Five Places to Visit in Egypt

Cairo is the capital of Egypt and one of the largest cities in Africa and also the 19th largest city in the whole world. Cairo is famous for its rich history and home of the pyramids and the Egyptian Museum which is a must visit to learn about the history of Egypt. If you enjoy sightseeing and visiting historical places, Cairo is the place for you. The city has a lot of historic monuments and rich culture to experience and if you’re into shopping the markets of Cairo has a lot in store for you. We will list here some of the places to see and visit in Cairo.

1. The Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx - The Egyptian pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure was constructed between 2589 BC and 2504 BC. The Egyptian used the pyramids as burial grounds for their respective Pharaohs. It is also wise to go to the Pyramids the moment they open to avoid huge crowds and to avoid the intense heat which sometimes makes the attractions difficult to enjoy.



2. Egyptian Museum – Officially known as Museum of Egyptian Antiquities but popularly known as Egyptian Museum the place is located in Midan Tahrir area. The museum exhibits a lot of collections of Egyptian artefacts and a must place to visit to learn more about Egypt’s culture and history.



3. Citadel and Mosque of Mohamed Ali Pasha – A castle built by Salah Al-Din in the Ottoman style the mosque was intended to showcase the great imperial mosques of the Ottoman Empire. The site is open daily.

4. Al-Azhar Park - A 30 hectare park that was opened around 2005 and is located in Islamic Cairo. The area used to be a municipal dump for around hundreds of years and was transformed into a beautiful green park. The place has a lot of people to socialize to and it is also near to a lot of historical monuments.



5. Mosque of Al-Azhar – The mosque was established around 972 AD and also the oldest university in the world was built around it. It is also the most celebrated mosque in all of Cairo because of its religious and historic importance to the Islam faith.



These are just some of the popular destinations and historical monuments that are visited by most tourists and locals alike. If you have travelled already to Cairo, feel free to share to us your tips and recommendations.

Photo Credits (Flickr Creative Commons): Sphinx by upyernoz/ Egyptian Museum by zoonabar/ Al-Azhar Park by anaru/ Mosque of Al-Azhar by upyernoz

Six Helpful Tips for Budget Traveling in Egypt

Egypt is one of the countries that is considered to be the cradle of the oldest civilizations known to mankind. It is known as the land of the Pharoahs and the Pyramids. What a delight it would be to travel through this exceptional country without worrying about the cash in your pocket.

Egypt is a budget friendly country, which is why it is one of Africa's most visited destinations. People are awed seeing the huge statues, the sphinx, etc. And here's how you could journey through Egypt on a tight budget.
Check out our six helpful tips for budget traveling in Egypt:



1. Travel During the Low Season

July-September is a low tourist season because of summer. If you can bear the high heat, it is most recommended to travel to Egypt in these months to get great deals from hotels, tours etc. But just remember to pack lots of sunscreen!

2. Save Money on Airfare

One of The cheapest airline to Egypt is EasyJet which is sometimes about 350 pounds from London to Cairo return trip. If you want to go cheaper, you can fly to Luxor and then go by train to Cairo which will save you a lot of money. If you also book in advance, you can take advantage of a cheaper fare. It would be helpful if you susbscribe to the mailing list of various airlines that serve Egypt.

3. Commuting Options

Touring around Egypt isn't that difficult since there are many options available. You can catch a cab, or a bus, or go by a train. The most money saving option is however travelling by overnight trains. It will get a bit hectic but if you're the adventurous kind of person, it wouldn’t be a big deal for you. Taxis in Cairo fix a price before they start the car, so use your bargaining skills over here. At this point, if you are fluent in Arabic, then you can save even more money on taxis.

4. Stay in Budget Hotels

Downtown Cairo is the best place to stay on a budget vacation. A single room with a shared bathroom will cost you from 6 pounds to 20 pounds per night. But if you go for a private room, that will surely cost you more.

5. Eat Local Food – Visit Egyptian Restaurants

You obviously know that the restaurants in the tourist areas are the most expensive. So if you just walk further away from these places then you can have a cheaper meal. Also, eating local food is cheaper than looking for Western Food. Egypt is also home to many amazing street foods so you better try it out.

6. Getting Along the Country

Students with a student card get discounts at several Egyptian tourist sites so don’t forget to bring it with you on your trip. The best of knowing a country better is to make friends in that country. Make friends over coffee and ask them about the best places to go in the country. They will provide you way better information than any tour guide or taxi. You can even ask them for cheaper options and trust me they would know about it more than anyone else. Who knows, you might make Egyptian friends for life.

Do you have any additional tips and recommendations? Feel free to share them in the comment section below.

Photo Credits (Flickr Creative Commons): Pyramids by bandarji