Tag: Mediterranean

MediterraneanTravel Tips

Top 7 Sites On Your Egypt Tour

Egypt is a highly sought after travel destination with good reason; it contains some of the most famous landmarks in the entire world including the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the Nile River. With sights that are older than many countries, Egypt has enough history and beauty to leave any visitor happy and fulfilled. Get ready to fall in love with this ancient country and learn more about the great pharaohs, landmarks, past civilizations and so much more, that this authentic country has to offer. Pack your bags because we are sending you to the heart of the Nile and the land of the pharaohs; Welcome to Egypt!

7. Nile River Cruise

Two of our current Egypt itineraries include a Nile Cruise that will send you on the second longest river in the world! Your cruise takes you on the Queen of Hansa river nile-feluccasboat and will take you to excellent spots along the Nile including the cities of Luxor, Karnak, Edfu, Aswan and more. Optional tours while on board include a tour of the ancient sites of Luxor including Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon and a Sunset Felucca Ride. Your cruise will be truly unforgettable with exploration of these fascinating sites while at port and sailing effortlessly down the Nile while you relax and enjoy your cruise.

6. Luxor

Welcome to the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, current day Luxor. This ancient city was once the capital when pharaoh’s ruled the area in the 16th-11th century BC. You will be brought to Luxor via your river cruise ship and you are free to either explore at your own pace or join the optional tours to Valley of the Kings, burial site of pharaohs from around 1539-1075 BC, Valley of the Queens, the burial site of the queens and royal children from 1292-1075 BC, Temple of Hatshepsut, entrance to the Valley of the Kings temple-of-karnakand burial spot of Queen Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon, two large stone statues of Amenhotep III. An included tour brings you to see the East bank of Luxor, which includes the magnificent Temples of Karnak, including the Great Temple of Amon, an ancient temple dedicated to the king of the gods, avenue of the Sphinxes, a row of Sphinx statues connecting Luxor Temple and the Temple of Amon, Hypostyle Hall, 134 massive sandstone columns and Luxor Temple, the site of an ancient temple dating back to 1400 BC. You are sure to see all that Luxor has to offer when you book your Egypt tour with Gate 1 Travel.

5. Temple of Edfu/Temple of Horus

Visit the Temple of Horus, one of the best preserved ancient monuments in the entire country, and there are a lot, located in Edfu, Egypt. This temple was dedicated to the Egyptian god Horus, who is the falcon-headed god, who you can see depicted around the temple. The site was built more recently than others on our list, around 237 BC, and took 180 years to build. The temple itself was buried by sand, rubble and part of the Edfu village and was excavated in the mid-19th century. This site is truly marvelous and highlights the prosperity the country enjoyed at the time period it was built.

4. Kom Ombo

Next up, visit the town of Kom Ombo, that itself is simply an agricultural town located in the Southeast of the country. The town is most famous for the Temple of Kom Ombo, an unusual looking double-sided temple with a temple built for both Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus, the falcon god. The temples were built this way in order to separate the two gods places of worship, because they were known to not get along. For this reason, the complex has two entrances, two courts and so on. Enjoy these temples, which are some of the most famous ancient buildings and monuments in the entire world and feel what it must have felt like to live in the days of the pharaohs worshiping their gods.

3. Cairo

Welcome to a city that is a true mix of ancient and modern, in the current capital of the country; Cairo. While in Cairo, either explore independently or join the optional half day Egyptian Museum and Bazaar tour that takes you to the Egyptian Museum and the Khan el Khalili Bazaar. The museum contains the world’s largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts and has more than 120.000 items on display! Some of the most famous items include mummies and King Tutankhamun artifacts. The bazaar is a must-visit for souvenirs and is the perfect spot to find copper, leather, perfume, brass-ware and much more. While in bustling Cairo be sure to try some traditional dishes and street foods such as kabab, falafel, shwarma, fiteer, ful mudamas or koshary. Yum!

2. Abu Simbel

The tour of Abu Simbel is an optional tour on your Egyptian journey, but it is an excellent one and highly recommended! A flight from Aswan takes you to the South of Egypt on the Nile River in Abu Simbel, a village in Nubia, to see these unforgettable temples. The abu-simbel3site is comprised of two temples; the Great Temple and the Small Temple both created during the time of Ramses II. This huge ancient sire had to be completely moved to another location when the Aswan High Dam was planned because it would have completely submerged both temples. The site is now as close to the original as possible, with the temples even facing in the exact same direction. Abu Simbel is the second most visited site in all of Egypt, after a very well-known site that is coming up next.

1. The Pyramids of Giza/ Great Sphinx

Welcome to the most famous site in the country and one of the most well-known landmarks in the world; the Pyramids of Giza. The Great Pyramid is the oldest and biggest of the three pyramids in the complex and was built for the pharaoh Khufu. The other two smaller pyramids are called Pyramid of Khafre and the Phyramid of pyramids4Menkaure. They are part of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and they are the oldest surviving site on the list. After exploring the immense pyramids, continue onto the Sphinx that guards the Giza plateau. This half-lion half-human is constructed out of a single-piece of limestone and sits in a reclining position. Both sites are located in the city of Giza, Egypt on the west bank of the Nile River and you’ll be surprised by how close they are to the city. Enjoy some of the most beautiful and magnificent sites of Egypt here and take it all in because there is nothing else on Earth quite like it!

