My 7 Wonders to visit in Egypt
The country of Egypt is a living and breathing historical textbook and basically the beginning of civilization. I would say that if you have decided to visit the country then you have made the right decision. There are several reasons to visit Egypt outside of the fact that it is a location that holds one of the 7 wonders of the world.
Egypt is by the Mediterranean to the north therefore if you want to see the beautiful sea that borders Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, then Alexandria is the city you want to visit. There are also 6 deserts in Egypt including Giza where the Pyramids (One of the 7 ancient wonders of the world) are located, as well as the Sinai desert in the Sharm El Sheikh region by the red sea.
Most importantly, the country gives you the exciting experience of riding a boat along the Nile River, the longest river in the world which flows in the opposite direction. I don’t know about you but this sounds just about the most epic and life-changing destination one can take in a lifetime!
So without further ado, here are my top 7 wonders to visit in Egypt.
This blog post was written by Yvette. Click here to read more about Yvette!
The Pyramids of Giza
You’ve probably heard about these pyramids but words could never fully explain how breathtaking these pyramids truly are! Tourism has been down since the pandemic but there is something to be appreciated when visiting the Pyramids of Giza and the crowds are relatively small. It certainly makes taking photos without people in the background surprisingly easy for an ancient wonder of the world.
One fascinating thing about the Giza Pyramids is that while they are located in the desert, you can see the view of the beautiful city of Cairo in the background. It is as if the desert and its pyramids are being guarded by the tall buildings of Cairo. The geography is a great advantage as it is a 10-minute commute from Cairo to Giza and that is a blessing in the hectic city traffic.
It costs about $25 to see the Pyramids of Giza, however, we booked a tour through AirBnB which also took us to see Sakkara where the oldest pyramid in the world is located, as well as the ancient capital of Memphis.
Khan El Kalili Bazaar
Khan El Khalili is a large bustling outdoor/indoor shopping market at the heart of the city of Cairo that sells just about anything. I highly recommend you do not leave the city without a silveniour to remind you of your adventures and to be honest, this market will make it difficult for you to do so. Khan El Khalili is pretty crowded and can be overwhelmingly loud as the vendors are free spirited and joyful in their interactions with each other and with customers. While we had our reservation on visiting the bazaar as two women without a gentleman to intimidate aggressive vendors, we were actually able to manage just fine.
The Egyptian economy has taken a hit from the fall of tourism and therefore it’s understandable why a lot of vendors can be persistent in selling their products.
From spices, essential oils, tea sets, lamps, rugs, jewelry, scarves, there is literally everything you can think to find at Khan El Khalili. However, I would recommend to practice caution in your purchases and to always bargain at prices at least lower than half their asking price. A Lot of vendors sell dupes or fake products at the same prices as the originals so always be smart and observant.
Mosque of Muhammad Ali
The Mosque of Mohammad Ali is a beautiful structure just outside of Khal El Khalili market was built by Mohammad Ali who ruled the nation of Egypt as Governor of the ottoman empire. Although the Mosque was built in memory of his oldest son, it now serves as Mohammad Ali’s sacred resting place since his death in 1849. The interior of the mosque is breathtaking with intricate colorful designs which attract both tourists and locals to visit every day. We were highly advised that when visiting the Mosque, visitors needed to dress appropriately and be fully covered as the Mosque is a sacred space for the people of Egypt.
Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa
The catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa are one of the Seven wonders of the middle ages located in my favorite Egyptian city, Alexandria. The tombs in this site were accidentally discovered in the 1900’s when a donkey accidentally fell in. Unlike the pyramids which served as a resting place for pharaohs and other royal members, the catacombs were created as a burial site for numerous people as well as animals.
Citadel of Qaitbay
This fortress was built in the 15th century with a Mosque inside to defend the Nation from the Ottoman empire. The Citadel of Qaitbay is considered one of the most important defensive structures protecting Egypt. It was built in the same location that previously stood the lighthouse of Alexandria which was one of the seven ancient wonders of the world before it was destroyed. Pieces of the light house were used to build the citadel. The citadel faces the beautiful mediterrenean sea and is an amazing sight to see. If you are a fan of architecture or maybe even Game of Thrones then you are sure to appreciate this beauty.
Karnak Temple
Karnak Temple is located in the city of Luxor Egypt was built in 2055 BC and is the second-largest ancient religious site in the whole world (the largest being Angkor Wat in Cambodia). The 4000-year-old structure took 13 Pharaohs to complete and became the center of military, education, and politics. My favorite part of the complex was the Great Hypostyle Hall which held a collection of 134 massive columns intricately arranged in 16 rows in a time before machinery! Again this is another location that is easy to take photos as it is scarcely crowded especially with tourism further impacted by the pandemic.
Al Sahaba Mosque
It sounds strange each time to say this but while I always knew I wanted to visit Egypt, my biggest motivation was to see the beautiful mosque and it was worth the trip. The completion of the Mosque was done in 2017 after it had been temporarily halted due to financial reasons. It is located in the beautiful city of Sharm El Sheikh which translates to the Bay of Sheikhs which is located on the coast of the red sea and by the sanai desert. If these names sound biblical to anyone else that is because these locations are in the story of Moses and the Israelites.
You don’t have to be a Christian to appreciate Sharm El Sheikh however as it is a resort hub with many shopping centers westernized and Egyptian. Also interesting is that while Sharm El Sheikh is an Egyptian country, it is located in Asia, not Africa so that is an opportunity to visit two continents in one trip.
It is also important to note that the architect of Al Sahaba Mosque drew inspiration from different religions to build the structure which is evident in the details of the mosque.
Overall Egypt is filled with so many more architectural and historical wonders which were not mentioned. It definitely is a country that should be on everybody’s bucket list as it has so much to see and so! Let me know below what you’re wonders in this wonderful country are below!