Egypt: Temples, Tombs & Red Sea Luxury – Our First Adventure in Africa

1. Egypt is one of the oldest advanced human civilizations and is home to the only remaining Ancient Wonder of the World, the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Constructed in the 4th century, this magnificent structure still baffles even the greatest minds today in terms of how it was constructed. It is also one of the most visited places on Earth, and for good reason, too! 

2. Egypt has at least 118 pyramids. Pyramids were built primarily to house the rulers of ancient Egypt and welcome them into the afterlife.

They are synonymous with Egypt, although many people do not know that at least 80 of the pyramids still standing today were built by the Kingdom of Kush, now located in the country of Sudan.

3. Egypt is home to no less than seven of the UNESCO World Heritage sites: Abu Mena, Historic Cairo, Abu Simbel, Saint Catherine, Wadi Al-Hitan, Memphis and its Necropolis, and Ancient Thebes.

4. Sandwiched between Cairo and Israel on the Red Sea, the Sinai Peninsula is home to Mount Sinai, where Moses is said to have climbed and received the Ten Commandments.

5. Islam is the dominant religion in Egypt, with the other 90% of its citizens identifying as Muslims. The other 10% are primarily Christian.

The main language is Egyptian Arabic, which differs from Arabic spoken in its neighboring countries.

6. Despite being born in Alexandria (named after the Greek conqueror Alexander the Great), Cleopatra is actually Greek.

One of Egypt's most famous figures, she descended from the Ptolemaic Dynasty of Greek Macedonians.

This dynasty ruled Egypt for nearly 300 years. Her name translates to 'Her Father's Name' in Greek.

7. Egypt has been conquered several times over the centuries, falling to the Roman Empire, the Greek Ptolemaic Kingdom, and the British Empire.

8. Egypt's capital city, Cairo, is the largest in the Middle East with a population of just under 10 million.

9. Many people assume that ancient Egypt was one of the first advanced civilizations.

While it was indeed one of them, it was established in 3000 BC, almost 5,000 years after evidence of the first humans in the area.

With the incredible discovery of the highly advanced Göbekli Tepe in Turkiye dating back to 10,000 BC, our history and understanding of our origins are being rewritten by the day.

10. Make-up was widely popular amongst men and women alike in Ancient Egypt. It was believed to have healing powers, with the bonus of protection against the Sun.

11. If you go by the ancient Egyptian calendar, it is the year 6263! The 12-month calendar we use today was invented in Egypt.

However, the original calendar set the days of the month to a fixed 30 days, which caused the seasons to fall out of synchronization.

To counter this, a 5-day 'non' festival was held at the end of every year to literally 'correct' time.

12. The Nile River is the longest in the world and cuts right through Egypt.

95% of its population lives along the river. With 90% of the country classified as a desert, this certainly makes sense!

13. Egypt is a land of significant strategic importance as it borders both the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

Ships can sail easily between the two via the man-made Suez Canal, a vital trade route between the continents of Asia and Europe.

14. 'Upper Egypt' is located in the South of the country, with 'Lower Egypt' in the North. This is because of the flow of the River Nile, which goes North to the Mediterranean Sea.

15. Egypt is home to the world’s oldest known dress — the Tarkhan Dress: Discovered in a burial site near Cairo, this linen garment dates back over 5,000 years, making it the oldest woven dress ever found.

It reveals the advanced textile skills of ancient Egyptians long before the pyramids were built.