The Great Sphinx - from iStock
Egypt Destination Guide
by Tina Banerjee
Summary
Egypt is a veritable treasure trove when it comes to luxury holidays. Culture vultures will love the vibrant capital, Cairo, and the royal tombs of Luxor and Abu Simbel. For a relaxing honeymoon break, very little beats sailing down the Nile on a luxury river cruise, or for beach fans there's the Red Sea Riviera and its top-rated diving and watersports resorts.
Four- and five-star hotels provide plenty of glittering comfort in resorts from Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab and Taba Heights to Hurghada and El Gouna. So whether you want history, beaches or honeymoon packages, Egypt is a true holiday gem for everyone.
Getting there, getting around Egypt
British Airways and EgyptAir fly to the capital, Cairo, while direct flights are offered from many of the UK's regional airports to the Red Sea resorts of Marsa Alam, Hurghada, Sharm and Taba Heights.
Public road transport is good, although it can be erratic, and internal flights are efficient, which means you can add on a beach break to a trip to the capital. Taxis are cheap and widely available everywhere.
Quick facts
Currency: Egyptian pound
Language: Egyptian Arabic, and English is widely spoken
Flight time: 5 hours
GMT: +2 hours
Weather: Hot, dry and sunny. The Nile Valley (Luxor, Aswan) tends to be hotter than Cairo and the north (max 35C) and the Red Sea (max 32C), reaching 40C plus in July/August. It can get nippy after sunset in winter although rain is rare
Dialling code: 00 20
Electricity: 220V; sockets with two-pin round plugs
Egyptian Nile Cruise - from iStock
Beaches in Egypt
Sharm's popularity on the Sinai coast may have resulted in this rapidly expanding resort losing some of its sparkle, but it is still a first-class resort for upmarket beach-lovers. Taba Heights and Hurghada are also renowned for the standard of their hotels and beaches, while Dahab's Hilton hotel is an oasis of luxury in a resort mostly catering for budget holidaymakers.
If you want a sophisticated, less-crowded resort, head to up-and-coming El Gouna. Exclusive hotels such as the Mövenpick, spa facilities, boutiques and fine dining put this resort in a league of its own on the Red Sea.
Sightseeing in Egypt
Cairo should be top of your sightseeing list. Marvel at the Pyramids and the Sphinx, stroll through the Egyptian Museum, feast your eyes on Tutankhamun's golden mask, and haggle for souvenirs in the local markets. Luxor is another must-see - aim to spend at least two days exploring its temples, and the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens.
Nile river cruises offer some respite from the heat and the hustle of Egypt's cities, particularly if you're on a touring holiday. You'll see Aswan's dams, and have the chance to visit one of Egypt's most memorable sights, the temples of Abu Simbel.
If you're staying in Sharm or Hurghada and want to add on a cultural tour, you can organise one- or two-day trips to see the top attractions in Luxor and Cairo.
Family attractions in Egypt
Apart from watersports, beaches and snorkelling on the coast, you can go on camel treks. Divers can also combine camel safaris with dives in more remote sites along the Sinai coast. In cities like Luxor and Cairo, hot-air balloon flights provide bird's-eye views at sunrise and sunset.
Cairo boasts an excellent Sound and Light Show at the Pyramids. There is an equivalent at Luxor's Karnak Temple too.
Day trips around Egypt
Day-long boat trips are available in most Red Sea resorts and typically feature freshly prepared lunches on deserted islands, plus opportunities to swim, sunbathe, snorkel or dive. Thrilling quad-biking safari adventures into the desert are fun and safe but check before you book about age restrictions if you're planning to take the kids along.
If you're in Sharm or Taba Heights, book a tour to climb Mount Sinai and to see St Catherine's Monastery, site of the Biblical Burning Bush.
In Luxor, Aswan or Lake Nasser, spend a day gliding around on a felucca (traditional sail boat). Sunset dinner cruises are another option.
Bustling Cairo - from iStock
Eating out in Egypt
Egyptian meals range from lentil soup to meze platters featuring spicy fritters, dips, meat, fish, seafood, bread plus a wide range of puddings and desserts. International hotel chains will invariably offer cuisine from all corners of the globe. If you opt for the Dine Around programme in El Gouna's top hotels, you can enjoy a superb choice of food in exquisite surroundings.
Egyptian wine is terrible, but the beer is palatable. If you prefer non-alcoholic drinks, sip a refreshing mint tea or a strong, Arabic coffee flavoured with cardamom.
Nightlife in Egypt
In coastal beach resorts, most entertainment will be provided by your hotels or in the resort's buzzing bars, clubs and discos. Sharm and Hurghada are renowned for their lively nightlife scene. You can also opt for your hotel bar, or enjoy a traditional Bedouin dinner in the desert.
The nightlife in El Gouna is more low-key. There's one outdoor nightclub but a wide selection of bars in the Downtown and marina area. Most evening entertainment in Taba Heights is based around the hotels.
Shopping in Egypt
Plunder your bank account in Cairo, a mecca for shoppers. Souvenir hunters will be spoilt for choice. Visit the sprawling, bustling Khan el-Khalili marketplace, where gold and silver jewellery; perfumes, papyrus pictures, alabaster pots and statues, and trinkets are on sale. Bartering is permitted.
Related destinations
If you're interested in Egypt you may also like to look at these related destinations:
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