Standing on the foot of Rameses II’s 20 metre colossal statues you’d be forgiven for pondering you’d been forged as an additional in Dying on the Nile. This was the southern most level on our Egypt itinerary and one in every of dozens of surreal moments throughout our full on 10 days experiencing the traditional wonders of the world.
I’ve at all times been fascinated by historical Egypt and visited, all too briefly, once I was a teen. That journey was restricted to Cairo and the pyramids at Giza. However there’s a lot extra to Egypt!
So once we had been searching for locations to go to for our Easter break from Oman I shortly jumped on the chance to move again to the land of the pharaohs for a greater look.
If seeing the wonders of Egypt has at all times been in your bucket listing, however you’re uncertain whether or not it’s too busy, too scorching and even secure for households, let me share our expertise of visiting Egypt with youngsters.
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Planning a ten day Egypt itinerary
First issues first, right here’s a couple of issues we learnt whereas planning our Egypt vacation and whereas we had been there:
Is Egypt secure to go to?
That is one thing I used to be requested most on Fb and Instagram earlier than, throughout and after our journey.
It’s a good query. Egypt ranks within the prime 20 nations on the earth affected by terrorism. And the UK authorities advises towards travelling to some areas.
The battle in Sudan to the south may additionally make folks assume twice about how secure it’s to go to Egypt.
Our expertise was that we felt very secure.
We didn’t contact on any of the locations the UK authorities advises to not go and we knew our journey agent would react to the most recent journey steerage.
There’s no getting away from the very fact safety is tight.
You’ll journey via numerous police examine factors the place armed officers ask drivers who they’ve of their automobile. And there are armed guards in any respect vacationer websites.
Every of our resorts had safety folks on the entrance gate and bag scanners within the foyer.
We discovered this all reassuring relatively than worrying.
We had a information with us nearly on a regular basis however on the few events we did step outdoors our resort or wander across the historic websites on our personal we didn’t really feel unsafe.
Identical to it’s best to each time you go on vacation, ensure you have a superb journey insurance coverage coverage* that adequately covers the nation you might be visiting and the entire actions it’s possible you’ll do.
Egypt visas
Every particular person in your loved ones should have a vacationer visa until you might be solely visiting the Sharm el Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba resorts and staying not more than 15 days.
Visas to journey in every single place else in Egypt value $25 per particular person and may be purchased on-line on the Egyptian Authorities’s official visa web site. Ours took 24 hours to come back via.
The web site is a bit of clunky, so be affected person.
It’s also possible to purchase visas on the airport earlier than you undergo immigration however I want to get this type of element sorted properly earlier than we land.
Flights to Egypt
We booked our personal flights to Egypt. There are many direct flights to Cairo Worldwide Airport from the UK.
If you wish to skip Cairo and hop on to Luxor, Aswan or the Crimson Sea you’ll must get a connection. Egypt Air is the principle airline for inner flights.
We discovered their web site to be a bit ropey and their customer support was actually poor once we wished to vary our flight time.
The flight itself – an inner journey from Hurghada to Cairo – was rather more nice than the pre-travel admin.
If you happen to e-book your Egypt journey itinerary via a tour operator they will organise all of your flights as a part of your package deal.
Foreign money
Money is king in Egypt. And with lower than 3p per Egyptian Pound (EGP) you will have a wedge of it.
We picked up our forex at Cairo Airport, and at money machines inside and out of doors our resorts. It was simple to get our fingers on the bigger notes this fashion however it’s helpful to have one, 5 and 10 EGP notes for tipping, and for the bathrooms on the historic websites and highway aspect bathroom breaks.
You’ll must make a purchase order to pay money for these or ask in case your resort reception can swap large notes for small ones.
Quite a lot of locations, partiality souq merchants, can even settle for US {dollars} and Euros.
Journey occasions
If you wish to see a superb proportion of Egypt’s historical wonders you may be doing a variety of journey. For that reason I’m glad we did this journey when the women had been 10 and practically eight. It was tiring.
They spent a variety of time in our mini bus napping or on their tablets.
I’d introduced a bag stuffed with cereal bars, nuts and sweets with us and we topped this up throughout the journey.
Our longest journey day – except for our 16 hour journey house – was a 9 hour spherical journey to Abu Simbel. Seven hours of this was on the highway.
There have been additionally some very early mornings and late nights.
After we first checked out Egypt as a attainable vacation spot we knew we wanted so as to add some downtime to the top of our journey for everybody’s sanity. On rest, if we’d had extra time, I’d have added an additional day without work sightseeing within the center.
Arranging your Egypt journey itinerary
We booked our journey six weeks earlier than we departed. Transferring to Oman has modified the locations we’re exploring however not essentially our skill to plan forward long run!
So, to maintain issues easy, we determined to make use of a journey agent to make all of the preparations for us.
This isn’t one thing we had executed earlier than, half from reserving cruise excursions and the odd metropolis tour. We often plan our personal day journeys and locations to remain whereas on vacation. However with a lot to cowl we determined to make use of the specialists.
This took all the effort out of planning our Egypt itinerary, but in addition left us feeling extra relaxed whereas we had been there. We didn’t must e-book or haggle with a number of guides or drivers as we went alongside.
Having stated that, it could have been attainable to DIY it cheaper.
If you wish to plan your personal Egypt itinerary then skip to the following part for some inspiration concerning the should see locations to incorporate.
If you happen to’re considering an trustworthy advice for a journey agent, learn on.
Egypt itineraries with Households Worldwide
We booked our Egypt itinerary with Households Worldwide who’re primarily based within the UK. I don’t have a relationship with this firm so I don’t have to say it, however I need to as a result of we had an excellent expertise.
The one factor we organised was our flights as a result of we had been travelling from outdoors the UK.
Our vacation was for 10 days and was put collectively for our household primarily based on a instructed itinerary.
Households Worldwide additionally supply seven day itineraries throughout which you’ll be able to be a part of a small group of households or have your personal private information, like we did. The selection is yours relying on what works greatest for your loved ones.
