Cairo
Abu Simbel & Aswan — Ramesses II and the Rescued Temples of Nubia
Abu Simbel (290 kilometres south of Aswan, 1.5 hours by domestic flight from Cairo or Aswan) — the twin rock-cut temples of Ramesses II (the Great Temple) and his queen Nefertari (the Small Temple), originally carved from the living sandstone cliff of Nubia in approximately 1264-1244 BCE, dismantled block by block and relocated 65 metres higher in 1964-1968 to save them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser created by the Aswan High Dam — is one of the greatest feats of archaeological conservation in history.
The City of the Dead, Al-Muqattam Hills & Cairo's Panoramic Views
The City of the Dead (Al-Qarafa, the enormous Islamic necropolis stretching approximately 8 kilometres along the base of the Muqattam Hills east of Islamic Cairo — one of the most remarkable urban phenomena in the world, where approximately 500,000 living Cairenes have made their homes within the cemetery, inhabiting the mausoleums, mortuary complexes, and caretakers' quarters built over ten centuries) and the Al-Muqattam Hills (the limestone escarpment providing the best panoramic views over Cairo and the Nile valley) form the eastern edge of the historic city.
Egyptian Food — Koshari, Ful Medames, Kofta & Street Food Culture
Egyptian cuisine — one of the oldest food traditions in the world, with archaeological evidence of many characteristic Egyptian dishes dating back 5,000 years — is defined by its simplicity, its reliance on legumes and bread as staples, and its distinctive spice combinations; the most important Egyptian street foods (koshari, ful medames, ta'ameya/falafel, and kofta) are all available everywhere in Cairo at extremely low prices and represent some of the most nutritious and satisfying street food in the world.
The Nile in Cairo — Feluccas, Zamalek Island & the Cairo Opera House
The Nile River through Cairo — the 6,650-kilometre river that is the lifeblood of Egypt, flowing north through the centre of the Greater Cairo metropolitan area (population 21 million) — provides the most important natural landscape corridor in one of the most densely populated urban areas in the world; the Nile in Cairo can be experienced by traditional felucca sailing boat, from the bridges and the Corniche promenade, and from the restaurants and rooftop bars of the Zamalek neighbourhood on Gezira island.
Grand Egyptian Museum — The World's Largest Archaeological Museum
The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM, near the Giza pyramid plateau — the new national museum of Egypt built adjacent to the Giza Pyramids, with a total area of 480,000 square metres making it the largest archaeological museum in the world, opened fully 2024): the GEM was conceived to house the complete collection of Tutankhamun's treasures (which were previously split between the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and storage facilities) in a purpose-built, climate-controlled environment, alongside the broader collection of Egyptian antiquities from the old Egyptian Museum.
Egyptian Museum, Tutankhamun's Treasures & Tahrir Square
The Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square — housing the world's most important collection of ancient Egyptian art and artefacts, including the complete treasures of Tutankhamun's intact tomb (discovered 1922 by Howard Carter), the Royal Mummies Hall, and over 120,000 objects spanning 5,000 years of Egyptian civilization — is one of the great museums of the world and essential context for understanding the Pyramids and the civilization that built them.
Luxor Day Trip — Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple & the Nile
Luxor (Upper Egypt, 670 kilometres south of Cairo, 1 hour by domestic flight or 10 hours by overnight sleeper train) — built on the site of ancient Thebes, the capital of the New Kingdom pharaohs (c. 1550-1070 BCE) — contains the most concentrated collection of ancient monuments in the world: the Karnak Temple Complex (the largest religious building ever constructed, covering 200 acres), the Valley of the Kings (63 known royal tombs including those of Tutankhamun, Ramesses II, and Seti I), and the Temple of Luxor (built by Amenhotep III and extended by Ramesses II).
Khan el-Khalili, Al-Azhar & Islamic Cairo — 1,000 Years of Arab Civilization
Islamic Cairo (al-Qahira al-Islamiyya — the medieval city founded by the Fatimid Caliph Al-Muizz in 969 CE, designated UNESCO World Heritage Site) is the largest concentration of medieval Islamic monuments in the world: the Al-Azhar mosque (the oldest university in the world, founded 970 CE), the Khan el-Khalili bazaar (the great covered market operating continuously since 1382), and the 2-kilometre stretch of Al-Muizz Street with its extraordinary sequence of medieval mosques, mausoleums, and palaces.
Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx & the Last Wonder of the Ancient World
The Giza pyramid complex — 13 kilometres southwest of Cairo city centre on a limestone plateau above the west bank of the Nile — contains the Great Pyramid of Khufu (the only surviving Wonder of the Ancient World, built approximately 2560 BCE, 146.5 metres tall, consisting of approximately 2.3 million stone blocks weighing on average 2.5-15 tonnes), the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure, and the Great Sphinx — the most visited archaeological site in the world and the defining image of ancient Egyptian civilization.