5 Ideas for International Travel in Eid-el-Adha

Are you running out of time, still haven’t planned for your Eid-el-Adha gateaway?

Here is a list of 5 International destinations that are best visited at this time of year, and most of all do not have hectic visa requirements, so you still have time to consider, make your travel plans, book a ticket & fly.

Turkey

Visa: takes 7 days.

Flight tickets to Istanbul: around EGP 3370

Embassy: 25, El-Falaky St., Bab El-Louk, Cairo

Main highlights:

• Istanbul: Hagia Sophia (church converted into a mosque, with a mix of Islamic & Christian art), Grand Bazaar, Egyptian Spices Bazaar, Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Top Kapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, Bosphorus Cruise, eating fish under Galata bridge, wander around Taksim Square and enjoy some Turkish Borek, Kebab, Doner, Ice Cream, Baklava, Tawuk Goese & Sahlep (Sahlab).
• Princes Islands: watch some beautiful houses, owned by the richest people in Turkey.

Hagia Sophia Mosque/Church by Moyan Brenn

Off the beaten path:

• Cappadoccia: famous for hot air ballooning, surrounded by lovely valleys and rock formations, hike through Devrent Imagination Valley, Avanos, Uchisar Castle, Esentepe, Pasabaglari and Goreme Open Air Museum, and spend the night in hotel caves. Yeah, it’s more of a fairytale.
• Pamukkale: meaning cotton castle located at Denzili Province by Inner Aegean region, is a natural site filled with hot springs and terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water, with a stable climate around the year.
• Visit the ruins of Ancient Troy
• Discover the multi-leveled Underground City of Derinkuyu extending to approximately 60m of depth, that once sheltered more than 20,000 residents with their livestock & food stores in Cappadoccia.
• Rafting in Antalya: if not already too cold, it’s an activity that you don’t want to miss.

Hot Air Balloons in Cappadoccia by Verity Cridland

Lebanon

Visa: No visa required, upon arrival you have to show 2000$ in cash and a confirmed hotel reservation.

Flight tickets to Beirut: around EGP 2700

Embassy: 22 El Mansour Mohamad Street, Zamalek, Cairo

Main highlights:

• Jeita Grotto: a Lebanese landmark and a must visit. Jeita Grotto is a compound of crystallized caves located 20 km north of Beirut, it is made up of two limestone caves, through which a 6230 m long river runs.
• Faraya village: with an altitude that ranges from 1300 to 2300m above sea level, and 40km from Beirut, Faraya was once known as Lebanon’s main source of apples and pear production, and is currently the hottest ski resort in this region.
• Baalbek: the Roman ruins of Baalbek are a UNESCO world heritage that represents the Roman empire that once existed at this region.
• Enjoy nightlife at its best, the list of places to go to is just endless “it’s all good”.
• Swim at the Mediterranean Sea & visit Byblos: specially at Byblos’ shores & visiting the UNESCO world heritage site. It might be too cold to swim now, but it’s totally worth a shot!
• Indulge yourself with Lebanese mezza.

Byblos by the sea by Omar Chatriwala

Off the beaten path:

• Hiking, Caving, Apple Picking & Tasting at Akoura: packed up with beautiful scenery with the amazing Akoura river, this is one of the top hiking spots in Lebanon, the hike takes up to 4 hours, and is basically a moderate one (level 2-3), but could be advanced (level 4-5)  for those who wish to climb the 666 steps to Lady of Habes.
• River rafting at Assi River.
• Rock climbing and abseiling at Balou’ Balaa.

Akoura River by Paul Saad

Jordan

Visa: No visa required up to 30 days.

Flight tickets to Amman: around EGP 3000.

Embassy: 6 Bassem El Kateb St. Off El Tahrir St., Dokki, Giza.

Main highlights:

• Dead sea: It’s not too cold yet to take a dip at the dead sea to experience what is it like to float on salty waters.
• Petra:marvel at the Lost City of Petra, experience it differently at break of dawn, this is when the sunlight hits the Treasury which was once a royal tomb.
• Amman: travel back in time at the old souqs of Amman, as well as its mosques, churches and Roman ruins, enjoy some tea with mouth-watering Cheese Knafeh and don’t forget to wander around its modernized/westernized part of the city.
• Jarash: an impressive Roman theatre representing a civilization that once existed in Jordan, and left its marks behind. Home to musical performances & art festivals, if you don’t drop by Ajloun Castle your visit will be so incomplete.

