Travel and Tourism Information

Travel - International

AIR

The national airline is EgyptAir (MS) (website: www.egyptair.com.eg).

International Airports

Cairo International (CAI), 24km (15 miles) northeast of the city at Heliopolis (travel time – 1 hour). To/from the airport: There are bus services every 30 minutes, and taxis are available. Special limousines are offered by local and international operators. Hotel cars may also be available. Facilities: Incoming and outgoing duty free shops selling a wide range of goods, several car hire firms, post office, bank/bureau de change, restaurants and bar, hotel reservation service, souvenir shops, bookshop and travel insurance services.

Borg El Arab (HBE), has replaced El Nouzha airport as the main international airport for Alexandria. It lies 60 km (37 miles) southwest of Alexandria. Facilities: Duty free shop, bank and exchange services, VIP lounge, post office and restaurant.

Luxor Airport (LXR) is 5.5km (3.5 miles) from Luxor. To/from the airport: There is a regular bus service to the city centre (travel time – 15 minutes). Special limousine and local taxi services are available. Facilities: Car hire, bank and exchange services, and a bar and restaurant. Improvement works have taken place and are expected to continue to meet the increasing flow of tourists.

SEA

The main coastal ports are Alexandria, Nuweiba, Port Said and Suez. The Saudi Sea Transport Company runs a regular car ferry service between Suez and Jeddah. A ferry service usually travels twice per week up the Nile between Wadi Halfa (Sudan) and Egypt High Dam; it departs from High Dam on Saturday and Wadi Halfa on Tuesday. However, it is occasionally suspended. For further information, contact the Nile Valley Association (tel: (2) 578 9256). There is also a ferry service that operates twice-daily between South Sinai and Aqaba (Jordan). There are special rates for children under 12 and under three years of age. For more information, contact the Cairo Navigation Agency (tel: (2) 574 5755 or 575 5568). Many cruise ships stop over in Egypt as part of their African itinerary.

RAIL

There are no international rail links to any of Egypt’s northwestern neighbours. The railheads at Aswan and Wadi Halfa, Sudan are connected by a ferry across Lake Nasser.

ROAD

The road border between Libya and Egypt is open. There are two border crossings between Israel and Egypt: one runs from Cairo via El Arish to Rafiah on the north Sinai coast; and the other from Cairo via Suez and Taba to Eilat. Daily coaches leave early in the morning from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in Israel for travel via El Arish/Rafiah to Cairo and vice versa. There are no direct buses from Eilat to Cairo; it is necessary to change in Taba. The crossing from Taba to Eilat is now open 24 hours a day. Passengers in taxis and rented cars are not permitted to cross the borders between Israel and Egypt. Privately owned vehicles may be taken across other borders, provided the appropriate documentation is obtained. All private vehicles entering Egypt must have a three-month triptyche or Carnet de passage en douane from an automobile club in the country of registration. The driver must hold an international drivers’ licence. Visas should normally be obtained in advance; however, travellers entering Egypt via Taba may be able to obtain visas at the border. Contact the Tourist Office for further details of entry restrictions (see Top Things To Do).

Travel - Internal

AIR

tAir operates daily flights between Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Hurghada. For information on schedules, contact local offices or see online (website: www.egyptair.com.eg). Air Sinai operates services from Cairo to Eilat, El Arish, Hurghada, Luxor, Ras El Nakab, St Catherine, Sharm el-Sheikh and Taba.

SEA/RIVER

There are slow and fast ferry services linking Hurghada with Sharm el-Sheikh in Sinai. Slow ferries operate from Sharm el-Sheikh to Hurghada on Mon, Wed, Fri; and from Hurghada to Sharm el-Sheikh on Tues, Thurs, Sun (travel time – six hours). Fast ferries operate in both directions on Mon, Thurs and Sat (travel time – one hour 30 minutes). The traditional Nile sailing boats, feluccas, can be hired by the hour for relaxed sailing on the Nile. Regular Nile cruises operate between Luxor and Aswan, and sometimes between Cairo and Aswan, usually for the following periods: four nights, five days (standard tour); six nights/seven days (extended tour), and 14 nights/15 days (full Nile cruise). There are over 160 individually owned boats of all categories operating on the Nile.

