When I first visited Egypt, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Sure, there were going to be pyramids, papyrus and a lot of sand, but other than that I just didn’t know much about present-day modern Egypt. And then I arrived in Cairo to a bustling city full of street life, markets, museums and an amazing history.
Egypt is a very hot country. In the summertime, the weather can be unbearably hot during the day so many people end up staying out late during summer evenings to spend time outside. Parks in Cairo are a popular spot at sunset and in the evening. During the day, of course you can still be outside—just make sure to pack plenty of sunscreen! Bearing this in mind, remember that if you’re in the desert (along the Nile Delta region), evenings can drop to very cool temperatures and a light jacket or sweatshirt is recommended. In the Sinai peninsula, weather is quite temperate year-round with many people spending winter vacations in Egypt hotspots like Dahab (for backpackers) or Sharm el Sheikh (more luxury and family trips).
My recommendation for visiting Egypt would be a one week trip starting in Cairo, with a day trip up north to Alexandria on the Mediterranean Coast (to see the amazing Alexandria Library), and then a multi-day tour down south along the Nile River delta. I also highly recommend taking an overnight tour to Abu Simbel in the far south—it’s one of Egypt’s most impressive monuments.
Egypt is not the safest destination for LGBT tourists, but that doesn’t mean it should be totally avoided. I suggest checking your local government’s travel recommendations for LGBT safety before visiting.
It took my three tries before I came up with a title for this post. The three places I’m about to introduce you to are places I’ve visited in the past four months that have held some sort of importance to me. Places where I felt… spiritual? passionate? intense? I don’t know. I can’t find …
Travels of Adam? Travels of a wombat. Wombat Wednesday follows Mr. Wombat on his travels around the world. Philae Temple in Aswan, Egypt. The sacrificial altar. Don’t worry: Mr Wombat’s okay. He’s just admiring all those hieroglyphics! More photos from the Philae Temple
When I decided to add Egypt to my round-the-world travel itinerary, I chose so based on two things: seeing Alexandria and climbing Mt. Sinai. All those pyramids and temples were just a happy coincidence. Why was Alexandria so high on my travel list? And did it live up to my expectations? I love books. And …
Travels of Adam? Travels of a wombat. Wombat Wednesday follows Mr. Wombat on his travels around the world. This photo was taken in Dahab on a lazy afternoon. (Do you know where Dahab is? If not—look it up!) I spent a full seven days in Dahab mostly because it was so easy to do so. …
Dear YOU, I haven’t written a rambling post in a while (uh, ever?) and I’ve been up to a lot in the past few weeks. I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to cover but I’m just going to write write write. And if you like, you can read read read. Where should I …
Travels of Adam? Travels of a wombat. Wombat Wednesday follows Mr. Wombat on his travels around the world. Abu Simbel in Egypt Absolutely amazing. It’s hard to imagine I’ve now been to these places that I learned about in Mrs. Pittman’s 11th grade art history course. The Abu Simbel temple is a little more difficult …