Holidays in Egypt

Egypt Holidays - Destination Profile

Egypt holidays have been popular since the early days of world travel, the wonders of Egypt have attracted visitors seeking a glimpse of its romantic and mysterious past. Vast monuments and tombs stand proudly along the serene waters of the River Nile, a symbol of the past civilisations and thousands of years of continuous history. Today, holidays to Egypt provide a taste of the captivating history through visits to the impressive monuments.

The eastern coastline together with the southern tip of the Sinai is where modern day holidays to Egypt are spent. The Red Sea region has a number of beach resorts is a hub for modern day Egypt holidays and is a far cry from the temples and tombs of ancient times.

Red Sea Resorts for Luxurious Egypt Holidays

The Sharm El Sheikh region has seen been extensively developed and is now a honeypot for visitors in search of guaranteed sun and relaxation. Egypt holidays in the Sharm el Sheikh region are taken all year round with many Brits seeking to escape the winter cold or avoid the unpredictability of the British summer. One of Egypt's premier holiday destinations promising an abundance of sun, sea, sand, luxurious hotels, watersports, shopping facilities and entertainment.

As a result of Sharm el Sheikh's success other areas have tried to capitalise on the growing Egypt holidays market with the resorts in the northern region of Hurghada investing heavily in tourism. Hurghada was formerly known as 'Ghardaga' and was just a simple fishing village, the area has been transformed into a popular region for holidays in Egypt.

Holidays in Egypt for Fascinating History

For holidays in Egypt filled with history and culture visit the resort of Luxor, situated on the east bank of the river Nile on the site of the ancient city of Thebes. The area is one of the world's leading attractions with visitors arriving to explore the monuments, tombs and museums. Luxor is an ideal place from which to explore the historic sites such as the amazing Karnak Temple, Valley of the Queens, Theban Necropolis and the Valley of Kings best known for tomb of Tutankhamen.

Book an Egypt Cruise and experience the wonders of Egypt by booking a Red Sea or Nile Cruise, where you'll be able enjoy the luxury of the floating hotels. Holidaymakers can enjoy the sites and explore the sights and sounds making a trip to this fascinating country one of a lifetime

Value Holidays to Egypt with Olympic Holidays

Book your holidays to Egypt with Olympic Holidays a leading specialist tour operator to Cyprus and Greece with over 40 years expertise in offering quality holidays at great value. As well package holidays to Egypt, we offer an excellent range of flights to Egypt (Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada & (Luxor) and hotels in Egypt. For great savings on holidays to Egypt book online or call our reservations team, lowest price guaranteed!!!

Holidays in Egypt - Things to see

Mount Sinai: Mount Sinai, just south of the Monastery of St Katherine, is of great religious importance to Jews, Christians and Muslims. According to the Old Testament this is where Moses received the Ten commandments. You can ascend to the summit (2285 m, 7497 ft) to experience the ultimate spiritual high; either by climbing some 4000 steps built by monks or by following an easier but longer path. The climb takes about three hours but the view from the top is truly breathtaking, especially at sunrise.

Bedouin Evening: An evening not to be missed, enjoy a spectacular sunset in the Sinai desert from the back of a camel. Arrive at a traditional Bedouin tent, relax and get ready for a typical dinner including entertainment, aromatic tea and soft drinks. This is a great opportunity to discover the real local life of the Bedouins.

St Catherine's Monastery: Depart for St Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai. The spectacular setting of this Monastery, built in AD330 around the site of Moses; Burning Bush, has remained largely unchanged over the centuries. Still inhabited by monks, you will have the opportunity to see the library, museum and Chapel of Burning Bush

Boat Trip to Ras Mohammed National Park: For the joy of those who love uncontaminated nature, Ras Mohammed is without doubt an ideal spot. This is a fabulous boat trip with the opportunity to snorkel in one of the most amazing coral gardens and is always a popular choice.

Cairo Excursion: No visit to Egypt is complete without a visit to Cairo. The pyramids at Giza are the world's oldest tourist attraction and the Great Pyramid is one of the wonders of the ancient world. The day will include a tour of the Giza plateau to visit the Pyramids and the Sphinx.

