Places you should visit in Egypt.
Part 2- Alexandria Upper & Lower Egypt, and Red sea.
When people hear the word "Egypt", they think of the Pyramids, the Sphinx, and the Nile.
However, for more than 7,000 years of unique history, heritage and culture, there are many other fantastic attractions in Egypt to visit.
Here are the most famous attraction places you should visit or know about...
**ALL PRICES ARE BASED ON THE PRICES FROM THE MINISTRY OF ANTIQUITIES AND TOURISM OF EGYPT**
Alexandria
Qaitbay Fort
The Citadel of Qaitbay is a defensive fortress located on the Mediterranean sea coast, in Alexandria, Egypt. It was built on the old lighthouse location after it was destroyed by the earthquake it was established in 1477 AD (882 AH) by Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa'it Bay.
Royal Jewelry Museum
The Royal Jewelry Museum is an art and history museum in the Zizenia neighborhood of Alexandria, Egypt. It is located in the former palace of Princess Fatma Al-Zahra'. The building's halls contain a valuable collection of jewels and jewelry of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty.
Amongst some of the museums, roughly 11,000 pieces of fine jewelry include royal badges with King Farouk's name, inlaid with diamonds, and the magnificent jewelry collection of Farouk's wife, Queen Farida.
Other parts of King Farouk's collection are his ebony walking stick, gold and sapphire cups embedded with over 200 bits of sapphire and 29 pieces of diamond, and golden magnifying glasses inlaid with 510 diamonds and 16 rubies and sapphires.
Opening Hours: 09:00AM to 05:00 PM.
Tickets: Foreigner: Adult:EGP 100 \ Student: EGP 50
Egyptian\ Arabs: Adult: EGP 20\ Student: EGP 5.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a major library and cultural center on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.
The granite exterior wall of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is lined with hieroglyphs and characters from 120 different languages. The research and intellectual center, opened in 2001, is located in the Eastern Harbor of Alexandria.
Sunken Monuments
Qaitbay Fort
The site lies at a depth of 6–8 m. It dated back to the Greco-Roman period but it includes artifacts from the Pharaonic period.
Some of these artifacts are the remains of the lighthouse itself and the rest were brought from the Serapeum and thrown at the entrance of the harbor to prevent the entry of enemy fleets in the 12th-century A.C.
- At a depth from 6 to 8 meters more than 3000 pieces were located, including statues, sphinxes, and columns of different shapes, capitals, and bases of columns and parts of obelisks.
- Blocks from different sizes and weights (some of them weighing 75 tons). The artifacts’ materials are such as granite, calcite, quartzite, limestone, sandstone, and greywacke.
- North of Qaitbay three wrecks was located. No wood remained, but amphorae, daily utensils as well as metal and stone anchors were found. The wrecks span from the 3rd century BC to the 7th century AD.
- fourth wreck was located to the west, carrying blocks of limestone probably from EI-Mex quarry, some 10 km west of Qaitbay, that was likely intended for construction purposes in Alexandria.
Abu Qir Bay
The Abu Qir Bay is a large bay on the Mediterranean Sea lying between the Rosetta mouth of the Nile and the town of Abu Qir. The ancient cities of Canopus, Heracleion, and Menouthis lie submerged beneath the waters of the bay. These two cities already existed before the founding of Alexandria in 332 BC by Alexander the Great.
Many artifacts and monuments are being brought out from the depths, including colossal statues, steles, and a variety of religious and daily‑life objects, shedding light on the lives that once populated these two great cities.
Red Sea & Sinai
Saint Catherine's Monastery
On the slopes of Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God, lies one of the oldest monasteries in the world. The monastery includes multiple structures, the most important of which is the Church of the Transfiguration of Christ the Savior, which itself contains nine smaller churches. One of these is the Church of the Burning Bush, from which God had spoken to the prophet Moses.
Saint Catherine’s Monastery also includes 10 other churches, the monks’ accommodations, a refectory, an olive press, ossuaries, a Fatimid mosque from the 12th century AD, and a library that boasts rare books and 6,000 manuscripts.
