When To Visit Egypt - Egypt Info

Best Time To Visit Egypt

The Best Time To Travel To Egypt:

The best time to visit Egypt is from October to May. Though it is the peak travel season, when most travellers come, the temperatures are a lot better for those not used to the heat. Within these 8 months there are 2 periods of what are known as “High Season” (the Christmas/New Year period and the Easter Period) when hotels and cruises will put their prices up, though you will find that special events like Gala Dinners are also laid on for their customers. This can mean that some hotels become really expensive and so making your reservations very early, even for the budget hotels, is strongly advised.

For the other 4 months, May to October, it is the Egyptian summer and the temperatures can often be very high, especially in Upper Egypt (Luxor and the southern parts of the country). However, this is a time in which you can see Egypt in virtual peace and quite; the advantage of being able to see the tourist sites without hassle from school children, or from the crowds of tourists, can easily be seen. Just imagine the piece and quiet at the various sites, allowing you to take photographs without strangers obscuring the view!

Some Cairo hotels will fill up with many Arab visitors in the summer, who are taking advantage of the slightly cooler conditions here compared to the hotter weather in their own countries, and early reservations are very rarely required; in fact many discounts are often on offer, to entice those who are willing to brave the heat.

The Egyptian springtime is also another good time to visit. The weather is fairly moderate at this time of year, but you are advised to try to avoid the “The Khamsin wind” season that runs between March and April. It does only last for a few days, which can easily be coped with. The Khamsin wind is a warm wind that blows in from the desert, carrying sand and dust; it really is quite an adventure, for those who wish to discover it.

Many travellers avoid travelling to Egypt during Ramadan, mainly because they feel that alcohol and food are not available, but this is not always true. Though Egypt is primarily a Muslim country, the people recognise that the majority of their visitors do not follow Islam and so, whilst alcohol is not freely available during the day, most of the restaurants and cafes are still open. To be honest, the only thing that is really different during the Holy month is that the sites close two hours earlier than normal, which is done to allow the people that work there enough time to get home in time for the sun to set; when they can break their fast. It can also be noticed that the local people are generally slow during the daytime, but this changes after sunset when they become very active after their fast is broken. Ramadan is a superb month in Egypt; Ramadan is actually a month-long festival. All through the night coffee shops remain open and they are often overfilled with people who stay up until the early morning hours. This is one time of year when Cairo, as well as the rest of the Muslim world, never sleeps; the time when all of the people go out to have some fun.

The end of Ramadan is called “Eid Al Fitr”, or the Festival of Breaking the Fast, and is a day which cannot be missed. It is a holiday, though touristic sites still remain open, and it is a very festive and joyous one. In the morning Muslims will wear their best clothes and perfumes to attend a special congregation at their local Mosque (masjid). After the completion of these special prayers, as well as a special sermon, they will rise, hug each other, and exclaim “Eid Mubarak” which means “holiday blessings”; it is a phrase will be heard many times during this day. This is a day when families will travel miles to visit one another and have special meals together, and some of these meals have treats which are not savoured at any other time of the year. The houses, and streets, are lit with a huge variety of lamps, lights, and other types of ornamentation, with the children being given sweets, money, or gifts as a reward. If you ever get invited to one of these special parties, it is an experience you will never forget.

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Areas Rarely Seen and Safety

When travelling through Egypt, you should avoid certain areas, particularly sites located in the centre of the Nile Valley! About 20 years ago there was rising tensions at these sites, Islamic fundamentalists had targeted tourists in order to destroy the tourist industry and the economy. This was part of a larger plan to bring down the government, seize power themselves, and install the political ideas of their own vision, a vision which no more resembles the rules of the Qur’an than the Inquisition resembled the Christianity of Christ.

Some certain incidents occurred during the '80s and the '90s, a handful of events took place again targeting the tourist industry. Without for a moment trying to deny the reality of these events, the situation has been blown out of all proportion by the world's press, while the situation in other countries with flourishing tourist industries is far worse, their incidents rarely make headlines. But in Egypt, if anything happens, it becomes front-page news! In the mid '90s, a widespread, and harsh, government crackdown campaign was implemented to try and stop any threats to tourism and visitors.

A trip to Egypt still entails far less danger than a trip to anywhere else in the world.  During the realm of the violence in the mid '90s, there were certain areas appointed as not good for tourists. These areas are located in the centre of the Nile Valley, particularly El Minia, Asyout and Sohag. Unfortunately these places happen to have some of the most beautiful monuments in Egypt, like the beautiful tombs at Bani Hassan in Minia, the marvellous monasteries of Asyout and the Temple of Abydos in Sohag. In time, all of these sites will be fully re-opened for tourists.

 

If you still think that you would like to visit these places as an individual traveller, you can! However, be prepared for a police escort with you, as the local police will not let you travel alone in these areas! I would suggest that the safest, cheapest and most informative way to visit these sites is through a reputable travel agent.

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Wadi El- Natron

Wadi El- Natron

Wadi El- Natron is located 100 km to the north west of Cairo, it is a natural depression in the western desert. Now it is consisting of salt lakes and salt flats laying in the desert.

