Cheap flights to Egypt from R5 694

Few destinations exert such a strong pull on the imagination as Egypt. About 13 million travellers take cheap flights to Egypt each year, many on package tours, to gaze the treasures of the pharaohs, cruise down the Nile, wonder at the temples of Luxor and Abu Simbel, try to catch a glimpse of Alexandria as Cleopatra would have known it, explore the Sinai Peninsula with Bedouin guides or remember the war dead at El Alamein.

It could be said that two men, in relatively recent times, have popularised travel to Egypt. One was Napoleon, whose campaign in Egypt in the 18th century helped to spark enthusiasm for all things Egyptian; the other was Howard Carter, the English archaeologist who discovered the treasures in the Valley of the Kings. The first guide book to Egypt was published in the 1840s and it has become more and more popular with every passing year.

Cairo may be home to King Tutankhamen’s bling, but it’s also the city of colourful and highly scented souks, and it’s a great base for the Giza Necropolis.

On the Red Sea coast, Sharm el Sheikh was once a sleepy diving spot. Now, it’s a hugely popular resort (particularly with British tourists). Hurghada, favoured by European tourists, lies across the clear, blue waters, and vies with Sharm as the Red Sea’s most popular destination.

Egypt climate

Summer runs June through September and temperatures are extremely hot (up to 31 degrees on average along the coast and up to 50 degrees in Aswan). Winter (October to May) temperatures are warm.

What is good to know if travelling to Egypt?

• Egypt runs on baksheesh (tipping). Visitors are expected to give everyone who helps them, even in minor ways such as holding open a door, a tip. Keep a roll of small notes on you. Haggling is expected too. 
• At the Khan El Khalili bazaar, the most popular items to haggle for are Backgammon boards and trinket boxes with mother-of-pearl inlay. 
• At Giza, the Pyramid of King Chefren, which stands beside the Pyramid of King Cheops, is cheaper to visit, and, some argue, just as interesting. 
• Cairo’s oldest mosque is the Ibn Tulun mosque. Climb the minaret – tipping the guardian of course – and enjoy the views of Cairo. 
• The Gayer Anderson Museum, beside the Ibn Tulun mosque, is a fascinating museum. It consists of two houses, one built in the 1500s, the other in the 1600s., both wonderfully preserved, with Gayer Anderson’s collection of art and furnishings. Gayer Anderson was a British Major, collector and self-described Orientalist. 
• In Alexandria, little survives from Cleopatra’s time. Marine archaeologists are excavating in the Fort Qait area, and have discovered some remains that may be from the Pharos Lighthouse, one of the wonders of the ancient world. To experience the city, idle along the Corniche, enjoy meze and fish in the seafood restaurants and smoke a water pipe in the pavement cafés.