Egypt ends convoy system

(01 December 2008)
Tourists visiting Egypt can now move around far more freely thanks to the end of the convoy system.
The system has been running for the last 11 years and required coaches travelling between cities and resorts to join up with police escorted convoys which restricted when tourists could travel due to terrorism concerns.
However, as of today the system has been ended during daylight hours although it will still be required between 6pm and 6am.
Discover Egypt commercial director Philip Breckner said: “For Discover Egypt clients travelling to and from Luxor to the Red Sea, it will also allow for more convenient travel times.
"It will also allow for travel between Luxor and Marsa Alam and Port Ghalib, which until now has not been practical.
“This is a great bonus for those choosing to travel and holiday in Egypt and agents, need to be aware of this when selling packages for December and 2009”.
by Edward Robertson

to read more

Life in Ancient Egypt

Houses and villa of ancient Egypt
Ancient Egyptian houses looked different than modern Egyptian houses. The earliest houses were made by tying reeds together in the shape of a beehive. The New Kingdom houses were made out of mud bricks. They were made by tying wood beams together with papyrus rope to make a frame. The frame was covered with white limestone plaster.

Keeping Cool
In order to keep the house cool the Egyptians had to be very careful about what they were doing. They couldn’t cook inside because it was too dangerous to cook over an open fire indoors, and it would just get way too hot inside. Instead, cooking was done outside or on the roof. The Ancient Egyptians kept cool by having small windows at the top of the house.

Annual Nile River Flood
When flooding season came, people who lived by the Nile River had to move away. When the flood was over, the owner of the house would knock the house down and build a new one on top. Eventually the pile would get big enough that the house was safe from the flood.
If every year you had to move because of a flood, why live there? The Egyptians liked to live there because the Nile River gave the Egyptians rich soil that was good for growing crops. So the Egyptian farmers would stay at their villa, which means farm, even though they would have to move and rebuild year after year.
Food To Feed Ancient Egypt
The Egyptians ate many different things. They also ate well. Even the poorest people ate a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables. The rich ate meat of many kinds, mostly cows and sheep. Some priests related pigs with Set, an evil god, and made it so most people did not want to eat pigs. Egyptians ate calves, oxen, and poultry like duck, goose, stork, and pigeon. Meat was expensive because there were very few grazing pastures for the cows and sheep and other animals to eat. Some people salted down fish and duck to try to preserve it. When you salt down meat, the salt sucks up all of the moisture and the meat.
Bread
I’m guessing that most people today would take our bread over Egyptian bread. It had a hard, rough feel to it. This was because when the Egyptians were grinding the grain, sand would mix in with the flour that came from the grain. They couldn’t take it out before they baked it so the bread tasted kind of rough, like you’re eating dirt. Eating this gritty bread caused an Ancient Egyptian’s teeth to wear down to the roots.

Drinks
Drinks were an important part of a meal. The rich drank wine and almost everybody else drank beer. When somebody held a party, it was called a "House of Beer." To make their beer, the Ancient Egyptians would half bake loaves of barley, then crumble it into barley and water. They sealed this mixture and let it settle. They didn’t want to drink all those lumps so they strained the beer before they drank it.
To make wine they picked a bunch of grapes and squeezed all of the juice out by stepping on them in a trough big enough to hold at least six men. This mixture was sealed in a clay pot with the date and vineyard almost exactly like today.

Plates
The rich ate off of plates of gold, silver, faience, and bronze at a low table. People with less money ate off of earthenware plates.

