18 Days North Africa Discovery: Egypt and Morocco

Über das Reiseziel: Kairo, eine der größten Städte Afrikas und des Nahen Ostens, ist die Hauptstadt Ägyptens. Kairo war ein Zentrum von großer Bedeutung für viele Zivilisationen, Kulturen und Religionen. Von pharaonisch und griechisch-römisch über osmanisch und europäisch bis hin zu jüdischen, christlichen und islamischen Identitäten hat jede ihrer Identitäten Kairo stark geprägt und es zu einer der faszinierendsten Städte der Welt gemacht. Das Gizeh-Plateau, zu dem die Pyramiden von Gizeh und die Sphinx gehören, ist das einzige verbliebene Monument der Sieben Weltwunder der Antike und die berühmteste Touristenattraktion des Landes. Die schiere Masse der Pyramiden ist beeindruckend. Das islamische Kairo, das Zentrum des historischen Kairo, lässt sich am besten zu Fuß erkunden. Es liegt östlich der Innenstadt und ist voll von charmanten kleinen Moscheen und Wasserfontänen. Die wichtigsten Sehenswürdigkeiten sind die Zitadelle, die Mohamed-Ali-Moschee, Khan el Khalili, der Hauptbasar, einige historische Moscheen und mittelalterliche Architektur sowie einige der türkischen Bäder oder Hammams von Kairo. Kein Besuch in Kairo ist komplett, ohne das Ägyptische Museum gesehen zu haben. Exotische Atmosphäre, chaotischer Verkehr, Tausende von Minaretten, Lärm, charmante Menschen, Kairo ist eine faszinierende Stadt. Nur wenige Städte der Welt übertreffen Kairo in der Anzahl der Denkmäler oder architektonischen Stile. Kairo ist keine gewöhnliche Stadt, Kairo ist eine ganze Welt.

Über das Reiseziel: Luxor is the premier travel destination in Upper Egypt and the Nile Valley. The dynastic and religious capital of Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom Egypt, Luxor has much for travellers to enjoy: vast temples, ancient royal tombs, spectacular desert and river scenery and a bustling modern life. Numerous architectural monuments of Luxor are entered into the List of the world cultural heritage of UNESCO. Luxor consists of the City of Luxor on the East side of the Nile, the town of Karnak just north of Luxor and Thebes on the west side of the Nile across from Luxor. The Valley of Kings is one of the main reason why tourists come to Luxor. It is an enormous place full of various different sized tombs, which were lavishly constructed for the powerful Pharaohs, queens, and nobles. King Tutankhamen tomb was found here in the 1920's almost untouched. Other major attractions in Luxor are: the temple complexes of Luxor and Karnak, Medinet Habu, the Tombs of the Nobles, The Ramesseum Temple and the Valley of the Queens.Beautiful and ancient, Luxor is the world's best collection of antiquities.

Über das Reiseziel: Aswan ist eine Stadt im Süden Ägyptens, etwa 680 km südlich von Kairo, direkt unterhalb des Aswan-Staudamms und des Nassersees, mit einer Bevölkerung von 275.000. Aswan ist viel entspannter und kleiner als Kairo und Luxor. Aswan ist die kleinste der drei großen Touristenstädte am Nil. Aswan ist beruhigend und entspannend und hat eine entspannte Atmosphäre. Aswan hat einige einzigartige Schätze. Das in den Fels gehauene Denkmal Abu Simbel im Süden ist eines der kühnsten Symbole ägyptischer Macht. Die Heiligtumstempel von Philae und Kalabsha bieten Ausflüge, die an Griechenland erinnern. Andere sehenswerte Orte in Aswan sind: Die Doppeltempel von Sobek und Horus in Kwam Umbu und der gut erhaltene Tempel des Horus in Idfu. Aswan ist der perfekte Ort, um sich zu entspannen und die Schönheit des Nils zu genießen.

Über das Reiseziel: Located on the Atlantic coast, Casablanca is the largest city and the economical hub of Morocco. Casablanca is a modern city with lively boulevards and many street cafes that give it a very European feel. Casablanca is a blend of both tradition and modernity. Visitors will find traditional buildings of Moorish, Roman, Jewish, Spanish and French influence alongside the new modern skyscrapers. Although the city is fairly modern in Moroccan standard, there are many historical sites and striking white colonial architecture. The oldest part of the city, the medina is relatively small in comparison with other medinas in Morocco, but still worth a stroll around its narrow alleys. Near the Medina you’ll find the City Hall, which has beautifully carved roofs. Casablanca’s main attraction is King Hassan II Mosque. Located on a beautiful setting on the Atlantic Coast, it is the largest mosque in Morocco and the third largest in the world, with the tallest minaret in the world. Visiting Casablanca is a must for many travelers who come to Morocco. Oriental yet modern, Casablanca is a city of many faces.

