The area of the Arab Republic of Egypt is more than 1,000,000km². Its borders stretches from the Mediterranean in the north, where the Nile meets the sea, to the borders of Sudan to the south, Libya from the west and over the Sinai Peninsula to the east to the borders of Israel. The Nile (the world's longest river with its 6,600 km) has created, through tens of thousands of years, a fantastic fertile landscape on its banks where approximately 95 % of Egypt's population lives.

History of Egypt

Remains dating from the Egyptian Paleolithic period are some of the oldest in the world but it is of course the Pharaonic era that made Egypt famous and unique. Egypt, or Kemet as it was called in Pharaonic time, was unified around 3000 BC

Old Kingdom, or the Pyramid Age, lasted from 2650 - 2200 BC and during this period most of the country's 90 pyramids were built.

During the Middle Kingdom, 2000-1700 BC an emporium was started being built stretching from south Sudan to Iraq and further. This colonization caused an invasion from the east by the Hyksos, which ruled Egypt from 1700 - 1550 BC leaving behind the introduced horse and carriage that Egyptians learned to master.
The pharaohs of the New Kingdom, 1550-1000 BC ruled from Luxor in the south where you can find their exquisite tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the "Pharaonic" Vatican, The Temple of Karnak.

In 332 B.C Alexander the Great came to Egypt starting the Greek-Ptolemaic Era. The Romans and later Byzantium took over after winning the battle of Action in 30 BC Later on, Cleopatra VII committed suicide using a snakebite, which lead the holy family to flee to Egypt. St Marc came to Christianize the Egyptians, leaving behind him one of the first Christian communities in the world; the Coptic Church.

642 A.D the Arabs overruled Egypt. During the coming hundreds of years Cairo and Egypt was alternately controlled from Damascus, Baghdad and from different clans like the Tulun family, the Fatimides, the Ayoub family and the Mamelouks. By 1517, Egypt became a part of the Ottoman Empire until the invasion of Napoleon in 1798.

From 1805 begins modern Egyptian history under the reign of the Mohamed Ali family. Cotton was starting to be cultivated; railroads and the Suez Canal were built, modernization had struck Egypt. In 1952, Farouk the last king of Egypt was overthrown in the revolution led by Gamal Abd El Nasser. By coming to Egypt, you will hear more about Cheops, Ramses, Saladin, Nefertiti, Sadat and Amon personalities!

Language Arabic is the official language of Egypt. English is widely spoken and understood as well as French and German. Italian and Spanish are starting to be widely used in the tourist areas, especially at the Red Sea.

Population
The population of approximately 73 million people is concentrated along the Nile, on 5% of Egypt's total area. 16 million people live in Cairo and its suburbs. Other large cities are Alexandria, Mansoura, Tanta, Zagazig, Ismailia, Suez, Port Said, Aswan and Luxor.

Religion
Around 85% are Muslims and approximately 15% are Coptic Christians.

Currency

The local currency used is the Egyptian Pound (LE). The Egyptian Pound is divided into 100 piaster (pt). The smallest coin in circulation is the five piaster. Besides the Shellen there is the ten piaster, twenty piaster and twenty-five. The paper money includes the ten, twenty-five, and fifty piaster notes, as well as the one, five, ten, twenty, fifty and one hundred pound notes. Most hotels have a bank on the premises for your convenience. The hotel banks offer a fixed rate of exchange. There are also banks located in most cities in Egypt. Make sure to take your passport with you when exchanging money. Most hotels, restaurants, and souvenir shops do accept credit cards. Using your credit card within the local markets (among vendors) is not advisable.

Food
In most hotels food tends to be more international, may be only appetizers and sauces are oriental. If your stay in Egypt does not include full board or half board, do not worry there will be a variety of restaurants and food that you will enjoy. When you or your clients arrive in Egypt, the tour guide will recommend good restaurants.

Alcoholic Beverages
Alcoholic beverages are available in most hotels, Cruises, and select restaurants. Both local and international wine and beer can be purchased. The international brands tend to be more expensive.

Arrival Procedures
If you program includes airport arrival transfers, our local representative will meet you just after you pass through customs or at the baggage claim area. Look for someone holding a Your Name sign.

Departure Procedures
If your program includes departure transfers, instruction will be provided locally.

Hotel Check -In / Check-Out
Check-In time is usually 12.00 afternoon or later. Checkout time is noon. If you will be arriving early in the day or departing in the evening, hotels will usually allow you to store your luggage in their luggage room.

Accommodation
Melia Travel Egypt have carefully selected each hotel based on overall quality, location, food, service and cleanliness. All rooms are standard twin or double bed rooms with private facilities, unless you have specifically requested and paid for an upgrade. Room selection is strictly at the discretion of the hotel management. We reserve the right to make hotel substitutions with those of equal standards.

Voltage
The voltage is always 220 in all tourist establishments.

Clothing
Overall, Egypt is a very casual country! However, you may want to plan accordingly for the weather. Day dress should include cotton and breathable fabric clothing, comfortable shoes, hat, and sun block. Shorts are acceptable. Evening dress is smart-casual. A light jacket or sweater is advisable for the months of October - April.

International Telephone/Fax Service
Most hotels have business centers where you can place international calls or fax. You should be able to place international calls in the privacy of your room, however not in all hotels. A more in-expensive alternative is to purchase an international phone card, which are sold at most small shops and vendors.

Medical Assistance
Medical assistance is available throughout Egypt. If you should require medical attention, please speak with your representative or tour guide for assistance. They will help you to locate a physician or medical center.

News
The international news can be viewed on BBC and CNN in most 5 star hotels.
The local news can be viewed on local channel #9 at 7:00pm (English Transmission). Newspapers and magazines can be purchased at most hotels, bookshops, or newsstands. The Egyptian Gazette Newspaper is the local paper published in English.

Passport
Your passport will be collected at your hotel upon arrival. The hotel staff will retain a copy of your passport as a standard procedure upon check-in and then return your passport to you once this copy has been made. ( More information ..... )

Tipping

It is advisable to carry small change with you. At restaurants, you can base your tip on 10% of the total bill. Porters, hotel/Cruise staff, excursion guides, representatives, and drivers look forward to tips if they have given you a good service.