Best Cruises in Egypt

Nile River Cruise

A Nile Cruise is a truly unique holiday experience. Great monuments and ancient cities line the banks of the Nile, a cruise on the calm waters gives the traveller the advantage of insight into not only ancient times but also the modern. Day-to-day life flourishes, with farmers tending their crops, irrigating their fields in the traditional ways of their ancestors as the Nile cruise boats sail by.

Lake Nasser Cruise

Lake Nasser is the world's largest artificial lake. Surrounded by remote desert which covers the land of Nubia, Lake Nasser is the site of many tombs, temples and churches.  A cruise on Lake Nasser gives visitors the opportunity to enjoy serene desert vistas and to explore the ancient Nubian temples and monuments.

Felucca Cruises Packages

Nile felucca , typical Egyptian sailing boat, enjoy sleeping under the stars, with the feeling of the waves of the river Nile while sailing by felucca passing by the temples, small island while Egyptian farmers performing their jobs, The felucca depends on wind-power with no motor. It carries between one to 10 passengers comfortably. It contains shady to protect you from the rays of the sun. The serene life on board allows you to be refreshed from life stress & routine.
A felucca is a sea-craft, made to a traditional design, with broad canvas sails. Essentially, the craft is reliant on wind-power with no motor, and are dependent upon the wind factor to propel forth, so itineraries are subject to change from time to time. The craft carries between 5-10 passengers comfortably and the deck is strewn with soft colorful cushions and rugs and equipped with a canopy that offers shade and protection from the elements. Your felucca will cruise from picturesque Aswan through to Kom Ombo, taking in some stops at points of interest en-route with various stops, planned or impromptu, the peaceful routine of life aboard allows us to escape the stress of everyday life! We dock at shoreline for dinner and later sleep under the stars

Travel to Aswan

Aswan is a city in the south of Egypt, some 680km (425 miles) south of Cairo, just below the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, with a population of 275,000. Aswan is far more relaxed and smaller than Cairo and Luxor.

Aswan, Egypt's sunniest southern city and ancient frontier town located about 81 miles south of Luxor, has a distinctively African atmosphere. Its ancient Egyptian name was Syene. Small enough to walk around and graced with the most beautiful setting on the Nile, the pace of life is slow and relaxing. Days can be spent strolling up and down the broad Corniche watching the sailboats etch the sky with their tall masts or sitting in floating restaurants listening to Nubian music and eating freshly caught fish.

In Aswan the Nile is at its most beautiful, flowing through amber desert and granite rocks, round emerald islands covered in palm groves and tropical plants. Explore the souk, full of the scent and color of spices, perfumes, scarves and baskets. View the spectacular sunsets while having tea on the terrace of the Old Cataract Hotel (Named due to the location of the Nile's first cataract located here). Aswan has been a favorite winter resort since the beginning of the nineteenth century, and it's still a perfect place to get away from it all.

To DO

• Rent a Bike. Bikes available at many hotels. Cross the modern bridge to the east bank and bring back your bicycle afterwards by ferry boat
• Local Felucca Cruise. Aswan is a great place for a local cruise to the nearby islands. Two hours of felucca trip will cost you between 25-50 EP depends on your negotiation skills. See felucca cruise on the Nile.
• Trips to Abu Simbel. See Abu Simbel. This is a must!
• Camel Rides. Grab a felucca captain and they will shuttle you across to the camel marshalling area. Ride the camel to the Monastery of St Simeon

The recent attraction in Aswan

1- The High Dam

The construction of the Aswan High Dam began more than fifty years ago During the role of the president Gamal abd el naser and that dam was raising twice The structure is 2,325 m long, 111 m high over the original river bed

2- The Lake Nasser

Formed in the 1960's by the construction of the Aswan High Dam in order to control the annual floods of the River Nile, Lake Nasser is the world's largest artificial lake. Surrounded by remote desert which covers the land of Nubia, Lake Nasser is the site of many tombs, temples and churches. 

Before the high dam was constructed monuments were moved from their original sites and grouped together at four locations Kalabsha, Wadi-as-Subua, Amada and of course the famous temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari at Abu Simbel.  A cruise on Lake Nasser gives visitors the opportunity to enjoy serene desert vistas and to explore the ancient Nubian temples and monuments. 

The ancient attraction in Aswan

1- Temple of Philae

It was called in Hieroglyphic "Apo" which means Ivory it was also the center of trade by the creek Te Egyptian built this amazing temple for Goddess Isis But this temple has been submerged when they built the first high dam but they built a new one and it was close as possible to the philae island

2- The unfinished obelisk

It is unknown which pharaoh built it also known that it is the largest ancient obelisk But a crack in the stone occurred which caused it to be abandoned Now this site has been renovated

CAIRO, EGYPT- The Pyramids, Sphinx and Saqqara

CAIRO, EGYPT- The Pyramids, Sphinx and Saqqara

You won't want to miss one of Egypt's top attractions, the last surviving member of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid of Giza. There are in fact three main pyramids in Giza; the Great Pyramid of Khufu (or Cheops), The Pyramid of Kafhre and the smaller Pyramid of Menkaura. Each Pyramid is a tomb to a different King of Egypt. In front of the pyramids lies the Sphinx, or Abu al-Hol in Arabic, "Father of Terror". Carved out of a single block of stone, this enormous cat-like sculpture has mesmerized millions of visitors.

