Hello,
Greetings from Cairo, Egypt. Allan and I arrived here on Thursday afternoon and have been on the go since we touched down. Egypt is the adventure of a lifetime. There are so many different experiences to enjoy and destinations to discover. It’s hard to choose one reason why you should visit Egypt. They have amazing weather year-round (It’s 108 degrees today!), the most incredible ancient wonders of the world and a rich history.
The great thing about Egypt is the diversity of the attractions. Each destination has something special about it. Each town and landscape captivate you with unique history, friendly people and stunning nature.
Egypt is home to some of the greatest ancient wonders of the world…Pharaohs, dazzling temples and tombs and historic treasures that wow all who visit…us included!
So why Egypt and why now? We were invited by Atlas Ocean Voyages to experience their brand spanking new to the cruise world all-inclusive small ship. They sail to unique and adventurous locations such as Antarctica and Egypt.
Their 188-passenger ship has spectacular, spacious accommodations (see below) with touches of elegance shown in every aspect from L’Occitane bath products, Egyptian cotton bed linens and terry cloth robes & slippers. Their all-inclusive experience includes choice of complimentary excursions in every port, premium beverages, prepaid gratuities, and complimentary roundtrip commercial airfare.
I will share our experience through my Facebook and Instagram pages.
Our adventure began with exploring Cairo, Luxor and Alexandria the last few days. And because there was so much to see and do, we added a few days at the beginning of the trip and created a private tour with an English-speaking Egyptologist guide to immerse ourselves and experience the civilization of Ancient Egypt. Many of the sites we visited are part of the “top 10 experiences” listed below. Amazing! Incredible! Lots of checking off a bucket list.
Egypt has more than 3,000 years of history and the spirit of adventure runs deep as we trek through well-known destinations and remote ports of the Mediterranean. Sounds fun, doesn’t it!
Next, we will board the “World Navigator” and sail off at sunset to visit Paphos, Cyprus and then to the Greek Islands of Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes and Patmos. This particular sailing is a 9-Night Cairo to Athens: Pyramids and Fortresses.
We are doing the same when we arrive in Athens by extending our trip to get a true local feeling! We’ve scheduled a food tour to become an authentic Athenian, along with a guided tour of the sacred rock of the Acropolis and one of the world’s most important historical structures, the Parthenon.
Follow along on my social media where I’ll be posting highlights daily.
In the meantime, enjoy a preview of what’s to come. I’m highlighting the Egypt Bucket List: 10 Unbelievable Experiences
These 10 only touch the surface and are concentrated in Cairo, Luxor and Alexandria. There is so much more to see if you have the time and can spend at least 7-10 days if not more.
Egypt: 10 Unbelievable Experiences
1. The Pyramids and Great Sphinx of Giza
The Pyramids of Giza were built almost 5,000 years ago and is the last surviving of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The Great Pyramid of Giza, also known as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops, is the oldest of the three main pyramids on the Giza plateau and is usually at the top of most visitors’ lists of attractions to see.
2. Egyptian Museum
The Egyptian Museum houses the world’s largest collection of pharaonic antiquities anywhere in the world with more than 120,000 statues, jewelry and antique treasure pieces. The museum’s two most viewed collections are the golden treasures unearthed from Tutankhamen’s tomb along with the fascinating Royal Mummies exhibit room.
3. Cruise on the River Nile – The World’s Longest River
The Nile runs through 11 African countries and was instrumental in the formation of ancient Egypt. It is spiritually significant as Ancient Egyptians believed the east represented birth, and the west where the sun set, represented death. That’s why all tombs are located west of the Nile.
4. Explore Historic Cairo
Cairo is the capital of Egypt. And Islamic Cairo is the historic heart of the city. Walking along the streets you’ll see one of the largest collections of historic architecture in the Islamic world. Some of the top things to do include visiting Al-Azhar Mosque, visiting Salah El-Din Citadel, taking a stroll down Al-Muizz li-Din Allah al-Fatima Street (al-Muizz for short), shopping in Khan el-Khalili, and visiting Al-Rifa’i Mosque.
5. World’s Oldest Open-Air Market
The Khan El-Khalili souk is a very large maze filled with stands of spices, food, clothing, leather goods, jewelry, antiques and so much more. This is the go-to place for souvenir shopping. The best part is you can have fun bargaining as nobody pays retail here.
6. Marvel at the Karnak Temple
The Karnak Temple is the second most visited site in Egypt, after the Pyramids of Giza. It is also the second largest temple complex in the world (Angkor Wat in Cambodia is the largest). One of the more famous settings is the Great Hypostyle Hall, an awe-inspiring section where the streets are lined with ram-headed sphinxes as you enter the main hall with 134 massive columns arranged in 16 rows. Each column tells a s story with beautiful reliefs on the pylons.
7. Explore the Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings has been the site of royal burials in Egypt since 2100 BC. It’s now home to 63 incredible royal tombs. Although the site has decayed over the centuries due to treasure hunters and floods; the Valley of the Kings still remains an impressive ancient site to explore with many believing there are more undiscovered tombs. This area is also home to the tomb of King Tut “Tautankhamun”.
8. Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Trip over Luxor
Getting up at 3:30 am for a 4:30 am departure has never been so rewarding. Imagine soaring high above the ancient landscape of the Pharaohs in the area called “Valley of the Kings”. Here you’ll have great aerial views and will see how vast the land is below you.
Seeing everything from the air gives you a totally different perspective on the locations of all the landmarks and the engineering achievements it took to construct them.
By having an early start to your day, you’ll see so many sites before the crowds get going. This will bring about great excitement for all you will see that day.
9. Luxor Temple
Luxor Temple looks and feels like a smaller version of Karnak Temple. What sets it apart is the temple is not dedicated to a cult god or a deified version of the pharaoh in death. Instead, Luxor temple is dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship; and is why many of the pharaohs of Egypt were crowned here.
10. Tomb of King Tut “Tutankhamun”
Tutankhamun, commonly referred to as King Tut, was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who was the last of his royal family to rule during the end of the 18th Dynasty.
His tomb was discovered in 1922 and contained thousands of artifacts, a sarcophagus containing his mummy, and a now-famous headdress. It took almost ten years to catalog the contents of the tomb. Since the tomb’s discovery, King Tut has become the world’s most well-known Egyptian pharaoh.
In addition to the 10 “Bucket List” sites to visit in Egypt, I’m linking you to an article on my website featuring a group of Travel Advisors exploring the land of the pharaohs with Big Five Tours & Expeditions, one of my featured tour partners in Egypt. I hope you enjoy!
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Are you ready to be dazzled by the many tombs and temples of the Egyptian kings, sail the River Nile, taste some local cuisine, learn about their traditions and culture, broaden your horizons, get out of your comfort zone or add a little spice to your life?
If the answer is YES…then I believe, whole-heartedly, that YOU would love a journey to Egypt that wows you every step of the way.
I’m here to design just that, just for you. If you are ready to pursue a new adventure, let’s do it! Don’t wait! Life it too short!
Enjoy your week!!
