Egypt
We all have been asked this question before, “If there was a dream vacation you could go on, where would it be?” Well, this destination was always on my bucket list and I finally got the chance to check it off!
Egypt, as you know, is well-known for its history and culture and has one of the seven original wonders of the world; so you could see why someone would have this spot on their list. Plus, on a more personal note, this trip had a special significance to me with the recent death of my father. My dad always had affection for Egypt and would have many conversations with me about the history of the country. Also, my grandma Suella (his mother) had a love for the place as well and took a trip there in the earlier nineties. So, it was befitting that I got the opportunity to have an unforgettable experience in Egypt too!
Two weeks ago, my travel companions Tarni (cousin), Sharry (friend), Manpreet (friend), and I went to three different cities in Egypt: Sharm El Sheikh, Luxor, and Cairo. Trust me when I say by the end of the trip we were worn out from all the activities we did, but it was all worth it! We already said to each other that we have to go back to explore the rest of Egypt we didn’t get a chance to see. There is just so much to discover!
Below, I give brief descriptions of our time in each city and provide useful tips for those considering a visit to Egypt. Please enjoy!
Things To Know
Egypt, for centuries, has had many different ethnic groups fight for control of the country. In fact, it still goes on to this day. Currently, the country is predominantly Muslim and Arabic is the national language. As a tourist, you want to take heed of that fact especially if you are a woman as far as clothing goes.
Most women I saw were covered from head to toe. Even though they are not strict on foreigners, you still may want to take some caution and respect the local culture. We made sure we brought cover-ups for bathing suits, shawls, loose clothing, and headscarves just in case; however, we still receive some stares for our attire.
In public, I hardly saw any women alone as they were either accompanied by other women or a male counterpart. We too had different male tour guides escorting us for a majority of the trip, and there were several times we felt as if “tabs” were kept on us. After exiting the airport, the security guards at each location we visited still inquired about who we were and what we were doing at each site. The hotel staff as well wanted our tour guides to report our itinerary each day. I’m not sure if that was just for safety precautions or because we were women– I think it was a little bit of both. At times, it felt as if we could not move as freely as we wanted. It appeared as if the women in this society were very restricted. That is another topic that I won’t elaborate much more on because it would be a very long article on what I saw and how I felt about the issue of women’s rights there.
Nonetheless, I do know there are extremists within each religion that may take certain things to another level, and they do not represent the genuine essence of what that particular religion is all about. With all of the negative media Muslims are subject to, most of them seemed like ordinary and kind people to me. It’s all about learning and understanding which I’m all for with any culture or religion.
A Few Tips
Make sure you learn some basic Arabic phrases prior to arriving in Egypt or get a local guide/translator once you arrive as they are beneficial. Mostly everything you encounter in Egypt is written in Arabic, even the restaurant menus and you want to know what you are eating, right. I caught a bad case of traveler diarrhea mid-trip and thank goodness I had Imodium! It was a lifesaver! Haha! Definitely, stock up on that! Bring sunscreen, a fan, a hat, and an umbrella for protection from the sun. To stay hydrated, be prepared to drink a lot of water. The Egyptian heat is no joke! Comfortable shoes are a must for all the walking you will be doing, and absolutely no white shoes unless you don’t mind getting them dirty. It is very dusty and lots of sand. I still have sand in my shoes! Also, mosquito repellent is a good idea.
The hotels we stayed in are pretty pricey for one person, but if you share the cost amongst multiple people, it is much cheaper. The best method to commute from one area to the next was to go by air as the cities are not close by another. The flight tickets were cheap anyway, and it was only about an hour plane ride to each destination.
For the most part, Egypt is quite safe to travel to and the country is yearning for more tourists. There are security measures in place, such as multiple security checkpoints throughout the airports, and airport-like security at all the hotels and historical sites; however there is still caution because of sporadic terrorist incidents that occur.
The country took a hard hit to its tourism industry after the 2011 Egyptian Revolution and a terrorist attack in 2015 in which a plane that took off from the Sharm El Sheikh area fell from the sky killing over 200 people. Western government officials suspected there was a bomb on board so they suspended flights and advised their citizens to take caution when traveling to Egypt, and avoiding areas like the Sinai Peninsula. The effects were definitely apparent!
https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeV1bwGaB70[/embedyt]
SHARM EL SHEIKH
Sharm is known for its beautiful resorts and beaches. Usually a busy tourist destination, but while we were there, it was far from that. We arrived from Cairo early in the morning to desolate streets on our way en route to our hotel. There was literally no one on the road. We spent two days at the Baron Resort and hardly saw any foreigners. It seemed mostly populated with locals from different parts of Egypt on a family vacation.
