Itinerary:
January 9 - Transfer from Cairo Airport to Giza Station for overnight Sleeper Train to Aswan
January 10 - Morning camel ride on Aswan's West Bank and 2-night felucca trip to Kom Ombo
January 11 - Full day sailing
January 12 - Transfer to Luxor, via Edfu Temple and free afternoon
January 13 - Sunrise hot air balloon ride, guided visit of Valley of the Kings, and return flight to Cairo, sunset guided tour of Islamic Cairo
January 14 - Full day guided excursion of the Giza Pyramids and the Egyptian Museum
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Egypt.... is the one place we would like to go back to, first. There are so many things to see that are like no other place we've been. We started our trip by traveling for 36 hours from Beijing, including an 8 our layover in Qatar (lots of email time in the Qatar Airlines Lounge) and a 12 hour, overnight train from Cairo to Aswan.
When we arrived in Aswan, Egypt we were whisked off by our boat (felucca) guide, Mamud, to a guesthouse on the Nile for tea before our camel ride through the desert.
Mamud went on the camel ride with us as we saw the vastness of the desert and the charm of a Nubian Village.
After the camel ride we hung out with the locals at the guesthouse (there were no actual guests at the guesthouse while we were there) and waited for lunch. Our stomachs full, we stepped aboard our felucca (a traditional, Egyptian sail boat). This was going to be our home for 2 days and there were no bathroom facilities on the boat. Eeek! But instantly we were awed by the beauty of the Nile. It was such a “peaceful, easy feeling”. It was perfect! Our boat crew, Hussein and Luli, let me steer for a while (it was heavy). We spent our nights with our crew talking over the yummy Egyptian meals Luli made. It was such an unique and authentic experience. We sailed for 2 days and nights before disembarking in Edfu.
Did we mention it was freezing at night and blazing hot during the day. It is the desert, after all.
We drove through the Sahara Desert to our guide Mamud's home where his mom had prepared us lunch. His nephew impressed the teacher in me by saying the letters of the English alphabet accompanied by their sound and a word that starts with that sound (b, “b”, book). So cute.
Mamud went on the camel ride with us as we saw the vastness of the desert and the charm of a Nubian Village.
After the camel ride we hung out with the locals at the guesthouse (there were no actual guests at the guesthouse while we were there) and waited for lunch. Our stomachs full, we stepped aboard our felucca (a traditional, Egyptian sail boat). This was going to be our home for 2 days and there were no bathroom facilities on the boat. Eeek! But instantly we were awed by the beauty of the Nile. It was such a “peaceful, easy feeling”. It was perfect! Our boat crew, Hussein and Luli, let me steer for a while (it was heavy). We spent our nights with our crew talking over the yummy Egyptian meals Luli made. It was such an unique and authentic experience. We sailed for 2 days and nights before disembarking in Edfu.
Did we mention it was freezing at night and blazing hot during the day. It is the desert, after all.
We drove through the Sahara Desert to our guide Mamud's home where his mom had prepared us lunch. His nephew impressed the teacher in me by saying the letters of the English alphabet accompanied by their sound and a word that starts with that sound (b, “b”, book). So cute.
Then we explored Edfu Temple and traveled on to Luxor.
The next morning, we got up early to go on a sunrise hot air balloon ride. It was, in a word, incredible.
Without a nap, we then went on a guided tour of the Valley of the Kings, an alabaster factory, and the temple of the artists (where the artists of the kings temples lived and painted their own temples). We got one photo in the first temple before a guard took our camera (only to return it to our guide). The detail in the art work was incredible.
(head archaeologist at the Valley of the Kings)
Then, still with no nap, we flew back to Cairo and went on a guided tour of Islamic Cairo. Our guide, Randa, was wonderful and I especially appreciated that she was a women. (Most of Egypt is a male dominated society. Women do not usually initiate conversation with a man so it was nice to be in the presence of another woman I could trust and was super assertive to boot.) Islamic Cairo was the original, walled city of Cairo. It is filled with shops and mosques and people. The market hidden deep in the maze of streets was a destination in itself. I could have stayed for hours and spent loads of money. Patrick thanked his stars we were on a schedule.
The next morning, we got up early to go on a sunrise hot air balloon ride. It was, in a word, incredible.
Without a nap, we then went on a guided tour of the Valley of the Kings, an alabaster factory, and the temple of the artists (where the artists of the kings temples lived and painted their own temples). We got one photo in the first temple before a guard took our camera (only to return it to our guide). The detail in the art work was incredible.
(head archaeologist at the Valley of the Kings)
Then, still with no nap, we flew back to Cairo and went on a guided tour of Islamic Cairo. Our guide, Randa, was wonderful and I especially appreciated that she was a women. (Most of Egypt is a male dominated society. Women do not usually initiate conversation with a man so it was nice to be in the presence of another woman I could trust and was super assertive to boot.) Islamic Cairo was the original, walled city of Cairo. It is filled with shops and mosques and people. The market hidden deep in the maze of streets was a destination in itself. I could have stayed for hours and spent loads of money. Patrick thanked his stars we were on a schedule.
We explored the Citadel Mosque with 200 year old oriental rugs and an interesting history.
The next morning, our driver took us to meet Randa at the Egyptian Museum where we saw several items from the famed King Tut's tomb. Then off to the Pyramids. They are absolutely amazing. The sheer size made our jaws drop and then we heard the stats and history. 
We also saw how papyrus (original paper) was made. It was hectic but bursting with history. We loved it! The Red Sea and Mt. Siani are among the sights we hope to see on our next trip to Egypt.
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