RAIL

A comprehensive rail network run by Egyptian State Railways (tel: (02) 574 9474 or 575 3555) offering a high standard of service is operated along an east–west axis from Sallom on the Libyan border to Alexandria and Cairo, and along the Nile to Luxor and Aswan. There are also links to Port Said and Suez. There are frequent trains from Cairo to Alexandria, and also several luxury air-conditioned day and night trains with sleeping and restaurant cars from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan for the Nile Valley tourist trade. For the overnight train, bookings should be made one week in advance through a travel agent or through Abela Egypt, Ramses Station, Ramses Square, Cairo (tel: (2) 574 9274 or 574 9474; website: www.sleepingtrains.com). On Egyptian state railways, children under four years travel free. Children aged four to nine years pay half fare. Holders of Youth Hostel cards can get reductions. For details of other possible reductions, contact the Tourist Office.

ROAD

Traffic drives on the right. Besides the Nile Valley and Delta, which hold an extensive road network, there are paved roads along the Mediterranean and African Red Sea coasts. The road looping through the Western Desert oases from Asyut to Giza is fully paved. The speed limit is usually 90kph (56mph) on motorways and 100kph (62mph) on the desert motorway from Cairo to Alexandria (there are substantial fines for speeding). Private motoring in the desert regions is not recommended without suitable vehicles and a guide. For more details, contact the Egyptian Automobile Club in Cairo.

Bus: The national bus system serves the Nile Valley and the coastal road. Main routes are from Cairo to St Catherine, Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab, Ras Sudr, El-Tour, Taba and Rafah; from Suez to El-Tour and Sharm el-Sheikh; and from Sharm el-Sheikh to Taba, Neweiba, El-Tour, Dahab and St Catherine. Coach services operate between Cairo and Agami, Marakia-Mrabila, Marina-Aidda Sidy Abd El Rahman, Matrouh, Ma’amoura Beach and Hurghada.

Taxi: These are available in all the larger cities and are metered (see also Urban below). Long-distance group taxis for all destinations are cheap. Fares should be agreed in advance. In Cairo, taxis are white and black, in Alexandria they are orange and black. Taxis which are Peugeot 504s are 'service' taxis. They are larger but more expensive.

Car hire: This is available through Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Thrifty and local companies. The driver must be at least 25 years of age. Travel through the desert wilderness is available through local tour operators. It should be borne in mind that desert travel is extremely hazardous without an experienced guide, ample supplies of water and a vehicle in good mechanical condition.

Documentation: Visitor’s own insurance and an International Driving Permit are required to drive any motor vehicle. Carnet de Passage or a suitable deposit is necessary for the temporary import of visitor’s own vehicle. All vehicles (including motorcycles) are required by law to carry a fire extinguisher and a red hazard triangle.

URBAN

The Government-owned Cairo Transport Authority runs buses and tram services in Cairo and also operates cross-Nile ferries. There is a central area flat fare. In addition, there are other buses and fixed-route shared taxi and minibus services run by private operators. Vehicles normally wait at city terminals to obtain a full load, but there are frequent departures. Fares are three to four times higher than on the buses. Cairo’s suburban railways have been upgraded to provide a rapid transit network, including Africa’s first underground railway. Alexandria also has buses and tramways, with first- and second-class and distance-regulated fares.

Resorts & Excursions

Cairo

Travellers have marvelled at Egypt's archaeological wonders for centuries, ever since the Ancient Greeks visited the pyramids. Today, the ancient wonders attract millions of tourists each year to the pyramids, temples, mosques and great monuments of the Nile Valley, as well as the stunning diving resorts of the Red Sea.

Known as the greatest city in the Islamic world, Cairo's ancient monuments and medieval customs thrive in a cosmopolitan, modern city. A blend of Arab, African and European influences, Africa's largest city has a population of at least 18 million. Situated on the Nile, the city is polluted and overcrowded, and getting around poses many challenges although it has greatly improved with the new underground Metro system.

In Islamic (or Medieval) Cairo, narrow congested streets are filled with donkey carts, spice traders and imposing mosques. A central landmark is Midan Hussain, a large open square with tea houses around the perimeter, and dominated by the sacred Mosque of Sayyidna Al-Hussain. Adjacent is the famous Khan-el Khalili, one of the world's largest bazaars, pulsing with commerce and crammed with spices, coppersmiths, perfume and trinkets. Bargaining has been a way of life in these alleyways since the late-14th century and it is easy to get taken in by silver-tongued salesmen. Here, Fishawi's tea house has been in business for over 200 years, and is still a great people-watching venue.

