What are some family-friendly tourist attractions in Egypt?

Answer

About Family Tours to Egypt

To a certain extent, taking a family to Egypt recently is an experiment. More and more, whole families are vacationing in Egypt, and that means bringing along children of all ages.

Egypt as a tourism destination is all grown up. It has matured into a place with something for everyone, including each member of your family.

A specific member of a family with specific interests often encourages a trip to Egypt. Where tours are concerned, that interest is usually in classical antiquities, though it may also be driven by an interest in mythology , scuba diving , or even New Age discoveries. Regardless, it is probably unusual for every member of a household to have the same reasons, or the same level of desire to visit Egypt. This particularly applies to children, but may also be just as applicable to one's spouse. Therefore, certain allowances must be made to satisfy everyone.

Though your children are interested in Egypt, nevertheless getting them up early for tours everyday not only proved to be a challenge for them, but on a few occasions, a challenge for the rest of the family as well. A certain amount of understanding is in order, as well as allowance for some mix of activities.

Today, Egypt is more then ancient monuments. In fact, it is unlikely that most of the tourists who come, do so for classical antiquities. Indeed, current statistics point to Egypt's largest draw as being beach destinations on the Red Sea and Sinai , and every day this country seems to add new entertainment adventures.

For a typical family, including some of these non-antiquity diversions may be a great idea. Perhaps your spouse isn't that keen on the antiquities, but playing on a championship golf course in the shadows of the Pyramids would give them real bragging rights back home. For that matter, what about a game of bowling along the Nile, or even a fishing trip on Lake Nasser , where record-breaking fresh water fish have been caught. For many women, Egypt is simply a shopper's paradise and Cairo is one big mall. What makes this all so special is it is easy for a spouse to play golf or shop while the other takes in Sakkara or Old Cairo . For kids, there are always the swimming pools found in most hotels, but there are also amusement parks, Internet Cafes, and even youth clubs at many of the better hotels. Younger kids tend to love shows including belly dancing and whirling dervish, and generally doing the "night thing" with parents. They also seem to love riding camels and horses, as well as sail boats on the Nile. Older kids can enjoy just getting out on their own a bit, as well as visiting the discos and other entertainment found at many hotels.

Sometimes you can find a "taste of home" such as a trip to McDonalds, Pizza Hut, TGI Fridays, or even the Hard Rock Cafe is a good fix. The McDonalds in Luxor is exactly like home, of course with the exception that it overlooks the Temple of Luxor .

Building in a side trip to Sharm El-Sheikh was a real bonus for the family. While this is still Egypt, it feels nothing like the Egypt of the Nile Valley. It is a well-organized vacation beach resort, with all manner of water sport, from scuba to parasailing, and with no small amount of shopping and nightlife, including good live shows all along the promenade. And again, one spouse can easily take a side trip to St. Catherine's Monastery and Mount Sinai , while the rest of the family suntans.

Never underestimate having friends along for the trip. Optimally, it is great to travel with family friends, particularly where families have similarly aged children. This can be a real godsend for the kids, but also for the parents. There is plenty to do at most hotels, but having kids along of a similar age will encourage them to take advantage of every entertainment, as well as giving the grownups a break. Of course, sometimes its nice to have along good adult friends as well.

It is all a matter of diversity, and the more diverse the family's interests, the more diverse of a vacation one should plan to Egypt. If you don't leave out Cairo's major league opera and art galleries, the beach, sports of all kinds, chances are that everyone in your family will have the time of their lives.

First answer by MmmDietCoke. Last edit by MmmDietCoke. Contributor trust: 470 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 40 [recommend question]