For those who’re contemplating visiting Egypt with your loved ones it’s vital to go together with your eyes open. It is filled with magical locations. However it’s not Disneyland.
Historic Egypt was a sophisticated civilisation whose mind-blowing achievements are nonetheless being found and analysed world wide. That is the Egypt individuals dream about going to see.
Nevertheless, fashionable Egypt faces many challenges. Over inhabitants, poverty, local weather change and youth unemployment all issue excessive on its nationwide threat register.
It’s additionally a Muslim nation with totally different cultural norms to these of the European and US vacationers who’ve made up the majority of tourists lately.
*This put up comprises affiliate hyperlinks*
Our expertise of visiting Egypt
We visited Egypt in April 2023. Our journey was booked by a journey agent and included a full-time skilled information, our lodging bookings, all our journey by street utilizing a personal mini bus, and a journey on the Egypt sleeper practice.
All the pieces was deliberate for us so we’re not consultants in self-guided Egypt itineraries, however our experiences are related to households who need to attempt a DIY journey or a bundle.
Earlier than reserving our 10 day Egypt itinerary we did some analysis on-line and spoke to different households who’d visited.
We knew that vacationers will be harassed on the historical websites. We knew that girls in-particular will be topic to undesirable consideration. And we knew that we’d be requested for ideas for something and every thing.
However we nonetheless needed to go to Egypt.
Ultimately I believe we went over-prepared for the entire potential downsides and got here away pleasantly stunned that it wasn’t as unhealthy as we imagined.
I think that managing our expectations helped and I’d encourage different households visiting Egypt to do the identical to keep away from any disappointment.
On this put up I’m sharing a few of the issues we learnt about visiting Egypt. It contains:
- Is Egypt secure to go to?
- Do you want a visa to journey to Egypt?
- Flights to Egypt
- One of the best time to go to Egypt
- Issues to find out about visiting Egypt throughout Ramadan
- Forex and tipping in Egypt
- Dealing with souqs and road hawkers
- What to put on in Egypt
- Journey occasions between historical websites
- Household lodging
- Safety in Egypt
- What to anticipate on Egypt’s roads
- What to not do in Egypt
- The place to go to in Egypt with children
- What to pack for travelling to Egypt
Issues to know earlier than travelling to Egypt
Right here’s some info that will help you handle your expectations earlier than visiting Egypt. A few of it is vitally factual, whereas different components are primarily based on our private expertise.
1. Is Egypt secure to go to?
This was the query I used to be requested most on Fb and Instagram earlier than, throughout and after our journey.
It’s a good ask.
Egypt ranks within the high 20 nations on the planet affected by terrorism. And the UK authorities advises towards travelling to some areas throughout the nation.
Typically there’s a heightened threat of terrorism in Egypt with 30 recorded incidents in 2022. You possibly can see how this compares with different nations within the World Terrorism Index.
The battle in Sudan to the south may additionally make individuals suppose twice about how secure it’s to go to Egypt.
North East Africa is a area with vital political unrest. The Overseas Commonwealth Workplace is consistently updating its journey recommendation.
Feeling secure in Egypt
Feeling secure is a really subjective factor. Our private expertise was that we felt very secure.
We had our personal information with us the entire time and we didn’t contact on any of the locations the UK authorities advises to not go. We additionally knew our journey agent would react to the newest journey steering.
For those who do have security issues then we are able to suggest reserving your tour by a journey agent so that you’ve got your personal information and each a part of your journey is organized upfront.
We used and had an awesome expertise with Households Worldwide, a UK-based tour firm. Cussed Mule and Intrepid Journey additionally supply Egypt excursions for households.
Similar to it’s best to each time you go on vacation, be sure to have an excellent journey insurance coverage coverage* that adequately covers the nation you’re visiting and the entire actions you could do.
2. Do you want a visa to journey to Egypt?
Sure. Every individual visiting Egypt will need to have a vacationer visa except you’re solely staying within the Sharm el Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba resorts and are there for not more than 15 days.
