypt.

Top 20 Spellbinding Places to Discover in Egypt

One of the oldest tourist destinations in the world, Egypt, has a collection of world-famous ancient sites and legendary national treasures that have been wowing crowds for centuries. Beauty is subjective, but in my opinion, the country isn’t short on places that could be considered very beautiful!

From world-famous historical sites to hippy-dwelling laid-back beach resorts, here are my favourite places…

1. Alexandria

Sharing the same stretch of coast as Tunisia and Libya, Egypt’s second-largest city feels as Mediterranean and cosmopolitan as Marseille or Athens . It was once a very fashionable city known for its époque buildings and grand squares. Although its charms have faded a little, I still think it should be added to your list!

For peace, head to the regal Montazah Palace Gardens, or for your history and architecture fix, try the Citadel of Qaitbay, an impressive-looking 15th-century fortress.

Alternatively, choose one of the many antique coffee houses, sip coffee, and puff on a water pipe while looking out over the Mediterranean Sea.

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Once you get over the chaos, culture shock, and in-your-face touts, this city is a traveller’s dream! History fans will also be in their element here, with age-old traditions perfectly preserved in every city corner.

Of course, there is also an endless supply of ancient temples, tombs, churches, monuments, and museums to explore.

Don’t leave without visiting the famous Khan el-Khalili souk or other street markets, especially if you want to stock up on exotic-looking carpets and brass trinkets! 

3. The Red Sea Coast

A highlight of many travellers to Egypt is Sharm el Sheik, a holiday resort filled with luxury hotels, casinos, nightclubs, and tourists getting their sun, sea, and sand fixes. Sharm el-Sheikh holidays are very popular, although the real beauty of this area is the Red Sea.

The Red Sea’s clear azure waters and an incredible amount of exotic fish and coral are why it is so highly regarded as a diving destination.

It arguably offers some of the world’s best diving and snorkelling experiences. Grab some scuba gear (and an experienced instructor) and take a look for yourself! 

4. Pyramids at Giza

A world-famous attraction, I think no visitor should leave without visiting the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza. They are the only remaining seven wonders of the world of the ancient world and over 4600 years old.

They’re an imposing sight, and the whole complex is still mysterious.

If time is an issue, you can see the main parts of the Pyramid site in around 2 hours, but if your schedule allows, you should spend a full day in this area.

I personally think this is one of the best cities to explore in Egypt. Only a few places in the world could be called open-air museums, but the Egyptian city of Luxor is one of them.

The number and preservation of the monuments in the Luxor area are unparalleled anywhere else in the world, and I think a trip here wouldn’t be complete without a visit.

Spend a day or two at the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, which each house over 60 carved underground tombs. I also recommend visiting the very impressive Luxor and Karnak temples! 

6. The Nile River

The best way to explore one of the world’s most famous rivers is by a cruise lasting more than a few days. The stunning Nile is filled with interesting flora and fauna, and a trip to this Egyptian delight will give you an interesting insight into the rural parts of the country.

You’ll also get to stop at plenty of famous temples and other ancient sites of interest. However, if boats are not your thing, head for the banks of Aswan to watch the sunset on one of the most beautiful stretches of the Nile.

Dahab is a laid-back resort town on the Sinai Peninsula’s Southeast coast. This beautiful town attracts hippies and travellers who want to stay in a peaceful location that isn’t packed with tourists year-round. I’m a huge fan of Dahab, mostly because of its laid-back boho vibe!

You will enjoy the golden sandy beaches with incredible ocean views that stretch across the Gulf to Saudi Arabia’s Hijaz Mountains.

There is plenty of beauty under the water, with corals and marine fauna, so Dahab is considered one of the best locations for scuba diving and snorkelling on the peninsula.

The famous Blue Hole is also located near Dahab — a gaping sinkhole carved into a reef. Its beautiful sparkling-blue water is an amazing sight. You can also venture into the Bedouin desert to the West of Dahab.

8. Mount Sinai

If you stay in the Cairo area, this will be a 1-2 day trip. However, Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula is definitely worth the journey and has a different feel from the rest of the country.

Mount Sinai is a popular attraction. It has huge religious significance and is mentioned many times in the Book of Exodus, the Bible, and the Quran.

In Christianity, it’s the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments. Hiking this holy mountain is a popular activity, and many even choose to hike through the night or stay in a lodge to wake up early (2 or 3 am) and watch a sunrise of biblical proportions.

9. Saint Catherine’s Monastery 

Saint Catherine’s Monastery is just below Mount Sinai. It’s an ancient and significant tourist site that has UNESCO World Heritage Site status and is, in fact, the oldest working monastery in the world. St.Catherine’s is an unusual and strangely beautiful building juxtaposed against acres of dry, arid landscapes.

You can find the water well where Moses met his wife, see the ancestor of the famous burning bush, and look at the cage of old monks’ skulls. Macabrely, you can also see what is said to be the preserved hand of the real Saint Catherine.

10. Siwa Oasis

Located off the beaten track between the Qattara Depression and the Egyptian Sand Sea (in the Libyan Desert) it has its own distinct Siwan culture which differs from the mainstream Arabic culture.

The Siwans speak their language, and this area is known for its hot springs, fine jewellery, and tasty dates and olives. Take a trip here and kick back for a while, swim, or try your luck at sandboarding.

11. White Desert

The fabled White Desert of Egypt is a very interesting area. It can be found 28 miles north of the town of Farafra. The desert has an otherworldly beauty with bizarre, ghost-white rock formations sprouting from the desert sands.

The strange structures are huge chalk formations created by occasional sandstorms in the area. For a surreal experience, take a four-wheel drive through the desert or stay overnight.

12. Hurghada

Hurghada is a stunning resort town located on the Northeast coast of Egypt, just below the Gulf of Suez. A better description of Hurghada would be the  Hurghada Riviera, which stretches 40 miles along the Red Sea Coast and is home to many luxurious resorts.

Originally a fishing town, Hurghada has grown quickly over the past few decades to become a tourist hotspot. The region offers many excellent restaurants, tourist attractions, and accommodation options.

This includes luxurious resorts like Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh, and El Gouna, making it the perfect location to be pampered. However, the highlight of this destination is the stunning natural beauty of Hurghada.

There are many pristine beaches with bright white sand and crystal clear water. The coastline is also dotted with coral reefs, so Hurghada is one of the country’s most popular locations for diving and snorkelling.

If you intend to explore the reefs, check out Careless Reef, Giftun Islands, and Omo Gamaar. You can also swim with the dolphins off the coast of the Aden Beach Resort.

Finally, be sure to visit the Eastern Arabian Desert. Many tours are available, and activities include quad biking and visiting historical sites.

13. The Fjord Bay (Taba)

This colourful little town is located at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba. Despite its small size, it can get busy because it is used as a border crossing into Israel.

Many attractions around Taba include Red Sea Water World Taba Heights, Castle Zaman, Canyon Motor Sports, and the stunning Salah El-Din Castle.

The landscape is gorgeous, and you will be constantly amazed by the scenic locations. Fjord Bay is a short drive from Taba.

It is a natural bay that has become a popular spot for swimming, diving, hiking, climbing, boating, and many other outdoor activities. The bay is surrounded by rolling hills which gently sweep down to the stunning aqua-blue water. It is a picturesque location that you won’t forget.

Aswan is a historic city on the southern end of the Nile River. It’s a gorgeous metropolis in an idyllic location with a pristine natural environment and scenic views.

In addition to being situated in a picturesque part of Egypt, the city is packed with many amazing ancient buildings that give it a delightful ambience.

Aswan is one of the oldest cities in the country and has a rich history dating back many thousands of years. It is a beautiful city with many locations, including the Aswan Botanical Gardens, Ruins of Abu, Tombs of the Nobles, and Elephantine Island.

It is the perfect location for learning more about Egypt’s rich culture and vast history.

15. Abu Simbel Temples

The Abu Simbel Temples are one of Egypt’s most instantly recognisable historical sights.

The ancient Egyptians built massive rock temples between 1264 BC and 1244 BC. Known as the Temple of Ramesses, beloved by Amun, they are one of six rock templates built in Nubia during the reign of Ramesses II.

The scale of the Abu Simbel Temples is incredible. They have a timeless beauty that continues to attract millions of visitors each year.

16. Nuweiba

Nuweiba is a coastal town on the East coast of the Sinai peninsula. It’s an attractive city for holidays, surrounded by the pristine aqua-blue waters of the Gulf of Aqaba and the bright red sands of Sinai.

There are many beautiful sights to see in Nuweiba, including the Coloured Canyon, a narrow trail surrounded by beautifully coloured rock formations.

You will be amazed by the colour variations in the rocks, which range from dark purple to bright yellow. Bedouin tour guides will help you through the canyons and explain the significance of the canyon in their culture.

Another must-see experience near Nuweiba is Ain Khudra, a natural oasis near the town. It is often used as a hiking destination and place to meditate.

The beautiful palm trees and tranquil water pool are stunning. Many incredible natural rock sculptures and carvings surround this area.

There are also plenty of locations to dive off the coast of Nuweiba, including Duna Reef and Coral Island. The coral is plentiful, and you will enjoy the diverse marine flora.

17. Berenice (Baranis)

Located in the Red Sea Governorate, Berenice was founded as a trading port in 275 BC and quickly became an important economic centre in the region.

One of the most exciting locations near Berenice is the Temple of Semiramis, built by Trajan and Tiberius. This large Roman temple is in excellent condition and is one of the most impressive sights in the region.

The temple’s outer walls are adorned with various artworks, including depictions of Emperor Tiberius before the god Min and the deity of the Green Mines (located nearby).

