Egypt is an ideal holiday destination, for it is home to one of the most vibrant and absorbing ancient civilizations in the world. Egypt is a charming nation lively and well-known for its historical structures and artefacts. Thousands of tourists visit Egypt every day to learn about its ancient history at the amazing pyramids and magnificent temples you can find across Egypt, which are the epitomes of its historical past. And hence it’s also on my bucket list!
But this nation’s historical riches are just the tip of the iceberg. Egypt offers a unique culture, stunning coastal regions dotted with vibrant coral reefs, unique desert landscapes, and a beautiful and serene oasis near the Nile. Your two week Egypt itinerary will give you a chance to visit Cairo, Luxor, Alexandria, and Aswan, among other attractions.
Things to Remember When Visiting Egypt
Egypt’s cultural differences from the West will undoubtedly come as a shock at first, particularly if you elect to stay in less luxurious accommodations and visit popular tourist attractions. It is advisable to dress conservatively in Egypt to respect local customs. Most Egyptians are nice, hospitable, and kind.
Learning some Arabic words of Arabic like ‘marhabaan’ or ‘samal alikum’ (hello), ‘shukran’ (thank you), ‘kam althaman’ (how much?), and ‘la shukran’ (no thank you) will be good. You can choose Egypt Air to fly to Cairo, Egypt from the Middle East.
You can find the latest updates of EgyptAir flights connecting Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, and Dammam with Cairo. The online facility allows you to choose or modify your seat, get special assistance, get discounts for excess baggage, and choose your favourite meal. You can use Uber to get around in Egypt. There are also local taxis and private cars to travel between cities.
Two Week Egypt Itinerary
1. Reach Cairo and Explore the Pyramids
Cairo is Egypt’s capital city and one of the most fascinating, vibrant, and busiest cities in the world. With mosques everywhere, Cairo is called “the City of a Thousand Minarets“. You can spend two days in Cairo visiting the Pyramids of Giza, the splendid Sphinx, and the great Egyptian Museum is important.
With three pyramids and the splendid sphinx, constructed way back in 2550 BC, Cairo offers travellers a lot to explore. These pyramids are unique and well-maintained and you will not find anything just like them anywhere. Before visiting the Great Sphinx, you can explore the amazing Khufu and Khafre Pyramids sites.
After that, you can head to the Grand Egyptian Museum to learn about Egypt’s long and rich history. You can find more than 100,000 antiquities in the nearly 500,000-square-metre museum. Exploring this large museum will undoubtedly be a fantastic experience.
You can visit the Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre to enjoy great paintings and tapestries the next day. The other notable attractions in the city include the medieval Citadel, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC), and Khan el Khalili, where you can spend time shopping.
2. Visit Luxor – The Largest Archaeological Museum
The ideal vacation spot for history buffs is Luxor. It formerly served as the New Kingdom’s capital in prehistoric Egypt. Geographically speaking, it is interesting as well because the Nile flows through the town’s middle and the West Bank’s desolate cliffs are just behind it. You can travel to Luxor from Cairo by train. Luxor is a must-see destination, and exploring the city takes a few days.
The wavy Nile River divides Luxor into east and west banks. Two of the most well-known locations in Egypt are the Valley of the Kings and the Karnak Temple. They are situated on Luxor’s West Bank.
Several of the New Kingdom’s pharaohs were laid to rest in the Valley of the Kings. The valley’s sheer cliffs are lined with royal tombs, which include the well-known King Tutankhamun’s tomb. The most advanced tomb is thought to be that of Thutmose III.
The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in the nearby Valley of the Queens is the main attraction, although many smaller, more exquisitely designed tombs are worth visiting, such as the magnificent tomb of Nefertari. The 2000-year-old Karnak Temple is impossible to miss. It was built to worship deities Amun, Khonsu, and Mut.
3. Explore Alexandria and Aswan
The second-largest city in Egypt, Alexandria, which hugs the Mediterranean Sea, is home to wonderful landmarks including the Alexandria Museum, Roman Theatre, Citadel of Qaitbay, and the Iconic Library. It is a beautiful city with incredible things to do that is located on Egypt’s northern shore.
The old capital also has several top-notch seafood eateries and some dilapidated remnants of the colonial era. The Pharos lighthouse, which is listed in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, has ruins that scuba divers can explore.
There is a lot of history to discover as you begin your journey around the ancient temples of Aswan. Visit the beautiful Philae Temple to begin the day. The final hieroglyphs ever carved are seen here, along with the exterior of the Isis and Hathor temples.
A visit to the vibrant Nubian communities or learning about the contentious Aswan High Dam, where efforts were attempted to stem the regular Nile floods, are not to be missed. Abu Simbel, the temple of Nefertari, and the temple of Ramses II are further attractions in Aswan.
This itinerary gives you an opportunity to do the best things – exploring the historical sites and learning about the rich Egyptian culture. You can book your Egypt Air flight tickets for an experience you can treasure all your life.
Visiting Egypt is on my bucket list and experiencing these places that I mentioned in this two week Egypt itinerary. Are you also planning to visit Egypt? Have you already visited and feel I’ve missed out something in this post? Let me know in the comments below, tweet to me at @Atulmaharaj, DM on Instagram or Get In Touch.