A private day trip from Alexandria to El Alamein on the Mediterranean coast, scene of the decisive Second World War battle of 1942. Your guide collects you from your hotel and drives you in a modern air-conditioned vehicle to the El Alamein War Museum, with its tanks, weapons and battle maps, and on to the war memorials and cemeteries nearby. It is a moving day for anyone interested in WWII history, with hotel pickup, transport and guiding included, from $140.
Egypt Day tours guide will meet you in your hotel in Alexandria . You will drive by a modern air-conditioned vehicle to Alamein City to start your full day. You will get to visit the War Museum of Alamein, where you will see and get more information about the story of the war, different weapons and outfits for soldiers of all participating forces. Also this Museum contains a lot of collectibles from North African battles and civil war. Next you get to visit the cemetery of commonwealth & German Cemetery. After your tour ends you will return back to your hotel in Alexandria.
Why El Alamein matters. In 1942, the small railway halt of El Alamein, about 100 kilometres west of Alexandria, became the last line of defence before the Nile Delta and the Suez Canal. After the first battle stopped the Axis advance in July, the Second Battle of El Alamein in October and November 1942 saw General Montgomery’s Eighth Army defeat Rommel’s German and Italian forces, beginning the end of the war in North Africa.
The War Museum. The museum tells the story of the desert campaign from the point of view of all the armies involved: British and Commonwealth, German, Italian and Egyptian. Outside, a collection of tanks, guns and vehicles stands in the sand; inside you find maps of the battles, uniforms, personal belongings and photographs that bring the soldiers’ daily life in the desert to life.
Commonwealth War Cemetery. Row after row of white headstones, set in a quiet garden, mark the graves of soldiers from Britain, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa and many other countries. The Alamein Memorial at the entrance lists thousands more who have no known grave. If you are looking for a particular name, tell us in advance and your guide will help you find it.
German War Memorial. On a ridge overlooking the sea stands the octagonal German memorial, built like a desert fortress, where the remains of thousands of German soldiers lie together.
Good to know. The drive takes around one and a half to two hours each way along the Mediterranean coast. The cemeteries are places of remembrance, so dress respectfully. Bring a hat and water, as there is little shade.
