The Colored Canyon
Sinai’s Coloured Canyon is around a kilometre long and full of magnificent rock formations. Formed by the elements over centuries, the walls cascade with colours and a natural maze has been formed that is excellent for exploring and taking photographs.
The rocks vary from sandstone to limestone and granite in yellow, purple, red and gold. The hike through the canyon is largely an easy one, though an average level of fitness is required.A day trip to the canyon can easily be combined with a visit to Nuweiba or St Catherine’s Monastery.
Feiran Oasis
Daily
Feiran Oasis, Sinai
Often called the Pearl of Sinai, Feiran Oasis is the largest on the peninsula, stretching for about five kilometres and
If it wasn’t for the fantastically rich history surrounding the Sinai peninsular, few would brave a trek to this remote and arid mountain region in southern Egypt. But for Jews, Christians, Muslims (and geography fanatics) alike, it is an important place of pilgrimage.
Tourist and public buses have made the area more accessible although no less fascinating for that.The region’s name derives from its treasured mountain jewel, known variously as Mount Sinai, Mount Moses, Jebel Musa and Gebel Musa amongst others. Its role in the history of religion is large. And indeed, at 7497 feet high, it is a suitably lofty site for God to tell Moses a thing or two (notably the Ten Commandments), and further for Mohammed’s horse Boraq to ascend to heaven.
The best way to experience the Mount is to get to the top. First off, you should offload heavy packs (either at St Catherine’s monastery, or at the police station at the bottom) before you do anything. The journey skywards is not so easy – and there are two ways to do it. The shorter of the two paths upwards is (cunningly) the more exhausting one. Made up of 3000 randomly sized steps, it was cobbled together by a very guilty monk in a brave attempt to fulfill his pledge of penitence. The steps are hard work on the legs and can be dangerous at night if not properly lit. Climbing downwards can be just as exhausting too.The other path on offer is the slightly longer camel path (and sometime donkey path) which can take you, with four-legged help, almost to the top (but for a price that is as steep as the ascent). The last stretch is for human legs alone. It’s cheapest in the midday sun, but you have to be as mad as a dog or an Englishman to brave it.To find either of these paths, head behind the monastery and follow the path, until a graphic sign shows you which way to take. There are always plenty of people on the trail if you ever get confused. The best time to start the trail is in the late afternoon, with the aim of reaching the top for sunset. After the sun goes down, it’s then time to lie on your back (with warm cover) and marvel at the huge night sky. Before you know it, it’s time to welcome the sun during an unforgettable sunrise over the mountains of Africa, Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. But be warned, don’t spend too long looking at your feet – the debris of countless tourists is not as attractive as mother earth.On the way down, take advantage of the daylight to check out Elijah’s Hollow – a plain near ground level housing a 500 year old cypress tree. It is here that Elijah apparently heard God talk to him, and two chapels mark the spot. At the bottom, where you may have left your bags, you must venture inside St Catherine’s Monastery. Believed to be the oldest unrestored example of Byzantine architecture in the world, it also houses the relic of the Burning Bush.Mount Sinai offers something for everyone. Even if you aren’t spiritual, be warned that nature’s stunning backdrop is bound to make you slip into a contemplative mode at the very least.
featuring more than 30,000 palm trees, orange trees, lemon trees and… More
Pharaoh’s Island
Pharaoh’s Island, also called Coral Island or Geziret Faraum, is the location of Salah El Din Castle, a crusader fort originally built in 1115 to levy taxes on Arab merchants and to offer protection to pilgrims travelling between Jerusalem and St Catherine’s Monastery. Apart from the chance to explore the castle itself, visitors can also snorkel or dive in the maze of reefs off the northern tip of the island.
The fort was conquered by Salah El Din in 1170 but was left abandoned soon after. Renovation works were carried out by the Ottomans afterwards, including adding sleeping quarters for the troops, bath houses and kitchens with huge ovens. There are also towers that used to house carrier pigeons, allowing communications between the fort and the external world.
Dahab
Once a small Bedouin fishing village, today Dahab is a world-renowned tourist destination. Thanks to its reliable winds and superb flat-water conditions, the town attracts water sport enthusiasts throughout the year.