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#G1PhotoFridayAfrica

The Souks of Marrakesh, Morocco

Marrakesh, Morocco is famous for its Souk District located in the heart of the Medina. At the souks you will find just about everything from spices to clothing to food! Put your bargaining skills to work and get a good price for a great find. This area can get very crowded with bicycles and people so it is important to be cautious and aware of your surroundings here.

marrakesh

This week’s #g1photofriday was submitted by user @erickyeva using the hashtag #gate1travel. This colorful view was taken in the Souk Medina District located in Marrakesh, Morocco. Be sure to tag your photos on social media with #gate1travel or #g1photofriday to be featured. Check out Gate 1 Travel’s Morocco trips here!

#G1PhotoFriday

The Warm Setting of Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai is an ultra-modern city that is famous for luxury shopping, excellent nightlife, brand new skyscrapers and its desert backdrop. Dubai is the capital of the United Arab Emirates, or UAE, and is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf. Dubai has an endless itinerary of things to do and some of them include the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Palm resort, Dubai Marina and the Burj Al Arab, pictured.

dubai

This week’s #g1photofriday was submitted by user @photosbyjessicag using the hashtag #gate1travel. This crystal clear view was taken in Dubai, United Arab Emirates of the Burj Al Arab by the beach. Be sure to tag your photos on social media with #gate1travel or #g1photofriday to be featured. Check out Gate 1 Travel’s Dubai trips here!

MediterraneanTravel Tips

The Perks of Work: Employee Travel Testimonial – Dubai & Abu Dhabi

Dubai and Abu Dhabi are hugely popular travel locations with rich histories, stunning cultures, beautiful buildings and friendly people. These cities are filled with brilliant architecture and majestic scenery built in a desert landscape. The area offers everything from high-end shopping, luxury hotels, incredible restaurants and plenty of adventures to keep you busy. We caught up with Lakiya, a Gate 1 Travel employee, who recently enjoyed a trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and we got the inside scoop on her trip.

Why did you choose this trip and what had you heard about these places that made you decide on it? 
I have 2 brothers that are Muslim. They speak highly about dubai_lakiya2the religion and I was intrigued to say the least. I wanted to know more about the religion and how it’s practiced in Dubai vs. how the religion is practiced here in the states. In addition to wanting to know more about the religion, I was told that they were very strict and that everything was bigger and better in Dubai; I needed to see this for myself.

Dubai & Abu Dhabi are becoming some of the most popular international travel destinations, how was that reflected in your trip?
There were several tour buses and various companies. Some places were very crowded like the Grand Mosque in dubai_lakiya6Abu Dhabi, the malls, and other tourist locations. There was a lot traffic in Dubai and it almost seemed as if the city never slept. However, the restaurants weren’t overcrowded and the bars/lounges housed a comfortable crowd.

What were of the highlights of your trip?
The highlight of my trip was the Desert Safari! Dune driving was a lot fun and the scenery was to die for! We were able to enjoy a traditional dinner at the camp site that included every aspect of their culture. We enjoyed watching the Falcon show, riding camels, getting henna tattoos, dressing in garbs and even enjoyed free hookah (Shisha).

dubai_lakiya5How was the shopping and did you visit anywhere specifically great for shopping? 
We visited the Dubai Mall. I wish we had more time to visit the Mall of the Emirates. The Dubai Mall had every store that you could imagine. The malls stayed open until 
midnight, which was surprising to me, I’m not use to malls staying open that late in the states. The souks were awesome too! It was fun to negotiate prices and talk the sellers down to a lower price.

What travel tips would you give to someone preparing to go on this trip?
Do your own research! It’s not as strict as everyone told me it was. So I wasn’t prepared to hang in lounges or let loose. All of my outfits were pretty loose fitting or conservative. I had to buy clothing to fit it when we decided to enjoy the nightlife that I didn’t think they had. Nightlife in Dubai was awesome!dubai_lakiya3

How did you prepare for this trip?
I prepared by packing loose fitting/conservative attire.

Would you go back?
Absolutely! I plan on going back in for Expo 2020!

How was your tour manager and what were they like? In what ways did they effect your trip? My tour manager was absolutely FANTASTIC! She did everything from providing history about the 7 Emirates, to providing over-garments dubai_lakiya4for the visit to the mosque, to providing converter boxes for us to charge our electronics. She made reservations for us to have lunch at restaurants on our leisure time and even told us about all of the lounges to party at on Thursday nights! She was very knowledgeable, extremely patient and I honestly don’t think that the experience would have been the same without her.

Would you recommend this trip to family/friends?
Most definitely! …………I already have! See you in 2020, Dubai!