Furthermore, due to the lack of people, parts of the beach were closed, and there were many souvenir shops with no customers. Upon visiting one of them, the shop owner stated we were his first customers all day. It certainly had the feel of a ghost town, but on the bright side of it all, we didn’t have to push through large crowds and were able to enjoy the Red Sea! On top of that, we did quad biking through the desert and camelback riding on the beach. Each activity was around $10 if you’re interested in doing that on your visit.
Our resort had a beautiful view, clean rooms, unlimited food, and beverages, but we should have gone with our first mindset and stayed at the Rixos Resort in the famous Naama Bay area because we had quite a few problems at the Baron. How about not being picked up by the provided transportation for the resort. We had to catch a little cab, which had all of our luggage poorly tied onto the roof, and on our first night there, the electricity went out in the resort for a brief moment. Complete darkness. You better believe I stood up ready for war! Haha! I’m laughing now, but it was not funny at the time. I’m glad it was just a moment.
The Baron stated that there was complimentary wi-fi throughout the resort. If it weren’t for that statement, we would not have argued with the front desk and management staff for most of our entire stay about the wi-fi not working in our room. There was no way we were going to be there for two days without wi-fi. Some of us still had work to complete and we wanted to let our families know we were safe. When it was all said and done, we had our own portable wi-fi unit to take with us everywhere we went to rectify the situation we went through and for the poor customer service we received.
Additionally, we had two guys who stalked us since day one. It got so bad at one point that we decided to cancel our plans to experience the nightlife because of it. We chose our safety over partying. Aside from those few problems, we made the best of it and still had fun.
Note:
Beaches and pools close at sundown. Parts of Sharm are still under development.
The Baron Resort
The Red Sea
Casanova And His Owner
Camelback Riding (Casanova And I)
Left To Right: Manpreet, Me, Tarni, And Sharry
Quad Biking In The Desert
LUXOR
In Luxor, there are many historical sites to explore such as the Karnak, Luxor and Hatshepsut temples, and the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Queens. Although the actual city is very impoverished and more conservative than other places in Egypt, the people were friendlier and much more welcoming than what we received in Sharm. We liked Luxor so much that we all agreed we should have stayed one day in Sharm and two days in Luxor. Our time was too short for all the activities we did, but we still got them done; however, our feet were throbbing after the whole ordeal.
As soon as we stepped off our hour plane ride from Sharm, we were picked up from the airport by our tour guide Ahmed, who then took us to our hotel then onto our tour of the temples. We stayed at the beautiful Hilton hotel that sits right on the Nile River with a spectacular view! I still can’t get over it.
After exploring the incredible Karnak and Luxor temples for most of the day, we arrived back to our hotel just in time to relish and relax in the infinity pool overlooking the Nile River. The next morning, at 3:45 a.m, we caught a boat ride on the Nile River to watch the sunrise in a hot air balloon overlooking many of ancient ruins. That was my first time in a hot air balloon. I wasn’t scared at all. I was too distracted by the astounding scenery before me. Next, we went on a tour to the Valley of the Kings and Queens, then to the only known female pharaoh temple, Hatshepsut, and also to an alabaster shop for souvenirs. We crammed all this in before a flight back to Cairo at 6 pm. Now, you see why our feet were hurting and we were totally exhausted!
It’s one thing to read about the Ancient Egyptians, but to see all their art and architectural work in person, was fantastic and unbelievable! It was amazing how precise they were with fine details and you can still see the colors they used for painting their structures. The royal tombs are something to see, especially King Tut’s tomb. His body was actually there during our visit, so it was cool we were able to witness that! Please do not believe what Hollywood tries to tell you about the history of Egypt. See for yourself!
Note:
Our tour guide mentioned how it wasn’t good for single women to roam around at night in Luxor. All the temples and the Valley of the Kings and Queens prices are reasonable for entry. It’s $5 or less. You can’t take pictures in the Valley of the Kings and Queens which explains why you don’t see any below, and it was understandable. I mean it is or was a burial site. I think you should see it in person anyway. It was also $50 for the one-hour hot air balloon ride which included transportation from/to your hotel.
