Amidst political turmoil, civil unrest and revolution, I still couldn’t resist myself if there’s a chance to visit Egypt. A country with one of the longest and oldest civilization in the world, it is one of my ‘before I die’ must visit destination. Hopefully next year onwards, I will be able to plan my trip to Egypt and while focusing on the power of attraction, I will be recommending the top 6 Attractions that everyone must visit in Egypt. Other than check and for more options and destinations in Egypt check out Egypt Holidays here.
1. The Giza Necropolis
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| The Magnificent and Great Pyramids of Giza Source: Wikipedia, 2012 |
A trip to Egypt will not be completed if a trip to the Giza Necropolis where the Great Pyramids of Giza is located. According to the locals, you might as well do not visit Egypt if you do not pay a visit to the pyramids in Giza. One of the 7 one wonders of the world, the Giza Necropolis is located just outside of the outskirts of Cairo on the esplanade known as the Giza Plateau. Notable pyramids are the Great Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Menkaure, Pyramid of Khafre and no forgetting the Sphinx.
2. Abu-Simbel Temples
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| The Abu-Simbel Temple Complex Source: Wikipedia, 2012 |
Yet another famous historical site is the Abu-Simbel Temples. I have always heard of the name in movies and games about this temple complex. Perched atop a hill overlooking the Nile, the majestic Abu-Simbel Temples are two massive rock temples and were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple was dedicated to the Pharoah Rameses II & Queen Nefertari.
However, to my surprise, the current complex was relocated on an artificial hill made from a domed structure, high above the Aswan High Dam reservoir. The relocation of the temples was necessary to avoid from being submerged during the creation of Lake Nasser, the massive artificial water reservoir formed after the building of the Aswan High Dam on the Nile River. Nevertheless, Abu Simbel remains one of Egypt's top tourist attractions.
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| A scale model showing the original and current location of the temple (with respect to the water level) Source: Wikipedia, 2012 |
3. Temple of Luxor
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| The view of the Temple of Luxor from Nile River Source: Wikipedia, 2012 |
Luxor was known once an Ancient Egyptian capital is now known as the world's "greatest open-air museum." Luxor is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the Nile River and was founded in 1400 BC.
4. Bibliotheca Alexandria
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| Inside the ultra spacious library Source: Wikipedia, 2012 |
The only modern structure I would recommend during your visit to Egypt is the new library building, the Bibliotheca Alexandria. It is the largest reading space in the world, including over 2000 chairs for potential readers. This futuristic building was opened in the early year of 2000 the library will eventually house more than 8 million books. The library houses 4 permanent museums dedicated to Antiquities, Manuscripts, the former Egyptian President Sadat, and History of Science. An Egypt’s cultural heritage, this major library and cultural centre is located on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.
5. Salah El-Din Fortress at the Island of Pharaoh
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| Beautiful emerald sea surrounding the fortress of Salah El-Din Source: Wikipedia, 2012 |
Little known, when you have reached the Island of the Pharaoh, you will be able to spectate a fortress surrounded by coral reefs and dominated by the magnificent Saladin fortress, built by Crusaders in the 12th century and recently restored by the Council of Egyptian Antiquities. That is the Salah El-Din Fortress. Salah This fortress is built in order to control the trade of products coming from Asia and demand ransoms from pilgrims on their way to Mecca at that time.
6. Dakhla Oasis
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| This is what an oasis looks like..I wish I can snap a photo of an oasis from an aerial view. Source: Wikipedia, 2012 |
Ever wondered or have been to a real oasis? The Dakhla Oasis the real deal! It is considered to be one of the most attractive oases in Egypt. The oasis boasts attractions of several hundreds of hot springs, as well as charming mud-brick housing. Dakhla Oasis is one of the seven oases of Egypt's Western Desert (part of the Libyan Desert). It measures approximately 80 km (50 miles) from east to west and 25 km (16 mi) from north to south which is quite huge.
Source: Wikipedia, 2012 and Egypt Travel, 2012
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