What to do in Egypt?

Best things to in Egypt

DestinationsEgypt
 

The best things to do in Egypt

It includes the most popular, but also unusual activities that is not found much in other travel guides. I made this article after 3 stays in the land of the pharaohs, about 3 months and a half of travel in total.

 

Chapka insures your trip to Egypt
Get it now

 

Visit the pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza

Visit the pyramids of Giza
Visit the pyramids of Giza, near Cairo, Egypt

Egypt has 118 pyramids identified to date, but the best known and most emblematic are obviously those of the Giza plateau: Cheops, Khephren and Mykerinos. Find out how to visit the pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza in this article:

🔎 Guide to visit the pyramids of Giza
 

Visit the Valley of the Kings

© Wikimedia Commons / Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings is a funerary complex located near Luxor. It houses the tomb of ThutmoseI, Akhenaten and other pharaohs of the period between -1539 and -1075. It is one of the most famous tourist activities in Egypt: a must-see place.
 

Where is the Valley of the Kings in Egypt?

It is located in Luxor, in the desert on the west bank of the Nile.

📍 View on map

Visit the temples of Abu Simbel

© Wikimedia Commons / Trip to Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel is a city that is home to 2 temples built by Ramses II for his own worship and that of other Egyptian gods. This impressive archaeological site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Faced with rising waters caused by the construction of the Aswan Dam in 1968, the temple was moved 64 meters.
  

Where is the Abu Simbel temple?

The temples of Ramses II are located in Abu Simbel, on the peninsula which is located south of the city.

📍 View on map

Discover Elephantine Island

© Wikimedia Commons / Visit Elephantine Island

Elephantine Island is an island in the Nile inhabited by the Nubians of Egypt. It’s quite funny because in a few minutes by boat, you go from the city to complete rurality. The island has several types of accommodation for accommodation. It also has many places to bathe and even includes an archaeological site with the remains of an ancient pyramid.
 

How to get to Elephantine Island?

You can reach the island by boarding a boat. The crossing is from a small port located 300 meters after the KFC which is on the corniche on the banks of the Nile. The crossing costs 5 EGP.

📍 View on map

Discover Isis Temple in Philae

The Temple of Isis, located behind the Aswan Dam, is just one of many that lie on the Philae Islands. The site was moved to a nearby island because the construction of it immersed the original.
 

Where are the temples of the Philae complex?

© Wikimedia Commons / Temple of Philae

The temples are located behind the dam, south of Aswan. That is, they are at the beginning of Lake Nasser.

📍 View on map

Discover the Nubian villages of Aswan

© Wikimedia Commons / Nubian village in Aswan

Nubians are an ethnic group shared between northern Sudan and southern Egypt. They speak Arabic and Nubian. In Aswan, there are several villages of this ethnic group. The most visited, Gharb Soheil, is known for its colorful traditional houses and handicrafts. It is to visit but very touristy, so I advise you to also see those that tourists abandon for a more authentic experience.
 

Where is the Nubian village in Aswan?

Gharb Soheil (Nagaa Suhayl Gharb) lies south of Aswan. You have to go through the dam and then directly turn right and continue to the village. You will probably be stopped by the military if you are on foot because it is forbidden. They will make you cross for free with them or another vehicle that they will stop for you.

📍 View on map

Visit Daraw

© Tom Spirit / Inhabitants of Daraw

Daraw is known for its camel market and Kom Ombo temple. But having spent time in the city itself, I found there a different atmosphere from the rest of Egypt, it is also one of my favorite places in Egypt. Daraw is a medium-sized but very undeveloped and very traditional city. It gives the impression of having gone back a few years. In addition, many Sudanese immigrants live there, which makes the local culture interesting.
 

How to get to Daraw?

From Cairo or Aswan, the easiest and fastest way is to take the train. You will easily find some that will stop in Daraw. The city is about 40 km north of Aswan.

📍 View on map

Discover the Daraw camel market

The famous Daraw camel market is a must-see. It takes place every Tuesday for camelids and every Thursday for all types of livestock, so it is this last day that it is most important. Business starts early in the morning, as early as 6am. I advise you not to delay because at the end of the morning all the animals have already left.

🎥 My video of the Daraw camel market
 

Where is the camel market?

© Tom Spirit / Daraw Camel Market

To go to Daraw, please refer to the previous section. The market itself is a few minutes’ walk away from the city.

