Tour Day 3 - Cairo – Luxor – Nile Cruise (4 nights)
A morning flight from Cairo to Luxor on the River Nile. On arrival, the rest of the morning is free before we board our luxury cruise ship for lunch. Later, we visit the grand Temple of Luxor which dominates the town and also the gigantic temple complex at Karnak. Explore the mighty Temple of Amun with its mass of obelisks, pylons, colossi and courts. Plus marvel at the remains of the amazing Avenue of the Sphinx, which once stretched between the Temples of Karnak and Luxor. Later, we return to our cruise ship for dinner.
Today we meet our tour director, Ashraf, who happens to be the person Mom and Dad are hoping for… his reputation is THAT good. He’s an Egyptologist and is unbelievably proud of his country so we’re already feeling very lucky. Plus he has a good sense of humour, so Eric and I are happy.
We follow the schedule for the most part – we don’t visit the Amun Temple and we have no real free time except for a bit before and after dinner, but we’re okay with this because Karnak and the Luxor Temple more than make up for it.
The complex of Karnak is the first of many jaw-dropping experiences.
The structure is huge and makes everything look tiny – even Eric’s head!
Ashraf is a wealth of knowledge and a very captivating story-teller. He’s a strong believer in not only learning about a country, but also feeling it in your heart so he finds a great balance between filling us full of information and knowing when to let us enjoy things at our own pace.
Dad goes from being the teacher to the “teacher’s pet”.
We visit the Temple of Luxor near the end of the day so we get to experience the site as the sun is setting.
It’s located in the heart of Luxor. Of course now it’s surrounded by a modern city whereas the mud-brick houses that used to surround it are buried underneath centuries of sand.
One treat we get to experience is the Avenue of the Sphinx. It’s a very recent discovery and is in the process of being excavated – it’s so new in fact, it’s not in any of the literature.
After a long day discovering the wonders of the Nile’s east bank – sunrise, light & life – we board our ship and prepare for launch.
I think Eric and I could get used to this kind of treatment…
Tour Day 4 – Nile Cruise: Luxor – Edfu
Today’s highlight is a visit to the Valley of the Kings. Secluded in the Theban Hills, it is where the New Kingdom pharaohs were buried in dramatically shafted tombs built into the hillsides. Next we visit the Temple of Medinet Habou and on to the breathtaking Deir el-Bahri, Queen Hatshepsut’s impressive temple and the Colossus of Memnon on the West Bank. Later, we return to the ship and sail for Edfu.
Ashraf has been doing tours for so long that he has it down to a science. As a result, he changes our schedule a bit in order to avoid the crowds.
So now our first stop is Deir el-Bahri, a reconstructed temple cut into the cliff edge. We arrive bright and early and have the place all to ourselves.
The anticipation for our trip to the Valley of the Kings is building as we make our second stop at the Temple of Medinet Habou.
On my way out of the temple I am swarmed by schoolboys wanting a photo with me. It isn’t the first time either – I imagine Eric and I are all over Facebook by now.
Our last stop of the day is the most anticipated one – the Valley of the Kings.
Unfortunately no cameras are allowed in the site, so you will have to trust me when I tell you that walking into ancient tombs dug deep into the sides of mountains and decorated with paintings dating back thousands of years is pretty cool.
Before getting back on the ship, Eric and I take a small wander through the nearby village. Of course given our luck with transport as of late, we don’t stray too far…
We spend the rest of the afternoon cruising up the Nile…
Tour Day 5 – Nile Cruise: Edfu – Kom-Ombo
This morning we visit Edfu to see Egypt’s best-preserved cult temple, which was dedicated to the falcon god Horus. Then we continue our tranquil cruise along the Nile arriving at Kom-Ombo. Why not relax on deck and watch primitive villages on the banks of the river glide by? They have changed little in a thousand years. Tonight we don traditional Egyptian galabeas for a fun-filled Egyptian Dinner and Galabea Party.
This “cut & paste” style of blogging is really making our job easy…
Look – it’s me at the aforementioned Edfu Temple!
The ship arrives at Kom-Ombo at dusk and Ashraf takes us on a nice walk to visit the site. The temple is stunning and to be able to see it lit up at night is a special treat.
After feasting on a buffet filled with traditional Egyptian fare, we head up to the bar for some entertainment. We begin with the staff playing a number of different songs and leading the group around the boat dancing, then we move on to a number of games and activities, with a grand finale of watching Eric fall prey to Ashraf’s sense of humour…
He knows Eric is a good sport – the two of them have been having a lot of fun over the last couple of days cracking jokes, etc. – and he takes advantage of it. He sets Eric up in one of the games, so Eric ends up having to run around and around and around in circles, much to the entertainment of everyone else. It was quite amusing…
At the end of the night, the score is:
Ashraf = 1, Eric = 0
Tour Day 6 – Nile Cruise: Kom-Ombo – Aswan
We visit the roofless Temple of Kom-Ombo, which was built for the falcon and crocodile gods. From here we cruise to Aswan to take a memorable felucca ride across the Nile to see the Botanical Gardens on Kitchener’s Island. The felucca is the traditional craft of Egyptians who have sailed in them down the centuries. An amazing sight is a blood-red sunset, commonplace in Aswan, with the distinctive sails of dozens of feluccas silhouetted against the setting sun.
This is where the tour itinerary really breaks down. Since we visited the Temple of Kom-Ombo last night, today we start off with a visit to the High Dam.
Then we visit the Temple of Isis on the Island of Philae…
And the Unfinished Obelisk.
We also stop by an essential oils factory/shop. Eric and I are now knowledgeable about the aromatherapy qualities of the major Egyptian essential oils as well as the real combinations used to make brand name perfumes… oh the things we learn.
Eric and I decide to skip the afternoon felucca ride to the botanical gardens and instead we walk around Aswan and visit the Nubian Museum.
It’s our last night on the cruise and to be honest, I’m going to miss it a bit. So we finish it off in style…
We have a fantastic meal…
And a crash-course in belly-dancing.
Tour Day 7 – Disembark – Aswan – Cairo (4 nights)
We disembark to explore the High Dam. Then we visit the Temple of Isis on the Island of Philae and the massive Unfinished Obelisk. Afterwards, there is a once in a lifetime opportunity to take an optional excursion to the mighty Sun Temple of Abu Simbel, flanked by four giant stone statues of Ramses II. The temple was reclaimed from the dam and reconstructed in its present and unforgettable location. Finally, we transfer to the airport for the return flight to Cairo.
The High Dam? The Temple of Isis? The Unfinished Obelisk?
Yeah – been there, done that.
Instead the four of us wake up early and hop on a plane to fly to Abu Simbel.
And when we walk around the side of the mountain, this is what we see…
As you can imagine, it’s one of the highlights of the tour.
Seems like you been having a blast there!
ReplyDeleteEgypt rocks for sure!
Adam, Egypt
http://egyptgift.blogspot.com