Look at Egypt Tours and Activities

Tuesday, 1 April 2014

the top 10 tourist and historical attractions in Egypt

1. Giza

Containing three magnificent Egyptian pyramids as well as the renowned Sphinx, Giza is just a stone’s throw from Cairo and lies literally across the road from many of the most popular hotels. Giza is probably the most famous and most visited entry on our top ten tourist attractions of Egypt list, so while you won’t get any peace and quiet you will have an amazing experience and will see a site which can’t be beaten.

2. Abu Simbel

Vast and spectacular, this UNESCO listed site contains an incredible array of Ancient Egyptian monuments, the most famous of which are two massive Temples of Ramesses II. Ramesses built these mighty temples as a way to immortalise himself and ensure he would never be forgotten; judging from the thousands of tourists who visit this attraction every year it seems this famous pharaoh got his wish… Don’t miss the main hall of the Great Temple which was cut directly into the sandstone and includes two rows of imposing statues of Ramesses himself, each one 30 feet high!

3. Catacombs of Kom ash-Shuqqafa

Not a standard entry on a list of top tourist attractions of Egypt, we think this site takes some beating, as much for the experience of exploring these ancient underground tunnels as anything else. As you stroll down the winding stairways into its depths, you find yourself in the heart of an ancient necropolis, reflecting a culture infused with Roman, Greek and Egyptian architecture. This relatively unknown attraction houses at least 300 tombs. Don’t miss the Hall of Caracalla, said to contain the unfortunate victims of a brutal ancient massacre.

4. Cairo Museum of Egyptian Antiquities

With over 100,000 pieces in all, the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo holds the most comprehensive collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts in the world. Among its most prized possessions is the iconic funereal mask of the boy king Tutankhamen, as well as a number of other objects related to this famous young pharaoh. With so much to see it’s a good idea to plan your route before getting started, otherwise the whole experience can be somewhat overwhelming!

5. Dendera

The beautiful ancient temple at Dendera really stands out for its excellent state of preservation. Dating back to the first century BC, this fascinating ancient temple is part of a wider complex of temples, tombs and even a Christian chapel. Many tourists visit Dendera on a day trip from Luxor and this makes it both a popular and practical place to explore, ensuring it remains among the top visitor attractions in Egypt.

6. El Alamein Battlefield

One of the most poignant and thought-provoking tourist destinations in Egypt is the site of the Battle of El Alamein. This crucial World War Two encounter saw battle rage across the Egyptian sands and an eventual hard-fought victory for the Allies. Today, it remains a place of great importance not just to veterans and their relatives, but to visitors from across the globe. As well as the battlefield itself a number of other points of note can be visited, including the Commonwealth Cemetery, El Alamein War Museum and the German and Italian cemeteries as well.

7. Abydos

Located about 50 miles north-west of Luxor, Abydos includes the stunning ancient Egyptian temple of Seti I – its decorated columns and perfect symmetry remains a great monument to the skill and expertise of its creators. Most tourists visit Abydos via an organised tour from Luxor, often incorporating a visit to Dendera at the same time.

8. Underground Library of Alexandria

Nudging its way on to our Top 10 list as much for what it represents as for what survives today, this is all that remains of the once-world famous Great Library of Alexandria. Located underneath the ruins of the Serapeum, this fascinating attraction is comprised of a series of underground tunnels and rooms where part of the collection of the Great Library was stored. Not far from the ancient site, visitors can now also visit the impressive Bibliotheca Alexandrina, or New Library, which opened to the public in 2002.

9. Karnak & Luxor Temples

The sanctuaries at Karnak and Luxor rank among the largest ancient temples on the planet. Originally forming part of the Egyptian city of Thebes, these temple complexes housed a number of religious sites, sanctuaries, sphinxes and other ancient buildings. Probably the most impressive attraction at Karnak is the Temple of Amun-Ra, with its world famous Great Hypostyle Hall. This huge looming structure contains a series of massive columns, each sixty-nine feet high. Just a short distance further down the river, Luxor temple contains the famous Avenue of the Sphinxes as well as a variety of vast structures and giant statues. Their close proximity to the heart of the Luxor tourist resort means these temples sit among Egypt’s most popular tourist attractions.

10. Valley of the Kings

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Along with Giza, the Valley of the Kings is probably Egypt’s most famous tourist attraction. The burial place of many of the great pharaohs, the Valley of the Kings contains a myriad of ancient tombs cut into the limestone of the valley itself. Among other highlights, visitors can discover the tomb of famous boy-ruler Tutankhamen as well as the tomb of Ramses the Great and Ramses IV. However, the real one to that you simply can’t miss is Hatshepsut's Temple, which is phenomenal.

