- Let's look at the map of the world
- Entertainment in the southernmost resort of Egypt
- Legendary Aswan
The Red Sea with its unique underwater world is not the only reason for Egypt's popularity among tourists from many countries of the world. The homeland of the pharaohs attracts travelers with the opportunity to relax on the beach in winter, enjoy the pleasant service in hotels, where all-inclusive and available at any time of the day, and get enough of the excursion program, the main routes of which are well known to everyone since the school history lessons. If you look at the map of northeastern Africa, it is obvious that the southernmost resorts of Egypt are located a couple of hundred kilometers from the border with Sudan.
Let's look at the map of the world
Strictly speaking, the southernmost settlement of Egypt on the Red Sea coast is the village of Berenika, located in a beautiful bay and even having its own small airport. You will not find any information about him in the tourist brochures, although the Internet reports that the first persons of the Soviet state once rested in this southern Egyptian resort. On satellite maps, Berenice looks very dull, but lovers of hot weather in the middle of winter have a more reliable chance to sunbathe and swim in the Red Sea - a trip to Marsa Alam:
- Egypt's southernmost resort is a three-hour bus ride from Hurghada Airport.
- Hurghada can be reached by regular Turkish Airlines or Pegasus Airlines flights via Istanbul. Ticket prices in the "high" season are quite biting and for the flight, in the absence of charters, you will have to pay at least $ 500. The journey will take about 6 hours, excluding the connection.
- In summer, Marsa Alam is very hot and the air temperature easily reaches + 40 ° C. In July-August, the water warms up to + 28 ° С. During the New Year holidays, in the afternoon, mercury columns rise to + 25 ° С in the air and up to + 21 ° С in water. The best time to relax in the resort is March-April and November.
- In the southernmost resort of Egypt, the best diving centers are open. Here you can learn the basics of diving and get a certificate or prove your skills by exploring the barrier reef. The price of a weekly subscription for diving is from $ 250.
Not so long ago, the airport in Marsa Alam received international status and now receives flights from many countries of the world. Boards fly there from Hurghada, but through Cairo. The flights are operated by the national air carrier Egiptair. The price of the issue is from $ 300 round trip. The flight takes about 3 hours, excluding the connection in the capital.
Hotels in Marsa Alam are not too noisy and generally have a lot of stars. This resort is chosen by two categories of tourists - calm wealthy Europeans who prefer silence, comfort and a high level of service on vacation, and divers of all stripes who are ready to fly to the ends of the world for new dives. By the way, inexpensive hotels are open for the latter, where it is quite possible to rent a room from $ 20 -30 $. There will definitely not be stars on the facade of such a guesthouse, but air conditioning, sea and beach views are just a five-minute walk from the hotel.
Entertainment in the southernmost resort of Egypt
Beach holidays and diving in Marsa Alam can be successfully combined with educational excursions. For example, a trip to Wadi Hammat will give a lot of aesthetically pleasing impressions and photos of a beautiful valley where ancient petroglyphs have been preserved. Some of the stone inscriptions date back to the 3rd millennium BC.
Excursion to Luxor is offered at the resort by many travel agencies. The capital of Ancient Egypt contains many monuments of the Ancient World, among which the most famous are the Karnak and Luxor temples. Their age is estimated for thousands of years, and granite obelisks and statues depicting the pharaohs impress with their grandeur. Among other attractions of Luxor is the Valley of the Pharaohs, among the burials in which the magnificent tomb of Tutankhamun was found.
Active travelers will love the idea of going on a jeep or horse ride through the Arabian Desert. The Wadi Himal Nature Reserve will provide many pleasant moments for wildlife lovers. Rare birds and graceful gazelles are found on its territory.
Legendary Aswan
An excursion to the southernmost city of Egypt is also often included in the educational program for vacationers on the beaches of Marsa Alam. Aswan is located on the banks of the Nile River and the famous Aswan Dam was built near the city in the middle of the last century. But tourists are eager to see not only the result of engineering genius. In the vicinity of Aswan there are ancient temple complexes, and in the city itself there are many museum exhibitions:
- The temples of the island of Philae are the burial place of the god Osiris. UNESCO entered the island into the World Heritage List, and today every tourist can visit the sacred place, although in ancient times only priests could step on the land of Philae.
- During the Middle Kingdom, the walls of the Khnum temple were built, partially preserved on the island of Elephantine in the middle of the Nile.
- The Nubian Museum in Aswan has tens of thousands of exhibits, among which are the most valuable artifacts of ancient history.
When going on excursions in the south of Egypt, don't forget about sun protection. Even in winter it can be very hot here, and the sun is unusually active. Sunglasses, hats, and natural fabrics that cover your shoulders and arms are a must in your luggage.
