Salam from largest city in Africa and the eighth largest in the world, the city of Cairo......
Egypt is a land filled with history and desert sunset magic. It is unlike any other place I have ever been and trust me, I have been around a lot. It is chaotic, noisy and definitely sandy but it is also captivating, friendly and incredibly inspiring. I only spent a few days there but I will never forget it.
TV says it isn't safe? What does TV say about Paris? Belgium? You cannot hide in under your bed! It is perfectly safe to travel to Cairo and has just about the same safety rules any big city would. Our experience was through a private tour guide for some visits and the rest of the time we walked the streets on our own. We mainly kept to Cairo and its surroundings for this short trip but I could not praise them more, it was a fantastic experience.
I recommend booking a minimum of 4 star hotels before your arrival as well as getting a tour guide. We used Ramasside tours and they made our experience hassle free and so much more enjoyable. They picked us up basically right off the plane, took us through the visa process, immigration and bag check it was so smooth I felt like VIP traveling. I have heard many stories of people being hassled to death at every turn at the airport and other places and perhaps if we would have been our tour guide we would have.
If you are on a budget, it is still probably more affordable to do at least the airport pick up than have to hassle with any taxis or immigration officials that I have heard are all pretty corrupt.
If you want to keep it more affordable there is Uber and it works great as well. I wouldn't use the taxi drivers in the streets.
The food is fantastic but the mango juices from the street vendors was probably some of my favorite treat! They are delicious, sweet and so refreshing, I highly recommend them. We had at least one a day, they are a must! Sheesa is also cheap and delicious. Depending on what you are looking for I recommend Sequoia for a fancy sheesha night or for cheap and great people watching Al Khalili market.
The Cairo Museum is the most important course in Egypt but believe me, fame is not what makes it so interesting. It’s a very strong feeling to know that we are seeing secrets that were excavated for centuries … and of course, the famous treasure of Pharaoh Tutankhamen.
Spend an afternoon full of adventure in the midst of the madness of the Khan el Khalili, one of the original eastern markets. Each step I took and every time I turned my head, my eyes crossed with gold, silver, wood, ivory, copper, furs, clothes, spice … A table of colors, smells and touches a square bustling and highly architectural.
End your evening riding down the Nile at a romantic Felucca sunset ride with a dinner at one of the Nile river view traditional Egyptian restaurants. We tried Le Pacha and loved it! Here are a few pictures:
Traditional Egyptian cuisine
We loved the eggplants with meat and pine nuts as well as pigeon with rice! Don't know it until you try it. It is a traditional and delicious dish.
An now some pyramid fun:
First straight pyramid...
First pyramid ever built
Look at the size of these rocks!
The Pyramids of Giza were once covered in a white casing made of glimmering limestone which was so polished that it would reflect the sun’s rays.
The Great Pyramids of Giza are built to be perfectly aligned to the pole star
Breathtaking sunsets!
We hope our experience will inspire you and pay a visit to this magical land of wonders!
