Places to Visit in Egypt: 15 Amazing Routes in the Footsteps of the Pharaohs
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15 wonderful places to visit in Egypt: the Pyramids of Giza, Alexandria, the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Nile cruises, and a detailed Egypt guide.
Places to Visit in Egypt
The traces of Ancient Egypt, one of the oldest and most mysterious civilizations in the world, still rise today along the banks of the Nile in the form of colossal temples and pyramids. Here are the top destinations that should be at the very top of your list when traveling to Egypt:
1. The Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx (Cairo)
The Giza Necropolis, home to the Pyramid of Khufu—the only surviving wonder of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—is an absolute must on any trip to Egypt. As you stand before these colossal structures, rising toward the sky in the middle of the desert for 4,500 years, and the Sphinx with its lion's body and pharaoh's head, your respect for human history will deepen.
2. The Egyptian Museum (Cairo)
This legendary museum, where Tutankhamun's world-famous solid-gold mask and the actual mummies of pharaohs are on display, is home to the world's largest collection of Ancient Egyptian artifacts. (The artifacts will be moved there when the newly built "Grand Egyptian Museum" opens.)
3. The Temples of Karnak and Luxor (Luxor)
Far from Cairo, the city of Luxor—home to the remains of Thebes, Egypt's ancient capital—is the world's largest open-air museum. The Temple of Karnak, with its immense forests of papyrus-shaped columns, will take you back thousands of years.
4. Valley of the Kings (Valley of the Kings)
These are the tombs of the pharaohs, secretly carved into barren mountains on Luxor's west bank. To protect the kings from grave robbers over the centuries, they hid them in these underground chambers instead of building pyramids. The colorful hieroglyphs on the walls are still as vivid as ever.
5. The Temple of Abu Simbel
Located south of the city of Aswan, near the Sudanese border, Abu Simbel is a masterpiece carved into the rock, featuring colossal statues of Ramses. Relocated piece by piece to higher ground in the 1960s so it would not be submerged by the dam's waters, the site is also a triumph of modern engineering.
6. Sharm El Sheikh (Red Sea)
After a culture tour full of history and long days of sightseeing, head to Sharm El Sheikh to unwind at one of the world's best diving destinations. With colorful coral reefs, vibrant fish, and luxurious ultra-All Inclusive desert resorts, it offers the perfect seaside holiday.