Pyramid Dreams
Combine Egypt with Jordan or Israel for One Epic Adventure
There was a window of time between the Arab Spring and a couple of years ago when travel to Egypt took a big hit. During that period, we encouraged our clients to take advantage of the low rates and lack of crowds—and many did. Tourism, however, has returned in a major way: hotels are full, boat trips along the Nile require a waitlist once again, and the highly anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum promises to draw even more tourists when it opens its doors in 2020. That said, now is still an excellent time to go. We’re seeing a growing trend of travelers opting for pre or post trips to Israel or Jordan, and we love it!
Last spring, Ellison traveled to Egypt for an adventure that included an early morning private outdoor champagne breakfast at the Pyramids followed by private visit to the Sphinx (see above). She says, “There’s nothing like being in the presence of the Pyramids and Sphinx without throngs of people around. It’s transcendent.” She also got a preview of the spectacular Grand Egyptian Museum (“GEM”) in Giza. It is home to the entirety of King Tut’s tomb’s contents—some 5,000 artifacts. They donned hard hats for a behind-the-scenes tour of the construction site and even visited the conservation laboratories which were fascinating. Ellison’s advice? “Go now!”
Camel riding in Wadi Rum, Jordan.
Egypt the A&K Way
There’s really no better way to see Egypt than with A&K who has boots on the ground in over 52 countries—it makes a difference. Our longtime friend and A&K colleague, Cathy Moran, paid us a visit today to update us on the latest news and left us feeling inspired and ready to get going. She reports a huge uptick in Egypt travel and tells us that A&K has recently required new boats to meet the demand. There are many itineraries to choose from: “Wings Over Israel, Jordan, and Egypt 2020,” “Egypt and the Nile on Sanctuary Nile Adventurer 2020,” and even “Family Egypt and the Nile” departing this December (!) to name but a few.
Some Basics
When to Go: Cooler temperatures prevail between October and April, the most popular time to visit.
Getting There: We’re excited that Egypt Air now offers service to Cairo daily from New York’s JFK Airport and thrice weekly from Washington Dulles.
See: A&K’s ten-day land-and-river trip, limited to 18 guests, bookends a four-night Nile cruise with stays in Cairo, including lunch overlooking the Great Sphinx and visits to early Coptic Christian churches. The river portion runs between Luxor and Aswan, with daily temple stops en route. During summer vacations and holiday breaks, A&K has added new ten-day family departures, limited to 24 guests, that follow a similar itinerary but include activities such as henna painting, bread making, and a treasure hunt in Cairo’s mazelike Khan el-Khalili Bazaar.
For a more expedition-style approach there’s LINDBLAD’s “Passage Through Egypt.” This is the last chance for limited 2020 spots, and 2021 are filling up quickly. Lindblad takes the same approach to exploring Egypt as they do to more their more remote adventure destinations. You’ll be joined by preeminent Egyptologists; receive privileged access to some of the most remarkable tombs; and enjoy the finest hotels, ship, and private aircraft. Feel antiquity come to life with Lindblad!