Opening Hours: 08:00 AM to 05:00 PM.
Tickets: for Church for burning Bush Foreigners: Adult: EGP 140 / Student: EGP 70 Egyptians/Arabs: Adult: EGP 20 / Student: EGP 10.
Oyun Mossa
Oyun Musa, the springs of Moses found 20 km South of the Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel in South Sinai, Oyun Musa is one of Egypt’s hot springs; renowned for the therapeutic effects of its water, the destination has made Sinai popular for therapeutic tourism.
Oyun Musa boasts the world’s highest sulfur rates, and with temperatures reaching up to 27 degrees Celsius, the water helps treat many diseases such as those of the kidneys and skin.
Sharm Al-Sheikh Museum
The museum was completed in 2017, The museum displays the different aspects of human civilization and culture in general, specifically on ancient Egyptian civilization.
The museum’s Grand Hall presents a history of humans and wildlife in ancient Egypt and highlights ancient Egyptian civilization’s preoccupation with science, mathematics, industry, crafts, family life, and love for animals to the point of reverence. To showcase this point, animal the Grand Hall is where animal mummies are displayed.
In the Hall of Civilization are displayed the beautiful inner and outer coffins of Isetemheb, the wife of the high-priest of Amun Panedjem II, who was herself a priestess of Isis, Min, and Horus in Akhmim. Notable also are Isetemheb’scanopicjars, papyrus collection, cosmetics, and perfume vessels, the head of a statue of Hatshepsut, and Tanagra figurines depicting women wearing a variety of dresses, in addition to objects that display Sinai’s cultural heritage.
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM to 01:00 PM & 05:00 PM tp 11:00 PM.
Tickets: Foreigners: Adult: EGP 200 / Student: EGP 100
Egyptians/Arabs: Adult: EGP 40 / Student: EGP 20.
Hurghada Museum
The museum reflects the Egyptian civilization from different historical ages just in one place. The Museum is not only the first antiquities museum in the Red Sea, but also the first museum that is the result of a joint venture between the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the red sea Governorate, and the private sector. The museum has the most unique masterpieces from all ages of history including tut ankh Amon tomb selected relics. Opening Hours: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
Tickets: Foreigners: Adult: EGP 250 / Student: EGP 125 / Child (6-12 yrs) EGP 125
Egyptians/Arabs: Adult: EGP 80 / Student: EGP 40 /Child (6-12 yrs) EGP 40.
Hurghada Grand Aquarium
Hurghada Aquarium is located in Hurghada, Red Sea Governorate. It is one of the largest aquariums when it opened in January 2015, and contains nearly 1 million gallons in tank space. It is home to over 1200 individual animals and 100 species.
Opening Hours: Daily 09:00 AM to 07:00 PM.
Tickets: Foreigners: Adult: USD 32 / Child USD 16
Egyptians: Adult: EGP 275 / Child EGP 137.50.
Arabs: Adult: EGP 437 / Child EGP 225.
Colored Canyon
Coloured Canyon is a rock formation on Sinai peninsula. It is a maze of rocks, some of them have about 40 meters. The canyon is almost 800 meters long.
The nearest town to the canyon is Nuweiba. It is about 90 km north of Dahab.
Luxor
Karnak Temple
Karnak Temple was the most important temple in Luxor.
The complex is a vast open site and includes the Karnak Open Air Museum.
It consists of four main parts, of which only the largest is currently open to the general public. The three other parts, the Precinct of Mut, the Precinct of Montu, and the dismantled Temple of Amenhotep IV, are closed to the public.
There also are a few smaller temples and sanctuaries connecting the Precinct of Mut, the Precinct of Amun-Re, and the Luxor Temple. Construction of temples started in the Middle Kingdom and continued into Ptolemaic times.
Several highlights are worth mentioning; The world-famous Great Hypostyle Hall is a forest of 134 columns. These massive columns have a height of 15 meters, aside from the larger, central, twelve, which stand 21 meters tall.
