At the end of Ramadan, there’s a big holiday called Eid, this break gave us some time to escape the city and explore somewhere new. Egypt had been on our minds for a while, so we jumped at the chance to visit—and it turned out to be one of the most memorable trips we’ve had in a while.
We flew Wizz Air from Abu Dhabi to Sphinx Airport in Cairo, a quick 3-hour-and-40-minute flight—though, in classic low-cost travel style, we were up at 3am for it. We hit the ground running with a full-day tour booked through Real Egypt, led by a local guide who was incredible and so knowledgeable.
We started the day at Giza, heading straight to the stars of the show: the Great Pyramid, the Sphinx, and the surrounding temples and tombs. No matter how many photos you’ve seen, standing next to these massive, ancient structures in real life is absolutely surreal.
From there, we continued to Saqqara, home to the Step Pyramid, and explored tombs tucked away in the desert—quiet, fascinating, and a great contrast to the crowds at Giza. We finished up at Dahshur, where we saw the Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid.
From Cairo, we took a late-night flight to Luxor and finally got some much-needed sleep. The next morning, we were picked up from our hotel and driven to Esna, collecting a few of our fellow passengers along the way. That’s where we boarded our dahabiya, which is a traditional Nile sailing boat and kicked off our four-night cruise.
It was such a unique way to experience the Nile. Because the boat was small, we could access places that the larger cruise ships couldn’t, which meant we often had the sites to ourselves and got to explore quieter, less touristy spots along the river. We even got to swim once we were closer to Aswan, it was absolutely freezing but had to be done!
Each day we stopped at different spots:
- Esna: Explored the local market and temple before setting sail.
- El Kab: Wandered through ancient tombs and ruins.
- Edfu: Visited the Temple of Horus, one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt.
- Bisaw Island: Met local villagers, went fishing with the men, and walked through farms.
- El Silsila: Visited ancient sandstone quarries right along the riverbanks.
- Kom Ombo: Explored the Crocodile Temple and museum.
- Daraw: Got a taste of local life at the market and visited a camel barn.
Each night, we dined on the boat, watched the sunset over the river, and enjoyed the kind of calm you only get when you’re truly away from everything. The food on board was plentiful, and the crew made us feel completely at home. One night we even had a barbecue dinner and dancing under the stars.
After disembarking in Aswan, we spent the day exploring the area—visiting the historic Old Cataract Hotel (where Agatha Christie once stayed), wandering through a vibrant Nubian village, and even getting a little taste of the Sahara Desert. It was the perfect end to an incredible adventure!
Our Awesome Adventures 