admin

The extraordinary massive temples of Abu Simbel are the most awe-inspiring structures; undisputedly one of the world’s most breathtaking monuments. The temples are carved into a sandstone cliff with a total length of about 185 feet (56 meters) inside the mountain (the big temple) while the 4 seated statues of Ramesses II (66ft high) are set against the recessed face of the cliff; which should make them count among the wonders of the ancient world, especially adding the solar miracle that happens twice a year on the 21st of February and the 21st of October when the sun shines straight through the big temple and illuminate the sanctuary of the temple where the statues of 4 gods are seated, otherwise the temple lies in darkness all your round.

Both temples were commissioned by Ramesses II (1279-1213 BC) and took about 20 years to be built; the greatest pharaoh on ancient Egypt who ruled 67 years adding the most impressive monuments in Egypt.

A visitor to the site stands speechless in front of the temple, especially after learning that those temples were moved back in 1960’s under the supervision of the UNESCO due to the rising water of the High Dam.

The temples fell into disuse and eventually were covered in sand by the 6th century AD, until they were discovered in 1817 which explains the pristine colors’ condition on the walls of the temples.

Located about 175 miles (285 km) to the south of Aswan.
Opens daily 5a.m -6 p.m.
It takes about 3 hours each way; tourists often get up early to go to Abu Simble and back around lunch-time. The road is well-paved with no bends. A tourists gets to see and enjoy the western Sahara on both sides of the road.

The rock-fill dam is Egypt’s most important and impressive achievements in modern history. That engineering miracle took about 10 years to be built; work started in 1960 and was inaugurated in January 1971. The dam’s construction required about 44 million cubic meters of building materials, and a workforce of about 34000 people with an investment of 1$bn.

From the top of the dam you can gaze across Lake Nasser which was created by the dam and considered to be one of the biggest man-made lakes in the world; it extends all the way into the Sudan with a total length of about 340 miles (550 km). It serves the irrigation needs of both Egypt and the Sudan, controls flooding, generates power and helps navigation on the river Nile all year round.

The largest obelisk of Egypt, which unfortunately left unfinished at the quarry of granite due to some natural cracks that appeared in the stone. If the ancient Egyptians managed to extract and erect that obelisk, it would have been the single heaviest piece of stone in history as it weighs about 1167 tonnes. A visitor to the quarry gets to see the marks of other obelisks and artifacts that had been extracted and moved to the different temples of Egypt.
Located in Aswan about 1.5 km far from town across the street from an old Fatimid Cemetery.
Opens daily 7 a.m.- 4 p.m.
It takes about 10-15 minutes to get there by car.

Aswan is the southernmost city in Egypt which has always been of great strategic importance as it marked the southern gate of Egypt. In the ancient times it was the military base for the campaigns heading to Nubia, plus it was the main source of granite which was widely used for obelisks and statues all over Egypt.

The city gained another importance after building the Aswan Dam in 1902 and then even more when the High Dam was built in 1971. Located about 560 miles (900km) south of Cairo; Aswan is a serene Nile valley destination where the Nile is more majestic than anywhere else, flowing through granite rocks, and around emerald islands covered in palm groves and tropical plants. A tourist may enjoy sailing on a felucca (sail-boat) around the different islands with the migrating birds around.

Moreover; the city has wonderful monuments to visit, Philae tops of all them being built on one of the islands. Other attractions include The unfinished obelisk, the Aghakhan Mausoleum, Elephantine Island, the Nobles tombs and St. Simeon’s monastery. The great temples of Abu Simbel are also considered to be part of the Aswan tour although they are about 175 miles (285 km) to the south, because most tourists get there by either coaches or flights from Aswan.

Esna temple is one of the smallest temples you will visit because all you can see today is the hall of columns while the rest of it is still underneath the modern town; that’s why it’s quite interesting so see how much mud had been accumulating due to the Nile flood and covered the temple for about 30 feet (9 meters).

That hypostyle hall counts among the most beautiful in all Egypt with all the well-preserved colors especially after the recent restoration.

Located about 35 miles (60 km) south of Luxor.
Opens daily 8 a.m – 5 p.m
A few minutes walk from the cruise ship. Also possible to arrange a visit by road from Luxor.

Standing right by the shore of the rive Nile; Com Ombo temple is one of the most beautifully sited temples. Despite not being in a good state of preservation, the temple is quite unique in terms of being dedicated to 2 gods. The crocodile god, Sobek, is depicted everywhere on the walls of the temple. A visitor to the temple has access to see the mummified crocodiles which are displayed in a small museum on your way out.

Located about 30 miles (50 km) north of Aswan.
Opens 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
A walking distance from the cruise ship. Also possible to visit by road from either Luxor or Aswan.

One of the most beautiful temples of Egypt, due to its completeness and state of preservation. Edfu temple is the best example of the Ptolemaic temples in Egypt which dates back to Ptolemy III 237 B.C. The entrance to the temple is marked with 2 huge towers which are so called the pylon; each is about 118 ft high.

Located halfway between Luxor and Aswan, about 70 miles (115 km) of each.
Opens 6 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Visitors from cruise ships get to the temple on a horse-carriage that takes about 15 minutes each way. Also possible to visit by road from either Luxor or Aswan.

It’s part of Old Cairo that houses some churches and a museum. It is traditionally held that the Holy Family visited the area during their journey to Egypt. The area was a stronghold for Christianity in Egypt both before and during the Islamic era, as most of its churches were built after the Muslim conquest to Egypt in 641 A.D.
Opens daily 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Located in the southern part of Cairo.
It takes 20-40 minutes to get there depending on your location and traffic.

The Citadel of Saladin is a medieval Islamic fortification in Cairo, buily by Salah ad-Din (1176-1183) and further developed by subsequent Egyptian rulers for nearly 700 years (13th-19th centuries). It contains a mosques and museums, however the most notable to be found there is the mosque of Mohamed Ali Pasha.

Opens daily: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Located on the Mokkattam Hills overlooking the city of Cairo.
It takes 20-40 minutes to get there depending on your location and traffic.