Keen windsurfers head to Speedy, an area blessed by strong and uninterrupted winds, while most snorkellers explore the reef just adjacient to the waterfront. The nearby Blue Hole and Canyon are internationally famous dive spots.There is also a range of adventurous local activities to choose from, including camel, horse, jeep and quad-bike safaris. For a bit of sightseeing combined with amazing sunsets, take a day trip to Saint Catherine’s Monastery, located just a couple of hours’ drive away.
Blue Hole
The world-famous Blue Hole in Dahab, Sinai, is a hole in the reef about 55 metres wide and 102 metres deep where corals, fans, eels and dozens of fish species flourish.
The most amazing feature is the stunning Archway, which is located 54 metres down. Certainly a must-see for enthusiastic divers.
Sharm Old Market
When: Daily
Where: Sharm El Sheick
Despite its name, Sharm Old Market is in fact a rather new market, located in the area of old Sharm El-Sheikh, which has a traditional Egyptian feel.
Products on sale here range from oils, spices and herbs to unique local handicrafts like hand-woven rugs, scarves and belly dancing gear. Prices are moderate, but a bit of haggling can bring them down by 30% or more if you’re really good at it!
Pyramids at Giza
Cost: E£40 (Great Pyramid of Khufu E£100); Solar Barque Museum E£35
Opening Hours: Daily 8am-4pm (until 5pm summer)
The last surviving of the Seven Wonders of the World, Giza’s three immense pyramids, Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, built over 4000 years ago, were the pharaohs’ necropolis. Check out Solar Barque Museum’s ancient cedarwood boat. Early morning is coolest.
Contrary to popular belief, it was only one of the pyramids, the Great Pyramid of Khufu, which was classified around the 5th century BC as a Wonder with a capital ‘W’.
To build the Pyramid of Khufu, experts estimate hat 84,000 people employed for 80 days a year worked for 20 years to complete it. Incredibly, for 40+ centuries it was the tallest man-made structure on earth, only surpassed by the 19th century’s high-tech construction techniques.
The other two other pyramids in the complex – Khafre and Menkaure – while still pretty impressive, are easily overwhelmed by the sheer scope of their bigger cousin. But together they form a truly majestic spectacle.
So why did a large fraction of Lower Egypt’s male population sweat for most of their adult lives to create this stupendously timeless structure? It seems Pharaohs went out of their way to prove their incredible stature for the present and for coming generations, competing with each other to the point where poor Pharaoh Khafre, who built his pyramid after Khufu, had to put his smaller pyramid on top of a mound to make it look bigger, as well as covering the lower steps with granite to make them look impressive.
Whatever their size, perhaps the most amazing thing about them is that a ruler actually had the sheer autocratic will and ambition to order them made! Turning the constructive efforts of a whole empire towards building a monument to oneself, for more than 20 years, is no mean task…
Pyramids at Giza
Cost: Free
Opening Hours:
Accessible 24 hours
One of the oldest surviving structures in Egypt (and that’s pretty old), the enigmatic Sphinx is carved from one vast block of limestone, with the body of a lion and a human head.
The true origins of the sphinx are unclear. While the scholarly consensus agrees that it was built by Khafre, who built the largest of the three Pyramids of Giza, others argue that it was already in place when the pyramids were built. Some claim that the patterns of erosion on its surface indicate water damage, a bit strange seeing that the Giza area has been pretty dry for the last 6000 years. The riddle of the Sphinx has been rumbling so long, it’s unlikely its origins will ever be revealed.One of the most persistent myths surrounding the Sphinx is that its nose was blown off by the troops of Napoleon, who used it for target practice. This is complete rubbish.
Several destructive forces converged on the Sphinx through the centuries before Napoleon came to Egypt, including in 1380AD when the iconoclastic ardour of Mohammed Sa’im al-Dahr, a fanatical Muslim, damaged the ears and nose. He was lynched by the locals afterwards. Then the Mamluks did indeed use the monument as target practice. The charge against Napoleon is particularly unfair because he brought a team of savants to Egypt to study its rich lore and civilisation.The Sphinx remains unperturbed, gazing down on tourists today with the same calm eyes which watched the Ancient Egyptian empire rise and fall, the troops of Napoleon trot by and the tanks of the Second World War rumble through.
