Tag Archives: east

Egypt

Travel can now continue as normal. Security has improved significantly.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO, fco.gov.uk): The travel ban has been lifted, but a few warnings are still in place. Avoid public gatherings and disturbances (particularly on Fridays, when most take place). Adhere to the midnight-6am curfew currently in place nationwide except for the Red Sea resorts and Luxor.

Tourist board: It is business as usual, with hotels and resorts operating normally. All cultural sites are open. There are no areas in Cairo that should be avoided (egypt.travel).

Tour operators: Lots of deals available to encourage tourists to … Read the rest

A new series of walking trails through the Middle East is opening up trekking opportunities in a region more often seen solely as a historical destination. The Abraham Path traces the journey of the Prophet Abraham (revered as the father of monotheism by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike) from his birthplace in Sanl?urfa, Turkey, to his final resting place at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Traversing little-visited rural areas, half-forgotten ruins, and glorious, sweeping countryside, walking part of this trail shines a spotlight on the cultural and natural diversity of this ancient … Read the rest

Like most Middle Eastern deserts, the Negev is usually associated with sand, rock and the odd camel. However, this seemingly dry and arid region in southern Israel is now home to a burgeoning wine route, thanks to a group of pioneering 21st-century farmers and their use of computerized drip irrigation.

The Negev gets less than 100mm of rain per year, most of which is washed away in flash floods down mountainsides, so the use of irrigation is not necessarily new. The Nabataeans – the ancient desert nomads who built their capital in Petra in the Hellenistic period – were … Read the rest