Thebes

one of the famed cities of antiquity, the capital of the ancient Egyptian empire at its heyday. Thebes lay on either side of the Nile River at approximately latitude 26° N. The modern town of Luxor, or Al-Uqsur, which occupies part of the site, is 419 miles (675 km) south of Cairo. Ancient Thebes covered an area of some 36 square miles (93 square km). The main part of the city was situated along the Nile’s east bank; along the west bank was the necropolis, or “city of the dead”—an area containing the royal tombs and mortuary temples, as well as the houses of those priests, soldiers, craftsmen, and labourers who were devoted to the service of the Egyptian rulers. The Thebes area—including Luxor, the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, and Karnak—was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.
History
The ancient name of Thebes was Wase, or Wo’se. The nome (province) of Wase, the fourth of Upper Egypt, is known to have existed from the 4th dynasty onward. The earliest monuments that have survived at Thebes proper date from the 11th dynasty (2081–1939 bc), when the local nomarchs (governors) united Egypt under their rule. From this time Thebes frequently served as the royal capital of Egypt and was called Nowe, or Nuwe (“City of Amon”), named for its chief god. The Greek name Thebes (Thebai) may have been derived from Ta-ope, the ancient Egyptian name for Luxor.
During the 12th dynasty (1938–1756), the royal residence was moved to the area of Memphis, but the kings of Egypt continued to honour Amon, their family god, and hence built temples at Thebes. After their invasion of Egypt and seizure of dynastic power about 1630, the Hyksos had little or no control over Thebes, and it was the lords of that city who finally drove the Hyksos out of Egypt (c. 1530–20). Then began the era of greatest prosperity for Thebes. The 18th-dynasty pharaohs rebuilt it and made it their capital, embellishing its temples with the spoils of Asia and the tribute of Nubia. During the 15th century bc great palaces, brightly painted and surrounded with gardens, rose on either bank of the river. Many noble families kept estates in the area, and in the crowded streets foreign traders and mercenaries mingled with the citizens. The pharaohs of the New Kingdom vied with each other in building great temples on the east bank and even larger mortuary temples on the west.
The height of Theban prosperity was reached in the 14th century bc in the reign of Amenhotep III (Amenophis III; reigned 1390–53), much of whose vast wealth from foreign tribute was poured into the temples of Amon. For a brief period in the reign of his son Akhenaton (1353–36), Thebes fell on evil times; the city was abandoned by the court, and the worship of Amon was proscribed. With its restoration by Tutankhamen (reigned 1333–23), however, Thebes soon regained its revenues and prestige, and it retained both through the reigns of Seti I (1290–79) and Ramses II (1279–13), who still resided for part of every year in Thebes. The city continued to be richly endowed; according to ancient sources, Ramses III (reigned 1187–56) donated 86,486 slaves and vast estates to Amon’s temples.
Under the later Ramessids, Thebes began to decline; the government fell, it seems, into grave economic difficulties. During the reign of Ramses IX (1126–08), about 1111 bc, a series of investigations into the plundering of royal tombs in the necropolis of western Thebes uncovered proof of corruption in high places, following an accusation made by the mayor of the east bank against his colleague on the west. The plundered royal mummies were moved from place to place and at last deposited by the priests of Amon in a tomb-shaft in Dayr al-Baḥrī and in the tomb of Amenhotep II. (The finding of these two hiding places in 1881 and 1898, respectively, was one of the great events of modern archaeological discovery.) Such maladministration in Thebes led to unrest. Control of local affairs tended to come more and more into the hands of the high priests of Amon, leading to a situation in which, after the death of the last Ramses in the 11th century, the government of Egypt was shared between the pharaoh in Tanis and the high pontiff at Thebes. Intermarriage and adoption strengthened the ties between them, daughters of the Tanite kings being installed as “God’s Wife of Amon” at Thebes, where they wielded greater power.
The Napatan (Nubian) pharaohs made Thebes their capital in the 7th century bc. Its fame among the early Greeks was such that Homer speaks of the wealth of “hundred-gated Thebes.” In 663, however, it was sacked by Ashurbanipal’s Assyrians, and, although rebuilt by the Saite governors (vassals of the Assyrians), it never fully recovered. In Strabo’s time (c. 63 bc–c. ad 23), the city had dwindled to a mere village visited by tourists who came to see the ancient temples.

Archaeology
Four of the main complexes of ruins are discussed in separate articles. (See Karnak; Luxor; Valley of the Kings; Valley of the Queens.) Among the other chief sites of Thebes are the royal mortuary temples, the palace of Amenhotep III, and the Tombs of the Nobles.