Visas to journey in all places else in Egypt price $25 per individual and will be purchased on-line on the Egyptian Authorities’s official visa web site. Ours took 24 hours to come back by.
The web site is a bit clunky, so be affected person.
You can even purchase visas on the airport earlier than you undergo immigration. I favor to get this sort of element sorted effectively earlier than we land.
3. Flights to Egypt
We booked our personal flights to Egypt utilizing Skyscanner to examine one of the best routes and costs. There are many direct flights to Cairo Worldwide Airport from the UK.
If you wish to skip Cairo and hop on to Luxor, Aswan or the Purple Sea you’ll have to get a connection. Egypt Air is the primary airline for inside flights.
We discovered their web site to be a bit ropey and their customer support was actually poor once we needed to make a change to our flights.
The flight itself – an inside journey from Hurghada to Cairo – was far more nice than the pre-travel admin.
For those who ebook your journey itinerary by a tour operator they will organise all of your flights as a part of your bundle. We needed to ebook out personal as we had been travelling from exterior the UK.
4. One of the best time to go to Egypt
We visited Egypt originally of April throughout our youngsters’s Easter faculty holidays.
The temperature in Cairo, on the Mediterranean coast in Alexandria and on the Purple Sea was beneath 30°C in the midst of the day, so sightseeing was potential, though we had a lot of water with us and sought out shade once we may.
After we travelled south to Luxor and Aswan the daytime temperature peaked at 35°C, which was much less comfy. We nonetheless managed to spend just a few hours exploring the traditional websites however the AC of our non-public mini bus was a really welcome reduction.
Between Could and September the tourism season in Egypt winds down as a result of warmth. Temperatures rise above 40°C, which might make sightseeing tough, significantly with youngsters.
By October Egypt’s common temperature has slipped again right down to 30°C and in December by to February the thermometer lingers at round 20°C making exploring a lot simpler.
So if you wish to keep away from the worst of the North African warmth December and February half time period are one of the best occasions to go to Egypt for sightseeing.
October and April are the optimum occasions if you wish to mix seeing the traditional wonders with a seaside vacation at a Purple Sea resort.
As Egypt is a predominantly Muslim nation, you must also concentrate on the timing of Ramadan.
5. Visiting Egypt throughout Ramadan
We visited Egypt in the course of the Muslim celebration of Ramadan. We stay in Oman so we knew a few of what to anticipate however discovered Egypt to be far more liberal in how the foundations had been utilized for vacationers.
For this reason I needed to share just a few ideas primarily based on our expertise of travelling to Egypt throughout Ramadan. Every Muslim nation has a barely totally different strategy, significantly if tourism performs an vital position in its financial system.
Our information informed us that in Egypt they needed to encourage vacationers to proceed visiting throughout Ramadan, so allowances had been made for them.
In some nations, corresponding to Oman, tourism is just not so effectively developed and non-Muslims should observe the customs of Ramadan in all public areas.
So, if you happen to go to Egypt throughout Ramadan, what do it’s good to know so you may respectfully observe its area and tradition?
Right here’s what we learnt:
Consuming and consuming throughout Ramadan in Egypt
Eighty % of cafes and eating places in Egypt are closed throughout sunlight hours in Ramadan.
Those which might be open are there for vacationers, not locals, so we discovered them to be both very quiet or solely serving coach excursions.
All of the cafes on the historical websites, the place you should buy drinks and snacks, had been open.
Our information discovered us eating places the place we may have a meal at lunchtime. He all the time referred to as forward to examine they had been open. Some opened only for us.
For those who had been organising your personal tour throughout Ramadan discovering locations to eat in the course of the day might be tough.
There was a particular distinction in high quality between the locations we ate in the course of the day and the locations our information was capable of take us to within the evenings. Each skilled traveller is aware of one of the best meals is served on the locations the place locals eat. However throughout Ramadan these locations are closed in the course of the day.
Motels proceed to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. They and any guides you use throughout your journey may be capable of suggest locations to eat. Communicate to them beforehand to see what’s potential.
