ENCHANTING AND EXCITING EGYPT
Memphis
The ancient ruins of the Memphis area
were collectively designated a UNESCO
World Heritage site in 1979. Located south
of the Nile River Delta, on the west bank,
and about 24 kilometres south of modern
Cairo. Home of the Pyramids of Giza and
the Sphinx, Memphis covers many other
ancient ruins as well. The Sphinx and the
Three Great Pyramids are without doubt the
most well recognised Egyptian attractions.
In fact, many tourists make the pilgrimage to
Egypt especially to see them.
Luxor
This is where the fabled Valley of the Kings
and Valley of the Queens are located.
You can tour many of the tombs, with
walls and ceilings covered in paintings
and hieroglyphics, and see the Colossi of
Memnon. The Colossi are two somewhat
worse for wear seated statues, 18 metres
high. They are all that remain of the
mortuary temple of Amenhotep III, which
was constructed on the Niles’ flood
plain. Conversely, the temple of Queen
Hatshepsut is in much better condition,
since it’s further away from the river.
Carved into the mountain that borders the
Valley of the Kings, many of her statues
and pillars still stand intact. And perhaps
not surprisingly, you’ll also find the Luxor
Temple in Luxor. A strikingly graceful
monument in the heart of a modern town.
FAST FACT
The valley of the Kings is the burial
site of almost all of Egypt’s Pharaohs
from the 18th, 19th and
20th dynasties.
26
orbitworldtravel.com.au
Aswan
Aswan is one of Egypt’s most tranquil
and attractive towns and is about 200
kilometres south of Luxor. Set on the
winding curves of the Nile, Aswan snakes
through large granite outcrops in and
around the river. These protrusions made
navigation on the river difficult, but also
made Aswan a strategic gateway to the
trading routes of the south. Moreover,
they made the city a fortress against
invasion from the south. There are fewer
large temples and ruins here than further
down the Nile, however, there’s certainly
enough history to keep a tourist’s interest.
Backed by orange-hued dunes this is the
perfect place to stop and unwind for a
few days.
The Temples of Ramses &
Hathor
The Temple of Ramses II and the Temple
of Hathor stand next to each other in Abu
Simbel. Cut into the rocks lining this part
of the Nile, they are 40 kilometres north
of the border with Sudan. Inside you’ll
find large statues and rooms covered in
stone carvings showing Ramses defeating
and imprisoning his enemies. Ramses
built these temples as a reminder to those
living further south of Egypt’s power.
The building of the Aswan high dam and
the subsequent filling of Lake Nasser
threatened to submerge the temples.
Therefore, starting in 1964, they were
moved 65 meters higher and 200 meters
back from where the river had been. The
cut marks from the stone saws are still
evident, but it was certainly a
remarkable achievement.