A abstract of our Egypt journey itinerary
Clearly you’ll be able to see much more in 10 days and that’s why we went for this selection. Right here’s a fast overview of our Egypt journey itinerary:
- Day 1 to 2: arrive in Cairo, and see Nice Egyptian Museum and the Pyramids of Giza
- Day 3: hop to Alexandria on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast to see the catacombs, Pompey’s Pillar and Qaitbey Fort
- Day 3 to 4: the sleeper practice to Aswan
- Day 4 to six: exploring the temples at Philae and Abu Simbel
- Days 6 to eight: exploring Luxor’s temples and the Valley of the Kings
- Days 8 to 10: stress-free at an all-inclusive resort on the Crimson Sea earlier than flying again to Cairo for a world flight house.
Our Egyptian information
Adel, our tour information, with us for the entire 10 days. He has a Masters in Egyptology from Cairo College and a complete bunch of riddles and ugly info to maintain youngsters entertained.
Adel was with us from daybreak till nightfall some days. He was our information, fixer, translator and he took us to some beautiful native eating places (included within the worth of our vacation), so we weren’t restricted to resort meals each evening.
The instructed minimal age for this tour is seven. Our ladies had been 10 and practically eight and we had been glad that the whole lot we did was with their capabilities.
Household lodging in Egypt
One thing to remember is that Egypt’s resorts hardly ever do household rooms.
We had interconnecting rooms at three out of 4 resorts and on the sleeper practice.
Two of our resorts additionally had balconies. So, you want to remember and glad about this if the lodging goes to give you the results you want.
If you wish to discover out extra about Households Worldwide’s Egypt holidays check out their web site.
10 days in Egypt with youngsters
Our vacation was full of locations youngsters find out about at school, places the place historical past and mythology collide, and extra bucket listing experiences than you’ll be able to shake a camels tail at.
A household vacation in Egypt actually is an academic journey and one which I don’t assume we’ll overlook in a rush.
Right here’s what we packed into every day as we lined practically 1,800 miles round Egypt by highway, practice and airplane.
Egypt journey itinerary day 1: arriving in Cairo
It’s Africa’s largest metropolis with a inhabitants of 26 million folks (unofficial estimates say 35 million). It’s solely while you drive via it which you can start to understand its scale.
The roads are the stage for a symphony of honking horns and all method of autos – two, three and four-wheeled – weaving a busy dance.
The air is thick with exhaust fumes and sandstone structure butts up towards tower blocks which have been sliced in half to make manner for greater, much more bustling highways.
There’s a lot life. From the small companies at floor stage to the picket pigeon coups perched on house block roofs. Egyptians eat pigeons like Brits eat chickens.
We received a small style of Egypt’s capital after touchdown at Cairo Worldwide Airport late within the afternoon.
We had been met by our Households Worldwide rep who guided us via immigration and arrivals faster than I feel I’ve ever skilled.
Inside half an hour of leaving the airplane we had been out the door and in our non-public mini bus.
Apparently touchdown simply earlier than sundown throughout Ramadan labored in our favour. Everybody was eager to interrupt their quick, so the airport and roads had been quieter than they could often be.
We had been whisked via Cairo and throughout the Nile into Giza and our base for the following two nights, the Cairo Pyramids Resort*.
Evening had fallen by the point we arrived. We checked in, dropped our baggage in our rooms and grabbed a meal within the resort restaurant earlier than an early evening, prepared to begin exploring.
Day 2: Cairo and Giza
This morning we met our information, Adel, who was to journey with us all through the remainder of our time in Egypt.
He lives in Cairo so was in a position to give us nice insights into the town together with explaining the language of the honking we’d heard the evening earlier than.
Every honk has a which means primarily based on its size and repetition. ‘I’m right here’, ‘I’m coming via’ and ‘you fool’ (to place it properly) can all be distinguished from the rumpus when you’ve got the fitting ear.
This was the primary of so many info we had been to study from Adel about Egypt’s right here and now, in addition to its historical historical past.
Grand Egyptian Museum
We had been picked up at 8am for our first day of sightseeing. And what higher place to begin than the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. This was a forty five minute drive away via the Cairo visitors.
In its heyday the museum was house to greater than 150,000 artefacts.
All however the Rosetta Stone are authentic. This treasure, which helped unravel the secrets and techniques of historical Egyptian texts, is now in The British Museum in London.
The museum’s displays are slowly being transferred to the brand new Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. This was slated to open a couple of years in the past however needs to be open later in 2023. When it does it will likely be the biggest museum on the earth.
We drove previous the skin and that alone is kind of a spectacle.
The destiny of the previous Egyptian Museum constructing continues to be unknown.
Within the meantime, it’s displaying its age and there are a couple of empty show circumstances. It’s nonetheless full of unbelievable items together with the haul from Tutankhamen’s tomb – the final and most well-known burial web site to be unearthed.
The boy king’s loss of life masks and Russian doll like sarcophagus stand out among the many others that you just see across the halls. And whereas it may be a little bit of a crush to get into this particular exhibition it’s a one thing you must see.
Why go to the Egyptian Museum?
The museum lays the foundations for the remainder of your time in Egypt.
Adel used the shows right here to show us tips on how to distinguish between statues carved for pharaohs who had been useless or alive, those that dominated the south, north or each, and the place they’d have been made.
He additionally taught us the fundamentals for studying heiroglithics; concerning the historical Egyptian’s beliefs across the afterlife; and that being wrapped within the pores and skin of a goat – an ill-favoured animal right here – relatively than linen bandages was reserved for society’s outcasts.
In a single morning my data of historical Egypt was expanded 100 fold.
And it actually introduced the journey alive for the children. In so most of the snaps our eight-year-old requested me to take you’ll discover her posing as a useless or alive pharaoh.
The Pyramids of Giza
After a lunch of falafel and hummus at a Cairo restaurant we headed again to Giza.
My distant reminiscence of visiting the pyramids once I was a teen was telling me to not be upset once they weren’t as giant as they give the impression of being in footage.
Properly, I’d completely mis-remembered. They’re simply as spectacular as you count on, even with the city sprawl of Giza and Cairo proper on their doorstep.
Till the Empire State Constructing was inbuilt New York, the Grand Pyramid was the tallest construction on the earth.
The operation to construct the pyramids – at a time when farming had solely simply been launched in Britain – should have been superior. Adel instructed us should you used the stones from the biggest pyramid to make a 5 metre excessive wall it will be lengthy sufficient to encompass France.
