A trip to Fayum (guide price 100 euros)

Fayum excursion

Fayum is considered the largest and most economically important of all Egyptian oases (El-Fayum; from the Coptic word Phiom, meaning "lake"). Nestled in a wide depression of the great western desert plateau, reaching down to 45 meters below sea level, Fayum is famous for its extraordinary fertility and is worth a visit for its gentle landscape beauty as well as its wealth of historical sites. It stretches approximately 90 km southwest of Cairo. The El-Fayum oasis is shaped like an inverted triangle, extending a maximum of 65 km east-west and 50 km north-south, and encompasses a low-lying plain enclosed by a low mountain range, gradually sloping from south to north. It is irrigated by the Bahr Yusuf (Yo-Sephskanall), which leaves the Ibrahimiya Canal (originally the Nile) near Deirut and flows into the El-Lahun Canal via a narrow channel. The river cuts through the mountain range into the oasis valley, which it then traverses in numerous branches and tributaries, finally collecting again in Lake Karun (Birket Karun) in the northwest of the oasis. The numerous waterwheels are noteworthy. The Faiyum valley was likely filled with the waters of a former tributary of the Nile in prehistoric times. The best place to visit in Faiyum is the desert, especially the drive to Lake Karun. Also recommended are visits to Wadi Razan and Wadi Hitan, which are located a little outside the oasis. Wadi Razan is about 50 km from Faiyum, and Wadi Hitan is about 40 km away. This can be reached by off-road vehicle. In Wadi Hitan, you can see the fossilized legs of whales from geological eras.

A day trip to Alexandria (guide price 120 euros)

Alexandrian excursion

Alexandria ist die Perle am Mittelmeer, es ist die zweitgrößte Stadt Ägyptens und hat den bedeutendsten Hafen. Sie gilt geschichtlich und architektonisch wegen der vielen Kolonialbauten am Korinsche als die europäischste der ägyptischen Städte. Alexandria liegt etwa 220 km nördlich von der Hauptstadt Kairo. Sie hat laut der letzten staatlichen Statistik knapp 10 Millionen Einwohner. Ich glaube, die Einwohnerzahl liegt aber um geschätzte ein bis zwei Millionen höher. In und um Alexandria, einem Zentrum des ägyptischen Baumwollhandels (Börse), haben sich v. a. Spinnereien, Webereien und andere textilverarbeitende Betriebe angesiedelt. Ferner besitzt die Stadt eine Nahrungsmittelindustrie und Zigarettenfabriken, Gerbereien sowie eine Erdölraffinerie. Aufgrund der wirtschaftlichen Bedeutung als Drehscheibe des Handels im östlichen Mittelmeerraum besaß Alexandria von jeher eine große Ausländerkolonie. Man kann in Alexandria einen schönen Tagesausflug ab Kairo machen. Dabei fährt man früh am Morgen los. Die Strecke dauert etwa 3 Stunden mit Pause. Man besucht in Alexandria Die Katakomben von Kom El-schukafa, den Pompäussäule, das römische Theater und die Festung Qayed Bay. Ein Besuch zum neuen Bibiliothek von Alexandria ist auch möglich. Zwischendurch macht man auch eine Mittagessenspause.

A drive to the oasis of Baharia 340 km from Cairo

Side trip

Baharia is located 340 km in the western desert. You can get there in about 5 hours. You can see some Greco-Roman graves there and enjoy the dry nature of the desert. You can have one night there and then return to Cairo. From Baharia you can also go to Farafra Oasis where you can see the most beautiful in the western desert like the white desert, Agabat, Kristal mountain and also the black desert. You can also spend a night in the white desert. After the night in the white desert we drive back to Cairo.

Wadi Natrun

Side trip

Monastic life began in Egypt. Here in Wadi El-Natron we have four of the oldest monasteries in Christianity. These are the monasteries of Anba Makarios of Al Surian of Albaramos and of Anba Beschoy. You can visit these monasteries from Cairo and get to know monastic life and its rules and philosophies.