Pyramid DREAM

Anew museum of epic proportions is giving visitors anew view of kevptian history.

- RIMA SUQI

If nothing fascinates like ancient civilizations, there's something uniquely captivating about the pyramids of Egypt. "I can't think of anywhere else on the planet with a greater density of palpable history: over 100 pyramids in the north, mind-boggling temples in the south, and plenty of tombs and museums overflowing with artifacts in between," says Eric Monkaba, who customizes travel itineraries for private clients through his company TripScaper and formerly lived in Cairo.

Egypt is one of the world's oldest civilizations, but it's experiencing a tourism boom that's very much of the moment. The country welcomed a record 14.9 million international visitors last year; expects to have 25,000 hotel rooms by the end of this year; and added a second airport-called the Sphinx-near the pyramids two years ago. A Mandarin Oriental is scheduled to open in the near future, and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, which already has two hotels in Cairo, will add a third property there in 2025 and another in Luxor in 2026. There are also several new Nile boats, from the boho-chic to the ultra-luxe, including the Yalla Nile by architect Tarek Shamma, who has designed boutiques and homes for Christian Louboutin.