Travel Guides: All Countries / Africa / Egypt / Cairo
 |  | Travel Reviews : Cairo |
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| | | | Review by Mathew Dryhurst from Berlin
Incredible. More to see than even a fortnight could do justice to.
Review by lynda blackwood from musselburgh
i loved cairo, very beautiful city, every one was very freindly and keen to help. many egyptains spoke english which helped! ha ha Cairo is a very historical city, many places to visit, day and night. If you like the night life there is alot of restaurants and night clubs too if you love dancing! i would recommend going to Cairo to anyone.
Sands of time
From the Daily Mail
You heard the wind before you felt it.
From down in the dry lake wadi came a rustling of leaves; moments later a night breeze flowed over you like cool water. I lay in my sleeping bag, watching the crescent moon. And I was confirmed in the belief that nothing in this world can equal the simple joy of sleeping out under the stars - especially in the Holy Land of Sinai.
Sinai is a place apart; a rugged land of deserts, mountains and miracles. This is where Moses encountered the Burning Bush, and received the Ten Commandments. It has been inhabited, mostly by Bedouin nomads, for 5,000 years.
Our small group had come here for a week's walking, followed by a week on Egypt's popular Red Sea coast. We set off from the village of St Catherine - a dusty shambles of weathered stone houses - climbing up through a wadi. Above us, three bigger mountains - Safsafa, St Catherine's and Sinai itself - stood like watchtowers.
'Paradise' is a Persian word which found its way into the Egyptian language and came to mean 'walled garden'. Making our first camp in one, it was easy to see why. Low stone walls enclosed a grove of olive, cypress and fruit trees. There was a well with drinking water, and a bamboo canopy hung with vines for shade. A Bedouin family nodded hello with dreamy smiles.
Sitting round a fire built from apricot branches, we talked. Not the urgent, fill-in-the-gaps conversation of most urban life, but a slower, more reflective process.
Travel Guide: Cairo
Heaven on earth
If there is heaven on earth, Egypt is certainly that. It's the most breathtaking experience anyone could ever have.
I went to Luxor. Just as we left the airport we saw a scene which I looked more like a film set than reality - all the Egyptians were sat down, enjoying chatting to each other on a beautiful warm evening.
We visited Luxor Temple during the day and at night for the light show. I recommend to do both because the difference is incredible. You can most certainly feel the ancient air.
Unfortunately I feel that the Luxor Museum was a little disappointing - it's so small. Visiting the west bank is also a must, especially the Valley of the Kings and Queen Hatshepsut's Temple. It is also nice to take a Nile cruise even if it is only from the east to the west bank.
Cairo is quite musty but a very stunning city, full of life in every way.
A visit to the Egyptian Museum is a great learning experience, the citadel area is superb. You cannot forget the pyramids at Giza, a spectacular surreal moment. If you like to shop and haggle a visit to the Khan al-Khalili bazaar must not be missed. You are guaranteed to pick up lots of bargains. I hope I have inspired you to go.
Travel Guide: Cairo
The splendours of Egypt
An indication of Egypt's enduring appeal is that any traveller's book of quotations would probably have to devote its largest section to this enigmatic nation.
Any great writer worth his salt who has visited has taken the trouble to record his impressions.
Herodotus observed: 'Egypt has more wonders in it than any other country in the world and provides more works that defy description than any other place.'
More recently, the American author Herman Melville wrote - enticingly - that the climate of Egypt in winter is 'the reign of spring upon earth, and summer in the air, and tranquility in the heat'.
We arrived, my husband Jon and I, on a Sunday night in February, and found it just as Melville observed.
It is recommended to travel there in the winter months, November to March, as otherwise it gets too hot for the sightseeing which is an essential part of the Egyptian experience.
The Four Seasons Hotel in Cairo, on the Nile, is new and sumptuous. I have stayed in a number of swish hotels in my time in Washington and New York and I have to say this is one of the most luxurious, with the best service I have ever experienced.
When you travel in Egypt you have to sightsee.
You can sit on the beach as we did at Sharm el Sheikh, you can sit on the verandahs and various terraces of the luxury hotels as we did, or you can laze on the sunbeds of your boat down the Nile as we did.
But this life of pleasure must be balanced by seeing something of ancient Egypt.