A magnificent obelisk of Hatshepsut (c.1473–1458 BC) in a nearby hall stands at a colossal height of nearly 30 meters. At the eastern end of Karnak is the Akhmenu, a temple by Thutmose III (c.1479–1425 BC) dedicated to the cults of various deities, his royal predecessors, as well as his cult.
Opening Hours: 07:00 AM to 08:00 PM.
Tickets: Foreigners: Inclusive tickets allowing entry into Karnak Temple and Open Museum in Karnak. Adult: EGP 200 / Student: EGP 100.
Mut Temple in Karnak: Adult: EGP 20 / Student: EGP 5.
Egyptians/Arabs: Karnak Temple: Adult: EGP 20 / Student: EGP 5 /Child (6-12 yrs) EGP 40.Open-Air Museum Temple: Adult: EGP 10 / Student: EGP 5 - Mut Temple in Karnak: Adult: EGP 10 / Student: EGP 5
Der Al Bahari
Deir el-Bahari is a complex of mortuary temples and tombs located on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the city of Luxor. Although Pharaoh Hatshepsut’s stunning temple is the most well-known structure at Deir-el-Bahri, the site also includes three temples. These temples were dedicated to the worship of the pharaohs who built them, a place where offerings and prayers could be made to them.
Includes: Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut; Mortuary temple of Mentuhotep II; Temple of Thutmose III
The oldest temple at the site is the Eleventh Dynasty temple of Mentuhotep II. Thutmose III’s mortuary temple was built next to that of his stepmother and co-pharaoh, Hatshepsut.
Opening Hours: 07:00 AM to 05:00 PM.
The Valley of the king
The rulers of the 18th, 19th, and 20th Dynasties of Egypt’s prosperous New Kingdom (c.1550–1069 BC) were buried in a desolate dry river valley across the river. The Valley of the Kings is divided into the East and West Valleys. The eastern is by far the more iconic of the two, as the western valley contains only a handful of tombs. In all, the Valley of the Kings includes over sixty tombs and an additional twenty unfinished ones that are little more than pits.
It contains Tomb Of Ramesses VI, Tomb of Sety I & Tomb of Tutankhamun.
Opening Hours: 07:00 AM to 05:00 PM.
Tickets: Foreigners: Adults EGP 240, /Students EGP 120
Egyptians/Arabs: Adults: EGP 30/ Students EGP 10.
Temple of Hatshepsut
The Temple of Hatshepsut is located in Luxor. Built for the 18th Dynasty pharaoh Hatshepsut, the temple is located beneath the cliffs at Deir el-Bahari on the west bank of the Nile near the Valley of the Kings. This mortuary temple is dedicated to Amun and Hatshepsut and is situated next to the mortuary temple of Mentuhotep II. It is considered one of the "incomparable monuments of ancient Egypt".
Hatshepsut’s temple is just one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. The temple includes a shrine to Amun, as well as chapels for Anubis and Hathor. The walls show scenes from Hatshepsut’s famous expedition into Punt (modern Somalia) and the so-called “Birth Colonnade” which describes the story of Hatshepsut’s divine birth – a story she used to legitimize her rule.
Mummification Museum
The Mummification Museum is an archaeological museum in Luxor. It is dedicated to the art of Ancient Egyptian mummification.
The museum provides a comprehensive view of the entire process through the display of many tools, objects, and equipment used for the process, as well as, an explanation of the ritual and religious significance of the practice. The ancient Egyptians not only applied embalming to dead humans but also many animals (cats, dogs, crocodiles ... etc.).
God Anubis(the Jackal) was the god of embalming and mummification.
Opening Hours: 09:00 AM to 01:00 PM & 05:00 PM to 08:00 PM.
Tickets: Foreigners: Adult: EGP 100\ Student: EGP 50
Egyptians/Arabs: Adult: EGP 20\ Student: EGP 5.
Luxor temple
On the East bank of the Nile River, in the south of Egypt, the World’s Largest Outdoor Museum, Luxor temple, contains one of the most beautiful temples standing.
