STUNNING PICS: The ancient land of Egypt

A selection of images of travel destinations in Egypt by the very talented Reuters photographers.

Ahdaf Soueif writes in her book The Map of Love: "And Egypt? What is Egypt's strength? Her resilience? Her ability to absorb people and events into the pores of her being? Is that true or is it just a consolation? A shifting of responsibility? And if it is true, how much can she absorb and still remain Egypt?"

Indeed, the culture of Egypt is a beautiful tapestry revealing itself slowly and seductively to its viewer. Much like our own country, Egypt never lets you be a passive admirer, drawing you inside and engulfing you with its beauty and chaos.

In the pages to follow, we bring you some of the most stunning images of Egypt by the photographers at Reuters. First up is this one of mosques during sunset in Old Cairo.

Tourist and Egyptians travel on horses during a sandstorm near the Sphinx, around the great pyramids, on the outskirts of Cairo. The pyramids at Giza were one of the tourist sites that were reopened to the public for the first time after the uprising.

A boy climbs a palm tree to collect dates in an agricultural area in el-Hawamdiya, a suburb of Giza near Cairo.

The crescent moon is seen near mosques in old Cairo on the fifth day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Hot-air balloons fly over Luxor, around 650 km south of Cairo.

A view of the 3200-year-old Abu Simbel temple is seen during a daily sound and light show, on the eve of the anniversary of pharaoh king Ramses II's coronation, at the upper reaches of the Nile, around 1264 km (785 miles) south of Cairo February 21, 2010.The axis of temple was designed so as to allow the rays of the sun to shine into the inner sanctuary only on Ramses II's birthday and his coronation.

A traditional Egyptian "Felucca" boat sails on the Nile river in the southern Egyptian city of Aswan about 879 km (549 miles) south of Cairo. Feluccas are especially popular with tourists who enjoy their slow pace and intimate experience of the river.

A boy rides a horse in front of the Great Pyramids of Giza on the outskirts of Cairo.

Tourists await the sunset in the White Desert in Egypt March 31, 2006. The White desert, which lies about 100 km (62 miles) south of the Black desert, is a surreal area full of glaringly white rock formations.

Belly dancer Nour performs at a belly dancing festival in Cairo.

A four-wheel drive vehicle crosses the sand dunes in the late afternoon sun near Egypt's western desert oasis of Siwa. The oasis has about 230 hot and cold mainly fresh water springs, and several large lakes scattered around the area, which is a popular destination for tourists on desert safari trips.