Five Go to Egypt

We recently sent a small team of Bunnik Tours staff on an exciting educational to Egypt. Based on our popular Egypt in Depth tour the team enjoyed exploring the Great pyramids of Giza, the temples of Abu Simbel, the impressive Valley of the Kings and a relaxing Nile Cruise. 
Here David, James, Jeremy, Kelly and Chloe relive some of their highlights from the trip...

Day 1 - The adventure begins
After landing in Cairo we were greeted by our local representative and that was it – we were straight off to our hotel in the pyramids area of Giza.  As we drove through Cairo we couldn’t believe our eyes as the tip of the great pyramid peeked through the buildings. This is when it hit us -  we were in the land of the Pharaohs! After arriving at our Hotel we were introduced to our guide and Egyptologist for the week, Hanaa. With over 25 years guiding experience we knew we were in safe hands.

Our first stop was the ancient area of Sakkara home to the Step Pyramid. We then continued onto the former capital of Memphis and to the open air museum which houses the massive colossus of Ramses II. We then continued onto the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, the grandeur of these monuments was just breath taking. 

After a delicious welcome meal of felafel and baba ganoush, we made our way to the train station to take the overnight train to Aswan.

Day 2 - Welcome to ancient Egypt
This morning we awoke on the train to views of ever changing scenery as we travelled along the Nile. The lush green palms along the river bank soon made way to the endless desert.

After arriving in Aswan we visited the High Dam before continuing onto the Temple of Philae. It was here our introduction to the world of Ancient Egyptology began as our guide Hanaa began to narrate the hieroglyphs on the walls. Our final stop of the day was the Unfinished Obelisk, before we made our way back to the hotel for a refreshing swim in the pool and dinner on the terrace overlooking the Nile.

Day 3 - The stunning temples of Abu Simbel
We had a very early start this morning as we were visiting Abu Simbel to see the grand temples of Ramses II. The sheer magnificence of the temple was amazing. Moved from its original position, the temple now sits encased in a manmade hill, overlooking the pristine Lake Nasser. Inside, small rooms lead off of a large entrance hall with treasure scenes illustrated on the walls. After some free time to explore this fascinating site we made our way back to Aswan. 

On returning to Aswan we boarded the Nile cruiser Movenpick Royal Lily, which was to be our home for the next three nights. The ship was modern and clean and the top deck had a nice relaxing area with a swimming pool, bar and comfy sofas.

After we set sail towards Luxor, our first stop was the riverside Temple of Kom Ombo, shared by the two Gods Sobek and Haroeris. It was after dark when we were reached the temple which really added to the atmosphere as strategically placed lights really emphasised the grandeur of the temples architecture. And a tip for other travellers the café area just outside the temple cannot be missed as it’s a great place to sample the local mint tea! 

Day 4 - Let's dance
Today we visited Edfu Temple and we all agreed that this temple was the most visually enthralling as it was the best preserved of all temples in Egypt. Built over a 180 year period, Edfu Temple is dedicated to Horus, the falcon god.

In the late afternoon we went through the Esna lock. This was an amazing experience as when you are going through the lock you can feel the sensation of the cruise ship gently drop about six metres as the water is closed off behind you.

This evening was highlight of our time on the cruise as it was the Glabeya night. This was a really fun evening as everyone dressed up in traditional Egyptian clothing ready for a night of dancing – just make sure you don’t forget your camera!

Day 5 - The Valley of the Kings
The impressive Valley of the Kings was our first stop today in the area of the Necropolis of Thebes on the West Bank of the Nile. Here we descended into three of the tombs belonging to Ramses and his ancestors.  It's hard to believe that the colours that have been painted on the walls of these tombs are the originals as they are so well preserved. We then visited the massive Temple of Queen Hatsheput and the Colossi of Memnon which is two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. 

We then crossed the Nile to the East Bank to visit the Karnak and Luxor Temples. Made up of three main temples, Karnak is the largest of its kind and home to the tallest obelisk belonging to Queen Hatshepsut.

Day 6 - Hot air ballooning
A really exciting day today as we were booked to take a hot air balloon over the west bank. When we arrived at the site it was bit windy so there was a lot of speculation as to whether we’d actually be able to do it or not. However, after a short wait we were pleased to hear that the trip would be going ahead and we made our way to the launch site.  

When we arrived, the first lot of balloons had taken off and filled the sky with awesome colour, it was an amazing sight. Back on the ground there were three deflated balloons which the operators were working hard on to fill with hot air. Finally our balloon was ready and we all rushed over and jumped in the basket. The pilot Mohammed was very experienced and pointed out the landmarks along the way.  It’s was all very surreal. We took off gently, and slowly the altitude increased. Being up so high was bit scary to start with but after a while you kind of get used to it and the scenery was amazing.  Flying over the Colossi of Memnon and the Valley of the Kings was just beautiful.

After a smooth landing we were soon on our way back to Cairo and the Ramses Hilton Hotel which was our home for the last part of our trip. This is a 5-star hotel in the heart of Cairo with great facilities.  

Day 7 - Colourful Cairo
This morning we were taken through the streets of Cairo to The Saladin Citadel of Cairo. The Citadel is sometimes referred to as Mohamed Ali Citadel because it contains the Mosque of Mohamed Ali, which was built between 1828 and 1848. We then headed further into the heart of the city to visit the colourful Khan Al Khalili Bazaar. This is a place that attracts tourists and locals alike as it sells everything you can think of including clothing, spices and traditional Egyptian shisha pipes! This is a great place to buy souvenirs from as the prices are good and there’s so much to choose from.

After a quick spot of shopping we were off to the Egyptian Museum. This is a phenomenal place with over 160,000 artefacts including the contents of Tutankhamen’s Tomb. The 11kg of solid gold mask was a highlight for all of us. 

Then all too quickly we were enjoying our farewell dinner at the Cairo Marriott in one of their tented restaurants called Egyptian Nights.  It was a warm night, but a beautiful hotel and fantastic location. It was also really good for us as we got to meet many of the staff from Flywell who we work with in Egypt.

What a whirlwind trip – amazing sights, beautiful temples, friendly locals and a cultural blast from the past.  We loved it all!

Click here to see our range of tours that travel to the Middle East.