The coast of Berenice has many pristine natural bays and coves to enjoy. You can also explore the stunning island of Zabargad, previously mined for a semi-precious gem named olivine.

This area offers breathtaking views and plenty of marine life. It’s also a great place to go snorkelling, diving, or relaxing on one of the many beaches.

18. Marsa Alam 

Marsa Alam is another gorgeous resort town on the Red Sea. It’s renowned for its pristine beaches and numerous coral reefs. Abu Dabab Bay is one of the most popular locations for visitors to Marsa Alam.

It is a U-shaped natural bay with crystal clear water and plenty of wildlife, including turtles, dugongs, and dolphins.

The Wadi el-Gemal National Park is just south of the town. It is a large park with a varied landscape, including islands, deserts, seagrass beds, and coral reefs. You can spend many days exploring this national park and marvelling at its spectacular beauty.

19. Rosetta

Rosetta (also called Ar Rashid) is a city located on the western bank of the Nile River, 65km Northeast of Alexandria. Founded in the 9th century, Rosetta has an interesting history, incredible architecture and vibrant culture.

Rosetta is mostly known for being the birthplace of the Rosetta Stone, which was used to translate ancient Egyptian into Ancient Greek. Because of this—and its beauty, of course—it’s a top attraction in Egpyt.

Rosetta is a beautiful metropolis with amazing Islamic architecture and many lovely public spaces. You will enjoy wandering the winding streets and admiring the ancient mansions of Rosetta.

Many three or four-story homes lined the streets with beautiful rustic brickwork and detailed mouldings.

20. Al Badari

Al Badari, also known as El Badari, is located on the East bank of the Nile River in Upper Egypt. It is world-famous because the British discovered ancient cemeteries there in the 1920s.

The most popular cemeteries are Mostageddan and Dier, which contain incredible ancient Egyptian sculptures and architecture.

They also contain some very old gravesites, with archaeologists finding graves between 5500 BC and 4000 BC. 

It’s always a good idea to check up-to-date government travel safety advice before you travel.

9 thoughts on “Top 20 Spellbinding Places to Discover in Egypt”

I can’t wait to go to Egypt. Ever since I was young, it has been a place I’ve wanted to go (but still haven’t). The thing that really amazes me is that even though it is mostly sand, the people know how to make appear colorful. And Abu Simbel? That is the place I want to go to most. I’d love to experience a little of what was ancient Egyptian life!

I want to visit every one of these! Thanks for putting this together Becky – beautiful photos too!

I went diving on the other side of the Red Sea in Jordan, and it was fun, but not nearly on the level of Sharm.

I’m hoping things settle down so I could visit – I feel like it could only be better over time. When did you go?

Beautiful Photos! They are breathtaking. I love Egypt, though at the same time Alexandria is a place I hate the most out of everywhere I have traveled, the people there are disgusting. I would never recommend that place for a woman traveler. My wife was covered well, dressing very appropriately and the men would still call out crap, and the gangs of kids/beggars followed us for ever. Way worse experience on the kids than we had anywhere else, including Delhi.

We spent a month travelling through and saw all of the places here, and to balance Alexandria I must say Dahab is one of my favorite places to be, lovely diving and way more relaxed than Sharm.

I’m your key to explore Egypt

The photo of Luxor just asks me to visit it and enjoy the stunning views that it offers.

Nice picture and nice place I hope I can go there sometime it really nice experience its nice to go there than watching it on the pictures.

I love that photo! I’ll be adding the Luxor Temples to my list. wow. -Todd

Sharm El Sheikh could also be added to the list.

Love the wonderful pictures of a wonderful place, Its an amazing place to visit.

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Egypt is the oldest tourist destination on earth. Ancient Greeks and Romans started the trend, coming to goggle at the cyclopean scale of the Pyramids and the Colossi of Thebes. During colonial times, Napoleon and the British looted Egypt’s treasures to fill their national museums, sparking off a trickle of Grand Tourists that eventually became a flood of travellers, taken on Nile cruises and Egyptological lectures by the enterprising Thomas Cook.

Where to go in Egypt

Tailor-made travel itineraries for egypt, created by local experts.

8 days  / from 1999 USD

The Best of Egypt

Explore the history and culture of Egypt and its ancient rulers on this trip throughout the country. Start and end in Cairo and make your way down to Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel. Instead of domestic flights, you will hop on luxurious sleeper trains for your journey.

13 days  / from 5499 USD

Cairo & a luxurious Dahabieh sailing cruise

Explore Egypt at a leisurely pace on board a dahabieh, a traditional sailing ship. In Cairo, visit the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, and in Giza, the pyramids; cruise to world-renowned sites alongside lesser-known treasures, such as Luxor’s tombs, el Kab and Gebel Silsileh’s Temple of Horemheb.

8 days  / from 2200 USD

A Nile Cruise in Egypt

Experience Cairo with the pyramids of Giza and the Egyptian museum before flying to Luxor to board your Nile cruise. Highlights include Karnak temple, Valley of Kings, Hatshepsut temple and an optional visit to Abu Simbel. Spend your last night in fascinating Cairo.

Tailor-made trips for   Egypt

Today, the most popular places to visit are not only the monuments of the Nile Valley and the souks, mosques and madrassas of Islamic Cairo, but also fantastic coral reefs and tropical fish, dunes, ancient fortresses, monasteries and prehistoric rock art.

The land itself is a freak of nature, its lifeblood the River Nile. From the Sudanese border to the shores of the Mediterranean, the Nile Valley and its Delta are flanked by arid wastes, the latter as empty as the former are teeming with people. This stark duality between fertility and desolation is fundamental to Egypt’s character and has shaped its development since prehistoric times, imparting continuity to diverse cultures and peoples over seven millennia. It is a sense of permanence and timelessness that is buttressed by religion , which pervades every aspect of life. Although the pagan cults of ancient Egypt are as moribund as its legacy of mummies and temples, their ancient fertility rites and processions of boats still hold their place in the celebrations of Islam and Christianity.

The result is a multi-layered culture , which seems to accord equal respect to ancient and modern. The peasants of the Nile and the Bedouin tribes of the desert live much as their ancestors did a thousand years ago. Other communities include the Nubians of the far south, and the Coptic Christians, who trace their ancestry back to pharaonic times. What unites them is a love of their homeland, extended family ties, dignity, warmth and hospitality towards strangers. Though most visitors are drawn to Egypt by its monuments, the enduring memory is likely to be of its people and their way of life.

Egypt’s capital, Cairo, is a seething megalopolis whose chief sightseeing appeal lies in its bazaars and medieval mosques, though there is scarcely less fascination in its juxtapositions of medieval and modern life, the city’s fortified gates, villas and skyscrapers interwoven by flyovers whose traffic may be halted by donkey carts. The immensity and diversity of this “Mother of Cities” is as staggering as anything you’ll encounter in Egypt. Just outside Cairo are the first of the pyramids that range across the desert to the edge of the Fayoum, among them the unsurpassable trio at Giza, the vast necropolis of Saqqara and the pyramids at Dahshur. Besides all this, there are superb museums devoted to Ancient, Coptic and Islamic Egypt, and enough entertainment to occupy weeks of your time.

However, the principal tourist lure remains, as ever, the Nile Valley, with its ancient monuments and timeless river vistas – Nile cruises on a luxury vessel or a felucca sailboat being a great way to combine the two. The town of Luxor is synonymous with the magnificent temples of Karnak and the Theban Necropolis, which includes the Valley of the Kings where Tutankhamun and other pharaohs were buried. Aswan, Egypt’s southernmost city, has the loveliest setting on the Nile and a languorous ambience. From here, you can visit the island Philae temple of Isis and the rock-hewn colossi at Abu Simbel, or embark on a cruise to other temples around Lake Nasser. Other sites not to be missed are Edfu and Kom Ombo, between Luxor and Aswan, and Abydos and Dendara, north of Luxor.

Besides monuments, Egypt abounds in natural wonders. Edged by coral reefs teeming with tropical fish, the Sinai Peninsula offers superb diving and snorkelling, and palm-fringed beaches where women can swim unmolested. Resorts along the Gulf of Aqaba are varied enough to suit everyone, whether you’re into the upmarket hotels of Sharm el-Sheikh, nearby Na’ama Bay or Taba further north, or cheap, simple living at Dahab and Nuweiba. From there it’s easy to visit St Catherine’s Monastery and Mount Sinai (where Moses received the Ten Commandments) in the mountainous interior. With more time, cash and stamina, you can also embark on jeep safaris or camel treks to remote oases and spectacular wadis.

Egypt’s Red Sea Coast has more reefs further offshore, with snorkelling and diving traditionally centred around Hurghada, while barely touched island reefs from Port Safaga down to Marsa Alam beckon serious diving enthusiasts. Inland, the mountainous Eastern Desert harbours the Coptic monasteries of St Paul and St Anthony, Roman quarries, and a host of pharaonic and prehistoric rock art, seen by few apart from the nomadic Bedouin.

While the Eastern Desert is still barely touched by tourism, the Western Desert Oases have been on the tourist trail for forty years and nowadays host safaris into the wilderness. Siwa, out towards the Libyan border, has a unique culture and history, limpid pools and bags of charm. Travellers can also follow the “Great Desert Circuit” (starting from Cairo, Luxor or Assyut) through the four “inner” oases – though Bahariya and Farafra hold the most appeal, with the lovely White Desert between them, the larger oases of Dakhla and Kharga also have their rewards once you escape their modernized “capitals”. And for those into serious desert expeditions, there’s the challenge of exploring the Great Sand Sea or the remote wadis of the Gilf Kebir, whose prehistoric rock art featured in the film The English Patient. In contrast to these deep-desert locations are the quasi-oases of the Fayoum and Wadi Natrun, featuring the fossil-strewn Valley of the Whales, diverse ancient ruins and Coptic monasteries.

