Directions Day- Africa PBL

Africa Travel Project

Module 9

Goals

• Understand the requirements of the project
• Choose and research an African country for your trip

Where is my project?

When you go into the Social Studies homepage in Canvas, scroll down until you see Module 9. Click on it and open up the Module 9 Africa Travel Project Directions page.

Directions

Hello Fabulous 7th Graders, As our unit on Africa comes to a close, we will be completing a required project that takes our knowledge of this vast continent even further. This project will be worth 25 portfolio points and the due date is 4/8. Scenario: You have won the Reach Travel Scholarship for your excellence in 7th grade. Reach is sending you to Africa for a 5-day trip to the country of your choice this summer. You are provided with free airfare and a budget of $1,000 to explore and learn about African history and culture. Your tasks are to create a travel budget for your trip along with a final product to show off what you have learned.

Standards Assessed

Part 1: Travel Budget

Part 2: Final Product

Part 1: Travel Budget- What's a budget?

A budget is an estimate of expenses during a period time. Unfortunely, you do not have unlimited money so you must plan how to spend the money on your trip in order to stay within the provided budget. This is a useful life skill to manage your money wisely.

In this project, you have $1000 ( US dollars) as part of your scholarship to plan your fictional trip. You are already provide free airfare but you will need to create plan for getting a hotel, sightseeing, and participating in different activities as you learn more about your country. To create your budget complete the worksheet in Canvas.

Part 2: Final Product

After you have planned and budgeted trip, you will choose one of the following to show off what you have learned.

Your choices are the following: 1. Build It: Create a souvenir or landmark from your trip 2. Write It: Create a journal documenting your trip3. Share it: Design a travel pamphlet for your trip 4. Your choice( Teacher approval required): If you have another creative idea for this project, talk to your teacher about designing your own project.

Breakdown of Points: Part 1 15 points for a completed Travel Budget

• Country name: _____/1 pt.
• Justification: _____/3 pts.
• Hotel: _____/2 pts.
• Activities: _____/5 pts.
• Research: _____/3 pts.
• Final Budget: _____/1 pt.

Breakdown of Points: Part 2 10 Points for completed Final Product

• Point breakdown depends on option chosen

Africa Travel Project Grading

The project is worth 25 points and is broken down into two parts.

Pick a Country in Africa

Click here to explore the countries of Africa on Google Earth

List of Countries in Africa

Click here for a list of Recommended Countries and background information on each.

Recommended Countries:

South Africa

Madagascar

Morocco

Egypt

Kenya

Direction: Click the flag to learn more about each country.

Picked your country?

Begin your next step by completing the travel budget worksheet.

Morocco THe gem of North Africa

The Gem of North Africa

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Geography

• Morocco has a varied climate. Along the coastline, Morocco has a Mediterranean climate, ideal for growing dates and olives. Further inland, Morocco is mostly desert - the mighty Sahara Desert find its Western terminus in Morocco.
• Morocco is very mountainous.
• Morocco borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

Place image or video HERE.

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Traditionally, camel caravans were the only way to cross the Sahara Desert. In more remote parts of the country, the local people, called the Berbers, still use caravans to cross large swaths of desert.

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Morocco is home to some of the highest and most impressive mountains in Africa. The Atlas Range has peaks that reach over 10,000 feet and are snow capped even in the summer months!

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Only Morocco and Spain have coastlines that border both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. This makes fishing one of the top industries of Morocco. The Mediterranean coastline seen in the image here is known for its beautiful turquoise waters, adored by tourists and natives alike!

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Government

Country Name: Conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco Conventional short form: Morocco Government type: Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy Capital: Rabat Independence: 2 March 1956 (from France) National holiday: Throne Day (accession of King Mohammed VI to the throne), 30 July 1999 Legal system: Mixed legal system of civil law based on French civil law and Islamic (sharia) law; judicial review of legislative acts by Constitutional Court Flag description: Red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags; the pentacle represents the five pillars of Islam and signifies the association between God and the nation; design dates to 1912

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Animal Life

• Animal life in Morocco is abundant and diverse. Critters that find their home in desert climates can typically be found in Morocco, such as the Fennec fox, Dorcas gazelle, golden jackals, addax, gerbils, rodents, snakes, and lizards.