Saqqara
One of the most important necropoli of the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis, Saqqara contains a host of important archaeological sites and buildings, including the phenomenal step pyramid of Zozer.
The incredibly vast necropolis of Saqqara contains hundreds and hundreds of worthy sights, far too many to list here. Among the crypts, burial monuments, temples, statues, colossi, columnades and squares of this tremendous city of the dead, perhaps the most outstanding sight is the step pyramid built for king Zozer, or Djoser, during the third dynasty (around 2600 BC).The pyramid is about 200 feet tall, composed of six levels that diminish in size as they approach the apex of the structure. The burial chamber was located 28 feet underground, at the end of a steep vertical shaft leading down under the pyramid.
Zozer’s step pyramid is said to be the first major Egyptian structure constructed entirely in stone and represents a major revolution in the building techniques of the Egyptians. It is the precursor of the pyramids, temples and other important pieces of Egyptian stonework you can still see today. Its structural origins lie in the mastaba, a platform or burial slate placed on top of tombs, with a shaft leading down to the burial chamber. Aspirations of posthumous grandeur lead gradually to the evolution of the rather imposing structures that were the pyramids.The construction of the pyramid and the idea of using stone for construction work were attributed to the Pharaoh’s vizier, the multi-talented scribe Imhotep, who later became the Egyptian god of Learning and Medicine. Imhotep was a veritable Renaissance man, who excelled among other things as an architect, scribe, historian and astronomer.The bull-god Apis was worshipped at Saqqarah – his sacred bulls were mummified and kept in a vast subterranean complex underlying the overground structures, to be consulted as oracles.A new excavation project is currently under way and its progress can followed online by clicking on “Digging Diaries” on the Saqqara Online website.
Egyptian Museum
Cost:
E£50 (E£100 for mummies)
Opening Hours:
Daily 8.30am-6.30pm
Boy king Tutankhamun’s gold and lapis-lazuli burial-mask and coffin are highlights of the Egyptian Museum in Downtown Cairo. With over 120,000 antiquities, covering centuries of ancient history, be selective. Royal mummies, immersed in hallowed hush, are worth the extra ticket.
Although an incredible amount of Ancient Egyptian remains appear to have migrated across the world, appropriated on somewhat dubious credentials by the nations who funded the vast sweep of digs in the 19th century, the Egyptian Antiquities Museum in Cairo has managed to keep hold of some of the country’s finest treasures.
Other interesting items on show include a series from the reign of Akhenaten, who attempted to turn the Egyptian religion into a monotheistic faith.An essential stop for any visitor to Cairo, the museum provides a fantastic focus on the wide spectrum of the Ancient Egyptian culture – just don’t expect to see everything on your first visit.
Museum of Islamic Art
Following four years of renovation works, Cairo’s Museum of Islamic Art has reopened to the public with a richer collection of antiquities from the 7th century AD through to the end of the Ottoman period in Egypt (1849).
The museum displays more than 100,000 pieces of art from each of the different Islamic eras that Egypt has known, as well as a glorious selection of original art and tools from the Islamic dynasties of China, India, Iran, and Arabian countries such as Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Morocco.
The Citadel
When: Daily; not Fri
Where: Cairo
Cost: E£40
Opening Hours: Daily 9am-4pm (mosques closed Fri during prayers)
An unmissable landmark, the Citadel near Islamic Cairo was home to Egypt’s rulers for 700 years. With great city views – and breeze – the huge fortress contains mosques, palaces and museums including the white marble Mohammed Ali Mosque.
This landmark was initially used for its views of the city, and was only fortified between 1176 and 1183 AD by Saladin to protect it from the Crusaders.
Due to its strategic position, over the years the Citadel has been partly destroyed and modified by almost every invader. However, much of what can be seen today reflects the influence of the Ottoman empire, who controlled Egypt in one way or another between 1517 and the early 20th century.