Travel Guide: Cairo
Inside the Mummy's tombs
From the Mail on Sunday
Ancient Egypt's obsession with the afterlife has earned Hollywood's undying gratitude over the years. The mummy Imhotep, originally immortalised on film by Boris Karloff, rises from another cursed burial in the recent release The Mummy Returns. But it's lucky for filmmakers that you can't libel the undead, for in reality Imhotep was one of ancient Egypt's most revered figures - a high priest, scientist, philosopher and demi-god.
And it was as the architect of the first pyramid, rather than as a cursed heretic, that he earned immortality.
Most visitors to Egypt see only the best known pyramids, what you might call the 'Giza three', but there are 108 known royal tombs, the latest discovered only two months ago. Most of the 25 great pyramids of the Old Kingdom, from the Third to the Seventh Dynasty, lie within easy reach of Cairo in a region known as the Memphite necropolis. The father of them all, Imhotep's Step Pyramid, is south of Cairo, at King Zoser's funerary complex in Saqqara.
The complex, built during Zoser's reign from 2628-2609 BC, has a more desolate feel than some of Egypt's other must-sees. This means you're unlikely to jostle with trinket touts and other tourists for the experience. However, this might change if current excavations to find Imhotep's tomb and real-life mummy at Saqqara are successful.
The site is dominated by King Zoser's tomb - its distinctive pyramid shape representing (depending on your guide book) steps to the horizon, the rays of the sun god Ra or the sacred mount rising from the Nile in Egyptian creation myths.
For the ancient Egyptians, man consisted of body, Ba (soul) and, in the case of the king, Ka - a life force bestowed by his father, Ra. All three had to be united after death for the king to reach judgment with Osiris, god of the underworld and the afterlife. The indestructibility of the stone used to build the pyramids, along with the preservative rites of mummification, were vital to protect the unity of Ka and king.
Travel Guide: Cairo
Egypt - the land for all people
Egypt is often regarded as a holiday destination for those seeking out the culture of the temples in Luxor or the Pyramids of its capital Cairo.
But the ancient country boasts many different faces, and can easily accommodate those holiday-makers in search of a sun break.
It's also hugely attractive for diving fanatics. But make sure you pick the right location for your expectations.
If Egypt is the place for culture buffs, Luxor is the highlight. It's home to the awesome Valley of the Kings on the West Bank, and the magnificent temples of Karnak and Luxor.
For those seeking a more laid back cultural trip, book a cruise down the Nile on a beautiful floating hotel.
They cruise for seven days, stopping in the early mornings to take in the sights as far down as Aswan.
Culture is all very well, but you won't be bored in the evening. There are half a dozen luxury hotels in Luxor and they are recommended for dining. The St George Sonesta is a good choice. Clubs are rare - there is one by the hotel Mercure Coralia.
Fortunately, it's easy to get around Luxor. The town is small, and hotels within walking distance. Cabs are cheap but beware - the drivers are maniacs.
Think carefully when deciding when to go. Egypt's very hot season is May to Sep when temperatures can hit 42C in Luxor and 35C in Cairo. Aim to visit in the other months - the summer heat is not advisable for those already exhausted from wandering around sites.
Travel Guide: Cairo
Enchanting Cairo
Cairo is not for the faint hearted. But for those prepared to be enchanted, swayed and utterly floored, this is your city.
The hustle and bustle is 24/7, it never sleeps. You can shop till you drop till all hours.
The historic sights of the Sphinx, museum and mosques will keep the most studious going for many years.
I loved the people, culture, different smells, sounds and fabulous people that I met on my travels.
Take your sense of fun and excitement right out of your bag and enjoy all the city has to offer. You will never regret it and like be go back for more time and time again.
Travel Guide: Cairo
Cairo's crazy cabbies in wacky races
Road rage, gridlock traffic, congestion charging - everyday topics in London but not in Cairo, the hot and dusty capital of Egypt.
Despite a population nearly three times as big as London, the traffic keeps on the move as drivers ignore the rule book to steer through the mayhem.
Highway Code? No way. The only code on the crazy roads of Cairo is the derring-do of the Wacky Races.
Brit Neal Jones lives in Cairo, working at new hotel Mirage City. "I could have had a driver but decided to get a car.
