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The image showcases the Abu Simbel temples in Egypt, with large statues carved into the sandstone cliffs. The word "Egypt" is displayed over a brushstroke design resembling the Egyptian flag, inviting travelers to explore its wonders through travel guides that bring cultures closer to our lives.

Egypt: Discover the Land of Pharaohs and Timeless Wonders

Your Guide to the Land of Ra

With our passion for exploration and the desire to discover new places, we decided to embark on a journey to Egypt and share our experiences with you right here on the Jenn & Leon Travel Blog at Closer Lives. We are two globetrotters who never say no to a good adventure! This trip was special to us as it was our first visit to the continent of Africa. We explored some of our top bucket list destinations at Luxor and the Valley of the Kings and spent a week in the luxury gated city of El Gouna. It was an incredible experience that we are excited to share with you right here. We want to give you an insight into the unique culture, people, and food of this amazing country. We also share our tips on how to make the most of your journey, no matter what your budget is. Join us on this journey of a lifetime!

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Interesting Facts

Here Are 14 Interesting Facts about Egypt. Some May Just Surprise You!​

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 of minds to this day in terms of just how it was constructed. It is also one of the most visited places on Earth, and for good reason too!  ​2. There are at least 118 pyramids in Egypt. Pyramids were built primarily to house the rulers of ancient Egypt to see them off 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 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 non-day 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.

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Travel Essentials

Travel Information for Egypt: Practical Tips & Essentials

Information

POPULATION

109.3 million

CAPITAL

Cairo (9.54 million)

CURRENCY

Egyptian Pound / EGP (E£)

DRIVING

Right Side

TIME ZONE

EEST (UTC + 3) 

MEASUREMENTS

Standard Metric

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YOUTUBE

Discover more from Egypt and join 14k on our YouTube channel at Jenn and Leon Travel

EGYPTIAN DREAM COME TRUE in LUXOR! From El Gouna to Luxor in One Epic Day! Egypt Travel Vlog
16:39

EGYPTIAN DREAM COME TRUE in LUXOR! From El Gouna to Luxor in One Epic Day! Egypt Travel Vlog

Join us on an extraordinary adventure as we embark on a full-day trip from El Gouna to Luxor, delving deep into the vibrant tapestry of local Egyptian history and culture! Get ready to witness the mesmerizing beauty of Luxor's ancient treasures, from awe-inspiring temples to breathtaking Nile River cruises. Experience the thrill of stepping into the footsteps of pharaohs and unraveling the secrets of this timeless civilization. This immersive journey promises an unforgettable blend of exploration, education, and pure wanderlust. Buckle up and get ready to be captivated by the enchanting wonders of Egypt in this epic travel experience of 2023! 🏛️⛵🌍 We take a full day trip to Luxor to visit the Ancient Egyptian sites such as Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple as well as visiting a traditional alabaster shop. We lunch at AFRICA overlooking the Nile. We enjoy a boat tour along the Nile and stop off at Banana Island. We finished the 16 hour day off with some asab a local sugar cane drink. It is affordable and reasonable to combine both a luxury beach vacation and an ancient local exploration tour in El Gouna, Egypt. #egypt #luxor #egypttravel #elgouna #ancientegypt 📸 TRAVEL BLOG www.closerlives.com 📧 EMAIL closerlives@gmail.com INSTAGRAM @jennandleontravel JENN @_a_broad_perspective LEON @leon.gregori213 FACEBOOK JennandLeonTravel Please send us all of your EGYPT recommendations of places to visit, foods to try, experiences and anything else you can think of! **If you enjoyed this video please FOLLOW, like, comment and/or share** *GRATITUDE* Time Stamps: 00:00 Day Trip to Luxor from El Gouna 00:58 Visiting Valley of the Kings 02:46 Sekhmet 3 for Alabaster Tradition Shop, Luxor 06:22 Africa Restaurant in Luxor, Egypt 07:15 Nile Boat Tour 07:47 Banana Island, Luxor 10:50 Karnak Temple, Luxor 14:50 Tasting asab Sugar Cane Drink
PARADISE on the Red Sea in EL GOUNA, Egypt!? A MUST VISIT DESTINATION in 2023 Egypt Travel Vlog
09:32