On the Mediterranean, Egypt’s second city, Alexandria, boasts a string of beaches to which Cairenes flock in summer, and excellent seafood restaurants. Despite being founded by Alexander the Great and lost to the Romans by Cleopatra, the city today betrays little of its ancient glory; however, its magnificent new library, featuring statues raised from the sunken remains of Cleopatra’s Palace, and the Lighthouse of Pharos (which divers can explore) are restoring an air of majesty. Famous, too, for its decadence during colonial times, Alexandria still allows romantics to indulge in a nostalgic exploration of the city immortalized in Durrell’s Alexandria Quartet, while further along the Mediterranean coast is the World War II battlefield of El-Alamein. For divers, the waters off Alexandria offer an array of sunken cities and wartime wrecks to explore.

The Nile Delta, east of Alexandria, musters few archeological monuments given its major role in ancient Egyptian history, and is largely overlooked by tourists. However, for those interested in Egyptian culture, the Delta hosts colourful religious festivals at Tanta, Zagazig and other towns. Further east lies the Canal Zone, dominated by the Suez Canal and its three cities: Suez is grim, but a vital transport nexus between Cairo, Sinai and the Red Sea Coast; Port Said and Ismailiya are pleasant, albeit sleepy places, where you can get a feel of “real Egypt” without tripping over other tourists.

Top image © Marcelo Alex/Shutterstock

Discover more places in Egypt

• The Western Desert Oases
• The Nile Valley, Egypt
• Abu Simbel Temples, Egypt
• Saqqara, Egypt
• Mount Sinai, Egypt
• Abydos, Egypt
• Siwa Oasis, Egypt
• Dahab, Egypt

Egypt is one of the best diving destinations in the world. The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba are rich in sea life and home to a wonderful array of dive sites, with plenty of options for both novices and experts alike: remarkably preserved World War II wrecks, coral reefs filled with dolphins, rainbow-coloured anemone gardens, and shallow bays visited by turtles are just a few of the sites you can explore. The Sinai and Red Sea Coast chapters have detailed information on dive sites and recommended dive companies, as well as tips on safety and environmental issues.

The Red Sea’s stable climate, shallow tides and exceptionally high salinity provide perfect conditions for unusually brilliant corals and sponges – a revelation if you have previously dived in such places as Hawaii or the Caribbean, whose reefs will forever after seem dull by comparison. Created by generations of miniscule polyps depositing their limestone exoskeletons on the remains of their ancestors, coral reefs can grow by 4–5cm a year. Beside hard corals such as brain and fire coral, which have a rigid outer skeleton, the Red Sea hosts an abundance of soft corals , including whip coral and sea fans. Because most types of coral need a moderate amount of warm sunlight to flourish, the most spectacular formations are found within 30m of the surface.

Most Red Sea reefs are of the fringing type, with a shallow lagoon just offshore, whose warm water and rubble-strewn bottom attracts starfish and sea slugs. Clams and sea urchins hide in crevices, and schools of damselfish and butterflyfish flit about. Its seaward boundary is the reef flat, whose crest is usually a barren, rough-surfaced shelf, while deeper areas are rich in flora and fauna. Beyond is a coral-encrusted slope, leading to a drop-off like the edge of a cliff. Flatter areas may be dotted with coral pillars or knolls. Lower down, the coral is sparser, and you may find sandy terraces overgrown with seagrass, sustaining sea horses and pipefish. Beyond the drop-off lies open water.

Some of the Red Sea’s most colourful and endearing species are easy to spot in the shallows , where the sunlight is brightest. Among the commonest are beak-mouthed parrotfish and exotic-looking pennantfish, whose long dorsal fins end in filaments.

Wherever stinging anemones cling to the reef, you’ll see clownfish (or anemone fish). Angelfish are usually found close to the coral, while clouds of gold and vermillion anthias gather around coral heads and fans. Slopes and fore reefs are the habitat of snappers, goatfish and wrasses (the largest of these, the Napoleon Wrasse, can dwarf a person).

In deeper waters you may see sharks, including whitetip reef sharks, grey reef sharks and (occasionally) scalloped hammerheads. Spotted reef stingrays are often seen on the sandy bottom of the sea. Turtles are among the most thrilling species to encounter underwater; the Red Sea has several species, including green turtles and hawksbill turtles. Dolphin encounters are possible too, and those lucky enough to come across a pod of bottlenose or spinner dolphins on a dive are likely to count it among the highlights of their trip.

• The Arab Republic of Egypt covers 1,001,450 square kilometres, but 96.4 percent of that is desert . Only the Nile Valley, its Delta and some oases are fertile.

• Egypt’s population of 83.7 million is over twice that of the next most populous Arab country (Algeria) and a quarter of the population of the Arab world. 71 percent of Egyptians are literate. Average life expectancy is 73 years.

• Islam is the biggest religion, and some ninety percent of Egyptians are Muslim; most of the rest are Coptic Christians , with a small number of other Christians, and a tiny but ancient Jewish community.

• All Egyptians speak Arabic , but there are other Egyptian languages too: Nubian , related to the Nilotic languages of East Africa, is spoken around Aswan and Lake Nasser; Siwi , a Berber language like those of Morocco and Algeria, is spoken in Siwa Oasis; and Coptic , which is derived from ancient Egyptian, is used in church services, but not otherwise.

• Since the monarchy was ousted in 1952, Egypt has been a republic , ruled by a succession of military strongmen up until the 2011 revolution that overthrew Hosni Mubarak. Elections in 2012 resulted in an Islamist government under President Mohammed Morsi . The Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party is the largest in parliament, followed by the Salafist Al-Nour party, the liberal Wafd party and Egyptian Bloc.

• Tourism has long been Egypt’s biggest money-earner, followed by tolls on the Suez Canal, and exports of oil, petroleum products, natural gas, cotton and textiles. Over forty percent of the population lives below the poverty line, and the economy would collapse without $2 billion a year in financial and food-aid from the US.

Travel advice for Egypt

From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Egypt

• Eating and drinking in Egypt
• Getting around Egypt: Transportation Tips
• Travel Tips Egypt for planning and on the go
• Culture and Etiquette in Egypt
• How to get to Egypt
• Shopping tips for Egypt
• Sports and Outdoor activities in Egypt
• Travelling with children in Egypt
• Best time to visit Egypt

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Tourist Places in Egypt

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Great pyramid of giza.

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Tiran Island

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Places to Visit in Cairo

Pyramids of giza.

The Pyramids of Giza stand tall on the Giza Plateau near Cairo. They are a testament to ancient Egyptian engineering and craftsmanship. These monumental structures include the Great Pyramid, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Pyramids of Giza were built as tombs for Pharaohs. This historical marvel invites you to step back in time and explore the mysteries that have fascinated humanity for ages.

Top Experiences To Do in Pyramids Of Giza

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Khan-el-Khalili

Explore the magnificent historic sites of Old Cairo and time travel several centuries back. Also referred to as Historic Cairo, Old Cairo is a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site. Located by the Nile River, this historic district is home to several ancient monuments like mosques, churches, and markets. Old Cairo portrays the rich culture and heritage of Egypt and immerses you in the various eras of Egyptian history.

Discover the charm of Old Cairo with special Cairo packages . Explore its ancient streets, mosques, and markets for a journey back in time you'll always remember.

The Egyptian Museum

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo (EMC) is the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East. It is famous for its mind-boggling collection of more than 170,000 artefacts collected from the Predynastic Period to the Greco-Roman Era. The museum has the highest number of treasured pieces of ancient Egyptian history including Tutankhamun's treasures.

Al Azhar Mosque

Immerse yourself in the rich history and architectural magnificence of the Al Azhar mosque in Cairo. The Al Azhar mosque is one of the oldest mosques in the world and was built in the 10th century. You can marvel at the towering minarets, sprawling courtyards, and sacred prayer halls. The Al Azhar University within the mosque is one of the best institutions in the world to obtain Islamic scholarship.

Discover the magic of Al Azhar Mosque and explore other attractions of Egypt with our curated Egypt tour packages and let its ancient charm and peaceful atmosphere make your trip truly memorable.

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Grand egyptian museum.

Pyramid of Khafre

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Egypt Papyrus Museum

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Luxor museum.