Only a few eating places and bars, aside from those in resorts, will serve alcohol in any respect throughout Ramadan.
Are you able to eat and drink round your information?
When you have an Egyptian information it is vitally probably they and your driver shall be fasting.
Ours was comfortable for us to eat and drink on our mini bus and whereas out and about with him. This was a reduction because it helped us to maintain on high of the youngsters’ each day snack quota.
Having mentioned this, I don’t know if each information can be comfy with this.
For those who intend to make use of a number of guides and drivers I’d suggest broaching the topic of consuming and consuming whenever you first communicate to them. Are they comfortable so that you can do that round them or would they like you to carry off sipping water or nibbling on a snack till a sure level in your tour?
This can be a well mannered and shall be appreciated. I think {most professional} guides gained’t thoughts in any respect.
What to put on throughout Ramadan
Typically, it’s respectful to cowl your shoulders and knees whereas in Egypt. Throughout Ramadan I’d go additional and put on lengthy sleeved tops and trousers when wherever apart from the vacationer websites.
If you’re visiting a mosque girl must also cowl their heads with a shawl.
You don’t must be so conservative when at your lodge the place western requirements of clothes are acceptable always.
I discuss extra about what to put on in Egypt additional down this put up.
Verify when Ramadan falls this 12 months.
Extra useful issues to know earlier than visiting Egypt
6. Forex in Egypt
Money is king in Egypt. And with lower than 3p per Egyptian Pound (EGP) you have to a wedge of it.
We picked up our forex at Cairo Airport, and at money machines inside and out of doors our resorts. It was straightforward to get our arms on the bigger notes this fashion but it surely’s helpful to have one, 5 and 10 EGP notes for tipping, and for the bathrooms on the historic websites and street aspect bathroom breaks.
You’ll must make a purchase order to pay money for these or ask in case your lodge reception can swap large notes for small ones.
A variety of locations, partiality souq merchants, will even settle for US {dollars} and Euros.
7. Tipping
The typical month-to-month wage in Cairo is $100 (round £80). So elsewhere in Egypt you may count on individuals to have even much less cash of their pockets.
Tipping is not only a pleasant factor to do for good service, it’s an important a part of the Egyptian financial system.
Everybody from rest room attendants to the blokes promoting camel rides and the guards at historic websites who supply to take images count on a tip.
The one place we noticed indicators saying you positively mustn’t tip was on the airport.
The excellent news in your journey price range is that nobody expects a lot. You simply have to have a lot of small change on you.
We budgeted £50 for ideas over our 10 days in Egypt and gave this to our full-time information to distribute on our behalf.
He tipped our drivers, employees at eating places and at resorts. He additionally slipped tricks to cleansing employees on the historic websites. We left it to his discretion to distribute the cash in one of the simplest ways.
On the finish of our tour we additionally tipped our information. Our journey agent prompt between £2 and £5 per individual per day. We went for the highest finish of this after seeing how onerous he labored.
8. Bathrooms
On the historic websites the usual cost to make use of the general public bathrooms appeared to be 5 EGP per individual. Some locations didn’t cost for kids whereas others did.
Essentially the most we paid to make use of street aspect bathrooms as 10EGP per individual.
For those who go to a restaurant or cafe with a rest room attendant you’ll be anticipated to tip 1 to 2 EGP for every individual, even if you happen to deliver your personal rest room roll and also you’ve purchased meals.
You’re much less more likely to discover a rest room attendant in smaller eating places, however if you happen to pop in off the road to make use of the bathroom count on to be charged.
On the way in which to the Valley of the Kings in Luxor my youngest daughter was determined for a wee to we stopped at a restaurant. The proprietor tried to cost us 10EGP every. I solely had 5EGP on me so he needed to accept that. We’d already been at that time so there wasn’t a lot he may do.
9. Souqs and road hawkers
We’re no strangers to souqs as we stay within the Center East. Nevertheless, we discovered the gross sales ways in Egypt a bit extra ahead than in Oman the place we stay.