Things to do on a Holiday in Egypt

Scuba Diving: Sharm el Sheikh, along with Hurghada, is where it all started. These where the first two destinations of the nearly 20-years-old diving history of the Red Sea. Dive sites in Sharm el Sheikh are world famous. A paradise for a perfect Red Sea diving holiday, Sharm has it all: hard and soft coral, turtles and dolphins, mantas and moray eels, napoleons and tuna, hammerheads, barracudas, reef and pelagic sharks, and much more, including the legendary World War II wreck of the Thistlegorm. For further information visit Red Sea diving holidays

Snorkelling: Snorkelling is the watersport par excellence in the Red Sea. With the wealth of underwater life in all destinations, snorkeling is an easy and very enjoyable way to spend some time and discover the wonders of the marine life. Whether you go out from your resort beach, or you spend a day or half a day on a snorkeling boat, you will collect unforgettable memories.

Watersports: The Red Sea Riviera is not only scuba diving! The sea here is a paradise for a number of watersports, and some destinations are particularly famous because of their perfect conditions for one activity or the other. When you think of board sports, as windsurf and kite-surf, you think of five main destinations: Dahab in Sinai, and El Gouna, Hurghada, Safaga and Marsa Alam on the Red Sea coast. Sandy beaches, constant wind and professional centres.

Eating/Drinking During Egypt Holidays

Due to the popularity of holidays in Egypt there is a wonderful selection of cuisine on offer. The hotels throughout Egypt cater for tourists from around the world taking and providing a variety of dishes. People taking Egypt holidays should sample the traditional Egyptian dishes, delicious appetisers include snacks stuffed with vine leaves, houmous, tahina and babahanoug.

While away on holiday in Egypt more familiar food is available in abundance so don't despair as most restaurants serve pizza, hamburgers and spaghetti. Hot chips are available absolutely everywhere!

But what do you drink in Egypt? Egypt is an Islamic country so alcohol is not widely available. The exception to this is Stella beer, made in Egypt and is available absolutely everywhere. An ice-cold Stella is great after a hard-day's sight-seeing. Bottled water is available everywhere, as are Western soft-drinks, including the diet varieties.

Egypt Holidays - Nightlife

The Red Sea Riviera offers a great variety of destinations, each with its own peculiar atmosphere and character. From the quaint, relaxing and silent Taba, to the bustling party towns of Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh, through the chilled-out new age Dahab and El Gouna.

In the major party towns of Hurghada and Sharm you will find a busy crowded night life, with a big number of pubs, bars, trendy eateries and international clubs, from Hard Rock Cafes to Pacha clubs, Buddha bars and many other local popular ventures which keep everybody rocking until the wee hours of the day. If you are a party night creature these are the places to go without doubt.

El Gouna offers instead a relaxed elegance and has a sophisticated hippyesque flair. Dahab is dubbed the Koh Samui of the Red Sea, with its beach-front promenade packed with Bedouin joints. Everywhere though, you will find some interesting local hang out, whether it is the local shawerma shop or cafeteria, where you can spend some entertaining time watching the locals play backgammon while sipping tea and smoking shisha (the local water-pipe).

Getting Around on Egypt Holidays

Modes of transportation range from 1st class trains to taxis to local buses. Renting a car or motorbike is perfect for those who like to stop and explore during your holidays in Egypt; get off the beaten track. And of course, there is the ever present taxi.

Egypt Holidays Shopping

One of the great delights of holidaying in Egypt is the shopping! However, there are many challenges: from learning how to bargain to knowing where the best places are to buy certain goods. You will be truly amazed at the range of goods, from souvenirs to treasures, that you can purchase and package to take on the plane flight home with you. Everything from exotic spices to exquisite jewellery; gorgeously textured shawls and scarves to brilliantly coloured papyri; handcrafted brass and copper ware to quality reproductions of antiquities; and delicately glowing alabaster to fabulously designed carpets and rugs.

The souks and markets of Egypt have an excitement and flavour that is all their own and quite unlike anything that you will experience elsewhere. The range of wares on display is mind-boggling and the friendliness and hospitality of the shop owners is unrivalled. The sights, smells and sounds will overwhelm your senses at the same time that the exotic atmosphere created by the place and its people will dazzle your imagination.

Weather and climate information

The wonderful thing about holidays in Egypt is that fabulous climate and no matter what time of year the waether is hot and dry. However the low humidity makes the high temperatures much more bearable.

The winter months in the Red Sea are between November to March. In this time the day temperature is warm and the night time temperature can drop. In the winter months it can rain for a few seconds and every few years a storm can come through.

Egypt Holidays - View 5 Day Forecast