#119 best destination in the world

Abu Simbel

Panorama_Abu_Simbel_crop

Best time to travel: Feb-April, Sept-Nov
Ease of travel: Hard
Cost ($-$$-$$$): $

  • Twin rock temples carved out of the side of a mountain in 1264 BC
  • Completed under the rein of Pharaoah Ramesses II to commemorate the Battle of Kadesh
  • Was relocated in 1968 as necessary to prevent being submerged during the creation of Lake Nasser

Egyptian Museum, Cairo

Best time to travel: March-April, Oct-Nov
Ease of travel: Easy
Cost ($-$$-$$$): $

  • Museum located in Cairo, and home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities
  • It has 120,000 items, with a representative amount on display and the remainder in storerooms

Great Pyramid of Giza

Best time to travel: Jan-April, Oct-Dec
Ease of travel: Moderate
Cost ($-$$-$$$): $

  • Oldest and largest of the pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex bordering present-day Giza in Greater Cairo
  • It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact
  • The pyramid was built as a tomb for the Fourth Dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu and it is estimated that it was built in the 26th century BC during a period of around 27 years
  • The Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for more than 3,800 years
  • Over time, most of the smooth white limestone casing was removed, which lowered the pyramid’s height, and what is seen today is the underlying core structure
  • The majority of stones are not uniform in size or shape and are only roughly dressed
  • Primarily local limestone from the Giza Plateau was used, other blocks were imported by boat down the Nile
  • There are three known chambers inside the Great Pyramid

Giza Pyramid Complex

Best time to travel: Jan-April, Oct-Dec
Ease of travel: Moderate
Cost ($-$$-$$$): $

  • Site on the Giza Plateau in Greater Cairo, that includes the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure, along with their associated pyramid complexes and the Great Sphinx of Giza
  • All were built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, between 2600 and 2500 BC
  • The site also includes several cemeteries and the remains of a workers’ village
  • They were popularized in Hellenistic times, when the Great Pyramid was listed by Antipater of Sidon as one of the Seven Wonders of the World
  • It is by far the oldest of the Ancient Wonders and the only one still in existence

Orange Bay, Hurghada

Best time to travel: April-June, Sept-Nov
Ease of travel: Moderate
Cost ($-$$-$$$): $

  • Natural bay in the ecologically protected island of Giftun, known for snorkeling, swimming and al fresco dining
  • The island is surrounded by unspoiled coral reefs, impressive marine life species and white sandy beaches

Great Sphinx of Giza

Best time to travel: Jan-April, Oct-Dec
Ease of travel: Moderate
Cost ($-$$-$$$): $

  • Limestone statue of a reclining sphinx, a mythical creature with the head of a human, and the body of a lion
  • It stands on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile in Giza
  • The face of the Sphinx appears to represent the pharaoh Khafre
  • Its nose was broken off for unknown reasons between the 3rd and 10th centuries AD
  • The Sphinx is the oldest known monumental sculpture in Egypt and one of the most recognisable statues in the world
  • The archaeological evidence suggests that it was created by ancient Egyptians of the Old Kingdom during the reign of Khafre (c. 2558–2532 BC)

Valley of the Kings, Luxor

Best time to travel: March-April, Oct-Nov
Ease of travel: Hard
Cost ($-$$-$$$): $

  • Valley in Egypt where, for a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, rock-cut tombs were excavated for the pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom
  • The valley stands on the west bank of the Nile, opposite Thebes (modern Luxor)
  • With the 2005 discovery of a new chamber and the 2008 discovery of two further tomb entrances, the valley is known to contain 63 tombs and chambers
  • The royal tombs are decorated with scenes from Egyptian mythology and give clues as to the beliefs and funerary practices of the period
  • Almost all of the tombs seem to have been opened and robbed in antiquity, but they still give an idea of the opulence and power of the pharaohs
  • This area has been a focus of archaeological exploration since the end of the eighteenth century
  • Since the 1920s, the valley has been famous for the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun, and is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world