What's hot in Africa & the Middle East? Read on...
Fellow travelers, it’s time for another installment of Viator’s Top 25 Things to Do list. So far we’ve covered Central & South America, Caribbean and Australia & New Zealand. That makes it three continents down, four more to go in our ‘top things to do in 2008′ series (based on the tours and activities most popular with actual travelers on Viator.com this year).
So now it’s time for us to shine a spotlight on Africa and the Middle East.
Last year we got serious about making Viator the one-stop-shop for tours and things to do in Egypt, from Cairo to Luxor and more. Our efforts paid off, as this year Egypt nearly dominated our list of top things to do.
That said, Dubai was a star performer again - it took the #1 spot two years in a row, which is no easy feat. Rounding out our list of top things to do are South Africa and Jordan. Now without further ado, the winners of our 2008 Top Things to Do polling…
Top 25 Things To Do in Africa & the Middle East: 2008
25. Private Tour: Luxor East Bank, Karnak and Luxor Temples, Luxor, Egypt
Explore the East Bank with your own guide, from the Temples of Karnak to the Great Court and Luxor Temple, which has survived thousands of years of floods, invasion and the elements.
#11 - The ruins of Petra, Jordan
24. Cairo Private Tour: Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, Cairo, Egypt
See the magnificent Pyramids and enigmatic Sphinx with your own private Egyptologist guide to these, last of the original Wonders of the World.
23. 3-Day Classic Kruger Breakaway Tour, Johannesburg, South Africa
A dream safari across the Highveld and Machadodorp, open-vehicle game drives in Kruger National Park, a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts.
22. Private Dubai City Sightseeing Tour - The Golden City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
A private tour from the famous landmark hotel Burj Al Arab, to Jumeirah palace and residential area, onto Al Bastakiya and the Al Fahidi Fort, and shop in the gold souk.
21. Private 4×4 Adventurer Safari including Sandboarding, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Leave the comfort of your hotel for some of the most beautiful sand dunes in Dubai, and experience the exhilaration of sandboarding.
20. Pyramids Sound and Light Show with Private Transport, Cairo, Egypt
Hear the story of Egypt as seen by the Spinx over the ages, dramatic and mysterious, with breathtaking lighting to illuminate the pyramids under the stars.
19. Private Air Tour: Abu Simbel, Aswan, Egypt
Speed into the ancient world, with your guide to the Temples of Ramses II and Nefertari.
18. Private Four Day Jordan Special Tour: Petra, Wadi Rum and The Dead Sea, Amman, Jordan
South to the ancient Nabataean rose city of Petra, the unique Wadi Rum mountain rising above the rosy red desert sand, and the incredible Dead Sea.
17. 8-day Nile River Cruise with Private Guide on M/Y Mirage, Luxor, Egypt
Relax on a leisurely cruise along the Nile with your private Egyptologist guide, to the Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Edfu and Aswan Temples, enjoying meals and entertainment on board.
16. Private Air Tour: Cairo, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
A private tour to visit the Great Pyramids and enigmatic Sphinx, Egyptian Museum and time to shop at Khan el Khalili bazaar.
15. Private Tour: Egyptian Museum, Alabaster Mosque, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo, Egypt
Immerse yourself in central Cairo’s most famous sites, from the Alabaster Mosque to the Citadel of Salah el-Din, with free time to stroll through the Khan el Khalili bazaar.
14. Dubai City Half-Day Sightseeing Tour, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Historic sites and vibrant cosmopolitan life from luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel, to Jumeirah Mosque and shopping in the famous gold souk.
13. Private Tour: Luxor West Bank, Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple, Luxor, Egypt
Visit the necropolis of ancient Thebes, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, who posed as a man to gain the throne of Egypt and Colossi of Memnon.
#2 - Private Tour to Giza Pyramids near Cairo
12. Private Tour: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Egyptian Museum, Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, Cairo, Egypt
A fascinating introduction to Giza pyramids with your own Egyptologist, on to the Sphinx and King Tutanhkhamun’s treasures in the Egyptian Museum.
11. Private Full-Day Tour to Petra, Amman, Jordan
The beautiful rose-red city of Petra, carved from pink-hued stone will amaze you with the Siq, El-Khazneh treasury, Altar of Sacrifice and royal tombs.
10. Nile River Dinner Cruise on the Nile Maxim, Cairo, Egypt
Elegant dinner cruise with spectacular belly-dancing and folklore as you glide past Cairo’s illuminated skyline.
9. Private Tour: Alexandria Day Trip, Cairo, Egypt
Your personal Egyptologist will guide you through Alexandria, to Kom ash-Shuqqafa Roman burial site, Pompey’s Pillar and of course, the famous Library, home to every book in the world.
8. Three Day Zimbabwe / Victoria Falls Fly-In Tour, Johannesburg, South Africa
See the majestic Victoria Falls by air and guided walking safari to one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and a relaxing sunset cruise on Zambezi River.
7. Private Tour: Abu Simbel by Minibus, Aswan, Egypt
Visit these awe-inspiring Temples in a personal tour with your Egyptologist guide to explain their mysteries, with plenty of time to explore at your own leisure.
6. Dubai Hop-On Hop-Off Tour, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
East meets West in Dubai, a city of fascinating contrasts. Sea, sand, sun and shopping, whatever you wish for in a holiday destination, here you can see it all!
5. 4-Day Nile River Cruise with Private Guide from Luxor to Aswan, Luxor, Egypt
Luxuriously relaxing cruise on the Nile with privately guided tours, evening entertainment and all meals, accommodation and sightseeing included.