Nearby is Al-Azhar Mosque, containing the oldest university in the world (AD 970). The pre-Ottoman Madrassa and Mausoleum of Al-Ghouri, has twice weekly Sufi dancing, and opposite is Wakala of Al-Ghouri, an attractively preserved cultural centre. Exhibits in the Museum of Islamic Art bring Islamic Cairo to life, with arts, ceramics, mosaics and calligraphy.

The Citadel was home to Egypt's rulers for 700 years; an imposing medieval fortress offering sweeping views of the city. Within it is the Midan Salah al-Din with the unmissable Sultan Hassan and Rifai Mosques. The Mohammad Ali Mosque has classic Ottoman minarets and interior. Within the Citadel, other attractions include the Military National Museum, Al-Gawhara Palace and Museum and the National Police Museum.

City of the Dead (Northern Cemetery) is a Mamluk necropolis with hundreds of thousands of tombs dating from the 12th century. Many thousands more live here in something resembling a shanty town amongst the ornate mausoleums.

Sharia Talat Harb street and Midan Tahrir (Liberation Square) are typical of the more modern, commercial centre of Cairo - filled with concrete and cars, and containing countless hotels, restaurants, office blocks and museums. Here is one of the country's greatest attractions; the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities housing over 130,000 exhibits including Pharaonic and Byzantine art and sculpture, the Mummy Room and the celebrated Tutankhamun exhibition.

Behind the museum, bridges cross the Nile, and riverside walks along the corniche bring some relief from traffic. Here, river taxis travel to local docks, and feluccas (sail boats) are available for private trips.

The south is home to the Coptic Orthodox Christians, forming ten per cent of the population. Originally a Roman fortress town called Babylon, it was greatly significant to early Christians. Here, the Coptic Museum has exhibits from AD 300 to AD 1000, in the world's greatest collection of Coptic art. The Hanging Church, Monastery of St George and the Churches of St Sergius and St Barbara are all in the same area. The Ben Ezra Synagogue is one of the oldest in Egypt, and represents the remains of the Jewish community.

The small island of Gezira is a modern upmarket area with the Opera House (a US$30 million arts complex) containing the Museum of Modern Art, and the Cairo Tower with great city views. The adjacent neighbourhood of Zamalek contains elegant town houses and embassies.

On the southwest outskirts of the city is Giza, with Cairo Zoo and University - but more famous for the Great Pyramids, Egypt's most visited monuments. Of the three main pyramids (Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus), the largest is 137m high and contains some three million blocks of stone. Exploring the interiors is possible via labyrinthine tunnels and staircases. Adjacent is the bewitching Sphinx, as named by the ancient Greeks, with the head of a woman and body of a lion. Erosion was partly rectified by restoration, which finished in 1998. Early morning and late afternoon is a little less crowded, and every evening there are son et lumière shows. Camels, horses and donkeys can be hired to explore the sit

Beyond Cairo

There are more ancient tombs and pyramids outside the city, more difficult to get to but much less crowded. There are remains of the Old Kingdom's capital Memphis; the necropolis at Saqqara, with the Step Pyramid older than those at Giza, with well preserved wall reliefs and royal tombs. Dahshur has only been open to foreigners since 1996, and is famous for its Bent Pyramid, and a huge field of royal tombs.

In contrast to ancient sights, the Camel Market (Souq al-Gamaal), is held every morning at Birqash, around 35km from the city, located on the edge of the Western Desert. Hundreds of camels are sold daily, most having being brought from Sudan.

Oases: Egypt's six oases can provide relief from cities. All have accommodation, and can be accessed by public transport. The desert forms 94 per cent of the country's area, yet only one per cent of the population. The largest and most developed is Kharga, with a Berber community, temples and museums. Dhakla Oasis has hot springs, and camel rides over the sand dunes. The nearby village of Bashandi sells handicrafts made by local girls. The smallest is Farafra, an ancient fort town; Bahariyya is made up of several small villages, famed for its olives and dates. Al-Faiyum Oasis is 100km southwest of Cairo, and the area contains small pyramids, the old city of Karanis, and temples. Siwa is the furthest west and remote, but the most picturesque and idyllic. The community is traditional and Berber-speaking

The Nile

Many tour operators offer Nile cruises, usually between Luxor and Aswan, and generally lasting around five days. It is also possible to get a cruise to Minia (a charming town with Roman, Greek and Pharaonic ruins, including the Beni Hassan archaeological area) and/or through to Cairo. Felucca trips offer the same route - with more basic facilities. For further information, see also the Sport & Activities section.