In the New Kingdom, when the pharaohs hid their tombs in the secret Valley of the Kings (in western Thebes), ostentation had to be concentrated in their mortuary temples, which rivaled each other in size and magnificence. Although they were designed for the performance of rites connected with the mortuary cult of the builder, they were all dedicated to Amon, the supreme god of Thebes, and had the character and essential form of a New Kingdom temple. They were built in a sequence generally corresponding to a topographic arrangement from north to south. Only traces of most of the earlier ones remain. The most important will be mentioned here
The temple of Hatshepsut (reigned 1472–58 bc) at Dayr al-Bahrī is the earliest large 18th-dynasty structure to survive and one of the most impressive. There in the bay of cliffs, next to the pyramid-temple of Mentuhotep II, the queen’s architect Senenmut designed (c. 1473) a series of colonnades and courts on three levels. The approach from the valley led through an avenue of sphinxes, and in the forecourt was a garden planted with trees and vines. On either side of the sloping ramp leading to the next level, against the terrace face, was a gallery whose roof was supported on a double row of columns; a similar gallery ran along the westward side of the court on the next level, with side chapels dedicated to Anubis and Hathor. The top terrace contained a hall of columns, with further chapels on either side and a sanctuary dug into the cliff behind. Many of the surviving series of reliefs in the colonnades and chapels are of great beauty and considerable interest: one depicts the transport of two obelisks by barge from Aswān to Karnak, another the divine marriage of Queen Ahmes with the god Amon and the resultant miraculous birth of Hatshepsut herself, and a third the maritime trading expedition sent by the queen to Punt, the land of incense on the Red Sea. The mortuary temple of Amenhotep III (reigned 1390–53 bc) must have been the largest and most splendid of all the Theban temples. It was, however, almost completely demolished by later pharaohs, and all that is left today are a few foundations, a huge stela 33 feet (10 metres) high, and the two great statues known as the Colossi of Memnon, which once flanked the gateway in front of the temple pylon but now sit like lonely sentinels in the middle of a field. The statues represent Amenhotep III but the name Memnon is of (later) Greek origin; with their crowns the statues were about 70 feet (21 metres) high, each hewn from a single block of stone.