Luxor Temple was the main venue for one the most important of ancient Egyptian religious celebrations, when the cult images of Amun, his wife Mut, and their son, the lunar god Khonsu, were taken from their temples in Karnak and transported in a grand procession to Luxor Temple so they could visit the god that resides there, Amenemopet. This was the Opet Festival.
Luxor Temple was not constructed by one single ruler. The oldest existing structure, a shrine, dates to the reign of Hatshepsut. The core of the temple was built by Amenhotep III. One of the inner rooms contains a series of scenes that are known as the Divine Birth. They tell the amazing story of how the king’s true father was none other than the god Amun himself. The core of the temple is preceded by a columned hall fronted by a courtyard with columns around its perimeter. Amenhotep III also built the Great Colonnade, which consists of two rows of seven colossal columns. Its decoration, most notably the scenes depicting the Opet Festival, was completed by Tutankhamun and Horemheb.
Ramesses II made many additions to Luxor Temple. In front of the Great Colonnade, he built a peristyle courtyard and a massive pylon, a gate with two towers that formed the entrance into temples. In addition to many colossal statues, the pylon was also fronted by a pair of 25‑meter‑high obelisks made by this great king, but only one remains in place; the other has been at the Place de la Concorde in Paris since 1835–1836.
Opening Hour: 07:00 AM- 08:00 PM.
Tickets: Foreigners: Adult: EGP 160 / Student: EGP 80
EgyptianS/Arabs: Adult: EGP 20 / Student: EGP 5
Dandara Temple complex
Dendera one of the best sights in Egypt was one of the most important religious centers in ancient Egypt. It is situated on the west bank of the Nile, south of Qena in Egypt. The city was rendered sacred by three temples: the temple of Horus, the god of the sky and protector of the pharaohs, the temple of Ihy, the young sistrum-playing son of Horus, and the temple of Hathor. Only the latter has survived practically intact, while no more than a few traces remain of the other two.
The features in the complex include:
- Hathor temple (the main temple)
- Temple of the birth of Isis
- Sacred Lake
- Sanatorium
- Mammisi of Nectanebo II
- Christian Basilica
- Roman Mammisi
- a Barque shrine
- Gateways of Domitian and Trajan
- the Roman Kiosk.
Aswan
Abu Simbel
Abu Simbel, the site of two temples built by the Egyptian king Ramses II (reigned 1279–13 BCE), is now located in Aswan. The four colossal statues of Ramses in front of the main temple are spectacular examples of ancient Egyptian art.
Colossal standing statues of the king line the main hall, leading to the sanctuary where four deities are sat: Amun‑Ra, Ra‑Horakhty, Ptah, and a deified version of Ramesses II. The temple was built with such precision that on two days a year, the 22nd of February and the 22nd of October, the sun’s rays enter the temple, cross the main hall, and illuminate the innermost statues. These dates are thought to correspond to the coronation and birthday of Ramesses II.
the temple was admitted into the list of World Heritage Sites in 1979.
Opening Hours: 07:00 AM to 05:00 PM.
Tickets: ForeignerS: Adult: EGP 200/ Student: EGP 100
February 22nd & October 22nd: Adult: EGP 400/ Student: EGP 200
Egyptians/ Arabs: Adult: EGP 10/ Student: EGP 5
February 22nd & October 22nd: Adult: EGP 30/ Student: EGP 15.
Philae
Philae is an island in the reservoir of the Aswan Low Dam, downstream of the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, Egypt. Philae was originally located near the expansive First Cataract of the Nile in Upper Egypt and was the site of an Egyptian temple complex.
Built during the reign of Ptolemy II (Egypt’s Greco-Roman Period), the Temple of Isis at Philae is dedicated to Isis, Osiris, and Horus. The temple walls contain scenes from Egyptian mythology of Isis bringing Osiris back to life, giving birth to Horus, and mummifying Osiris after his death, the island was sacred to the goddess Isis.
The temple was in danger of being submerged forever with the construction of the new Aswan dam (1960-1970), which flooded the area. Fortunately, the Egyptian government and UNESCO worked together to pump the area dry and relocate the entire temple, stone by stone (50,000 stones!), to a nearby island called Agilka, where it stands today.
