Egypt is much more than Pyramids tours and monuments. It is also luxury hotels and resorts. It is romantic Nile Cruises down the Nile on festive river boats, Red Sea scuba diving, hot night spots, a night at the grand opera and it is a cultural experience like none you have ever experienced. Egypt is probably the world's oldest civilization having emerged from the Nile Valley around 3,100 years ago, historically. Early Greeks, Romans and others went there just for fun, and to see the wonders of some of mankind's earliest triumphs. For thousands of years, it has been the playground of emperors and kings, and we hope you will take the time to find out why.

Egypt Geography
Egypt covers an area of approximately 1,001,450 sq km (386,662 sq mi) in northeastern Africa, its northern coastline along the Mediterranean Sea, its eastern coastline along the Red Sea and touching the State of Israel in the Sinai. Libya shares its western border, Sudan its southern border. Egypt is overwhelmingly a desert country bisected by the River Nile. Over 90% of the land area is formed by a convergence of deserts -the Libyan Desert to the west, the Sahara and Nubian Deserts to the south and the Arabian Desert to the east. There are oases scattered across this wasteland and a swathe of land along the Suez Canal which is cultivated, but it is mainly the land fed by the River Nile -the Nile valley and the Nile Delta -that is both habitable and arable. The Sinai Peninsula is formed of sand desert and spectacular mountains rising as high as 2,637m (8,652ft) above Red Sea level.

Overview
Language: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes Major Religions: Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94% (official estimate), Coptic Christian and other 6% (official estimate)
Ethnic groups: Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European 1%

History

Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world and the second-most populous on the African Continent. Nearly 100% of the country's 58 million people live in Cairo and Alexandria; elsewhere on the banks of the Nile; in the Nile delta, which fans out north of Cairo; and along the Suez Canal. These regions are among the world's most densely populated, containing an average of over 1,540 person per square kilometer (3,820 per sq. mi.).
Modern Egyptian currency (specifically paper money) ranges from the 25 Piaster (quarter pound note) up to a 1,000 pound note. Unlike, for example, American bills, Egyptian currency is not the same size, The smaller the note denomination, the smaller its physical size. Egyptian coins duplicate the value of some of the Egyptian bills. There are 25 Piaster and 50 Piaster coins, but because of this duplication, many establishments in Egypt rarely have coins. In fact, the value of 25 Piaster is so small that they are often difficult to find in either coin or bill, and businesses often round up the price of merchandise to the nearest pound. Egyptian money is both colorful, and attractively designed.

The Egyptian People

In reading several books regarding Egyptian travel, this author was surprised to see the Egyptian populous divided into four cultural groups consisting of Copts (An Egyptian belonging to or descended from the people of ancient or pre-Islamic Egypt), Bedouins (An Arab of any of the nomadic tribes of the Arabian, Syrian, Nubian, or Sahara deserts), Nubians (Any of a group of closely related Nilo Saharan languages spoken in the Sudan) and Egyptian peasants or fellahin (A peasant or agricultura laborer in an Arab country, such as Syria or Egypt).
Upon closer examination, fellahins are presented basically as farmers living in villages.Perhaps this is a correct and traditional definition of the word fellahin, but it was immediately apparent that this division of cultural groups was out of touch with reality, and showed no feeling for Egypt's true flavor.
Egypt is actually a wonderful and delightful mixture of traditions, with a socioeconomic structure which allows, more and more, a gradient of classes. But one must look, and feel with the heart in order to touch this essence of Egypt.
A considerable amount, if not majority, of Egypt's population now live in larger cities, mostly Cairo and Alexandria. In fact, these two cities dominate the vision of most foreigners. They are vitally important to Egypt's culture, but one should not neglect the many other moderately sized cities. And within these cities there is a virtual kaleidoscope of social stratas. There are doubtless the poor, the recent fallahins come to the city, and the lower echelons of what we will call the commercial or merchant class. They are evident, and plentiful. But these businessmen merge into the middle class, and then upper middle class. More than a few become wealthy.
The travel books seem to neglect this broad range of Egyptian business men. Some come from families who probably have ancient ties with trading, but others are those fellahins who have found what they came looking for in the city. Perhaps the poorest of these merchants, those who sell produce or bean meals in the streets might answer to the term fellahin,but I doubtthat most would fall within any of the traditional cultural groups. They have a million faces, and also as many professions and trades. They make gold jewelry and copper pots, rugs, they paint, build buildings and fine pottery. They sell groceries at the corner market. They trade in tractors and water pumps, they are butchers and bakers, taxi drivers, and secretaries. And these days many of these people are simply Egyptian, not Coptic, not Nubian, not Bedouin and certainly not the traditional Fellahin.
But what is equally missing from most travel guide descriptions of the Egyptian culture is a real feeling for the beauty of these marvelous cities. Here, one will find teenagers at McDonalds or Pizza Inn and making the local drag in their small Fiats. There, one will see brightly lit streets with multicolored lights strung from the buildings so as to celebrate a birthday or a wedding. One will find a continuous stream of blaring horns, as a population perpetually late for some meeting scrambles about the city. But one may admire this madness from an armchair next to his favorite coffee shop, where he may be overcome by a feeling of tranquillity. It is often a culture of the back streets of small neighborhoods, particularly at night, where the television has not dispatched social accord. The residents of these small neighborhoods within these monstrous cities know each other well, and look out for one another.
It is also a moral culture, which these authors admire whole heartedly. In a city the size of Cairo, there is virtually no crime rate. Many westerners believe that this is due to stiff punishment, but the real reason is the population's loyalty to their religious faith. The virtual absence of drinking and drugs among the local population, prohibited by their Islamic law and enforced by their own piety, surely has much to do with this.When one ceases judging cultures purely from the standpoint of material wealth, and begins to see the humanistic success of the Egyptian culture, it is difficult for a person of any religious persuasion not to develop a deep respect for Islam.

