Egypt: The Land of Pharaohs and a Thousand Suns!

Our week-long trip to Cairo and Luxor in Egypt, organised by MakeMyTrip, was one of the best family trips we’ve ever been on. From Singapore, we flew to Dubai and then reached Cairo, a journey that lasted nearly thirty hours. On landing at the Cairo International Airport, I dozed off in the car that had come to pick us up, awakened as the doors were flung open, in front of a magnificent lobby, surrounded by sprawling gardens.

A refreshing drink later, we were checked into the JW Marriott, Mena House Hotel, built-in 1869. The Mena House  had hosted Winston Churchill, King George V and Richard Nixon. As my sister and I changed for dinner, we drew open the heavy curtains, and gasped in delight. Cairo, packed with towering minarets, magnificent mosques, and austere pyramids, showcases beautifully the architecture of Medieval Islam. And, a few hundred metres away were the Pyramids of Giza, the 4000-year old monument on the list of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, an inspiring tribute to the architects of ancient Egypt. That night we dined at the famous Moghul Room at the Mena House.

The Pyramids of Giza, The Sphinx and a Camel Ride

The three Pyramids of Giza, Ahrāmāt Al-Jīzah, were built on the west bank of the River Nile, and were dedicated to three kings Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. Khufu’s tomb, a 6-million-ton structure, is the single largest colossal building to have ever been constructed on earth. Braving the scorching heat, we followed our guide, who explained the significance of the pyramid, and the architecture inside.

Our guide, Mohamed (a professor of archeology at the University of Cairo and a part-time guide), led us to the south of the Pyramid of Khafre to the Great Sphinx. The structure that had initially seemed puny, in comparison to the gargantuan pyramids, the Sphinx was nearly 240-feet-long and almost 70-feet-high; with the face of a man and the body of a recumbent lion, carved out of limestone.

The following day, Mohamed insisted that we treat ourselves to a camel ride across the desert. Treading nimbly on the cobbled path on the shimmering sand, we made our way to a herd of camels. Helped onto a camel each, the four of us set off across the sands, in tow of each other. The man leading the camels took us around the pyramids and the Sphinx as a few locals cheered us on. After the ride, we made our way to a restaurant of Mohamed’s choice for an authentic Egyptian meal. We were treated to pita bread, also called Aish Baladi, simmering hot chicken tagine and kebabs. No longer famished, we returned to the beautiful Mena house, to prepare ourselves for the light and sound show at the Giza. With some time to spare, we wandered the grounds of the Mena House, marveling at the juxtaposition of lush greenery within the estate, and the desert outside. Fooled by the alarmingly hot day, we didn’t bring blankets or warm clothes, and thus didn’t have anything to protect us from the chilling desert winds as we settled down for the light and sound show, amidst scores of people. As the wind swirled around us, the Pyramids and Sphinx lit up and the Egyptian legacy came to life.

A trip to the Giza Solar Boat Museum

We visited the Giza Solar Boat Museum, in Cairo which housed the Khufu Ship, a full-sized vessel from Ancient Egypt which was unearthed at the foot of the Pyramid of Giza. Wandering through the museum, which was primarily constructed using sturdy wood, we were informed that the Khufu ship was built to carry people to their afterlife, to the Sun God, Ra. Three different viewing platforms, each at different levels, offered the tourists a good view of the giant boat, made primarily of Lebanese cedar. The museum further housed the cavern, the boat had been housed in. After the trip to the museum, our last day in Cairo was spent at the local markets, where my parents looked through a range of paintings and souvenirs they could buy to commemorate the trip.

Goodbye to the Land of the Giza and onward to Luxor

The flight to Luxor was slightly over an hour, and this time we checked into the Steigenberger Nile Palace, a beautiful hotel, on the banks of the River Nile, in the heart of the city. Our suite had a huge balcony which directly faced the glimmering Nile.

The Valley of Kings

Settled on the west bank of the Nile, the Valley of Kings was the site of royal burials, nearly 4000 years ago, and is home to the tombs of 63 pharaohs, including that of Ramses VI, Tutankhamun, and Seti I. Tourists are only allowed to see a certain number of tombs on any given day, and unfortunately, the day we visited, the tomb of Tutankhamun was not open to public. A word of caution: You need to have your best walking shoes on, and be prepared for some major trekking, if you choose to visit more than a single tomb.

The burial chambers at the tomb of Ramses VI are beautifully decorated, with pictures of the pharaohs lining the walls. It is an incredible feeling to be hundreds of feet into the heart of the earth looking at beautifully embalmed mummies.

The Karnak Temple and the Temple of Hatshepsut

The second day in Luxor was spent exploring the Karnak Temple and the Temple of Hatshepsut. Spread across 100 hectares, the Karnak Temple is an Egyptian temple precinct on the east bank of the Nile, and also the largest religious building to have ever been constructed. The centre of the site is dedicated to Amun-Ra, a male god, & the south is dedicated to his wife, Mut. With no trees in sight, the Karnak temple has towering walls, shimmering obelisks, and multiple smaller shrines, temples and exquisite columns.

Later, the same day, we visited Deir Al Bahri, which is known to house the Temple of Hatshepsut, a female pharaoh in ancient Egypt. Settled at the foot of rugged, limestone cliffs, the memorial temple is a vision in the desert. Deir Al Bahri is known to be one of the hottest places on earth, so sunglasses, hats, sun cream and water are crucial.

I hope to return to the country again, and retrace our steps back to the monuments that will continue to brave the heat, tourists and sandstorms and remain standing strong long after we’re gone.