"There is only one rule on the road - whoever's car is in front, even by an inch, has the right of way," he says.
"I drive with my hand on the horn and foot on the gas. It's quite fun really but you must not lose your nerve. Cars are bought for their engine and brakes, not flashy bodywork," he adds.
Taking a taxi in Cairo is a ride never to be forgotten. First negotiate the fare - which is just a few pounds.
The meters have long since broken, along with the seatbelts, indicators, lights and the rest of the instruments. Unperturbed, the driver speeds off.
The drive, should you have your eyes open, is a nerve-racking dash, crossing arbitrary lanes, cutting up cars or touching bumpers just to get ahead.
Travel Guide: Cairo
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| | | | The biblical Burning Bush
You don't have to be religious to find peace here. But you do have to adapt to the heat. This means rising early, and keeping out of the sun in the middle of the day. You also learn never to be without your kuffiyah, the checked Arab headdress which is both sun hat and a mask against sand and dust.
For three days we trekked through the ochre-coloured mountains, crossing high ridges with spectacular views, settling down for the night in some idyllic grove. Finally we reached St Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mt Sinai, its dimly-lit interior gleaming with precious icons.
The 6th-century apse was lined with exquisite mosaics and topped by a dome of silver and gold leaf. And in the monastery courtyard stood the Burning Bush - a surprisingly ordinary looking bramble.
Sadly, St Catherine's is in danger of being swamped by day-trippers from the coast. I chatted to Father Paul from Sydney, one of the monastery's Orthodox monks.
'I don't mind visitors if they respect our customs,' he said. But later I saw him gently remonstrating with a woman leaning against the monastery's Justinian door. Twice he asked her to move, and then gave up.
Dodging the camel rides
Our first experience of the old civilisation was of the pyramids at Giza, a short drive from our Cairo hotel with our guide Sabra.
However much you have read about the pyramids, they are more spectacular than you could imagine.
The first thing that strikes you is their size. The height of one brick alone dwarfs the tourists that mill around the base, dodging the camel rides for hire and the drowsy tourist police (everywhere with large guns).
But as you get closer to the pyramids, the feat of engineering adds to the sense of wonder.
Sabra had told us that the limestone blocks which the pyramids are made out of weigh two-and-a-half tons each. This to me was just a number until I saw how big a two-and-a-half-ton block of limestone is.
Then there is the precision of their cutting, so that each block fits snugly together with the others.
How did they do this without copper, bronze or stone tools? And then how did they get them to the top of the pyramid and fit them together? No one really knows.
The rest of our first week was taken up with visits to a number of ancient Egyptian sites. The rest, dating from around 800BC, were not as old as the pyramids which date from before 2,500BC.
We saw the tombs of the pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings, the spectacular temples at Karnak, Luxor, Esna, Philae and Aswan and finally at Abu Simbel.
All memorable in their own ways, festooned in hieroglyphics, stylised Egyptian images of Gods, pharaohs and wars and all deliciously cool inside.
The claustrophobia of Cheops
Whatever dreams I had about my first sighting of the great pyramid of Cheops, Egypt's largest pyramid, it certainly wasn't from Cairo's equivalent of a ring road. I'd caught my first glance while snailing through the capital's traffic from the airport and, even from a plateau six miles away, it easily puts the city's concrete blocks in their place.
Up close, the two million limestone blocks of Cheops inspire open-mouthed vertigo. Unlike at the Step Pyramid, you can go inside to the barren burial chamber, unusually located at the pyramid's heart rather than in an underground vault. It's frankly terrifying and not for the claustrophobic or anyone with breathing problems, but it does inspire respect for the mysterious Ka as unspeakable tons of limestone press down protectively on you.
Emerge into the sunlight and you conclude correctly that pyramids are no place for the living. I was content to view the pyramids of Chephren and Mycerinus from the safety of a camel, marvelling at how small the Sphinx looked alongside.
The Giza pyramids mark the effective end of the pyramid age, just 200 or so years from Imhotep's breakthrough. Although inferior examples were sporadically built until the 18th Dynasty, by then their colossal manpower demands had inspired another revolution - the organisation of the first political state.
Although Imhotep has been credited with other architectural achievements, including Sekhemkhet's unfinished pyramid and the first temple at Edfu, his work at Saqqara is the only certainty. However, his influence can be seen all the way down the Nile to Abu Simbel.
