City and sand in Egypt

Combine a city stay in one of the world’s great cities with one of the world’s top diving destinations on a ‘Simply Egypt’ seven night holiday through Discover Egypt to Cairo and the Red Sea. Cairo should be on everyone’s must see ‘once in a lifetime’ list for the magnificent Great Pyramids and Sphinx that have stood at the edge of the desert at Giza, just outside of Cairo for an incredible 4,500 years.

The largest pyramid is 146.5 metres high and comprises around 2.3 million massive stone blocks. In contrast the Sphinx is carved out rock and is 74 metres long and 20 metres high. Both are amongst the most spectacular ancient sights in the world.

Cairo is also a shopper’s paradise and a visit before Christmas could mean stocking up on unusual and great value gifts from the city’s many exotic bazaars. Try out your bargaining skills at the most famous, Khan el-Khalili renowned for its gold, perfumes and traditional artefacts. There will also be time to admire the treasures of Tutankhamen at the Egyptian Museum or climb the modern Cairo Tower for great views over the city and be treated to delicious Middle Eastern food on a Nile dinner cruise.

The final five nights are spent in the cosmopolitan Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh, probably the top place to dive and snorkel within a five hour flight of the UK. As well as extraordinary marine life the Red Sea is also home to many well-known wrecks, including the famous SS Thistlegorm that sank in 1941 and is one of the best wreck dives in the world. Non divers can enjoy the resort like atmosphere of Sharm, soak up the hot winter sun and take excursions to St Catherine’s Monastery or the wonderful lost city of Petra in Jordan.

This seven-night holiday is available from Egyptian and Jordan specialist, Discover Egypt and costs from £869 per person on selected departures in November and December and includes return flights from Heathrow, internal flight in Egypt, b&b accommodation at the four star Pyramids Park hotel within a five minute drive from the Pyramids in Cairo and b&b accommodation at the four star Viking Club hotel in Naama Bay, five minutes walk from the beach front and centre of the resort.

For information and bookings visit Discoveregypt.co.uk.