• Fennec Fox cubs

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History

• Morocco has a long history dating back thousands of years.
• In ancient times, the region was colonized by the Phoenicians, who brought trade to the region and connected it with the greater Mediterranean world.
• Later Morocco was made a Roman colony. Many Roman ruins can be found along the Mediterranean coast in Morocco.
• Finally, Morocco was conquered by Muslim armies in the 8th century and has been an Islamic stronghold ever since.

Place image or video HERE.

The great Mosque of Rabat dates to the 10th century and is an excellent example of Moorish architecture.

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Over the course of 500 years, the Romans built hundreds of temples such as the one seen here in the ancient Roman settlement of Volubilis, along the Mediterranean coast.

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Culture

• The main language of Morocco is Arabic, but many of the inhabitants of the desert still speak the ancient Berber language, which predates Arabic by hundreds of years.
• Morocco is a Muslim country predominantly.
• Most Moroccans dress in modern clothes these days, but one very famous piece of clothing originated in Morocco called the Fez, which is a brimless, tasseled cap that was traditionally worn by men.
• In more traditional Muslim families married woman cover their faces when out and about.

A young boy wearing the traditional Fez hat.

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Hijabs and face coverings are still worn by many woman in Morocco, which signifies their marital status. Henna tattoos are also very common in Morocco, and are seen as an adornment for women and sometimes men.

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Cuisine

• Moroccan cuisine is known for its Mediterranean vegetables, such as eggplant, lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes, and peppers.
• Yogurt is used a lot in Moroccan cooking.
• Moroccan cuisine also uses many different spices, such as cinnamon, turmeric, and cumin.
• Most meat eaten in Morocco is lamb or goat, which are raised by shepherds.
• The most famous Moroccan food is couscous, which is made from semolina wheat.

Moroccan couscous with roasted lamb

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Beneficial Websites: Click the link

Nomadic Matt: https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-guides/morocco-travel-guide/

Rough Guides: https://www.roughguides.com/morocco/

Lonely Planet: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/morocco

Offical Morocco website: https://www.visitmorocco.com/en

Viator: https://www.viator.com/Morocco/d825

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South Africa Sojourn

Venture to the southernmost tip of Africa to be gilded in gold, sun, and sand.

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Cape Town

Geography

• Climate (Sunny days, cool nights)
• Semiarid and Subtropical (Moderated by ocean on three sides).
• Summer (December to March):
• 77°F average temperature
• Winter (June to August):
• 63°F average temperature
• Landscape
• Most of South Africa’s landscape is made up of plateaus or elevated flat areas of land.
• Kalahari Desert extends into the South African Northern Cape province.
• Bodies of water
• Atlantic Ocean to the west
• Indian Ocean to the southeast

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Animal Life

Springbok Springbok Pronking?! Click here to learn more.

Elephant Elephant Kumba likes to play the trumpet?! Click here to learn more.

African Penguin Penguin Crime Spree?! Click here to learn more.

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1796-1824

1652

1880- 1881

1867

1497

1480s

History of South Africa Part 1

Dutch establish first permanent settlement around what is now Cape Town.

Diamonds discovered at Kimberley.

Portuguese navigator Bartholomeu Dias is the first European to travel round the southern tip of Africa.

The Dutch Cape Colony switches hands between the British and Dutch through battles. By 1824, Dutch formally agree it is part of British Empire.

First Anglo-Boer War between British colonies and the Boers (People who trace their ancestry back to the Dutch settlers) in the Transvaal Republic.

Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama sailed to India through the Cape of Good Hope.

BCE- “The prehistory and history of South Africa span nearly the entire known existence of human beings and their ancestors—some three million years or more—and include the wandering of small bands of hominins through the savanna, the inception of herding and farming as ways of life, and the construction of large urban centres.” Britannica

CE

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1961

1948

1989- 1990

1964

1899-1902

Mid 1880s

History of South Africa Part 2

Policy of apartheid (seperateness) adopted when National Party takes power. .

