Heathrow acts as a portal to enable you to discover many other countries around the world. But some are naturally more enticing than others – and Egypt must surely fall into this category.
With sights that really have to be seen to be believed, you will be able to feel the trepidation as you set foot on your flight to Egypt from Heathrow Airport.
Where is Egypt?
Egypt is located in north east Africa. It shares borders with Sudan and Libya, and the eastern side of the country looks out onto the Red Sea.
The country is essentially cleaved in two by the famous River Nile. This runs straight through the country from south to north, about two thirds of the way across to the eastern side of the country, finally flowing into the Mediterranean Sea. Many of the most famous locations in Egypt are dotted along the length of the River Nile, including the capital of Cairo in northern Egypt and Luxor further along towards the south.
Why should you visit Egypt?
The main reason is undoubtedly to immerse yourself in ancient Egyptian surroundings. There are modern cities here that you would be well advised to visit, and of course you can easily find a nice beach to stretch out on during your stay!
But you cannot fly from Heathrow out to Egypt and not see the likes of the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. These are the most famous sights of all, and thousands of people are awed by them every year. Could you be next?
What main areas are there to stay in?
One very well known area to visit is Sharm el Sheikh. Many people go here for their Egyptian holiday, and it is well set up for accepting tourists from all over the world. It is the southernmost point of the Egyptian peninsula called Sinai.
Some prefer to go straight for the capital of Cairo. This is located in northern Egypt on the banks of the Nile itself. It offers fantastic hotels and is a vibrant and exciting city. What’s more, it isn’t too far to travel from here to see the Pyramids themselves.
But it is undoubtedly in Giza that the most stunning sights can be seen. This is where the Pyramids can be found, along with the Sphinx and royal mortuary. Just reading about these sights is quite something, but seeing them really does amaze people.
Another popular city to stay in is Luxor. This is much further south than Cairo, and a short distance north of Aswan. But it has so many ancient artefacts and monuments within the city itself, you will never tire of exploring the streets and locations on offer. Perhaps most important of all is the Necropolis, a series of burial chambers which includes the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. These are the Royal additions to the area. There are many ancient tombs here that people come to see, that are thousands of years old.
What type of holidays is it good for?
As we can see, the main reason people come to Egypt is to witness the huge amount of history that the country has. You aren’t just seeing a few random pyramids and a sphinx here – you are looking into the past and seeing the same sights that the ancient Egyptians would have seen. It is quite humbling too to see how the ancient peoples were buried.
But of course you can mix in this epic slice of history with plenty of time on the beaches. There are plenty of them around, not least in Sharm el Sheikh, and the hotels and tourist industry are well equipped to host people as they come to visit.
You can also opt for a city based holiday if sunbathing on the beach isn’t quite your thing. But even then, if you visit Cairo you still aren’t that far away from the sea. And with the Red Sea beaches and the Mediterranean beaches to choose from, there are plenty of opportunities to take a dip in the water as well.
In conclusion
Egypt is surely the ultimate history lesson for those who have an interest in such things. But this is nothing like the lessons you had at school!
And with flights from Heathrow Airport to Cairo you will be landing right in the heart of the country itself. Be sure to look out the window as you get near – you’ll enjoy the amazing view!
It’s clear that Egypt isn’t the same as any other beach holiday you may have enjoyed in the past. There is too much ancient history there for it to qualify as any kind of a standard holiday.
But one thing is clear – once you have flown out of Heathrow and into Egypt, you might find you’ll want to do it again soon.