Tour Egypt for Ancient and Exotic Adventures ..

If you've ever dreamed of witnessing the magnificence of the Great Pyramids, standing in awe before the Great Sphinx, or reveling in the treasures found in King Tut's tomb, the magic of Egypt awaits you. You can tour Egypt for an unforgettable experience of a lifetime.

Whether you want to cruise the Nile in the style of Cleopatra or visit the Valley of the Kings, a Cairo program tour may be just the thing to fulfill your dreams. If your tastes lean toward adventure travel, a Cairo tour may mark the beginning of a journey that will include, for example, a diving excursion in the Ras Mohammed underwater nature reserve or a trek to a desert Bedouin Camp.

A Cairo museum tour will enchant you with the breathtaking antiquities of ancient Egypt, while retaining the services of a Cairo travel guide will allow you to experience the beauties and mysteries of a city from a local perspective.

If you have an interest in Egypt's ancient Holy Lands, you can travel Cairo and see the Red Sea and visit Old Cairo, where early Judaism and Christianity flourished.

While you're in Cairo, photo travel adventures await. You'll want to bring plenty of film - or extra storage cards for your digital camera - when you visit the Ben Ezra Synagogue, the Saint Serguis Church, the Great Citadel begun by Saladdin, and the Mohamed Ali Mosque, also known as the "Alabaster Mosque."

In Cairo, Egypt, travel can mean entering a time machine and visiting the sites of a wondrous and mysterious civilization, or enjoying very modern activities and amenities such as golf, cruises, and even bowling. You'd be doing yourself a disservice, though, if you didn't learn at least a bit about ancient Egypt before booking a Cairo, Egypt tour.

Some other things to know before you go:

* According to the U.S. State Department, a passport and visa are required to visit Egypt. Although renewable, 30-day tourist visas are available for US$15 upon arrival at Cairo International Airport, if you're arriving overland, you should obtain your visa prior to your arrival in Egypt.

* Egypt has close to 79 million residents, and Egypt's size is approximately three times the size of New Mexico.

* The official language of Egypt is Arabic, although French and English are widely spoken and understood.

* Egypt is bisected by the fertile Nile Valley, which spurs Egypt's economy.

* The currency is the Egyptian pound, and the exchange rate in 2005 was 5.78 Egyptian pounds per U.S. dollar.

Whether you're traveling for business or pleasure, with the right tour, Egypt will enchant and engage you, drawing you in to its ancient mysteries.

Ancient Egyptian Art **** Timeless and Beautiful Today

Ancient Egyptian Art is one of the most recognized, admired and collected art in the history of the world. From delicate gold jewelry to vivid paintings to massive statues dozens of feet tall, for over 5,000 years Egyptian art has fascinated, delighted and awed generation after generation with its beauty, style and mystery. While genuine ancient pieces of art are rare and extremely valuable, modern Egyptian artists make beautiful art and jewelry that is inspired by some of the greatest recovered works from ancient sites, and which adheres strictly to the styles used by ancient artists. Jewelry in gold and silver with inlaid stones are fashioned after pieces of jewelry recovered from ancient tombs. Papyrus Paintings are painted in vivid color on genuine papyrus, made using the same principles developed thousands of years ago on the banks of the Nile, where the papyrus plant grows to this day. Paintings are executed in the style of frontalism, one of the most striking characteristics of ancient Egypt. 

Frontalism 

Frontalism is the style in which every known piece of ancient Egyptian art was produced. In paintings, the style of frontalism means that the head of the character is drawn in profile, while the body is drawn from a front view. However, even though the face is in profile, the eye is drawn in full, as it would be seen from the front. The legs always face the same direction as the head, with one foot forward and one back. 

Ancient Egyptian figures, especially of gods and pharaohs, are noticeable for their very formal, even rigid stance and posture, but their faces are always serene, regardless of the scene in which they are depicted. There were very strict rules about how a god or pharaoh could be represented, which even included a prohibition against anything being drawn in front of the face or body of the pharaoh, even when the scene depicted clearly required it for any kind of realism. Realism was simply not a goal of ancient Egyptian Art. It is these very formal and stylized rules that have made Egyptian Art one of the most widely recognized forms of art in the world. Over thousands of years Egyptian artists adhered to this one style, which is quite remarkable, especially as compared to the extreme differences in art expression that have occurred in the modern world in just the past 100 years or so. The only acknowledged variations are in the portrayals of animals and common people as compared to the more formal depictions of pharaohs and gods. As can be seen in many Egyptian paintings, animals and common people or slaves are represented in a more natural manner, though still within very strict and formulaic rules. 

