Lonely Planet Egypt (Country Guide) [Paperback]

Virginia Maxwell (Author)

Book Description

Series: Country Guide | Publication Date: May 1, 2006

The voracious energy of Cairo, the grandeur of Luxor’s monuments, the laid-back vibe of Dahab and the remote beauty of the Western Desert oases: Lonely Planet’s bestselling guide to Egypt packs in more treasures than Tutankhamun’s tomb.

Meet The Pharaohs – an illustrated Pharaonic Egypt chapter by world-renowned Egyptologist Dr. Joann Fletcher brings the ancient rulers to life.

Cruise The Nile – for felucca fun, Agatha Christie–style nostalgia or kid-friendly cruising, our expert tips make finding the right trip a breeze.

Dive In – the definitive Red Sea diving guide will get you underwater and feeling on top of the world.

Sleep In Style – whatever your style, opinionated reviews bring you the best city hotels, Nile flotels, budget hostels and sunny resorts.

Get Organized, Stay Connected – tap into authoritative advice on transport, safety, Internet access and digital photography.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Lonely Planet guides are a must-pack” --Toronto Star, February 2006

From the Publisher

Who We Are
At Lonely Planet, we see our job as inspiring and enabling travellers to connect with the world for their own benefit and for the benefit of the world at large.

What We Do
* We offer travellers the world's richest travel advice, informed by the collective wisdom of over 350 Lonely Planet authors living in 37 countries and fluent in 70 languages.
* We are relentless in finding the special, the unique and the different for travellers wherever they are.
* When we update our guidebooks, we check every listing, in person, every time.
* We always offer the trusted filter for those who are curious, open minded and independent.
* We challenge our growing community of travellers; leading debate and discussion about travel and the world.
* We tell it like it is without fear or favor in service of the travellers; not clouded by any other motive.

What We Believe
We believe that travel leads to a deeper cultural understanding and compassion and therefore a better world.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 588 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet; 8th edition (May 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1740597419
• ISBN-13: 978-1740597418
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #928,405 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars this one's a keeper, July 28, 2000

By 

Dr. Susan Z. Swan - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Egypt (Lonely Planet Egypt, 5th ed) (Paperback)

This book was recommended by the Egyptian agency which was helping us plan an independent tour. I quickly saw why. It is a concise, practical guide, giving down-to-earth accessible information. The general introduction to the history, geography, economy, and culture of Egypt, while only about 30 pages long, provides an appropriate starting point for a visitor along with a 3 page list of recommended readings for travelers who want or need more in-depth information (Susan Wilson's "Culture Shock! Egypt" would be a useful addition to the list). The brief overview of temple/tomb architecture and of the gods/goddesses (with handy line drawings) was especially helpful when fatigue led to information blur later in the trip. The "Facts for the Visitor" section was indispensible as it provided basic information on everything from visas to money to toilets. The metric conversion table inside the back cover was a blessing! The advice for women travelers and for traveling with children was especially helpful for us (a party of 2 women/2 young teens). The cautions perhaps encouraged us to be too guarded at first, but they also allowed us to gradually relax into our comfort zone with very few unpleasantries. The actual guide to places, sites, and activities suited our needs well. The maps provided were clear and helpful; the descriptions, histories, and commentaries of the various sites and locations interesting. The amount of information provided was quite appropriate (one, after all, has to be able to carry the book conveniently about). Where we felt we needed more information, we simply bought something more extensive on the spot or made a note to look for resources upon returning home. The information provided on Internet cafes was a godsend, if a bit fiddly to find; listing all the cafes in a single section or at least including a page number for each city in the table of contents or index would be most welcome. All in all, this was the most used guide that we took with us. It will definitely return with me next time.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Just OK, May 30, 2005

By 

TravelGirl (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Egypt (Paperback)

Spent 2+ weeks in Egypt in April 2005, touring all the major sites with my husband, including the Sinai Peninsula, without a tour group. While I am generally a huge fan of LP and use them extensively, this country's edition was a little disappointing. It was slim on the specifics of the sites/museums and if you only have this book, you will need to pay for guides at the sites/museums, since you won't understand what you are looking at. Get the Rough Guide instead.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Guide!, May 9, 2005

By 

Egypt Nicole (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Egypt (Paperback)

I knew nothing about Egypt before my recent trip to the country. So, I decided to pick up a Lonely Planet Guide on Egypt and I'm sure glad I did. The book filled me in on culture, money, religion, food, history, sites, language, travel and so much more. The history section was precise and just the right length. I especially liked the summary of the pharaohs and gods. It was a nice size to carry along. The summaries of the temples, burial sites, etc were really nice. There was information in the book on the sites that our guide did not tell us. The maps were also helpful. Others in my group were asking to see my guide book instead of reading their own non-lonely planet guide books throughout the trip. Overall, I was very pleased with this guidebook. If you are going to Egypt this book is a must. Or, if you want to learn about Egypt, this is also a great book.