LUXOR: Once the ancient village of Thebes and powerhouse of upper Egypt, Luxor has grown into a large town, awash with hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops, with most of its economy coming from tourism.

A highlight is the Karnak Temple, covering an immense 100 acres. Of the three temple enclosures, the grandest is the Precinct of Amun, the main place of worship. The Great Hypostyle Hall is 6000 square metres and filled with immense stone pillars. The whole site has colossal statues, reliefs, obelisks and halls and, of course, the Avenue of the Sphinxes. There are nightly son et lumière shows.

Along the riverbank, Luxor Temple is guarded by a huge statue of Ramses II, and although a fraction of the area of Karnak, it also contains countless columns, statues and sphinxes. A pleasant walk north along the corniche brings you to the Luxor Museum where a small interesting collection of relics from the Theban Temples and Necropolis can be viewed. The recently opened Mummification Museum has exhibits of human, reptile and bird mummies, as well as explanations of how they are made.

On the West Bank of the Nile is the vast Theban Necropolis, containing some of the world's finest tombs; The Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens and Tombs of the Nobles. Highlights include the Tomb of Tutankhamun; newly opened Ramses II; and Tomb of Nefertari, reputed be the country's finest, which is newly restored and allows only 150 visitors a day for ten minutes. Nearby is Deir el-Bahri (Northern Monastery), a picturesque temple set amidst the amphitheatre of the Theban Hills.

Along the Nile, felucca owners tout for custom, and it is possible to hire one for a brief sunset cruise, to Banana Island, or even to organise a trip upriver to Aswan. Hot-air balloon trips are also available, offering the best views of Luxor.

Around Luxor Temple, shopping is dominated by tourist bazaars with enthusiastic salesmen. The more traditional souk, with household goods, spices and clothes, is on Sharia el-Birka. Cafés and stalls sell hot food, and there are rooftop terraces overlooking the river. A livestock market is held every Tuesday morning at El-Hebel, a village 4km from Luxor.

ASWAN: A beautiful winter resort, relaxing Aswan is the southernmost city in the country; the gateway to Africa, and steeped in Nubian culture. Although the sights are not the country's finest, the town's riverside location is picturesque and peaceful. It has a busy tourism scene although it is less aggressive than Luxor.

The corniche provides attractive riverside walks, and a stop-off for many cruise ships. In the evenings, floating restaurants provide a lively gathering place, and the world-famous folkloric dance troupe performs nightly during winter months at the Cultural Centre. Southernmost is the Old Cataract Hotel (famous for location of the film 'Death on the Nile'). Sharia el-Souq is the atmospheric market stretching for streets, with spices, food and clothes as well as predictable tourist souvenirs.

Elephantine Island is easily accessible by river taxi. Formerly Egypt's frontier town, recent excavations of this ancient site have revealed temples and a fortress. Aswan Museum contains exhibits found in Nubia and Aswan. The Nilometre on the south of the island, dating back to Pharaonic times, was used to measure the height of the Nile.

Further south is the tiny Island of Plants, presented to Lord Horatio Kitchener in the 1890s in recognition of his military services. Importing exotic flowers and plants from India and Malaysia, he created a beautiful botanical garden, open daily to the public, attracting a wide variety of birds.

On the West Bank of the Nile lies the Monastery of St Simeon, which resembles a fortress. Nearby is the domed granite and sandstone Mausoleum of Aga Khan.

Beyond Aswan

Outside the city are the Aswan Dam, built by the British at the beginning of the century; and the Temple of Philae, on the Island of Philae. The Temple is one of Egypt's most legendary attractions, and after being under threat from flooding from the High Dam, UNESCO moved it stone by stone to a higher point on the island.

Further afield is Abu Simbel, the magnificent Sun Temple of Ramses II, also rescued from flooding by UNESCO. Ramses had four gigantic statues of himself built in order to intimidate travellers entering Egypt from Africa, especially the Nubians. The road was closed to tourists in 1997 for security reasons, but reopened in 2000 - although not all public vehicles will take tourists.

Kom Ombo, 30km north of Aswan, is a largely Nubian settlement, known for its Temple of Haroeris and Sobek. Nearby is the Darow Camel Market, held every Tuesday morning and mainly frequented by tribesmen from the northern Sudanese deserts.

