Tours for African Americans to Egypt

Discover the magic of Ancient Egypt with bespoke African American tours in Egypt that include your own personal expert guides and drivers, with lifelong memories guaranteed!

Design Your Custom Egypt Tour

Explore Egypt your way by selecting only the attractions you want to visit

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If you are looking for the very best Egypt tours for African Americans to Egypt, you have come to the right place. In this post we will look at everything you need to know about visiting the Land of the Pharaohs. We also take a look at African history and the role it played in the rise and fall of the Egyptian Empire.

If you are reading this, the chances are you are an African American, and you are considering a trip to Egypt, so let’s begin with the basics…

Passport and Visa Requirements

Like nearly every person in the world, African Americans need a valid passport and a valid tourist visa in order to enter the country. Your passport should have at least two blank pages, and at least six months validity remaining as from your date of arrival in the country.

As an African American traveler who is traveling on an American passport, obtaining a tourist visa for Egypt could not be any easier than it already is. As is the case with all nationalities, you can apply for your visa at an Egyptian embassy or consular office, but this is the least convenient option, and the process can take several weeks.

As an American citizen, you can get a visa-on-arrival (VOA) at any port of entry in Egypt, including Cairo International Airport. At the time of this post being written, a VOA cost US$25 and allowed you to remain in Egypt for up to 30 days.

The most convenient visa option for American passport holders is an Egypt e-Visa which you can apply for online prior to traveling to Egypt. To apply for an online e-Visa you will need to set up an account on the official Egypt E-Visa Portal. Once you have set up your account, you can submit your application and pay the visa fee of US$25.

As with a visa-on-arrival, the Egypt e-Visa is a single entry tourist visa that allows you to enter the country for a period of up to 30 days. Once your visa has been approved, you will receive an email notification. Simply log into your e-Visa account, download and print your visa, and then hand the printed document to an immigration officer when you arrive in the country.

NOTE: – Multi-Entry visas and/or Business visa cannot be obtained on arrival in Egypt or via the Egypt E-Visa portal.

African American Tours in Egypt and Racism

Do black travelers encounter racism when they visit Egypt? Most people of African descent who have visited Egypt only have good things to say about the country. However, as is the case everywhere in the world, racism in Egypt does exist. You will encounter racists everywhere in the world, including Egypt, but for the most part, black tourists are treated no differently to any other tourists in Egypt.

Ironically, many Egyptians don’t see Egypt as being an African country. Instead, they see Egypt as a Middle Eastern country, and this in itself can result in perceived racism. Thankfully, racism is not widespread in Egypt, and as a result, African American tours and Nile River cruises in Egypt continue to be immensely popular among African American tourists.

Suggested reading: Is Egypt Safe for American Tourists?

Are Egyptians African?

Contrary to what many people believe, studies have shown that the Ancient Egyptians were most closely related to people from the Levant (Near East), an area which today includes Turkey, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Today, modern Egyptians share about 8% of their genome with people from central Africa. This is far higher than it was during the times of ancient Egypt.

It is now believed that the main influx of sub-Saharan genes only occurred during the past 1,500 years. Perhaps this is why, even today, most Egyptians see themselves as Egyptian rather than African.

Were the Pyramids Built by Enslaved African People?

For many years it was believed that the Ancient Egyptians used slaves for building the pyramids. However, this was later proved to be wrong. Like nearly every other civilization, the Ancient Egyptians did enslave people, but it was regular Egyptians who constructed the pyramids.

When Egypt conquered Nubia, many Nubian people were captured and enslaved. However, it was often possible for slaves to escape slavery, and even become citizens. One example would be through marriage. Local Egyptian people could also sell themselves or their family members into slavery if they were unable to pay their debts, or sell themselves into slavery in exchange for food, money, and a place to live.

