Surely one of the most romantic areas in the world, with countless and ever growing references in film and literature, the Nile is truly one of the most remarkable places you will ever visit.
The spectacular river Nile is the longest on the planet; split into two sections, the Blue Nile is the area with the most fertile soil, giving rise to one of the earliest civilisations in history. The second part, the White Nile, flows into the great lakes in the more central areas of Africa. The river is recorded at a whopping 6,650 km and runs through 11 countries in Africa, from Sudan to Uganda and from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Egypt itself.
Because of the life that the water brings, most of the cities and indeed most of the people of Egypt live along the Nile’s beautiful banks. Starting in the northern deserts and running right through to the Mediterranean Sea, it has been the lifeblood of African civilisation for as many as five and a half thousand years.
Depositing silt into the riverbanks which makes for highly fertile soil, the ancient Egyptians were able to harvest wheat and many other crops in abundance along the Nile, making this an obvious place for early civilisations to settle. Much further down the line, animals such as camels and water buffalos were brought from Asia and Persia and used for meat to further improve the lives of an expanding empire. Due to the natural wealth that the river provided, many of the must see Egyptian tombs can also be found around this area.
A great advantage of living by the river was of course that it was able to easily transport goods. This business continues to the modern day and the Nile remains a profitable route for trade and services.
The wonderful thing about Egypt is that it has so much to offer. Not only can you wonder at the amazing sites around this great river but it also boasts some spectacular coast-line nearby and consequently some great cheap beach holidays . The Red Sea Coast is little more than a stone’s throw from the Nile and there are many fantastic locations in this area that have white sandy beaches, perfectly clear seas and sun all year-round.
There are many superb beach destinations in this area but holidays to Sharm el Sheikh have remained one of the most popular. There are several reasons for its emergence as a top holiday resort; principally, you can enjoy hot weather and long sunny days deep into the European autumn and winter.
Indeed, even in the Egyptian winter months of December through to February, the average temperature only dips to a very palatable 20 degrees C in Sharm el Sheikh. Even in deepest winter you can expect at least seven hours of sunshine every day. For the rest of the year, temperatures rise to an apex of 40 degrees C in August, being on the coast, even these highs are bearable.
Egypt holidays typically conjure images of ancient pyramids and hieroglyphics but the sea itself offers wonderful opportunities for scuba diving and snorkelling through over 250 coral reefs which are home to thousands of species of friendly fish!
Apart from the obvious benefits that the coast offers, you can also take a camel ride, try your luck at the casino and enjoy a wide variety of local and world cuisine. Again, thanks to the fertile soil of the Nile, Egyptian cuisine is rich in vegetables and quality crops. The national dish is a wonderfully delicious (and healthy!) mixture of rice, lentils and spices and in general the food in Egypt offers a similar style to a lot of Mediterranean countries.
All in all, it’s easy to see why so many people are now heading to Egypt and Sharm el Sheikh. The sheer variety of things to do and see make it the perfect destination whether it’s sand, sea or sights that you desire.