Road hawkers
You’ll be approached by individuals promoting issues and providers exterior the historic websites and on the streets in case you are out at night time.
The adults and youngsters making an attempt to get you to take horse and carriage rides or purchase low-cost souvenirs are persistent. We discovered ourselves saying ‘la shukran’ (‘no thanks’ in Arabic) loads.
Having mentioned that they weren’t impolite and took rejection effectively after they lastly gave up, merely strolling away.
The one impolite and aggressive individuals we noticed in Egypt had been different vacationers.
A phrase of warning about souqs
The one unfavorable expertise we had was at Luxor souq. By day seven into our journey we had a little bit of downtime and determined to do some memento purchasing.
Our eyes had been caught by the unfastened harem pants we’d seen on a lot of markets on the historic sights, so we needed to get just a few pairs.
We haggled an affordable value and had been then persuaded to purchase an costly trinket that we actually didn’t need. At this level we may see issues had been going to spiral out of our management if we didn’t depart.
So, the souq isn’t someplace I like to recommend shopping with children.
The merchants are very eager so that you can go to their buddies’ retailers and as soon as inside it’s tougher to cease them urgent small items into youngsters’s arms.
For those who do go, have a mission and keep on with it in any other case you may come away with every kind of belongings you don’t need or want. We made a rapid exit after shopping for our off mission memento, which is a disgrace as I’d appreciated to have seemed round some extra.
As I discussed earlier, lots of people have requested me if we felt secure in Egypt and we completely did. However did we really feel harassed?
This was the one time we felt actually hassled in Egypt. It was our one night out with out our information so I think that may have shielded us from over-zealous gross sales pitches elsewhere.
10. Abdomen upsets
At any time when we go to a rustic the place there’s an opportunity of choosing up a humorous tummy I normally do. It might not be a bug or dodgy meals as such, however I typically discover my abdomen is unsettled once we are travelling.
I had a rumbling throughout our Egypt journey but it surely was gentle and solely lasted half a day after I popped a precautionary Imodium.
Pack a packet of no matter you normally use to assist settle your abdomen in case one finish or the opposite reacts to totally different meals and water. Rehydration sachets are additionally useful to have in your journey first assist equipment.
11. Ingesting water
Bottled water is way safer to drink than faucet water. Some individuals go so far as avoiding salads and fruit that has not been peeled, however we ate small portions of each at our resorts.
We used faucet water to brush our tooth in our resorts however prevented it altogether throughout our practice trip from Cairo to Aswan. Even our Egyptian information used bottled water to wash his tooth.
12. What to put on when visiting Egypt
Egypt is a predominantly Muslim nation the place conservative costume is anticipated in most circumstances.
Right here’s what to put on for various actions and in other places in Egypt:
Sightseeing
As I discussed greater up, overlaying shoulders and knees is anticipated when out in public in Egypt.
Cropped trousers, t-shirts and shirts constructed from cotton with sturdy sandals or trainers are the perfect garments for exploring in Egypt. Don’t neglect your hat and solar glasses too.
What to not put on
We noticed a lot of individuals in strappy tops and bum skimming shorts on the historical monuments, even throughout Ramadan.
These skimpy outfits made me cringe at these individuals’s lack of cultural consciousness.
Females who present their legs and shoulders in public locations will draw unfavorable consideration. Sadly it’s a reality of life for Egyptian girls. So except you desire a unfavorable expertise suppose a bit about your outfit.
Fact bomb: I’d additionally not suggest not carrying floaty clothes for sightseeing.
Lots of people do as they give the impression of being dreamy in images.
However you’re going to get sweaty legs.
I noticed one poor girl at Hatshepsut’s temple who had gathered up her lengthy skirt and pulled it again up by her legs and into her neck line to cease her legs chaffing.
It’s additionally tough to climb inside a pyramid or down right into a tomb within the Valley of the Kings in case you are tripping over your skirt.
