Places To Go In Egypt

The ancient historical sites in Egypt make the country one of the best travel destination in Africa. There are over 80 Pyramids found in this country, the Pyramids of Giza located on the left bank of the Nile in Cairo are the most ancient and an attractive tourist destination. The various pyramids found in this country were built to serve as tombs for the royal families. Among the three pyramids at the Giza necropolis is the Pyramid of Khufu also known as the Great Pyramid, the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure. The Pyramid of Khufu is about 481 feet and is the largest and the oldest of all Pyramids. It is also the only one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world still remaining today.

Cairo is the capital city of Egypt and, it consists of both ancient and modern tourist attractions. Khan Al-Khalili market is a good example of the ancient attractions. This market is one of the largest and oldest markets in the world dating back about 3000 years ago. It is a huge market which attracts both the local and international tourists. Almost everything is sold here including food, clothes, ornaments, perfumes and curving. The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities is another ancient site where about 120,000 ancient items are displayed. The legendary treasures from Tutankhamen burial are the most popular exhibits.

The Valley of Kings is another tourist destination. This site is located on the West Bank of the River Nile in Thebes and it has 62 tombs. The Valley has two components namely the West Valley and the East Valley. The East Valley is where the New Kingdom of the Pharaohs is found and is the most attractive site for tourists. These tombs include the tomb of King Tut (the youngest King to have ever ruled in the ancient and the modern Egypt). These tombs contain many treasures and artistic decorations including the books of the underworld hence giving visitors better understanding of the lives of the ancient Pharaohs.

The two temples at Abu Simbel are very interesting to visit. One of the most interesting things about the Abu Simbel temples is that, they were all built to satisfy the ego of just one King. Construction of the Aswan High dam on river Nile was done in 1969.The dam helped contribute to the relocation and re-assembling of the temples to higher and safer ground. The Pharaonic Village is another ideal site for families to visit. A tour to this site will actually take you 3000 years back to the days of the pharaohs. It is a beautiful place where you will get entertained and learn more about the past.

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Top Ten Places to Visit in Egypt

There's no other place in the world that holds more mystery than the country of Egypt. The smell of the mysticism of the ancient Egyptians still lingers over the place. This ancient atmosphere seems to fill its every nook and cranny with secrets yet untold.

1.) Pyramids of Giza
And perhaps there is nothing more mysterious, and more worthy of seeing in Egypt than the esteemed Great Pyramids of Giza. These are the pyramids of Khufu, Kafhre, and Menkaura. These perfectly shaped structures leaves everyone in awe and in wonder about how exactly they were made, considering that the ancient Egyptians had no advanced technology to work with.

2.) Sphinx
And of course, if you're going to go to the Great Pyramids, then you might as well go to the Sphinx. This is one of the most mysterious structures in Egypt. Even now, archaeologists are still arguing about its origin and its purpose, making it the subject of the famous phrase, "the Riddle of the Sphinx."

3.) Abu Simbel
These two temples were built by Pharaoh Ramesses II to commemorate himself and his wife, Nefertari. It's a breathtaking place, and its temples are hailed as one of the most beautiful in Egypt. What's even more interesting about the Abu Simbel is the amount of effort put into relocating and preserving it.

4.) Cairo
And of course, if you really want to immerse yourself in Egyptian culture, it would be best for you to go to the capital city, Cairo. The place is teeming with bazaars and restaurants where you can buy your taste of Egyptian culture. It's surely not a place to miss.

5.) Temples of Karnak
What better way to experience ancient Egypt than to visit the very place where they worshipped their gods. The Temples of Karnak is the biggest site for Egyptian worship. It has a monument to just about every god in the Theban religion.

6.) The Nile River
And of course, you can't miss out on the famous Nile River. It is, after all, what nourished Egypt and turned it into the place of wonder that it is. In fact, what's great about visiting the Nile is that you can take a Felucca and sail down the legendary river, taking in the sights of the city and the sunset.

7.) Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings or Biban El Moluk is the place where Egypt's most esteemed pharaohs were buried. This place is teeming with mummies and undiscovered treasures. In fact, this is the place where archaeologists found one of the most famous mummies of all time - Tutankhamun.

8.) Egyptian Museum
Of course, since it would be unwise to leave the Egyptian treasures in the tombs they were found in, the archeologists put them in the Egyptian museum where they would be put under high security. If you want to learn about Egypt, this is the best place to start. There's no other place with a higher concentration of Egyptian artifacts, and you can even follow the tour so that you can be oriented with the history of each of the artifacts.

9.) Siwa Oasis
Egypt isn't all about temples and pyramids, there's a place where you can just let loose and have fun - the Siwa Oasis. Here, you can take a swim in the cool waters to ward off the desert heat. It is rumored that Alexander stopped here during his great conquest.

10.) Necropolis of Sakkarah
And indeed, you can't miss something as intriguing as a 'Necropolis' or, if translated, a City of the Dead. Here, you will find the less popular pyramids of Egypt, the step pyramids. However, though they are less popular than the great pyramids, they're still suffused with great history and culture.

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