Travelling in the real Egypt

There’s more to visiting Egypt than just seeing the Pyramids of Giza and heading home. By travelling off the beaten track and avoiding the tourist traps, you could enjoy a much richer experience of Egyptian culture, past and present. .

Egypt has long been a popular holiday destination due to its incredibly rich cultural heritage, home to many ancient wonders that are more than 4,000 years old. However, while many of these sites have been remarkably well-preserved and feature in all the popular tours of the country, there are many more wonders to be seen when stopping off at lesser known destinations on your Egyptian tour.

Seeing the ‘real Egypt’ doesn’t mean missing out cities like Cairo, Giza, Luxor and Aswan however, nor sights such as the magnificent temples at Abu Simbel, but you shouldn’t make the mistake that many tourists do and simply stick to the cities. Indeed, taking time to head out into the desert on a short tour can be a remarkable experience, giving you a unique chance to sample Bedouin culture, hospitality and cuisine and to ride on camel-back.

Similarly, many tourists take time out to visit the fascinating Valley of the Kings, where tombs were constructed for pharaohs and various powerful figures in Egyptian culture between the 16th and 11th century BC. The Valley is perhaps most famous as the home of King Tutankhamun, and his mummy is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the whole world, definitely a must see on any Egypt tours,

That doesn’t mean you have to head too far off the tourist route to enjoy an authentic Egyptian experience though – many great, lesser-visited cities can be found in-between, such as Edfu. When taking a cruise down the Nile you could have the chance to stop off at some of these locations and see ancient temples and tombs without the bustle and noise of the crowds.

Egyptian culture isn’t all about pyramids, pharaohs and mummies, of course, and those interested in seeing the more modern side of Egypt can find plenty to see and do in cities such as Cairo and Alexandria, home to majestic mosques and bustling market souks that can be the perfect introduction to the Islamic world, and a safer destination for tourists than many other destinations in the Middle East and North Africa.