Throughout the years the Ottomans rebuilt the wall that separates the northern and southern enclosures, as well as the Bab al-Azab, the fortified gate located opposite the Akhur Mosque. They also built the 25-metre Burg al-Muqattam tower rising above the entrance – the tallest tower of this centuries-old bastion.
In 1805 Ottoman Muhammad Ali Pasha, one of the great builders of Modern Egypt, made further changes to the entire complex and ordered the construction of his Mohammed Ali Mosque, today Cairo’s most dramatic feature.
Please note that access on Fridays is strictly reserved for prayers only.
Old Cairo
The small and enclosed area, also known as Coptic Cairo, is the oldest part of the city and was once known as the Roman stronghold of Babylon; some of the old walls still exist. It is the ancient heart of the Coptic Christian community and although only five of the original 20 churches remain they are interesting to visit, along with the first mosque built in Egypt and the oldest synagogue, a representation of three of the major religions of the modern world. It is a peaceful place to wander around and a respite from the busy city centre. Churches of interest are the Al-Muallaqa (Hanging Church), the oldest Christian place of worship in the city, and St Sergius where the Holy Family reputedly sheltered during their flight to Egypt.
Coptic Museum
When: Not on Sunday
Where: Cairo Old City
Cost: E£16; students E£8
Opening Hours: 9am-5pm
More than an archive of Coptic history, the Coptic Museum offers a case study in the formative years of a major religion that grew, intermingled, and sometimes borrowed from that of an ancient religion that it was replacing.
Coptic was the name given by 16th and 17th-century Europeans to the Christian minority in Egypt, and to their language, the latest phase in the history of the ancient Egyptian language. Following suggestions at the end of the 19th century, in 1914 the Coptic Museum was founded by Marcus Simaika (1864-1944), a wealthy Copt and leading figure in encouraging Coptic interest in the Coptic past. The Church provided the land for the museum, in Old Cairo, against the walls of the ancient Roman fortress, as well as many of the exhibits.
With most of the ancient churches of Egypt destroyed or rebuilt, the Coptic Museum is the only chance to see this part of both Egypt’s and Christianity’s history. It houses the world’s most important examples of Coptic art. Many artefacts show how old representation techniques were used by the first Christians. Examples of this is how the ankh-symbol (like a cross with a loop on top) was reworked into a Christian cross, how Mary with a sucking infant Jesus was shaped after the prototype of Isis breastfeeding Horus and how crosses and Horus hawks were put together on a basket-weave capital.The most important part of the museum is probably the collection of scripts, which include papyrus sheets of the Gnostic gospels found at Nag Hammadi in 1945, and the Coptic Psalter, the oldest preserved codex in the world.
Khan el-Khalili Bazaar
When: Daily
Where: Cairo
Opening Hours:
Daily 7am-7pm (many stalls close Fri or Sun)
Noisy Khan el-Khalili in Islamic Cairo, known locally as ‘the Khan’, has over 900 stalls selling almost everything. Join locals along medieval streets and haggle for perfumes, hand-blown glass and camel-hair rugs or just absorb the sounds and smells. document.write(”); dcmaxversion = 9 dcminversion = 6 Do On Error Resume Next plugin = (IsObject(CreateObject(“ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash.” & dcmaxversion & “”))) If plugin = true Then Exit Do dcmaxversion = dcmaxversion – 1 Loop While dcmaxversion >= dcminversion
Originally built as a caravansarai in 1382 by the Emir Djaharks el-Khalili, it is located in the heart of the Fatimid City with one of the Mamluk arches providing an entrance.The Khan is adjacent to El Muski market and together they comprise one of Cairo’s most important shopping districts. Egyptians generally shop in the north and west part of the market, where prices are cheaper. Special areas are given over to brassware, copperware, gold, belly dancing dresses, carpets, fruit and vegetables. Visitors can watch perfume makers, jewellery makers and a host of other artisans at work.An especially fun part of the market to stroll through is the Street of the Tentmakers, the only surviving medieval covered market in Cairo, which is blissfully cool under the canvas. The tents on sale are not for camping, but decorated with beautiful Arabesque designs for weddings. Happy shopping, and remember to bargain!
