Brief information about the country

Egypt — the state in North Africa and the Sinai Peninsula of Asia, occupies 1 million km2 of land, and its population is mainly concentrated along the banks of the Nile. This is a country of seaside resorts and ancient attractions, which is especially loved by our people despite all the troubles that shake it from time to time.

Highlights

Egypt's long and glorious history excites the imagination of the modern world. The ancient empire, which flourished from 3200 BC almost before the advent of Christianity, was one of the world's greatest civilizations. Since the beginning of the 19th century, after Napoleon sent his officers to explore the coastal territories and received the first drawings of half-buried statues and columns, the interest of the Western world in Egypt remained unchanged. In 1922, when Howard Carter looked into the dusty tomb of Tutankhamun and, in his words, "saw miracles," he confirmed the incalculable riches of the pharaohs, and a few months later, after the sudden death of the sponsor of the excavations, Lord Carnarvon, public opinion was unequivocal: people believed that the curse imposed on the mummy of the pharaoh was to blame. Nowadays, pseudoscientific theories about the origin and purpose of the pyramids fill the shelves of bookstores and documentary TV channels. The interest in Egypt and everything Egyptian seems inexhaustible.

The River of Life

Of course, most visitors are attracted to the mysteries of the ancient world, but archaeological sites are not located in a geographical or cultural vacuum. Egypt of the 21st century is a country of contrasts, but some things remain unchanged. Just like in ancient times, Egypt cannot exist without the Nile. The longest river in the world carries its abundant waters from the heart of Africa and irrigates a narrow flowery valley, flowing through the vast Egyptian desert. Its shores are dotted with small villages with modest mud brick houses surrounded by fields. Ducks are splashing through the mud, loaded donkeys are trudging home, and bulls are plowing fields.

Cities of Egypt

Hurghada is one of the largest tourist centers in Egypt.The hospitable hotels and amusement parks of this sunny resort stretch along the African coast The Red Sea, attracting many vacationers from Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Hurghada offers its guests endless beaches covered with white sand, diving in coral reefs, boat trips, fascinating trips to the monuments of ancient Egyptian civilization. The resort has a modern international airport that accepts flights from many countries of the world.

Sharm el Sheikh is an Egyptian resort city that has held the palm among the popular seaside recreation centers of South Sinai for decades. Its hotel complexes are spread over 30 km along the coast The Red Sea. Sharm el Sheikh can offer tourists beach holidays, sports games, nightclubs, casinos, diving, yacht trips, excursions to the sights of Egypt and a lot of other entertainment

Cairo-located in the place where the Nile Valley expands and passes into the river delta, is the largest city in Africa with a population of more than 19 million people. Heat, dust and noise are constant companions of urban life, and traffic often freezes in traffic jams. However, Cairo has a lot to offer tourists. The Egyptian Museum has an incomparable collection, Islamic architecture is a great pleasure, and street life provides a real cultural experience.

Dahab is a popular beach resort in Egypt, located in a picturesque place where the mountains of the Sinai Desert meet the waves The Red Sea . The resort offers wonderful landscapes, unforgettable diving in coral reefs, windsurfing and many other activities. The modern infrastructure created in Dahab, the hot climate and the warm sea attract tourists from all over the world all year round. Not far from the city there are biosphere reserves, colorful canyons and colorful Bedouin villages.

Hotels

There is a good selection of hotels in Egypt, especially in Cairo, Luxor and the Red Sea resorts. In places less frequently visited by tourists, the choice is limited.

In Cairo, budget hotels are mostly located in the central part of the city, while luxury hotels are located on the banks of the Nile. Most of the resort hotels in Luxor are located on the east coast, and there are more and more small and quiet family-run hotels on the west coast. Resort hotels are scattered all along the coast of the Red Sea and Sinai, where there are few small and cheap hotels.

Three- and five-star hotels are often booked for tour groups, so independent travelers should book rooms in advance, especially at the height of the season: from November to April in Cairo and the Nile Valley and from June to August in Alexandria and the coastal regions. Hotels in the Nile Valley and oases are often cheaper in the summer months, and a discount can be negotiated.

Hotel prices for last-minute arrivals are usually high. If possible, place an online reservation before leaving home. Prices in the best hotels are sometimes quoted in US dollars, and now also in euros. Three- and five-star hotels accept payments in foreign currency or by credit card.