This frontalist style is the primary reason why ancient Egyptian art is so easily recognizable, and its appeal has lasted through many centuries to this day.

Shopping In Egypt

It has been a well known fact that when you visit any place else in the world, may it be at your own locality, shopping is never out of the to-do list. You shop and it is out of the question why you do so. So, think about it, if you shop in your own locality, how much more when you are out of the country? A souvenir is a must and I am perfectly aware of that! Now, to save you from wondering where to shop when you are in an enchanting, history rich country like Egypt, I have here a guide for you. 

When shopping, Egypt has it "under one roof", the Khan el-Khalili in Cairo. It is a place where you can experience full onslaught of Egyptian shopping. You can find almost anything here - from cloths, to water pipes, to papyrus. Name it, The Khan has it. So, do expect to spend the rest of your day here, especially if you are the impulsive buyer type. A hundred percent guarantee that you will really enjoy shopping here, and yes, you might even drain your wallet in this area. That is why, for a friendly reminder, use your bargaining skills. Why bargain? Because, The Khan is just like most of the bazaars you will find in any other place in the world. Yet, Egyptians usually call the bazaar as souks. Did I mention that the selection in this place is endless? Yes, indeed! 

Egyptian cotton, having been soft and longer lasting, claimed the best in the world. So, never miss the opportunity of buying it in an affordable price in the place where it originated, Egypt. The Khan has different varieties of such cotton. From towels, bed sheets, shower robes to just simple cotton cloths turn into your own fancy. They have it here! And if you want the ones that are made highly for export quality, Wekalet El Balah, Al Azhar Street and El Sadd Street is the place to be. These streets have thousands of Egyptian cotton and to top it off, they specialize in this kind of industry. 

>From spices to jewelry to perfume bottles, The Khan can provide it for you. Visit the Shobra el-Khema and be amazed with the different bottles made extraordinarily. Some even have intricate designs on it. The bottles come in different shapes, sizes as well as colors. 

Now, how can we ever forget the ever most popular papyrus? Guess what, you can also find it here in The Khan. And the good news is, the papyrus artwork comes in all forms and sizes. There are a lot of beautiful papyrus artworks that it will really make it hard for you to decide what to buy or what not. In addition to this, these beautifully made papyrus have signatures of the artists themselves hand-painted on each papyrus. If you will not buy what I just said, why not visit the outside skirts of Egyptian Antiquities Museum and find out for yourself? 

And lastly, the hookahs; Egypt is known to have these and yes, again, The Khan has it for you. A variety of glass water pipes or hookahs can be found here. And yes, you will definitely have a hard time deciding which hookah to buy. However, if you will buy one, do not forget the bubble wraps as they keep help keep your purchase in one piece. 

There are still a lot of things that you can find in The Khan. So, when visiting Egypt, do not hesitate to visit the place and shop until you drop. 

How To Get To Egypt 123

Egypt is a land rich in history and culture, with a vast area of geographical attractions that makes the country more intriguing to tourists all over the world. These attraction where known since the ancient times, since the time when slavery was vast in Africa wherein people were forced to built gigantic monuments to give praise to their Gods and preserve their rulers for the thought of ruling again in the future. The famous man-made gigantic creations are the great Egyptian Pyramids which is wrap with mysteries until this time, the Sphinx which is a mythological creature depicted from a lion with a human head, the Valley of Kings where the noble Egyptians were buried. Aside from man-made attractions, Egypt is also a place blessed with natural attractions from the roots of Nile river. 

The very basic necessity in order to go to Egypt is a valid passport and a visa. You can apply for a visa in the Egyptian embassy with the complete requirements in order. A single entry visa is only valid for 3 months with a 1 month stay of the said country. If you are planning of popping in and out of the country every once in a while, whether for recreation, relaxation, and business purposes, then multiple-entry visa would be our best advise. If you are coming as a group, it is also advisable to contact a traveling agency wherein they will be the one to process the requirements without hassle in your part. 

No one is gonna stop you once you acquired your visa so start packing your things and be good-to-go whenever you want whether by land, plane or ship. 

For travelers more comfortable with plane, Egypt has several major airports to choose from, namely, Cairo International Airport, Alexandria Nozha, Luxor International Airport, Aswan International Airport, Hurghada International Airport, Sharm El Sheikh International Airport and Burg Al-Arab International Airport. Cairo International Airport is the main gateway airport of most of the international airlines. It all actually depends on your destination and preference to which airports are you bound to. 

Egypt is also accessible through buses and cars for their neighboring countries, but of course this would take time for you to arrive to your destination so be sure to bring with you your leisure gadgets like cameras to take pictures of what might come in your way and i-pods to make you ride lively. However, this is also a good choice since this is much cheaper than on plane and more fun, for you don't not know what is on your way. Nevertheless, never forget your visa with you, for you cannot cross the borders without it. 

