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| Let us be your guide around a hand-picked selection of popular destinations in Egypt - the serene River Nile running through the centre of Egypt, Aswan and Luxor with ancient tombs and temples, Cairo with her majestic pyramids and Sphinx, the high life of the Red Sea Riviera encompassing Sharm el Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and taba where fun and diving the depths of the underwater world are the order of the day, the beaches in Hurghada, the turquoise lagoons of El gouna and the family fun of Makadi Bay. |
This ancient land of pharaohs and kings lies between Africa and the Middle East. With a history stretching over 6,000 years and influenced by foreign princes and high rulers, this leading Arab state will never cease to amaze and inspire you.
Take a step back in time to experience the many wonders of an ancient past so rich in surviving artifacts that you can almost be living the time again, or simply relax in the year-round sunshine of this world-famous destination with its mix of cosmopolitan cities, velvet green golf courses, arid desert dunes, lush oases and the abundant marine life of the Red Sea Riviera. Read on and let us whet your appetite for the fantastic holiday you are about to experience.
The sky sparkles with sunshine and the rainy days are few and far between - making Egypt the perfect year-round destination. Boasting a minimum of 345 sunny days a year with a daily average of 12 hours of hot sunshine and low humidity in the summer. Agriculture employs about 40% of Egypt's population and depends on the Nile for its fertility. Being such a dry country, completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1970 greatly increased arable land, which still constitutes less than 5% of Egypt's total land area. Cotton is the leading cash crop with Egyptian cotton products being world-renowned as some of the finest linen you can buy.
Egypt's inhabitants are mainly a complex racial mixture, descended from the ancient Egyptians, Berbers, sub-Saharan Africans, Arabs, greeks and turks. Arabic is the official language. Middle Eastern culture and mentality is very different to that in the West. Customs,religion and traditions are carried on throughout generations and the close-knit family circle remains an integral part of day-to-day life. Friendly and hospitable, an exceptional welcome to their land will be given by the locals and as such, expect a lot of attention too!
Generally in the Middle East, eating heartily is part of the Arabic culture. Although different countries and regions have a speciality or two, hotels offer international cuisine in addition to local delicacies. With influences including turkish, greek, Lebanese and French, definitely worth trying are authentic dishes such as taamiya (falafel- fried patty made from beans), Schawarma (sliced meat topped with tahini in pitta bread) and Kofta (a spicy round meat patty). As Muslim countries import the majority of their alcohol, prices will be considerably higher than anything that is locally produced. Well-known brand soft drinks are widely available and bottled water is highly recommended and inexpensive. please note: During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims do not eat and drink between sunrise and sunset. Non-Muslims are not expected to follow this but food and drink will not be as widely available outside the hotels.
Flights for Egypt operate to Luxor, Cairo, taba, Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada. Aswan is via an internal flight or by road. Transfers in upper Egypt between different areas such as Luxor and Aswan and Luxor and Hurghada and vice versa can take approximately 4-5 hours. In addition, it is government procedure to have a police escort. If there are only a small number of guests being transferred, a minibus or a car may be used instead of a coach thus increasing the journey time.
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