Egypt

You have picked Egypt, and now you need to decide which Egypt you want. The country splits into two different trips: sea and reefs at the resorts, and ancient monuments along the Nile. You can combine them, but it takes some working out. That is usually what brings people to us: which resort to choose, which month to go, where to stay and what you can fit into one vacation.

The core of this section is coverage of resorts and hotels. We look closely at Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, El Gouna and Marsa Alam, compare the Red Sea resorts with one another and describe the Mediterranean coast separately. Hotel roundups are built around a specific need: beachfront location, all-inclusive, a house coral reef just off the shore, a water park, a heated pool in winter. Families get their own roundups with a gentle entry into the sea and kids' clubs.

The second large part is devoted to monuments and museums. It covers the Giza pyramids on your own, the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel and the night climb up Mount Sinai. Each guide goes through tickets, getting there and the order in which to see things. For Luxor we describe areas to stay in and hotels for different budgets. For Hurghada there is an overview of day trips, from the Valley of the Kings to the reefs.

The third part answers the question of season. There are month-by-month overviews, separate pieces on winter and spring trips, and a guide to how a traveler's day changes during Ramadan. The Nile cruise comes with a caveat about summer heat. If you are going for the underwater world, there are overviews of snorkeling from the shore, of dive sites from the Blue Hole to the SS Thistlegorm, and a piece on the condition of the corals. There is also a guide to souvenirs: what to bring home and how to spot a fake.

Every guide opens with a short verdict: who the place suits and what your time will go on. Practical sections follow on tickets, getting there, season and accommodation. Each figure comes with its source and the date it was checked, because prices and visiting rules in Egypt change often. We are direct about the downsides: lines, vendors' tricks at the pyramids, crowded reefs, summer heat. We do not describe a resort without drawbacks, because there is no such resort.

This section is meant for people who plan a trip themselves or are choosing a hotel and want to understand what they are paying for. It works for families with children, divers, snorkelers and those traveling for the temples and tombs. If you need a ready-made escorted tour, we do not sell or arrange one. We provide information so you can make your own decision.

A good place to start is the guides on season: they show when swimming is comfortable and when it makes more sense to head for the pyramids and Luxor. Then choose a resort using the Red Sea and Mediterranean overviews. After that, move on to the hotel roundups that match your need. Read the pieces on specific sights and day trips last, so you can divide up your days. This order saves time.

"Egypt" belongs to the "Africa" category, which sits within the "Destinations" section. The country has no subcategories yet, so all guides are in a single list. If you are still comparing countries and have not made a final decision, take a look at the neighboring categories on the same level: "Tunisia" and "Tanzania". They are organized the same way.

We keep the guides updated. Ticket prices, the list of open tombs and visiting rules are checked against the official websites of museums and government bodies. Visa requirements, insurance terms and medical questions depend on your citizenship and change over time, so we tell you exactly what to check and with which official source, and we do not hand out ready-made rules. Before your trip, reread the guides you need and look at the check date in the text. If it is old, open the original source. That way your plan rests on current information.