Egypt things to Do

For an even more exotic touch, go to the Camel Market (Souq al-Gamaal), held every morning at Birqash, around 35km (21 miles) from Cairo, located on the edge of the Western Desert. Hundreds of camels are sold daily, most having been brought from Sudan. A livestock market is held every Tuesday morning at El-Hebel, a village 4km (2.4 miles) from Luxor.

Escape the city in Egypt's six oases. All have accommodation and can be accessed by public transport. The largest and most developed oasis is Kharga, with a Berber community, temples and museums. Dhakla Oasis has hot springs, and camel rides over the sand dunes. The nearby village of Bashandi sells handicrafts made by local girls. The smallest is Farafra, an ancient fort town; Bahariyya is made up of several small villages, famed for its olives and dates. Al-Faiyum Oasis is 100km (60 miles) southwest of Cairo, and the area contains small pyramids, the old city of Karanis, and temples. Siwa is the furthest west and remote, but the most picturesque and idyllic. The community is traditional and Berber-speaking.

Go on a Nile cruise, usually between Luxor and Aswan, and generally lasting around five days. Also see Top Things To See. Along the Nile, felucca owners tout for custom; from Luxor, it is possible to hire one for a brief sunset cruise to Banana Island, or even to organise a trip upriver to Aswan. Hot-air balloon trips are also available, offering the best views of Luxor.

Alexandria, 'The Pearl of the Mediterranean', still attracts wealthy Cairenes as a summer retreat. Swimming and diving are popular, although beaches tend to be overcrowded in summer. Ma'amoura is a more liberal and Westernised beach, and further out of the city Agami and Hannoville are cleaner and less crowded. Diving is possible on Montazah beach. Further west from El Alamein is the coastal resort of Mersa Matruh.

The Red Sea Coast sits strategically between Africa and Asia, rich in mineral wealth and revered as the place of miracles and prophets in Judaism, Islam and Christianity. God is said to have appeared to Moses here, and delivered the Israelites from the Egyptian army by parting the Red Sea. These days, the region is revered for its spectacular diving resorts, beaches, stunning coastline and vast deserts. This area has some of the best diving and snorkelling in the world, and has a more liberal atmosphere than the rest of Egypt. The coastline attracts tourists ranging from top-class package holidaymakers, to backpackers in campsites: Sharm el-Sheikh is a large resort, and is best for diving. Na'ama Bay is much better developed and upmarket, with private beaches. A few kilometres north is Shark Bay, a quieter resort camp. The beaches at Dahab are spectacularly framed by jagged mountains. Holiday villages within a Bedouin settlement are close by. Nuweiba is a port city, with a plethora of resort hotels. Local Bedouins offer jeep safaris into the interior. Between here and Taba, there are many small, quiet resorts that are under threat of being overshadowed by a huge new tourist development, Taba Heights. On the west of the Red Sea Coast, the biggest diving resort is Hurghada, once a fishing village and now a major commercial tourist centre. Ras Muhammed is the southernmost point on the peninsula, fringed with lagoons and reefs, and is now a National Park.

Little is accessible in Sinai's interior, a barren area with rocks and sands, and the best way to explore this is by treks or safari by camel or jeep. One of the highlights is St Catherine's Monastery, now home to Greek Orthodox monks. It has been a place of pilgrimage since the 4th century. Within the monastery is the 'burning bush' from which God is said to have appeared to speak to Moses. Mount Sinai, revered as the site of God's revelation of the Ten Commandments, is a craggy and sheer-faced mount of grey and red, dramatic and steep. Care should be taken when ascending.

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