If You Like…
Wildlife
Along the Nile, in the lush river delta and in sprawling salt lakes, bird life flourishes. Underwater coral reefs teem with colour. Even Egypt’s arid deserts host a surprising array of plants and critters.
Aswan Get up before dawn to spot squacco herons, hoopoes and more with expert birders.
Wadi Rayyan This brackish lake, not far from where the ancients worshipped crocodiles, is a lifeline for migrating birds.
Shiatta Gazelles and flamingos frolic at this salt lake in the desert west of Siwa.
Lake Nasser Take a tour with African Angler to snare some fish for dinner – or just enjoy the view.
Marsa Alam Reefs off the coast here are home to mantas, spinner dolphins and even sharks.
Islamic Architecture
Bein Al Qasreen A string of the finest buildings from the Mamluk era, now restored as an open-air museum.
Mosque of Qaitbey Trek to Cairo’s not-actually-that-spooky City of the Dead to admire the most beautiful stone dome in Cairo.
Al Qasr This oasis town was built in the Ottoman era, starting in the 16th century – check out the beautifully carved lintels over doorways.
Rosetta’s Ottoman Houses Try to find the secret staircase to the women’s gallery in one restored residential compound, and admire the millworks at another.
Al Quseir The old Hajj port is a tumble of Ottoman-era buildings that seem lost in time.
Deserts
Seeking blissful isolation? The desert landscape in Egypt is vast and surprisingly varied. And there’s just as much variety in how you can explore it.
White Desert National Park For a truly mind-bending experience, schedule your overnight trip to this eerie landscape during the full moon.
Sinai Trail Trek Egypt’s first long-distance trail through wadis and vast desert plains to the rugged mountain heartland surrounding St Katherine.
Monastery of St Simeon For desert beauty without the days-long trek, visit this Coptic site in Aswan.
Eastern Desert Once criss-crossed by ancient trade routes, with rock inscriptions, gold mines and great landscapes, now only accessible with a guide.
Markets & Shopping
Whether you’re just browsing or searching for gifts for everyone on your list, Egypt’s souqs are the perfect destination, with as much entertainment as anything else – not to mention more offers of tea than you could ever drink.
Khan Al Khalili Cairo’s medieval trading zone is still a commercial hub – the perfect place to polish your haggling skills.
Souq Al Gomaa Get in the scrum at this weekly Cairo junk swap, and you might come out with new clothes or old taxidermy.
Oum El Dounia One-stop shop in central Cairo for the best and most-stylish Egyptian crafts.
Attareen Antique Market An Alexandrian trove, where you can find some mid-20th-century gems.
Habiba An excellent selection of the best of Egyptian crafts.
Ancient Traces
Given Egypt’s Pharaonic riches, you could find something with a story thousands of years old in any destination. These are some of the more out-of-the-way sites to add to your itinerary.
Medinat Madi You need a 4WD to get here, but the sight of sphinxes half-buried in drifting sand is exactly what archaeology buffs come to Egypt for.
Red Pyramid At Dahshur, south of Cairo, you’ll likely be the only visitor to this enormous monument, making the climb inside its tunnels all the more exciting.
Deir Al Muharraq In Egyptian terms, Christianity is relatively new history – but this Coptic monastery claims the world’s oldest church, from AD 60.
Traditional Arts
Fair Trade Egypt A good starting point for finding traditional Egyptian crafts.
Makan An intimate space in Cairo hosting an intense Nubian musical ritual called a zar.
El Dammah Theatre This traditional music space sees regular shows by Suez Canal–area artists and others.
Eskaleh This Nubian cultural centre and hotel offers guests a chance to immerse in local food and music.