Wadi el Natorn was very important to the ancient Egyptian since it was where they extracted the Natrun salt. Indeed and become more important during the early era of Christianity in Egypt. Today it is the centre of many monasteries dating back to the fourth century AD.

These monasteries are: 

-The Monastery of Deir abu makar ( st. Makarous)

-The Monastery of Deir Anba bishoy ( St bishoi)

-The Monastery of Deir el Surian

-The Monastery of Deir EL Baramous

Deir Abu Makar (St. Makarous)

It is located 4 km of the Alexandria desert road, it consists today of  manyDier Abu maker remains of a much greater site. The  importance of this place today rises from the fact that here  St Makarios  who was the son of An Egyptian priest who lived here in 330 AD,  he became the  spiritual leader  of the Christian hermits and monks in the area, he was  buried in the monastery , and later about 9 Patriarchs were buried in the same monastery.

The site of monastery  is consisting of several churches, frequently  destroyed and currently  being rebuilt , the main site consist of the cell of chrism and the fluid said to be used to embalm Jesus Christ. The monastery still contains religious painting and frescos that goes back to the 5 century Ad. The monastery is not open for visitors
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Deir Anba Bishoy (St. Bishoy)

One of the mot important monasteries today in Wadi El- Natroun is Dier Anba Bishoi ( Bischoi) it was named after the Patron Saint St. Bishoi who immigrated to the site and lived in here in solitude. Dier  Anba  bishoi

Then monastery was restored several times after it has been destroyed at the hands of the barbers. and Bedouins.  It has 5 churches the main one is the St Bishoi church which goes as early to the 9 century Ad.  This church today is only used during the summertime.

To the east of this church lies another one known as the church of Al- Adra (the virgin), but this one is only  used during the winter month.   


At the second flower of the monastery which goes back to the 12 century Ad, there is the church of  angel.  Also there is the charge of St. George which is not used at all. The monastery contains the remains of St. Bishoi, and Ephraim the Assyrian, and Paul of Tomah. 

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Deir El Surian (The Syrian Monestary)

It is located to the north west of  St Bishou monastery almost 400 meters away.  Women are not allowed into this monastery. The monastery goes back the 6th century AD, Dier AL Syrianthe monastery was  built by some of the orthodox monks for the monastery of Bishouy who had a dispute with other monks in the monastery about the status of the virgin Mary. They called it the theocratic ( Mother of god)

Later the monastery was abounded and then it was  sold to group of  Syrian  monks. The monastery contains  It has a an olive press, large farm attached to it and a library

The monastery consisting of the following churches:

1- The Church of El -Adra (church of the Virgin) which is considered the main church. Which is used during the summer month  

2- Church of Sitt Mariam ( lady Mary), they also call it the  cave church.  It stores the relics of St. John Kame the black who died in 656AD

3-The Church of the forty martyrs

4-The Church of  Hinnes and Marutha, who bought this church for the Syrian monks.

5-  In the second flower of the monastery  lie the churches of St. Michael. 

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Deir El Baramous 

This  monastery is the  furthest of all , it is located at the  extremeDier EL Barmous   north west  east of Wadi EL Natroun and almost 14 km from the main entrance road to the valley. 

The name Deir EL Baramous means, the monastery of the Romans.  It was named so since the area traditionally was famous for being the spot where two Roman priests, fled the Christian persecution during the roman times, have lived here and established this monastery

The monastery like other was badly destroyed and rebuilt and fortified. It has many churches such as:

1- The church of El- Adra.

2- Church of Anba Tadrous.

3- Church of  St John the Baptist.

4- Chapel of Mari Gerges.

5- Church of angel Michael with dome covered hykal

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What To See in Cairo - Egypt

What To See in Cairo - Egypt
The Pyramids of Egypt, which served as tombs for the Ancient Pharaohs , and the statue of the Sphinx, which dates from 2565 BC and is probably the country's most famous monument, are located just west of Cairo in the suburb of Giza. Despite the desert background usually depicted in photographs, the Pyramids are extremely close to Cairo and are likely to be affected by the city's continued expansion.

Cairo contains numerous religious and governmental structures. The ornate architecture of the Citadel, in eastern Cairo, enhances the city's skyline. Begun by Saladin in 1176 and modified and expanded by later sultans, the Citadel is famous for its Mosques, Museums, and fort; within the complex the Mohammad Ali Mosque (1830) is particularly notable, with its storied domes and twin minarets. The Coptic Church known as Al Mu'allaqa, located in Old Cairo, is believed to be the earliest known site of Christian worship in Egypt; the church was built in the 3rd century, though it has been almost entirely replaced through successive restorations. Old Cairo also contains the Ben Ezra synagogue, the central house of worship for Cairo's small Jewish population, and the distinctive and imposing gates of Cairo. Once part of a wall that encircled the city, these three gates are all that remain of the original eight. Among Cairo's modern buildings are the Cairo Tower, which stands at a height of 187 m (about 614 ft) and commands a view of the Pyramids and the Citadel.

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