Another option is traveling by boat. Riding on a boat with your love one is another interesting thing to do, more relax and the sea breeze will surely get you on the mood. There are couple of Ferry services are available to choose from. To mention; First, there is From Pireaus, Greece to Alexandria. Second, is from Aqaba (Jordan) to Suez. Third, is from Aqaba (Jordan) to Nuweiba in the Sinai Peninsula. Fourth, is from Saudi Arabia to Suez. And lastly, is from Wadi Helfa (Sudan) to Aswan across Lake Nasser.

Scuba Diving

For many Europeans, traveling to the Red Sea for scuba diving is like many North Americans going to the Caribbean. For a scuba diver based in North America or anywhere else outside of Europe or Africa, a journey to the Red Sea is considered one of the more exotic scuba diving trips. Like other overseas travel, getting to the final destination is the hardest thing. The Red Sea can be dived from ports in both Egypt and Israel but most international scuba divers do so from the Egyptian side. There are two major scuba diving areas in Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada. Sharm El Sheikh at the northern part of the Red Sea is the more established center having been a popular vacation resort area as both Egyptians and Europeans have been vacationing here for many years. The local scuba dive industry grew along with the overall steady growth of classy resorts, shops and other tourist services in Sharm El Sheikh. Hurghada, once just a sleepy fishing village along the west side of the Red Sea, is starting to grow as scuba divers discover this alternative to Sharm El Sheikh.

More than likely, travelers going to either Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada will have to fly to Cairo before connecting with Egypt Air or taking a bus to their final destination. Many scuba divers turn their Red Sea diving trip into a major extended holiday in order to both dive and see the many wonderful ancient Egyptian sites such as the pyramids. There are many things to see and do in Egypt in addition to the ancient ruins including museums, markets and Nile river cruises. So it is highly recommended to do some research and plan accordingly for any trip to Egypt as one would not want to run into the situation where not enough time was allocated to see everything one wants to see there in addition to scuba diving.

Many of the scuba operators in Sharm El Sheikh are affiliated or close by to a hotel resort. Most of the dive shops are actually owned and staffed by Europeans working in Egypt. This is similar to the situation in the Caribbean where many of the scuba operators there are American owned. The Red Sea has a higher salt content than Caribbean waters so it is recommended to add 4 to 5 more pounds to the amount of weight divers usually use. Like most European diving, the scuba community here in Egypt uses the metric system so weights will be in kilos while air pressure will be in bars. Most dive computers should be able to display both metric and imperial systems.

Many scuba operators in Sharm El Sheikh use a very interesting system for scuba tanks. Rather than using their own tanks, their dive boats go to a common central barge anchored in the harbor. This is where all the scuba tanks are supplied from and the dive boats collect the number of tanks they need for day’s dive trips. At the end of the trips, used tanks are dropped off at the same barge before heading back to port.

The majority of the dives in the Red Sea are semi drift dives where the dive boats drop off divers at the dive sites and then pick them up afterwards. One very different aspect of the Red Sea compared to other dive destinations in the world is that the coral reefs here can extend up to very shallow depths. As a result, the standard safety stops at 15 feet are done drifting among many of these sloping reefs along with the accompanying marine life. Therefore, these are some of the most scenic safety stops scuba divers will ever do. This is certainly different from the usual bland safety stop in the Caribbean. One thing to note is that the maximum allowable depth for recreational scuba divers in Egypt is 30 meters which is about 90 feet.

As expected, the marine life in the Red Sea is spectacular. There are many species of fish, crustaceans and marine plant life here that are not found in the Caribbean. In fact, many of them are indigenous to the Red Sea only. While lionfish can be extremely rare sightings elsewhere, they are quite abundant in the Red Sea which is a real treat for scuba divers. It is also not unusual to jump in the water to be among a large school of tuna or other fish. Many night divers will see coral reefs here to be more spectacular than in the Caribbean.

For many scuba divers, the Red Sea is one of those ‘must dive at least once in a lifetime’ destinations. It is a very unique place to dive especially with the desert background visible from the dive boats. The excellent diving with the many awesome sights of Egypt make the Red Sea a dream dive trip for any scuba diver.

10 >>Attractions Worth Visiting in Egypt

Egypt as one of the world's most intriguing country when it comes to mystery beyond their famous architectures and rich in history is a place where all of us would surely spend time to visit at least once in our lives. There are countless of wonders that you will see in Egypt, natural or man made. No matter how the media convey the beauty of this magnificent country, it cannot pale into comparison the experience you yourself will have. 

