The land of the Nile is best known for the early civilisation of ancient Egypt. It offers visitors impressive sights such as pyramids, temples, museums and monasteries. But there are many landscapes to be discovered in Egypt with its desert, the Nile and the Red Sea.
The Egyptian capital of Cairo, and Africa’s largest city, extends across both banks of the Nile and, alongside oriental splendour and everyday life, offers grandiose cultural highlights such as the world-famous Egyptian Museum and the Pyramids of Giza.
Alexandria, the second-largest city in Egypt, lies on the northern Mediterranean Sea. Under Queen Cleopatra, the metropolis was the capital of the Egyptian Empire. A wealth of magnificent monuments and storied treasures are scattered across the city as reminders of ancient times. Today, the northern coast with its stunning sandy beaches and spectacular views across the sea is dotted with ports and vibrant towns.
The Red Sea is the strait of the Indian Ocean between the Arabian Peninsula and north-east Africa. Sharm el-sheikh is the heart of the Sinai Peninsula and the most famous destination on the Red Sea alongside Hurghada. Famed for its magnificent colourful coral reefs, the resorts of Sharm el-sheikh attract watersport lovers and divers from all over the world. Here you can enjoy diving at all difficulty levels. The best known are the reefs in front of the Ras Mohammed National Park or the Tiran Islands. But even the less famous areas are rewarding because of their spectacular underwater landscapes.
At the southern tip of Sinai lies the 480 square kilometre region of protected desert, the Ras Mohammed National Park, which consists of sand dunes, fossilised coral and granite mountains. The park is world-famous for its underwater world, where divers and snorkellers can discover forty different starfish, 25 species of sea urchins, turtles and other crustaceans. The dives on the fantastic steep drop-offs are among the best that the Red Sea has to offer.
Sharm el-Sheikh is more than just a diving destination, however. It is a vibrant city with lively nightlife, cafes, bars and restaurants. The bazaars offer excellent souvenir shopping with spices, textiles and locally made jewellery to take home as a reminder of your holiday. If you are seeking local culture and heritage, a visit to Mount Sinai is enthralling.
With so much on offer, it is little wonder the resort is popular year-round with families, couples and friends seeking sun and sand.