Egypt
Updated October 19, 2026
Egypt, in the north-east corner of Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula reaching into Asia, is a country of about 110 million people, almost all of whom live along the Nile Valley and Delta, a green ribbon crossing the Sahara. It has some of the oldest monuments on Earth: the Pyramids of Giza, the templ…
Must-See Places in Egypt
Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx
The three great pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure and the Great Sphinx, on the desert plateau at the edge of Cairo.
Grand Egyptian Museum
The world's largest museum devoted to one civilisation, displaying the complete Tutankhamun collection near the pyramids.
Karnak Temple
A vast temple complex to Amun, built over about 2,000 years, with the Great Hypostyle Hall of 134 giant columns.
Valley of the Kings
The royal burial ground of the New Kingdom on Luxor's west bank, with painted tombs, including that of Tutankhamun.
Abu Simbel
Two rock-cut temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari near the Sudanese border, moved to save them from Lake Nasser.
Historic Cairo
Medieval Islamic Cairo with the Citadel, the Sultan Hassan Mosque, Al-Azhar and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar.
Ras Mohammed National Park
A marine park at the tip of Sinai with coral walls, reef sharks and some of the best diving in the Red Sea.
Siwa Oasis
A remote desert oasis near the Libyan border, with salt lakes, palm groves and the oracle temple visited by Alexander.
Unique Experiences in Egypt
Cruise the Nile Between Luxor and Aswan
Sail the Nile on a cruise ship or a traditional dahabiya, stopping at the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo, watching villages and palm groves pass from the deck.
Balloon Flight Over Luxor's West Bank
Float in a hot-air balloon at sunrise over the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon and green sugar cane fields.
Dive or Snorkel in the Red Sea
Explore coral reefs, walls and wrecks such as the SS Thistlegorm, with dolphins, turtles, reef sharks and colourful fish in warm, clear water.
Sound and Light at the Pyramids
See the pyramids and the Sphinx lit at night while a narration tells the story of the pharaohs, or watch sunrise over the plateau from the desert on a camel ride.
Sleep Under the Stars in the White Desert
Camp in the White Desert, among chalk formations shaped by the wind, after a 4x4 drive through the Black Desert and the Crystal Mountain, in the Western Desert.
Travel Tips for Egypt
Visit Between October and April
Plan your sightseeing trip for October to April, when temperatures in Luxor and Aswan are comfortable for exploring temp…
Get a Visa and Carry Cash
Many nationalities can get a visa on arrival at Egyptian airports for about US$25, paid in cash, or an e-visa online in …
Agree Prices and Expect Baksheesh
Agree the price before taking a taxi without a meter, a camel or horse ride, or a felucca trip, and be ready to bargain …
Dress Modestly Away from the Beach
Egypt is a mostly Muslim country, so cover shoulders and knees in cities, villages and religious sites, and women should…
Buy Tickets Online and Consider Passes
Buy tickets for the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Giza plateau and major sites online at the official Egyptian Monuments we…
Protect Your Health
Drink bottled or filtered water, avoid ice and raw salads in cheap places and peel fruit, as stomach upsets are common f…
Must-Try Local Dishes
Koshari
Egypt's national dish: a filling mix of rice, lentils, macaroni and chickpeas, topped with spicy tomato sauce, garlic vinegar and crispy fried onions. It is cheap street food, served in specialised shops, such as Abou Tarek in downtown Cairo. A bowl costs about EGP 40–100. Add the sauces to taste, as the chilli sauce is hot.
Ful Medames
Slow-cooked fava beans mashed with olive oil, cumin, lemon and garlic, eaten for breakfast across Egypt with baladi bread, tomatoes and pickles. It has been eaten in Egypt since ancient times. Street carts serve it in the morning for a few pounds. Try it with a boiled egg and tahini.
Ta'ameya
Egyptian falafel, made with fava beans instead of chickpeas, mixed with herbs, giving it a green inside, fried until crisp and served in baladi bread with tahini and salad. It is the classic breakfast sandwich, costing about EGP 10–30. Eat it hot from a street stall, such as Felfela or a local shop.
