Photo spots in Egypt

The North Coast's most dazzling bay — blinding white sand and water in ten shades of turquoise, just west of El Alamein.

The desert ridge southwest of the plateau where all three pyramids align for the postcard shot, camels optional.

Surreal, electric-turquoise salt pools where the dense brine lets you float effortlessly amid blinding white crystal.

The colossal 36m twin-towered gateway carved with Ptolemy smiting his enemies — Egypt's grandest temple frontage.

The vast man-made sea laps right below the temples — sunset over its still water frames the colossi unforgettably.

Climb to the temple roof for the Osiris chapels and a sweeping view across the complex to the desert beyond.

The great rose-and-cream cliff wall behind the oasis blazes at sunset above the green palm belt below.

A 187m lotus-shaped tower on Gezira island offering the definitive 360° panorama of the city and Nile.

Alexandria's iconic curving seafront promenade, made for an evening stroll as waves crash and lights flicker on.

Hurghada's grandest mosque, its twin 40m minarets and white domes glowing beside the marina at golden hour.

The two regal black-granite falcons guarding the temple court, among the most photographed icons in Egypt.

Two 18m quartzite giants of Amenhotep III, all that remains visible of his once-vast vanished mortuary temple.

A spectacular new highway switchbacking up to the Galala plateau, with sweeping views over the gulf.

Streets of three-storey timber-balconied houses in faded pastels, a Levantine port aesthetic found nowhere else in Egypt.

A basalt hill above Bawiti topped by a WWI lookout, the best sunset panorama over the whole green oasis.

Golden dune fields roll up to the oasis edge, perfect for sandboarding and the long desert sunset.

A vast ancient saltwater lake on the desert edge, prime for birdwatching, fresh-fish lunches and quiet sunsets.