This Spring Break our family decided to tic another country off our “bucket list” and indulged in a 10 day adventure throughout Egypt. Our visit was managed by an exceptional on the ground “tour operator” which is a must when traveling to a country which can best be described as “Organized Chaos”. Every aspect of our trip, from start to finish, we had our own personal concierge and Egyptologist/guide at our side, helping us navigate through towns, airports, local streets and most importantly gaining us access to underground tunnels and tombs not on the “regular tourists” list and most importantly providing us with an unparalleled education on the mind blowing history this country has to offer. If you are seeking a family trip that includes adventure, education, some downtime and a snap shot of an eye opening world experience, look no further than a trip to Egypt.
We arrived in Cairo and our adventure started with a “bang”. I didn’t have any expectations so I was surprised by this city of 9.5 million which is intensely high paced and chaotic. The constant sound of honking horns, cars weaving through the streets, people taking their life in their hands crossing highways is a site I have never seen. We stayed at the Four Seasons Nile River. Service at the hotel was excellent, and the food is very good with lots of variety. We dined both in the hotel and also explored restaurants outside of the hotel for both lunch and dinner. Pricing, in general, for accommodation, food and touring is very affordable in comparison to other major destinations.
Our first day was a visit to the Cairo museum with our Egyptologist and guide, Hassan. The artifacts, especially when accompanied by a proper narrative and description, are mind boggling. We spent the morning here, however if you were very keen, you could easily spend a few days. Our afternoon was spent doing a walking tour through the old Islamic quarter and a food tour for lunch where we experienced a little bite to eat at local food stands and restaurants. Being up close and personal with Cairo is a very interesting experience only enhanced by our guide who brought so much to the table in many respects.
Our second day started with an early morning trip to Saqqara, the necropolis of Memphis, which is home to the step pyramid. At nearly 4400 years old these are among the oldest pyramids in Egypt. Here you are able to go into the tunnels under the pyramids, and into a number of tombs where you will see 4000-year-old, carvings, and paintings that are very full of life and still have most of their original colors. While the Giza pyramids are the most famous in the world and supposedly one of the highlights of a visit to Cairo, my husband and I were in agreement that the visit to Saqqara felt more rewarding than our visit to Giza.
We spent the afternoon visiting the great pyramids of Giza, which is everything that they are billed as. The difference between Giza and all the other sites we visited is there is little opportunity to get up close to artifacts. Certainly the magnitude of the site is awe inspiring, and when, accompanied by a guide, all your questions will be answered. We had pre reserved lunch at the newest restaurant which overlooks the pyramids. This is a must. The food was top notch and the setting is absolutely amazing. After lunch we ended our day of sightseeing by seeing the Sphinx.
On day three we flew from Cairo to Aswan where we boarded our three-night cruise on the Nile aboard the Jaz Viceroy. While in Aswan we visited the Temple of Philae, a UNESCO heritage site and is on its own island in the Nile River. Our ship was very comfortable and our room was not unlike a well-appointed New York hotel room. Having recently been renovated, It was very spacious, including the bathroom which had also had great shower pressure! On the top deck of the ship there was a swimming pool and a very nice area to lounge and have a drink while enjoying the sights and scenery while sailing along the Nile.
On the 3 night cruise we saw many sights including the Temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu. In Luxor we visited Karnak temple, which is the largest religious complex built for a god. It’s hard to fathom how they moved such massive pieces of stone thousands of years ago. In addition, we also visited Luxor temple, equally awe inspiring. The two sites are connected by a 2 km road that is adorned with thousands of Sphinx statues each weighing multiple tons. And, of course what trip to Egypt wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Valley of the Kings. Again, this is an opportunity to get very up close and personal with history. We visited the tomb of King Ramses 6 and the tomb of King Tutankhamen, Hatshepsut Temple as well as a couple other equally impressive sites. I would highlight again that not having a well-educated guide would considerably diminish the visits to these sites. In addition to having the local knowledge on how to gain access to certain Tombs and how to skirt a few lines, the stories about the discoveries and the kings who built the tombs are invaluable. Valley of the Kings is by far the best preserved archaeological site that we visited. Inside the tombs, the carvings and paintings are as vibrant as they might have been 3000 years ago. It is really astonishing what the Egyptian’s accomplished millennials ago. While we did not make it to Abu Simbel, this is another site I might recommend including however does require additional travel.
Having spent 5 full days taking in the sites and history, we then changed gears to enjoy some of the other things Egypt has to offer. Up next, we went to Soma Bay a resort area on the Red Sea. Here you will find many European tourists enjoying the perfect weather, white sandy beaches and crystal clear blue waters. We stayed at the Kempinski, which is one of many large chain hotels located in this area. There are many activities to keep you busy in case you need something more than just lying on the beach or by the pool. There is golf, kiteboarding, windsurfing, snorkeling, glass, bottom, boats, go karting, parasailing, golf, tennis, paddleboard, and a well-equipped spa. Service at the hotel was very good, the rooms were large and clean. Another similar beach destination you might also consider is Sharm El Sheikh, also located on the Red Seas and would offer a similar experience.
After a few days of R+R at the Red Sea we carried onto an area called Fayoum, Egypt’s largest oasis area. We stayed at Lazib Inn which overlooks Lake Qaroun, a very large salt water lake. The inn had roughly 20 rooms over a sprawling and extremely beautiful garden. Lazib would be considered the most high-end property at Fayoum. The food, service and views are excellent. Unlike much of Egypt, you will find part of this area is relatively green, and is known for its farming of grains, fruit, olives, and vegetables. The town of Tunis in Fayoum is also known for its pottery where we took advantage of pottery class. Our final day in Egypt we were picked up in a Land Cruiser from the Lazib Inn where our driver took us Four Wheeling on the Sand Dunes in the nearby desert of Wadi Rayan. This was certainly one of the highlights for our 15-year-old son especially when we stopped and the driver pulled out of the trunk of our vehicle a snowboard specifically rigged to sand board down the steep dunes.
In this area we also visited Valley of the Whales, an archaeological and UNESCO heritage site with a museum and some open-air fossils of prehistoric whales which were found in the middle of the desert. The scenery in this area is spectacular and diverse. One minute you are in a true desert with never-ending sand dunes and optical illusions of water and the next minute you actually see a freshwater lake including waterfalls. I would characterize our visit to Fayoum as a medium intensity dive into prehistoric Egypt, combined with having some fun in the desert.
All in all, Egypt is an amazing trip. It’s a unique step back in time. It’s a trip I would recommend for families, couples, or small groups. I might mention children should be a minimum of eight to ten years of age as there is a fair amount of walking not to mention historical information. The exposure to a bustling country with a very rich and diverse culture is eye opening. As an educational experience, I can’t imagine a trip anywhere in the world where you would suck up so much information and see such inspiring sites. It’s a once in a lifetime trip.