Islam is the official religion of Egypt, but there is a large Coptic community and other Christian sects are represented in the country. There is also a small Jewish community. Islam is part of the Judaeo-Christian family of religions and was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in what is now Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Islam has five major principles, called pillars, which form the foundation of the religion. The first is the belief that there is only one God and that the Prophet Muhammad is the messenger of God. The second is prayer,which is performed five times a day and can be conducted in anyplace as long as it is done facing Mecca. Almsgiving is the third principle and by religious law Muslims must donate a percentage of their savings to the poor. The fourth pillar is the obligation to fast during the holy month of Ramadan. The fifth pillar is pilgrimage to Mecca, hajj, which all Muslims hope to perform at least once. The pilgrimage is performed during the month of Zhul-Higga,70 days after the end of the Ramadan fast.

Coptic Orthodox
The Copts, a large minority in Egypt, are a Christian sect which separated from the Byzantine and Latin church in the 5th century over a disagreement in religious doctrine. Copts founded the worlds first monasteries,and the continuing monastic tradition is an important part of the Coptic faith.

Religious Observances
Foreigners are free to attend any Coptic service. Non-Muslims can enter mosques listed as antiquities. Muslims may enter any mosque at any time free of charge.

Egypt is a sophisticated and modern country, and most anything that you need may be purchased in Egypt. But providing that you do not wish to purchase such things as shoes in Egypt, and that other items may be difficult to find, or very expensive, we have compiled a checklist of some of the more important items you may wish to carry with you. This list may seem rudimentary for the seasoned traveler, but for many making a first time trip to Egypt, it may prevent problems.

Contending with Sun and Heat Hats and other covering:
Large brimmed hats that provide not only a head covering but also a certainamount of shade will come in very handy in the hot Egyptian sun. In addition, women will be more acceptable when touring old churches and mosques if they are wearing some sort of head covering. In addition, scarves or other apparel should be taken along to cover shoulders and arms, and again, or not only important for visiting religious sites, but also to keep the sun off during treks. In very hot weather, a cloth hat or scarf that can be soaked will also help keep your head cool.

"Squeeze Breeze": this is a water bottle with a sprayer and a battery-operated fan attached,which is available in such stores as Wal-Mart in the US. This item literally kept our Senior Editor,Mary Kay Radnich, from hitting the deck in the 104F heat on the West Bank, late one morning. If you can find something like this among the beach toys this summer, pick it up.

Sun block: While sun blocks may be purchased in Egypt,you might prefer to bring your own favorite brand, but do bring it. We have often, and I wish to emphasis, very often, seen tourists with painful sunburns after a days worth of sightseeing.

Sunglasses: Another item that may be purchased in Egypt are sunglasses, but again, many people will prefer to bring their own. There will be many times that tourists find themselves in a blaring, sand and desert landscape and there is nothing better than a good pair of sunglasses, with the highest UV rating you can find.

Canteen or water holder: Staying hydrated will mean the difference between a comfortable tourand one that might end with trouble. Most people quickly learn to carry a water bottle with them,and bottled water is easily accessible. However, lugging around a water bottle in your hand can be tiresome. It is much better to bring along either a canteen, or some other utensil that will allow you to carry the water bottle on your waist or around your shoulder. Fanny packs or backpacks with holders for water bottles, and for women, even a shoulder bag type of purse will make this more convenient.

Other Needs
Very good, comfortable walking shoes:
This is probably one of the first things most people will tell you to bring to Egypt. Most tourists will be doing a considerable amount of walking, and shoes should not be just comfortable, but comfortable to walk long distances. Unlike leather shoes for mountain walks and such, it is also preferable for walking shoes to be breathable and perhaps made of a lightweight nylon or similar fabric. "Tennis shoes" or other sporting type of shoes are good for this. Also, keep inmind that there are a lot of steps in Egypt.