What to put on in mosques and church buildings
We didn’t go to any spiritual buildings throughout our journey. However we all know from visiting different Muslim and devoutly Christian nations that shoulders and knees needs to be coated in mosques and church buildings.
Lady must also deliver a shawl to cowl their hair.
What ought to youngsters put on in Egypt?
Kids underneath the age of puberty can just about put on what they like. Simply make certain it’s sensible.
We packed quick sleeved t-shirts and lengthy cotton trousers to maintain our women comfy within the warmth.
Hats and solar glasses are additionally a should.
At your lodge
You possibly can put on what you want in your lodge. Your regular swimwear is okay by the pool. Simply examine the costume code for lodge eating places.
At our last lodge on the Purple Sea bikinis, thongs and speedos had been customary lounging apparel on the seaside, however tops/shirts had been required within the buffet and eating places.
For those who’d like a extra detailed checklist of garments to put on in Egypt check out my prompt packing checklist on the backside of this put up.
13. Journey occasions between Egypt’s historical websites
If you wish to see an excellent proportion of Egypt’s historical wonders in a single journey you’ll be doing lots of journey.
For that reason I’m glad we did this journey when the women had been aged 10 and almost eight. It was tiring.
They spent lots of time in our mini bus napping or on their tablets because the surroundings – typically very bland – rolled by
I introduced a bag stuffed with cereal bars, nuts and sweets with us and we topped this up in the course of the journey.
Our longest journey day – except for our 16 hour journey residence – was a 9 hour spherical journey to Abu Simbel. Seven hours of this was on the street.
There have been additionally some very early mornings and late nights that youthful youngsters could discover tough. Our women had been pushed to their limits.
After we first checked out Egypt as a potential vacation spot we knew we would have liked so as to add some downtime to the top of our journey for everybody’s sanity. We did seven straight days sightseeing and two full days on the finish enjoyable.
On reflection, if we’d had extra time, I’d have added an additional time without work within the center.
14. Resort star rankings in Egypt
Egypt has lots of 5 star resorts, however they don’t essentially match the requirements of 5 star resorts within the UK and Europe.
We stayed in three 5 star resorts and one 4 star lodge throughout our 10 day journey. Two of the 5 star resorts had been fairly drained. Fixtures and fittings had been worn, significantly within the bogs.
One among them didn’t present a kettle in our rooms and had a one thing bizarre occurring within the toilet.
We additionally noticed lots of outdated Covid-19 signage and empty hand sanitiser dispensers at a few of our resorts. Neither employees or visitors had been adhering to the directions, so that they had been simply old-fashioned and wanted to be eliminated.
The rooms in our 4 star lodge in Hurghada, which was geared toward a European market, had been a lot better. However they didn’t have a lot character.
I’ve summarised the rooms, amenities and repair on the locations we stayed in my Egypt itinerary put up.
One thing else to keep in mind is that Egypt’s metropolis resorts not often do household rooms. You would possibly discover household suites at a few of the Purple Sea resorts.
We had interconnecting rooms at three out of the 4 resorts we stayed at and onboard the sleeper practice between Cairo and Aswan.
This isn’t an issue for us – we fairly appreciated having more room whereas nonetheless with the ability to control the youngsters – however households with youthful youngsters would possibly need to keep in a single room.
15. Safety
There’s no getting away from the actual fact safety is tight in Egypt.
You’ll journey by numerous police examine factors the place armed officers ask drivers who they’ve of their car. ‘4 anglaise’ was all the time our drivers’ reply and away we went. Just one police officer requested for the mini bus door to be slid open so he may eyeball us.
There are armed guards in any respect vacationer websites and every of our resorts had safety individuals on the entrance gate and bag scanners within the foyer.
We discovered this all reassuring quite than worrying. It’s what you’d count on in a rustic the place vacationers have been focused by terrorists.
16. Visitors and roads
The roads in Cairo are a tangle of horn comfortable drivers, weaving bikes, tuk tuks, vans overloaded with individuals or items, horses and carts, and pedestrians dashing throughout eight lane highways. It’s fairly a present!