A short flight from Cairo lies Luxor, once the epicentre of Thebes, the New Kingdom capital a thousand years after King Zoser. Here I wandered through the temples of Luxor and Karnak, looking for the 'hand of the mummy' in the papyrus-topped columns, intricate stonework and obelisks, which carried the pyramidal symbol on through Egyptian civilisation.
A mix of fast food and history
The main draw of Egypt's capital Cairo is the Pyramids. It's a shock to find that they and the nearby Sphinx are on the edge of Giza city - disquietingly opposite a KFC. A true melting pot.
Don't leave the city without visiting Cairo Museum, most notably the room hosting Tutankhamen's antiquities.
Relax by dining on a boat restaurant such as the Blue Nile, which looks on to the bustling modern city.
If you're looking for a lazy break, Sharm el Sheikh is the place for you.
The Sinai peninsula resort is small and low-key. Its generous share of two/three-star hotels and satisfying outdoor eateries will suit you.
Sharm is located on the Red Sea, an ideal location for a diving break. It's a stunning spot for keen snorkellers, too. A full-day boat journey with three swims costs just £30 and is idyllic.
If it's a drinking holiday you want, Sharm is also the place. Among its myriad of eateries are bars such as Pirates, where you can mingle with locals.
But be aware that these close relatively early (1am). Ibiza it's not.
If you want to flavour the lifestyle of the Egyptians visit Luxor. Laze in one of the smoking cafes, wander around the bazaars and sample the refreshing traditional teas.
Locals will badger you to buy their wares. Don't lose your temper with them. Smile and firmly repeat no.
You must tip everyone, down to the toilet attendants. One Egyptian pound (20p) will suffice.
Cover up against the full blast sun.
Contact the Egyptian Tourist Authority http://www.touregypt.net or 0900 1600 299. Libra Holidays 0870 066 4802 for info.
Donkeys trot alongside
As you race through the city on its puzzle of roads and fly-overs it is, surprisingly, a fitting way to see a city crammed with 20 million people. The noise, fumes, dust and heat all add to the blurred picture of a sprawling city where everyone seems on the move.
Slums heaped on top of each other next to crumbling but majestic buildings give glimpses of life in the city.
There seems to be a lot of men busy standing around while others try to clean the streets with pieces of card.
Everywhere satellite dishes poke out of unfinished roofs. Washing is strung from windows to dry in the fumes. Buses crammed with passengers heave alongside donkey carts laden with fruit or veg.
From the road you pass the huge City of the Dead where a vast number of people live alongside their dead relatives in above-ground tombs.
Rising above the city is the landmark Citadel - a collection of mosques, palaces and museums.
You won't see the Pyramids on your taxi ride as they're on the edge of the city but you are sure to cross one of the many bridges over the restful Nile.
Despite its hectic pace, Cairo isn't the city that never sleeps. Sneak out at 6am and the madcap roads are empty. But then the city has lost its edge.
It comes alive with the swarms of people, car horns and the wail of the many mosques calling people to prayer.
Cairo may be chaos but it works and is a city full of energy that must be experienced and savoured. Preferably from the back seat of a cab.
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| | | | Revelation in the desert
Later that day, our camel train arrived for the last stage of the journey. Riding a camel for the first time is a jolt - literally. You hop onto the wooden saddle, and then find yourself jerked forward and upwards, as if on a forklift truck as the camel gets to its feet.
Our riding companions were members of the Muzeina tribe, led by Sheikh Hamid. He took the lead as we plodded behind, sun beating down on one side, a dusty wind coming from the other, our kuffiyahs shielding us from both.
We crossed the old trading route between Jerusalem and St Catherine's, and the shingly plains gave way to sand, with rock formations rising up like fortresses. The light changed from red to gold, and the camels' shadows lengthened below us.
The Sheikh called a halt. We tied up the camels, and sat quietly as evening descended and light and colour seeped from the day. No sound. No birds or wild animals. No people. Bliss.
