Egypt is an Arab republic. Its land area overlaps the continents of both Africa to the northeast and Asia to the southwest. A land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula connects this transcontinental country. It shares a border with both the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast. The Gulf of Aqaba is east. The Red Sea is both on the east and south. Sudan is south, and Libya is west. The capital city is Cairo.

The official language of the country is Modern Standard Arabic. English is rather widespread, due to the fast development of tourism industry. The predominant religion is Islam.

The official currency is Egyptian Pound. The approximate exchange rate is E£19.55 for USD $1. The currency exchange is available at banks, bureaus de change, and most hotels. There are also exchange facilities at Cairo airport, although the rates there are worse than in the city. All major credit cards are widely acceptable. ATMs are available in major cities and towns. 

Taxis are available in all large towns and they all have meters. Car hire is available for everybody over 25 years old. Roads are in a reasonable condition and cars drive on the right side of the road here. 

In Egypt, they use electric sockets and plugs of types C and F, as in Europe. You need to bring a travel adapter to fit the proper socket type. Check out the above-linked page to see the photos and other useful information. The standard voltage is 220V. So, bring an adapter, if you are coming from the USA or the UK. 

THINGS TO DO IN EGYPT

The majority of tourist destinations you can find in the Nile valley. The most popular travel spots include the famous Pyramids and the Great Sphinx in Giza, the Abu Simbel temples, the Karnak Temple Complex and Valley of the Kings near Luxor.

If you visit Cairo, don’t miss the Cairo Museum and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha. However, if you are more about beaches and seaside than cultural attractions, go to the Sinai Peninsula, where you will find all the major seaside resorts.

Nile cruises are also a very popular tourist activity in Egypt. Types of cruises range from short tours between Luxor and Aswan to long trips, which include the northern town of Dendera. Some cruises are operated on feluccas, traditional sailboats, while others use larger vessels, which remind more of floating hotels.

Visit Dendera, Edfu, and many other waterside temples. Be sure to see Lake Nasser, where you’ll find Ramses II’s masterpiece at Abu Simbel.  Explore beaches with both soft sand and colorful coral reefs. Many think of Egypt as a vast desert. However, there is more to this land than meets the eye!

August 1, 2016 12:00 am Published by Neha Rizal 1 Comment