It has been said of Egypt's exhilarating capital, "He who has not seen Cairo has not seen the world.” Certainly, the heart of the nation beats with an unbridled passion in this city made prosperous over millennia as a stopover for Sahara caravans on trade routes to Byzantium. Amid the stimulating strum, the insistent beauty of everyday life reigns here, with the serene Nile sliding through like an entrancing serpent. Cairo's very age mesmerizes; its monuments have stood here for more than 5,000 years.

It has been said of Egypt's exhilarating capital, "He who has not seen Cairo has not seen the world.” Certainly, the heart of the nation beats with an unbridled passion in this city made prosperous over millennia as a stopover for Sahara caravans on trade routes to Byzantium. Amid the stimulating strum, the insistent beauty of everyday life reigns here, with the serene Nile sliding through like an entrancing serpent. Cairo's very age mesmerizes; its monuments have stood here for more than 5,000 years.

It has been said of Egypt's exhilarating capital, "He who has not seen Cairo has not seen the world.” Certainly, the heart of the nation beats with an unbridled passion in this city made prosperous over millennia as a stopover for Sahara caravans on trade routes to Byzantium. Amid the stimulating strum, the insistent beauty of everyday life reigns here, with the serene Nile sliding through like an entrancing serpent. Cairo's very age mesmerizes; its monuments have stood here for more than 5,000 years.

Luxor is set on the east bank of the Nile River and once served as the capital of Egypt's New Kingdom. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site lined with beautiful colonial hotels and some of the world's most ancient and significant ruins. Many consider this city, watched over by graceful single-sailed feluccas plying the Nile, one of the world's great open air museums. The sprawling Temples of Luxor and Karnak on the east bank are linked by the ancient Avenue of the Sphinxes. On the west bank, in the Valley of the Kings, lie the tombs of Egypt's great pharaohs.

Known in ancient Egypt as Caene, Qena’s situation on the banks of the Nile River has bolstered its prosperity over millennia. Merchants and travelers have long journeyed here from the Red Sea, through the valley, bringing goods from Persia and beyond. The Sheikh el-Qenawi Mosque on the main square serves as a monument to the city’s rich and all-embracing Islamic and Sufi past. Qena is mostly known as the gateway to the magnificent ruins of the Dendera Temple. Its stone gate and towering columns adorned with hieroglyphics are some of Egypt’s best-preserved structures.

Luxor is set on the east bank of the Nile River and once served as the capital of Egypt's New Kingdom. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site lined with beautiful colonial hotels and some of the world's most ancient and significant ruins. Many consider this city, watched over by graceful single-sailed feluccas plying the Nile, one of the world's great open air museums. The sprawling Temples of Luxor and Karnak on the east bank are linked by the ancient Avenue of the Sphinxes. On the west bank, in the Valley of the Kings, lie the tombs of Egypt's great pharaohs.

Ancient Egyptians knew Esna as Latopolis, named for the largest of the perch species that swam in the Nile's sacred waters. Its ancient past lives on in the colorful street market overflowing with fabrics, carpets, brassware, mother-of-pearl keepsakes and more. Esna's glorious Temple of Khnum is celebrated for its 1st-century Roman Hypostyle Hall, 24 columns topped with intricately carved floral capitals. Its walls are adorned with images of Roman emperors making offerings to Egyptian gods.

Aswan stands at what was once the northern border of ancient Nubia, a remarkable region that encompassed the land eastward from the Libyan Desert to the Red Sea and northward from central Sudan to southern Egypt. As a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, present-day Aswan strives to preserve its rich heritage. Its efforts include the Aswan Folk Dance Troupe that performs internationally, the Nubian Museum showcasing Nubian daily life and craftwork, and the Aswan International Symposium of Sculpture encouraging the practice of ancient Egyptian granite stone carving.

Kom Ombo is a small town along the Nile. In the heart of one of Egypt's fertile agricultural regions, it is surrounded by vast fields of sugarcane and corn. The village is home to a large Nubian population, many of whom were displaced when their homes were submerged by construction of the Aswan High Dam and the creation of Lake Nasser. The town's highlight is its namesake temple, perched on a low hill overlooking the Nile. Construction was started by an Egyptian pharaoh in the 2nd century BC and completed by a Roman emperor around 30 BC.

Edfu is steeped in Egyptian legend. In this sacred place, ancient myth says that the falcon god Horus battled his uncle Seth after Seth brutally killed Horus's father Osiris. To honor Horus, the people of Edfu built a grand temple from 237 to 57 BC, a young structure by Egyptian standards. Egyptologists have paid particular interest to its design, as it closely resembles that of much older temples. Nearby, an ancient settlement provides hints of life along the Nile, with its interesting artifacts dating as far back as 3100 BC.

It has been said of Egypt's exhilarating capital, "He who has not seen Cairo has not seen the world.” Certainly, the heart of the nation beats with an unbridled passion in this city made prosperous over millennia as a stopover for Sahara caravans on trade routes to Byzantium. Amid the stimulating strum, the insistent beauty of everyday life reigns here, with the serene Nile sliding through like an entrancing serpent. Cairo's very age mesmerizes; its monuments have stood here for more than 5,000 years.

It has been said of Egypt's exhilarating capital, "He who has not seen Cairo has not seen the world.” Certainly, the heart of the nation beats with an unbridled passion in this city made prosperous over millennia as a stopover for Sahara caravans on trade routes to Byzantium. Amid the stimulating strum, the insistent beauty of everyday life reigns here, with the serene Nile sliding through like an entrancing serpent. Cairo's very age mesmerizes; its monuments have stood here for more than 5,000 years.