Egypt Introduction

Egypt is country of magic and mystery in which you can explore its many interesting sights. It is situated in Northern Africa and has the advantage of the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea around it. It has a wonderful history which includes the Pharaohs, the pyramids, temples and treasures which are still being discovered today.

You will be amazed by the smells and sounds as you wander around its Towns and will be intrigued by the mountains, deserts and culture. Egypt has a wealth of things for you to do from jeep safaris, camel riding across the desert, scuba diving in the Red Sea or excursions along the River Nile.

The most famous sights well worth visiting are the Valley of the Kings and Queens and the infamous tomb of Tutankhamen along with the tombs and temples of the pharaohs at Luxor. At Karnak you can see an amazing array of temples and monuments in honour of the Gods, which the Egyptians believed the pharaohs to be.

In the Sinai Mountain region there is plenty of golf to be had along with water sports and beaches to revel in the sun. You can climb Mount Moses to experience a glimpse of what early Egyptian Bedouin life was all about, and the views will leave you breathless, literally.

The weather in Egypt is glorious, providing a place to holiday any time of the year. The beach resorts remain around 27oC between June to October but further inland and away from the cooling sea air you will find the temperatures much hotter.

Egypt's capital, Cairo is a mixture of modern shops and souks where you can browse, mingle and shop till you drop. You can thrill at the light and sound show at the pyramids in Cairo, it's a sight to be seen to be believed.

A holiday in Egypt will provide you with historical sights, fantastic scenery, thrills, excitement, water sports, diving, snorkelling, golf, mountain walks and some of the world's finest beaches.

Egypt Location

It is situated in Northern Africa and has the advantage of the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea around it. It sits between Libya, the Gaza Strip, Northern Sudan and also incorporates the Asian Sinai Peninsula.

Weather in Egypt

Egypt's climate is superb with long sunny days, little rainfall and light winds to keep the temperature pleasantly cooler. The southern areas of Egypt are hotter than the northern areas and further inland temperatures become hotter still.

Cairo gets particularly hot during May to October which is summer and winter during November to April still remains pleasant. It is lucky in that it only has 2 definite seasons, summer and winter. Cairo's rainfall is on average about 1 centimetre per year. It an however be very humid during the summer and can often experience dusty sirocco winds, which are warm but rather messy and can sometimes make visibility unpleasant. Night temperatures can drop quite drastically in comparison to the hot days.

We would advise light cotton clothing to aid keeping cool and a lightweight jacket or jumper for evening wear, in case the night is cool particularly in the north of Egypt.

Beaches in Egypt

We can safely say that Egypt's beaches are fantastic, sun kissed and sandy where you can enjoy a lazy day if you so wish but remember to take plenty of sun cream. Egypt's beaches enjoy the location of either the Red Sea or the Mediterranean Sea.

The resorts around the Red Sea, usually known as the Red Sea Riviera are Sharm el-Sheikh with glorious views of the Sinai mountains to the background, Taba, Nuweiba, Dahab, El Gouna, Hurghada, Makadi Bay, Soma Bay, Safaga, Quseir, Marsa Alam and Hamata.

Egypt offers some of the best diving you can have, in the Red Sea you can explore all the underwater life in the warm waters. You can have endless opportunities for snorkelling and swimming, the waters are very safe, just simply ideal for you to enjoy a spot of marine exploration.

The Red Sea Riviera is a very trendy and cosmopolitan stretch of coast. It is popular amongst tourists as the beaches are wonderfully sandy.

There are many other beach activities you can enjoy, such as deep sea fishing, para sailing and water sports.

The Mediterranean beaches also have a lot to offer in the way of diving, snorkelling and water sports. The beaches at Alexandria, Abu Soma, Dahab, Mersa Matrouh, Al-Abyad and Ageebah offer a variety of long sandy stretches to small, isolated coves.

Shopping in Egypt

Whatever you are looking for, you will find it in Egypt. There are numerous bazaars and souks where you can find jewellery, copper, brassware, rugs, carpets, scarves, shawls, spices and much more. Don't forget to try to bargain, you will not be expected to pay the first price at the bargaining bazaars.

Shops also have an excellent range of items, although the prices are fixed you might not grab such a bargain. One of the popular bazaars is at Khan-al-Khalili.

There is a market in Aswan where you will find a wide range of gold jewellery. In Luxor you will find a lot of silver ware.

Take your time over shopping in order to get the best price, quality is generally better from one of the fixed price shop but the atmosphere and charm of the market are an important part of a shopping experience.

Shops are usually open 9:00 to 15:00 and 17:00 to 22:00 except on Sundays and during Ramadan opening hours are limited.

