15 World Popular Tourist Attractions in Egypt
Egypt is a paradise for tourists. It has got something for everyone. Scuba diving, vast tracts of desert, the famous Nile river, exciting temples and tombs are the things Egypt is known for. Egypt, the home of Pharos has got all the historic treasures. Egypt is a country with a wide array of activities that combines relaxation, culture, archeology, history and adventure. To travel comfortably around the country, you can get an Egypt tourist map, which will help you to locate the distances easily.
Exclusive Egypt Luxury Tours Packages from egypttours.com. You can visit Egypt any time of the year. It is a year-round destination. Below is a list of tourist attractions in Egypt that you must surely visit while on holiday there.
15. Alexandria
One of the biggest libraries in the world is located in Alexandria. It was also a jeweled outpost for the Greco Roman empires. The Pompey pillar square is a nice place to visit here and so are the streets lined with cafes from cuisines all over Egypt.
14. Abydos Temple
Abydos Temple is a captivating treasure in Egypt. Here, the early Pharaohs were buried hence known as the Mother of Pots. It is also the temple where Seti-I was found. Seti I contains the popular hieroglyphic inscription known as the Abydos list.
13. Thistlegorm Dive Site
It is one of the wrecks that had sunk in the Red Sea's Gulf Glubal and Gulf of Aqaba. Dive boat journeys are prepared from Hurghada and Sharm-el Sheikh. Thistlegorm is an English WWII Cargo ship that used to resupply the British troops and was bombed by the Germans in 1941.
12. Tanis
Tanis is amongst one of the most interesting places to visit in Egypt. This city has many attractive places to visit and explore. Tanis, Egypt Ark of the Covenant is one among them. You need to explore the town to know more facts about Egypt. Visit the city in daylight to explore more.
11. Saqqara Necropolis
The Saqqara Necropolis is a huge ancient burial ground located in the outskirts of Cairo. Its exact location is on the West Bank of the river Nile. Saqqara Necropolis has attracted many tourists because of the myths and historical facts attached to this place.
10. St. Catherine’s Monastery
The St. Catherine's Monastery is amongst one of the oldest monasteries in the world. It stands at the foot of Mount Sinai. The place where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments. This deserted area of the monastery houses a series of spiritual art, manuscripts and iconography. A 3-hour climb to the top of Mount Sinai is available to view a spectacular sunrise as well as view the Red Sea, the Saudi Arabian and Jordanian borders from the summit. It is a climb of 3,750 steps.
Visit the churches, gardens and the living quarters of the monks who operate it. Some of your highlights will be the actual Burning Bush Shrub that grows nowhere else in the world. The Monastery owns more than 2,000 Byzantine icons, many of which are displayed in the main Church of the Transfiguration. The Monastery also has a priceless collection of more than 4,500 manuscripts including the world's second-oldest Bible. The visitors can also see dawn and sunset here at Mount Sinai. It is fun to take the camel route for the handy climb of the steps.
9. Dahab
Red Sea Diving in Egypt
The location of Dahab is some 85 km (53 miles) north of Sharm el-Sheikh on the Gulf of Aqaba that is near to the Southern tip of Sinai. It was a budget town once an isolated coastal village. Dahab now has become an alternative resort for accommodation. Activities like Snorkeling, Scuba diving Wind Surfing, snorkeling and jeep and camel trips make it a popular destination along the Red Sea.
8. Egyptian Museum
One of the top attractions of Egypt is the Egyptian Museum that houses around 1,20,000 items of ancient Egyptian antiquities. There is a huge collection of papyrus, gold artifacts, statues, King Tut chariot, the Mummy Room, and coins on its ground floor. Artefacts from the last two dynasties of Egypt and also many artefacts are placed on its first floor. The primary highlights are the objects from the Tomb of Tutankhamen and the Royal Mummy Room that consists of 27 royal mummies from the pharaonic times.
7. Valley of Kings, Luxor
The Valley of Kings is located on the East bank of the Nile river. Luxor was one of the ancient site cities of Thebes and is also one of the most liked tourist spots. It has the world's largest open-air museum. Luxor houses tombs (rock-cut) of ancient pharaohs. Famous ancient kings such as Amenhotep and Tutankhamun were buried here. In total 63 tombs has been excavated and a few of them are open for tourists to visit. There is a separate entry charge for Tutankhamun's tomb, called KV62. This is also one of the most haunting places in Egypt.
6. Rock Temples of Abu Simbel
In the map of Egypt, the Rock Temple of Abu Simbel is located along the Western Banks of the Naser Lake. It is also one of the most visited places in Egypt. The primary attraction of the Rock Temple is the rock impression of both the king and the queen sitting on their thrones and looking at the Egyptian mountains. This is also an iconic image. The temple had been relocated in the late 60s due to the river Nile rising waters, prior to building the High Dam in Aswan.
5. Citadel of Saladin (Salah El-Din)
Red Sea Diving, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Citadel was declared as one of the world heritage sites by UNESCO. It was built by the famous ruler Saladin ensuring the protection of Cairo and Fustat against the Crusaders. The enriched site is lined by a stunning mosque and the well of Joseph inside and also several watchtowers. The Sulayman Pasha, Al-Masheer and the Al Gawhara Palace Museum are the three places that must be included in the Egypt sightseeing plan in Cairo.
4. Red Sea Reef
The Red Sea Reef, off the coast in Egypt, is said to be one of the most beautiful places in the world for diving, snorkeling and swimming. The Red sea is renowned for its magnificent visibility and also features some of the most exotic seascapes. It is also a home for thousands of different and rare sea creatures.
Red sea beach resorts are located on both the sides of the sea, on the east side and a part of the Sinai Peninsula is the long-established Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab. On the west coast lies the Hurghada and a cluster of some new resort towns.
Why Travel to Egypt with Kids and Family
3. Islamic Cairo
The Islamic Cairo district is filled with the monuments, medieval mosques and madrassas, and is one of the first Egypt tourist attractions. A visible reminder of the Islamic heritage of Egypt is the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan. You will also find the artisan families and workshops that have worked there for a millennium making it one of the safe places to visit in Egypt.
2. Karnak
Karnak is the largest of all the ancient religious sites that has ever been built. It represents a combined effort of many generations of the Egyptian builders. The Temple of Karnak actually has three main temples having smaller enclosed temples and also several outer temples which are about 1.5 miles north of Luxor. The Hypostyle Hall with an area of 5,000 m2 (50,000 sq ft) arranged in 16 rows and 134 massive columns is one of the most famous structures of Karnak.
1. The Pyramids of Giza
The Pyramids of Giza is the last surviving and oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World. These were built as tombs for the powerful Pharaohs and were guarded by the Sphinx. Travelers from all over the world get awestruck looking at these Pyramids. The Giza Pyramids should not be missed while on a trip to Egypt. It is the primary highlight of any Egypt trip.
Takeaway
A trip to Egypt will be most refreshing for both the mind and the soul. You can participate in various activities and also work on spirituality as there are many religious places in Egypt to worship. You don’t need to look at the various options for vacation as Egypt is perfect for everyone's choice. Right from the sea, sand, culture, Egyptology, history, heritage, ancient monuments and huge desserts, Egypt has got it all.