 Best known for its archaeological appeal, Egypt boasts temples, mummies,
hieroglyphics and pyramids, which attract millions of travellers annually. Less
popular attractions such as old churches, mosques and monasteries display
Egypt's heritage of Islam and Coptic Christianity. Egypt is also the centre of
the Arab world and has been an important factor in political situations; playing
a crucial role in the Middle East Peace Process.
 Located in north-eastern
Africa,
Egypt borders the Mediterranean and Red Seas,
making it an ideal destination for divers. A variety of activities are available
all over the country such as camel riding, cruising on the Nile and most
famously, visiting the ancient pyramids and tombs. Those with a knack for
shopping will enjoy the many bazaars that Egypt has to offer. Unique souvenirs,
scarves, shawls and ornaments can be found in either local markets or
fixed-price stores. Haggling is common in Egypt, so prepare to bargain.
 Cafés, restaurants and hotels can easily be found in Egypt's larger cities, while the outskirts are slowly
developing. Wireless internet is available in most coffee shops and overseas
phone calls can be made for a small fee in most hotels. Local food is known for
having amazing flavours, due to the spices available from both Africa and
Asia, though it is suggested that visitors eat at more commercial places in
order to avoid the risk of contaminated food. Water should always be from a
bottle, as water that has not been purified is extremely hazardous.
 History lovers
will enjoy the museums and monuments all around Egypt's main cities. The
Egyptian Museum is a favourite among travellers with its unique artefacts, such
as the tomb of King Tut and various pieces of extravagant jewellery.
Sunny all year long, Egypt is best visited during winter, from November to March,
as it can be extremely hot otherwise. Though the weather is ideal for
bikinis and shorts, legs, arms and stomachs should not be inappropriately
exposed.
 Egypt's larger cities have wide selections of hotels to choose from, ranging from
guesthouses to five star hotels. The closer the hotel is to the city centre, the
higher the room rates tend to be. Cairo has the largest variety of hotels
to choose from, though it is suggested to book ahead of time. Famous hotel
chains such as the Hilton and the Sheraton can be found here. More expensive
hotels also offer a full range of facilities, such as swimming pools and food
and beverage opportunities.
Weather
 Summer in Egypt, May to September, is hot and dry and tends to get extremely humid in the
Delta and along the Mediterranean Coast. Recently, Cairo has been
exceptionally humid with August seeing the highest humidity levels across
the country. Winter months, November to March, see mostly sunny days and cool
nights, with many light rain showers. Snowfall occurs in most places between
October and April so warm clothing is advised.
Climate in the desert regions sees enormous variations with a noticeable difference
during the hours of day and night. In winter, the temperature in the desert can
be as low as 0°C with cold winds sweeping in. It is common for desert areas to
receive rain once every few years.
Khamasin, as the locals call it, is also known as the sandstorm season occurring between
March and April. Generally, the season is only about 5 days between but the
sandstorms are notorious and visitors are advised to stay away from the
country during this period.
History
 The Nile and an isolated location significantly aided the formation of one of the world's
greatest civilisations. Egypt was founded in around 3200 BC by King Namer.
This dynasty continued to rule for three more millennia. The Thirtieth, and
last, Dynasty fell to Persians in 343 BC. The Persians designed and built the
Suez Canal, connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean.
 The Persians were defeated in 332 BC by the Greeks who held onto Egypt until Antony and
Cleopatra fell to Augustus Caesar in 31 BC. The Romans were finally defeated
by the Byzantines in 395 AD and ruled until 641 AD when the Persians finally
managed to recapture the land. The religion of Islam and the Arabic language was
brought over by Muslim Arabs in the 7th century.
Egypt began to prosper and grew significantly in size and importance over the next
few millennia. With the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, the country became
an important world transportation hub. The country saw its wealth and
status rise dramatically. Unfortunately, this new-found wealth was short lived
because in 1882, due to large debt, Egypt was seized by Britain. Egypt
continued under British rule until 1953, when on June 18th, the
country became a republic.
 The architect Gamal Abdel Nasser became the country's President in 1954. He
nationalised the Suez Canal, which resulted in the 1956 Suez Crisis and Nasser
becoming an Arabic hero. During the period between 1958 and 1961, Nasser
attempted to unite Egypt and Syria under the new name of United Arab Republic.
The majority of Egyptians did not agree with the collaboration and when Nasser
died in 1967, the country's name was soon changed back to ‘ Egypt'. Anwar
Sadat became the new President and in 1972, he changed the country's loyalty
from Syria to the United States.
Egypt and
Syria attacked Israel in 1973 in the October War, which resulted in a
political victory. The Soviet Union and the United States got involved and a
truce was called between Israel and Egypt. Sadat gained peace with Israel in
return for Sinai in 1979. This move led to expulsion from the Arab League, but
was later restored in 1989. A fundamentalist murdered Sadat in 1981; his
successor was Hosni Mubarak.
Today, Egypt is a popular holiday destination for people from across the world. Many
people travel there to learn about Egypt's long and detailed history and to
experience some of the magic of the ancient Egyptians.
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Egypt Guides
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