Eating Out in Egypt

Egyptian gastronomy is a mixture of Middle Eastern, Arabic, African and Asian foods.

Meat is usually grilled, roasted or minced and lamb or chicken are popular amongst Egyptian's.

A lot of locals use fava beans and chickpeas which are often used to make tahini and hummus, and with garlic added you will have a delicious flavour and wholesome food.

Moussaka is a popular dish made with eggplant (aubergine), potatoes and a white sauce. Rice is served with most meals and vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes and okra are used in everyday dishes.

A typical Egyptian dish is called T'amivaa. This dish has a combination of noodles, onions, rice, lentils, tomato puree and chickpeas. Shish kebab is popular, and sometimes served with accompaniments of tahini sauce, tomato salad and pita bread. Lots of different salads are served as appetizers which include ingredients like tomato, onion, mint, coriander and peppers. Other dips offered with pita bread are hummus, tahini or babaganoush.

Tuna and perch caught fresh from the Red Sea are often fried in a delicately thin batter. Pigeon is grilled and served with spices. Egypt is all about their spices, saffron, coriander and ochres. You will usually find cumin and salt on the tables in restaurants.

Fresh juice bars are around the larger cities offering juice made from oranges. Alcohol is not available everywhere, but Egypt has its own local beer called Stella. In tourist resorts you will find restaurants have a very good bottle of wine to accompany your meal. You will have to ask for wine and spirits as it is not automatically offered.

Always be alert that vegetables, fruit and salads are not washed in untreated water. It is one of the frequent health problems in Egypt.

And finally, don't forget to try the coffee which is served strong, hot and very sweet.

Nightlife in Egypt

Egypt has a rich and diverse nightlife which can come as a bit of a shock if you are not expecting it.

Sharm El Sheikh's nightlife is lively and it has a good variety of nightclubs, discos and bars. Belly dancing is a popular Egyptian evening which some of the hotels may offer for entertainment. Sufi dancing at Fantasia is another popular night time venue. Shisha, the Egyptian water pipe is an activity that you will see going on all around Egypt - mixed with different flavours such as apple, cinnamon and cherry it might get your taste buds going. A lot of bars do not serve alcohol, but they do serve a variety of fruit juices.

Shark's Bay and Um Sid are developing reputations of their own for nightlife. There is a vast strip of entertainment venues, hotels, malls and restaurants. At Na'ama Bay there is a lively disco which is a popular haunt.

Hurghada has its own selection of nightlife with typical belly dancing shows as well as Russian shows. There are two favourite venues for party going, Papa's Bar and The Wave.

In Aswan you can enjoy a Nubian night. The Nubian people were the first to live in Egypt and they have their own dancing which is portrayed in these fantastic evenings.

Taba Heights resort is an oasis at the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula and after dark all entertainment is hotel based with dancing, floor shows or even playing Bridge.

In Cairo you will find a wide selection of venues full of culture and entertainment. Cairo has its own orchestra, theatres and you can listen to some jazz in one of its jazz bars.

So, as you can see and will find out, Egypt has a good mixture of nightlife, there is something for everyone to see and do, in pleasant surroundings and with a wonderful atmosphere that is sure to thrill you.

Car Hire in Egypt

If you wish to hire a car to do some exploring you will find international companies represented. However, driving can be hazardous in Egypt as many of the road rules are ignored. The major cities get very busy and traffic jams are the norm. Fill up with petrol when you see a station, as petrol stations are few and far between. It is not possible to cross the border of Sudan in South Aswan without permission, and also most of the desert in the west. In more rural areas it is often possible to see stray donkeys and Oxen so care should always be taken. Ola would not advise driving at night. In Egypt you will drive on the right hand side and anyone hiring a car must have a valid driving licence and be older than 25 years of age. You will need your passport, driving licence and pre-payment at the time of hire.

Transfers from the airport in Egypt

Arriving at a foreign airport can often be a strenuous affair and with most customers traveling independently these days having a pre-booked airport transfer is an essential part of your holiday package. Local taxis at the airport can sometimes be limited or with long queues, by booking a pre-booked you can not only make a fantastic saving on your transfer but also avoid all the stress of queues and haggling with taxi drivers. Book your airport transfer service here now >>

Airport Shuttle Bus Service in Egypt

In most of our gateway airports you can pre-book an Airport Shuttle Service. This is a pre-booked only service that operates between the relevant airport and holiday resort. In normal times you can expect to wait up to 30 minutes for your shuttle bus to arrive however as this is a pre-negotiated service and only available to participating travel companies then expect to pay far less to get from the airport to your destination accommodation than other traditional forms or transport such as local taxis. Book your airport shuttle service here now>>