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| With 7,000 years of history, Egypt has long been at the centre of global commerce and at the axis of trade routes linking Asia, Europe and Africa. Roads intersected Egyptian maritime and caravan routes feeding into the historic commercial artery carring all the luxury goods then available.
Such a rich past has left Egypt with an unsurpassed heritage. The country is one vast and open museum containing more than one third of all the archeological monuments and relics known to man.
The grandeur of pyramids, museums unrivalled in their representation of ancient glory and entire cities or temple complexes are just a few of Egypt's famous and popular attractions.
Reflecting its long role as one of the world's foremost tourist destinations, Egypt can also offer unmatched attractions such as Nile cruises, uncrowded beaches, deserts, oases, coral reefs, mild weather, de luxe hotels and more. |
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Cairo, Egypt's bustling capital, has witnessed a succession of cultures and civilisations and four main ages - Pharonic, Christian, Islamic and modern. Its Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, and a number of Christian and Islamic monuments entice the modern Silk Road traveller. Alexandria, founded by Silk Road conqueror Alexander the Great, was long a leading cultural and economic centre of the Mediterranean world. The city's Greco-Roman era is on display in the museums here. There are also Islamic mosques, old, decorated houses and the Fort of Sultan Qait Bay. Luxor, in southern Egypt, is considered as perhaps the world's greatest outdoor museum, filled with the awe-inspiring monuments of the mighty pharaohs, including the Temple of Karnak, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the Valley of Kings where Tutankhamen's tomb lies. Aswan-Abu Simbel on the Upper Nile combines the glory of the past with the great achievements of the present and is one of the main gateways to Africa. The Great Temple of Abu Simbel, located south of Aswan, is carved out of the rock and has four statues of Ramses II, each 20 metres high. Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh are located on Egypt's Red Sea coast. The former was the main port for Silk Road fleets coming from India. Now visitors come here, and to nearby Sharm El Sheikh, seeking world-class diving, windsurfing, sailing, fishing and other water sports. Siwa Oasis is a trading post in the western desert. El Minya is a Nile River town and important historical site. Esna is a temple upriver from the ancient city of Luxor. Matrouh is a vital port city on the Mediterranean. Suez is where land routes meet the Red Sea. |
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