Hurghada and Marsa Alam

The Eastern Desert of Egypt, nestled between the Nile Valley and the Red Sea, is a historical treasure trove. Rich in minerals and history, it has been a source of building materials since ancient times, with pharaohs and Romans extracting porphyry, granite, limestone, and sandstone from its mountains. Sparsely populated, its inhabitants cluster around wells and springs, while cities along the Red Sea coast, like Hurghada, Safaga, Qusir, and Marsa Alam, draw tourists seeking sun and sea. Hidden within its wadis are archaeological marvels like Mons Porphyrites and Mons Claudianus, Roman quarry complexes that once supplied materials for grand imperial projects. Myos Hormos, an ancient port, was the Roman Empire’s link to India and East Africa, while Wadi Hammamat boasts rock inscriptions dating back to 4000 BC. Further north lies Bir Umm Fawakhir, a Byzantine gold mining settlement from the fifth and sixth centuries.