Trips & Tours: Beyond Siwa

On arrival we will transfer to our comfortable hotel and look forward to the next two weeks of exploring some of the treasures of the land of the pharaohs.

We start with a journey to the Giza plateau where from time immemorial the Pyramids and Sphinx have gazed out over the city. Controversy rages about just how these wonders of the ancient world were built, some 4,500 years ago. Braver families can elect to pay extra to enter one of the Pyramids, deep into the crypt where the pharaoh once laid! Of course we also see the Sphinx, now slowly decaying after millennia of erosion by the desert sands.

After our visit we head into the heart of this teeming city of millions, to the Egyptian Museum, the world’s greatest repository of pharaonic finds. Here we wander the halls in search of sarcophagi and pharaohs’ gold, the jewel in the crown of which is that belonging to the boy-king Tutankhamun.

This morning we set off by road on the 3 hour journey to Alexandria. On arrival we enjoy a city tour to the twin highlights of this ancient city – the Catacombs of Kom ash-Shqqafa and Fort Qaitbey together with the other main attractions the city has to offer, the Roman Theatre and Pompey’s Pillar. The city is famous for its fish and we may well enjoy a fresh grilled-fish meal tonight.

The 2nd World War saw many epic battles, one of the most famous of which was at El Alamein as the allied forces under Montgomery fought the Rommel’s Desert Foxes. Thousands died and the war cemeteries we visit on our way west are a moving tribute to the bravery of both sides. Later we arrive in Marsa Matruh, with enough time for a dip in the pool or sea.

Our route takes us via the cave used by Rommell as his HQ during the war and then on to the lush oasis and laidback town of Siwa, somewhat unusually populated by Berbers, an ethnic group from Morocco and elsewhere in the Maghreb. It’s a relaxed town dominated by its fortified oldtown and with much to see.

The oasis here is flat with cycling easy (though donkey carts are available for non-riders) and bikes make for a great way to explore. First we head to the old town of Shali, built in the 13th century this is a fortified old town that sits on a rock above the newer part of town and wandering its streets is a great insight into how people once lived here in the desert in medieval times. We also make our way to the Temple of the Oracle of Amun. So famous was the oracle that in the 3rd century BCE it attracted Alexander the Great who consulted it to hear he was indeed the son of Zeus.

The next few days are spent traversing the Western Desert travelling through such isolated spots as Are, Ain Della and Bahrein. This is a true highlight of our journey as, fully self-sufficient, we make our way along ancient trade routes following both tarmac and off road routes as we head west. At night we set up camp underneath the stars – a true wilderness experience. Finally we arrive at the White Desert, made up of strangely eroded chalk massifs that jut our of the desert floor in amazing shapes. A night under the stars here is one you are never to forget.

Our journey next takes us south to Dakhla. Here the history of the region and its people can truly be appreciated. Inhabited for millennia the crumbling mud brick town of al Qasr is only the latest of many settlements that litter the region. We wander its quiet streets seeing the carved door lintels and taking in a town that dates from Ottoman times.

We meet with our camel drivers and set out on a journey of around an hour and a half to our campsite.

We have a long drive ahead of us today as we turn east towards the green ribbon of the Nile. As we get close to the Nile the scenery and settlements dramatically change, the bare ochre of the desert replaced by what seems to us an almost unbelievable iridescent green, such is the power of the river to turn bare earth to productive farmland.

As the sun climbs into the sky we cross the Nile this morning to join our donkeys for the ride to the Valley of the Kings. The donkeys follow the path taken by the original workers who built the tombs those many thousand years ago. On arrival we can choose to enter 3 of the tombs currently open and descend into the earth, past stunning scenes painted on the walls of the shafts, deep into the tombs of the pharaohs themselves. The detail and quality of the artwork is amazing, made more so by its antiquity. This is truly a highlight of any visit to Luxor.

Our return journey takes us down to the wonderful temple of Hatshepsut, Egypt’s only female pharaoh. Here we see the famous frieze which shows the trading expedition to the Land of Punt.

Later we take horse-drawn carriages called caleshes as we ride the 3km to Karnak Temple. Once an avenue of sphinxes linked the two great temples of Karnak and Luxor and a project is ongoing to re-link them. We enter through this famous avenue to explore the vast interior of the temple. Highlights include the grand Hypostyle Hall, where dozens of massive pillars once held aloft the roof, Hatshepsut’s obelisk and the Sacred Pool.

This morning why not treat yourself to an optional balloon flight over the countryside and villages of the west bank for a different perspective on the Nile Valley.

Later we set of for the long drive to the Red Sea coast at Al Quseir, a small, laid back town south of Safaga and Hurghada. On arrival we see just why this part of the world is so attractive to visitors, with a shimmering sea and coral gardens below the waves.

The Red Sea coast is world famous for its stunning underwater marine life with brilliantly coloured fishes and corals to delight the snorkeller and diver (both activities are available here but if you want to dive you must do so leaving one clear day before flying). A variety of different trips are available from simple days out snorkelling to boat trips to the reefs further north. Your guide will be able to make arrangements for you. For those that want to explore the little visited south a safari to the Wadi Hammamat can be arranged where pharaonic-era graffiti can be seen.

Today is a travelling day as we make the long journey back to Cairo. The journey takes around 10 hours by road. Subject to availability the journey can be made by air at a supplement.

Our last full day is spent at leisure. You may like to shop in the souqs of Islamic Cairo for oriental souvenirs, visit the dramatically located Citadel or make a trip out to Saqqara and the less visited pyramids further south at Dahshur. Cairo is overflowing with attractions with several museums, such as the Beit al Suhaymi, to discover along with the Cities of the Dead, countless mosques, the Street of the Tentmakers and Fishawi’s coffee-shop – the perfect end to a journey with many highlights.