Why Egypt should be on your list!

The ancient Egyptian culture and mystery surrounding the pyramids draws millions of tourists from all around the globe. It is also a great place to experience solo exploration, which is one of the best ways to learn and challenge oneself.

The hardest things about traveling alone to somewhere new are: staying safe, deciding where to go and choosing what to do. As a solo traveler, you’ve got time on your side! However, you can easily get overwhelmed by the sheer number of attractions in Egypt.

Here’s a little help to whittle down your list. Consider these must-see attractions and experiences in Egypt and tips for staying safe while travelling abroad on your own.

World Famous Ancient Attractions

The focus of most tourists remains the historical monuments, including The Pyramids of Giza and The Great Sphinx, the Nile, the Temple of Karnak at Luxor, Luxor Temple and the Queen Hatshepsut’s Tomb and Valley of the Kings. Take time to fully immerse yourself in the experience: walking around these ruins brings some real ‘pinch-yourself’ moments and you’ll be able to fully appreciate their magnificence with no one to drag you away from them.

Snorkeling and diving along the Red Sea coast or camel trekking into the mountains of Sinai are more adventurous past times in Egypt. If you’d rather take it easy, then there’s always the option to sunbathe on the hot sands of Sharm-el-Sheikh!

Try the local foods

Egypt is famous not only for its rich ancient culture but also its great traditional food. Egyptian food comprises of a mixture of different civilizations. Kushari is often considered the Egyptian national dish. This vegetarian meal consists of pasta, tomato sauce, green lentils, macaroni and rice mixed together with caramelized onions. This hearty dish is sold widely in restaurants and roadside stalls. It’s also definitely worth trying other delicious Egyptian dishes such as Ful Medames, Feseekh, Konafah and Dukkah. The best thing about traveling on your own is not having to share a single bite.

Five tips to stay safe

1. Before your trip, research the streets and neighbors to avoid. Talk to someone who has traveled to Egypt to find out what you should expect. The traffic in many streets in cities like Cairo and Alexandria can be busy, so cross with care and use underground tunnels.
2. Make two copies of your passport, credit card and travel itinerary. Give one of them to a friend back home and another to bring with you, separate from the real documents.
3. Don’t travel with high-end watches or wear expensive jewelry and clothes. Also don’t carry large amounts of money.
4. You should be vigilant, especially at night and during festive and carnival periods. Like anywhere, even a safe touristy neighborhood can turn into a breeding ground for crime at night. Do not carry your wallet in your back pocket and wear a backpack on your front when walking in crowded places.
5. If you’re going to party at night, buy your own drinks and keep them within sight at all times.

Traveling solo on the road is a great challenge and can be eye-opening. The experience will make you grow stronger, wiser and pretty smug about everything you have seen, felt and tasted first hand in an amazing country.

Images by Jack Versloot and Dungodun, used under the Creative Commons license.