📍 View on map

Discover the monastery of St. Simeon

© Tom Spirit / The Monastery of St. Simeon is surrounded by desert

I stumbled upon this monastery while trying to walk in the desert in front of Aswan. It was empty and I was able to visit it alone, a slap. This huge monument with a thousand pieces and labyrinths fascinated me. It happens to be one of the most important monuments of the Christian era in Egypt. Strangely, it is never reported in travel guides but I strongly recommend it if you stay in Aswan.
 

Where is the monastery of St. Simeon?

The monastery is located in the Aswan Desert on the west bank of the Nile. The best option is to find someone with a felucca to cross the river to the monastery level. He can then wait for you to return to the city. This is what I did several times to visit the monastery and the desert.

Otherwise, most tourists go by camel from Gharb Soheil (see Nubian villages section).

📍 View on map

Diving or snorkeling in Egypt

© Pixabay / Blue-spotted skate is common in Egypt

Egypt’s Red Sea has some of the best diving (and snorkeling) spots in the world. A great diversity of remarkable marine species live there such as the dugong, the spotted eagle ray, the manta ray, the lionfish, dolphins, the giant moray eel, the puffer fish (…) I made a post about it:

🔎 How to snorkel in the Egyptian Red Sea?

Hiking in the Sahara Desert

© Tom Spirit in the Egyptian desert!

Traveling to Egypt and not going for a ride in the desert, what idea? The Sahara is sumptuous. For having spent a lot of time losing myself in order to find myself, in absolute silence if not the sound of emptiness and wind blowing on the dunes, in this merciless heat and its mirages, its colors of ochre sand …
 

For me the most accessible and beautiful part is at Aswan taking into account the beauty of the banks of the Nile. I often went there negotiating with the feluccas. You can also walk through the dam, but the military will stop a vehicle to take you across the bridge.

📍 View on map

Hiking in the White Desert

© Pixabay / Visit the White Desert in Egypt

This lunar landscape is well in the Sahara, in Egypt! Its color is due to limestone. And although it suggests a cold place because of its color, it is a very arid and particularly hostile place. Sandstorms are not uncommon here, as evidenced by the many natural sculptures shaped by erosion.
 

How to visit the White Desert?

The White Desert is located in western Egypt, at the gateway to the Libyan Desert.

You can reach it easily if you have a rental car but it is very secluded and far away. You can also reach it by taking several local transport but it is very long. Most tourists opt for a 4×4 rental or an organized tour.

📍 View on map

Visit Siwa Oasis

© Flickr – Rachid H / Siwa Oasis

Probably the best known oasis of Egypt. For good reason, its incredible beauty and salt water that allows you to swim while floating! It is located very close to the Libyan border. Other less touristic oases exist in Egypt, such as Faiyum (Madīnat al-Fayyūm) near the white desert, the oasis of Kharga, Dakhla, Farafra or the oasis of Al-Bahariya.
 

Where is the Siwa Oasis?

It is set back from the town of Siwa, a few kilometres away. In fact, there are many saltwater points with turquoise waters all around Siwa.

📍 View on map

Visit Siwa

© Wikimedia Commons / City of Siwa

Besides its fabulous oasis, the historic town of Siwa is incredibly beautiful. Located near Libya and inhabited by the Berbers (an ethnic group totally different from the Arabs), the city surrounded by palm groves is a unique place compared to others in Egypt. You can do 2 interesting activities like the mountain of the dead and the temple of Oracle.
 

Where is Siwa?

Siwa is located in the north of Egypt, in the far west a few kilometers from the Libyan border.

📍 View on map

Visit Wadi el-Gemal

© Wikimedia Commons / Entrance to Wadi el Gemal National Park

Wadi el Gemal National Park is located 45 km south of Marsa Alam. The landscapes and biodiversity of the site have no equal elsewhere in Egypt. It is a unique place where you can see wild animals and especially camelids, as evidenced by the translation of its name, the “Valley of the Dromedaries”!
 

If that were not enough, the coastline here is heavenly and the valley hides some ruins from Roman times. Wadi el Gemal is now inhabited by Bedoins ababdas.

How to visit Wadi el-Gemal National Park?

It is located on the edge of the Red Sea, the far east of Egypt to the south, near Berenice.

You can get there from Marsa Alam with a vehicle (motorcycle, 4×4, …) that you can rent in the same city. However, you will need to obtain a permit that you will obtain at the police station. Alternatively, you can arrange with any hotel in the city to organize the tour and be quiet.