The site visitors is comparable in Alexandria however a lot slower paced in Luxor and significantly Aswan.
The standard of rural roads in Southern Egypt is especially unhealthy.
After the Arab Spring in 2011 many villagers put in pace bumps and examine factors so they might management who got here to their space. The bumps are nonetheless in place and make the agricultural roads uncomfortable to journey.
You’ll additionally see donkey drawn carts, tuk tuks and even vans loaded with camels exterior the cities.
Our Egypt journey ideas – dos and don’ts
Right here’s some issues to do and to not do to profit from your loved ones vacation in Egypt:
17. What to not do when visiting Egypt
Earlier than I share our favorite experiences and the locations we suggest seeing in Egypt I’m going to counsel some issues to not do.
Don’t decide up a information on the fly
Getting every thing agreed upfront means you may be sure to are comfortable together with your information’s credentials and the value you will be charged. We discovered this a lot much less disturbing. I’ve learn loads of tales on-line by individuals who felt they acquired conned by guides they’d employed final minute.
We organized our information by our journey agent. He studied Egyptology on the College of Cairo and was with us for the entire 10 days we had been in Egypt. We weren’t taken on any surprising ‘manufacturing facility excursions’, taken to locations we didn’t really feel secure or requested for extra cash on the finish.
And since we booked by a journey agent specialising in household holidays our information was nice with our youngsters. He entertained them attention-grabbing tales, discovered us shady spots the place he may inform us concerning the temples and browse the room when the youngsters had had sufficient.
Don’t trouble bringing a correct digital camera
The entire historical websites we visited charged further if you happen to needed to make use of a correct digital camera.
If a guard sees you utilizing a digital camera they’ll ask to see your ticket for it (or for a tip to permit you to use it underneath the radar).
For that reason, I made a decision to depart my DSLR at residence. It wasn’t definitely worth the faff.
All of the images and movies from our vacation in Egypt had been taken on our iPhones.
Smartphone cameras can be utilized in all places free of charge. The one vacationer place images couldn’t be taken was contained in the Tutankhamun exhibition within the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Don’t deliver a drone
It’s unlawful to fly a drone in Egypt, so if in case you have one depart it at residence.
Don’t take images at examine factors
Taking images of examine factors, safety guards, police or official authorities buildings is a no-no. We had been even instructed to not take photos at Aswan Larger Dam for safety causes.
Keep away from the sleeper practice
This can be a tip particularly for clear freaks. For those who can’t bear the considered travelling on a lower than spotless and cozy mode of transport then the sleeper practice is just not for you.
Personally, I’m glad we did it however I wouldn’t journey by practice in Egypt once more. I’d fly or ebook a cruise (with out the youngsters).
Examine our expertise on the Cairo to Aswan sleeper practice to resolve for your self.
Don’t contact cats and canines
There have been a lot of cats and canines on the historical temple websites we visited in Egypt. We discovered this a bit shocking as the place we stay in Oman they might have been chased away or worse.
In Egypt stray animals are a part of the road furnishings. Locals feed them and depart them to their very own units. We even noticed puppies enjoying exterior the Sphinx complicated.
Your children could also be tempted to pet animals however they’re nonetheless wild and gained’t have been vaccinated or handled for parasites. So remind animal-loving little individuals to not contact them, nonetheless tame they could seem.
Don’t climb on historical buildings
It’s apparent actually, however you will get in hassle with the safety guards if you happen to begin climbing all around the centuries outdated buildings.
Don’t settle for gives to see inside roped off rooms
Workers at some historical websites will invite you into roped off areas and over limitations for a tip.
Our information warned us about this at Hatshepshut’s temple. Positive sufficient, once we reached the highest tier we had been requested if we’d wish to go round a barrier. We additionally noticed it occurring within the tombs on the Valley of the Kings.
It’s towards the regulation for employees to allow you to into restricted areas, so don’t feed this criminal activity.
Don’t settle for assist except you’re comfortable to tip
If a temple information gives to take your picture, if somebody asks to hold your bag or if somebody says they will present you one of the best view, count on to be requested for a tip.
