hi I’m Patti Kim we’re heading now to
North Africa a land of vast deserts
ancient cities and bustling markets here
are the cultures of Africa the Middle
East and the Mediterranean all come
together this is the place where you can
find the best of many worlds that’s if
of course you know where to look
North Africa the land stretching from
the southern tip of Sudan
up along the Red Sea and across the
southern Mediterranean coast to Morocco
and Western Sahara on the Pacific it can
sometimes be a tumultuous place so
before heading off check the State
Department’s website for any travel
warnings and advisories now that’s not
to scare you away some of the most
visited and most amazing tourist
destinations in the world are found
right here in a class all its own is
Egypt for nearly four thousand years the
Pyramids at Giza were the largest
buildings on earth and they remain an
inspiration to as many as 5,000 visitors
every day further south along the Nile
River sprawling ruins serve as reminders
of the grandeur of the Pharaohs and some
of the sites at the top of your must-see
list looks or the capital of ancient
Egypt and home of the sprawling Karnak
temple complex on the Nile Eastern Shore
one of the largest examples of religious
architecture in the world and to the
west of the river the Valley of the
Kings where Egypt’s pharaohs were laid
to rest for nearly 500 years many of
their tombs are now open to the public
each offers a spectacular glimpse into
the ritual lives of one of humanity’s
first great civilizations further south
nearing Egypt’s border with Sudan are
the massive ruins at Abu Simbel built
during the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses
the second it’s thought that the massive
structures carved straight into the
mountainside
we’re built here at least in part to
impress and to intimidate ancient
Egypt’s other neighbors the Nubians when
you’re ready for more modern sights and
sounds consider a trip to the town
centers markets and bazaars of North
Africa’s magical cities Tunis in Tunisia
and Fez and Marrakech in Morocco
here you can bargain in the souk sand
stalls for trinkets handicrafts and
carpets haggling is part business
transaction part national sport win or
lose you gain a souvenir and a valuable
cultural experience in Marrakech don’t
miss a cultural highlight the plaza of
jamal fanaa it’s been show time here
every day since the 11th century with
the city square filled with snake
charmers acrobats and storytellers it’s
carnival atmosphere beckons old and
young local and tourists alike when you
need a rest head for the shore coastal
areas like Morocco’s Esso era and
Tunisia’s Jabba Island are prime Beach
spots their relaxed pace and ocean views
will get you recharged and ready to go
all of North Africa shares one common
outstanding feature the Sahara the
desert stretches over 3,000 miles from
coast to coast it is one of the hottest
driest windiest places on earth
despite its desolation Berber tribes
have lived here for thousands of years
flying the ancient trade routes with
caravans and camels here you’ll find
that many towns along the edge of the
Sahara offer tourists a tastes of desert
life a chance to ride across the sands
run along the dunes and sleep under the
stars
with blazing hot summers and wet cool
winters the best times to visit North
Africa are in the spring and fall but
during Ramadan keep in mind many
restaurants and stores are closed and
schedules are disrupted otherwise there
were plenty of tourists arriving
year-round drawn to some of the most
exciting attractions on earth when
traveling in North Africa be patient and
be polite keep in mind that most signs
are in Arabic you can probably get by
speaking English in most tourist places
French comes in handy and Morocco and
Tunisia but mastering a few phrases in
Arabic can make everyday interactions a
whole lot easier and a whole lot more
fun once you do that the spirit of North
Africa will no doubt seduce you with its
ancient charms
North Africa a land of vast deserts
ancient cities and bustling markets here
are the cultures of Africa the Middle
East and the Mediterranean all come
together this is the place where you can
find the best of many worlds that’s if
of course you know where to look
North Africa the land stretching from
the southern tip of Sudan
up along the Red Sea and across the
southern Mediterranean coast to Morocco
and Western Sahara on the Pacific it can
sometimes be a tumultuous place so
before heading off check the State
Department’s website for any travel
warnings and advisories now that’s not
to scare you away some of the most
visited and most amazing tourist
destinations in the world are found
right here in a class all its own is
Egypt for nearly four thousand years the
Pyramids at Giza were the largest
buildings on earth and they remain an
inspiration to as many as 5,000 visitors
every day further south along the Nile
River sprawling ruins serve as reminders
of the grandeur of the Pharaohs and some
of the sites at the top of your must-see
list looks or the capital of ancient
Egypt and home of the sprawling Karnak
temple complex on the Nile Eastern Shore
one of the largest examples of religious
architecture in the world and to the
west of the river the Valley of the
Kings where Egypt’s pharaohs were laid
to rest for nearly 500 years many of
their tombs are now open to the public
each offers a spectacular glimpse into
the ritual lives of one of humanity’s
first great civilizations further south
nearing Egypt’s border with Sudan are
the massive ruins at Abu Simbel built
during the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses
the second it’s thought that the massive
structures carved straight into the
mountainside
we’re built here at least in part to
impress and to intimidate ancient
Egypt’s other neighbors the Nubians when
you’re ready for more modern sights and
sounds consider a trip to the town
centers markets and bazaars of North
Africa’s magical cities Tunis in Tunisia
and Fez and Marrakech in Morocco
here you can bargain in the souk sand
stalls for trinkets handicrafts and
carpets haggling is part business
transaction part national sport win or
lose you gain a souvenir and a valuable
cultural experience in Marrakech don’t
miss a cultural highlight the plaza of
jamal fanaa it’s been show time here
every day since the 11th century with
the city square filled with snake
charmers acrobats and storytellers it’s
carnival atmosphere beckons old and
young local and tourists alike when you
need a rest head for the shore coastal
areas like Morocco’s Esso era and
Tunisia’s Jabba Island are prime Beach
spots their relaxed pace and ocean views
will get you recharged and ready to go
all of North Africa shares one common
outstanding feature the Sahara the
desert stretches over 3,000 miles from
coast to coast it is one of the hottest
driest windiest places on earth
despite its desolation Berber tribes
have lived here for thousands of years
flying the ancient trade routes with
caravans and camels here you’ll find
that many towns along the edge of the
Sahara offer tourists a tastes of desert
life a chance to ride across the sands
run along the dunes and sleep under the
stars
with blazing hot summers and wet cool
winters the best times to visit North
Africa are in the spring and fall but
during Ramadan keep in mind many
restaurants and stores are closed and
schedules are disrupted otherwise there
were plenty of tourists arriving
year-round drawn to some of the most
exciting attractions on earth when
traveling in North Africa be patient and
be polite keep in mind that most signs
are in Arabic you can probably get by
speaking English in most tourist places
French comes in handy and Morocco and
Tunisia but mastering a few phrases in
Arabic can make everyday interactions a
whole lot easier and a whole lot more
fun once you do that the spirit of North
Africa will no doubt seduce you with its
ancient charms
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