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Look At Egypt Tours , travel agency: the top tourist attraction in Egypt

Look At Egypt Tours , travel agency: the top tourist attraction in Egypt: look at Egypt tours Egypt travel agency – Egypt’s tourism industry is starting to rebound after a difficult 2011 that saw revenues plumme...

the top tourist attraction in Egypt

look at Egypt tours Egypt travel agency – Egypt’s tourism industry is starting to rebound after a difficult 2011 that saw revenues plummet 30 per cent. The country had 14.5 million tourists in 2010 but that plummeted to 10.6 million the next year due to the effects of the revolution. But now data suggests that the industry is heading for recovery. One million tourists visited the country in April of this year, according to Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics, as compared to 800,000 tourists in April 2011, marking an almost 31 per cent increase. The report also said tourists stayed a total of 12.1 million nights in April 2012, compared to 6.7 million nights in April 2011, with the majority of the tourists hailing from Western European countries, followed by tourists from Eastern Europe and Middle Eastern countries. Below are five of the top attractions the country has to offer.

The Giza Pyramids

The automatic entry at the top of any list of Egyptian tourist attractions. Several generations of Egyptian royalty constructed their great burial shrines on the plains outside of Cairo, which is also home to the famous Sphinx. In addition to the huge stone pyramids, the area houses hundreds of “mastaba” structures that served as the final resting places for the relations and important court servants of the ancient Pharaohs.

The Cairo Museum

An essential stop for any visitor to Cairo, the museum is the home of the famous treasures of Tutankhamen, the royal mummies discovered in the 1870s and other well known artefacts of Egyptian history.

The Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings – up the Nile River – is the original home of many of the treasures that can be seen in the Cairo Museum. The burial location for most of the pharaohs of the “New Kingdom”, the Valley of the Kings is one of the most heavily visited attractions in Egypt. Luckier tourists can enter the tomb of Tutankhamen or walk along the beautiful temple belonging to Queen Hatshepsut, among many other sites.

The Temple Complex at Luxor

Heading back towards the river brings a visitor to yet another of the remarkably popular Egyptian attractions, and that is the Temple complex at Luxor. Luxor is the historic capital of both the Middle and New Kingdom pharaohs and can still be seen. The site is divided by the Nile and consists of the East Bank sites of Luxor Temple and the Temple of Karnak. On the West Bank, visitors can take in the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens as well.

The Abu Simbel Temples

Both a historic site and tiny village, Abu Simbel was saved from destruction after the Aswan Dam began flooding Lake Nasser in the 1960s. It is home to beautiful and glorious temples which were relocated to higher ground and include the Great Temple of Ramesses II, which is one of the most well recognized ancient Egyptian attractions

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Sunday, 30 March 2014

14 Animals You Didn’t Know Live in the Nile

Looking out at the Nile from Cairo, you might find it difficult to believe that anything could possibly live in the polluted cesspool that the Nile (in many parts) has become today. At the Empire, we wondered the same thing – what animals are resilient enough to live in such a trying habitat? And what creatures reside in the cleaner parts of the Nile, such as Lake Nasser and the river south of the Aswan dam?

1. African Tigerfish

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Known as the “piranha of Africa,” the giant tigerfish is one of several fish species that makes its home in the Nile. Their large, razor-like teeth and strong jaws make these fish vicious carnivores. Few attacks on humans have been reported but they appeared to be out of defensiveness rather than malice – just a few years ago a tigerfish bit a spearman in Kariba causing a gash that required 16 stitches. Although they tend to avoid people, tigerfish have been documented attacking animals as large as crocodiles.

2. Mudfish (Clarias Anguillaris)

Also known as the eel catfish, the mudfish is one of the few fish species capable of living in the Upper Nile. Catfish, in general, are known for their resilience, making them more likely than other species to survive in rivers with high rates of water pollution and habitat destruction. But even with the mudfish’s unique ability to live in horrible conditions, you’d be lucky to spot one north of Lake Nasser.

Fun fact: No water? No problem. During drought periods, mudfish bury themselves in the mud where they can survive for several months using a metabolism-slowing process called “aestivation” (similar to hibernation).

3. Vundu Catfish

Okay, so maybe it’s not so surprising that catfish are one of the more common species in the Nile. As bottom feeders, they can live on literally just about any kind of diet…including garbage.

The Vundu catfish, a fish of many names across many countries, can grow up to 130 kg. Its long, slender and muscular body is powerful enough to pull a full-grown man to the bottom of a river (and yes, this has happened to fisherman in the Nile causing several deaths).

Fun fact: Vundu catfish have air-breathing capabilities that enable it to survive out of water for extended periods of time.

3. Marbled lungfish

Also known as salamanderfish due to their slender bodies and primitive leg-like fins, lungfish are unique to other fish because they possess lungs. Like mudfish, marbled lungfish can survive droughts by burying themselves underground. They’re also known for having incredibly long lifespans (a Queensland lungfish has been living at the Shedd Aquarium at Chicago since 1933).