High tip: don’t queue and pay to enter the Nice Pyramid constructed for King Khufu. We walked previous this to the tomb of his mom, Queen Hetepheres, which is likely one of the three smaller pyramids beside it.
Entry to that is included in the usual pyramid advanced ticket. And once we went there was no queue.
The climb all the way down to the burial chamber is steep and slim, and there’s nothing as such to see while you attain it, which is seemingly a much like its a lot bigger neighbour. However you’ll be able to say you have got been inside a pyramid.
Camel rides on the pyramids
One thing we ummed and ahhed about earlier than visiting the pyramids at Giza was whether or not we’d do a camel experience. We wished to verify they had been properly taken care of earlier than subjecting them to carrying our sweaty our bodies.
A few of the first camels we noticed as we entered the pyramid advanced didn’t look that good.
We spoke to Adel about our issues and he took us to the view level on the plateau above the pyramids the place there have been extra camels.
They seemed in a lot better nick and, as our eight-year-old was actually eager, we determined to take a brief experience.
Our 10-year-old stated she didn’t fancy it and walked alongside us. After a couple of failed touristy photographs we returned to our mini bus for the drive to the final cease of the day.
The Sphinx
That is the place my teen reminiscence ought to have kicked in. The Sphinx, also referred to as ‘Ra’ to the traditional Egyptians and ‘Father of Terror’ to Arabians, is smaller than you would possibly count on.
It’s nonetheless value a go to, particularly to see the temple in entrance of it the place the pyramids’ royal households had been mummified among the many arrow straight sandstone columns.
It was right here that Adel gave us the complete ugly lowdown on the mummy-making course of, from scrambling the brains to transferring the organs to urns and wrapping the physique from head to toe thrice.
And that’s if your loved ones favored you!
If you happen to weren’t in favour, due to some misdemeanour in life, you’d be wrapped in goat skins.
By this level we’d been exploring for six hours and the children had been determined to get again to our resort and funky off within the pool.
Our resort in Giza
We stayed at Cairo Pyramids Resort* which is a part of the Steinburger Resort group. I’ll admit this wasn’t our favorite lodging of our journey however it was useful.
There are rooms with views of the pyramids, however we stayed in a pair of the backyard view chalet rooms. These had been subsequent to one another however not linked.
They had been very drained however clear.
One of many greatest downsides was there was no double glazing, so we couldn’t get away from the roar of Cairo’s visitors. By our second evening it was virtually white noise. It didn’t disturb our ladies in any respect who slept like pharaohs each nights.
On the plus aspect, the resort pool was deliciously cool after a day of seeing the websites.
The resort’s Il Gardino restaurant additionally had a good selection of moderately priced pasta, pizza and Arab dishes. We ate right here each nights.
There was additionally loads of selection on the breakfast buffet with cooks readily available to prepare dinner eggs and make pancakes. The restaurant employees had been very pleasant and environment friendly.
Verify charges for resorts in Giza*
Day 2: Alexandria
This morning we completed packing our baggage, grabbed an early breakfast and met Adel at 7am for the three hour drive to Alexandria – house to wonders of the traditional and medieval worlds.
The North of Egypt could be very flat and the principle highway plots a straight course to the coast. Alongside the best way we noticed fruit bushes, palms and vines from our mini bus home windows.
We additionally noticed many white washed brick cones. It quickly turned clear these had been the countryside’s equal of the pigeon coups we’d seen on prime of all of the house blocks in Cairo.
Our vacation spot, Alexandria, sits on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast and is known as after after Alexander the Nice who introduced within the nation’s Graeco-Roman period.
However relatively than being a reluctantly obtained conquerer, the Egyptian’s welcomed the Macedonian warrior. He constructed temples to their gods and worshipped in them too. They even made him the one non-Egyptian born pharaoh.
As a consequence Alexandria feels half African, half European. The sandstone buildings lining its seafront are within the Graeco-Roman type and trams rumble via the ornate streets of the Alpha district the place poorer residents as soon as wanted visas to enterprise.
Additional again from the ocean the slim streets are lined with outlets that spill out onto the pavement. That is the place we had been reminded of the busyness of Cairo.
Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
Our first cease in Alexandria was the spotlight for me. The Catacombes of Kom el Shoqafa are in contrast to anyplace else we had been to see throughout our Egypt itinerary. Certainly, they’re distinctive within the nation and rank among the many seven wonders of the Medieval world.
This maze of tunnels carved into the sandstone 11 metres beneath floor stage was initially constructed within the poorest a part of the town as a tomb for a blacksmith and his household.
Over time different households carved out much more tunnels and niches to bury kinfolk and in addition prized horses.
Mourners would come and go to the catacombs, bringing picnics with them to eat in a subterranean eating room earlier than returning to the floor.
Their left overs and damaged pottery containers are what gave the catacombs their identify once they had been rediscovered. ‘Kom el Shoqafa’ means ‘mound of shards’, which is what was discovered after the doorway was stumbled upon at the beginning of the twentieth Century.
High truth for youths: a donkey may be credited with rediscovering the catacombs after it slipped and fell into the entry shaft. Watch your step in Egypt!
Serapeum of Alexandria and the Pillar of Pompeii
Our subsequent cease was the ruins of what was as soon as an enormous Greek temple overlooking the town.
Serapeum was constructed within the third Century BC in honour of Serapis – a god invented to suit Egyptian and Greek beliefs. The temple would have boasted 400 pillars and a fancy of tunnels underground.
At present just one granite pillar stands right here together with a pair of sphinx.
The only pillar is was named ‘Pompeii’s pillar’ by the Crusaders who began the parable that Emperor Pompeii’s ashes had been left in a jar on the prime.
At present the pillar is surrounded by tower blocks, making it tough to visualise the previous temple’s grandeur.
It’s value discovering the doorway to the tunnels. These used to accommodate a library the place many papyrus manuscripts, and mummified cats and baboons had been discovered.
Fort Qaitbey
Our remaining cease earlier than lunch was Alexandria’s harbour – the positioning of one other of Egypt’s historical wonders, Alexander the Nice’s lighthouse.
This well-known lighthouse was constructed within the third century BC and was thought to have been greater than 110 metres in top. The info are unclear because it was destroyed by an earthquake within the twelfth Century.
