Egypt, 2022
Cairo, Egypt
I hate to start off with a negative..but the Cairo airport is the worst. Okay moving on. Lol once you get out to the cabs, it’s pretty easy. Not a ton of hustling going on from what I experienced but what a crazy drive from the airport to Giza we had! Apparently the public transportation functions on freeways – you physically stand on the freeway and hold up a number for where you need to go and if a MINI VAN SIZED CAR has space for ya and they’re going that route then they will stop. If not, well, you walk and wait I guess! Also, lanes are really only a suggestion.
Since our flight got in early (6am) we went straight to Marriott Mena House. I’d really wanted to stay there but on top of being expensive they were completely booked out. So we went for breakfast instead and I 10/10 recommend! The views and food were all exceptional.
From there, we went to the hotel we were staying at (only $40 a night) the Mamlouk Pyramid Hotel and I gotta say, it was pretty great. The rooftop became out favorite place to hang and just stare at the pyramids!
- pyramids half day tour + camel ride: 10/10 would recommend. Any view of the pyramids is magnificent – but up close with a guide is key to enjoying and understanding the magnitude of what it in front of you!
- City tour: visit the Citadel of Saladin & El Moez Street (the oldest bazar in Egypt) – I would recommend these locations but I don’t think a tour is needed!
- 9 pyramids restaurant: you won’t find a better meal in Egypt! It is located inside the Great Pyramids park – so stack it with your tour/entrance fee. Make sure you call to set a reservation for an ideal time!
Luxor, Egypt
To get a well rounded feel of Egypt (or so we were told) we added Luxor to our itenerary and of course, I’m glad we did. Luxor is more laid back, rich with history, and strikingly beautiful for sunrise as all the hot air balloon’s take to the skies (cheapest place to hop on one, supposedly, in the world!). We stayed at the Hilton Luxor (a little bit of a splurge) but so worth it to us. Comes with breakfast and just a stunning campus with multiple pools and just the best view of the mountains to the west and nile river.
To do:
- nile river boat ride: my favorite thing in Luxor. It was so beautiful out on the water. Quiet and exactly the break we needed from the tourist chaos! I believe you can find them all up and down the nile – but we booked ours through the hotel.
- Karnak temple: arrived late morning and needed a guide – so that was frustrating lol stunning none the less but overwhelming without some direction!
- Luxor temple: we went at sunset and it was the right move. Which is the best feeling while traveling. Don’t really need a guide, but if course it can be helpful.
- Valley of the kings: just one of the many things we wanted to see but didn’t have time for in our sprint through Egypt!
To wear:
- Conservative attire – though we did see a few girls with booty shorts! I wore mostly linen pants, scarfs, and a short sleeve jumper!