1 - The Cairo Tower 

In the center of Zamalek district in Gezira Island, stood a 187 meter tower leaning over Cairo. This famous Cairo Tower provides a glamorous view of the city at night, the glow of each building reveals the city's best contours. The panoramic view would surely take your breath away. 

2 - The Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx 

For over 4000 years, the great Pyramid of Giza never fails to enchant the eye sight of its viewers and The Great Sphynx never fails to mistify the minds of the every tourist. This 2 great creations remain as the icon of Egypt since the ancient times. Indeed, a beauty that must not be missed. 

3 - The Nile River 

The most popular and the source of life of Egypt, the Nile river, is another place you shouldn't miss. The best experience with the Nile is by cruise. Touring you the Nile's riverside is another magnificent scenery packed with luxury and style. 

4 - The Valley Of The Kings 

Situated at the west bank of the Nile across from Luxor, where the nobles were burried, lies The Valley of Kings. This is the principal burial place of the Kings of the New Kingdom dated back on the 16th to 11th century BC. Its tombs and chambers continue to be studied for further exploration and discovery. Indeed another place of never ending mystery that must be seen. 

5 - Luxor Temple 

Another great creation of the Ancient Egypt is Luxor Temple. It is thought to be the temple for Amon Ra in the shouthern region of Egypt. With its stunning entrance alone, you will surely praise this magnificent creation of the ancient times. 

6 - The Egyptian Museum In Cairo 

For a glimpse of Egypt's artifacts, Egyptian Museum in Cairo is the best place to be. Built on 1835, the museum exhibits over 120,000 artifacts from the ancient times. The museum doesn't only cater ancient artifacts, but mummies and sculptures as well. Another mesmerizing scene that would stain in your vision for a lifetime. 

7 - Red Sea Coast 

One of the world's best underwater adventures is situated at Red Sea in Egypt. Resorts in the Red Sea coast such as Hurghada caters scuba diving, taking you to some of the most beautiful parts of the Red Sea. It is inhibited by over 1000 invertebrate species wanting to be seen and explored by human eyes and minds. 

8 - White Desert 

Located 45 kilometers north from Farafra, you might mistakenly think this as a never ending shoreline of a beach since the whiteness of the sand resembles those at Bora Bora. This is another interesting site in Egypt with fascinating white rocks perfectly balanced on top of a pillar. This cream colored desert is best viewed during sunset or sunrise as it changes its color, a true delight on your eye sight. 

9 - Abu Simbel 

Another astounding place to hop in is the temple in Abu Simbel. The temple of Ramses in Abu Simbel unravels the beauty of ancient Egypt. It portrays how Egypt is rich in culture and power. These gigantic Statues are made for the purpose of recognition and landmark since ancient times. 

10 - Dakhla 

Dakhla Oasis is another oasis worth visiting for. Traditions are well preserve by the inhabitants making it more interesting to tourists and travelers. 

The Wonders of Egypt Holidays

Everyone is familiar with the amazing temples at Luxor and the pyramids of Giza that have become synonyms for Egypt. Egypt has long been an attraction for explorers, couples who want to have a bit of mystery and culture lovers. Along the river Nile you can see the tombs and cast monuments dating back 6,000 years to civilisations then. Today this means tourists can enjoy a vibrant culture, miles of deserts, the jaw dropping pyramids while staying in comfortable modern hotels. 

An Egyptian holiday is definitely a very special one, one that will stay with you for a long time and will stand out from the others. Where else can you explore ancient history with the pyramids of Giza, mummies and other ancient artefacts, taking in the breathtaking views as you are floating down the Nile or go diving in the clear blue sea to take in the amazing coral reefs. No other place offers this amazing experience. The hotels here are amazing; you will find only the best quality hotels with marble floors, beautifully decorated interiors, huge swimming pools and large rooms. 

For the family there are aqua parks and dolphin parks which is entertainment for all the family as well as Jeep safaris available so you explore more of this beautiful country. 

Once you’ve taken in these wonders you could head to Cairo, a bustling metropolis where local traders sell everything you can think of, you can buy local goods and hand made gifts or if you are happy to relax you can enjoy the comforts of an air-conditioned room, pool and nearby beach. 

Egypt offers great diving locations, where you can practice and take the professional padi. Sharm El Sheikh which is situated on the Red Sea has one of the worlds best scuba locations and great braches to explore. The Egyptians are very friendly people on the whole and will welcome you with open arms to their country and encourage you to take a sample of their amazing country. Egypt holidays offer all year sunshine and only a five hour flight from London means the wonders of Egypt aren’t far away. 

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