Best Vacation Planning Ideas for Egypt

The land of pyramids, sphinxes, pyramids, and papyrus ‘Egypt’ has incredibly magnificent destinations and popular tourist attractions. Egypt, in the true sense, makes for a classical and historical place to visit. Whether you’re looking to cruise along the Nile river or visit iconic spots or relax on its heavenly beaches, we have you covered.

Here are some of the best vacation planning ideas for Egypt.

Best Time to Visit

Egypt typically has a desert climate. Because of the moderating northerly winds, the weather is more temperate along the coast than in the central and southern parts. While the desert cities Aswan and Luxor have an average daytime temperature of more than 40 degrees Celsius, the coastal resorts like Hurghada have a mean summer temperature of about 32 degrees Celsius and winter temperatures of 17 degrees Celsius. 

The night temperatures toward the mountains on your Egypt tour get cooler. Try not to visit Egypt in March, April, and May when hot, dry, and dusty winds blow.

Ramadan, Moulid al-Nabi, Prophet’s Birthday celebrations attract visitors to especially Cairo and Luxor through displays of ritual prayers and dancing. Coptic Christmas and Coptic Easter are widely celebrated.

Which Cities to Visit & What to Explore

Different Egyptian cities are famous for different kinds of attractions. Cairo is known as the “City of a Thousand Minarets” and has a plethora of historic structures including sacred tombs, mosques, ancient artifacts, and extravagant palaces. Then there’s Hurghada where you can experience world-class diving, boating, snorkeling, hopping, and camel rides. You can visit Luxor for witnessing the world’s greatest open-air museum featuring antics of temples and tombs from antiquity.

In Giza, you just can’t miss a visit to the marvel of ancient construction that’s one of the Seven Wonders of the World ‘Giza Pyramid Complex’. You can also go for camelback rides, quad biking, and pleasant cruises here. Apart from these, you can also go to Marsa Alam for diving and exotic marine life in the Red Sea, and Sharm El Sheikh for quad biking and to experience the world's best diving and snorkeling.

Where to Stay

Four Seasons, Marriott, Windsor, Sheraton, Sofitel, and Nile Hilton are some of the super luxurious yet affordable hotels in Cairo. Then in Luxor, there’s Nefertiti hotel, Al Moudira, Gaddis Hotel, and many more. Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh Hotel and Rabella Iberotel are popular hotels in Hurghada.

Where to Shop & What to Shop

Miniature obelisks, carved stone cats and scarabs, alabaster eggs, and tiny models of pyramids are Egyptian souvenirs you may want to take back home. The serious shoppers may want to reach out for leather goods, pottery, hand-blown glassware, traditional textiles, and silver and gold jewelry with pharaonic and Nubian motifs.

And if you want to give a really cool gift, what’s better than a fine quality Egyptian cotton t-shirt with your loved one's name written in hieroglyphics. At the 14th century souk ‘Khan Al-Khalili’, you can roam for leather sandals, bags, and shoes, traditional Egyptian hookah pipes, and intricately designed chess and backgammon sets.

Then, Na'ama Bay boasts of amazing shopping areas and SOHO Square houses many classy stores that cater to the tastes of global visitors. Visit Old Market for fresh produce and spices and Aswan Market for experiencing the local life and customs while checking out stalls packed with jewelry, handmade clothes, home decor, and colorful spices. (17.1)

Best Places for Dining & Signature Egyptian Cuisines

The staples of Egyptian cuisines are legumes, veggies, and fruits that grow in the Nile River Valley. “Eish masri” is a hearty thick pita bread without which an Egyptian meal is incomplete. It is used as a utensil to scoop up other food or to wrap kebabs and falafel sandwiches.

Few other popular Egyptian dishes are "ful medames" (cooked fava beans seasoned with cumin), "molokhia" (chopped bush okra cooked with garlic and coriander), and "kushari" (lentils mixed with pasta and rice).

Other traditional Egyptian street foods include kebab and falafel are popular across the world. For sweet tooths, baklava is a must-try sweet pie with multiple layers of pastry and spiced walnuts soaked in "sharbat"-- orange blossom-flavored syrup or honey.