In an ideal world everyone would get to take month long holidays, but in the real world often 7 days is the most we can do. So is 7 days enough to make an impact on a destination like Egypt ? Stuart Cheese, UK Director of Operations for One World Tours says yes it is and tells you how to best spend your time.
Day 1. Depending upon where you have flown in from, it may be a good idea to just take the rest of the day to acclimatise you to the pace of things in Cairo
Day 2 Cairo – The Pyramids are a must. You have to stand next to the pyramids to really appreciate the enormity of them. It is mind boggling to try and imagine how such craftsmanship was achieved so long ago and with such little resources. The sphinx is also an awesome masterpiece to behold. Books and TV images cannot capture the pure magnitude of the stunning structure that has endured the elements and time.
That night we suggest taking an overnight train to Aswan. Waking early in the morning, if you can, and peering from the train, you will more than likely be welcomed by a beautiful sunrise, mist swirling from the river and locals harvesting their humble crops. A most magical experience and one that will stay with you for a lifetime.
Day 3. Aswan (and Elephantine Island) will also make a lasting impression on you. Although the sound and light show on the Philae island in the evening is by no means the most spectacular of the sound and light shows in Egypt, it is still a breathtaking experience.
Day 4 Aswan / Abu Simbel / Luxor. There are the two temples at Abu Simbel and in my opinion they are the most magnificent monuments you will have the good fortune to witness. Not everyone is aware prior to their visit, that they have been removed and reconstructed, which when you stand before them it is difficult to comprehend how something of such magnitude could have been moved, let alone built in the first place. For the record, the monument was threatened with being submerged under water when the high dam was built and this is why it had to be dismantled and removed.
Day 5 Luxor. My favourite place to go in Egypt just has to be Luxor. It is a stunningly beautiful place to be and offers a gentler pace than cities like Cairo. In Luxor, the Valley of the Kings offers up all of its ancient secrets and opens you up to your own personal travel backwards in time. It is easy to become lost in the magical symbols that are the timeless communications from a time long passed. You cannot help but be inspired to conjure up images of how life must have been all of those years ago.
Day 6. Luxor. The temple of Luxor with its court of Amenhotep III is surrounded by a double row of columns. Be sure to look up at these columns during a sound and light show in the evening and if you are there at the right time of the sure you may just see the breathtaking night sky and Orions’ belt framed by the towering structures. The temple is situated on the east bank of the Nile and is a magnificent sight to behold day or night.
Tonight we suggest taking an overnight train back to Cairo.
Day 7 Back in Cairo again. If you have time the Khan el Khalili Bazaar is a delightful experience, where you can haggle with the locals to get a good bargain to take home with you; a great reminder for you of a magical stay in the mystical country of Egypt.