Our Experience in Egypt
Egypt is located in northeast Africa with their civilization dating back to the time of the pharaohs and spans thousands of years. It boasts vibrant cities and ancient monuments along the Nile River Valley, including Giza’s popular Pyramids and Great Sphinx as well as Luxor’s hieroglyph-lined Karnak Temple and Valley of the Kings tombs, along with many other archaeological sites.
Tourism to Egypt during 2023 is expected to reach 15 million by the end of the year making it a very popular location to travel to. Egypt requires an entry visa to visit and depending on your home country, you may be eligible to apply online for a tourist visa, however Canadians wishing to obtain a visa are no longer able to apply online. Beginning October 1, 2023, Canadian passport holders must obtain a visa from an Egyptian Embassy or consulate abroad.
We were fortunate to have just returned from Egypt (September 2023) and are sharing our experiences.
There are a number of key spots to visit which we’ve touched on here.
Cairo
The capital, Cairo, is home to many historical landmarks including the iconic and largest Pyramids of Giza the mysterious Great Sphinx along with the Citadel of Salah El Din, the Muhammad Ali Mosque and the Egyptian Museum, with its treasure trove of antiquities, plus the highly anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum which is scheduled to open in 2024.
Click here to learn more about Cairo.
Memphis
Memphis was once the capital of ancient Egypt during the Old Kingdom and was an important centre during much of Egypt’s history. It’s located south of the River Nile on the west bank and a short 24 km from Cairo.
Saqqara
Saqqara, located near Memphis is home to the oldest, complete stone building complex known in history, the Step Pyramid of Djoser. It served as an active burial ground for ancient Memphis for more than 3500 years and is now Egypt’s largest archaeological site.
Aswan
Aswan, located in Southern Egypt along the banks of the River Nile, is a small, quiet town with some amazing things to do. Its close proximity to one of the greatest temples in Egypt, Abu Simbel makes it a great base for you to explore a number of Nubian ruins and other attractions. While at Aswan you must visit the beautiful Philae Temple, one of the best-preserved Ptolemaic temples in all of Egypt.
Another important site in southern Egypt is located at Kom Ombo is the Greco-Roman Sobek Temple of Kom Ombo which is an extraordinary testament to ancient architecture.
Click here to learn more about Aswan
Edfu
Edfu which sits 110 km from Aswan and is home to the Temple of Horus (also known as the Temple of Edfu) which many consider the best-preserved cult temple in Egypt, along with being the second largest temple in Egypt.
Luxor
Also situated in southern Egypt, present-day Luxor was the site of the ancient city of Thebes, the great capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom. It later grew into a flourishing city that was a heart for wisdom, art, religion and politics. Today the ancient remains of Thebes on the west bank of the Nile remain an important attraction to travellers. While in Luxor a visit to the Valley of the Kings is a must as it’s one of the most important archaeological sites in Egypt.
Click here to learn more about Luxor.
Abu Simbel
Unfortunately, we were unable to visit Abu Simbel this trip, but it is a historic site comprising of two massive rock-cut temples in the village of Abu Simbel in the southern part of Egypt, approximately 300 km south of Aswan.