Trips & Tours: Egypt Family Adventure

On arrival we will transfer to our comfortable hotel and look forward to the next 10 days 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 back into the city, to the Egyptian Museum, the world’s greatest repository of pharaonic finds. Here we wander the halls, past mummified animals and great statues of past Pharaohs in search of King Tut’s golden treasures.

Later we board the comfortable sleeper train to head south along the ribbon of the Nile to Upper Egypt and Aswan.

We arrive in Aswan around 10am and after a short transfer to our hotel set out to visit St Simeon’s Monastery – by camel! Kids will love the ride there and once inside the crumbling complex the whole family will be amused by the guardian’s eccentric guiding style.

After cooling off in the pool later this evening we cross the Nile by motor launch to join a Nubian family for dinner. This is responsible tourism at work both serving to break down barriers between cultures as well as providing a valuable income to the family. They love meeting visitors and the time spent with them is usually a highlight of a visit to Aswan, especially when visiting as we are – as a family.

his morning we have the opportunity to visit Abu Simbel, Ramses the Great’s vast temple complex close to the Sudanese border on an optional trip. The trip by road takes several hours; that by air just one hour, indicating the extent of ancient Egypt’s borders. Once at Abu Simbel we gaze in wonder at the size and splendour of these massive temples, testaments to his power and designed to impress invaders heading north.

Returning to Aswan we board our felucca. The felucca is a traditional lateen-sailed vessel used since time immemorial to transport goods and people along the Nile. Powered solely by the wind the deck of our feluccas is covered in mattresses and sheets, with baggage stowed beneath the decks. An awning acts as a sunshade. Delicious, simple meals are cooked by the two-man crew on board. In the evening we pull into the bank, make a campfire, and enjoy a beer or two; the crew will almost certainly bound to get out their drums as music is integral in Nubian culture. We sleep on deck and we set up a toilet tent on the banks of the river. Each felucca can accommodate around 7 passengers in addition to the crew. There are of course no facilities to shower; washing takes place at the water’s edge.

It’s great fun and kids especially love the mixture of music round a campfire under the stars.

Our progress today is governed by the amount of wind and thus the journey should be seen as an experience rather than a way of getting from Aswan to Kom Ombo. Hopefully the gods smile on us as we draw up at the great temple the great ‘crocodile temple’ of Kom Ombo. The temple is dedicated to two gods, falcon-headed Haroeris and crocodile-headed Sobek. Two creepy mummified crocs can be seen at the site.

Later we transfer by road to Luxor.

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.

This afternoon we are free to relax and enjoy the 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 join 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 afternoon we drive to Al Quseir on the Red Sea coast arriving late this evening.

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, adjusting this itinerary accordingly). 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.

Early this morning we depart for the drive to Hurghada airport for our flight back to Cairo. On arrival there should be some time to shop in the souqs of Islamic Cairo for oriental souvenirs and enjoy a coffee with the locals in Fishawi’s coffee-shop – the perfect end to a journey with many highlights.