The northern one, after cracking in an earthquake, was the “singing Memnon” celebrated in classical times because on certain days, shortly after sunrise, it emitted a curious high note; numerous Roman tourists, including the emperor Hadrian (reigned ad 117–138bce and his wife Sabina, came to Thebes to hear this marvel, but in the reign of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus (193–211) the statue was patched with masonry and never “sang” again.
The temple of Seti I (reigned 1290–79 bc) at Al-Qurnah survives only in part, the forecourt and pylons having disappeared. It was dedicated in part to Ramses I, the father of Seti, and was completed by Seti’s son Ramses II (reigned 1279–13), who figures in the reliefs. The walls are decorated with scenes of purely religious content in which the pharaohs make offerings to various gods or are favoured by them
The Ramesseum, or mortuary temple of Ramses II the Great, though much ruined, retains some of its ancient grandeur. The wide outer pylon is decorated with vigorous scenes of the king’s wars against the Hittites in Syria, and the inner pylon has episodes from the Battle of Kadesh (1275) and scenes from the festival of the harvest god, Min. Tall figures of the king in the guise of Osiris decorate the pillars of the inner court. In the first court stood a seated colossus of Ramses II; only fragments of it are left, but enough to show that it was of enormous size. It must have been more than 55 feet (17 metres) high and weighed about 1,000 tons. The hypostyle hall beyond the second court is similar in design to that of the Great Temple of Amon at Karnak; beyond were further pillared halls and a sanctuary that has now disappeared. Around the temple, within the high brick enclosure wall, are very extensive remains of vaulted buildings that must have been magazines (storehouses), stables, workshops, and houses belonging to the temple staff. The Greek historian Diodorus Siculus (fl. 1st century bcbce described the Ramesseum under the name of “the Tomb of Ozymandias.”
The temple of Ramses III (reigned 1187–56) at Madīnat Habu is the latest and most southerly of the great New Kingdom mortuary temples. The general plan was modeled on that of the Ramesseum: a wide front pylon, outer and inner peristyle courts separated by a second pylon, a large pillared hall and two smaller vestibules, and the sanctuary surrounded by smaller rooms. The hypostyle hall is partly ruined, the pillars having been dismantled to the level of the first or second drums, but the temple is otherwise well preserved. Scenes carved on the walls of the inner halls show the king performing acts of worship before the gods. There are also scenes of battle in which the king in his chariot mows down the Libyans, attacks an Amorite city, and leads Libyans, Asians, and sea raiders as prisoners before Amon and Mut. On the external wall of the temple, a great sea battle between Egyptians and the Peleset (Philistines) and other Sea Peoples is depicted with much lively detail. Another outstanding relief is that on the outer face of the great pylon, which shows the pharaoh hunting wild cattle in a reed-covered, marshy landscape. Adjoining the temple are the remains of a palace. The high gate in the eastern side of the perimeter wall of the temple area is battlemented like a fortress. Within the precinct are other, smaller temples: one dates from the reign during the 15th century bc of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III but was altered and added to in various reigns and during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. There are also several mortuary chapels, a sacred lake, a well, and remains, as in the Ramesseum, of houses and vaulted magazines built of mud brick.
South of the temple of Madīnat Habu stand the ruins of what must have been one of the finest buildings in western Thebes: the palace of King Amenhotep III and Queen Tiy at Malkata. It is in fact four palaces, one of which was occupied by Tiy. There was also a vast artificial lake, still traceable by a line of mounds to the southeast of Malkata, which may have been a harbour for shipping connected with the Nile.
The limestone foothills that lie parallel to the river and about 3 miles (5 km) away from it are honeycombed for a distance of more than 2 miles (3 km) with the Tombs of the Nobles, mainly of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties. The usual plan of these tombs included a forecourt, a transverse chamber, a long, corridor-like room, and, at the end, a chapel containing statues of the deceased and his family, in the floor of which a shaft or passage ran down to the burial chamber. After the funeral the shaft was filled in, but the chapel and anterooms were kept open and visited by the family of the tomb owner. Near the villages of Dira ʿAbū al-Negaʾ al-Asasif, Al-Khū khah Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qurnah, Dayr al-Madīnah, and Qurnat Muraʾi, several hundred tomb-chapels are still open to view. The walls are decorated with mural paintings, many of them wonderfully fresh and full of vivid interest, depicting the daily occupations of the ancient Egyptians. The dead are shown, in the outer rooms of these tombs, inspecting the workmen on their estates or in their hours of leisure hunting birds in the marshes or game in the desert, listening to music, or playing checkers with their wives. In the infinite variety of these homely scenes, the whole cycle of the farmer’s year, from plowing to harvest, is depicted; sculptors, metalworkers, weavers, and brickmakers ply their trades; and butchers, brewers, and cooks prepare food for the deceased’s table. The treasurer goes on his rounds of inspection, and the vizier receives foreign envoys to the pharaoh’s court. The merry patterns on the roofs derive from those in houses of the period. In the inner chapels fewer secular scenes are found. The funeral ritual is usually depicted: the cortège crossing the Nile, the ceremony of “Opening the Mouth” by the tomb door, the funerary feast; while in the innermost chamber there are representations of the deceased man and his wife in the company of Osiris and other gods undergoing the ordeal of judgment known as the “weighing of the heart” or being given nourishment by the goddess in the sacred sycamore. In the tombs of the late New Kingdom, purely religious scenes predominate.

In ancient Egypt there were other great cities, but none that has left so great a legacy to posterity. The great temples of Thebes with their historical scenes and inscriptions, the tombs with their wealth of illustration of daily life and religious belief, and the countless antiquities that now fill the museums and private collections of the world, are all aspects of that legacy. Few other sites have contributed more to the store of knowledge about early civilizations than that of ancient Thebes.