Within the fifteenth Century, the lighthouse’s sandstone blocks had been used to create close by Fort Qaitbey, which now oversees Egypt’s deep blue Mediterranean coast.
Its partitions are a mere 11 metres excessive, however it nonetheless housed 500 troopers in battle time and had its personal reservoir and mosque.
Fort Qaitbey has loads of home windows to look out, and battlements and tunnels making this a enjoyable place for youths to roam round.
Day 2 to three: Sleeper practice to Aswan
After 4 hours exploring Alexandria we hit the highway again to Cairo for the following thrilling section of our Egypt itinerary – the journey to Aswan and the temples of Southern Egypt.
We arrived again in Cairo within the thick of the pre-Iftar visitors.
It wasn’t simply the locals who had been intent on meals. We additionally wanted to choose up some snacks and water for our in a single day experience on the Cairo to Aswan sleeper practice.
We had been actually wanting ahead to this expertise as none of us had ever by no means taken a sleeper practice earlier than, not to mention with youngsters in tow. So we anticipated it to be a memorable expertise – and we weren’t incorrect!
Have a learn of my account of what it’s prefer to experience the sleeper practice from Cairo to Aswan for the complete low down.
However in abstract and to be brutally trustworthy, it’s a very uncooked journey expertise. Consider the Orient Categorical. And now think about its grubbier, extra fidgety three-year-old sibling.
At occasions it’s exhausting and it will undoubtedly profit from a radical scrub. However it’s additionally has its endearing aspect.
For instance, the views within the morning. And figuring out you’ve traveled 879km alongside aspect one of many world’s most well-known rivers.
Am I glad we did it? Sure. Would we do it once more? In all probability not in Egypt.
If you happen to’re questioning if it’s for you please do learn my full weblog submit about it for ideas and extra data.
Day 3: Aswan and the Temple of Philae
After we woke the following morning we had been properly on our strategy to Aswan – Egypt’s smallest and most southern metropolis.
It’s bodily and characteristically a world away from Cairo regardless of sitting alongside the identical nice river. The low rise cityscape on the east aspect of the Nile overlooks plantations backed by sand dunes speckled with tombs on the west.
And there’s a comparative sense of calm with fewer autos on the roads and far much less honking. The river is sort of busier than the roads.
Aswan was my favorite of all of the Egyptian cities we visited.
It comes with its justifiable share of historical past and artifical marvels. At 10.30am we rolled straight off the practice and into one other non-public mini bus to start sightseeing.
Aswan’s dams
Fortunately we didn’t have an excessive amount of driving to do after our in a single day practice expertise. Our first cease was Aswan’s Increased Dam, which we reached by crossing the Decrease Dam.
Aswan is the purpose on the Nile the place the Egyptians constructed a dam in 1897. Its job was to control the move of the river and cease the land to the north flooding. This allowed for crops to be grown all 12 months spherical.
In 1970, the Increased Dam was accomplished up river. This generates all of Egypt’s electrical energy.
Whereas that sounds good, the dam and the creation of Lake Nasser behind it displaced greater than 50,000 folks whose villages had been consumed by what’s now one of many world’s largest synthetic lakes.
Seven historical temples between the Increased and Decrease Dam fared higher and had been moved stone by stone to greater floor.
After a quick cease on prime of the curved embankment, with an estimated 2,000 crocodiles on the lake aspect and a 111 metre drop on the opposite, we set off to see one of many saved temples.
Temple of Philae
Philae is a Graeco-Roman temple constructed for the Goddess Isis within the third Century BC. As you stroll between the columns and marvel at its hieroglyphics it’s unbelievable to assume it used to face 500m away.
Earlier than the Increased Dam was constructed this temple was dismantled and recreated stone by stone on the Island of Agilkia.
This was our first probability to stand up shut with hieroglyphs of their authentic setting.
One of many highlights for the children was how we reached Philae – by boat.
It’s only a brief experience throughout the reservoir between the dams however it means that you can see this glorious place from all angles.
And the sunshine breeze and contact of spray as we whizzed throughout the water was the right refresher. The temperature had elevated significantly between Cairo and Aswan.
The boats ferrying guests to the island are run by Nubians whose households as soon as lived within the Nile Valley that’s now Lake Nasser. You’ll see loads of their crafts and handmade souvenirs on the jetty.
After our go to we returned ashore and it was a brief drive to our subsequent resort, the Toilp Aswan*.
We grabbed a late lunch and relaxed by the pool, which is true beside the Nile.
Come night, Adel whisked us off for dinner on the Nile-side Salah El Din Restaurant the place we had piping scorching rooster and vegetable tagine with rice whereas the sundown.
We had the choice of exploring Aswan by evening however determined we higher get an early evening. There was one other lengthy day of journey forward of us.
Day 4: Abu Simbel
3.45am. It’s not a time I see typically now we’re past the newborn years. However while you’re in your strategy to meet Rameses II he calls for an early begin.
Forty-five minutes after our alarms went off we had been up and within the foyer to fulfill Adel who was weighed down with 4 packed breakfasts ready by our resort.
Day journey to Abu Simbel
Adel has been a tour information for greater than 20 years, so has executed this journey numerous occasions. He instructed us that three convoys of vacationer buses used to set off from Aswan between 4am and 5am every day. Miss the convoy and also you couldn’t go.
Now the foundations for travelling alongside the desert highway to Abu Simbel are extra relaxed. Excursions can set off when they’re prepared however they will solely journey alongside the highway between 5am and 5pm when the examine factors open.
Abu Simbel is just 12 miles from the Sudan border, so safety is tight.
The three and a half hour, 175 mile journey is on a tarmac highway that runs via the desert. As soon as you allow Aswan it’s a quick highway with few pace bumps and tough sections, so we had been in a position to seize a bit of additional sleep.
Alongside the best way the tour buses and automobiles play leap frog as they jostle for the earliest arrival spot.
Inevitably everybody day tripping from Aswan arrives at round 8.30am and leaves by 10am. We stayed an additional half hour and observed this completely surreal place quietening down.
What’s Abu Simbel?
Abu Simbel was constructed by Rameses II or simply ‘Rameses’ as he was probably the most important Egyptian ruler to make use of this identify.