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Mit Ghamr Dovecotes

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Samir Lama Memorial

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Philae Island

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People Also Ask About Egypt

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Egypt Top Attractions

The Pyramids of Giza are located on the outskirts of Cairo on the Giza Plateau. They are an important symbol of the grandeur of the ancient Egypt civilisation. These iconic structures, including the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure, are celebrated as the only surviving wonders of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The pyramids were built over 4,500 years ago as tombs for pharaohs. Today, these pyramids are famous for their colossal size, architectural precision, and historical significance. You can also see the Great Sphinx nearby, which adds to the experience.  A visit to the Pyramids offers a glimpse into ancient Egypt's rich culture and beliefs.The construction of the pyramids, especially the Great Pyramid, remains one of humanity's most incredible achievements. It involved the transportation and assembly of millions of limestone blocks with astonishing accuracy. This area was once a bustling necropolis, serving both as a ceremonial site and a testament to the pharaohs' power and religious beliefs. The Giza complex not only attracts millions of tourists but also continues to be a focal point for archaeological study and exploration.Location: Al-Ahram Street, GizaTimings: 8 am to 5 pmPrice: 80 Egyptian pounds per adult (entry fee)

Also known as the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, The Egyptian Museum of Cairo is a treasure trove of ancient wonders. It is located in the heart of Tahrir Square and boasts an impressive collection of over 170,000 artefacts. These collections span from the Predynastic Period to the Graeco-Roman Era (approximately 5500 BC to AD 364) and showcase the splendour of ancient Egypt. The museum's architecture is designed by French architect Marcel Dourgnon. The museum has 100 exhibition halls to give us a glimpse of pharaohs, gods, and daily life in ancient Egypt. The Isis Keystone that is found in the main entrance serves as a fitting welcome for the museum.From intricately carved statues of gods and kings to dazzling jewellery and exquisite sarcophagi, the museum houses thousands of precious Egyptian artefacts. While each artefact at the museum has a deep history behind it, the Mask of Tutankhamun is the primary highlight. The Mask of Tutankhamun is a solid gold funerary mask embellished with precious gemstones. This 8th-century mask once covered the face of the young pharaoh Tutankhamun in his tomb. Other prime highlights are Menkaure Triads, Ramesses II Child and the God Horus, The Rosetta Stone and the Mummy Room. Masterpiece statues at the museum include Hor son of Ankh Khonsu Ptolemaic King, and Psametik.Location: Midan al-Tahrir, DowntownTimings: 9 am to 5 pm except on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. On Friday, it is from 9 am to 4 pm. And on Thursday and Sunday, it is reopened from 5:30 pm to 9 pm. Price: 391.56 Egyptian pounds per adult

Nestled on Gezira Island, Cairo Tower soars above the cityscape as an iconic symbol of modernity and strength. With its staggering height of 187 meters, it stands as the tallest structure in North Africa. It also symbolises the nation's architectural and cultural advancement. The tower was designed by the renowned Egyptian architect Naoum Shebib. Its completion in 1961 marked a pivotal moment in Egypt's architectural history. The tower's design is inspired by the lotus flower, a significant symbol in ancient Egyptian culture. It embodies the nation's rich heritage and its stride towards progress.Cairo Tower is more than just an architectural feat. It also embodies a story of national pride and independence. It was constructed with funds originally provided by the US, intended as political influence. However, President Gamal Abdel Nasser used these funds to build the tower. His bold move transformed the tower into a symbol of Egypt's refusal to be swayed by external powers. Today, Cairo Tower attracts visitors for its historical significance and the unparalleled views it offers. From here, one can witness the majestic Nile River and the ancient Pyramids of Giza. The tower's rotating restaurant and observation deck add to its fame. They also let you enjoy a 360-degree view of the city, making it a must-visit destination. By night, the tower gets lit up, serving as a symbol of Egypt's enduring legacy and its vibrant future.Location: Cairo, Egypt Timings: 9:00 AM to 1:00 AMPrice: 70 Egyptian Pounds per Adult

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Enchanting tourist attractions of Egypt to ignite your wanderlust

Travel to the land of the pharaohs and discover the eternal charm of these tourist attractions of Egypt

From the ancient, windswept pyramids of Giza to the meandering Nile River, Egypt knows just how to ignite our wanderlust. It is a land steeped in mystery and its storied past beckons curious minds, year after year, to uncover the tourist attractions of Egypt. Today, Egypt is a melting pot of different cultures and an ideal place for curious minds to enjoy a winter sun escape. Whether you are ready to explore ancient landmarks or just fancy a few days relaxing on the beach, holidays to Egypt are an ideal way to discover what lies beyond the history books. 

When is the best time to visit the tourist attractions of Egypt?

Thanks to Egypt’s strategic location in Northern Africa, the country enjoys a mild climate. In the summer, the temperature skyrockets but during the winter, the daytime feels like spring and the nights are cold. The best time to see the tourist attractions of Egypt is between October and April. During these months the temperatures are cooler but still warm enough for sunbathing or sightseeing. The timeless and cinematic desert landscapes of Egypt have been left fairly untouched by the hands of time. Read on to discover the best places to visit in Egypt.

Uncover Cairo’s main attractions

When looking for places to visit in Egypt , Cairo is a great place to start. Stay at the Barceló Cairo Pyramids to be a stone’s throw from the ancient Giza Necropolis as well as other top Cairo sightseeing attractions.

The Pyramids of Giza - one of the must-see places in Egypt

Dust off the history books and visit one of Cairo’s most famous places - t he pyramids . The pyramids of Giza are a complex of three pyramidal ancient burial sites located in the middle of the desert. The pyramids are named after the pharaohs of whom they were built for Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. 

The tallest of the three is the pyramid built for King Khufu which was the tallest building in the world for 3,800 years until the Lincoln Cathedral was built in 1311

The tallest of the three is the pyramid built for King Khufu which was the tallest building in the world for 3,800 years until the Lincoln Cathedral was built in 1311. Book a tour to visit this incredible site, which is one of the seven wonders of the world. And, be sure to rest weary feet and enjoy a refreshing drink on the roof of one of the nearby luxury hotels. The views of the Cairo tourist attractions from above will be picture-postcard perfect. 

A Sphinx and pyramids of the Giza Necropolis

Don’t miss the Grand Egyptian Museum

Would you like to say that you have travelled to the world’s largest archaeological museum? Well, now you can. The Grand Egyptian Museum is one of the top ancient Egypt tourist attractions and it is home to over 100,000 artefacts. It is located on a 50-hectare plot of land outside Cairo, next door to the pyramids. The creation of this 800-metre-long glass museum has been a long process that dates back to 2002. While work is still in progress, it is predicted that in early 2024 visitors can get up close to never-before-seen historical treasures. The entire collection dedicated to Egypt’s most famous pharaoh, King Tutankhamun will be on display - all 3,500 pieces. So, if you are curious to see the long-lost loot that has been hidden inside the pyramids for centuries, take note. This is an obligatory stop. 

The Grand Egyptian Museum

Visit the Coptic neighbourhood, also known as Old Cairo

Of course, no trip to Egypt is complete without exploring the exotic city of Cairo. There is never a dull moment in the capital. Begin your time in Cairo in the Coptic neighbourhood , one of the oldest and most visually appealing areas to witness local life. This corner of the city is also known as Old Cairo and wandering around its labyrinth of streets you will feel as though time stands still here. This area is a popular place to visit in Cairo and it is home to the Hanging Church - an architectural marvel dating back to the 3rd century. This church is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Egypt and is adorned with intricate Coptic art, steeped in religious significance.

Don’t miss the chance to shop at the famous bazaar and souk of Khan el-Khalili . Lose yourself amongst the overcrowded alleyways full of artisan produce and haggle with the stall holders like a true local. 

Hanging Church, Cairo

Admire the architecture of the Al-Nasir Mosque

The Al-Nasir Mosque stands proudly in the heart of Cairo and is a testament to the city’s rich Islamic heritage. Dating back to the 14th century, this marvellous monument is one of the top things to visit in Cairo and it reflects the Mamluk era with its imposing minarets and intricate geometric patterns. Visitors to the mosque can admire its beautifully preserved structure, adorned with traditional Islamic art and design and get an insight into Egypt’s culture . While travellers to Cairo are allowed to admire the exterior of the mosque, entry rules may apply for visiting the interior spaces. 

Al Nasir Mosque

Enjoy a day trip and journey along the Nile River

Escape the crowded roads and enjoy Egypt sightseeing by boat. The Nile River is the longest in the world. It stretches a whopping 4,160 miles long and has been the lifeline for Egypt since the Stone Age. Take a boat tour along the river to witness the natural landmarks in Egypt as well as marvel at the daily goings on along this pivotal waterway. Many sightseeing boats also allow you to hop on and off when passing by the famous monuments and ruins. Yet, if you want to visit the emblematic landmarks such as the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens and the Hatshepsut Temple, it is best to fly due to their distance from the capital. 

The River Nile

Enjoy the wealth of tourist attractions in Sharm El Sheikh

Sharm El Sheikh is the perfect beachside bolthole for those looking to escape the world and enjoy a few days in nature. Surrounding by areas of protected, stunning natural beauty , this resort town is a restful spot to retreat to if you are looking to soak up the Egyptian sunshine. Are you ready to visit one of Egypt’s must-visit places? 

Admire marine life and scuba dive in the Red Sea

Love diving? Then the Red Sea in Egypt is one of the must-visit tourist attractions of Egypt for eco-travellers . Often mentioned among the top places to visit in Egypt , the resort of Sharm El Sheikh is not to be missed. Stay at the Barceló Tiran Sharm and use their diving school to brush up on the basics of scuba diving during your holidays. Look out for whales, sharks and hammerhead sharks during your dives as well as a wealth of tropical fish that love to swim in and out of the coral reefs. 

Look out for whales, sharks and hammerhead sharks during your dives as well as a wealth of tropical fish that love to swim in and out of the coral reefs

Jackson Reef is a popular dive spot close to the hotel and offers an exciting experience for all levels of divers. The wreck of the Cypriot cargo ship Lara is a highlight of Jackson Reef along with the remains of an old lighthouse. Be sure to keep your eyes open for magnificent coral gardens, sea anemones, clownfish, horse-eye jacks, eagle rays and tuna while swimming in these topaz waters.

Diving at Barceló Tiran Sharm

Explore the Ras Mohammed National Park

Those visiting Sharm El Sheikh should venture off the beaten path and discover the natural splendour of the Ras Mohammed National Park which stretches across 480 square kilometres of land. Renowned for its stunning marine biodiversity, this protected area encompasses both the azure waters of the Red Sea and the arid beauty of the Sinai Peninsula . The crystal-clear waters are home to over 1000 species of fish , only found in the Red Sea. Grab your snorkel and dive into the refreshing waters to see some of the best coral reef formations in Africa, making it one of the unmissable tourist attractions of Egypt. Ras Mohammed National Park also serves as a sanctuary for various bird species and is a prime spot for birdwatching . So, whether you dive deep into the Ocean or stay on dry land, this area offers plenty of flora and fauna to enjoy.