Petra by Jimmy Alvarez

Floating on the dead sea waters

Off the beaten path:

• Take the boat from Nuweibaa in Sinai to El-Aqabba in Jordan, instead of flying to Jordan.
  
• Dana Nature Reserve: home to several animal and plants species, that’s the most ecologically diverse reserve in Jordan, and is your chance to follow a hiking trail up to Petra.
• Camping at Wadi el-Rum: Hire a Bedouin to take you around the desert with his 4×4, get yourself a chance to totally disconnect from the hustle & bustle of the city, enjoy the scenery & spend a night watching stars under the clear skies of Wadi el-Rum.
• Canyoning: is an underrated sport in Jordan though the country is very rich in canyons, steep hills, waterfalls,and hidden valleys that lie to the west of the King’s Highway (Wadi Kerak, Wadi Ghuweir, Wadi Hasa, Wadi Mujib & Wadi ‘Afra).
• Water sliding at Wadi Hasa: after hours of trekking and canyoning you’ll certainly need to freshen up, and Wadi Hasa with its natural water slides is certainly the place to be, though the water might be slightly cold, but it’s totally worth a shot.

Enjoying water sliding at Wadi Hasa by Jonathan Gropp

Morocco

Visa:  takes 10 days to 2 weeks.

Flight tickets to Marrakech/Rabat: around EGP 4750/4100

Embassy: 10 Salah El Din St., Zamalek, Cairo

Main highlights:

• Marrakech: is a must, this large, noidy, full of history city is home to lots of attractions such as the central square of Djemma el Fna; the Saadian Tombs, Marjorelle Gardens, and the souqs. The souqs in Morocco have a unique local flavor that’s not experienced anywhere in the world.
• Meknes: showcases the typical Moroccan architectural style that has an Islamic/Arabic mixture, with magnificent carvings & huge gates. For a different kind of art, watch the ruins of the Roman Empire of Volubilis that are totally worth a visit.
• The Tanneries of Fes: this is where leather products are dyed and made. It’s been the leather place since medieval times, and still hasn’t really changed since then.

The medina of Fes by Miquel Lleixa Mora

Tasty food in Morocco by Grand Parc – Bordeaux, France

Off the beaten path:

• Climb Mt. Toubkal: the highest peak in North Africa & Atlas Mountains at an elevation of 4167m. trekked over the course of two days.
• Enjoy Surfing, Kite-surfing, and all sorts of Water Sports at Taghazoute in northern Agadir, or at Essaouira.
• Overnight in the Sahara Desert.

Towards Mt. Toubkal by Peter Makholm

Nepal

Visa: No visa required.

Flight ticket to Kathmandu: around EGP 6300

Embassy: 23 El-Hassan St., Mohandessin, Dokki, Cairo

Main highlights:

• Staring at the Himalayas, seeing the highest peak in the world of Mt. Everest, and every climber’s dream to become one of its lucky summiteers.
• Durbar square: that’s Kathmandu’s old center and where kings were once crowned and legitimized, home to temples, plazas & fountains. There is no better way to explore it but to start with Kasthamandap which is the oldest building in the valley.
• Chitwan National Park: that is home to tigers, leopards, one-horned rhinos, among other species, as well as forests, flood plains & grasslands. That’s the place to get up, close and personal to elephants, while back riding them.
• Pokhara: take a boat to explore some of Nepal’s nature beauty, marvel at the reflections of the mountains and vast landscapes over Phewa Lake.

Phewa Lake at Sunset by Mike Behnken

Durbar Square by Cheryl Mariland

Off the beaten path:

• Trek Annapurna hill.
• River Rafting: 3 hours drive from Kathmandu.
• Bugee jumping & Canyoning at the Last Resort.

Got your passport ready? Now it’s time to book a ticket & enjoy your eid differently.

Travelstart Egypt wishes you & your families in all corners of the world a Delightful Eid