Power Adapters: Power Adapters come in two different varieties. Some electronic equipment have switches to allow you to change the power input type. For these, a simple wall adapter is all that is required. However, other electronic devices do not have such switches and in this case, you not only need a wall adapter, but also a power converter. Egypt uses 220 volt and plugs are two prong rounded.

Medication: Of course, bring your prescription medicine. It will usually be available in Egyptian drug stores, but it may be called a different name. There is no problem with bringing prescription medica- -tion into Egypt. However, it is also more convenient to bring your favorite non-prescription medications along. Though you may find such medication in Egypt, such as heart burn medication and pain capsules, you may have problems finding your favorite brands. In addition, many tourists who are a part of an organized tour will be staying in large hotels, which may lack a complete inventory of such medication, and trekking out to find a variety of over the counter medications may be inconvenient. Dont forget your Imodium. While no one wants to get Tuts Trot or Mummys Tummy, it may be handy to have some Imodium or other anti-diarrheic with you. The most common bottled water brand, Baraka, contains a little magnesium and therefore mayact as a mild laxative. Another brand to try is Siwa bottled water.

Camera: Most people are not going to forget to bring their cameras on an Egyptian tour. However, a couple of things should be pointed out. First, while you may take pictures as you like from the outside of most monuments, many require that you do not use a flash when taking pictures inside. If you intend to take picturesinside tombs, for example, you will need to bring high-speed film. Most people use ASA 800 film, which they push to 1600. For the most part, this requires a good 35 mm SLR camera. In addition, monuments in Egypt are trulymonumental, and tourists will often be disappointed with regular lenses. If possible, a good wide-angle lens will be nice to bring along. A video camera will also provide you with nice souvenir footage of your trip, however, keep in mind that filming inside many of the museums, monuments and tombs is prohibited.

Guide Books: Do invest in an Egyptian Guide book, such as the "Lonely Planet" or "Rough Guide" or any number of other good guides. While you may be on a guided tour, such a book will give you time to orient yourself both before and after the actual tours to various locations. In addition, foreign printed guidebooks may be somewhat more expensive in Egypt, even though they are available. You may also wish to look around once in Egypt for other guidebooks.

An Extra Bag: A bag, preferably soft, which can be crunched up and carried into Egypt in another bag will be handy for most people. The bag will then be used to carry back souvenirs. Alternatively, many business people or guests of Egyptians often bring presents into Egypt, and once emptied, the bag is used to bring souvenirs back. Again, bags may be easily purchased in Egypt, but are likely to be less expensive if you buy it at home and bring it to Egypt.

Sewing Kits: Some of the larger hotels, as well as some of the better-equipped smaller hotels
(the Longchamps) may supply a sewing kit in your room. But don't count on this. Most Egyptian tours are relatively long, and it is notunusual to loose a button here or there climbing through tombs and pyramids.

Cigarette: Egyptians smoke, and cigarettes are not expensive in Egypt. However, you will find only a limited variety of cigarettes for the most part. For example, Marlboro Lights are readily available, but not 100s.
In fact, not very many "long" cigarettes are. Further, while you can purchase "American" cigarettes for a price in some of the better hotels, usually you are getting an Egyptian manufactured cigarette that is somewhat harsher then the "American" variety. Just because you are buying Marlboro does not make it the same Marlboro that you would by in the US, for example. Finally, bring along a humor and a good attitude. For many, and even those who have done extensive traveling in the US or Europe, Egypt will be very different. You will often find attitudes more "laid back", time less important and even some of the Egyptians selling their wares or their services at tourism sites annoying. Egypt is a place where you learn to let the smaller problems you might encounter roll off your shoulders, and simply enjoy this, the oldest of all civilizations.

Egypt is a conservative country and visitors should respect this attitude. No topless or nude bathing is permitted.
On the practical side, leave your synthetics at home as they will prove to be too hot in summer and not warm enough in winter - bring materials that breathe. It is advisable to wear cotton in summer as the heat can be like a furnace. In winter wear layers that can be taken off during the heat of the day and put back on for cool evenings. Wear loose and flowing garments, which are not only modest,but practical in a hot climate. Have you ever wonderedwhy the Bedouin wear layers of flowing robes?
Whythey cover their heads and the back of their necks? Centuries of living in desert climates have taught them that loose garments keep one cooler and layered garments allow wind toenter and circulate, creating a natural ventilation system. Protecting the head and neck from loss of moisture prevents heatstroke.
Bring comfortable shoes. You will be doing a lot of walking and temple floors are far from even. In summer, wear a hatto protect yourself from the heat of the Egyptian sun.
What to Bring
Above all travel light. Get wheels for your luggage and leave heavy items at home. If you dont bring a camera you will besorry. Sunglasses are a must as the sun is very strong in Egypt.