Egypt - Destination Egypt

Twice a year the inner sanctum of the great temple at Abu Simbel is lit by sunlight. No, it's not a film moment from Indiana Jones, but rather a spectacular engineering feat utilising natural light that still works to this day. Ramses II angled this temple to the east so it would light up on the anniversary of his rise to the throne and his birthday. Although in the early 1960s it was moved and the sun now strikes a day later than Ramses had originally planned: February 22 and October 22. Every year on these dates crowds gather to witness the mysterious work of sunlight and pay homage to Ramses egotism in a festival with music, dance and food. You can get to Abu Simbel by plane from Cairo or Aswan. There are also daily buses, tours and cruises from Aswan.

Indiana Jones fans will be pleased to note that a scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark was inspired by Ramses. Indy uses the headpiece of the Staff of Ra to focus a beam of sunlight onto a model of the ancient Egyptian city Tanis and thus reveal the Ark's location.

Egypt is full of mysteries, intrigues and adventure just like this. The land of the Pharaoh's and its pyramids, mummy's, tombs and treasure is not just fairytale stuff. It's all there in stone and mortar - or bandages. You'll want to take in the three amazing Pyramids of Giza and the cat-like sculpture known as the Sphinx carved from a single block of stone both just 20km from the capital Cairo.

If you've always dreamed of Tutankhamen's tomb you need to go to the Valley of Kings near Thebes. This largely untouched tomb was uncovered in the 1920s and is one of modern Western archaeology's greatest discoveries. The Luxor Temple with its causeway of sphinxes and colossal statues of Ramesses is another archaeological masterpiece as are the nearby Temples of Karnka, the largest temple complex ever built by man.

But it's not just dust and stones. There's also the Nile to explore, the great river tract that floods the country annually. Traditional felucca's offering sailing trips on the river are popular with travelers. And Egypt boasts some fine diving in the Red Sea. You'll probably stay at Hurghada if you dive or want to do any other aquatic sports like windsurfing, sailing, deep-sea fishing, swimming or snorkeling. The warm waters are ideal for rare fish and coral reefs that can be observed through glass bottom boats or a little closer with a mask.

For something more Indiana-Jones-like head 650km west of Cairo to the remote Siwa Oasis. This is one of Egypt's most isolated settlements where 23,000 people live, mostly ethnic Berber's. There are a number of historic sites in Siwa including the ancient fortress of Siwa, the remains of the oracle temple, a Roman-era necropolis with rock-cut tombs, a natural sulphur spring and freshwater lake.

To design an itinerary that Indiana Jones himself couldn't squeeze more adventure out of use our website to book your hostel and get a VIP card for savings on tours and services.

STILL OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Despite the conflict in neighbouring Israel, Lebanon and Gaza other Eastern Mediterranean countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Greece and Cyprus are not involved and remain safe for travel.

Mediterranean Travel Centre Marketing Manager David Beirman has observed that travelers have become wary and cautious of their dealings with tour packages to the Middle East in light of recent events.

“Personally I feel such fears are grossly exaggerated so far as Egypt, Turkey and Jordan are concerned," said Beirman.

WHEN TO VISIT

The best time to visit Egypt is between October and May when nights are cool but days are sunny. December through February can get cold and rainy and between March and May there are dust storms. The summer is hot and swampy but it is off season with discounts for travelers.