Abandoned Egypt: Pictures show deserted pyramids and sphinx after tourists shun country because of terrorism fears

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While most famous landmarks are difficult to photograph without the swarms of tourists, one traveller had a shockingly isolated experience when he visited Egypt.

From the Wonder of the World, The Great Pyramid to the Great Sphinx of Giza, ancient attractions that have long lured multitudes of crowds from all over the world, now lay abandoned and eerie.

The pictures reveal in startling detail the crippling effect that the violent conflicts of 2011's revolution and its fallout are still having upon tourism, which has dropped dramatically in recent years.

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Eerie isolation: Photographer Ben Terzza moved to Egypt for four months and was shocked to see famous sites such as the Pyramids of Giza completely devoid of tourists

There was no swarms of crowds at attractions such as the Great Sphinx of Giza, and Terzza said he felt isolated 

 Anticipating the grand, iconic landmarks to be alive with the buzz of flocking crowds, he was met by a desolate landscape

Reuters reported how the number of visitors has rapidly fallen from 14.7 million people in 2010 to 9.9 million in 2014. 

Last year photographer Ben Terzza followed his partner to the ancient country to live for a few months, while she pursued a teaching job. 

Staying in El Gouna, the pair headed to Cairo for Christmas, although they were warned to be careful during their stay.

Anticipating the grand, iconic landmarks to be alive with the buzz of flocking crowds, they was met by a desolate landscape. 

'I wasn't expecting the Pyramids of Giza site to be so empty and eerie,' the photographer, who was born in England, told Business Insider. 

Heading to the Saqqara pyramids, they discovered they were the only people there.

Earlier this year it was announced that in order to restore confidence for tourists, Egypt is to launch a global advertising campaign in November. The campaign is hoped to draw more tourists to the country 

The anxiety of being so far away from other tourists was only made greater by the arrival of locals, who took the opportunity to beg for money

No need to push past the crowds: The photographer was among the only people at the attraction 

The anxiety of being so isolated was only made greater by the arrival of locals, who took the opportunity to beg for money and try to show them around. 

Feeling uncomfortable, Terzza said he even had to shout to stop them from bothering him.

'As you spoke to more and more locals, the reality of their political, economic, and social cultures started to make sense,' he said to the news site. 

Feeling uncomfortable, Terzza said he even had to shout at locals to stop them from bothering him

Over 900,000 British nationals visit Egypt every year, with most visits trouble-free. But Egyptian tourism has survived big setbacks in the past

Reuters reported how the number of visitors has rapidly fallen from 14.7 million people in 2010 to 9.9 million in 2014

Over 900,000 British nationals visit Egypt every year, with most visits trouble-free. But Egyptian tourism has survived big setbacks in the past. 

Last year, the bombing of a tourist bus in Sinai killed two South Koreans and an Egyptian, reviving memories of an Islamist uprising in the 1990s that often targeted tourists and took years for then President Hosni Mubarak to crush.

Just last week an Airbus A321 took off from Sharm el-Sheikh and crashed around 20 minutes later, killing all 224 passengers and crew on board. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. 

A spokesperson for Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) told MailOnline Travel: ‘In relation to Egypt the FCO advises against travel to parts of the country, including the North Sinai, but does not do so to the Red Sea Resorts, including Sharm el-Sheikh, which exist fairly autonomously from the rest of the country with extremely high levels of security, these resorts also attract over 90 per cent of British visitors to Egypt.

‘The remainder may spend some time in Cairo and there’s a risk that tourists at high profile sites like the Giza Pyramids may be confronted aggressively for money or business, even while travelling by car, or taxi. Visitors using a pre-booked guide, or taking an organised tour to visit the Giza Pyramids are likely to face fewer difficulties.’ 

Locals turned up and tried to show Terzza and his girlfriend around the site in exchange for money

In a bid to restore confidence to tourists, Egypt is set to launch a global advertising campaign this month.

'The focus has been on such (negative) news even though we are sitting here, going to our work and dealing with the situation as if it is completely stable but this picture is not portrayed abroad,' Minister Hisham Zaazou said.

'I believe that (changing perceptions) must be a priority at this stage because the current views on the situation in Egypt is not good, so we must work on that.'

Follow more of Terzza's work on his website and Instagram.

The Foreign Office advise there is a risk that tourists at high profile sites like the Giza Pyramids may be confronted aggressively for money or business, even while travelling by car, or taxi

Minister Hisham Zaazou said that he believes that (changing perceptions) must be a priority at this stage because the current views on the situation in Egypt are not good

Terzza said he wasn't expecting the Pyramids of Giza site to be so empty during his visit at Christmas in 2014