The Allah Door in the Ras Mohammed National Park

Coloured Canyon: One of the unique places to visit in Egypt

Egypt is a destination full of surprises. Leave the sandy beaches of Sharm El Sheikh behind and journey into the heart of the Sinai Peninsula to visit different places in Egypt, like the Coloured Canyon - a testament to the Earth’s artistic prowess. This natural wonder is renowned for its swirly rock formations and painting the landscape in sunset hues of red, orange, ochre and purple. Formed by centuries of wind and water erosion, the labyrinth of passageways inside the canyon leads adventurous souls on a hike through spectacular scenery in the depths of the desert. It is best to book an organised tour for this excursion since there is no public transport access. Combine it with other out-of-town activities such as Mount Sinai - known for its religious significance. 

The Coloured Canyon

Hit the beach

While the Barceló Tiran Sharm has its private beach, there are many sunbathing spots in Sharm El Sheikh for a lazy day in paradise. Sharks Bay Beach is a great place for enjoying a day at the beach and its beachfront bars are the perfect place to shelter from the heat. If you like to snorkel, head to Ras Um Sid Beach , one of the unique places in Egypt, where the coral reefs provide a kaleidoscope of colours to admire beneath the waves. For a quieter beach experience, Hadaba Beach is a secluded sandy bay known for its peace and tranquillity. With so many picture-perfect beaches to choose from, you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to a day at the beach.

Barceló Tiran Sharm beach

Soak up Sharm El Sheikh nightlife at Naama Bay

As daylight fades across Sharm El Sheikh, one of the famous sites in Egypt for travellers, Naama Bay , comes alive with its diverse range of bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Sip sundowners while gazing at the hypnotic ebb and flow of the Red Sea before tucking into plates of traditional Egyptian delicacies . After dinner, the bay's nightlife scene is renowned for its lively atmosphere, perfect for dancing the night away. Whether you choose to savour exotic cocktails by the water's edge, dance under the stars, or explore the diverse culinary offerings, Naama Bay's nightlife is one of the top tourist attractions of Egypt if you are staying in Sharm El Sheikh.

Naama Bay at sunset

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Egyptian Streets

Independent Media

Touring Egypt Like a Local: 6 Hidden Gems

By Marina Makary

If you Google “tourist attractions in Egypt”, you will most likely end up with lists featuring the Giza pyramids, Luxor temples, Red Sea corals, and several museums in different cities. But Egypt is even more than that.

Like any other country, traveling around Egypt with a local can give you a richer and more enjoyable experience than traveling as a tourist on your own. Locals often know sites that would give tourists an authentic experience into the country, its people, and its diverse cities and culture.

To celebrate World Tourism Day, which is on September 27, Egyptian Streets compiled a list of some of the most unique experiences and best hidden gems in a few of Egypt’s greatest cities. This is a list of places that one may not necessarily find listed as tourist attractions when searching online, but are well worth visiting and experiencing.

Port Fouad’s salt mountains

Although snow is not the weather one would think of when traveling to or in Egypt, Port Fouad has spectacular snowy-looking salt mountains where one can experience the mesmerizing view of snow without the unbearable cold.

Located in Port Fouad, an industrial area in Port Said, these salty hills are a must-visit, especially in winter to give a real chilly feeling. It’s a wonderful place to visit, take pictures, and even attempt to ski. You can easily get there by taking a ferry ride through the Suez Canal.

Pottery paradise in Fayoum

Most people know Fayoum because of the famed Tunis Village. However, Nazla Pottery Village is a place where potters use their own distinctive method to make terracotta pottery using ancient Egyptian techniques, where no mechanical processes are involved, and the pots are made at a low temperature.

The best part about this place is that the potters are friendly and will tell you all about their craft and spend time teaching it to you to let you gain the full experience.

Street food in Alexandria

If you’re into street food, then you cannot miss Kebda El Falah in Mahatet El Raml. As soon as you get there, you’ll notice a long queue, as well as people having more than ten sandwiches each. This is because they have small sandwiches with some of the best kebda (liver) in Egypt.

You can also head to the popular Alban Swesra in Camp Shizar if you like food that is drenched in cheese, but fair warning, it’s not for the lactose intolerant! To end the day, there’s nothing like El Selsela cafe , right next to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. This is a spot you do not want to miss; it’s both affordable and spacious, so you can go there on any day and still find a place to sit. Because of how close the water is to the seats, you will enjoy both the sound and the touch of the waves.

Wadi El-Natrun’s monasteries

Egypt is home to some of the oldest monasteries in the world. Wadi El-Natrun, an area located 100 km from Cairo, on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert road, boasts four monasteries that date back to the fourth and the sixth century.

With relics of saints, as well as ancient churches and murals, Wadi El-Natrun counts as a special site for coptic monasticism. Due to repeated attacks on the monks and monasteries in Wadi El-Natrun in the past, only four out of 700 monasteries survived. These are the Monastery of Anba Bishoy, Monastery of El-Baramus, Monastery of El-Suryan, and Monastery of Abu Makar.

Seafood in Ismailia

Ismailia is the city where you can taste the best seafood in Egypt. Some Egyptians travel every other weekend to Ismailia to have a meal and head back, especially since it’s a two hour drive from Cairo. Located at El Belagat street, Alfanar Restaurant is one of the top-rated seafood restaurants across Egypt, not only Ismailia. It has reasonable prices, delicious seafood meals, and a breathtaking view of Egypt’s Suez Canal. Its price range is EGP 160 – EGP 390 per person.

Within the same price range, you can also visit another popular seafood restaurant called Hassan Abo Ali, located at Al Ahram street. This restaurant is widely known for its unmatched grilled prawns, fried fish, shrimp soup, among other tasty dishes.

Locals’ hospitality in Nag’ el-Balida

The south of Egypt is home to the Nubian people, an indigenous group with its own language, as well as unique customs and traditions.

Nag’ el-Balida is a Nubian village with unrivaled hospitality. Residents of this village are always happy to welcome tourists and invite them to their homes for tea. Hop onto a ferry in Aswan and it will take you right there.

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21 Famous Places in Egypt You Need To Visit Right Now

Egypt, with its ancient wonders, rich history, and vibrant culture, is a treasure trove of tourist attractions. From the majestic pyramids of Giza to the stunning beaches of Sharm el-Sheikh, this country offers a diverse range of experiences for travelers. In this blog, we will take you on a virtual journey to 21 famous places in Egypt that you need to visit right now. Whether you’re interested in history, adventure, or relaxation, Egypt has something for everyone. So pack your bags, grab your camera, and get ready to explore the wonders of Egypt.

Table of Contents

1. The Majestic Pyramids of Giza

The pyramids of Giza are the last surviving wonders of the ancient world and a symbol of ancient Egypt’s grandeur. Located on the Giza plateau, just outside of Cairo, these incredible structures are a testament to the architectural brilliance of the ancient Egyptians.

The Great Pyramid of Giza, also known as the Pyramid of Khufu, is the largest of the three pyramids and the most famous. Built as a tomb for the pharaoh Khufu, it stands at a staggering height of 481 feet and was the tallest structure for over 3,800 years. The pyramid of Khafre, the second largest, and the pyramid of Menkaure, the smallest, complete the trio that still astounds visitors today.

In addition to the pyramids, the Giza plateau is also home to the Great Sphinx, a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human. The Sphinx is believed to represent the pharaoh Khafre and is shrouded in mystery and legends.

A visit to the pyramids of Giza is a journey back in time, allowing you to marvel at the engineering prowess of the ancient Egyptians. Stand in awe as you gaze at these incredible structures that have stood the test of time for over 4,500 years.

2. Cruising Down the Nile River

Cruising down the Nile River is like stepping back in time to the days of ancient Egypt . This iconic river, the longest in the world, played a vital role in the civilization of the pharaohs, providing water, transportation, and fertile land for agriculture.

A Nile cruise takes you on a journey through ancient wonders, charming villages, and breathtaking landscapes. As you sail along the river, you’ll witness the timeless beauty of the banks of the Nile, with its lush green fields, palm groves, and traditional felucca sailboats gliding by.

One of the highlights of a Nile cruise is the opportunity to visit famous temples and archaeological sites. The temple complex of Karnak in Luxor, dedicated to the god Amun, is a sprawling complex of temples, chapels, and obelisks that will leave you in awe. Luxor Temple, located in the heart of the city, is another must-visit, especially at night when it is beautifully illuminated.

Another stop on the cruise is the Valley of the Kings, the final resting place of ancient Egyptian pharaohs, including the famous tomb of Tutankhamun. Explore the intricate tomb paintings, hieroglyphics, and burial chambers as you delve into the ancient world of the pharaohs.

A Nile cruise is not just a journey through history, but also an opportunity to relax, unwind, and immerse yourself in the natural beauty and tranquility of the river. As you sail along, enjoy the luxurious amenities on board, indulge in delicious Egyptian cuisine, and soak up the sun on the deck as the scenery unfolds before your eyes.

3. Marveling at the Beauty of Aswan

Located in the southern part of Egypt, Aswan is a city that mesmerizes visitors with its natural beauty, historical landmarks, and laid-back atmosphere. This vibrant city is set on the banks of the mighty Nile River and is renowned for its colorful Nubian culture, ancient temples, and stunning landscapes.

One of the most famous attractions in Aswan is the Aswan High Dam, an engineering marvel that controls the flow of the Nile, generates electricity and provides water for irrigation. The dam offers breathtaking views of Lake Nasser, a massive lake created as a result of the dam’s construction.

