Egypt: the road less travelled

Sprawling, consuming and bursting with life, there are many facets to Cairo. Most famous for the iconic pyramids of Giza, standing like mysterious sentinels just beyond the city limits, you'll almost certainly want to visit either on a walking or horseback tour, before ending with private dinner under the stars. Back in the city, dive into the religious history on a stroll amongst Coptic churches and grand mosques, including the oldest in Africa, Ibn Tulum, and get to know Pharaonic Egypt at the Great Egyptian Museum: it houses over 120,000 exhibits including Tutankhamun's famous gold mask. As for souvenirs, the Khan el-Khalili souq has everything you could possibly hope to squeeze into your suitcase.

On Egypt's Mediterranean coast, Alexandria was the pride of Alexander the Great and a thriving port for many moon. Today, you'll experience a far more modern version of the city, where the relics of its impressive past remain in ruins and memory alone. We highly recommend a visit to the museum, where you'll find a copy of the only papyrus text to survive the original Great Library's fire. For the really adventurous, dive (literally) below the surface of the ocean to see the city's sunken statues. Back on land, explore at your leisure, taking in the ocean views and grabbing a seafood lunch along the Corniche.

The remotest of Egypt's destinations, Siwa is a time capsule for an ancient way of life. Visit local Berber villages, where people live as they have done for centuries in mud-brick hamlets (definitely make a stop at the 6th-century Temple of the Oracle), and then head to the oasis: with its olive and date palm groves, it's an idyllic spot for a picnic or a dip in one of the natural springs. Siwa is surrounded by two expansive deserts, the Great Sand Sea and the White Desert, both of which can be explored on foot or longer 4x4 drives. The former is home to immense dunes (hello, sandboarding) while the latter must be viewed at sunrise or sunset when the spires of crystal and quartz shimmer vividly. In a destination like this, stargazing is beyond imagination...

Sprawling, consuming and bursting with life, there are many facets to Cairo. Most famous for the iconic pyramids of Giza, standing like mysterious sentinels just beyond the city limits, you'll almost certainly want to visit either on a walking or horseback tour, before ending with private dinner under the stars. Back in the city, dive into the religious history on a stroll amongst Coptic churches and grand mosques, including the oldest in Africa, Ibn Tulum, and get to know Pharaonic Egypt at the Great Egyptian Museum: it houses over 120,000 exhibits including Tutankhamun's famous gold mask. As for souvenirs, the Khan el-Khalili souq has everything you could possibly hope to squeeze into your suitcase.

One of Ancient Egypt's most prominent cities, Luxor is a treasure trove of historic and cultural relics. Split between the West and East Bank, the highlights are many and the city is regarded as one of the greatest open-air museums on Earth. Venture to the sprawling Valley of the Kings, a maze of intricately-painted tombs (including Tutankhamun's), and wake early to visit the formidable Colossi of Memnon at sunrise. Across the river, the ancient Karnak Complex is an incredible collection of temples and obelisks. If you fancy a different perspective, enjoy a felucca sail or hot air balloon ride above this fascinating corner of Egypt.