As the holidays begin, some Nepalis are packing their bags to go abroad. These days, some are headed to Egypt. Last year alone, about three hundred Nepalis toured the land of the Pharaoahs. Jeevan Shrestha of the Egyptian embassy in Kathmandu says, "This is the figure for Nepali residents; the figure for non-resident Nepalis is even higher." More conventional holiday destinations for Nepalis are Goa, Mauritius, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Egypt is the new hot spot. And it's no surprise - about 11 million international tourists visit Egypt annually.

Egypt's rich history not only makes it a favourite among tourists, but researchers and historians too. Tourist attractions in the country include the Great Pyramids of Giza, along with the Nile and the Khan Ali Khalil Bajar of Cairo.

A trip to Egypt is never complete without a cruise on the Nile. A train trip of about 15 to 16 hours from Cairo gets you to Aswan Bandargah, where cruise packages are available. The three-day package on the five-star rated SS Karim is the most popular.

Nili Shah, sales executive for Marcopolo Travels, explains that an 8-day trip to Egypt is available for $700-800, inclusive of a plane ticket and a tour around Cairo, Giza, Luxor and other cities as well as a Nile cruise. It seems the offer is a tempting one. According to Kalpana Shrestha of Gulf Air Nepal, which flies to more than 40 countries, there has been a surge in the number of Nepalis booking tickets to Egypt.

Here's to a future in which Nepalis leave home for the Middle East not just to work, but to play.

Sambhu Guragain and Ram Krishna Banjara