📍 View on map

Visit the Cairo Museum

For a trip to Egypt, visiting the National Museum of Cairo is obviously a must. Visiting temples is good, but seeing their contents is even better to complete the experience of cultural visits. An activity not to be missed during your stay.
 

Visit the Cairo Museum in Egypt
© Wikimedia Commons / A pyramidion (the top of the pyramids) on display at the Cairo Museum
 

How to get to the Cairo Museum?

Easily accessible with Cairo’s many transport such as bus, metro or taxis, you can reach the Cairo Museum in Downtown Cairo, Sadat. If you take the metro, stop at this place (Sadat).

📍 View on map

Take a cruise on the Nile

© Pixabay / Cruise on the Nile

The majority of Egypt’s cities are all along the Nile, so choosing to travel by cruise makes sense to stop step by step.

Visit Cairo off the beaten track

© Pixabay / Islamic Cairo

Cairo has a lot of popular things to do. In the attached article, I have selected a dozen lesser-known but very interesting activities to discover in the capital such as: visit the city of the dead – discover a borderline souk – visit a slum and more!

🔎 See what to do and what to visit in Cairo

Visit El Quseir away from mass tourism

© Wikimedia Commons / El Quseir, Red Sea

Having visited a few towns on the coast, I must admit that I am not attracted to seaside resorts because of the obvious contrast between the western sphere and the local culture. Off the beaten track, I found a very old city (5000 years old you realize!) of fishermen, peaceful and without tourists.
 

It is an interesting place to discover to see the real local life by the sea without the denaturing caused by mass tourism. But obviously, this is changing given the tourism development that I have seen in 2 years of difference.

How to get to El Quseer?

El Quseir is perfectly between Port Ghalib and Port Safaga. It is very easy to get there by stopping a taxi (many shared taxis pass on this road, they are kind of spaces).

📍 View on map

Discover the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut

© Wikimedia Commons / Temple of Hatshepsut

Located near Luxor (Thebes), the Temple of Hatshepsut in which his tomb was located, is the largest building in the Valley of the Queens (the funerary complex of the wives of pharaohs). Although the entire contents of the Queen’s Temple were destroyed by Tuthmosis III, the structure of the archaeological site carved into the limestone cliffs is an activity not to be missed in the land of pyramids!
 

Where is the Temple of Hatshepsut?

It is located in the Valley of the Queens, on the west bank of Luxor, at the gates of the desert.

📍 View on map

Visit the Temple of Ramses III

© Wikimedia commons / Temple of Ramsess III

The temple of Ramses III is the last of the largest funerary buildings built in Thebes (Luxor) and its state of conservation is remarkable. It is also known as the “Temple of Millions of Years”.
 

Where is the temple of Ramses III?

The temple is located at Medinet Habu, on the west bank of the Nile, at the gates of the desert. Another temple is located next door: that of Toth.

📍 View on map

Visit Karnak Temple

© Pixabay / Temple of Karnak

Karnak is a very important place of worship in Egypt, it is the largest religious building built in antiquity. The complex, dedicated to the deities Amun, Mut and Khonsu, was developed over a period of 2,000 years! A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the huge Karnak site is one of the most visited places in the country and should be on your list of things to do in Egypt.
 

Where is Karnak?

Karnak is located north of Luxor, in the city itself. A nice thing to do is to go there following the alley of the sphinxes. It starts from the temple of Luxor in the city center and goes all the way to Karnak. It’s just oversized and really impressive. You will notice it on the map.

📍 View on map

Visit Luxor Temple

© Pixabay / Visit Luxor

The Luxor Temple is a place of worship dedicated to the deity Amun. You will notice that one of the 2 obelisks at the entrance of the complex is missing, but maybe you have already seen it elsewhere? Offered by Egypt in 1830, it is now in Paris on the Place de la Concorde. In thanks, the France offered a copper clock but it never worked.
 

Where is the Temple of Amon?

It is located in the heart of the city, on the banks of the Nile on the east bank. You will find it very easily.

📍 View on map

Visit the necropolis of Zawyet el-Maiyitin

© Landioustravel / City of the Dead in El Minya

The necropolis is a huge cemetery of rock-cut tombs that dates from the end of the Old Kingdom (age of pyramid builders). Not far from it are the remains of a pyramid, the only one built on a bank of the Nile.
 

Where is the necropolis?