Fun fact: The marbled lungfish has the largest genome of any known vertebrate on the planet, with 133 billion base pairs!

4. African knifefish

Found on the vegetated edges of the Nile basin, the African knifefish resembles an electric eel and possesses similar (but weaker) electrifying capabilities. Its body, which can reach a length of up to one meter, is surrounded by a small, symmetrical electric field used to sense surrounding environments and for stunning prey.

The African knifefish is wired to viciously attack anything that disturbs its electric field.

Fun fact: If two African knifefish swim too close to each other, their electric fields will collide and distort their sense of surroundings, making them confused and debilitated

5. Nile perch

The Nile perch is one of the largest freshwater fish found in the world. Reaching up to 2m long and 200kg, these beasts are easily the largest fish found in the Nile. They require highly oxygenated water, limiting their range to deep, less-polluted bodies of water such as Lake Nasser.

Fun fact: Nile perch are aggressive predators and known cannibals.

6. African softshell turtle

African softshell turtles are found along the Nile in areas with sandy, smooth bottoms. They are highly adaptable and able to live in salty, brackish and fresh water habitats.

Fun fact: These funky looking reptiles are able to stay submerged for ridiculously long time periods due to an underwater breathing mechanism that allows them to inhale 70% of necessary oxygen through their skin.

7. Nile monitor

Nile monitors are the second largest reptile in the Nile next to the Nile crocodile, growing as long as 2.1 m and as large as 15 kg. However, they’re not quite as ferocious as they look and their favorite meal is not children but rather Nile crocodile eggs.

Fun fact: Nile monitors are the closest living relatives of the mosasaur, a sea dinosaur that went extinct 65 million years ago

8. African shoebill

These odd-looking birds are often called “monster” birds by scientists due to their prehistoric appearance. They’re also called “whaleheads” and “shoe-billed storks.” At 1.4 meters tall, these birds are related to the giant Goliatha bird of Egypt’s Oligocene era. You won’t them in Egypt anymore, but you can find them hanging out together on (and around) the Nile in Sudan.

Fun fact: The shoebill behavior of “siblicide” observed in chicks, where siblings aggressively attack and kill each other, has been studied extensively by scientists.

9. African sacred ibis

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In ancient Egypt, the African sacred ibis was venerated (and mummified) as a symbol of the deity Thoth, who played an important role in stabilizing the universe. Troth was often depicted with the head of a sacred ibis. These days, sacred ibises are found commonly wading in the Nile and have been introduced to countries around the world including France, Italy, Spain and the US.

Fun fact: According to mythology, the sacrifice of a sacred ibis could exterminate plagues of disease-bearing flies.

10. African common toad

African common toads are native to Egypt and found in basically any habitable area with a permanent water source. They’re often kept as pets and captured for sale in the international pet market (getting exported to places like Europe, Canada and the US).

Fun fact: We know it’s tempting but you should never kiss a toad because 1.) they live in the Nile 2.) all toads are toxic and 3.) Prince Charming only exists in Disney movies.

11. Nile tilapia

Reaching up to 9.5kg, Nile tilapia are extremely resilient fish that can live in brackish water and survive in waters with ridiculous ranges in temperature (between 8 and 42 degrees C). Because mosquito larvae is a huge staple in their diet, Nile tilapia have been used as a way to fight malaria in countries like Kenya where there are high rates of the mosquito-borne disease.

Fun fact: Nile tilapia are a highly patriarchal species, with males getting privilege when it comes to feeding and breeding

12. Dice water snake

Found in northern Egypt (in the Nile Delta as well as the lower Nile Valley), this highly aquatic, nonvenemous snake’s range has expanded since the construction of the Aswan Dam. They can also be found near the Suez Canal area and Fayoum. While relatively common, its numbers have declined over the past few years due to habitat destruction.

Fun fact: Hate snakes? You should probably steer clear of the Nile – there are up to 10 venomous snakes that live in the Nile river valley habitat.

14. Egyptian goose

Thought of as sacred by ancient Egyptians (no they didn’t just love cats – turns out they had an affection for birds, too), Egyptian geese are indigenous to other parts of Africa but were brought to Egypt by the ancient Egyptians where they were bred for food. Escaped domestic birds established feral colonies along the Nile, which have grown into today’s population.

Fun fact: In order to impress females during mating season, male Egyptian geese show their availability by honking and engaging in “neck stretching” and feather displays.

Saturday, 22 March 2014

Look At Egypt Tours (REAL EGYPT): Egypt travel agency and tour operator

Look At Egypt Tours (REAL EGYPT): Egypt travel agency and tour operator: LOOK AT EGYPT TOURS Look at Egypt tours is an Egyptian travel agency and tour operator that specializes in holidays and travel packages ...