Five unmissable Egyptian sights

Egypt has so many cultural and architectural jewels, it’s difficult to choose just five to recommend. I’ve selected those I believe are the most unmissable and unbelievable, the ones that should be top of your list during your holiday in Egypt. And, once you’ve ticked them off, plan your return for the next five…

The Pyramids and Sphinx

The Pyramids and Sphinx will always have a prime position on any Egyptian itinerary – quite rightly. This is how to start a fulfilling and educational journey through the many facets of Egyptology. Until I visited the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World, I had only seen pictures but they had nothing on the real thing. The actual size and scale of the complex is immense. Understanding how they were created adds so much more to just being there and our guides know how to showcase them at their best. There is a spot, a small elevated viewing point, just two minutes from the site from where you can take the ultimate in pyramid photos. If your guide doesn’t take you there, get a new one quickly. 

The death mask of Tutankhamun

When I looked into the eyes of Tutankhamun’s death mask, I felt my hairs stand on end. This artefact is one of the most famous to be found in Egypt and can be seen at The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. Take your time to commit this to memory as the Mask is stored in a small chamber where no photos are allowed. Here, there are also over 120,000 items of Egyptian antiquity to help on your Egyptology quest. Be sure to explore the Mummy Rooms as well as the various hieroglyphics around the museum. 

The Nile

A trip down the Nile takes in many of the country’s best sights and should be undertaken in five-star luxury and style. Sanctuary Sun Boat IV is our traditional dahabiya, refurbished in 2018. With only 40 cabins, this boat is the most luxurious way to discover the Nile. Along the way, your resident A&K Egyptologist will visit the various tombs and temples with you and explain their history. After busy days sight-seeing, there is time to relax and watch the Nile go by either in your en-suite cabin, at the roof top pool area or in the fully furnished bar and lounge. 

Kom Ombo Temple

The hieroglyphics at Kom Ombo Temple are some of the most detailed and extraordinary in the country. Here are the earliest representations of precise surgical tools like scalpels, bone saws and medicine bottles, as well as depictions of the Egyptian goddess of the sky and universe, Nut. Prepare to come face to face with a huge number of mummified crocodiles at the museum next door, too – this temple, on the bend of the river near Edfu and Esna, where sacred crocodiles would bask in the sun, is dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god. 

Karnak Temple

Start (or end) a Nile cruise on a high. Karnak Temple in Luxor is one of Egypt’s most famous, built more than a thousand years ago by generations of Pharaohs. Both well-preserved and beautiful, Karnak is renowned for its forests of stone pillars, chapels, and the statue of Ramses II. Photographers relish this spot for the perfect picture opportunities. Combined with a visit to Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings, you won’t be left wanting.

Feeling ready for your own Egyptian adventure? Take a look at some of our suggested Egypt itineraries, or speak to one of our travel specialists today to begin planning your own tailor-made holiday.