Aswan is also home to the temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis. This ancient temple complex was relocated to its current location on Agilkia Island to save it from being submerged by the rising waters of Lake Nasser. Accessible by boat, a visit to the temple of Philae is like stepping into a world of ancient Egyptian mythology and wonders.

Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Aswan by exploring the colorful markets, where you can find traditional Nubian crafts, spices, and souvenirs. Take a walk along the river promenade, where you can relax, enjoy the view, and soak up the lively atmosphere of this enchanting city.

For a unique experience, take a traditional felucca sailboat ride on the Nile River, gliding through the calm waters as you bask in the beauty of the surrounding desert and the timeless river. Aswan, with its natural beauty, cultural richness, and historical significance, is a must-visit destination in Egypt.

Read Also: 14 Best Brunch Places in Vancouver: A Foodie’s Guide

4. Journey to Abu Simbel’s Impressive Temples

Journey to the remote desert of southern Egypt, near the border with Sudan, and you’ll discover the awe-inspiring temples of Abu Simbel. Built by the great pharaoh Ramses II, these temples are a testament to the grandeur of ancient Egypt.

The Abu Simbel temples were carved out of the mountainside and are dedicated to the gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt. The Great Temple of Abu Simbel, dedicated to Ramses II himself, features four colossal statues of the pharaoh, each standing at a towering height of 65 feet. The smaller temple, dedicated to Queen Nefertari, Ramses II’s beloved wife, showcases intricate carvings and statues that depict the queen as the goddess Hathor.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Abu Simbel temples is the biannual solar phenomenon that occurs on February 22 and October 22. During these dates, the first rays of the morning sun penetrate the temple’s inner sanctuary, illuminating the statues of the gods while leaving the statue of Ptah, the god of darkness, in shadow. This solar alignment is a testament to the precise knowledge and architectural planning of the ancient Egyptians.

A visit to the temples of Abu Simbel is a journey into the heart of ancient Egypt, where you can marvel at the artistry, engineering, and religious beliefs of the ancient world. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply admire the wonders of human achievement, the temples of Abu Simbel are a must-see attraction in Egypt.

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5. Diving Adventures in the Red Sea

If you’re a scuba diving enthusiast or simply love exploring the wonders of the underwater world, then the Red Sea is a diving paradise not to be missed. With its crystal-clear waters, colorful coral reefs, and abundant marine life, the Red Sea offers some of the best diving opportunities in the world.

The Red Sea coast of Egypt is famous for its stunning coral reefs, which are home to a diverse range of marine species. Explore the vibrant coral gardens, swim alongside colorful tropical fish, and encounter magnificent sea turtles, dolphins, and even the occasional manta ray or whale shark.

Popular diving destinations along the Red Sea coast include Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Hurghada, and Marsa Alam. Each of these locations offers a unique diving experience, from the vibrant reefs of Ras Mohammed National Park to the famous Blue Hole in Dahab, known for its deep underwater sinkhole.

Whether you’re a beginner diver or an experienced underwater explorer, the Red Sea caters to all skill levels. Dive operators and instructors in the area can provide equipment, training, and guided dives to ensure a safe and unforgettable experience.

Even if diving isn’t your cup of tea, snorkeling in the Red Sea is equally rewarding. Grab a mask, snorkel, and fins, and explore the shallow reefs just offshore, where you can witness the vibrant colors, beauty, and rich biodiversity of the coral reefs up close.

The Red Sea’s stunning underwater world is a living testament to the wonders of the natural world and diving or snorkeling in these pristine waters is an experience that will stay with you forever.

Read Also: Exploring Historical Sites: Turning Travel into a History Lesson

6. Uncovering the Rich History of Cairo

The bustling city of Cairo, Egypt’s capital, is a treasure trove of ancient wonders, historical attractions, and vibrant cultural experiences. Explore the city’s lively streets, visit world-class museums, and discover the remnants of ancient civilizations that once thrived here.

Start your journey through Cairo’s history at the Giza Plateau, home to the majestic pyramids of Giza and the enigmatic Sphinx. Marvel at the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the largest of the pyramids, and imagine the ancient world of the pharaohs as you stand in the shadow of these monumental structures.

No visit to Cairo is complete without a trip to the Egyptian Museum, located in Tahrir Square. This museum houses an incredible collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, including the world-famous treasures of Tutankhamun, such as his golden death mask and ornate jewelry. Walk through the galleries, and you’ll be transported back in time, witnessing the beauty, craftsmanship, and mysteries of the ancient Egyptians.

Venture into the heart of Islamic Cairo, where you’ll find a treasure trove of Islamic architecture, historic mosques, and vibrant markets. Explore the Citadel of Saladin, a medieval fortress that offers panoramic views of the city, and visit the Alabaster Mosque, known for its stunning white facade and intricate design.

Step back even further in time as you wander through the winding streets of Coptic Cairo, the old Christian quarter of the city. Discover the famous Hanging Church, also known as the Church of the Virgin Mary, which dates back to the 14th century. Admire the beautiful icons, ancient relics, and the serene atmosphere of this historic place of worship.

For a taste of modern Cairo, head to downtown, where you can experience the city’s vibrant cafe culture, bustling streets, and the iconic Tahrir Square, known as the center of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution. Marvel at the blend of old and new, as historic buildings stand side by side with modern skyscrapers, and take a stroll along the Nile promenade to enjoy the river’s beauty.

Cairo is a city that seamlessly blends the ancient and the contemporary, offering a wealth of historical, cultural, and architectural wonders. From the ancient pyramids of Giza to the bustling streets of downtown, Cairo is a destination that will captivate and inspire visitors.

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7. Relaxing on South Sinai’s Stunning Beaches

If you’re looking for a place to relax, unwind, and soak up the sun, the beaches of South Sinai are the perfect destination. Located on the Sinai Peninsula, these stunning beaches offer white sandy shores, crystal-clear waters, and a sense of tranquility that will rejuvenate your senses.

The resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh is perhaps the most famous beach destination in the region, known for its luxurious resorts, vibrant nightlife, and world-class diving opportunities. Spend your days lounging on the pristine beaches, dip your toes in the warm waters, or indulge in a variety of water sports, such as snorkeling, windsurfing, and jet skiing.

For diving enthusiasts, the Ras Mohammed National Park, located just south of Sharm el-Sheikh, is a must-visit. Explore the colorful coral reefs, swim alongside tropical fish, and witness the underwater wonders of the Red Sea. Don’t miss the famous Shark and Yolanda Reefs, known for their abundance of marine life and beautiful coral formations.

Head further south along the coast, and you’ll discover the charming town of Dahab, renowned for its laid-back atmosphere, pristine beaches, and vibrant diving scene. Known as the “Mecca of Divers,” Dahab offers diving and snorkeling opportunities for all levels of experience, from beginners to advanced. Explore the famous Blue Hole, a natural underwater sinkhole, or embark on a boat trip to the famous diving sites of the area.

The beaches of South Sinai provide the perfect setting for relaxation, whether you prefer to bask in the sun, take long walks along the shoreline, or simply enjoy the breathtaking views of the Red Sea. Indulge in the local cuisine, sip refreshing drinks at beachfront cafes, and let the worries of everyday life melt away as you immerse yourself in the natural beauty of this idyllic coastal region.

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8. Visiting Saqqara, the City of the Dead

Venture just south of Cairo, and you’ll discover the ancient city of Saqqara, also known as the City of the Dead. This sprawling necropolis is home to numerous pyramids, tombs, and temples dating back to ancient Egypt’s Old Kingdom period.

The most famous structure in Saqqara is the Step Pyramid of Djoser, one of the world’s oldest stone structures and the first pyramid of its kind. Designed by the famous architect Imhotep, the step pyramid stands as a testament to the ancient Egyptians’ architectural and engineering prowess.

As you explore the Saqqara complex, you’ll come across other pyramids, such as the Pyramid of Teti, known for its pyramid texts, the earliest religious texts in the world, and the Pyramid of Unas, famous for its colorful decorations and inscriptions.

Saqqara also offers insights into the ancient Egyptians’ funerary traditions, as you explore the Mastabas, flat-roofed tombs made of limestone, which were built to provide eternal resting places for the pharaoh’s family members and high-ranking officials.

Among the notable Mastabas in Saqqara is the Mastaba of Ti, an ancient nobleman who served as the overseer of the pyramids of King Djedkare. This tomb is famous for its beautiful reliefs, which depict scenes of daily life, hunting, and the afterlife.

A visit to Saqqara is a journey into the mysteries of the ancient world, where you can witness the evolution of ancient Egyptian architecture, burial practices, and religious beliefs. Discover the secrets of the city of the dead and gain a deeper understanding of the rich heritage of ancient Egypt.

9. Exploring the Coastal City of Alexandria

Located on the Mediterranean coast, the city of Alexandria is a captivating blend of ancient wonders, vibrant culture, and coastal beauty. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, Alexandria was once a center of learning and culture, known for its great library, the ancient wonders of the Pharos Lighthouse, and the famous Cleopatra’s Needle.

One of the main attractions in Alexandria is the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a modern-day incarnation of the ancient library of Alexandria. This state-of-the-art library and cultural center houses millions of books, manuscripts, and papyrus scrolls, and serves as a beacon of knowledge and learning.

The ancient city of Alexandria is also home to the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, an underground burial site dating back to the 2nd century AD. Explore the labyrinthine tunnels, admire the intricate carvings, and learn about the fusion of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art and culture.

Take a stroll along the city’s corniche, a beautiful waterfront promenade that offers stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea. Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere, visit the local cafes, and sample the delicious seafood for which the city is famous.

