the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx are Egypt's most visited monuments, ranking among the world's greatest tourist attractions. The Great Pyramid of Cheops is the only surviving "Wonder of the Ancient World". For centuries the great pyramids have intrigued and puzzled visitors, and even in the 20th century it is difficult to stand before them and not be overwhelmed by their splendor. For 4½ millennia, surviving the rise and fall of great dynasties, and outlasting Egypt's many conquerors, they have shared the desert plateau of Giza with other monuments: smaller attendant pyramids, some for royal wives; rows of mastabas (rectangular mud-brick tombs with a flat roof and sloping sides), the tombs of 2nd and 5th dynasty princes and nobles; and the imposing figure of the enigmatic sphinx.
Also located at the pyramids is the impressive Solar Boat Museum beside the Great Pyramid of Cheops, considered to be the single most important archaeological find in Egypt since the Tomb of Tutenkhamun. Discovered in a pit by the Great Pyramid in 1954, the entire boat was carefully reconstructed and placed in the museum you see today.
Memphis & Sakkara
The ancient city of Memphis and the necropolis of Sakkara are also not to be missed. At vast Sakkara, you will see the famous Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the first freestanding stone structure in the world. Your Egyptologist will guide you to some tombs belonging to the nobles of the past. They show the beauty and excellence of Ancient Egyptian art on their walls and give an insight into the daily life of Ancient Egypt. At the site of Memphis, you will see the ancient capital that once stood as a flourishing metropolis during the time of the Pharaohs. The place is thickly surrounded by lush palm groves and bushes, isolating the site of the old city from modern civilization.
Egyptian Museum of Antiquities
Although located in the heart of Cairo, this turn-of-the century museum has a pleasantly calm atmosphere once inside its formal gardens. To enter the museum is to take a tour through over 7,000 years of Egyptian history, starting from the Archaic Pre Dynastic Period to the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms. The museum houses the world's most important collection of Egyptian antiquities from 2700 BC to the 6th century AD. There are thousands of statues, jewels and art efacts from nearly every period of ancient Egypt. Admire the amazing treasures of the young king, Tutenkhamun, including his famous mask made out of solid gold and in a perfect state of preservation. There are 12 rooms filled with treasures from King Tut's tomb, which was discovered in 1922 virtually untouched.
A tour of the Museum can also include an optional visit to the Mummies Room, a specially-built area dedicated to the mummies of ancient Royal Kings and Queens, including the mummy of Ancient Egypt's greatest Pharaoh, Ramses II.
Islamic Cairo
The Citadel dominates Cairo from it's high vantage point on the Mokattam Hills and was the heart of the city beginning in 1176 for more than 200 years. The Citadel was erected by Salah El Din, the legendary Saladin who conquered the Crusaders in Palestine. This fort was later occupied by Napoleon and the reigning Royal Family. The complex contains other later-built elements and buildings such as palaces and mosques. The last great phase of the Citadel, and its real highlight, is the great Mosque of Mohammed Ali. It was built imitating the Blue Mosque of Istanbul, with two high minarets and numerous domes.
The Sultan Hassan Mosque was built between 1356 and 1363 AD, with stones that historians believe were taken from one of the pyramids of Giza. The interior is devoid of decoration to make it easy for worshippers to concentrate on prayers. Hundreds of chains, which once held oil lamps, still hang from the ceiling of each hall.
Khan El-Khalili Bazaar , once known as the Turkish bazaar during the Ottoman period, was built in 1382 by the Emir Djaharks el-Khalili in the heart of the Fatimid City and is reputed to be the largest bazaar in the Middle East. Originally founded as a watering stop for caravanserai in the 12nd century, the bazaar has now grown to vast proportions. As you wander through the labyrinth of narrow streets you will find workshops and stalls selling all manner of things from woodwork, glassware and leather goods to perfumes, fabrics and Pharaonic curiosities. Remember to bargain hard!
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