Design Your Custom Egypt Tour

Explore Egypt your way by selecting only the attractions you want to visit

CREATE YOUR DREAM TRIP

Egypt’s Black Pharaohs

At some point around 730 B.C. hoards of warriors from the kingdom of Kush (Nubia) were able to defeat the Egyptians and seize control of Ancient Egypt. They then went on to rule the Nubian/Egyptian Empire for the next 60+ years. During this time, there were 5 black pharaohs, all of whom were 25th Dynasty rulers known today as the Kings of Kush:

• Piye
• Shebitku
• Shabaka
• Taharqa
• Tantamani

Even though these black Nubian kings had control of the entire Egyptian Empire, destruction of the Egyptian Empire was never their goal. In fact, nearly all 5 black pharaohs went to great lengths to repair and restore Egyptian temples and religious practices, while also being responsible for the construction of many pyramids.

Unfortunately, things changed drastically for the Nubians when Psamtik II, 3rd ruler of the 26th Dynasty set about removing all traces of the 25th Dynasty Kushite kings. Under his rule, nearly all 25th Dynasty monuments were destroyed, while the names and royal emblems/symbols of the Kushite kings were also removed for all statues and reliefs across the country.

Psamtik II also later (592 BCE) sent an army into Nubia, with orders to remove all traces of the rule of the 25th Dynasty Nubian Kings.

Black History Tours in Egypt

Black history tours in Egypt are a great way for people to learn more about the fascinating history of both Egypt and Nubia, and how these two kingdoms eventually became one. People who want to learn more about Nubian culture and history should ideally look for tours that include a Lake Nasser cruise since this vast lake is located in what was once Nubia.

During our 5-Star Lake Nasser cruises, you visit several ancient Nubian relics, and our expert guides are with you to tell you all about each of the sites you visit. Most of our Lake Nasser cruises also include a visit the breathtaking rock-hewn Abu Simbel temples.

Located in Upper Egypt close to the Sudanese border, the two giant Abu Simbel temples are the second-most instantly recognizable monuments of Ancient Egypt. These magnificent temples were constructed in Nubia by pharaoh Ramses II to serve as lasting monuments to him and his beloved wife, Queen Nefertari. However, it is believed that the temples were also built to portray the vast wealth and power of pharaoh Ramses II, a permanent reminder to the people of Nubia.

Recommended Tours: Nile Cruise Vacation Packages

Best Tours for African Americans to Egypt

If you are going to be traveling all the way to Egypt from the United States to visit and explore the country’s many breathtaking ancient sites, and to experience a fascinating blend of ancient cultures, you may as well pull out all the stops and book a tour that will leave you with lifelong memories, and that is exactly the type of tours we offer at Egypt Tours Plus.

Recommended Tours: Top 6 Most Popular Tours

Egypt Your Way with Your Own Private Guide, Driver and Vehicle

While we believe our epic pre-packaged Egypt tour packages are the very best money can buy, we also realize that that when it comes to travel, there is no such thing as one size fits all. To this end, we also offer tailor made Egypt tours. With our tailor made tours, you set the schedule and you decide what all you want to do, and what all you want to see – your budget, your time, your vacation.

Our tours all include your own private expert guides, private drivers, and deluxe air-conditioned vehicles. All of our guides are 100% fluent in English, and you will have one of them by your side every step of the way to ensure your trip is more rewarding than ever. At Egypt Tours Plus, we don’t only sell tours, we make dreams come true.

Tours for African Americans to Egypt – Why Us?

Why book African American tours to Egypt through us? Because, when you book a tour through us, you are booking a dream vacation through an Egypt travel agency that has already made travel dreams come true for more than 250,000 people. You are booking through a travel agency that has all the skill and experience to provide a  truly flawless vacation in the Land of the Pharaohs, a travel agency that has also won the TripAdvisor “Travelers’ Choice” Award for 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Start Planning your Trip Today

Not sure which Egypt tour to book? Our team of travel specialists are standing by to help you choose the ideal travel package, or to help you create your own unique journey through Ancient Egypt from scratch.

Whether you want to explore Egypt’s ancient monuments, immerse yourself in Egyptian culture, or simply relax and unwind on beautiful beaches in a coastal resort like Sharm El-Sheikh, we can make it happen.

Contact us now to book your dream private Egypt tour today, or to begin planning your trip of a lifetime.

Design Your Custom Egypt Tour

Explore Egypt your way by selecting only the attractions you want to visit

CREATE YOUR DREAM TRIP

Egypt Travel Information

Last Updated on March 27, 2024