Choose a horizon
Where to go in Egypt
One country, many landscapes
Across Egypt, the scenery changes from Cairo and the pyramids to the banks of the Nile and the light of the Red Sea. You might come for one monument and find that the streets, riverbanks and moments between stops stay with you too.
01 / The north
The city comes alive.
The pyramids endure.
Cairo has its streets, façades, minarets and the Nile running through it. At Giza, the pyramids stand in a different landscape. Seeing both takes you from a living capital to the monuments of ancient Memphis.
Historic Cairo grew from the tenth century onwards. Far older pyramid fields stretch from Giza to Dahshur. Leave time for both the city and the plateau: each tells a different part of Egypt’s history.
Explore Cairo02 / Heading south
Follow the Nile,
cross the centuries.
In Luxor, Karnak and Luxor temples stand on the east bank, while tombs and funerary temples extend along the west. The Nile between them makes the geography of ancient Thebes easy to grasp.
At Aswan, islands and rocks reshape the Nile. The sanctuary of Isis at Philae has a remarkable story: it was moved to Agilkia Island during the international campaign to save the monuments of Nubia. Abu Simbel belongs to the same heritage group, but lies much farther south.
03 / Towards the sea
A city, Sinai,
and the reefs.
The Red Sea coast changes along the way. Hurghada has its marina and boats; Sharm el-Sheikh opens onto South Sinai; around Marsa Alam, desert meets a shore of mangroves and reefs.
Choose a coastal stop around what you would enjoy: a walk by the water, time to rest or a closer look at marine life. The precise place and activity depend on your dates and how comfortable you feel in the water.
Cairo, the Nile and the sea do not need to fit into a single trip. Give the places that draw you in enough time to enjoy them.
Tell us about your Egypt tripSources and photo credits
Historical and geographical references: Historic Cairo · Memphis and the Giza pyramids · Ancient Thebes and its necropolis · Nubian monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae · Rescue and relocation of the Nubian temples · The Red Sea coast · Marsa Alam
Photographs: Mohammed Moussa · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · redimensionné et converti en WebP · Matthew Stephenson · licence Unsplash · redimensionné et converti en WebP · Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · redimensionné et converti en WebP · Dmitrii Zhodzishskii · licence Unsplash · redimensionné et converti en WebP · Vojtasekd · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · redimensionné et converti en WebP · Abdelrhman 1990 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · redimensionné et converti en WebP · Pascal van de Vendel · licence Unsplash · redimensionné et converti en WebP