The Red Sea is the long and relatively narrow body of water that lies between the northeast coast of Africa and the Arabian peninsula that is bordered by Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Djbouti, Eritrea, and Sudan. Despite some of those countries being red flags for war and conflict, the Red Sea is a remarkably peaceful and conflict-free body of water. Here, … [Read more...] about Where to Go on the Red Sea in Egypt
Egypt Travel Blog posts about CITIES AND REGIONS
Exploring Aswan and Abu Simbel
Southern Egypt, also known as Upper Egypt, is most famous for the scores of majestic ancient temples that still line the shores of the Nile River for hundreds of miles. Of all the towns and villages in this region, Aswan is the largest in the far south of Egypt and a favorite base from which travelers have set out to visit and explore these ruins for thousands of years. And of … [Read more...] about Exploring Aswan and Abu Simbel
What to See and Do in Luxor
Luxor is Egypt’s number two destination for visitors after the greater Cairo/Giza area further north. Luxor is the area I call the land of tombs and temples because, while there are certainly tombs and temples all over Egypt, Luxor is where the most magnificent ones are located. Most notably in Luxor we have the Valley of the Kings with the splendid underground tombs of … [Read more...] about What to See and Do in Luxor
Getting from the Airport to Your Hotel in Cairo
Hopefully you’ve pre-arranged your transportation from the airport with your fabulous Western-run tour company and someone will be there at arrivals waiting to greet you and get you on your way. If you’re taking responsibility for your own transit from the airport to your hotel, then you’re going to have to gird your loins and be prepared to get ripped off a little in a … [Read more...] about Getting from the Airport to Your Hotel in Cairo
The Desert Desert
So in Arabic, sahara means desert. So in English when we say the Sahara Desert, we’re actually saying the Desert Desert. Funny, huh? That’s not unlike how we treat many other Arabic words in English. And we don’t even realize that many of our words actually derive from Arabic. Take algebra, for example, which kinda means “the algebra” or alcohol, which means “the alcohol.” … [Read more...] about The Desert Desert
Abu Simbel, Ramses the Great’s Greatest Monument to Himself
Ramses II was one of ancient Egypt’s greatest Pharaohs. Not only did he manage to live into his 90s in an era devoid of modern medicine and build an empire over which he ruled for 66 years, but he is thought by some to be the Pharaoh featured in the Bible during the Exodus. (This isn’t likely, but it didn’t stop him from being immortalized in this role by Hollywood in The Ten … [Read more...] about Abu Simbel, Ramses the Great’s Greatest Monument to Himself
Cairo’s Chaotic Traffic
Visitors to Egypt have told me that they’ve seen equally chaotic traffic in places like India and China, but I’ve yet to witness an equivalent level of vehicular insanity anywhere else in the world myself. Most, however, are like me in swearing that Cairo’s traffic is the worst they’ve ever seen. But what’s so funny and strange about it all, though, is that there’s still a sort … [Read more...] about Cairo’s Chaotic Traffic
Taking the Right Type of Taxi in Cairo
Cairo is one of the easiest cities in the world in which to hail a cab, as its crowded and chaotic streets are literally flooded with taxis. But there are two types of taxis always buzzing around, and tourists should always try to find the type that will reduce the likelihood of getting ripped off in Cairo yet again… and again… and again. Yes, it’s part of the experience of … [Read more...] about Taking the Right Type of Taxi in Cairo