Egypt the land of pyramids
The first tourists to Egypt were the ancient Greeks and Romans. Modern tourism began two centuries ago and Egypt has been a favorite destination since then. Not only was ancient Egypt the crucible of human civilization, its dry climate and shifting sands have preserved much of its ancient legacy to this day.
Egypt owes its existence to just one source - the Nile. And throughout its long history, the Nile has sustained it.
Cairo is noisy, crowded and not the chief reason most people visit Egypt but set aside a day or two to explore it. One of the most interesting parts of Cairo is the Islamic Cairo. It’s not more Islamic than the rest of the city, but it has hundreds of historic buildings and mosques built by the Fatimid dynasty in 969 AD. It’s easy to get lost here so take a taxi or bus tour.
The Great Pyramids of Giza were never surpassed even by the ancient Egyptians who built a thousand years later. King Sneferu 2686 – 2667 BC was the first to construct a pyramid. His first two attempts were failures but the third one set the trend. Known as the Red Pyramid, it still survives. Giza is also the location of the Great Sphinx.
Abu Simbel on the shores of Lake Nasser has the monumental Sun Temple of Ramses ll. When the Aswan Dam was built, the temple was relocated to higher ground to keep it from being submerged.
The Valley of the Kings on the left banks of Luxor was the burial site of the royals from 2100 BC to 1069 BC. This great necropolis has 63 magnificent royal tombs.
Karnak Temple near Luxor is built on a truly monumental scale. Dedicated to the triad of Amun, Mut, and Khonsu, it’s the largest religious building ever built. Just the enclosure of Amun is 61 acres and can hold ten European cathedrals.
The Egyptian Museum is the storehouse of Tutankhamen’s treasures, monumental statues, royal mummies and humble everyday artifacts of ancient Egyptians.
Alexandria is a Mediterranean port city established by Alexander. This second largest Egyptian city is famous for its coffee houses, seafood and Cleopatra’s Palace which can be explored only if you scuba dive as it’s underwater.
Cruises, Tours, and Excursions on offer in Egypt are too many to make a detailed list. Some popular tours are by air, helicopter or hot air balloons, sailboat and river cruises down the Nile; desert safari and oasis tours; kid-friendly tours and theme parks excursions are on offer as well.
So if you plan to follow in the footsteps of ancient Greeks and Romans who were fascinated by the antiquity of Egypt 2000 years ago, do book early. Today, lot more tourists visit Egypt and through the modes of transport are faster, planning early is essential. For all your forex needs,EbixCash World Money Multicurrency forex card will be enough. It’s secure and can be used at ATM. Make sure to buy travel insurance as well.