Welcome To Villa Al Diwan
This is our personalized invitation we extending to all our guests. Luxor is an old land, deeply marked by the time and the people who have lived here, leaving a unique legacy of art, culture and traditions. Dip into our traditions and experience our lifestyle. Take advantage of a holiday in Luxor and take home an unforgettable experience.
We have built Villa Al Diwan as if we are going to live in it ourselves, following the philosophy of Hasan Fathy. In this way it very different from any tourist accommodation, planned as a business venture. Our policy assures our guests of a high standard of quality, care for details and efficient, reliable service. We are committed to making your holiday as pleasant as possible. We aim to find the best solution to meet your needs and to realize your every expectation. We always go the “extra mile,” to make your experience and stay in Villa Al Diwan unforgettable.
Our life centers on hospitality and this affects every aspect of our business. We don't have customers or clients, but rather guests and friends. It’s our privilege and pleasure to look after our guests. We are passionate about making our guests feel special and creating a friendly environment for them, at all times.
We believe in the direct relationship between the owner and the guest. Even more importantly, we believe in the friendship that develops from the first contact by e-mail many months pre-ceding the meeting of our guests, in person. The direct relationship with our guests, without any tour operator or travel agent, allows us to promise you the best balance between price and quality, faster responses to your requests and reservations and clear, reliable communications. Without any intermediary we are free to concentrate on meeting the needs of our guests and to guarantee the maximum care of your vacation home.

Accommodation
Villa Al Diwan Your Home Away From Home
"Al-Diwan" in our local dialect and village tradition means ''a coming together'' or "a gathering place". We hope that you will consider the villa your home during your stay and that here in La-Galta village; you will come to know the real Egypt. Villa Al Diwan is an architectural master achievement. Combining contemporary comfort, and oriental refinement. You will reside in an enchanting environment. Villa Al Diwan, is one of the most beautiful villas of Luxor and opens its doors to a few privileged. Consider yourself one! We have built Villa Al Diwan as if we were going to reside in it ourselves, maintaining the philosophy of Hasan Fathy. In this way, it is different from any tourist accommodation, you may have experienced. Our policy assures our guests of a high standard of quality, care for details and efficient, reliable service.
The Villa is located just a few minutes from the hustle and bustle of Luxor city, in the quiet La Galta village, at the edge of the Western banks of the Nile in Luxor.
Villa Al Diwan has a direct view of the Nile River; from the terrace of the villa one has a beautiful view over the Nile valley, the Theban Mountains, the green fields, and the natural life around the villa. Our geographic position is absolutely exceptional. We are close to the Theban Necropolis, the world-wide and renowned cultural center, with just the Nile River separating us from the bustling town of Luxor, which makes Al Diwan easily accessible. This exceptional five bedroom Villa is available for vacation rental, all year around. The Villa, can exclusively be reserved for you. The 5 rooms of the Villa can accommodate 10 people, in exceptional comfort. On the first floor there are five air-conditioned bedrooms - two with king sized beds and the other three with twin single beds. The main bedrooms at the front of the property have terraces overlooking the Nile. The master bedroom (one of the terraced rooms) also has an en-suite shower-room. There are also two additional bathrooms on this floor, to be shared by the other 4 rooms. Every room of the villa has either a domed or a vaulted ceiling. The ground level comprises of : a dining room, open views of the river Nile from a well appointed ground-level terrace, a snug area with chimney (for the winter nights of course!) a comfortable sitting area, a kitchen, a bathroom, a storage room and an office, which opens out onto the terrace-garden. Up on the large panoramic roof terrace, overlooking the Nile and the surrounding countryside, the views are simply spectacular and breathtaking!
WE ARE PROUD TO BE HERE AT YOUR SERVICE. We are opening our world to you!
Villa Location
How to reach Villa Al Diwan?
Our geographic position is absolutely exceptional: we are close to the Theban Necropolis, the world-wide, renowned cultural centre, just a 3km distance from the city center, if you travel via boat. 5km, if you cross the river via taxi, or 15km, if you cross Luxor bridge to the West bank. See the maps to know where we are situated. We always take care of our guests once they arrive at Luxor (we can arrange for meeting of our guests, at any port in Egypt). Just correspond to us with the detailed dates of your arrival and we shall arrange it for your convenience. If you want to find Villa Al Diwan yourself, enclosed are details as to how you are able to reach us:
Across the Nile:
You can take the local ferry from Luxor Corniche, to West Bank. The ferry crosses the river constantly, until late in the evening, when it becomes less frequent. You can also cross the river by private motor boat (Captain Omar is always ready to be of assistance!). There are ample taxis waiting at the ferry terminal, to take visitors around the monuments, so you can ask any one of them, to take you to La Galta Village, Villa Al Diwan. Or you can go to the local taxi stop and take the one that goes to La Galta village (south direction).
By Road:
You can take a taxi from Luxor, which will take the lengthy route across the new Nile Bridge (7km south of the city). As soon as the taxi has left the bridge, it will take a right turn, after 4km you will reach La Galta Village. Then you will head towards the river. You will find us, just to the north of the terminal of the local ferry.
Bicycles can be hired in Luxor or at Al-Gezira villa, on the West Bank. 1km after leaving Al-Gezira, take the first road to your left. Continue for another 4km, until you reach La Galta village.
Once you are sure that you are in La Galta village, then look for the Nile River and try to find the local ferry boat there, we are located close to it – approximately a few meters, on the north.
Our Services
We have built Villa Al Diwan with the concept of a home away from home, this way it ensures a different type of tourist accommodation facility, as normally expected. Our policy assures our guests of a high standard of quality, care for details and efficient, reliable service.
We are committed to making your holiday as pleasant and hassle free, as possible. We aim to find the best solution to meet your needs and to meet your every expectation. We maintain going the extra mile, to make your stay in Villa Al Diwan unforgettable!


