Egypt, for the beauty of the landscapes and its historic sites

After its opening seemed perpetually postponed, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) finally threw open its doors in November 2022, the culmination of 20 years of work. This unique museum, at the foot of the pyramids of Giza, is a destination full of superlatives. Behind the immense statue of Ramses II, the GEM is intended to gradually replace the prestigious archaeological museum that opened in 1902 in the center of Cairo. Ultimately, it will become home to more than 150,000 exhibits within its galleries, workshops and reserves. A project worthy of the pharaohs themselves...

To navigate the Nile is to forget the rest of the world and travel back in time. The gentle flow of the river leads through evocative scenery, where palm trees, verdant papyrus and ancient obelisks dot the landscape, while traditional wooden vessels, like feluccas and sandals, sail by. On board the Set Nefru, a traditional dahabieh built more than 90 years ago for a member of the royal family, almost all of Ancient Egyptian history can be encountered.

Walking around Luxor is like taking a stroll through the Louvre, the Prado or the British Museum in the open air. The list of archeological sites seems endless: Karnak temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut temple, the Colossi of Memnon, and so on. Faced with these wonders, in the very places where they were created, it's easy to feel like children again, or perhaps like Champollion, one of the founding fathers of Egyptology.

The extraordinary geographical location of El Gouna and Hurghada offers the chance to enjoy a choice of unforgettable equestrian experiences, from rides that follow the shores of the Red Sea at sunset to longer excursions that lead into the heart of the Hurghada desert. Amid these endless panoramas, an immense sense of freedom envelops riders as they trot or gallop across the landscape.

It is, arguably, because it remains accessible only by boat that the Temple of Isis is one of the best-preserved such sites in Egypt. Yet the temple, which exemplifies a classic Egyptian style and is dedicated to the goddess of love, is not, in fact, located in its original position. Reconstructed stone by stone from nearby Philae Island when the Aswan Dam was built, this magnificent sanctuary, along with the Temple of Hathor and Trajan's Kiosk, forms a collection of archealogical importance and great beauty.