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My love affair with Egypt started when I was seven years old. Someone gave me a book called ‘Wonders of the World’ and I used to gaze in admiration at the pictures of the pyramids and Tutankhamen.
So when my plane was about to land in Cairo many years later I felt a tinge of excitement and anticipation as I realized I was recognizing one of my lifelong dreams.
Words like surreal, serene, mystical and magical now instantly spring to mind when I think about this destination. There really is nothing that compares to waking up on the banks of the misty Nile at sunrise and hearing the distant call to prayer, watching the banks go by from the deck of your Nile cruiser, drink in hand and watching life on the Nile exist the way it has done for thousands of years, wondering what kind of ancient secrets and timeless mystery may still be lying hidden.
The Middle East gets some bad press but anyone with a passion for ancient history and religion will be fascinated with Egypt and equally so with it’s neighbours Syria and Jordan.
Climbing Mt Sinai by moonlight, where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments, stopping at a little Bedouin tent for a cup of strong Arabic coffee, and sleeping on the cold mountain for the pleasure of watching the sun rise over the Red Sea, are experiences not to be forgotten.
Syria has not had it’s doors open to tourism for very long, and contains an incredible example of a Crusader castle, Krak des Chevaliers, which was never captured and is still intact. Palmyra is the sprawling remains of an ancient oasis city in the middle of the desert. Damascus has such an ancient feel that you wonder if trade still exists the way it has done since biblical times. The Umayyad Mosque is apparently where the head of John the Baptist is enshrined, and the souks and markets offer fine linen and interesting goods.
A daytrip to Lebanon is possible from Damascus, and the ruins of Baalbeck are, in my opinion, the most incredible ruins I saw, the famous Temples of Baal and Bacchus offering a glimpse into a bygone era. Jordan is an exciting, friendly country and while driving through Wadi Rum you almost expect to see Lawrence of Arabia riding into the sunset. The incredible architectural wonder of Petra, the rose-red city hewn out of rock by the ancient Nabateans, is a sight to behold. For centuries it lay hidden from the outside world, and as you enter via the narrow ‘siq’ you really feel time standing still.
At the beginning I found most of my time was spent gazing at all of the majestic temples and ruins, with a mixture of admiration, respect and bafflement as to how they could logistically have been built. By the end of it I was just appreciating it for what it was and enjoying the beauty of these creations.
Cairo itself is a fascinating, large city with 14 million inhabitants. A few days is required here to visit the famous Cairo Museum and to explore the famous bazaars and of course to explore the Pyramids of Giza, Saqqara (home to the oldest pyramid in Egypt) and the Sphinx. Much controversy still surrounds the pyramids and how they were built – theories range from aliens to slavery.
Whatever you believe, it really is amazing when you drive from Cairo to the desert and first lay eyes on these marvels. The Nile is pretty much the lifeblood of Egypt. Considering that more than 90% of Egyptians are concentrated in the fertile Nile valley and with 90% of Egypt consisting of desert area, no visit to Egypt is complete without a Nile Cruise to really experience Egypt. If you are doing this make sure you get out Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, a perfect depiction of the Eyptian life and sights you will see en route.
The Nile flows through Egypt from south to north – Lower Egypt is therefore the north and Upper Egypt is the south. That is because the country slopes downhill towards the Mediterranean Sea. Going upriver means heading south to Luxor and Aswan and going down the Nile means heading north towards Cairo and Alexandria.
Aswan itself warrants a couple of days to explore, take a sailing trip by traditional felucca and experience the hospitality of the Nubean people. Explore Philae Temple and head out to Abu Simbel - an incredible example of engineering genius, as they have moved the whole temple from the shores of the rising lake. It is now possible to take private tours to Abu Simbel and stay overnight there, taking advantage of the sunrise over this magnificent place.
The souks and markets in Aswan are a great place to shop for exotic trinkets and all sorts of interesting treasures. Luxor is just incredible and was a personal highlight. The Valley of the Kings and Queens contain many ancient tombs, but for me Karnak temple was the most moving experience – monstrous columns and pillars, obelisks carved out of stone, and on our visit this was all set off by a fiery sunset.
Fact file:
When to go to Egypt: The height of the tourist season in Egypt is their winter – from mid October to May. Summers (May to mid-October) are very hot, especially in Upper Egypt (Luxor and south) . If you choose to travel in the summer try to do your sightseeing earlier in the morning, before the hottest part of the day. The sandstorms are nasty and hot, and blow variably, usually from February to April so you may want to avoid those! Talk to one of our experienced Orbit Holidays travel specialists about how to get the most out of the Middle East.
Mel Lowen, Orbit Holidays, New Zealand – Tel 0800 101 515
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