The staff will do their best to make your stay comfortable and pleasant. At your disposal during your stay, we have a house-manager (Edris) to satisfy your every request.
A cook (optional upon request) shall provide you with sumptuous traditional Egyptian dining.

To conserve water and energy, the staff will provide clean sheets and towels only every second day. Please request by management, if you require more frequent services.

You may wish to have breakfast, dinner or lunch on the ground floor terrace overlooking the river, or even on the floor terrace. Notify Edris before he sets the table.

Each bedroom has an air conditioning unit that will heat and cool the room. Instruction sheets are available.

Feel free to use the washing machine in the west. Bathrooms are located on the upper floor and soap is provided.

There is a laundry drying rack on the roof and an iron and ironing board on the ground floor.

The staff can arrange laundry service for you, if you would prefer.

For your total peace of mind we also provide the service of a guard and a gardener, as well as domestic help, to ensure your stay is as comfortable and safe as possible, putting your mind at ease to focus on enjoying your vacation.

Our driver will be there if you may be in need of private transportation facilities.

Omar is the captain of the motorboat ''Cataract'' and his services shall be required if you need water transport, to go to the city or when you need to enjoy your time across the Nile River.

We meet our guests upon arrival at most airports in Egypt and can arrange transfer to the villa, for your convenience.

We will be happy to arrange guided tours in Luxor area and further a field.

Our guides are Egyptologists and they will assist you with guided tours, for an unforgettable trip.
We would welcome any suggestions on how we can improve our services. We aim to please and assist, in making your vacation fun and memorable!
Have an enjoyable stay at Villa Al Diwan!
Our policy assures our guests of a high standard of quality, care for details and efficient, reliable service.

Rates & Booking

Villa Aldiwan weekly rental rates
From 1st May to 30th September
700 € / week

From 1st October to 30th April
900 € / week

New year, Easter and Christmas
1000 € / week

1-Above prices include: linens, bath towels, housekeeping, electricity & daily cleaning,water, electricity, gas and taxes. and it doesn`t include meals.

2-Additional services are available upon request, such as Breakfast ,lunch or dinner, and are to be paid separately.

Before Booking, please read our terms and conditions carefully:

1-A deposit of 20% of the total costs should be paid by money transfer, to confirm your booking. Transfer options include, but are not limited to, Western Union and bank drafts. The remaining payment due for the entire stay is to be paid upon arrival.

2-We accept payment in many different currencies, such as UK pounds, US $, Euro or Egyptian pounds. See currency converter

3-Rates for longer periods of stay are calculated individually, in accordance to length of stay, time of the year and amount of occupants.

4-Minimum stay in Villa Al Diwan is 3 nights, when available. Check Availability (This link opens with new Windows format)

5- Al Diwan is a drug free resort and strictly does not allow the use of drugs on the premises, which is in accordance with Egyptian laws and regulations.

