#74 best destination in the world

Islamic Cairo

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  • One of the world’s oldest Islamic cities
  • The old walled city is characterized by hundreds of mosques, tombs, madrasas, mansions, caravanserais, and fortifications dating back to the Islamic era (641-969 AD)
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site

City of the Dead (Cairo)

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  • Series of vast Islamic-era necropolises and cemeteries on the edges of Historic Cairo
  • Developed over many centuries and contains both the graves of Cairo’s common population as well as the elaborate mausoleums of many of its historical rulers and elites
  • Founded in 642 AD
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site

Nilometer

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  • Was a structure for measuring the Nile River’s clarity and water level during the annual flood season
  • If the water level was low, there would be famine
  • If it was too high, it would be destructive
  • There was a specific mark that indicated how high the flood should be if the fields were to get good soil
  • Records from AD 622–999 indicate that, on average, 28% of the years saw an inundation that fell short of expectations
  • In the 20th century, the Nile’s annual inundation was first greatly reduced, and then eliminated entirely, with the construction of the Aswan dams

Pyramid of Djoser

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  • Burial built in the 27th century BC
  • Was once clad in polished white limestone
  • One of the oldest buildings in the world

Red Pyramid

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  • Tomb built in 2580 BC
  • Named for the reddish hue of its red limestone stones
  • Believed to be Egypt’s first successful attempt at constructing a true smooth-sided pyramid
  • During the Middle Ages much of the white Tura limestone was taken for buildings in Cairo, revealing the red limestone beneath
  • One of the oldest buildings in the world

Bent Pyramid

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  • Tomb that dates back to 2600 BC
  • Built under the Old Kingdom Pharaoh Sneferu
  • One of the oldest buildings in the world

Dahshur

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  • Royal necropolis located in the desert on the west bank of the Nile
  • Chiefly known for several pyramids, two of which are among the oldest, largest and best preserved in Egypt, built from 2613–2589 BC
  • The pyramids provided them with the knowledge and know how to transition from step sided pyramids to smooth sided pyramids

Meidum

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  • Archaelogical site containing a large pyramid and several mud-brick mastabas (flat-roofed ancient Egyptian tombs)
  • Built in 2580 BC
  • One of the oldest buildings in the world

Farafra

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  • Western Desert of Egypt containing massive chalk rock formations
  • Formations are the result of occasional sandstorms

Mount Sinai

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  • Mountain on the Sinai Peninsula, and possibly the same as the biblical Mount Sinai, the place where, according to the Bible, Moses received the Ten Commandments
  • It is surrounded on all sides by higher peaks in the mountain range of which it is a part

Ras Muhammad National Park

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  • When the Sinai Peninsula was returned to Egypt, Ras Muhammad was declared for protection from fishing and other human activities
  • Some of the fishing methods, such as using dynamite and knives were impacting the coral reef and the fish populations
  • The park was also established to protect against urban sprawl from Sharm El Sheikh and other coastal development
  • There is a saying in the area that the name arose because in side view the contour of the cliff looks like the profile of a bearded man’s face

Giftun Islands

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  • Islands that comprise part of a marine reserve in the Red Sea, with coral reefs and drop-offs full of colorful ocean wildlife

Hurghada Marina

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  • City was founded in the early 20th century
  • For many decades it was a small fishing village, but it has grown into a major Red Sea resort as a result of Egyptian and foreign investment that began in the 1980s
  • Holiday resorts and hotels provide facilities for windsurfing, kitesurfing, yachting, scuba diving and snorkeling
  • The city is known for its watersports, nightlife and warm weather

Mahmya Island

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  • Eco-tourism haven bordered by blue waters and a white sandy beach

Hathor Temple

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  • Temple dedicated to Hathor
  • One of the best preserved temples in all Egypt
  • Includes depictions of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar

Colossi of Memnon

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  • Two massive stone statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, who reigned in Egypt during the Dynasty XVIII
  • Since 1350 BC, they have stood in the Theban Necropolis, located west of the River Nile

Abu Simbel Temples

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  • 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
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site

Costs

Number of Days: 30 days

Best Time To Fly: Feb-April, Sept-Nov

Airline ticket: $2,417

Seattle -> Cairo (round trip) $1,576
Cairo -> Sharm El-Sheikh (one way) $57
Sharm El-Sheikh -> Hurghada (one way) $96
Hurghada ->  Luxor (one way) $264
Luxor ->  Aswan (one way) $281
Aswan -> Cairo (one way) $143

Food: $11/day x 30 days = $339

Entertainment/tours: $886

Airbnb/hotel: $63/day x 28 days = $1,764

TOTAL: $5,406