Egypt holidays

Egypt is the cradle of more than 5,000 years of history and culture, a sophisticated civilisation far older than those of Greece and Rome. Through its ancient temples, monuments and tombs you can trace the stories of Egypt’s pharaohs, their people and their gods. There are staggering architectural achievements, too, from the pyramids to the amazing project to save Abu Simbel from flooding. But it’s not all dusty museums and dark chambers lined with hieroglyphics – Egyptian history and culture really come to life when you’re visiting Nubian villages or exploring Luxor Temple at sunset, illuminated by the famous light show.

The most iconic symbol of Egypt, and among the most recognisable monuments on Earth, the Pyramids of Giza would be a stunning feat of architecture and engineering today, let alone when they were actually built, nearly 5,000 years ago. Testament to the phenomenal drive and organisational skills of the ancient Egyptians, the three Giza pyramids stand just outside Cairo, and are joined by dozens more in the surrounding desert, as well as the enigmatic Sphinx. This huge limestone statue has the body of a lion and the head of a man, though no-one knows where its nose has got to.

Funny thing about kids – sit them in front of a history textbook at home and they’ll collapse with boredom. But dunk them into a historic setting such as the Pyramids of Giza or the temples of Luxor, and they’ll be entranced. Whether it’s cracking mummy jokes in the legendary Egyptian Museum of Cairo, enjoying the breeze in your hair as you sleep on deck with a felucca cruise on the Nile, or taking scuba diving lessons in the Red Sea, Egypt family holidays are out of school but still a class act.