6- For additional information concerning our villa or the surrounding area, please contact us via e-mail and we shall reply at our earliest convenience.
For reservations or more information please contact us at: info.aldiwan@gmail.com or villaluxor@gmail.com

Contact Us
We pride ourselves on our excellent level of service. We are a small business concern and take great pride in offering you the visitor, "the personal touch ", often lacking with larger companies and resorts. For booking and additional information, concerning our villa or travel services, please contact us via e-mail or call us directly and we shall reply at our earliest convenience. We shall gladly meet you in person, if you are in Luxor.
Luxor for Tourism Development & International Trade Ltd. Mr. Alaa Aly Taie

57 Ahmed Esmat St. off TV. Str

Telefax: +2 095 2364852

Mobile: +2 0101601214

E-mail: info.aldiwan@gmail.com

About Us
Who are we?
We are a Franco-Egyptian Limited company, specialized in tourism development, Real Estate Marketing and Management & Consultation Services. Our commercial name is ''Luxor for Tourism Development & International Trade Ltd.'' and registered under Licence N° 11237- 23/05/2004. The company Director is also one of the partners, Mr. Alaa Taie, who has experience in the tourism and real estate market in Luxor, for several years. He is able and willing to answer all enquiries, in both English and French. We pride ourselves in our excellent level of service. We are a small business and take great satisfaction in offering you the guest, personalized service, often lacking with larger companies and resorts. We have a small team of conscientious, trustworthy and dedicated staff, who aim to ensure security & comfort for our guests. Luxor Development, works directly with the owners and do not use any intermediary or middle man. This system allows us to offer true and affordable prices to our guests.

How we serve you?
1) Real estate service (legal consultation- constructing / finishing departments- property management) 2) We can assist you to find your dream home, here in Luxor or Aswan.
3) Our legal department will secure your side, by checking the Property documents, making sure if it is legally permitted or not, before we sell any property to you.
4) We can assist you with an extended stay visa, enabling you to buy and reside in Egypt.
5) We are ready to help you with property insurance, to cover yourself from any problems that could arise with your property.
6) We assist in furnishing and decorating your property according to the style and décor that you prefer, as we have our professional staff, who shall assist you to finalize the necessities of your property, in the accordance with the best standard, in a very short period and maintaining a very reasonable cost.
7) We offer maintenance and after sale service for your property (security-cleaning-maintenance).
8) We can assist you with the management of the rental of your property, whilst you are not in the country. This guarantees that you benefit from your property, in a very secure manner. You can manage it from your home destination and we are here to take care of your property and guest, in your absence.
9) We keep you updated with all the new trends, concerning the Real estate field in Egypt, if you are interested in that field for future business development.
Here are some of added services offered:
Legal Service
A reputable lawyer is a vital & integral part of buying an overseas property. We constantly work with legal experts from throughout Egypt and we would be more than capable and happy to refer you to someone.
Foreign Bank Accounts
Should you require a foreign bank account, we can assist with this service. This can be done either during your visit, via your lawyer or directly with the bank, by post.
Local Knowledge & Further Information
If you would like any other information or advice on local schools, leisure facilities, good restaurants &/or further information that you may require, we will do our best to find you the right answers and shall reply at our earliest convenience with response to your concerns.

Why Visit Luxor?
Travel to Luxor and you will know why it is one of Egypt's great tourist attractions. It is also commonly known as the world's largest open air museum. Tourists have been visiting the area since the Greco-Roman times, so you won't be the first! There are so many splendid temples and monuments to visit.
Luxor is an obligatory stop for the first time cultural tourist to Egypt and for many repeat visitors. A second attraction is the natural beauty of the Theban Mountains and the Nile River, which offer outstanding scenery for all types of tourists. A third attraction is the local village life present in the Luxor and throughout the river valley, relevant for the cultural tourist. This beauty is not at all unique to Luxor as it is found throughout the Nile river valley and in many of the country's Oases. Finally, a fourth attraction is the mild, dry sunny weather of the region for most of the year particularly in the winter months