Don’t neglect you’re in a Muslim nation
Simply keep in mind just a few easy guidelines so as to act respectfully and keep away from the fallacious form of consideration:
- Put on conservative clothes – see above.
- Don’t kiss, cuddle or maintain arms together with your associate in public. LGBTQ+ {couples} should preserve their relationship secret as a result of Egypt is just not a really tolerant nation.
- Don’t drink alcohol in public locations. Motels and a few eating places will serve it.
- Keep away from discussing faith and politics – Egyptians are very protecting of their views. NB we acquired away with this a bit with our information as he was effectively travelled and we acquired to know him over a interval of days.
18. The place to go to in Egypt with children – our high 5 websites
Right here’s a correct conundrum. What must you see in Egypt with children?
We squeezed loads into our 10 days and will have nonetheless finished extra in addition to including further time to chill out on the Purple Beach.
I’d positively recommenced exploring additional than Cairo. The pyramids are one among Egypt’s greatest identified points of interest however there’s a lot extra to the nation’s historic treasures.
To be sincere, it was Egypt’s temples that impressed us most.
We additionally wouldn’t have missed Southern Egypt. Reaching Abu Simbel from Aswan is an journey in itself and the Valley of the Kings in Luxor was far more spectacular than we had imagined.
So what are one of the best locations for households visiting Egypt? Right here’s our high 5:
The Pyramids of Giza
Regardless that they weren’t our favorite vacation spot who may go to Egypt with out seeing the pyramids? Particularly with travelling with children!
In spite of everything they’re essentially the most recognisable landmark and one many little ones will know from Go Jetters.
Add a visit to Cairo’s Egyptian Museum (or the Grand Egyptian Museum when it opens) to construct a basis of data that may enrich the remaining you time in Egypt.
Kom Ombo
Mummified crocodiles…want I say extra?
OK, I’ll. Kom Ombo’s assortment of 300 preserved crocs had been discovered buried at this Roman-Greaco web site beside the River Nile.
The Temple itself is devoted to 2 gods: Sobek and Horus.
A lot of it’s ruined however there’s loads of unimaginable hieroglyphs to see together with one depicting a mom giving beginning. This type of picture has not been discovered nowhere else in Egypt.
The Temple of Philae
A go to the Temple of Philae requires a ship journey to the island of Agilkia.
The temple was moved right here within the twentieth Century in the course of the development of the Aswan Dam which led to the unique Philae web site being flooded.
It’s a stupendous temple and its location makes it an additional particular place to discover.
Valley of the Kings
I’m undecided why however I wasn’t anticipating a lot from the Valley of the Kings. Tunnels minimize into sand with a naked chamber on the finish was what I suppose I had in thoughts.
However the Valley supplied a lot extra. The colors of the hieroglyphs have been shielded from the solar and grave robbers by no means hung round lengthy sufficient to trouble defacing them in the way in which some temples have suffered.
They’re additionally a marvel of historical Egyptian engineering. It’s wonderful to suppose that the architects, artists and employees spent years creating them beneath the floor.
Deir el-Bahri
Queen Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple was my favorite Egyptian temple. Not solely is it a novel design, it was attention-grabbing to expertise a spot impressed by such an enchanting determine in Egypt’s historical past.
Hatshepsut isn’t born to rule as pharaoh. However she talked herself into the job and dominated alongside her youthful brother and the rightful inheritor, Tutmose III.
She constructed Deir el-Bahri temple for the god Amun and, in accordance with historical gossip, the architect was her lover. After she died and was buried within the Valley of the Kings he had a tunnel constructed from his personal tomb to hers.
Bonus place: Abu Simbel
OK, so I couldn’t miss this one off. The temples of Rameses II and Queen Nefertari on the sting of Lake Nassar are unimaginable. BUT! It’s an extended drive and households with younger children would possibly discover it an excessive amount of.