Nelson Mandela sentenced to life imprisonment.

Gold is discovered in Transvaal, triggering the gold rush.

South Africa declared a republic (Independence from Britain). Nelson Mandela heads African National Congress’s new military wing, which launches sabotage campaign.

FW de Klerk becomes president and meets Mandala. Public facilities desegregated. Many ANC activists freed, including Mandala.

Second Anglo-Boer War begins and ends with the Transvaal and Orange Free State becoming part of British Empire.

1994

Nelson Mandela elected President.

Culture

• Government: Parliamentary Democracy

• Language: 11 Official Languages

• Currency(Money: South African Rand

• Religions
• Christianity 86%
• Traditional African Religions 5.4%
• Muslim 1.9%

• Customs
• Afternoon Tea
• Adopted from British etiquette
• Tipping
• Eating out requires 10-20% tip

22% Zulu

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16% Xhosa

9.6% English

13.5% Afrikaans

Click here to watch Traditional Zulu Dance

Cuisine

Biltong + Droewors

• Preserved meat

• Traditional sausage

• Vegetable dish

• Version of a donut

• Baked sponge pudding

Watch the above video to see some of the most popular South African dishes.

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Famous Sites to See (Click to visit their webstie)

• The Kimberley Mine or “The Big Hole”
• “150 years ago, the site of the Big Hole was a featureless, flat-topped hill. When word spread that diamonds had been discovered, thousands of prospectors, armed with nothing more than picks, shovels and hope, descended on Kimberley and created the largest hand-dug excavation in the world.”

Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa

• Table Mountain
• “Flat-topped mountain in southwestern South Africa, overlooking Cape Town and Table Bay.”

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• Kruger National Park
• “Kruger National Park, in northeastern South Africa, is one of Africa’s largest game reserves. Its high density of wild animals includes the Big 5: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos.”

Things to do: Click to Learn More

• Apartheid Museum
• Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced by the ruling National Party of South Africa from 1948-1994.

Watch the above video learn more about Cape Town’s Diamond Museum.

• Robben Island Prison Tour
• Learn about Apartheid and see where Nelson Mandala was imprisoned for 18 years.

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• Tripadvisor Top 15 Things To Do in South Africa
• What other cool sites and attractions will you find to visit?

Beneficial Websites

CIA Factbook: South Africa: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/south-africa/

Viator: https://www.viator.com/South-Africa/d11-ttd

Lonely Plant : https://www.lonelyplanet.com/south-africa

South Africa Tourism : https://www.southafrica.net/us/en/travel

Trip Advisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g293740-South_Africa-Vacations.html

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Madagascar

Visit the 4th largest island in the world, just 250 miles off of the African coast

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Geography

• This climate of Madagascar is tropical along the coast, temperate inland, and aird in the south.
• The terrain is narrow coastal plains with high plateau and mountains in the center.
• Madagascar is an island located in the Indian Ocean.

u

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Animal Life

• Due to Madagascar’s location, the animals on the island can’t be found anywhere else in the world.
• Madagascar is the only place in the world where lemurs are found in the wild.

• Place image or video HERE.

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History

• Madagascar was settled by Indonesian people or people of mixed Indonesian/African descent.
• Arab traders arrived when trading began along the African coast.
• Portugal, France, the Netherlands, and England all had some holdings in Madagascar.

Place image or video HERE.

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Culture

• Madagascar has a democratic republic government with a semi-presidential system of government (executive powers are shared between the President and the Prime Minister)
• The official languages of Madagascar are Malagasy and French.
• The three most popular religions in Madagascar are animism, Protestantism, and Catholicism.
• The traditional garment of Madagascar is the Lamba

Image or video HERE.

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Cuisine

• The main food crops are rice, cassava, sweet potatoes, bananas, and beans.
• The main export crops are vanilla, cloves, fruits, cocoa, and sugarcane.
• Some popular dishes are Foza sy henna-kisoa (stir-fried pork and crab with rice), Ramazava (leaves, herbs, beef, and pork), and Vary amid’anana (rice, leave or herbs with meat and shrimp).