Over dinner of shakshuka vegetable stew, the Sheikh talked of the changes tourism had brought to Sinai. 'Before, we had less money but life was quieter.' But he was a desert Bedouin and, Insh' Allah (God willing), would live nowhere else. The mountains were 'too cold'; the coast 'too noisy'. He laughed, and spat in the fire. Slipping off after dinner, I spent so much time looking up at the stars that I forgot where I was. For a while I wandered in circles. No campfire to be seen; no voices. I seemed lost.
Then I remembered the desert has little to harm you. Snakes and scorpions are unlikely to attack unless provoked. The night was warm; the stars beautiful; why not just stretch out on the ground and sleep?
Which I did. Then I heard a shout, saw a light, and made my way back to camp. But it had been something of a revelation, in a land famous for them. Far from being lost in the desert, if anything I'd been found.
Very Death On The Nile
I think one of the visits I enjoyed the most was in Aswan, where we visited the granite quarry.
Here, there is a huge obelisk half cut out of the granite, but work stopped when it cracked. This vast monolith, cut out by a combination of primitive tools, fire and water, still lies where it was left 3,000 years ago. How they were going to transport it hundreds of miles to Luxor is a mystery to me.
You don't have to be an expert, or even a would-be expert, to enjoy these trips.
The buildings give an enormous sense of how long human civilisation had been in existence and how skilled folk were so many years ago. A sobering thought.
For most of the sightseeing we were housed on the boat, Oberoi Philae. A luxurious river boat hotel, decorated in romantic Edwardian style (very Death On The Nile, darling) with an accommodating crew.
I estimate there are hundreds of such boats cruising up and down the Nile, of varying costs and quality.
The Oberoi, we learned, was one of the best and you couldn't ask for a more comfortable and relaxing way of experiencing the beautiful Nile river and the sights along the way.
When we left the boat we enjoyed more romantic accommodation, staying in two former royal palaces of King Farouk (the last king of Egypt) now converted to hotels.
The Old Cataract Hotel, in Aswan, and the Old Winter Palace, in Luxor, both have splendidly proportioned rooms, and the air of a bygone age of elegance.
Our last three days were at the Ritz Carlton in Sharm el Sheikh, relaxing on the Red Sea.
Sharm el Sheikh sits at the end of the Sinai desert looking out on to the Red Sea, a scuba diver's paradise they tell me.
The Ritz Carlton is probably the best hotel there. The service is excellent, the pool enormous and ending the day with a massage was perfect.
A great end to an amazing holiday.
TRAVEL DETAILS:
Cox and Kings Travel (http://www.coxandkings.co.uk tel: 0207 873 5000) offers a range of holidays to Egypt.
In the Valley of the Kings
In Upper Egypt, the desert rays of Ra can quickly burn you raw, so sightseeing is restricted to mornings and balmy evenings, when the illuminated temples are especially beautiful. To visit the Valleys of the Kings and Queens on the west bank, prepare to rise early - by 10am the dusty roads are congested with tourist buses.
Here, in an attempt to stop grave robbing, the kings and queens of the 18th to 20th Dynasties built their tombs underground and, in comparison with the pyramids, the outward pomp and circumstance is minimal. Yet look up and you see that they lie at the base of a sacred pyramid-shaped mountain.
Of the 132 royal valley tombs only a small number are open at any one time and, unlike the claustrophobia of the pyramid chambers, they seem positively open-plan and cheery. The dryness of the desert has preserved their beautiful, highly-coloured wall paintings, depicting deities whose help they wanted on the journey to meet Osiris.
Also on the walls is written the so-called Book Of The Dead, giving advice on how to deal with dangers on the journey to judgment. Tombs with a hint of showbiz about them include that of the other celebrity mummy, Tutankhamun, and the recently opened resting place of Queen Nefertari, whose wall paintings are so vivid they might have been painted overnight.
On my return to Cairo, I stopped off at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities to see the mummified bodies of 11 kings, queens and princesses plucked from their tombs. Perfectly preserved, with teeth, fingernails, hair and facial expressions, they are the museum's most prized exhibits.
Yet, for me, the star turn belonged to the modest, wide-eyed statue of Imhotep, the most famous mummy of them all, tucked away in the corner of a cabinet enjoying a well-earned moment of rest.
Travel facts: Bales Worldwide offers a range of holidays to Egypt, including nine-day fully escorted 'Treasures of the Nile' tours. Tel: 0870 241 3212
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