Giza's three pyramids and the Sphinx were thought to have been constructed in the fourth dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom, arguably the first great civilization on earth. For most of us that translates in to about 5000 years ago. Even though there is still debate about how the pyramids at Giza were built, most are in agreement it wasn't by aliens . It is believed about 20,000 laborers were used and approximately 2 million blocks of stone, each weighing 2.5 tons, just to build the Pyramid of Khufu. For an in depth account of how they were built and a virtual tour inside the Great Pyramid (Khufu) explore the Pyramids with Nova and PBS.

Getting Around and Going Inside the Pyramids

Getting around the pyramids is easy enough, you can walk, take a horse and buggy or take a camel ride. A couple tips on the camel ride:

•Bargain hard before you get on the camel.

•Don't take a photo of the camel unless you are prepared to pay.

•If you are feeling harassed then grab your nearest Antiquity Policeman to help you out.

•Enjoy the ride, it is a once in a lifetime experience and worth a few bucks.

Climbing Up

I have some shaky Super 8 footage of myself as a six-year-old clambering up Khufu but that practice has been strictly forbidden since the 1980's. Some intrepid folks attempt to climb up the sides of the Pyramids late at night, but really, it isn't worth ruining a Wonder of the World just for the thrill of it.

Going In

You can go inside the pyramids, but beware if you suffer from claustrophobia. The climbs are very steep and narrow so your knees have to be in good shape. Here is a decent account of one person's experience inside Khufu (Cheops). You have to get a separate ticket to enter the pyramids and they are limited to 300 per day so get there early.

Sound and Light Show

A sound and light show centered around the Sphinx is a nightly occurrence. Although it may sound too touristy for some, everyone ends up learning some interesting facts about the Pyramids and shows are in several different languages.

Go for more at: http://goafrica.about.com/od/egypttopattractions/a/cairoguide_3.htm

Travel to Cairo

The great Cairo is one of the biggest cities in Africa and in the entire Arab world,It is also the capital of Egypt, Cairo is one of the most crowd city in the world, it has a nickname which is "the city of a thousand minarets" and that is belongs to the Islamic history inside it, Over the time Cairo was the most important witness for the history by his all faces.

TO DO

• Coffee & Sheesha (Have a coffee, mint tea or Sheesha at El Fishawy's coffee shop in Khan El-Khalili.)
• Felucca (Ride a felucca along the Nile River. )
• Parks
• Shopping (Citystars is Egypts premier shopping mall and is quite comparable to a foreign mall.)
• Horseback Riding (Go horseback riding in the desert from one of the Nazlet El-Samaan stables )

Inside the huge Cairo we find political regions, religious areas, literature and the culture everywhere, in the all Cairo's walls the history is digs by the Egyptian hands,Also Cairo was associated with the ancient Egypt cause the proximity with the pyramids and the sphinx in the neighbor city which is the Giza.Also Cairo includes a famous and great places like:

1-The Egyptian Museum

The location of the Egyptian museum is inside the downtown, it was building in the center of Cairo, It is involve a fantastic and extensive collection of an ancient Egyptian artifacts for more than 3000 years dating back to the old kingdom for the roman period, If we look to the Egyptian museum's exhibit….then we will know if we give only one minute to each exhibit inside the museum we will take a months to see everything inside it.

2- Giza Pyramids

The great pyramids of Giza are the only survivors of the of the seven wonders of the ancient world, The three pyramids were building to the three kings Khufu, Kafhre and Mankura which are the pyramids called by them names, to be later such a great tombs for those kings All the three pyramids are built during the third and fourth dynasty, but unfortunately the three pyramids for the three kings were not finished by the end of each respective king's reign, like many of the great kings of ancient kingdom at Egypt.

3- Sphinx

The legendary Sphinx which is known in Arabic as "Abu al houl" which meaning "the father of terror" The Sphinx is carved out the hillside, this massive statue is still big mystery for a statue as a body of lion and head for man and that is refers to the huge strength and power in the body also has a smart mind I the head, The Sphinx now is in a poor case, the old story says it's nose is fell off while used it as a target by the Napoleonic soldiers and Memeluke, While it's beard is in the British Museum in London.