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Famous Sites to See

• Most famous places to see in Madagascar are centered around the national parks.

• Royal Hill- Castle: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/950/

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• Top 10 places to visit: https://www.touropia.com/tourist-attractions-in-madagascar/

Things to do

• This Lemur reserve listed so many different places to visit: https://www.lemurconservationnetwork.org/travel/

• Madagascar Vanilla Coast- Madagascar is the main vanilla producer in the world

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Beneficial Websites: Click the Links

Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/place/Madagascar

World Wild Life: https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/madagascar

BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13861843

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Tripadvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g293808-Activities-Madagascar.html

Lonely Planet: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/madagascar

Viator: https://www.viator.com/Madagascar/d4733-ttd

Welcome to Kenya!

Kenya has been described as the heart of the African continent, with a blend of unique cultures, fascinating animals, and jaw dropping landscapes, there is no other country quite like it.

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Karibu!

Introducing Kenya:

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Geography

• Kenya is located in East Africa between Somalia and Tanzania along the Indian Ocean coast.
• Along the coast the weather is tropical, in the north the country becomes desert like, and to the west Kenya has plentiful rivers and lakes.
• Kenya borders on Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa and second largest in the world (but don’t swim there, or else you’ll run into hippos and crocodiles!)

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Animal Life

• Kenya is home to animals such as: elephants, giraffes, hippos, rhinos, lions, cheetahs, leopards, zebras, many species of monkeys, baboons, wildebeests, warthogs, crocodiles, hyenas, buffalos, and many more!

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Watch me if you would like to see a cute video of a baby elephant

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History

• Kenya has been populated since the earliest human remains have been documented in the Paleolithic Era.
• Kenya has had a long history as a cultural crossroads, which has led to a rich history and sometimes conflict.
• More than 70 distinct ethnic groups and 42 tribes call Kenya home.
• Watch the video for more information!

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Culture

• English and Swahili are the two national languages of Kenya, but there are many distinct tribal languages spoken.
• In Kenya, people are predominantly Christian (85.5% of the country) with Islam being the second most predominant (10.9%)
• The Maasai people in Kenya are known for their bright and beautiful traditional clothing.
• You can watch Maasai men (in their traditional colorful dress) engage in a cultural jumping contest!
• In Kenya, groups are divided into 3 categories: the Bantu tribes, the Nilotic tribes, and the Hamitic tribes.
• The government is a Presidential Republic.

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Cuisine

• Nyama choma: means roasted or grilled meat in Swahili which is Kenyan barbecue!
• Ugali: this is normally served with nyama choma and is a cornmeal side dish similar to polenta.
• Fish is also prevalent in Kenyan cooking thanks to access to Lake Victoria and the coast!
• For those with a sweet tooth Mandazi is a Kenyan donut!
• Indian cooking also has an influence on Kenyan cuisine (Think about Kenya’s location on the Indian Ocean!)

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Famous Sites to See

• Maasai Mara National Reserve
• Mount Kenya
• Nairobi National Park
• Amboseli National Park
• Fort Jesus
• Giraffe Manor Hotel

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Things to do

• Visit a nature preserve or national park
• Embark on a safari to see wildlife
• Visit one of Kenya’s beautiful beaches
• Explore Mombasa or Nairobi
• Taste some local Kenyan dishes, like nyama choma
• Climb Mount Kenya
• Go to Lake Turkana to see crocodiles, black sand beaches, and three active volcanoes
• Go snorkeling or scuba diving

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Beneficial Websites- Click the links

• Lonely Planet: Kenya All around great site for travel information for Kenya

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• National Geographic: Kenya Contains good articles about wildlife, culture, and destinations in Kenya.

• Booking.com for Hotels in Kenya

• Trip Advisor Kenya Has hotel, restaurant, things to do, and anything else you may need to plan a trip to Kenya.

• Viator: Kenya Has many activities

Egypt

Egypt is the land of the Pyramids, Ottoman landmarks,Alexander the Great,Roman conquests and so much more.