We visited as a day journey from Aswan which meant setting off at 4.30am and 7 hours in our non-public mini bus. For those who do go to Abu Simbel, take a personal tour to maximise your consolation.
Additionally plan in some down time on both aspect and pack all of the snacks!
Discover out extra about every of those locations and all of locations we visited by studying about our 10 day Egypt itinerary.
19. What to pack for visiting Egypt
By now I hope I’ve answered lots of your questions on visiting Egypt and also you’re able to pack your luggage. However what must you take?
Right here’s my packing checklist together with what you’re going to want when you’re travelling and sightseeing:
Journey paperwork
Right here’s the vital paperwork to deliver with you:
- Passports – they must be no less than six months in date from the day you arrive. Verify the gov.uk web site for the newest entry necessities and journey recommendation.
- Your journey insurance coverage – I all the time have a digital and printed copy with me.
- Your visas – whenever you apply on-line you’re instructed to have printed copies with you.
- Forex – we couldn’t pay money for any Egyptian Kilos earlier than we travelled so introduced some spare US {dollars} with us. We picked up more money on the airport and different money machines.
Hand baggage
In addition to taking three flights we had been on the street loads throughout our 10 days in Egypt. So we every had a keep on sized bag stuffed with leisure and issues we needed shut at hand.
We took quite a lot of luggage. Mr Tin Field has been utilizing his versatile journey bag the Osprey Farpoint for years, the 10-year-old and I took OLPRO rucksacks*, and the seven-year-old, who likes to be totally different, had her rainbow sample Landsend rucksack.
Right here’s what we packed in our rucksacks:
- Studying books
- Word ebook
- Pencil case
- Pill and earphones
- Snacks
- Squishaboo/journey pillow
- Tissues
- Hand sanitiser
- Reusable water bottle
- Cuddly toys
- Hat
- Solar glasses
- Journey paperwork
Predominant baggage packing checklist for visiting Egypt
Right here’s the garments we every packed in our fundamental bag for sightseeing and hanging out at our resorts:
- Two pairs of cotton/gentle trousers
- 10 cotton t-shirts or shirts for day time
- 3 night outfits – longer is extra versatile for utilizing inside and out of doors your lodge
- Gentle jumper
- 12 pairs of underwear
- 2 swimsuits with lengthy sleeves or separate rash vest
- Sarong or seaside shirt/costume
- Hat
- Sun shades
- Strolling sandals or trainers
- Flip flops
- Night footwear
Right here’s the opposite necessities we packed:
- Toiletaries
- Small first assist equipment together with journey illness and Imodium tablets
- Moist wipes
- Packets of tissues
- Telephone and pill charger leads
- Battery packs
- Energy adaptors
After all if you wish to journey tremendous gentle you may in the reduction of on a few of the modifications of tops and underwear and wash them as you go.
Nevertheless, we weren’t staying at any of our resorts lengthy sufficient to have out garments laundered and I didn’t fancy hand washing in our downtime.
20. Egypt books for teenagers and households visiting Egypt
We gave every of our women a ebook about Egypt earlier than our journey. It was an effective way to get them excited and remind us all concerning the extraordinary locations we had been fortunate sufficient to be visiting.
We are able to personally suggest Nationwide Geographic’s Historic Egypt: Stage 4* ebook for kids aged seven and up and Nationwide Geographic’s 1,000 Details About Historic Egypt ebook for bite-sized info to share with youngsters of all ages.
Youthful youngsters would possibly favor a sticker ebook. The British Museum* does a beautiful one that permits children so as to add stickers to Egyptian scenes. And right here’s loads a brief tales for younger readers in Meet the Egyptians*, which is a part of the Horrible Histories ebook sequence.
For those who’re on the lookout for ebook about Egypt for your self I can suggest Lonely Planet*. There’s a brand new journey information for Egypt popping out in November 2023. You possibly can pre-order* it now.
We visited Egypt in April 2023 and the following pointers are primarily based on our private expertise then.
Have you ever visited Egypt? What was your expertise? Or are you in your approach? Let me know if there’s something you’d wish to know.
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