PARADISE on the Red Sea in EL GOUNA, Egypt!? A MUST VISIT DESTINATION in 2023 Egypt Travel Vlog

EL GOUNA, EGYPT?! Did you know about this AMAZING MAN MADE LUXURY CITY IN EGYPT on the Red Sea? We didn't but as soon as we saw this beautiful destination we knew we had to visit! And it didn't disappoint. This luxury man made CITY in Egypt is full of the V.I.P experience. Although we did a budget vs bougie 2 part series for this video even our 'budget' accommodation was luxurious. We count this part as a more bougie of the two accommodations. The Three Corners Ocean View Hotel Prestige - Adults Only was an excellent choice and we enjoyed our time and the service of this hotel. We went on a full day LUXOR private tour which we decided to share in the next video. El Gouna has quickly become one of our favourite destinations to the point that we are considering adding into our group trip plans for tour led travels with us next year! #elgouna #mustvisitplaces #travelvlog #egypt #luxuryegypt #egyptvlog 📸 Our website community: TRAVEL BLOG & SHOP www.closerlives.com 📧 EMAIL closerlives@gmail.com INSTAGRAM @jennandleontravel JENN @_a_broad_perspective LEON @leon.gregori213 FACEBOOK: JennandLeonTravel Please share with us all of your EGYPT recommendations of places to visit, foods to try, experiences and anything else you can think of! We hope that this video helps you to get an idea of some of the costs, some places you can visit yourself and to join in our travel journeys exploring the world as slow travelling entrepreneurs, writers and digital nomads. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section and please subscribe we promise to bring you fun vlogs with tons of travel content! Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:20 The Three Corners Ocean View Hotel Prestige - Adults Only Hotel 03:35 The Bartender Bar, El Gouna, Egypt 04:30 Private Snorkeling Boat Tour, El Gouna 08:20 Outro
EL GOUNA, EGYPT 2023; Red Sea LUXURY in this PRIVATE CITY!!
11:19

EL GOUNA, EGYPT 2023; Red Sea LUXURY in this PRIVATE CITY!!

EL GOUNA, EGYPT?! Did you know about this AMAZING MAN MADE LUXURY CITY IN EGYPT on the Red Sea? We didn't but as soon as we saw this beautiful destination we knew we had to visit! And it didn't disappoint. This luxury man made CITY in Egypt is full of the V.I.P experience. Although we did a budget vs bougie 2 part series for this video even our 'budget' accommodation was luxurious. In this video we stay at the lovely Fanadir Hotel El Gouna and explore a bit of the city. We show you the epic kitesurfing scene which is extremely popular in El Gouna. We enjoy some lovely meals and Leon got to practice the little Arabic that he's learned through our english teaching online! We went on an epic outdoor adventure with Alex Safari Tours on the sunset ATV adventure. We saw some local bedouins and enjoyed some traditionally prepared food. This tour was EPIC and we highly recommend a visit to this beautiful and little known piece of paradise called EL GOUNA! Keep and eye out for part 2 of our 'bougie' stay in El Gouna! You think this video looked good! Just you wait! #elgouna #travelegypt #luxurytravel 📸 Our website community: TRAVEL BLOG & SHOP www.closerlives.com 📧 EMAIL closerlives@gmail.com INSTAGRAM @jennandleontravel JENN @_a_broad_perspective LEON @leon.gregori213 FACEBOOK: JennandLeonTravel Please share with us all of your EGYPT recommendations of places to visit, foods to try, experiences and anything else you can think of! We hope that this video helps you to get an idea of some of the costs, some places you can visit yourself and to join in our travel journeys exploring the world as slow travelling entrepreneurs, writers and digital nomads. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section and please subscribe we promise to bring you fun vlogs with tons of travel content! We enjoy getting to know communities and locals around the world through travel and tourism. We love to explore culture and cuisine. We enjoy both #luxury and #budget: #travel, restaurants and accommodations. We fund all of our own travels. Join us on the journey! Don't forget to Subscribe!

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