4. 5-Day Nile River Cruise with Private Guide from Luxor to Aswan, Luxor, Egypt
A sumptuous cruise along the Nile to the West Bank, Luxor Temple, Esna, Edfu, Aswan, Unfinished Obelisk and felucca trip to Botanical Gardens, with evening entertainment on board.
3. Private Tour 4×4 Desert Adventure Safari, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Scenic desert drive, camel ride, sandboarding, BBQ dinner, belly dancer and optional dune buggy adventure, relax by the campfire under the stars.
2. Private Tour: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis, Sakkara, Cairo, Egypt
Step back in time with your own private Egyptologist to visit the Great Pyramids, Sphinx, Necropolis and Memphis.
1. 4×4 Desert Safari, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
An extraordinary Arabian desert adventure, with camel ride, sandboarding, henna decorations, dinner, and a wonderful belly dancer, after the beautiful sunset.
#1 in 2008 - Dubai's Desert Adventure Safari
There you have it. Viator’s list of the Top 25 tours and things to do in the Middle East & Africa in 2008.
Stay tuned for more lists in the coming days, to help you plan your next trip across the globe. In the meantime, if your curious about the top things to do last year in Africa and the Middle East, in 2007, keep on reading…
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Along with a healthy showing from South Africa, the big news on the 2007 list is Dubai. It tops our list and remains one of the most popular destinations we have in the Middle East & Africa. And it’s no wonder. How many places in the world can you take a 4×4 desert safari, go sandboarding (think: surfing on a sand dune), and have a BBQ under the desert stars with a bit of belly dancing thrown in, all in the same day? Answer: just one that we know of, and it’s the #1 thing to do on our list this year.
Top 25 Things to Do in Africa & the Middle East: 2007
25. Private Three Day Safari to Amboseli, Nairobi, Kenya
24. Private Dubai City Sightseeing Tour - The Golden City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
23. Private Tour: Abu Simbel by Minibus, Aswan, Egypt
22. Nile River Dinner Cruise on the Nile Maxim, Cairo, Egypt
21. Cape Peninsula Tour, Cape Town, South Africa
20. Sun City and Pilansberg Nature Reserve Safari, Johannesburg, South Africa
19. Scuba Dive or Snorkel with Great White Sharks, Cape Town, South Africa
18. 3-Day Classic Kruger Breakaway Tour, Johannesburg, South Africa
17. Private Full-Day Tour to Petra, Amman, Jordan
16. 4×4 Hatta Safari - Mountain Springs, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
15. Private Air Tour: Cairo, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
14. Private 4×4 Adventurer Safari including Sandboarding, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
#1 in 2007: Dubai 4x4 Desert Safari
13. Private Tour: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Egyptian Museum, Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, Cairo, Egypt
12. Private Tour: Alexandria Day Trip, Cairo, Egypt
11. Private Tour: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis, Sakkara, Cairo, Egypt
10. Dubai City Half-Day Sightseeing Tour, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
9. Dubai Hop-On Hop-Off Tour, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
8. Aquila Game Reserve Wildlife Safari, Cape Town, South Africa
7. Private Abu Galum Tour: Jeep Safari, Snorkeling, Camel Ride and Bedouin Lunch, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
6. Private Air Tour: Abu Simbel, Aswan, Egypt
5. Private Tour 4×4 Desert Adventure Safari, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
4. 8-day Nile River Cruise with Private Guide on M/Y Mirage, Luxor, Egypt
3. Three Day “Zimbabwe” Victoria Falls Fly-In Tour, Johannesburg, South Africa
2. Private Three Day Safari to Maasai Mara National Reserve, Nairobi, Kenya
1. 4×4 Desert Wonder Safari - Sandboarding & BBQ Dinner, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
There you have it, Viator’s list of Top 25 Things to Do in Africa and the Middle East in 2007 and 2008. If you’re looking for more travel inspiration, check out our tours and activities throughout Africa and the Middle East: Dubai, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, South Africa and Zambia (including Victoria Falls). Happy travels in 2009!
December 13th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Come on Egypt - let’s go for number 1 in 2008!
December 15th, 2007 at 2:22 am
Why don’t you have the hot air ballooning trip over the desert in Dubai emirate? It’s sublime. I’d also suggest putting that hop-on-hop-off bus ride up a bit higher. While sitting in traffic in Dubai is not my idea of fun (I’ve been a resident for many years), visitors to Dubai simply love it. It’s amazing popular, a great intro and taste to Dubai, especially if you’re on a stopover and especially in winter when you can sit in the open air and let the wind blow through your hair. Dubai Creek cruises are also fantastic, particularly at night when the old restored windtowers on the Creek are beautifully lit.
December 15th, 2007 at 11:46 am
Thanks for the tip Lara. We’ll try to track down the hot-air balloon ride in Dubai. Who knows, maybe it’ll make it onto the ‘top in 2008′ list.
And Lara, I just checked out your blog as well, great stuff (readers in case you’re looking for the link it is http://cooltravelguide.blogspot.com/). I’m a big fan of the Middle East, so your photos and articles are right up my alley. Don’t think you and I ever crossed paths at LP, but I’d be curious for your reaction on the BBCW sale (my opinion is fairly obvious: http://travelblog.viator.com/the-bbc-acquires-lonely-planet-is-independent-travel-dead/). Anyway, happy travels.
March 7th, 2008 at 6:51 am
A trip to Africa is not complete without visiting Cape Town, Kruger National Park or Hluhluwe Game Reserve. I’ve traveled throughout Africa and although I’m biased toward South Africa - There no place like it.