He lived into his 90s and reigned for 33 years – no imply feat when most odd Egyptians can be glad to make it to 30.
This meant he had a variety of time on his fingers to cement his place as Egypt’s supreme ruler and as a god.
It’s thought that the temples of Abu Simbel had been constructed right here within the far south not as a result of he visited typically however as a present of his energy.
Inside there are large hieroglyphs depicting Rameses’ triumphs in battle and displaying him as equally highly effective because the gods.
Alongside the grand temple devoted to Rameses is a smaller one in honour of his favorite spouse Nefertari. He had 44 wives and it’s her alone who’s represented as an equal.
Like lots of Egypt’s architectural treasures, these temples had been misplaced for hundreds of years to the desert sands.
They had been rediscovered within the 1800s when a boy referred to as Abu Simbel guided an archaeologist to the place the baboons on the prime of the massive temple could possibly be seen peeping out of the sand.
A century later the temples had been moved 200 metres from their authentic location earlier than Lake Nasser flooded the land. This laborious job took eight years.
The way to keep away from the crowds at Abu Simbel
Our tour to Abu Simbel was constructed into our Egypt itinerary, so we took our journey agent and information’s recommendation on when to go to.
We knew going proper at first of the day can be probably the most snug time when it comes to the warmth, regardless of it being a pink eye begin.
This labored out properly for us as we had been in a position to relaxation in our mini bus on the drive out and again.
Nonetheless, if you’d like a greater probability of getting Abu Simbel to yourselves (lots of people do that to get one of the best footage), you want a special tactic.
Setting off from Aswan later within the day will allow you to keep away from the crowds. Simply be ready for the acute warmth of the day. As a household this wasn’t a superb possibility for us.
After all, should you did resolve to set off from Aswan later you continue to want to begin heading again simply after lunch earlier than the highway closes once more.
Setting off at 4.30am and spending two hours on the temples allowed us to get again to our resort by 1.30pm.
Afternoon felucca experience on the Nile
We’d been undecided concerning the afternoon exercise in our Egypt itinerary after such an early begin.
Nonetheless, we determined to push on via for our felucca experience and I’m glad we did.
After getting the children a fast prime up snack from the resort buffet we discovered our pre-booked felucca ready simply in entrance of our resort.
A felucca is a conventional African/Mediterranean open deck crusing boat with a canvas shade and cushioned seats down the edges.
All we needed to do was sit again and benefit from the experience.
Amusingly there was little or no breeze, so our Nubian captain put in a name his brother to tow us up river along with his motorboat. He had a superb sense of humour, enjoying Adele’s Hiya on his bluetooth speaker to wind up our information Adel.
As soon as we had been sufficiently within the move of the Nile we slowly tacked again watching animals graze alongside the river financial institution, and getting a greater have a look at tombs on the west financial institution and previous Aswan on the hills behind the fashionable metropolis.
We completed the day with an compulsory dip within the pool at solar set and dinner at a restaurant a brief stroll from our resort. By now we trusted Adel to pick someplace good for us to strive native meals. All of us loved plates stuffed with shawarma, kebab and kofta.
Our resort in Aswan
Whereas primarily based in Aswan we spent two nights on the Tolip Resort overlooking the River Nile. I might have spent many a night consuming within the view from our balcony.
Regardless of our tight sightseeing schedule the children had been eager to slot in two journeys to the riverside pool advanced which you entry from the principle resort through a tunnel that takes you below the highway.
This was one of the best place to understand the comings and goings of felucca and cruise ships.
The Tolip was the grandest resort we stayed in with an enormous atrium, glass elevate and foyer fountain. The meals and employees had been additionally nice. The contemporary mango and chocolate milkshakes had been value a bit of wait.
We had been allotted inter-connecting rooms with balconies. The women’ room had been arrange with twin beds and ours was a correct tremendous king.
The decor was a bit of drained however the whole lot was very clear and we had loads of room to sit down indoors and out.
It could have been a hangover from our sleeper practice expertise and the in a single day noise of Cairo however all of us slept extremely properly right here.
Evaluate charges for resorts in Aswan*
Day 5: temples on the highway to Luxor
It was a reduction to set off for the following stage of our Egypt itinerary at a extra civilised 9am.
At present we travelled 150 miles again alongside the identical route because the sleeper practice to Luxor with stops to see extra of Egypt’s unbelievable temples.
We drove beside date palms, mango bushes and tethered mules. Males carrying linen robes and turbans crouched within the shade, whereas youngsters jumped into canals working parallel to the river.
We handed three wheeled vans, tuk tuks, donkey drawn carts, and lorries carrying sugar cane.
These genuine sights of contemporary Egypt had been a welcome distraction from the state of the highway. It was a gradual and bumpy 4 hour experience.
Fortunately we had some relatively spectacular pit stops.
Kom Ombo Temple and Crocodile Museum
After an hour we arrived on the temple advanced of Kom Ombo beside the Nile. That is the one temple in Egypt devoted to 2 gods: Sobek and Horus.
The Graeco-Romans constructed it to appease the 2 warring gods, giving them equal shares within the temple from the doorway to the sanctuary.
It’s not simply its dedication that makes this temple distinctive.
Kom Ombo Temple the one historical web site in Egypt the place you’ll be able to see an outline of a mom giving beginning and breast feeding.
From the elegant to the absurd, it’s additionally the place 300 mummified crocodiles had been found.
After all, there’s a legend about them – as at all times, Adel was able to share this with the women – however you may as well see a few of them in a museum subsequent to the temple.
The youngsters had been wanting ahead to this and marvelled on the shrivelled reptiles of their glass circumstances. It was one other instance of how this Egypt itinerary works for kids in addition to us adults.
After 40 minutes, we had been again on the rutted highway to Luxor.
Edfu
An hour and a half later our bums thanked us for giving them one other break at Edfu – 60 miles south of Luxor.
Most guests to Egypt’s second largest temple arrive from Nile cruses early within the morning. So it was very quiet once we pulled up at lunch time.
Edfu isn’t solely large. It’s additionally probably the most intact temple within the nation. A lot of it seems like a movie set! Its preservation is once more due to being buried in sand for lots of of years.
