Off Beaten Path

Egypt is often affectionately called Omm El-Donia, "The Mother of the World ", because of its reputation as one of the earliest known civilizations. Modern-day Egypt also incarnates this nickname to welcoming its young visitors with open arms, as any good mother does. Escaping the conveyor belt of Egyptian tours for a week or ten days, and experiencing a bit more of this diverse country, one gets a perfect introduction to a fascinating country with so much to see and do. If you never get off the main tourist trail, you'll likely miss out on seeing any part of traditional Egyptian culture or visiting an ancient site or natural phenomenon that isn't inundated with buses and camera wielding tourists.