Tried Shawarma For The First Time
Karnak Temple
The Great Hypostyle Hall
The Egyptian Obelisk
Right Picture: Sacred Lake of The Karnak Temple. Lower Right Picture: The Stone Of Scarab Beetle. It Is Said That If You Are To Make A Wish And Then Circle It Seven Times Your Wish Will Come True. Lower Left Picture: The Most Sacred Area Of The Temple Where Only The Pharaoh And High Priest Could Go
Luxor Temple
Group Photo With Ahmed (Our Tour Guide) He Gave Us Each A Nickname Of A Queen. I Was Nefertiti, Tarni Was Hatshepsut, Sharry Was Cleopatra, And Manpreet Was Nefertari
Top Centered Picture: Both Statues of Ramesses II. Far-Right Picture: Symbolizes The Bond Between Upper ( Lotus Flower) And Lower (Papyrus Plant) Egypt
Upper Left and Lower Left Picture: Pharaoh Ramesses II And Queen Nefertari. Middle Right Picture Is Pharaoh Tutankhamun (King Tut) And His Queen Ankhesenamun
Symbols For Protection, Life, And Good Luck. It Is Black Because Of Countless People Who Have Touched It
Upper Left Picture: A Mosque Built In The Temple After The Arab Invasion Into Egypt. Lower Left Picture: A Church Built In The Temple After the Greek, Christian Invasion Into Egypt. Lower Right Picture: Different Prisoners (Syrians and Nubians) Of The Egyptians During That Time
Upper Middle Picture: It Is Said To Be Of Alexander The Great Asking The Gods For Help With Fertility Issues. Far Upper Right And Lower Left Picture: Greek, Christian Artwork That Was Placed Over The Original Egyptian Artwork.
Hot Air Balloon Ride
The Valley Of The Kings and Queens
Entrance To The Royal Tombs. The Admission Ticket Allowed Entry To Three Tombs Of Our Choice. There Was A Separate Ticket To Enter King Tut’s Tomb
Hatshepsut Temple
We Learned That Hatshepsut Was A Great Pharaoh And Got Along Well With Everyone. Most Of Her Temple Was Destroyed By Her Nephew, Thutmose III, Due To Jealousy. He Felt She Stole The Throne From Him. Rumor Has It That He May Have Assassinated Her As Well
The Different People We Encountered That Wanted To Take A Picture
Alabaster Shop
CAIRO
Cairo is the capital of Egypt and has millions of people located there. It’s a more modern, bustling, less conservative city with something to do in every corner. There is also a lot of traffic no matter what time of the day you drive, but they do have a metro system if you want to take that option.
On our first day in Egypt, my cousin Tarni and I arrived earlier than Sharry and Manpreet, who both had a late flight into Cairo. We didn’t want to just stay in our hotel room, so we took advantage of the little time we had before our early morning flight to Sharm El Sheikh. A tour guide, Abu, who I met at the Cairo International Airport, took us to the Pyramids Sound and Light Show. Their sound system with the storytelling was great, and seeing the pyramids lit up amongst the stars was awe-inspiring.
Not to mention, we went to a papyrus store afterward to learn how the Ancient Egyptians made papyrus. We couldn’t leave the store without buying a few things, and we later stopped at a perfume/oil shop too. It’s all about the oils in Egypt. We ended our night with dinner at a restaurant called El Andalus. We both had lamb, chicken, and beef with fries. Later, we joined Sharry and Manpreet at the airport.
We came back to Cairo again after our trip to Luxor. When we arrived at the Four Seasons, we kept it simple for the rest of the night and got some much-needed rest. The next morning we met with Sharry’s friend Kal, who lives in Egypt. He took us to see Tahrir Square and then to eat a traditional Egyptian breakfast at the Felfela Restaurant. Everything was so tasty, especially the mango juice. Best one I ever had! After we finished, we made our way to the Coptic area of Cairo, which contains many famous Christian churches including the one that was built around where the holy family hid. I was shocked to the core when I stood in the actual crypts where Jesus was as a child. I had no clue I was going to have an awesome experience like that. It was one of the highlights of my trip that I will never forget!
Then, we hurried to make our way back to the hotel to be picked up for our ride in a Felucca on the Nile River. We rode in a traditional Felucca boat for an hour while watching the sunset on the Nile, which was magical for me! I felt like an Egyptian Queen! Later that night we went to the Khan El-Khalili market for shopping with our tour guide Yasser. It was fun seeing all the locals congregate and enjoying the night even though everyone was staring at us and I do mean everyone! It was crazy! They even had a guy in the market, who blessed me with protection from the evil eye of envy. I’m not lying. We felt like local celebrities.
