EGYPT+BROCHURE

OVERVIEW Situated north of Sudan, lying between Libya and the Gaza Strip, Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea and controls the Suez Canal as well as the Sinai Peninsula. It has only two seasons: a mild winter from November to April and a hot summer from May to October. Of course, the summer is the best period to visit Egypt thanks to its warm climate and the marvellous beaches. Most people who think of Egypt think of antiquities, but Egypt offers much more. Certainly Egypt is the cradle of the **Egyptian civilization**, an area rich in archeologic sites, a prime location to see our great heritage from the ancient world, including Pyramids and wonderful temples, but it is also **part of the Holy Land**, and tours to Christian and other religious monuments are popular. Yet Egypt also offers **nature** and desert treks, great scuba diving and even golf, fishing and birding expeditons. MAIN SIGHTS  **KARNAK TEMPLE** Karnak Temple is a vast temple complex in Luxor dedicated primarily to Amun and dating from as early as 2000 BC. It is an impressive sight, and second only to the Great Pyramids in popularity. The temple complex of Karnak, dedicated to the Pharoah Amun, was the center of his worship and of his wife Mut and their son Khons. Each of them had a "precinct" (area) in the temple complex, the greatest and largest belonging to Amun and is the only section open to the public.

There are over 25 temples and chapels in the complex, including separate shrines for the three boats that took the statues of the gods on their annual trip on the flooding Nile. Sanctuaries, obelisks, and groups of columns all feature accounts of the heroic deeds of the sponsoring pharoah.

The vast majority of tourists visit Karnak Temple as part of an organised coach tour, but it is also possible to take a public minibus from Luxor Bus Station, or hire a taxi or caleche (horse and cart).



 The Valley of the Kings  **The Valley of the Kings was used for royal burials from approximately 1539 BC to 1075 BC, and contains at least 63 tombs, beginning with Thutmose I (or possibly earlier, during the reign of Amenhotep I), and ending with Ramesses X or XI.** Tutankhamun's tomb is the most popular highlight of the site.Its treasures were famously discovered in 1922 and are now housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.  **Despite the name, the Valley of the Kings also contains the tombs of favorite nobles as well as the wives and children of both nobles and pharaohs. Around the time of Ramses I (ca. 1301 BC) tomb construction began in the separate Valley of the Queens, although some wives continued to be buried with their husbands in the Valley of the Kings.**  **The tombs were constructed and decorated by the workers of the village of Deir el-Medina, located in a small wadi between this valley and the Valley of the Queens, facing Thebes.**  **A number of archaeological excavations continue periodically within the Valley of the Kings to the present day. The Theban Mapping Project has been officially granted the permit to map the entire Theban Necropolis, a project now well advanced.**

**The Valley of the Queens ** The Valley of the Queens is located on the [|West Bank] at [|Luxor] (ancient [|Thebes]). There are between 75 and 80 tombs in the Valley of the Queens, or Biban al-Harim. These belong to Queens of the 18th, 19th and 20th Dynasties. These include The [| Tomb of Khaemwese], the Tomb of Queent Titi, The [| Tomb of Amenhikhopeshef], also premature baby was also found in to tomb. This belonged to this mother, who aborted upon learning of Amenhikhopeshef's death and The [| Tomb of Nefertari.] Like the nearby and better known Valley of the Kings, this isolated valley in the western hills was chosen due to its relative proximity to Thebes. **//Luxor// ** The modern town of Luxor is a major attraction of tourists in Egypt and it was the capital of Egypt from the 12th dynasty. Even in ancient times, during the late Dynasties of the Greek and Roman periods, the area drew tourists, and has been doing so ever since. In this spectacular area, there are only three main streets: Sharia al-Mahatta, Sharia al-Karnak and the Corniched, next to the Nile. Along Sharia al-Karnak tourists will find the colorful signs of restaurants and cafes, as well as bazaars where the usual variety of Egyptian souvenirs can be found. Luxor boasts several tourist destination, since the Tomb of Tutankhamun, the Karnak Temple, the [| Temple of Luxor, built by Amenophis III], which hosts colossal statues, and the oldest mosque, call the El-Mekashkesh Mosque. It contains the remains of a 10th century Islamic saint who rumor has it was a monk prior to converting to Islam. The mosque is a popular pilgrimage destination. Other attractions in Luxor is the [|Luxor Museum], a small museum, most of the relics are from the surrounding area and provide considerable insight to the monuments you will visit. Tourists will find the Mummification Museum, which has most anything you would ever want to know about mummifications.

The Edfu Temple (Temple of Horus)

The **Edfu Temple** is the second largest of its kind in Egypt, today and offers visitors an amazing look at ancient Egyptian life and death, as well as the guiding religion of the time.

Edfu and the Temple The Edfu Temple is located in the Egyptian town of Edfu. It is located in the region of Upper Egypt just south of [|Luxor] and Esna. Like its neighboring town [|Kom Ombo], it is a town best known for its agriculture, sugar cane and pottery.

The Temple of Edfu is an ancient Egyptian temple and is the second largest in the entire country. The temple was dedicated to the falcon god Horus and built during the Ptolemaic Dynasty. The construction length was estimated to be between 237 and 57 BC.

Centuries of Destruction Egyptians eventually ceased using the Edfu Temple for religious purposes. This was mainly because Theodosius I banned non-Christian worship in the Roman Empire in 391 BX. Many of the sculptured artifacts were eventually destroyed or disfigured by Roman Christians who took control of Egypt. In fact, you can see visible evidence of this destruction in the blackened ceiling of the hypostyle hall, which is believed to have been an ancient example of arson attempting to destroy any signs of paganism.

Early Christians weren’t the only ones that damaged the Edfu Temple - the [|Nile River] itself also contributed to its changing features.

Because of heavy sands and layers of silt, the temple was eventually buried to a depth of 39 ft. Homes were built over the grounds, and the temple had to be re-identified. Later, a new sand-freeing project developed which re-introduced the Edfu Temple to the world.

One of the Best Preserved Temples Today the Edfu Temple is still intact and definitely one of the best-preserved sites in all of Egypt. You can thank all that sand for covering up and preserving this monument!

Some memorable features of the temple include the inscriptions on its walls as well as the entrance to the temple, which is by way of a massive pylon, measuring 36 meters high. The pylon is also decorated with various reliefs, or sculptures, depicting Ptolemy XII conquering his enemies. Also look for twin granite falcons, larger than life, guarding the gateway to the temple.

If you’re traveling to Luxor don’t forget to visit Edfu, specifically the temple of Edfu.

The exhibit is open all year round, though it stays open an extra hour in the summer and fall season. There is also a visitor center and paved car park for the comfort of tourists. Remember that the Edfu Temple is a common stop for [|Nile River Cruises]. Chances are if you’re in Egypt seeing the most important sites, you will not miss this awe-inspiring landmark.

**KOM OMBO ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">The Temple of Kom Ombo stands on the east bank of the Nile, right next to the river, about 4Km from the town. It was dedicated to two Gods, Horus and Sobek. The **Temple of Sobek and Horus** in Kom Ombo (also known simply as **Kom Ombo Temple**) dates from about 180 BC during the Ptolemaic era, with additions made into Roman times. It stands right on the bank of the Nile between Edfu and Aswan, making it a convenient stop for river cruises. In ancient times, **Kom Ombo** stood on an important crossroads between the caravan route from Nubia and trails from the gold mines in the eastern desert. Today, Kom Ombo is home to many **Nubians**who were displaced from their ancestral homes by the rise of Lake Nasser caused by Aswan Dam. Tourism is not the only industry in Kom Ombo: sugar cane is harvested on the river banks and there are felucca-building yards here. The Kom Ombo Temple is unusual in that it is a **double temple**, with one side dedicated to the god Haroesis and the other side to Sobek. The design is almost perfectly symmetrical, with two side-by-side sanctuaries and two parallel passageways leading through the outer parts of the temple. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">**Please Note**: The entrance ticket for the Temple of Kom Ombo is 40 LE, and there are no camera charges. The best time to visit the Temple is either early in the morning, or after 5 o'clock. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">

Aswan Situated 900km south of Cairo, **Aswan** (or Assuan) is the charming and picturesque capital of Upper Egypt.

In this city, located on the outskirts of Nubia, you can see, side by side, the riches of ancient Egypt and the most gigantic works that mankind has been able to achieve in modern times.

On the one hand the famous quarries of granite that was used to build temples, statues and monuments, the other the enormous size of the large dam.

Aswan was founded by Tolomeo III in 246 - 222 a.C.

As for cusine there are many tradictional resteraunts in which it is possible to taste typical dishes such us:

Ful Mudammas (Broad Beans in Sauce) Ingredients
 * 2 cans (15-ounce each) cooked fava beans
 * 6 cloves garlic, or to taste
 * 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
 * 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
 * ¼ cup olive oil
 * 1½ Tablespoons parsley, minced
 * Garnish, such as radishes, hard-boiled eggs, chopped scallions, pita bread (toasted and cut into wedges)

Koushari (Lentils, Macaroni, Rice, and Chickpeas) Ingredients
 * 1 cup lentils
 * 1 teaspoon salt
 * 1 cup elbow macaroni
 * 1 cup rice
 * 1 can (15-ounce) chickpeas (also called ceci)
 * 2 Tablespoons olive oil

S AUCE :


 * 1 cup canned tomato puree
 * ¼ cup olive oil
 * 2 onions
 * 1 garlic clove, or to taste

Abu Simbel Literally thousands of tourists come to Abu Simbel each year to sightsee around its world-famous temples. If you have time, do hang around for the Light and Sound Shows, which take place at Abu Simbel's temples at the end of the day and are always extremely memorable, particularly when the laser beams rise behind the four statues of Ramesses II, creating a truly unique sight.

Tourists will find all other attractions tend to be dotted around the simply vast Lake Nasser, which borders Abu Simbel and is now the biggest man-made lake in the whole world. Lake Nasser stretches for a staggering 310 metres / 500 km and is a truly beautiful spectacle, offering a very impressive backdrop to the temples.