No visit to Alexandria is complete without a visit to Qaitbay Citadel, located on the site of the ancient Pharos Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The citadel offers panoramic views of the city and the sea and is a great spot for capturing memorable photos.

Alexandria’s blend of ancient history, cosmopolitan charm, and picturesque coast makes it a captivating destination for travelers. Explore the city’s ancient past, bask in the beauty of its beaches, and immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of this coastal gem.

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10. Discovering the Hidden Gem of Abydos Temple

Tucked away in the desert of Upper Egypt, the temple of Abydos is a hidden gem that showcases the ancient wonders of ancient Egypt. This ancient city, located on the west bank of the Nile, was the cult center of the god Osiris and a place of great religious significance.

The temple of Abydos, built by the pharaoh Seti I and completed by his son Ramesses II, is dedicated to the god Osiris and features stunning reliefs, carvings, and hieroglyphics that depict ancient mythology and religious scenes. The temple complex also houses the famous Abydos King List, a chronological list of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt.

The temple of Seti I is particularly famous for its intricate reliefs, which illustrate the journey of the soul through the afterlife and the rituals of the ancient Egyptian religion. As you explore the temple, you’ll encounter beautifully carved columns, statues, and the grand hypostyle hall, a testament to the architectural beauty of ancient Egypt.

A visit to Abydos is a journey into the heart of ancient Egypt, allowing you to witness the ancient Egyptians’ spiritual beliefs, artistry, and religious devotion. Discover the hidden wonders of this ancient city, immerse yourself in its ancient past, and gain a deeper understanding of the ancient world.

11. Escaping to Dahab’s Tranquil Paradise

Nestled on the eastern coast of the Sinai Peninsula, the small coastal town of Dahab offers a tranquil paradise away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Famous for its laid-back atmosphere, world-class diving, and stunning natural beauty, Dahab is a hidden gem that is perfect for relaxation and adventure.

Dahab is renowned as one of the best diving destinations in the Red Sea, offering a variety of diving sites suitable for all levels of experience. Explore colorful coral reefs, encounter tropical fish, and swim alongside sea turtles, dolphins, and even the occasional whale shark. The famous Blue Hole, a natural sinkhole, is a must-visit for diving enthusiasts, known for its deep waters and abundant marine life.

In addition to diving, Dahab offers a range of desert adventures for those seeking a different kind of thrill. Embark on a camel ride across the desert, go on a jeep safari to explore the rugged landscapes, or climb the nearby mountains for panoramic views of the coastline.

Dahab’s beaches are among the most picturesque in the region, with white sandy shores, crystal-clear waters, and a backdrop of desert mountains. Spend your days lounging on the beach, soaking up the sun, and enjoying the tranquility of this idyllic coastal paradise.

The town itself exudes a bohemian charm, with its laid-back cafes, colorful Bedouin-style shops, and friendly locals. Experience the hospitality of the Bedouin people, sample the local cuisine, and immerse yourself in the unique culture of this desert oasis.

Whether you’re diving, relaxing on the beach, or exploring the desert, Dahab offers an escape from the ordinary, allowing you to reconnect with nature, unwind, and experience the beauty of the Red Sea coast in a truly unique setting.

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12. Witnessing Nature’s Artwork in the White Desert

Prepare to be mesmerized as you step foot into the otherworldly landscapes of the White Desert. Located in the western part of Egypt’s Western Desert, this natural wonder is a paradise for nature enthusiasts, photographers, and adventurers.

The White Desert gets its name from the white chalk rock formations that dot the landscape, formed through millions of years of erosion by wind and sand. These unique formations, sculpted by the forces of nature, create a surreal and ethereal landscape that resembles a desert of ice or snow.

As you explore the White Desert, you’ll come across stunning natural sculptures, including formations that resemble mushrooms, pillars, and even animals. The shapes and sizes of the rock formations change constantly as the wind continues to shape the landscape, creating an ever-changing canvas of natural artwork.

The best way to experience the White Desert is by camping under the stars, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the beauty and tranquility of this unique environment. Spend the night in a traditional Bedouin camp, where you can enjoy a traditional meal, stargaze, and listen to the desert’s peaceful silence.

During the day, embark on guided tours or camel rides to explore the many wonders of the desert, learn about the fascinating geology of the area, and marvel at the intricate details of the rock formations. Don’t forget to bring your camera, as the White Desert provides endless opportunities for stunning photographs.

The White Desert is a place where time stands still, a place of natural beauty and wonder that will leave you awestruck. Experience the magic of this unique desert landscape, witness the artwork of nature, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

13. Spiritual Journey to Saint Catherine’s Monastery

Deep in the heart of the Sinai Peninsula, at the foot of Mount Sinai, lies the ancient and sacred site of Saint Catherine’s Monastery. This spiritual haven, one of the world’s oldest working Christian monasteries, offers a place of serenity, heritage, and profound religious significance.

Saint Catherine’s Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a place of pilgrimage for Christians, as it is said to be the site of the Burning Bush where Moses encountered God. The monastery itself dates back to the 6th century AD and houses a remarkable collection of ancient manuscripts, icons, art, and religious artifacts.

Embark on a spiritual journey as you explore the grounds of the monastery, step into the ancient church, and witness the beauty of Byzantine architecture, with its colorful mosaics and intricately carved wooden screens. Take time to visit the chapel of the Burning Bush, a sacred site that holds deep religious significance.

No visit to Saint Catherine’s Monastery is complete without climbing Mount Sinai, the legendary mountain where, according to tradition, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God. The hike to the summit can be challenging, but the rewarding panoramic views of the surrounding desert and the stunning sunrise or sunset make it all worthwhile.

As you explore the monastery and its surroundings, you’ll be struck by the peacefulness of the place, the ancient traditions that are still upheld, and the deep spirituality that envelopes the area. Saint Catherine’s Monastery offers a chance to connect with the past, witness the dedication of the monks, and experience the profound sense of peace that emanates from this ancient place of worship.

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14. Beach Fun in Hurghada

For beach lovers and water sports enthusiasts, the coastal city of Hurghada is the perfect destination. Located on the Red Sea coast, this vibrant city offers stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, and world-class diving opportunities.

Hurghada’s beaches are known for their white sandy shores, warm turquoise waters, and breathtaking coral reefs. Spend your days relaxing on the beach, soaking up the sun, and taking a refreshing dip in the sea. For those seeking adventure, the Red Sea offers a wealth of water sports, such as snorkeling, windsurfing, banana boat rides, and parasailing.

Diving in Hurghada is a unique experience, as the Red Sea is home to some of the most spectacular coral reefs in the world. Explore the colorful underwater world, swim alongside tropical fish, and discover the beauty of the coral gardens. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced diver, diving in the Red Sea is an experience that will leave you in awe of the natural wonders below the surface.

If you’re a wildlife enthusiast, consider taking a boat trip to the nearby Giftun Islands National Park, home to a diverse range of marine life, including dolphins, sea turtles, and colorful coral reefs. Snorkel, swim and relax on the pristine beaches of the islands, surrounded by the beauty of the Red Sea.

After a day of sun, sea, and adventure , explore the vibrant nightlife of Hurghada. The city is famous for its beachfront bars, clubs, and restaurants, where you can enjoy live music, dance the night away, and sample delicious Egyptian cuisine.

Hurghada offers the perfect blend of relaxation, adventure, and entertainment, making it a great destination for families, couples, and solo travelers alike. Indulge in the beauty of the Red Sea coast, immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of the city, and create unforgettable memories in this beach lover’s paradise.

15. Oasis Adventure in Siwa

Tucked away in the western desert of Egypt, the oasis of Siwa offers a tranquil escape from the bustling cities and the opportunity to immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the desert. Known for its lush date palm groves, freshwater springs, and ancient ruins, Siwa is a hidden gem that should not be missed.

Siwa Oasis is famous for its natural beauty, with its dramatic desert landscapes, salt lakes, and sand dunes that stretch as far as the eye can see. Take a bicycle ride or a 4×4 desert safari, venture into the desert, and witness the breathtaking scenery that surrounds the oasis.

Explore the old town of Shali, with its ancient mud-brick structures, narrow streets, and traditional architecture. Climb to the top of the town’s ancient fortress for panoramic views of the oasis and the surrounding desert.

Siwa Oasis is also home to the famous Temple of the Oracle, dedicated to the god Amun. This ancient site was a pilgrimage destination in ancient times, as people sought the wisdom and guidance of the oracle. Explore the temple complex, marvel at the ancient inscriptions, and imagine the rituals that took place here thousands of years ago.

For a unique desert experience, take a dip in the natural springs of Cleopatra’s Bath, famous for their healing properties. Relax in the warm, mineral-rich waters as you soak up the serenity of the desert oasis.

Siwa is also known for its rich culture and heritage, with a strong Berber influence that sets it apart from other oasis towns in Egypt. Take the time to visit the local market, where you can find traditional crafts, spices, and handmade textiles. Sample the local cuisine, especially the famous Siwan dates, olive oil, and traditional dishes, such as the famous Siwan pizza.

Siwa Oasis offers an oasis of calm, natural beauty, and cultural immersion in the heart of the desert. Discover this hidden gem, experience the magic of the oasis, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

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16. Exploring Sharm el-Sheikh’s Vibrant Culture

Explore Sharm el-Sheikh’s vibrant culture through its luxurious resorts, lively nightlife, and thriving cultural scene. Immerse yourself in the bustling markets, world-class spas, and gourmet dining experiences. Engage in water sports, desert safaris, and boat trips to discover the natural beauty of Sharm el-Sheikh, a gateway to Ras Mohammed National Park and the colorful coral reefs of the Red Sea. Delve into the arts, traditions, and diverse experiences of this mesmerizing destination.

