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egypt:
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· travel advisories
· getting there
· getting around
when to go
· fast facts
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Egypt is the oldest tourist destination on earth. Ancient Greeks and Romans started the trend, coming to goggle at the
scale of the Pyramids and the Colossi of Thebes. At the onset of colonial times, Napoleon and the British in turn looted
Egypt's treasures to fill their national museums, sparking off a trickle of Grand Tourists that eventually became a flood of
travellers, packaged for their Nile cruises and Egyptological lectures by the enterprising Thomas Cook.
Today, the attractions of the country are not only the monuments
of the Nile Valley and the souks, mosques and madrassas of Islamic
Cairo, but the natural wonders of the Red Sea, Sinai, and the
Eastern and Western deserts: fantastic coral reefs and tropical
fish, dunes and rock scapes� plus ancient fortresses, monasteries
and rock art.
The land itself is a freak of nature, whose lifeblood is the River Nile. From the Sudanese border to the shores of the
Mediterranean, the Nile Valley and its Delta are flanked by arid wastes, the latter as empty as the former are teeming
with people. This stark duality between fertility and desolation is fundamental to Egypt's character and has shaped its
development since prehistoric times, imparting continuity to diverse cultures and peoples over seven millennia. It is a
sense of permanence and timelessness that is buttressed by religion, which pervades every aspect of life. Although the
pagan cults of ancient Egypt are as moribund as its legacy of mummies and temples, their ancient fertility rites and
processions of boats still hold their place in the celebrations of Islam and Christianity.
The result is a multi-layered culture, which seems to accord equal respect to ancient and modern. The peasants (fellaheen)
of the Nile and Bedouin tribes of the desert live much as their ancestors did a thousand years ago. Other communities include
the Nubians of the far south, and the Coptic Christians, who trace their ancestry back to pharaonic times. What unites them is
a love of their homeland, extended family ties, dignity, warmth and hospitality towards strangers. Though most visitors are
drawn to Egypt by its monuments, the enduring memory is likely to be of its people and their way of life.
The crime rate in Egypt is low, however there have been reported incidents of assault by taxi drivers of their passengers, including foreigners. Women travelling on their own, particularly when using taxis, can be subjected to verbal abuse and physical harrassment.
There's so much more to learn... Check out our Facts For The Visitor or read up on our reviews of everything about Egypt:
If you're gonna travel abroad, make sure you are prepared... take it from us, travel insurance is an absolute must!
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