Hello everyone! I’m Turisi. I grew up in Mansoura in Egypt and moved to Cairo 3 years ago to live. I’ve been running tours with a company called Yes Visit Egypt for 3 years now. My vision is to show people our beautiful country, teach people more about our culture, make friends and help people experience the hidden gems of Egypt.
I love photography as you can see on my Instagram. What inspired my love of photography was when I started searching touristy places in Egypt. When I went to these places I found that there was a lot missing on the Internet and that these places were much prettier in real life. So, I started to photograph the places I visited to show the true beauty of Egypt.
Over the years, I have had some amazing memories. Sunset camel rides in the desert with the pyramids for a view, four wheeler rides into the desert at Abu Sir pyramids, safaris in Fayoum, snorkelling in Sharm El-Sheikh, Felucca rides in Aswan and diving in Dahab at the Blue Hole. These are all unforgettable moments and I keep doing them when I can.
I would like to introduce you to my beautiful country Egypt. Through my travels and tours I have found that this country is full of incredible history, amazing people, delicious food, beautiful destinations and many secret spots just waiting to be discovered. So what are you waiting for? Let’s discover the hidden gems of Egypt!
Top 3 Destinations and Hidden Gems in Egypt
The places that I love the most in Egypt are Aswan, Luxor and Fayoum. Aswan is peaceful and very beautiful. There’s a lot of islands to visit, the Nubian people live there and the Nile is (of course) simply enchanting. I also find the temples to be outstanding in Aswan. Overall, though, it’s the people from Aswan that are the best – angels is what I call them.
The people are kind and live a simple life. They are always happy to help tourists and will invite you to eat and stay with them for free! The city isn’t busy at all which is another bonus. There’s also a large desert between Aswan and Abu Simbel, and we are building a large city the same size as Singapore in Cairo.
Luxor, on the other hand, is similar to Aswan but more crowded. You won’t find Nubian people there. It’s more expensive than Aswan but of course the main attraction is the hot air balloon trips – which are amazing. Luxor is also home to a third of the world’s Egyptian monuments.
Perhaps the most unique destination in Egypt is Fayoum. It was an ocean 40 million years ago afterall. The desert there is awesome – soft white sand with golden colours. You can find big lakes, waterfalls, mountains, amazing villages where they make pottery, the castle of Qaroun and golden horn island. Best of all, it’s only 1 ½ hours drive from Giza.
Fayoum is undoubtedly one of the most underrated places in Egypt where you can go camping in the desert. The Abu Sir pyramids, the cemetery at Saqqara and the village beside the red pyramid are all fantastic places that not many tourists visit as well.
I would also recommend thoroughly exploring Cairo and visit places such as the Blue Mosque, Egyptian Museum, Cairo Festival City, Cairo Tower, Qasr El Nil Bridge, Cairo Citadel, Mosque of Muhammad Ali, Khan el-Khalili, and the Coptic Church.
Meet the Wonderful People of Egypt
Egyptian people are generally very helpful, so tourists rarely have trouble finding assistance with directions or recommendations. It is not unusual for an entire crowd of Egyptians to surround you trying to answer a question. They stand very close when speaking, requiring very little personal space.
Egyptians are accustomed to refusing every invitation the first time it was offered, so if your offer is genuine, repeat it a second time. The same goes with invitations from Egyptian people. They will offer something once out of politeness but you know the offer is sincere if it is repeated.
Another thing to realise about Egypt is that about 90 percent of the Egyptian population are Sunni Muslims, 8 percent are Coptic Christians and the remaining 2 percent are Jewish or of other Christian denominations. Islamic values are fundamental in personal and political aspects for all citizens, including Christians.
Egyptians have strong family values and are expected to be faithful to members of their nuclear and extended families. Most businesses are closed on Fridays, the Muslim holy day, with some also closed on Thursdays. Egyptian Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan and are only allowed to work for six hours each day.
While not required to fast during Ramadan, Christians are not allowed to eat, drink, smoke or chew gum in public. The major mosques are open to tourists, except during religious services. All guests are expected to remove their shoes before entering any religious building.
Is Egypt a Safe Country to Visit?
In short yes Egypt is a safe country to travel through. In terms of dress, you can wear whatever you want while you are on tour. You would only need to change your dress when visiting mosques or places like Old Cairo when pants and long shirts would be more suitable.
Be a little bit careful in the Pyramids when people ask to take a photo with their camel. They will normally charge you money for it. It’s also better to travel with a guide in places like Cairo, Giza, Fayoum, Sinai, Dahab and Alexandria. The other cities are fine and safe to do them on your own.
Hope you enjoy discovering the hidden gems of Egypt!