Opening Hours: 07:00 AM to 05:00 PM.
Tickets: ForeignerS: Adult: EGP 140/ Student: EGP 70
Egyptians/ Arabs: Adult: EGP 20/ Student: EGP 5.
Temple of Kom Ombo & Crocodile Museum
Located on the banks of the Nile in a village of the same name, Kom Ombo is unique for its dedication to two different gods: the local crocodile-headed god Sobek, and the first "god of the Kingdom", the falcon-headed god Horus the Elder.
Kom Ombo was mainly built during the Ptolemaic Dynasty, it was built on an outcrop at a bend in the Nile where crocodiles used to gather in ancient times, the temple is a testament to the importance of of of Ancient Egyptian priests placed in the natural cycles and crocodiles of the Nile. Visit the temple to see mummified crocodiles, clay coffins, and spectacular reliefs on the walls. The temple can be reached on your way from Luxor to Aswan on a Felucca ride or a Nile Cruise, or on a day trip from Aswan.
The Crocodile Museum is located in front of the Kom Ombo Temple, which was dedicated to the worship of the god Sobek, who takes the form of a crocodile. The museum includes a model of a crocodile cemetery, a large number of crocodile mummies of different ages and lengths, in addition to coffins used to contain the mummies of this sacred animal, and paintings depicting offerings to Sobek.
Opening Hours: 09:00 AM to 05:00 PM.
Tickets: ForeignerS: Adult: EGP 80/ Student: EGP 40
Egyptians/ Arabs: Adult: EGP 20/ Student: EGP 5.
Bahariya Oasis Rock Formation
Sahara el Beyda, the White Desert Protected Area, is a national park in Egypt, first established as a protected area in 2002. It is located in the Farafra depression, 45 km north of the town of Qsar El Farafra. Part of the park is in the Farafra Oasis (New Valley Governorate).
The park is the site of large white chalk rock formations, created through erosion by wind and sand. It is also the site of cliffs (at the northern end of the Farafra Depression), dunes (part of the Great Sand Sea), as well as Wadi Hennis, and oases at Ain El Maqfi and Ain El Wadi.
Faiyum
Wadi Al Rayyan
Wadi El Rayan is one of Egypt’s most famous nature reserves, the nature reserve is part of the El Fayoum governorate and is located about 75 km away from El Fayoum city.
The Wadi El Rayan reserve consists of seven parts; the upper and lower Lakes, El Rayan springs, El Rayan Falls, El Modawara Mountain (or Jabal El Modawara in Arabic), El Rayan Mountain (Jabal El Rayan), and Wadi El Hitan (The Valley of the Whales). All these areas are full of amazing landscapes such as oases, mountains, rock formations, and waterfalls.
Qasr Qaroun Temple
Qasr Qarun, an Arabic word means – the Palace of Qarun. This is a well-preserved Ptolemaic temple, about 65 kilometers from the famous city, in the northwestern corner of the province. (palace of qarun is a misnomer) is known to be Ptolemaic temple (323 -30 BC) but has not been dated more precisely due to the absence of inscriptions. Built of blocks of yellow limestone, it is substantially complete, although the exterior has been partially restored by the Antiquities Department, and parts of the internal structure have been reinforced. it appears small from the outside, but inside is a veritable maze of chambers, corridors, cellars, tunnels, stairways, upper rooms, of all sizes at different levels, and numerous nooks and crannies, making it a fascinating place to explore. There are no inscriptions, but over the entrance flies the winged sun, and on the roof (reached by either of two square spiral staircases) is a relief of two figures: the crocodile god Sobek on the left, a king on the right, there is a good view from the roof, of the desert to south and west, the cultivated land to the north and east, and the desert mountain and ( sometimes, depending on the light ) the lake to the north.
**ALL PRICES ARE BASED ON THE PRICES FROM THE MINISTRY OF ANTIQUITIES AND TOURISM OF EGYPT**
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