Aga Khan Mausoleum

Aswan is larger but much quieter than Luxor, it is Egypt’s southernmost city and one of her most beautiful, sitting alongside some of the best stretches of the Nile – wide, green and dotted with pretty islands, with high desert hills topped with the Aga Khan’s Mausoleum as a dramatic backdrop.

To the south of Aswan stands Lake Nasser, an enormous reservoir formed by the building of the high dam in 1971.

Lake Nasser

Here you will discover the lesser known temples as well as Abu Simbel, Egypt’s greatest monument after the Pyramids.
These ancient temples which represent incredible feats of modern engineering as they were relocated to escape the rising waters brought about by the building of the dam are best enjoyed on board a cruise across the tranquil waters of Lake Nasser.

Mount Sinai ( Moses Mountain, Mountain of God or Gebel Musa) is one of the most dramatic places of history for all Sinai and beyond. This is where Moses is believed to have received the Ten Commandments. In the Coran, Moses is mentioned to have been here once, according to the Bible, he has been here twice (the first time meeting his wife Zippora and receiving his mission, the second time leading the Israelitis to the promised land and receiving the Ten Commandments). This is also the place of the Burning Bush, the Monks’ Garden and the Ossuary .

Walking up this mountain is an unforgettable experience.

There are two trails that guide the way up to the top of Mount Sinai, both starting  at the St. Catherine Monastery. There is the easier way, which goes along the Wadi El Deir ( the valley of the Monastery). This way, called Siket El Basha, is a bit longer, but much easier to go. Walking here you will find Beduines on the way who offer camel rides.
The second trail up the mountain is the path of Lord Moses (Siket Sayidna Musa). It was the ancient path for the monks and is supposed to count over 3,700 steps that were carved out of the existing rocks. This path takes longer and more effort to climb. 

Walking up the Siket El Basha takes about two and a half to three hours. 

When you arrive on the top of Mount Sinai it will still be dark, enabling you to see the sun rise. Beduines will offer blankets, temperatures might go down to 5°C, sometimes less, depending on the season.
In the early morning, the first light can be seen on the horizon, getting more and more every few minutes until  the first sun rays hit the mountains. This spectacle will last only a few minutes, perhaps half an hour.

On the way down, the more scenic route is the steeper Siket Sayidna Musa path.  On the journey down  Beduines will ask you to buy their gifts and pose for a photo. These Beduines are mostly from the tribe Muszeina, while the Beduines from the tribe Gebeleya are difficult to find. They are about 1,500 in number and descendants of Macedonian people.

Egypt is located in North Africa and is one of the most popular tourist  destinations of the world. No other country can compare to Egypt when it comes to the number of magnificent monuments, activities and historical attractions. More than ninety percent of all Egyptian attractions are lined up along the river Nile. Many places can therefore visited by taking a cruise on the Nile river, aswell as by road and air travel. Since it is a popular tourist destination Egypt offers extensive facilities for tourists.

Top 10 attractions of Egypt are

PYRAMIDS
There are more than 80 pyramids in Egypt which were built mostly between 2600 BC and 1500 BC and all are situated close to the Nile river. After the ruler died (or other prominent royal figures like queens), their bodies were wrapped and preserved as a mummy, and placed in the Pyramid. The most popular pyramids are the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 workers built the Pyramids at Giza over 80 years. Giza also has the largest pyramid, known as “Great Pyramid”, which rises to an amazing 481 feet.

Khan al-khalili market

CAIRO
Cairo is the capital of Egypt. Attractions include Khan al-Khalili market, one of the largest markets in the world,  where you can buy exotic perfume bottles, Arabic clothing and other souvenirs.
The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities with over a hundred thousand artifacts in 107 halls. The most popular attraction is the Tutankhamun Gallery. Other attractions are the Pyramids of Giza and Old Cairo.

ABU SIMBEL
It was carved out of sandstone cliffs high above the River Nile. The most famous attraction are the four colossal 20 metre high statues of Ramses II guarding the entrance. When the waters of Lake Nasser started to rise, UNESCO relocated them to higher ground between 1964 and 1968.

KARNAK TEMPLES
This is a huge complex comprising of three main temples and many smaller ones, most famous among them is the Temple of Amun. It is estimated that they were built in a time span of 1300 years.

LUXOR TEMPLE
The modern town of Luxor is the site of the famous city of Thebes ( the city of a hundred gates ). A row of sphinxes line the entrance to Karnak Temple. The most famous section of these temples is the huge Great Hypostyle Hall.

SIWA OASIS
This area is famous for its dates and olives and is one of the most beautiful landscapes and springs in Egypt. It was the most inaccessible oasis until recently as it lies 60 feet below sea level.

NUBIAN MUSEUM OF ASWAN
The fantastic collection of items unearthed from the archaeological excavations during the Nubia Campaign are housed here.

VALLEY OF THE KINGS
The Valley of the Kings is located on the West Bank of the River Nile in Thebes. There are 62 tombs in the valley. It has two areas, the East Valley and the West Valley. It is the East Valley which most tourists visit and in which most of the tombs of the New Kingdom Pharaohs can be found.

ALEXANDRIA
The main attractions are Pompey’s Pillar,Bibliotheca Alexandria, Alexandria National Museum, King Farouk Palace and the Roman Amphitheatre.

SHARM EL SHEIKH
The best places to see are Sinai Mountain, Na’ama Bay,Tiran Island, Terrazzina Beach and White Lagoon.