17. Fascinating Visit to Dahshur

Experience the grandeur of the ancient world at Dahshur, home to the iconic Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid, ancient wonders that offer a more intimate experience compared to those in Giza. Walk through the ancient necropolis of Dahshur, a treasure trove of Egyptian history and architecture, where you can discover rich myths and legends. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a must-visit for history enthusiasts and offers a fascinating glimpse into the ancient world.

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18. Immerse Yourself in Cairo’s Bustling Streets

Cairo, a vibrant melting pot of ancient wonders and modern delights, offers a captivating experience for visitors. The chaotic streets are filled with colorful markets, historic landmarks, and a vibrant culture that reflects the city’s rich history.

Islamic Cairo, the old citadel, and downtown mosques provide a glimpse into the majestic heritage of the city. Additionally, Cairo’s culinary scene, street food, and traditional cafes offer a sensory journey through authentic Egyptian flavors and aromas, making it a must-visit for food enthusiasts.

Embracing the energy and chaos of this bustling city is an experience that never fails to inspire and captivate first-time and seasoned travelers alike. Cairo’s streets are a true reflection of the city’s essence, making it a unique addition to any traveler’s bucket list.

19. Unforgettable Experience at Luxor’s Karnak Temple

Nestled on the banks of the River Nile, the Karnak Temple complex in Luxor stands as a testament to the grandeur of ancient Egypt’s pharaonic architecture. Embark on a journey through time as you explore the awe-inspiring temples, towering columns, and majestic statues dedicated to the god Amun.

The sacred lake, hypostyle hall, and the impressive Avenue of Sphinxes are sure to leave you in awe as you immerse yourself in the rich history, mythology, and religious significance of this world heritage site.

Karnak Temple offers first-time visitors and seasoned travelers alike a glimpse into the ancient world, providing wonder, beauty, and spiritual significance that will undoubtedly add this famous place to your bucket list. From the breathtaking temples to the tranquil surroundings, a visit to the Karnak Temple complex is an unforgettable experience that showcases the magnificence of ancient Egyptian civilization.

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20. St. Catherine’s Monastery

Tucked at the base of Mount Sinai , Saint Catherine’s Monastery holds immense historical and spiritual significance.

The monastery is home to an extraordinary array of ancient manuscripts, religious art, and historical artifacts. While there, take in the natural beauty of the surrounding desert, the iconic Burning Bush, and the rugged landscapes of the Sinai Peninsula.

It’s an opportunity to embark on a spiritual journey, immersing yourself in the heritage and contemplative atmosphere of Saint Catherine’s Monastery. The visit will allow you to uncover the legacy of ancient traditions, experience the hospitality of the monks, and embrace the tranquility that envelops the monastery.

21. Saqqara Necropolis

Exploring the Saqqara Necropolis allows visitors to step back in time and witness the world’s oldest pyramid, the famous step pyramid of Djoser. This ancient burial ground from the Old Kingdom period features a mesmerizing array of pyramids, temples, and tombs, offering a captivating glimpse into ancient Egyptian architecture and history.

The Pyramid of Teti, renowned for its beautiful pyramid texts – the earliest religious texts globally, and the complex of the Pyramid of Unas with its pyramid texts, magical spells, and vibrant decorations, further enrich the experience. The site’s historical significance and captivating structures make it a must-visit on any traveler’s bucket list, offering a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the rich history of Egypt.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the must-see historical landmarks in Egypt?

Famous places in Egypt, The historical landmarks in Egypt that you must visit include the iconic Pyramids of Giza, the Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple Complex for history enthusiasts, the Valley of the Kings with ancient pharaohs’ tombs, and other highlights like Abu Simbel, Aswan High Dam, and the Sphinx.

Are there any hidden gems or less touristy spots to visit in Egypt?

Famous places in Egypt, there are plenty of hidden gems and off-the-beaten-path destinations in Egypt. Some lesser-known spots worth exploring include the enchanting White Desert, the tranquil Siwa Oasis, and the serene Red Sea coast south of Hurghada. These places offer unique experiences and stunning scenery that are often overlooked by tourists. Hiring a local guide or doing some research beforehand can help you discover these hidden treasures.

What is the best time of year to visit Egypt and see all of the famous sites?

Famous places in Egypt, The best time to see all the famous sites in Egypt is during the winter months (November – February). The weather is mild and comfortable for sightseeing, although it’s also the peak tourist season with more crowds and higher prices. Consider visiting in the shoulder seasons of March-April or September-October for fewer crowds and lower prices.

Are there any safety concerns for visitors to Egypt?

Famous places in Egypt, While there are safety concerns for visitors to Egypt, they can be avoided with proper precautions. It is advisable to avoid large crowds and public demonstrations. Stay vigilant of your surroundings and keep a close eye on your belongings. Research current travel warnings and advisories before planning your trip to Egypt.

In conclusion, Famous places in Egypt, Egypt is a treasure trove of historical and natural wonders that should be on every traveler’s bucket list. From the majestic Pyramids of Giza to the tranquil paradise of Dahab, there is something for everyone in this diverse and captivating country. Whether you’re exploring the bustling streets of Cairo or diving into the crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea, Egypt offers a unique and unforgettable experience.

Don’t miss out on the hidden gems like Abydos Temple or the stunning beauty of the White Desert. Plan your visit to Egypt today and embark on an adventure of a lifetime. Have you been to Egypt? Comment below and share your favorite places to visit.

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Ferona Jose is a passionate travel writer and blogger at Travelistia. She has traveled throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas. Her writing focuses on cheap travel destinations, travel experiences, cultural insights, and travel hacks.

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Fjords, Pharaohs or Koalas? Time to Plan for Your Next Eclipse.

If you can’t get enough of totality, or missed out this time, you’ll have three more chances in the next four years in destinations like Iceland, Spain, Egypt and Australia.

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By Danielle Dowling

Are you still a little giddy from the magical moments of totality during Monday’s solar eclipse? Or did clouds swoop in to block your view? Maybe you just couldn’t make it to the path of totality this time. No matter what, the question now is “ Where and when will it happen again?”

“People who have never seen it before, the first words out of their mouth after the totality ends is ‘I’ve got to see another one, this is incredible, this is unbelievable.’ That is when you become addicted to these things and end up traveling no matter where the next one is,” said Joseph Rao, an eclipse chaser and guest lecturer at the Hayden Planetarium.

So, if like Mr. Rao, you’ve developed a raging case of umbraphilia — the love of eclipses — you’ll have three chances over the next four years to see the moon blot out the sun. The first, on Aug. 12, 2026, will start above Greenland, then strafe the west coast of Iceland and move along the Atlantic Ocean and over Spain. Almost a year later, on Aug. 2, 2027, another will skirt the Mediterranean coast of North Africa then cross Egypt and part of the Arabian Peninsula. The third, on July 22, 2028, will cut across Australia and the southern tip of New Zealand.

Future Eclipses

Eclipse chasers will have several more chances this decade to view a total solar eclipse .

Last week, as Victoria Sahami , the owner of Sirius Travel , was preparing to guide a group of tourists in Mazatlán, Mexico, for Monday’s big event, she was also planning for these other upcoming eclipses. Ms. Sahami joined the ranks of the eclipse-obsessed when she witnessed one in Venezuela in the 1990s. “Like many people, I was hooked. There was no going back,” she said.

Total solar eclipses happen fairly regularly — about every one to two years — in locations scattered around the world. “That’s the great thing about them: You wind up in places that you don’t normally go,” Ms. Sahami said.

A major spoiler is weather, which will be a big variable in the 2026 eclipse — one Greenland, Iceland and Spain will see.

“Iceland normally has a lot of cloud during that time of year,” said Paul Maley , who runs Ring of Fire Expeditions . “The data shows Spain to have the higher good-weather prospects of all three. However, the sun is low in the sky and the eclipse ends as the sun hits the horizon at sunset.”

Because of Iceland’s mercurial meteorology, Ring of Fire Expeditions is going all in on Spain, with a 10-day excursion on the mainland. Sirius Travel is offering not only a five-day trip to Majorca but also an eight-day tour around Iceland. It will be based in Reykjavik, and the itinerary will remain flexible on the day of the eclipse so the tour can easily pivot toward the location with the least cloud cover. Ms. Sahami recommends the trip for those who already have a few eclipses under their belt and would be happy just to take in the sights of Iceland if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

The 2027 eclipse, on the other hand, promises to be truly stellar: Luxor, Egypt — the site of numerous ancient temples as well as the Valleys of the Kings and Queens — sits right in the middle of the path of totality and will be bathed in darkness for a full 6 minutes 23 seconds. Weather-wise, it is what Ms. Sahami called “a slam dunk.” “You know you’re going to see it. You know that you’re not going to get any clouds,” she said.

But for all its potential, those considering Egypt should be aware that the State Department has a Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” warning for the country because of the risk of terrorism.

The 2028 eclipse will darken the skies over Sydney, Australia, for 3 minutes 49 seconds. It will be the first time the city has experienced a total solar eclipse since 1857. Ms. Sahami has her eyes on a trip based out of there, while Mr. Maley has chartered a cruise ship off the northwest coast of Australia. It will be winter there, he said, but that isn’t likely to mean bad eclipse-viewing weather.

If you want to see any (or all) of these eclipses, you should get started on planning and booking now, particularly if you want to sign up for a trip organized by a tour company. One of Sirius Travel’s excursions to Luxor is already full.

Scrutinize refund policies and look into insuring your trip. Several companies will fully refund your deposit if you cancel a year in advance. A lot can happen, Ms. Sahami said, “but if you think you’re going to go, why not?”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .