Discover Egypt (Full Color Country Travel Guide) [Paperback]

Anthony Sattin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2010 | Series: Full Color Country Travel Guide

Experience The Best of Egypt
Make the most of your trip abroad – Lonely Planet’s full color Discover guides highlight the best a country has to offer while still providing an authentic and memorable experience.

Full Color Throughout
Full of color images and maps – makes planning as inspiring as the journey itself
Color-coded navigation

Easy-To-Use Structure
Easy-to-use tools include: color-coded chapters, color thumb tabs, dynamic color spreads on major highlights and
Easy-to-read planning sections throughout

Highlights
Special front-of-book chapter on the top 25 can’t-miss experiences
Features the must-see attractions and unbeatable experiences
Focuses on key cities and regions

Itineraries
Country-wide itineraries take you step by step though the country – broken out by interest, theme and length of trip
Region-specific itineraries help you plan more deeply for the regions you are most interested in

Local Experts
Major attractions include insights from local experts on what not to miss

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet (December 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1742201105
• ISBN-13: 978-1742201108
• Product Dimensions: 0.6 x 5 x 7.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #720,865 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Dream of that Vacation December 13, 2010

By JLee VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

This is the sort of book you just want to curl up with and dream of your perfect trip. It has gorgeous pictures and lots of information about virtually all regions of Egypt. That is both a plus and a minus in the long run.

First, let me identify myself a bit. I studied Egyptology at the Oriental Institute (U. of Chicago). I've been to Egypt many times, going once every year or two. I travel completely by myself (single female) or with specialized tours, or a combination of both (partly with a tour, but then going off on my own afterwards).

The best overall guide book to the ancient sites of Egypt was unquestionably the Blue Guide, Blue Guide Egypt, which is out of print and partially outdated (hotels and restaurants change; ancient sites essentially don't). The Penguin Guide, Guide to Ancient Egypt, The Penguin: Revised Edition (Penguin Handbooks), is also good for ancient sites. This book is much more general and is aimed more at casual tourists.

First timers should absolutely go with a tour to avoid culture shock. Of course, you can always stay on after the tour and do what you want. This book can help, but frankly, many of the places covered in this book are places most tourists can never get to unless they are staying for a very extended time in Egypt. The average tourist will go to Cairo, Luxor and maybe either Aswan or Alexandria. Giza, Saqqara, Dahshur, Meidum and such are accessible from Cairo. Many out-of-the-way sites require permits that must be arranged weeks in advance.

I found the book quite accurate, although since it is so ambitious, there is a limited amount of information for each area. Anyone traveling by themselves will need to find more comprehensive guides for specific areas. Site maps and floor plans are absolutely essential, and the ones in this book are too small and general. I can't imagine trying to find one's way around Karnak with just the plan in this book.

Also, I found some of the bargaining prices mentioned just a bit high, especially for drivers for day trips. In fact, one should avoid bargaining for transportation. Any major hotel will have price lists for short taxi trips, and they will either have car services available or relationships with local companies that will arrange private cars. It will almost always be cheaper. Also, you will be guaranteed a clean and safe car.

Common scams: A private driver you hire off the street for a short trip around town may offer to take you somewhere the next day for a reasonable price. But the next day, he will be "ill" and his "brother" will meet you and put you in a rattletrap, unsafe contraption. At the end of the day, he will insist that you agreed to a price three times higher than you negotiated.

Also keep in mind that many places are changing rapidly, Luxor in particular. Hotels change names constantly. The roads are changing as the entire main part of town is being "modernized." (It's horrible, not like it used to be, complete loss of atmosphere, so sad.)

Dress conservatively for both cultural sensitivity and common sense. Arms, necks, legs and everything else should be covered with sunblock fabric. Wear a wide-brim hat (and carry a sun umbrella if you are there any time other than the dead of winter.) You will stay cooler and avoid biting insects.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent, generously illustrated guidebook December 5, 2010

By Tom Brody VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

DISCOVER EGYPT by Sattin, Benanav, Firestone, and Hall, is a 384 page guidebook printed on semi-glossy paper, with color photographs or a colored map on almost every page. The book has 8 chapters. Each chapter is color-coded. These are Suez Canal & Red Sea coast (pink color), Cairo (red color), areas surrounding Cairo (light green), Alexandria (dark green), western desert (dark blue), Esna (light blue), Luxor (green), and Beni Suef (orange). In the first 27 pages, we find a splashing photographic introduction to Egypt, and the reader is treated to pictures of camels sitting in front of the pyramids of Giza, sailboats on the Nile River, statues at Luxor, Saqqarara's Step Pyramid, Abu Simbel, and Mt.Sinai. This introductory collection of photos also includes some local color, e.g., bearded men smoking molasses-flavored tobacco using water pipes, and Souqs (outdoor markets).

HIGHLIGHTS. Highlights occurring at later points in this book include:

1. Annual camel races at South Sinai Camel Festival (p. 47);
2. Re-enactment of Abraham's sacrifice of a sheep instead of his son, at Eid Al-Kebir Great Feast (p. 49);
3. Dozens of mosques to visit (pp. 73-77);
4. Features of temples at Karnak, Medinat Habu temple, obelisks, Tombs of the Nobels, and plenty of relief carvings, paintings, columns, pylons, and obelisks (pp. 98-125). These photos are supplemented with schematic maps of the relevant temple, for example, on one temple ground the map shows the location of the Chapel of Mut, Chapel of Amun, Colonnade, a pylon, obelisk of Hatshepsut, Temple of Ptah, and (for those interested in contemporary features of a temple), the location of a sound and light show (page 110).
5. Temple of Horus at Edfu, where the walls contain huge 50-foot tall relief drawings (p. 188);
6. Nature preserves where you can view flamingos or dive among coral reefs (pages 248, 257-263, 275);
7. Strange geological formations in the White Desert and nearby Black Desert (pages 282-311).

WARNINGS. The book provides warnings that tourists need to dress with arms and legs covered (pp. 61, 73), that shopping scams are common (p. 64), and that terrorist bombings may occur (p. 258, 346).

HISTORY. As with other tourist guidebooks in this series, DISCOVER EGYPT provides a full-page of history at various points in the book. For example, on pages 106-107, we learn of the periods of history at Thebes, which include the 12th dynastay pharaohs, the Second Intermediate Period, and the period of rule of Amenhotep III, when the Colossi of Memnon was built. Amenhotep III is noted for that that his son was Akhenaten, famed for believing in only one god. On page 323, we learn that Egypt had no Arabs, until Amr ibn al-As lad an army from Istanbul to Egypt, in the year 640.

CONCLUSION. This tour guide provides an excellent array of photographs of archeological sites, pyramids, and street markets. Obviously, one does not visit Egypt with the goal of viewing amazing skyscrapers. Dubai is the place for that. Obviously, one does not visit Egypt with the goal of bar-hopping and tasting various kinds of beer. England and Ireland are the places for that. Obviously, Egypt is not the place to go to treat oneself to an elegant $200.00 dinner. Paris is the place for that. The French Laundry in Napa Valley in California is also the place for that. For what it offers -- well preserved remnants of a very ancient civilization -- Egypt offers the best of what is available on the planet Earth. A note of criticism, is that the book seemed not to mention what to do about language difficulties, either in Cairo or in smaller cities, for people who only speak English. Another shortcoming, is that the book seemed not to devote significant space to shoppers -- for example, shoppers interested in buying artwork, clothing, spices, or replicas of ancient carvings.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful virtual guided tour with vivid photos and handy tourist useful information November 29, 2010

By Didaskalex TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

*****
"Egypt is a shopper's dream - from traditional papyrus scrolls and original artwork to handmade jewelry and the obligatory hookah, there is no shortage of trinkets and souvenirs on sale in souqs across the country."

Discover Egypt is a wonderful virtual guided tour with vivid photos, and an articulated source of handy useful information on Egypt today, yesterday, and past few millennia of civilization glory. On the back cover, strong and flexible to endure many trips, you find a condensed guide to the 8 geographical areas of this tourist friendly guide, and 4 areas of tour planning menu: Must see attractions, Regional tour itineraries, Not to miss (recommended by local experts), Trip planner for dummies!
In the inside front and back cover is listed the answer to tourist important questions, at a glance, as exchange rates, business hours, telephone necessary numbers, language hints, basic sentences for all occasions.

Given two earlier detailed reviews by fellow Vine Voices, I intend to explore some of the insightful tips of this delightful guide, starting with a clear, colerful and informative map of the land of historical treasures from the Catacombs of Roman Alexandria, south to the oldest step pyramid of Saqqara, sacred Abydos, to the world greatest religious temples of Karnak.
It is not easy to be overwhelmed, rediscovering a terrain I lived in, and toured many times, but even those who do not believe in love on the first glance, let me give you few.

- Egypt Top 25 Experiences, stunning beauty in a photo with few words.
- Egypt's Top Itineraries, ultimate tours and trips in a capsule.
- Egypt best, based on your perspective, scenic views, natural life, hidden museums
- Year around calendar, festivals, marathons, fairs, tournaments, feasts of the seasons.
- Discovery trips for the eight regions, starting with highlights, Best places, Itineraries menu, ...
- Egypt in Focus, zooming into Egypt through Activities, Culture, Food & Drink, History, and Religion (eternity was invented in Ancient Egypt)
- Directory, on Accommodation, Climate, Customs, Health, Holidays, Maps & Visas, Glossary (Egyptian Arabic)