Five thousand years, standing in the open
Historical & archaeological
Pyramids, temples and tombs from the Old Kingdom to the Roman period, Coptic churches and the mosques and gates of medieval Cairo. Egypt has seven properties on the UNESCO World Heritage List, from Memphis and its pyramid fields to the Nubian monuments of Abu Simbel and Philae.
Ideas to start with
- Giza, Saqqara and Dahshur in one or two days from Cairo
- Luxor's east and west banks
- The temples between Luxor and Aswan by river
- Abydos and Dendera, beyond the usual circuit
Travel responsibly
- Never touch or lean on painted walls; flash can damage pigments.
- Use licensed guides and respect site rules on photography and drones.
Places
- Giza Pyramids & SphinxThe plateau of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, the last surviving wonder of the ancient world.
© Petar Milošević · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Saqqara & the Step PyramidDjoser's Step Pyramid and a necropolis used across three thousand years.
© Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Dahshur pyramidsSneferu's Bent and Red pyramids, the experiments that led to the Great Pyramid.
© Darer101 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Luxor (ancient Thebes)The New Kingdom capital: Karnak and Luxor Temple on the east bank, the royal tombs on the west.
© Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Karnak TempleTemple complex of Amun-Ra with the Great Hypostyle Hall of 134 columns.
© Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Luxor TempleTemple of Amenhotep III and Ramesses II in the heart of Luxor, beautiful after sunset.
© Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Valley of the KingsRoyal tombs of the New Kingdom on Luxor's West Bank.
© Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Temple of HatshepsutThe queen's terraced temple at Deir el-Bahari, with reliefs of the Punt expedition.
© Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Colossi of MemnonTwo 18-metre statues of Amenhotep III on Luxor's west bank.
© Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - AbydosTemple of Seti I with some of the finest relief carving in Egypt, beyond the usual circuit.
© Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - DenderaTemple of Hathor, among the best-preserved temple complexes in Egypt.
© Hamerani · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Temple of EdfuThe most complete large temple of ancient Egypt, dedicated to Horus.
© Marc Ryckaert · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Temple of Kom OmboThe double temple of Sobek and Horus on a bend of the Nile.
© Olaf Tausch · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Philae TempleTemple of Isis, relocated to Agilkia Island in the UNESCO Nubia campaign.
© Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Abu SimbelRock temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari, moved above the rising waters of Lake Nasser.
© Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Catacombs of Kom el-ShoqafaRoman-period catacombs blending Egyptian, Greek and Roman art.
© Slyronit · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Historic Cairo & Khan el-KhaliliMedieval mosques, workshops and bazaars of the UNESCO-listed historic city.
© Hassan Hamdy wahidy · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons - Cairo CitadelSalah al-Din's fortress, seat of Egypt's rulers for seven centuries, crowned by the Mosque of Muhammad Ali.
© Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Combine it with another way to travel
© Argenberg · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons Mediterranean beaches + Alexandria's history
Summer days on the North Coast with the Graeco-Roman catacombs, the Bibliotheca and Qaitbay a short drive away.
Beaches & the Red SeaHistorical & archaeologicalMuseums
- 1 North Coast (Mediterranean)
- 2 Alexandria
- 3 Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa
- 4 Bibliotheca Alexandrina
- 5 Montaza Palace gardens
Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 11Sustainable cities and communitiesTarget 11.4: strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world's cultural and natural heritage.
- SDG 8Decent work and economic growthTarget 8.9: devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.
Sources
Editorial overview. Opening hours, prices, permits and access rules change: confirm them with the responsible authority or a licensed operator before you travel.