Trips & Tours: Egypt Family Explorer

On arrival we will transfer to our comfortable hotel and look forward to the next 8 days 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.

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 have the rest of the day free to relax by the pool or explore the network of backstreets and the souqs of this frontier town.

Later we return to Aswan and this evening 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 part of a small group of friends or a family.

This 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 are at leisure until the souqs reopen after the hottest part of the day. All manner of goods are on display catering to both locals and travellers and it’s a great place to stock up on spices at bargain prices. Be warned though – haggling is expected!

This morning we drive north to Luxor and have the rest of the day free to enjoy the pool until we join our horse-drawn carriages, called caleshes, locally 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.

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.

We arrive back in Luxor with the remainder of the day free to relax before we board the overnight sleeper train back to Cairo.

We arrive in Cairo in the early morning and transfer to our hotel. The remainder of the day is free. It is possible to make an optional tour of Islamic Cairo, the city with a skyline straight from the Arabian Nights. Here there are crowded souqs to explore in search of the perfect souvenir, or make a visit to the excellent Beit al Suhaymi ‘museum’ which kids will enjoy, and Fishawi’s coffee-shop – the perfect end to a journey with many highlights.