That is one other temple from the Graeco-Roman period and was solely rediscovered 200 years in the past. The Greeks constructed it to honour the Egyptian god Horus which they aligned with their very own god Apollo.
All through the temple there are pictures of Horus with different gods. A few of the hieroglyphs nonetheless sport their authentic colors whereas others had been defaced within the 4th Century AD when non-Christian worship was outlawed.
Essentially the most spectacular options of Edfu are the massive columns. However they had been nothing in comparison with the following temple we had been to see.
The ultimate stage of our switch to Luxor continued alongside the railway line. We handed mud brick villages constructed beneath hills peppered with tombs lengthy since raided for his or her treasures.
The extra hilly nature of this area is likely one of the explanation why the pharaohs selected it as their gateway to the following life after the pyramids did not preserve them and their valuables secure.
Luxor
Luxor is house to a few of Egypt’s most well-known websites after the pyramids. You’ll be able to go to the Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temples and Queen Hatshepsut’s temple all in a day.
We had two days right here and loved our first correct little bit of down time alongside seeing the historic websites.
Our lodging, the Pavilon Winter Luxor Resort*, was set in shady gardens simply throughout the highway from the Nile. We didn’t have river views this time however we might see the resident flamingos roaming across the palm bushes within the morning.
We had time to unpack and lounge by the pool earlier than our night tour.
Karnak Temples Gentle & Sound Present
This was the one exercise we added to our 10 day Egypt itinerary for an additional £40 per particular person. Once more, I’d questioned whether or not we must always do it as a result of it was creeping into a lot wanted downtime on the finish of the day.
Nonetheless, it was our one alternative to see a night present at a temple. And when in Egypt…
Eating with views of Luxor Temple
Earlier than heading to Karnak Adel took us to Aboudi Espresso Break – a restaurant with a balcony the place we ate in view of Luxor Temple.
Adel labored his native contacts e-book to get us a desk on the entrance from the place we received a spectacular view of the temple.
The meals was additionally wonderful with loads of selection together with kid-friendly meals like nuggets and burgers. The women had been craving a little bit of lavatory normal grub after 5 days of making an attempt numerous new meals.
After we completed it was time for the principle occasion. Adel referred to as our mini bus and we drove to Karnak.
Karnak Temples
The temples right here had been constructed by successive pharaohs over a interval of 1,800 years. Unsurprisingly it’s the biggest advanced of historical buildings in Egypt.
Even the columns are large. You can stand 50 folks on the highest of a few of the largest ones. They make a formidable backdrop for the late evening gentle and sound present.
Regardless of watching The Spy Who Cherished Me a number of occasions as a child I wasn’t actually certain what to anticipate.
We arrived simply earlier than 9pm – pushing the children to their limits once more – and waited on the entrance to the temples. Fairly a crowd gathered earlier than a disembodied voice signalled the beginning of the present, inviting us to step inside.
The primary a part of the present is a walk-through expertise.
Photographs are projected onto the temple partitions and statues because the voices proceed to speak about Egypt’s historical rulers. It recapped and consolidated a variety of the data we’d learnt to date throughout our Egypt vacation.
There are a number of stops at vital statues and buildings.
After half an hour you sit overlooking the sacred lake. The story continues with lights highlighting vital buildings throughout the temples in entrance of you. This half lasted for one more half hour.
Regardless of the lateness of the present we’re glad we did it. Karnak wasn’t included in our Egypt itinerary as normal. We might have fitted it in relatively than a visit to the pool however I do know that wouldn’t have gone down properly with the children.
The temperature was additionally much more snug at evening and there was an excellent ambiance.
Day 7 – Luxor and Valley of the Kings
The excellent news the following morning was that we had been simply over half an hour from the day’s sightseeing spots, so our begin time was 8am.
This nonetheless felt like a lay in after Abu Simbel a couple of days earlier than. By now you’re most likely pondering that an Egypt journey itinerary is continuous. Sure, however bear with me…days eight to 10 had been rather more relaxed.
On the Winter Pavilon Luxor you’re truly very near the Valley of the Kings because the crow flies. However we wanted to cross the Nile and Luxor Bridge is a 20 minute drive within the incorrect path.
Colossi of Memnon and temple of Amenhoteb III
As soon as on the East financial institution we made a fast cease on the Colossi of Memnon – the second largest statues in Egypt.
The pair are just about all that’s left of the temple of Amenhoteb III which was destroyed by two earthquakes. It’s nonetheless being excavated.
Adel referred to as this a ‘Kodak’ second. It was someplace to pause to let earlier guests filter via the day’s major sights forward of us.
It actually says one thing about how wonderful Egypt’s historical past is when 18 meter excessive statues are a aspect present.
Temple of Hatshepsut – Deir Al-Bahari
We arrived at Deir Al-Bahari simply after 9am and it was already heaving with folks.
Golf buggies take guests up an extended drive to the primary set of steps (for an additional cost). Adel picked up our buggy tickets concurrently our entrance tickets. Regardless that it was early we had been grateful to not must stroll within the warmth.
Hatshepsut was an enchanting determine in Egypt’s historical past. She dominated Egypt alongside her brother, Tutmose III, and constructed this temple for Amun. Regardless of being a peaceable pharaoh below whom Egypt prospered she wished to rule by herself and sidelined Tutmose.
When she died he reclaimed his thrown and erased her, which accounts for the injury to the temple’s hieroglyphs and statues.
There are nonetheless some extremely properly preserved colors and paintings within the much less uncovered areas.
The temple seems lengthy and skinny from a distance however actually it’s made up of three rectangular ranges with their very own rooms containing vibrant murals.
It’s in an unbelievable location, backing onto the Valley of the Kings and overlooking Luxor and the Nile.
This was my favorite temple in Egypt due to its distinctive design. We spent an hour wandering across the totally different ranges and admiring Hatshepsut’s statues earlier than our remaining cease of the morning.
Valley of the Kings
The Valley is simply on the other aspect of the cliff to Deir Al-Bahari.
On the drive round you go Howard Carter’s home. He lived and labored in it for 15 years whereas excavating within the Valley.
It’s now a museum the place you’ll be able to see Carter’s copy of Tutankhamun’s tomb.