Über das Reiseziel: Gateway to the desert and the south, Marrakech is overwhelming like no other imperial city of Morocco. Its reddish-pink streets and alleys are full of sounds, sights, smells and life. The mid-summer heat is enough to prostrate most tourists. The best times to explore Marrakech are early morning, early evening, and winter, during winter temperatures are mild, but fall significantly at night, due to the cold air from the High Atlas. The Djemaa El-Fna, Assembly of the Dead, is anything but what its name suggests. A hot and crowded market by day, the Djemaa really gets rolling at sunset when the entertainers invade. This chaotic outdoor circus offers a microcosms of Morocco at its most exotic. The huge audience clusters in tight circles around the diverse cast of performers. Almost every tour of Marrakech begins at the 12th century Koutoubia Mosque, with its magnificent minaret presiding over the Djemaa. The minaret, crowned by a lantern of three golden spheres, is the oldest and purest surviving example of the architecture of the Almohads. The city’s two most breathtaking monuments date from the 16th century. Feast your eyes and cool off at the ornate Ben Youssef Madrassa, the largest Qur’anic school in North Africa. Even more lavish are the dazzling Saadian Tombs, modelled upon the interior of the Alhambra in Granada. The view from the terrace at the Badi Palace, now in ruins, is majestic. Close by we find the 19th century Bahia Palace. It is an ornate and beautiful palace with restful fountained gardens. To escape from the relentless midday sun, wander in the lush Menara Gardens and lounge in the charming lakeside pavilion. Marrakech is noisy, busy, dusty and chaotic. It is a visual and sensory banquet of colour, diverse cultures, architecture and design. Marrakech delivers an exotic and exciting taste of Africa and the best part is that it is only a few hours away from Europe by plane.

Über das Reiseziel: Fez is the definition of magic, a cauldron of beautiful charms that’s been simmering since medieval times. The city has almost everything Morocco has to offer; the ringing hammers on sheets of brass, the squawks of chicken strolling all around, perpetual voices of endless talks, the deep voices of prayers passed on from a minaret to another, young women balancing trays of rolled dough on their heads, crowds of people in the narrowest of streets, the enticing aromas of brochettes on open grills, the sweet scent of cedar shavings and freshly cut mint leaves. The life size maze that is the medina, old city, is the largest and most difficult to navigate in Morocco; sometimes it's even easier to simply lose yourself in the hustle and bustle of the various markets. Entering the medina through Bab Boujeloud, bear left immediately onto shop-lines, bamboo-shaded rue Talaa Kebira. Nearby to the left is the grain market, while further along is the entrance to Bou Inania madersap the finest Qur’anic university in Morocco. Built under the Merinid Dinasty in the 14th century its beautifully carved white plaster walls and mihrab remain in remarkably good conditions. The Zaouia de Moulay Idriss contains the tomb of Molay Idriss II, who made Fez the capital of Morcco in 808. The cedarwood portal is decorated with faded geometric patterns. Close by is the 14th century Al-Attarine Madrasa. Behind the superb bronze door lie intricately carved plaster walls topped by a cedarwood mantle and a splendid fountain. Other worthwhile places in Fez are the viewpoints to the north of the city or most parts of Fes el Jedid, with the Royal Palace, the Jewish Quarter and the Museum Dar al Batha. Once the capital of the country, today Fez is Morocco’s third largest city but is considered the country’s religious, cultural and intellectual centre. Located between the Riff and the Middle Atlas Mountains, the city is made up of Fes El Bali, the old city, and Fes El Jedid, the New city. The King of Morocco’s wife, Princess Lalla Salma, was born in Fez which has made this medieval city even more popular.

Über das Reiseziel: Chefchaouen or The Blue Pearl is a gorgeous mountain city in northeastern Morocco. It's no wonder that tourists flock here, this humble town is the embodiment of almost every Moroccan cliché. The picturesque medina, set against the dramatic backdrop of the Rif Mountains, is filled with white-washed homes with distinctive, powder-blue accents, and the call to prayer rings out of several mosques around the town in chorus. If you've got a few days to relax from the rigors of travel, this is a good place to do it.