The necropolis of Zawyet el-Maiyitin is located in the town of El Minya, halfway between Beni Suef and Asyut.

📍 View on map

Visit the Petrified Forest

© Wikimedia commons / Petrified forest

Petrified forest is a geological site of 35 million years. The term ‘petrified’ refers to the fossilized trees found at the site.
 

Where is the petrified forest?

It is located not far from Cairo, in Fayoum.

📍 View on map

Explore the Valley of the Whales

© Wikimedia commons / Valley of the whales in Egypt

Still in the field of fossils and still in Fayoum, there is the witness of an ancient maritime life since there are gigantic fossilized bones of whales, in a perfect state of conservation. But that’s not all: the skeletons of these cetaceans have 2 hind legs, which demonstrates their previous terrestrial activity, so we have here the ancestor of the whale.
 

Where is the Valley of the Whales?

It is located at Fayoum, further than the previous site.

📍 View on map

Admire the Colossi of Memnon

© Pixabay / Colossi de Memnon

Near Luxor, stand 2 stone sculptures of 17 meters. The colossi represent Amenhotep III. Erected at the entrance of the huge funerary temple of the same pharaoh, their function was to protect him from the dark forces. Destroyed following an earthquake, nothing remains of the complex but the monoliths alone have managed to cross the centuries without falling.
 

The colossi are located in Kôm el-Hettan, near Luxor. They are located very close to the million-year-old temple of Ramses III and the Valley of the Kings (and Queens).

📍 View on map

Approaching Muzuwaka’s mummies

© Flickr – Isawnyu / One of Muzawaka’s tombs

contain the only mummies from Egypt that can be approached very closely. Ethically, I don’t know if it’s a good thing, but this place exists.
 

Where is it?

The tombs are close to the oasis of Dakhla, in a secluded place called “Qaret al-Muzawaka” which you can reach from El Qalamun village.

📍 View on map

Visit the city of dovecotes of Mit Ghamr

© Wikimedia Commons / Mit Ghamr, city of dovecotes

Mit Ghamr is a city filled with hundreds of huge dovecotes. If you have traveled a little in Egyptian villages, you must have seen some, but probably not as many as this city. Pigeons are important in Egypt, it is also common to see them as pets roaming free in homes.
 

Where is Mit Ghamr located?

The city of dovecotes is located 100 km north of Cairo towards Mansourah.

📍 View on map

Visit the stone circle of Nabta Playa

© Wikimedia commons / Nabta Playa website

You certainly knew about the astronomical and monolithic observatory of Stonehenge, but have you heard of the Egyptian monolithic complex? If not, know that it is the oldest known to date on Earth.
 

Where is Nabta Playa located?

The circle is located in the extreme south of Egypt, at Abu Simbel. It is located in the middle of the desert, which is particularly curious.

📍 View on map

Visit the villages of Kurna

© Wikimedia Commons / One of the villages of Kurna

The villages of Kurna (or Gourna) were created by architect Hassan Fathy in Luxor between 1942 and 1956 to house disadvantaged people, but following traditional methods and style in the face of growing architectural modernism.

Visit the Temple of Horus

© Pixabay / Temple of Horus in Edfu

The temple dedicated to the God Horus is much younger than other monuments of Ancient Egypt, and its state of conservation testifies to this. This is a beautiful temple to visit in Egypt.
 

Where is the Temple of Horus?

The temple is located in Edfu, halfway between the city of Aswan and Luxor.

📍 View on map

Hot air ballooning in Luxor

© Pixabay / Hot air ballooning in Luxor

What better way to have a complete view of all the archaeological sites of Luxor during your stay in the city? Hot air ballooning can therefore be an interesting activity for this reason!

Share this article

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
WhatsApp

About the author

Picture of Tom Spirit
Tom Spirit
Hey, it's Tom! Welcolme to Spirit Travelers. I'm a nomad traveler for several years and I share my experiences by publishing content and travel guides on this blog. Find some of the most popular countries to visit but also off the beaten track destinations.

Content you might like

Change destination

Insure your trip

Spirit Travelers readers can get a 5% discount for trips less than 3 months

Travel bank

Book an activity

Find the best flight

Book a tour

Find the best flight

Insure your trip

Spirit Travelers readers can get a 5% discount for trips less than 3 months

Travel bank

S’abonner
Notification pour
guest

0 Commentaires
Le plus récent
Le plus ancien
Commentaires en ligne
Afficher tous les commentaires