The Valley of the Kings has a customer centre at its entrance. There’s a scale mannequin of the valley displaying you the place you’ll discover every of the 63 tombs which have been found.
It is a good place to pause and respect how tough it should have been for a few of the later pharaohs to seek out an unused plot. As we had been to seek out out, some needed to make detours once they by accident unearthed one other king’s burial web site.
On the opposite aspect of the customer centre you’ll be able to take one other buggy experience (you want to purchase an additional ticket once more) alongside a highway to the Valley.
If you happen to’ve seen the Valley of the Kings in documentaries you’ll discover it seems very acquainted. A central path has offshoots to gated tomb entrances the place guards sit able to punch holes in your tickets.
Commonplace entry into to Valley consists of entry to a few tombs of your selection. If you wish to go to Tutankhamun’s tomb you will need to purchase a separate ticket.
On Adel’s recommendation we didn’t. There are rather more spectacular tombs within the valley.
These are those we visited:
KV2 – the tomb of Rameses IV
We had been blown away by this primary tomb. It as splendidly preserved colors within the intricate hieroglyphs.
There’s a gradual slope all the way down to the sarcophagus so it’s simple to do with youngsters.
KV8 – the tomb of Merenptah
This one is deep and steep, so not nice should you’re visiting with younger youngsters.
However this tomb demonstrates the unbelievable architectural expertise and craftsmanship of the traditional Egyptians.
It wasn’t completed when Merenptah died so the domed mortuary on the backside isn’t adorned.
KV11 – the tomb of Rameses III
This one is fascinating for youths who like ugly particulars. This Rameses was buried with a screaming mummy.
There are tales of an tried coup in his household and a number of other relations are thought to have been executed and buried with him.
The tunnel all the way down to the burial chamber additionally has a kink in it half manner. It is because the employees ran into one other tomb once they had been digging.
You want not less than an hour and a half to discover the Valley of the Kings. Take loads of water. Regardless that you might be out of the solar if you find yourself exploring the tombs they’re very popular and stuffy. There’s additionally little or no shade on the floor of the valley.
Lunch on the East Financial institution of the Nile
On our manner again to our resort we stopped for lunch at a neighborhood household’s four-storey house. Three generations lived right here.
Because it was Ramadan they didn’t be a part of us of their entertaining room however they delivered plate after plate of scrumptious house cooked meals – greater than we might eat.
The orzo soup was one of the best we tasted throughout our 10 days in Egypt. We additionally tried a conventional bread that’s made with out yeast and baked within the solar. This was adopted by meat balls, rooster, rice, vegetable tagine and a freshly picked banana for dessert.
Quite than drive again to our resort from right here Adel instructed we take a ferry boat throughout the Nile.
We walked down the aspect streets, previous homes adorned to indicate the occupants had accomplished the pilgrimage to Mecca, till we reached the pontoon.
That is clearly a well-liked strategy to full a morning touring the Valley of the Kings as there have been numerous different vacationers boarding motorboats. Adel secured one only for us and we set off throughout the river.
Luxor is a really busy part of the waterway as it’s the place Nile river cruises begin.
As we weaved between felucca and different small boats we additionally needed to dodge the house block-esque cruise ships.
The dimensions of a Nile river cruise ship is nothing like ocean going cruise liners, however should you’re on a small boat their wake will make you bob round like a cork. The youngsters thought this was hilarious.
After one ship had handed our boat driver invited Mr Tin Field to take the helm.
Afternoon and night in Luxor
The traditional sightseeing component of our Egypt itinerary had now come to an finish. I used to be a bit of unhappy however all of us benefitted from a soothing afternoon beside the pool. And we nonetheless had one other three days in Egypt!
Within the night we took a advice from Adel and had dinner at El Sahaby Lane, which was a brief stroll from our resort. We arrived at 7pm and this was clearly a busy time because the service was gradual. Nonetheless, when the meals did arrive it was excellent.
Aspect word: this was the primary major meal we’d purchased ourselves, other than snacks, since Cairo. We had been actually impressed with what was included in our 10 day tour package deal.
Luxor souq
El Sahaby Lane is beside Luxor’s major souq so we additionally went there to seek out some souvenirs.
Our eyes had been caught by the unfastened harem pants we’d seen on numerous markets on the historic sights, so we determined to get a couple of pairs.
We paid about £9 a pair for the trousers, which was cheap.
Then we received persuaded to purchase a handcrafted scarab the dimensions of a giant plum. This value us £18, which I’m certain was a good worth however we hadn’t been searching for it. What we had wished was fridge magnet so as to add to our assortment, however we gave in to the onerous promote.
The souq isn’t someplace I like to recommend looking with youngsters. There was a variety of hassling, which made it a much less nice expertise than we’d hoped for.
The merchants are very eager so that you can go to their pals’ outlets and as soon as inside it’s more durable to cease them urgent small items into youngsters’s fingers.
If you happen to do go, have a mission and persist with it in any other case you may come away with all types of belongings you don’t need or want. We made a fast exit after shopping for our off mission scarab, which is a disgrace as I’d favored to have seemed round some extra.
Unsurprisingly I took zero footage as a result of we had been so distracted.
As I discussed earlier, lots of people have requested me if we felt secure in Egypt and we completely did. However did we really feel harassed?
This was the one time we felt actually hassled in Egypt. It was our one night out with out Adel so I think that may have shielded us from over-zealous gross sales pitches elsewhere.
Our resort in Luxor
We stayed within the Pavilon Winter Luxor Resort*, to not be confused with the Sofitel Winter Palace* simply in entrance of it.
We thought the Pavilon Winter Luxor was a implausible resort however a few of the service let it down.
It’s set in tropical gardens with a looped pool for lounging and an oblong one for critical swimming. Alongside aspect this there was a bar and kitchen that we used to purchase drinks and snacks throughout our afternoons.
The rooms had been properly adorned and really snug. We had interconnecting rooms with twin beds and balconies overlooking the gardens. The women loved waking up and seeing the resident flamingos roaming the grounds beneath.
A peculiarity for a 5 star resort was that there was no kettle in our rooms. The bathe head had additionally been fitted on the incorrect finish of the tub so there was no bathe display.
The employees cleansing our rooms and serving beside the pool had been pleasant and environment friendly. Nonetheless, the restaurant employees had been disorganised.