4- Khan al Khalili

The Khan is a confusion maze of alleys, shops, cafes and bazaars mostly organized by trade, Khan al Khalili is a bustling commercials soul of the old city of Cairo since the middle ages. Inside the Khan you can feel and smell the soul of ancient Egypt, you will find out a local shops sells stuff belongs to ancient Egypt and there, are a good places for lunch or drink something like Nagib Mahfouz restaurant-cafe and al Sokaria restaurant-café also there are bazaars and shops for Egyptian perfumes and spices and inside the Khan there are a famous silver and gold shops. Around the Khan is a big religious area definitely Islamic area like the mosque of al Housayn and sharia Almuizz li Din Allah. The Khan is a big commercial area collects different nationalities.

5- Cairo Tower

The massive Cairo Tower is built on Zamalek island along the Nile river,it is a built from 1956 to 1961, by 187 meters it is a 43 meters taller than a huge pyramid of Giza, The upper floors is has a nice revolving restaurants which are popular for the all people specially for the couples, also on the top of the Tower you can watch all the downtown and the Nile river in it's magical scene with the lights at the night, The Tower is crowned by an observation deck and it is the tallest build in the area of Zamalek Island.

6- Citadel of (salah Eden)

Salah ad-Din Citadel is one of the most popular and amazing places in Cairo, it is count as one of the most world's greatest monuments to the medieval warfare, the Citadel reveal a character of the medieval. Also the Citadel is the largest fortification in the Middle East and still dominating skyline of Cairo, The Citadel was built in 1176 by Salah ad-Din as part of his plan against the Crusaders; it was the royal residence for more than 700 years. The Citadel involve the history inside it, even each wall in the Citadel tell a different historicalal event like the history in it's towers, museums and the mosque of Muhammed Ali.

Travel to Egypt

Egypt is a country of contrasts, old and new blending together, tall minarets & modern buildings are standing together with huge temples & great pyramids & this can be seen everywhere on a daily basis. Truly a country rich in History and Culture, the prices are reasonable, although they do tend to fluctuate with the seasons and supply and demand. The people are friendly and hospitable, and crime is rare. Once you are in Egypt, you will never feel as a stranger.
To help you better understand what to expect and to ensure you get the most out of your trip, we are providing some traveler's information that we hope will assist you in your journey.

Religion : The official religion is Islam and the spirit of tolerance and amity prevails among the Egyptian people, Muslims and Christians

Language: Arabic is the official language in Egypt; however, English and French are widely spoken in all major tourists cities.

Currency: The Egyptian Pound is divided in 100 Piasters .Our currency is available in notes and coins. Currency notes are divided to 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 pounds notes. Coins are available in 5, 10, 20, and 25 Piasters. One US $ = 5.75 Egyptian Pounds (2006 estimate). There is no mandatory exchange at arrival, and you will have no problem in exchanging currencies as there are plenty of banks and currency brokers at all major cities and hotels.

Business hours : Government office are open daily 8.30 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. except on Fridays and public holidays. Private ones: are open daily from 9:a.m till 5 p.m. except on Fridays and public holidays.
Visa: One to 3 Month Visas can be purchased on arrival at the Airport from most countries. Approx. $15 US for a one month Visa.You will need to have your money ready to go to the Bank on arrival. They will sell you two stamps to place in your passport on a blank page before going through customs. We can arrange for a meet and greet service to assist with your Visa processing before going through customs

Electricity: Electric current in Egypt is 220 Volts, also the outlets require a two-pronged rounded plug, not flat. So please if you have 110 Volt appliances, do not forget your adapter.

Customs: Video Cameras are the only machines you have to register upon entry; however, you should ask the customs officer for any changes

Media & Press: We have numerous Radio stations, some of which are multilingual for tourists and foreigners living in Egypt. Also we have many local TV channels in Arabic and one in English and French. We have various Newspapers and periodicals in Arabic & English in addition to the Satellite where you can see the news & the media of every part of the world.

Climate: Egypt's climate is characterized by a hot season from May to September, Summers are hot at mid-day, but cool-off at night with a constant desert breeze. The best season is from October to April when the temperature is comfortable by day and cool by night, on average 14gr C (57gr F ).


Average Temperatures  

Month	Celsius	Fahrenheit
January	18	65
February	21	69
March	24	75
April	34	93
May	33	91
June	35	95
July	37	98
August	35	95
September	32	90
October	30	86
November	26	78
December	20	68

Clothing: Dress modestly in Cairo and off beach cities, Bathing suits should only be worn on beaches. Women should cover their arms and legs while visiting mosques. In summer, loose cotton clothing may be the most comfortable. Conservative clothing is the preferred wearing apparel

Transportation: Taxis and Limousines are widely available in all major cities in Egypt; however, there are many less expensive alternatives in most cities, e.g. Subway, Metros, Trains, and Buses. It is not advisable to use taxis in traveling between cities, as Planes, Buses, and trains are accessible for a modest fee.