Cairo Tower
When: Daily
Where: Cairo
Cost: E£60
Opening Hours: 9am-1am
The 187-metre Cairo Tower, also known as Borg al-Qahira, rises majestically above Gezira Island, providing breathtaking views of the entire city.
Built in the late 1950s with the help of the former Soviet Union, the tower features a curious blend of Pharaonic and Socialist details, shaped in the form of a latticework tube that resembles a lotus plant.On the 14th floor is a rotating restaurant, along with a cafeteria equipped with a viewing room and telescopes. Some of the attractions visible from here are the medieval quarter, just beyond the Nile Hilton hotel and the Television Building, and Muqattam Hills, both on the east side. Look westwards to see the desert and Pyramids, while Zamalek, Shubra and the Nile Delta are to the north.
Perhaps the best time to visit is just before sunset, when millions of twinkling lights come to life. Then make your way back to the bottom of the tower and catch a belly dancing performance, held every night at the Tower’s nightclub, Legends.
Dr Ragab’s Pharaonic Village
When: Daily
Where: Cairo
Cost: E£65; concessions available
Opening Hours: Winter: 9am-5pm / Summer: 9am-9pm
The Pharaonic Village on Jacob’s Island in Cairo offers a theme park-style guide to ancient Egypt. Visitors are taken on a motorised barge through a network of canals, or left to wander among the numerous exhibits – some of which are living.
In converting Jacob Island into a reconstruction of ancient Egypt, Dr Ragab began by planting 5000 trees of different types to screen the island from modern Cairo. He searched the world for plants, seeds and even birds which had flourished in ancient Egypt but were no longer present. The island now includes nine hectares of papyrus.The village still continues to grow, with new projects and exhibits appearing regularly. There are ten museums in total, of which four relate to the Pharaonic period, while the others examine different periods of Egyptian history, including Coptic Christianity and Islam. Visitors can also explore a reconstruction of an Egyptian temple of white stone, complete with its sacred lake – the centrepiece of the park, reconstructed dwellings of craftsmen and farmers, a nobleman’s villa, a marketplace and Pharaoh’s palace, even a military camp. Many crafts and industries are represented, including pottery and sculpture, weaving and boat building, as well as daily activities of long, long ago.
One of the highlights is the recently-completed replica of Tutankhamun’s tomb, which features copies of the objects still in situ when the tomb was discovered. Using Howard Carter’s notes and original photographs, Dr Ragab and his team reproduced the entire tomb, with craftsmen often using the same techniques that were used in ancient times.
Alexandria
When: Daily
Where:Pompey’s Pillar
Opening Hours: 9am-5pm (until 3pm during Ramadan)
One of the most popular of Alexandria’s monuments to visit, Pompey’s Pillar is a red-granite column raised in honour of Roman Emperor Diocletain towards the end of the 4th century.
Originally the column belonged to the temple of the Serapis, a stunning structure designed by Greek architect Parmeniscos. Today it stands alone in the Karmous quarter, south-west of the city, surrounded by gardens with remnants of other ancient statues. A visit to the nearby Catacombs of Kom es-Shoqafa provides a glimpse of burial rituals in ancient Egypt.
Monastery of St Anthony
When : Daily
Where: Al-Qalzam Mountain
Opening Hours: 8am-6pm
Located at the foot of Al-Qalzam Mountain near Al Zaafarana, the Monastery of St Anthony was built in 356 AD, soon after the Saint’s death, and is the oldest active monastery in the world.
Home to around 70 monks, today the monastery is a self-contained village with gardens, a mill, a bakery and five churches, including St Anthony’s Church, where the Saint is buried. A visit to the latter gives access to recently-restored wall paintings of various periods and styles, the ancient library, holding thousands of handwritten manuscripts, and the saint’s cave, containing more writings and drawings.As an added bonus, the views of the surrounding mountains, the Red Sea and the valley below are breathtaking.
