Page 42 - Explore - Autumn/Winter 2019

THE

WONDERS

OF EGYPT

can only describe Cairo as organised chaos. It's cars, car horns, traffic As night fell we went through the Esna lock 55 km south of Luxor (yes,
congestion, people and more people. But then it also has the Nile, the there is a lock on the Nile), then on to the city of Edfu for the night. Next
I pyramids at Giza, any amount of history and expert tour guides who turn day we visited the very well preserved Temple of Horus (built between
a week of sightseeing into an art form. Our own guide was Hazem, who took 237 and 57 BC) and then sailed to Kom Ombo to visit the only temple
our Insight Vacations group for a six-night, seven-day, 2,200-kilometre dedicated to two gods, the crocodile god Sorek and the falcon god
journey from Cairo to Abu Simbel and the major historic sites at Luxor, Horus. In the evening we had a fun night dressed in Egyptian attire and
Edfu and Aswan in between. Hazem is also an Egyptologist with a wealth enjoyed an Egyptian dinner and party.
of knowledge and a warm and caring personality. His storytelling about
the various sites associated with pharaohs, gods, kings and the occasional The next day we travelled by small boat from Aswan to the Island of
queen made it easy to become immersed in Egyptian history and how it Philae to visit the ancient temple of the goddess Isis. On our last day we
intertwines with so many other aspects of world history. had the option of flying 280 km southwest (at an additional cost) to Abul
Simbel to see the two reconstructed Temples of Ramses II and Nefertari.
Our tour began with two nights in Cairo at the Cairo Marriott (a former We then flew back to Cairo and returned to the Cairo Marriott to relax for
palace) with visits to the pyramids at Giza Pyramids and The Museum of a night before departure the next morning after breakfast.
Egyptian Antiquities. We then flew 520 km south to Luxor to start our
four-night Nile cruise to Aswan on the MS Medea. Luxor offers a feast of My overall impression of Egypt was that it was an absolutely rewarding
temple visits with Karnak on the east bank of the Nile and Luxor on the left and enriching destination that you have to visit at least once in your life.
where I got some amazing photos of the sunset. The next day we visited The The history is incredible and the sites you see and visit are thousands
Valley of the Kings and The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut on the west bank. of years old. Just realising that ancient Egyptians and Greeks and
In the afternoon we relaxed while cruising down the Nile and took in the Romans have all walked on the same piece of ground as you makes
surroundings as we passed by. the experience very special. The Insight Vacations trip also offers
experiences like watching an Egyptian family making bread, sailing on
Just realising that ancient Egyptians and a felucca on the Nile and high tea at the famous Old Cataract Hotel in
Aswan that are truly memorable. And the photos you take are memories
Greeks and Romans have all walked on you will keep forever.
the same piece of ground as you makes
the experience very special.

40 HELLOWORLD TRAVEL : EXPLORE : AUTUMN/WINTER EDITION