In truth, the entire trip felt that way because, for one, I saw very few Black people, my cousin and I without a doubt stuck out, we were women that were not covered entirely, and we were a multicultural group traveling together. We had a lot of people who wanted to take pictures with us. At times, Sharry and Manpreet were shocked at people wanting to touch my cousin and I’s hair and skin. We indeed had a few individuals that touched us, but we weren’t surprised. It has happened in other places, including the United States. Sharry and Manpreet didn’t believe it until they saw it for themselves! Haha! Most Black people experience this when they travel to different places. Anyhow, the market was delightful, a place to get some souvenir shopping done and that we did until midnight. We also tried an Egyptian pancake which was delicious.
On the last full day of our trip, we were picked up by our tour guide, Sherif, to see the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. I was so excited to get up close and personal finally with these great wonders! After seeing so many movies and reading many books, I actually saw them with my own eyes and felt the stones too. We even got to go inside the Great Pyramid which was remarkable! Sadly, we didn’t have time to go into the others. The Sphinx was very impressive and massive! I was totally psyched about seeing it. Another highlight of the trip! After enjoying that moment, we ate lunch in the 139 Restaurant at the Mena House with the pyramids as the backdrop, stopped by the Egyptian Museum, and went to a jewelry shop to get Cartouches made. What a way to end the trip, right!
Shukraan Egypt!!!!!! (Thank you Egypt) I’ll be back!
Pyramids Sound And Light Show
Learning How To Make Papyrus Paper
Top Picture: Famous Painting Of Judgement Day For The Pharaoh. Will The Feather Outweigh The Heart?
Lotus Perfumes. The Owner And His Son Served Us Hibiscus Tea (Served Everywhere) As We Shopped For Oils
Lamb, Chicken, And Beef With Fries For Dinner At El Andalus. Their Coffee Is Really Good
Tahrir Square. Where The Egyptian Revolution Took Place
A Traditional Egyptian Breakfast At The Felfela Restaurant: Falafel, Fava Beans, Eggplant, I believe Shakshouka. They Also Have The Best Mango Juice Ever!!
The Coptic Area. (Old Cairo)
The Church That Was Built Around One of The Locations Where Jesus Was Hidden
One Of The Crypts Where Jesus Was Hidden As A Child
The Church Of Saint George
Upper Left and Right Picture: Ben-Ezra Synagogue. One Of The First Synagogues Ever Built (No Pictures Allowed Inside). Where Moses Was Discovered By The Pharaoh’s Daughter
Bottom Pictures: Abu Serga. One Of The First Christian Churches Ever Built With Another Crypt Location Where Jesus Was Hidden As A Child. Middle Far Left Picture: The Church Has 12 Pillars That Represent Each Disciple. Indeed, This One Was Different Than The Others And It Represents Judas Iscariot. Middle Left Center Picture: Sign Says “Where Jesus Christ Slept While He Was Child”
The Well Which The Holy Family Drank From
The Cairo Tower (Center)
Watching The Sunset On The Nile River In A Felucca
The Khan El- Khalili Market And An Egyptian Pancake.
The Pyramids Of Giza
Inside The Great Pyramid Of Khufu
Kisses!!!
The Great Sphinx Of Giza
This Photo Is For You, Grandma Suella!
This Photo Is For You, Daddy!
The Egyptian Museum, (You Are Not Allowed To Bring Professional Cameras Inside). Photos Are from My Phone. In Addition, I Have Much More On The Museum Visit In Another Post. It Was Too Much For This Post. Here Are Just A Few Pictures
King Tutankhamun’s Golden Funerary Mask. You Are Not Allowed To Take Pictures Of King’s Tut Mask Or His Other Items From His Burial Chamber. I Snuck A Picture From The Outside. It Was A Marvelous Piece Of Artwork
His Burial Tombs
More People Who Wanted To Take A Picture With Me! The Bottom Picture Is A Security Guard, Who Told Me, ” I Love Black People! Can I Take A Picture With You?” Haha! Loved It
Our Trip Ended With Getting A Egyptian Cartouche Made At A Local Jewelry Store.
SH-A-R-E-L-L-E
For more on Egypt, click the link below: