Overview
Travellers have marvelled at Egypt’s archaeological wonders for centuries, ever since the Ancient Greeks visited the pyramids. Today, the ancient wonders attract millions of tourists each year to the pyramids, temples, mosques and great monuments of the Nile Valley, as well as the stunning diving resorts of the Red Sea.
In 430 BC, when Herodotos exclaimed in awe over the magnificent monuments in Egypt, many of them were already 2,500 years old. Most, from the pyramids of Giza to the astonishingly beautiful temples of Karnak or Philae, or the painted tombs in the Valley of the Kings, can still be visited today. The sheer age of this great civilisation is mind-blowing.
The life-giving Nile pours across the map, feeding an emerald ribbon of irrigated fields adjacent to villages shaded by date palms. Whether on a cruise ship or traditional felucca, life on the water is a constant visual feast, while the few huge, dusty cities(Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan and Luxor) are a babble of exotic sounds and smells.
Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheik, on the Red Sea coast, are doors to a magical underwater world of technicolour fish and coral favoured by divers, while other adventurous travellers head inland. Here, you can discover monasteries amid the arid mountains of Sinai or the distant desert oases, homes of the hardy nomads whose camel trains still wander the Saharan sands.
Travel Tip
Getting Around
Getting Around By Air
EgyptAir (website: www.egyptair.com.eg) operates daily flights between Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Hurghada. Air Sinai operates services from Cairo to Eilat, El Arish, Hurghada, Luxor, Ras El Nakab, St Catherine, Sharm el-Sheikh and Taba.
Getting Around by Water
There are slow and fast ferry services linking Hurghada with Sharm el-Sheikh in Sinai (journey times - 1 hour 30 minutes (fast ferry) or 6 hours (slow ferry)). The traditional Nile sailing boats, feluccas, can be hired by the hour for relaxed sailing on the Nile. Regular Nile cruises operate between Luxor and Aswan, and sometimes between Cairo and Aswan.
Getting Around by Rail
A comprehensive rail network run by Egyptian State Railways (tel: (02) 574 9474 or 575 3555) offering a high standard of service is operated along an east–west axis from Sallom on the Libyan border to Alexandria and Cairo, and along the Nile to Luxor and Aswan. There are also links to Port Said and Suez. There are frequent trains from Cairo to Alexandria, and also several luxury air-conditioned day and night trains with sleeping and restaurant cars from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan for the Nile Valley tourist trade.
For the overnight train, bookings should be made one week in advance through a travel agent or through Abela Egypt, Ramses Station, Ramses Square, Cairo (tel: (2) 574 9274 or 9474; website: www.sleepingtrains.com). On Egyptian State Railways, children under four years travel free. Children aged four to nine years pay half fare. Holders of Youth Hostel cards can get reductions.
Getting Around by Road
Traffic drives on the right. Besides the Nile Valley and Delta, which hold an extensive road network, there are paved roads along the Mediterranean and African Red Sea coasts. The road looping through the Western Desert oases from Asyut to Giza is fully paved. Private motoring in the desert regions is not recommended without suitable vehicles and a guide. For more details, contact the Egyptian Automobile Club in Cairo.
Bus: The national bus system serves the Nile Valley and the coastal road. Main routes are from Cairo to St Catherine, Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab, Ras Sudr, El-Tour, Taba and Rafah; from Suez to El-Tour and Sharm el-Sheikh; and from Sharm el-Sheikh to Taba, Neweiba, El-Tour, Dahab and St Catherine. Coach services operate between Cairo and Agami, Marakia-Mrabila, Marina-Aidda Sidy Abd El Rahman, Matrouh, Ma’amoura Beach and Hurghada.
Taxi: Long-distance group taxis for all destinations are cheap. Fares should be agreed in advance.
Car hire: This is available through international and local companies. The driver must be at least 25 years of age.
Regulations: The speed limit is usually 90kph (56mph) on motorways and 100kph (62mph) on the desert motorway from Cairo to Alexandria (there are substantial fines for speeding).
Documentation: Visitor’s own insurance and an International Driving Permit are required to drive any motor vehicle. Carnet de Passage or a suitable deposit is necessary for the temporary import of visitor’s own vehicle. All vehicles (including motorcycles) are required by law to carry a fire extinguisher and a red hazard triangle.
Getting Around Towns and Cities
The government-owned Cairo Transport Authority runs buses and tram services in Cairo and also operates cross-Nile ferries. There is a central area flat fare. In addition, there are other buses and fixed-route shared taxi and minibus services run by private operators. Vehicles normally wait at city terminals to obtain a full load, but there are frequent departures. Fares are three to four times higher than on the buses. Cairo’s suburban railways have been upgraded to provide a rapid transit network, including Africa’s first underground railway.
Alexandria also has buses and tramways, with first- and second-class and distance-regulated fares.
Taxis: These are available in all the larger cities and are metered. In Cairo, taxis are white and black, in Alexandria they are orange and black. Taxis which are Peugeot 504s are ’service’ taxis. They are larger but more expensive.
Journey Times
The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Cairo to other major cities/towns in Egypt.