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Geography

• The Climate is basically hot and dry (desert) but along the Mediterranean coast there is rainfall in the winter. In the Sinai region temperatures can be cooler due to the mountains.
• There are 4 geological areas, Nile River valley and its delta, Western Desert (Red Lands), Eastern Desert (White Desert), and Sinai Peninsula.
• Bordering bodies of water are the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Suez Canal. Internal bodies of water include the Nile River, and Lake Nasser.

Place image or video HERE.

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Animal Life

There are over 100 mammal species and approximately 106 reptile and amphibian species in Egypt. Unfortunately, many of the animals in Egypt are threatened or endangered. Some of these animals are dolphins, whales, geckos, snakes, crocodiles, hedgehogs and seals. Today people often catch Nile Perch, Tilapia, and catfish in the Nile System.

• Place image or video HERE.

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History-Ancient Egypt has one of the oldest and longest lasting civilizations in our world.

3100 BC: The Pharaoh Menes united all of Ancient Egypt under one rule. 1500 to 100 BC: The summit of Ancient Egypt. 525 BC: Persian Empire ruled over Egypt. 332 BC: Rise of Alexander the Great and the Ptolemy dynasty. 641: Arabs conquer Egypt

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History-Ancient Egypt has one of the oldest and longest lasting civilizations in our world.

1500s: Ottoman Empire is in power. 1805: Mohammed Ali came into power and the new dynasty ruled until 1952. 1952: Monarchy was overthrown and the Republic of Egypt was established. Nasser came into power and became an Arab leader. 1978: Sadat signed a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel Today: The President Abdel Fattah has been called authoritarian and many say there are human rights violations within Egypt.

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History-Fun Facts

• Cleopatra was not Egyptian!
• Ancient Egyptians had one of the earliest peace treaties - that we know about!
• Ancient Egyptians loved to play board games such as Senet.
• There were labor strikes in ancient Egypt!
• Most of the pyramids were built by paid workers NOT slaves!

Place image or video HERE.

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Culture

• Government - Democratic Republic
• The official language is Modern Standard Arabic but it is not the spoken language. There are many dialects in Egypt.
• 90% Muslim- mostly Sunni, 9% Coptic Orthodox Christian, 1% other Christian
• Kinship and one’s family are very important. Often extended families live together.
• The traditional dress is a long shirt called “gallibaya”. One can wear pants under it or by itself. Covering one’s head is important. Men wear a turban, skullcap or a tarboosh. Women wear veils (hijab, niqab, burqa)
• An interesting fact is that they believe that spilling coffee brings good luck!

Brittanica- People of Egypt

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Cuisine

• Most Egyptian meals have spices, Samna, Lentils, Vermicelli, Fava Beans, Chickpeas, and Eggplant.
• Common meats are squab, chicken, duck and lamb. Seafood is popular around the coastal areas.
• Kebab and Kofta, Koshari and Mesakaa are very popular dishes.
• Aish baladi (Egyptian pita bread) is eaten at every meal.

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Famous Sites to See

• Egyptian Museum in Cairo
• Giza Pyramids
• Cairo Citadel
• Luxor Temple
• Aswan High Dam
• Saint Catherine’s Monastery, Sinai
• Suez Canal
• Citadel of Saladin

Image or Video HERE

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Things to do

• Visit the White Desert National Park
• Tour Abu Simbel
• Visit Luxor and see the temple
• Eat at Nisantasi in Cairo (one of the best restaurants on Tripadvisor)
• Ride a camel
• Take a 2-hour Nile River Night Dinner Cruise from Cairo
• Tour of Giza Pyramids

Image or video HERE

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Beneficial Websites- Click to learn more!

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Britannica- gives a great overview of Egypt

GoWay Egypt Vacation- Great site for quick facts, culture, food, and more.

A Timeline of Egypt's History

Issues today with Human Rights Violations

Fun History Facts

Culture of Egypt- from newspaper USA Today

Culture Atlas

Egypt Unique Traditions

Traditional Clothing

Food

Food

and Food

Tourism Sites

Off the Beaten Path Sites

Things to do in Cairo