It’s been a dream of mine to visit Egypt as I’ve always been fascinated by Ancient Egyptian history and culture. I feel so lucky that I was able to experience a bit of it on our three-day trip to Egypt after Kenya. While our trip was short, it was jam-packed with so much fascinating history, architecture, culture, and food!
We flew directly into Cairo and stayed at the Marriott Mena House, located directly next to the Pyramids. Arriving in the afternoon and being heavily jet-lagged, we spent the rest of the day relaxing by the pool and settling into our new environment. The Mena House was beautiful with great indoor accommodations and beautiful outdoor courtyards to connect the different areas of the hotel. Sitting by the pool for the afternoon was exactly what we all needed to recuperate as the rest of our trip would be quite busy.
Our days started with eating a delicious breakfast with gorgeous views of the Pyramids. Rising early was crucial in order to beat the crowds and have a quieter, more relaxed experience while exploring the Pyramids. First, we visited the Great Pyramid of Giza, the largest pyramid and the tomb of the Pharaoh Khufu. Entering the Pyramid was one of coolest experiences, and not one for the claustrophobic. We climbed up two huge flights of “stairs” that were more like steep ramps leading to the chamber where the Pharaoh’s sarcophagus once laid. Being physically inside such a landmark in history was breathtaking. It truly blows my mind how structures so great and complicated were constructed thousands of years ago, with each block being laid so intentionally and perfectly. Our guide explained that the Pyramids were built in about 20 years, which means that one block would’ve had to been placed every 2 minutes in order to follow that recorded timeline. Mind-blowing! Back outside the pyramid we took a van around to the backside of the Pyramids for some iconic views and a camel ride down to the Great Sphinx. This was my first time ever on a camel and which made for a bumpy but memorable ride. Just like the Pyramids, the Great Sphinx is such an iconic monument that was incredible to witness in person.
On our way to Saqqara, we stopped at the Egypt Papyrus Museum. Inside, they demonstrated the traditional process of making papyrus paper for the papyrus reed and how durable papyrus can be. The walls of the museum were lined with all sorts of beautiful artwork on papyrus paper: sceneries, maps, portraits, symbols, and more.
Perhaps my favorite pyramid we visited was the Pyramid of Djoser, the first pyramid constructed in Egypt. It was built by the architect Imhotep and contains a large outer courtyard and massive burial tomb inside. Entering this pyramid and seeing the enormous hole dug for the tomb was unbelievable. The amount of work that went into the afterlife for Egyptian Pharaohs is commendable and fascinating to learn about. We toured a few other structures and tombs in Saqqara which revealed more about Egyptian burial customs. False entrances and exits, secret doors, elaborate carvings, and walls of hieroglyphics were common and so interesting to see in person.
Our last day in Egypt was spent touring Cairo. We spent our morning at The Egyptian Museum, home to some of the largest collections of Egyptian artifacts. This museum by far beats any Ancient Egypt exhibit I’ve ever visited; it exhibited true Egyptian history and culture in its rightful birthplace. One of the most interesting exhibits was the masks, mummies, and belongings of husband and wife Yuya and Thuya. Becuase of the perfected Egyptian preservation techniques, the gold, paint, and even mummified bodies of this couple are remarkable to view. Even the hair on these mummies was still visible – a true testament to the incredible mummification practices of the Egyptians. The main exhibit inside the museum was the mask of King Tutankhamun, who became Pharaoh at age nine. I had always been fascinated by his story and discovery, so to finally see his iconic gold mask in person was a surreal moment. While no photos of the mask were allowed, the nature of such a memorable part of history is something I will never forget.
The rest of our afternoon was spent wandering around Coptic Cairo. This is a historical neighborhood where the Christian Church originated in Egypt. While some of the main churches and fortresses were closed due to renovations, we were still able to see some incredible historical sites such as Abu Serga, one of the oldest churches in Egypt. Supposedly here is the water well where Jospeh, Mary, and Jesus drank from and the cavern where they hid while they traveled through Egypt. Other areas of Coptic Cairo felt like a never-ending maze of food stands, shops, street markets and vendors. We navigated these alleyways with our guide, and were able to haggle for some souvenirs. While a little overstimulating to the timid, the artwork and craftsmanship were remarkable and a testament to the talent of Egyptians throughout time.
I feel incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to live out a lifelong dream of traveling to Egypt. Being surrounded by so much history and culture is one of the most fulfilling experiences that left me in awe in Egypt. And I feel like I only scratched the surface of everything Egypt has to offer! I’m already manifesting that I will be back here one day to continue learning about and experiencing this amazing country.
Rachel's Blog 
Amazing!
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