Travel Tips

Gay Holidays For Singles And Egypt

As home to many sites of cultural, religious and historical importance, Egypt has attracted visitors for hundreds of years. Gay travel to Egypt can include a wide variety of activities, such as riding through the desert on the back of a camel, exploring ancient cities, gazing at the monumental Great Pyramids of Giza, taking a boat cruise on the Nile, dining and shopping in large, modern cities or wiling away an afternoon on gorgeous white sand beaches. From exploring the Temple of Edfu or the Valley of Kings burial tombs, to finding the perfect souvenir in the Khan al Khalili Bazaar and viewing the treasures of King Tutankhamun at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, there is simply no end to the wonders that Egypt has to offer. Anyone partaking in gay travel to Africa simply will not want to miss the opportunity to incorporate this intriguing country into their gay vacation plans.

While gay vacations to Egypt can be safe and very fulfilling travel experiences, there are some things that LGBT travelers should know. The government of Egypt has increased efforts to persecute and imprison members of the LGBT community in recent years, which includes undercover sting operations at local gathering places, setting men up for arrest through meetings arranged in online chat rooms and some well-publicized trials and imprisonments, such as the Queen Boat raid where over 50 men were arrested in 2001.

These undercover operations and raids usually focus on arresting Egyptian men; however, tourists and local women have also been caught up in this persecution on occasion. While Egypt does not have laws that prohibit private, consensual same-sex sexual activity between adults, other laws are being used to arrest people, such as laws against contempt for religion and debauchery.

With this being said, that does not mean that gay travel to Egypt should be avoided, or that all locals can be assumed to be homophobic. Most folks who partake in a gay vacation tour to Egypt find that locals are warm and welcoming and report no legal issues during their travels. It does mean that you will not find a visible LGBT community for the most part. While there are popular meeting spots in Alexandria, Luxor, Dahab, Cairo, Aswan and other larger metropolitan areas, discretion is key, as these popular hangouts are also well-known to the police.

Egypt is a land of mystery with several must-see historical and cultural attractions. To experience some of the best offerings of Egypt, while also helping to ensure a safe trip without hassles, those seeking gay vacations to Egypt should consider taking in this intriguing country as part of a gay travel tour, or at the very least, going through a travel agency that is aware of issues of concern to the LGBT community and is able to provide the information necessary for safe, fulfilling gay vacations to Egypt.

Discussion on Egypt by Howie Holben with info on gay travel destinations and gay travel deals.

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