Edfu is famed for the largest and best preserved Pharaoronic Temple in Egypt, the Temple of Horus. It is a favoured starting/stopping point for felucca trips to Luxor.

Alexandria

The Northern Coast is dominated by Alexandria, conquered and designed by Alexander the Great. More Mediterranean than Arabic, it was always considered affluent and liberal, and still attracts wealthy Cairenes as a summer retreat. Egypt's second city is less chaotic than Cairo, and famed for its numerous Hellenistic and Roman relics from the age when it was the cultural capital of Europe.

The newly constructed Bibliotheka Alexandria, costing over US$300m, is the greatest library in the ancient world and a major research centre for scholars. Relics from the third century BC are exhibited in the Graeco-Roman Museum, and there is a recently excavated Roman Amphitheatre. Fort Qait Bey is a 15th-century fort built on the foundations of the Pharos Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The modern Mosque of Abu al-Abbas Mursi dominates the main square on Sharia Tatwig, and other places of interest include the Museum of Fine Arts, and Montazah Palace with attractive gardens, often the summer venue of theatre performances.

Swimming and diving are popular, although beaches tend to be overcrowded in summer. Ma'amoura is a more liberal and Westernised beach, and further out of the city Agami and Hannoville are cleaner and less crowded. Diving is possible on Montazah beach.

Beyond Alexandria

The ancient city of Rosetta, 65km away from Alexandria, is famed for being the origin of the Rosetta Stone (now housed in the British Museum) and has attractive Ottoman, 'Delta Style' architecture.

El Alamein is a small coastal village 100km west of Alexandria and an easy day trip. Famous as the scene of a decisive Allied victory, which determined the fate of Egypt and Britain's Empire, there is a War Museum, Cemetery and Memorial to the soldiers who died in battle.

Further west is the coastal resort of Mersa Matrouh, which has a good beach, although it can be overcrowded in summer.

Sinai & The Red Sea Coast

A great example of modern engineering, the Suez Canal links the Red Sea with the Mediterranean. Completed in 1869, it has repeatedly been the cause of dispute, most recently when blocked during the 1967 war with Israel. Port Said is the main city. Anyone travelling to Sinai by road would cross the Suez on a small shuttle boat, or under the tunnel.

The Red Sea Coast sits strategically between Africa and Asia, rich in mineral wealth and revered as the place of miracles and prophets in Judaism, Islam and Christianity. God is said to have appeared to Moses here, and thought to have delivered the Israelites from the Egyptian army into the Red Sea. These days, the region is revered for its spectacular diving resorts, beaches, stunning coastline and vast deserts. This area has some of the best diving and snorkelling in the world, and has a more liberal atmosphere than the rest of Egypt.

The coastline attracts tourists ranging from top-class package deals, to backpackers in campsites: Sharm el-Sheikh is a large resort, and is best for diving. Na'ama Bay is much better developed and upmarket, with private beaches. A few kilometres north is Shark Bay, a quieter resort camp. The beaches at Dahab are spectacularly framed by jagged mountains. Holiday villages within a Bedouin settlement are close by. Nuweiba is a port city, with a plethora of resorts, and is famous for Olin the dolphin, with which people can pay to swim. Local Bedouins offer jeep safaris into the interior. Between here and Taba, there are many small, quiet resorts that threaten to be overshadowed by a huge new tourist development, Taba Heights. On the west of the Red Sea Coast, the biggest diving resort is Hurghada, once a fishing village and now a major commercial tourist centre. Ras Muhammed is the southernmost point on the peninsula, fringed with lagoons and reefs, and is now a National Park.

Little is accessible in Sinai's interior, a barren area with rocks and sands, and the best way to explore this is by treks or safari by camel or jeep. One of the highlights is St Catherine's Monastery, now home to Greek Orthodox monks. St Catherine was the legendary martyr of Alexandria, who was tortured and beheaded for her Christianity. It has been a place of pilgrimage since the fourth century. Within the monastery is the 'burning bush' which God is said to have appeared from to speak to Moses.

Mount Sinai, revered as the site of God's revelation of the Ten Commandments, is a craggy and sheer-faced mount of grey and red, dramatic and steep. Care should be taken when ascending. Other places to visit in this region include Oyun Musa ('Springs of Moses'), Qalat al-Gindi, an 800-year-old fortress, and Hammam Fara'un's hot springs and isolated beach.