At breakfast the tables weren’t cleared, scorching drinks needed to be chased and the buffet seemed prefer it had been visited by locusts by 7.15am.
Evaluate costs of resorts in Luxor*
Days 8 to 9 – Hurghada
On our eighth morning we had been picked up at 8am for the ultimate highway journey of our 10 day Egypt itinerary. We drove via Luxor and the villages to its west earlier than becoming a member of the freeway in direction of the Crimson Sea.
It was an extended 4 hour drive however we had been all excited concerning the change of tempo and an opportunity to soak up the whole lot we’d seen over the previous week.
We checked into our all-inclusive resort, the Mercure Hurghada, grabbed lunch from the buffet and had a bit of discover earlier than our rooms turned out there.
After which we hit the chill out button.
Our resort in Hurghada
The Mercure Hurghada* is a sea entrance resort aimed on the European market with three free-form swimming swimming pools, solar beds on the easterly dealing with seashore and water sports activities centre. There’s additionally a youngsters membership, outlets, and daytime and night leisure.
The rooms have an unmistakeable Accor type with purple seating and plum cushions.
We had connecting rooms on the bottom ground with small non-public terraces overlooking one of many grassed areas. We had been a couple of minutes stroll from all of the services.
The all-inclusive food and drinks included the buffet, ice cream by the pool, native lager and spirits within the bar and wine with meals.
You can additionally purchase scorching snacks by the principle pool and each visitor can go to two of the al a carte eating places throughout their keep. Nonetheless, these must be booked properly prematurely. All of the tables had already been reserved throughout our two evening keep.
This was a little bit of a disappointment as we had hoped to strive the Asian restaurant. Nonetheless we loved the meals within the buffet. There was a superb number of worldwide dishes and the whole lot was properly stocked. It by no means felt over busy.
The Mercure* is an efficient household resort in Hurghada.
The one factor lacking that we had noticed at different resorts shut by was a water park with slides. Our ladies quickly forgot about these and made probably the most of limitless pool time.
Take a look at different resorts in Hurghada*
Actions on the Crimson Sea
Sadly our snorkelling tour deliberate for day 9 was cancelled because of windy climate, so we determined to do some actions on the resort.
Mr Tin Field had been promising the women and I a visit to a spa if we discovered one and the Mercure Hurghada was the primary of our Egypt resorts to ship.
We booked a manicure and pedicure, and Mr Tin Field was persuaded to have a facial. I received upsold a facial, wax and tinted eye brows and spent an opulent three hours being pampered. Oops!
The remainder of the afternoon was spent hopping between the pool and children membership the place the women did crafts and performed video games.
At 5pm we took a sundown horse experience alongside the seashore. The El Rancho stables are proper subsequent to the resort and Mr Tin Field went over to examine them out earlier than we booked to be sure that the horses seemed glad and wholesome.
The employees at El Rancho had been nice. They sized us all up for driving helmets and half chaps, and recognised when some riders had been feeling nervous.
Our ladies had been each so excited concerning the experience but in addition a bit of edgy as they’re very a lot novices. All of us had been!
The horses know the place they’re going so that you don’t have to be a reliable rider. However they did at occasions get distracted by one another and attractive wanting hedges.
This made our 10-year-old a bit of uneasy, so one of many secure crew stayed together with her for the entire experience.
We did a loop across the resort alongside the seashore and again to the stables with a couple of picture alternatives alongside the best way. Our experience lasted an hour and was a stunning strategy to end our final full day in Egypt.
Within the night we went to the mini disco within the resort’s lined amphitheatre. The youngsters beloved this and regardless of being shattered requested to remain on and see the night present which was a father/daughter acrobatic and juggling act.
Day 10 – Departing for Cairo
The final day of any vacation is usually a little bit of a downer however we began this one figuring out we didn’t have to go away the resort till 3pm.
Every week earlier than we flew to Egypt our airline cancelled and rescheduled our return flights. It was a little bit of a faff as we’d be taking a pink eye flight house however we seemed on the brilliant aspect that we’d have some additional time in Egypt.
As quickly as we came upon I contacted Households Worldwide and so they organized for us to have a later take a look at on our final day. This was good as we received a morning beside the pool relatively than sat in departures at Cairo Worldwide Airport.
We nonetheless received up early to say goodbye to Adel who had remained on the resort and in touch ought to we now have wanted something. He was flying again to Cairo for a few nights earlier than assembly his subsequent tour.
We had a superb time with Adel and would undoubtedly search him out once more if we re-visit Egypt.
After breakfast, the women had been eager to return to the children membership whereas we sat by the pool.
The climate had turned cooler so we luxuriated on this figuring out we had been going again to temperatures 10 levels greater in Oman.
No less than we didn’t have the climate accountable for our post-Egypt blues!
Summing up our 10 day Egypt itinerary
What an unbelievable expertise. In case you are a lover of historical past Egypt needs to be in your want listing. The dates lined by the traditional websites blew my thoughts.
As I discussed earlier, we haven’t executed a totally guided vacation earlier than, often favouring a slower tempo and immersing ourselves in surroundings.
However Egypt isn’t a spot the place you revel within the landscapes, though the River Nile is undeniably romantic. You’ll not overlook seeing the solar set whereas feluccas slip via the reed edged blue water.
Egypt is extra about folks – previous and current – and their unbelievable tales.
It feels very particular to set foot in locations that had been misplaced for hundreds of years and nonetheless have a lot to disclose.
As a way to soak up all of this historical past and benefit from our 10 days we needed to have a strict Egypt journey itinerary. And that’s why a structured tour made sense.
Would we do one once more? Sure, if the vacation spot was as steeped in historical past as Egypt.
Would we go to Egypt once more? Completely. Regardless that we ticked off a few of the greatest sights, there’s nonetheless a lot to see and do.
I’d return to expertise the evening life in Aswan, go to Luxor Temple and Karnak by day, to see the brand new museum in Giza, expertise a Nile cruise and try this snorkelling journey we missed within the Crimson Sea.
I think it wouldn’t take a lot to fill a complete new 10 day itinerary!
See extra from our journey in my Egypt Instagram Tales – there are two – or by looking out #TinBoxEgypt.
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