One of our travellers recently returned from a trip to Egypt and wrote this brilliant blog from the land of the Pharaohs and discovered a welcoming land of fascinating sights and experiences. Read on!

From the moment we landed and were told to buy a visa, (which consisted of paying some 15USD to put a sticker in your OWN passport) I knew western thinking was out the window. But having booked on an organised group tour of Egypt with Expat Explore, the next 10 days would showcase this magnificent country. From its ancient wonders, brilliant scenery and wonderful people, I was pleasantly surprised by how wrong the media has been in portraying this once-buzzing tourist hot spot.

Cairo

Cairo airport is relatively small, so finding our transfer guide was easier than expected. It took about an hour to get to our hotel driving through the wee hours of the night, undecided if my eyes wanted to close or peer out at the locals still manning their stalls. Our hotel was in a great location close to the pyramids with a beautiful pool and a couple of restaurants to choose from.

Having arrived a day earlier, we had a free day relaxing by the pool before meeting our local guide Michael and the rest of our group. Our group had 12 travellers in total and after a quick run-through of the itinerary we had options to look into upgrades. All of the group decided to upgrade to the overnight sleeper train from Cairo to Aswan, and some decided that the 5-star cruise would be better than the Felucca.

Our first day started with Egypt’s most recognisable sight, the great pyramids at Giza. From Sakkara to a camel ride (and rocking a few Egyptian poses), we had already made some new friends and the camera was full of great pics! The pyramids are huge and the great pyramid (the biggest one) with over 2 million blocks took only 23 years to build. Incredible – Each block is the size of small car!

We finished the day with an overnight journey to Aswan on the sleeper train. Looking at the cheaper (seat only) option I was so glad we had spent extra on the upgrade. From the food, excellent service and decent rooms with wash basin and large window we were relieved to rest our heads. In the early hours I peered out to watch the world go by, the local villages stirring with the sunrise. School boys ran eagerly alongside the train waving at us tourists. I guess the novelty hasn’t worn off yet.

Aswan

Aswan was very hot that day and we were glad to try the pool at our next hotel. The hotel in Aswan was our least favourite (very pink!) and a little outdated compared to the one in Cairo but the room was clean and had a lovely view of the Nile.

The highlight of our time in Aswan was Abu Simbel, but getting there means a very early morning start (3 am!) to travel in a coach convey through the dessert towards Sudan. (This is not part of the itinerary but is an optional extra.) The temple was moved in the 1960s from its original location avoid the rising waters of Lake Nasser. It was a highlight, and well worth the extra money. Another great extra is the Nubian dinner, motor boating across the Nile. We were well-fed and liquored in a local’s hut. Be wary when peeping into the tank to see their pet!

This afternoon we boarded our felucca and cruised up the Nile. It was peaceful and lucky that just the two of us had opted for the felucca (the others upgraded to the cruise). We were a little concerned that the felucca didn’t have a bathroom on board but we simply stopped on the banks and found a tree, no big deal. Dinner was served on board, falafel kebabs washed down with a few beers. Yip life is good! When the sun started to set we found a quiet place on the river banks to tie up. While lounging around a camp fire, our sailing crew came down to sing a few songs.

Sleeping on board, we woke with sun rise and had a quick splash in the Nile. There is something special about being alone with the world at that time of the day … everything so calm, the river calmly flowing as birds duck and dive for their breakfast. The whole felucca experience was similar to a good NZ camping trip and was certainly a highlight for us.

We visited a couple more incredible temples today in Edfu and Kom Ombo before arriving into Luxor. Here we caught up the other travellers that upgrade to the 5-star cruise.

Luxor

Luxor is quite a touristy place. However with tourists few and far between at the moment, the media is doing no favours for Egypt’s own economy. The locals can sometimes be a hassle, asking you if you need a taxi, wanting you to buy water or encouraging you to come into their shop, but be firm if you don’t want to buy their wares. Things are hard for them and they just don’t seem to understand that the sale would be easier if they left us along…never mind! Again, the hotel had fantastic Nile views but was almost empty!

Hurghada

After a long bus-ride, arriving in Hurghada was delightful. This was a highlight for many, with beautiful beaches and crystal blue water. Being an all-inclusive resort there was plenty to eat and drink, and you would need it after a day out snorkelling/scuba diving like we did. Unfortunately it was a long day at sea and the lack of sun-block soon saw a few of us call it a night as we lathered up with Aloe Vera Gel. Although we were keen to get a tan, we had learned our lesson the hard way! But the next day it was back to relaxing by the pool and beach – shaded by the umbrellas that is. This is a great spot, just be prepared for staff to speak Russian or Polish first …. Kiwi tourists are a novelty here.

Heading back on the bus to Cairo it dawned just how much we had seen and done. Hearing the voice of my nervous mother on the phone, I couldn’t wait to share our stories. Being on a tour like we did with Expat Explore showed there is no better time for tourists to visit; with plenty of space to roam some of the world’s most incredible artefacts from the ancient world. Things are the same the world over – watch your belongings, don’t stroll the streets alone at night and be prepared for the ‘helpful kids’ that offer to take your photo for you…

Our tour was the way to do Egypt. Our guide gave us a great history lesson, setting us up well to understand these amazing places. The history is intense with it spanning 5000 years, it is quite something to comprehend. The sights are everything the postcards show, but the experience is something you have to feel for yourself.

Would I go again? Yes. Would I book with another Expat Explore tour? Yes. Would I tell you to go – Hell yes!