My amazing aunt Marjorie loves an adventure, and it was a privilege to help organise a fantastic Premium Tour with Intrepid Travel to Egypt for her and her grandson, Jake…
Our eight-night Egyptian tour was a big success story.
The tour group of 12 was a mixed bunch; six from Australia - grandparents with their 19-year-old grandson, two honeymooners and a 75-year-old Brit who had emigrated 40 years ago, a couple of Irish sisters in their fifties, an American couple in their forties, plus Jake and I.
We met the group at a welcome dinner at the Steigenberger Cairo Pyramids Hotel and all gelled quickly.
Cairo was manic but there were so many amazing things to see, including the mighty Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum, home to one of the world's great collections of ancient artifacts.
Our Egyptian guide was superb. His name was Gouda, which quickly became “Big Cheese”, and he certainly knew his stuff.
I loved Aswan, Egypt’s southernmost city, and our night at the superb Movenpick hotel on an island. We visited Philae Island and the beautiful Temple of Isis, and took a boat trip to a Nubian village on an island in the middle of the Nile, where we ate a fabulous dinner with a local family in their home.
The three-night river cruise on the MS Nile Style was very good but with temperatures of more than 40 degrees, you could only spend a limited amount of time on deck.
Going through the locks though was a highlight, with the vendors chucking up their wares to us on the top deck. The food onboard was good but a little bland, especially compared to the three meals we enjoyed with Egyptian families in their homes, which were authentic and delicious.
Luxor was excellent with its spectacular temples, monuments and fascinating ancient history. The Valley of the Kings is an incredible place, with over 60 tombs of pharaohs, and Jake thoroughly enjoyed his hot air balloon ride over it.
Our return to Cairo included a final group trip to the Al-Azhar neighbourhood to visit Khan al-Khalili Bazaar, a sprawling maze of alleyways and markets, and the 9th-century Al-Azhar Mosque – one of the oldest in Egypt.
We had an emotional parting at the end that concluded a terrific holiday. Thank you so much Jo for organising it.
Marjorie