Molokhia
A thick, green soup made from the chopped leaves of jute mallow, cooked with garlic and coriander in chicken or rabbit stock, served with rice or bread. It is a beloved home dish, with a slightly slippery texture. A portion costs about EGP 60–150. Try it with roast chicken or rabbit in a traditional restaurant.
Fattah
A festive dish of layers of crisp bread and rice soaked in garlic and vinegar tomato sauce, topped with boiled lamb or beef, traditionally served at Eid al-Adha and family celebrations. A portion costs about EGP 150–300. Try it at a traditional Egyptian restaurant, and share it, as it is very rich.
Grilled Fish and Seafood
In Alexandria and on the Red Sea, restaurants let you choose fresh fish, such as sea bass, mullet and grouper, and prawns from ice, then grill them or bake them in a clay pot, served with rice, salads and tahini. A meal costs about EGP 400–900. Try sayadeya, fish with caramelised onion rice, in Alexandria.
Om Ali
Egypt's favourite dessert, a warm bread pudding made with puff pastry, milk, cream, sugar, nuts and raisins, baked until golden on top. According to legend, it was created for a Mamluk sultan's celebration. A portion costs about EGP 50–120. Eat it hot, especially in winter, after a traditional meal. Many pastry shops sell it all year.
Karkade and Mint Tea
Karkade, a bright red drink made from dried hibiscus flowers, served hot or iced, is offered to guests and on Nile cruises, while sweet black tea with fresh mint is drunk in every café, or ahwa, often with shisha. A glass costs about EGP 15–50. Sit in a traditional ahwa, such as El Fishawy in Khan el-Khalili.
History
Before the Pharaohs and the Old Kingdom
People have lived along the Nile for hundreds of thousands of years, and when the Sahara dried out after about 5000 BC, communities moved closer to the river, whose yearly flood left fertile black silt on its banks. The Egyptians called their land Kemet, the black land, in contrast to Deshret, the red desert. Around 3100 BC, Upper and Lower Egypt were united under one king, traditionally called Narmer or Menes, with a capital at Memphis, near today's Cairo, and hieroglyphic writing developed at about the same time.
The age of the pyramids
During the Old Kingdom, from about 2686 to 2181 BC, the pharaohs were seen as living gods, and they built enormous tombs. The architect Imhotep designed the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara, around 2650 BC, the first large stone building in the world. King Sneferu built the Bent and Red Pyramids at Dahshur, and his son Khufu built the Great Pyramid of Giza, about 146 m tall when finished, the tallest building on Earth for almost 4,000 years. Khafre and Menkaure added two more pyramids and the Great Sphinx. Workers' villages found at Giza show that the pyramids were built by paid and organised labourers, not by slaves.
Climate & Best Time to Visit
Spring
14–33°C
March to May brings warm days of about 25–33°C in Cairo and above 35°C in Luxor and Aswan by May, with dry air and clear…
Summer
22–36°C
June to August is very hot, with days of about 34–36°C in Cairo and often above 40°C in Luxor and Aswan, while the Medit…
Autumn
15–33°C
September to November brings falling temperatures, from about 33°C in September to about 24°C in November in Cairo, warm…
Winter
9–23°C
December to February is mild and sunny, with days of about 19–22°C in Cairo and 23–26°C in Luxor and Aswan, cool nights …
Fascinating Fun Facts
The last surviving ancient wonder
The Great Pyramid of Giza, built for the pharaoh Khufu around 2560 BC, is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient…
A temple moved block by block
When the Aswan High Dam threatened to flood Abu Simbel, an international campaign led by UNESCO cut the two temples of R…
Cleopatra lived closer to us than to the pyramids
Cleopatra VII, who died in 30 BC, lived closer in time to the first Moon landing than to the building of the Great Pyram…
The longest river in Africa
The Nile, about 6,650 km long, is the longest river in Africa and long considered the longest in the world. In Egypt, ab…
Hieroglyphs unlocked by one stone
The Rosetta Stone, found by French soldiers in 1799 near Rosetta, in the Nile Delta, carries the same decree, from 196 B…
One of the oldest universities still teaching
Al-Azhar, in Cairo, founded as a mosque in 970 by the Fatimids and soon a place of study, is often described as one of t…
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