Each year, holidaymakers and visitors travel to the popular location of Sharm el Sheikh from United Kingdom. They come to take it easy by the beach or swimming pool. Some want to scuba dive and other spend hours snorkelling on neighbouring coral reefs. There are enough tours to be had for visitors to Sharm and without doubt one of the more desirable ones is an excursion to Egypt's capital, Cairo.
Cairo is home to the world notable Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx but the day outings to Cairo offer a great deal more than simply these age-old monuments. From Sharm, day-trippers can either get to Cairo by road or air. Either way, its an early morning start with road excursions departing at about 2am and flights at roughly five in the morning. It all means a long day ahead but it is absolutely worth the effort.
Itineraries may vary on trip to trip but regularly begins with a visit to the Cairo Museum or to give it's proper title "The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo". Almost all of the morning is spent at the museum and it is full with some renowned pieces. A number of the more wonderful pieces are those discovered in the tomb of the boy Pharaoh Tutankhamen which include the notable gold and blue death mask. There are also a good number of items of furniture and ornaments and one thing that is evident is how well the colours are preserved in many of the treasures taking into consideration they are thousands of years old. All the same there is far too much to explore in the museum so tourists have to decide on the areas they want to view.
From the museum, the tour group is taken down to the River nile for a meal aboard a river boat. There is a good assortment of food and for entertainment there are also dancers. On the other hand, you can easlily watch the Cairo skyline pass by as you sail up and back to your starting point.
The next item on the itinerary are the Pyramids of Giza. Looking at the majority of photos, you may be forgiven for believing they are in the middle of the desert but that isn't the way it is. The Pyramids and Sphinx are actually on the outskirts of Cairo. It is hard not to be amazed the moment you get close up to the Great Pyramid because of the sheer size of the it. You'll be able to have a good amount of time here to stroll round the Pyramids and there are no lack of local people trying to sell you a wide array of mementos or rides on their camels. There are plenty of opportunities for photographs prior to the tour bus takes you a bit further down to the Sphinx. Yet again, you will be offered the chance to buy all kinds of souvenirs and there are further picture opportunities. Even so, the Sphinx has not worn nearly as well as the Pyramids which means you can't get as close to it. Its late afternoon as the excursion leaves Cairo's most renowned tourist places but there continues to be time for a couple more stops.
The first of these stops is at a scent shop where your are invited to try a few of the a great many fragrances the shop offers. Next the tour coach gets under way to travel back to the airport with one remaining stop on the way. Papyrus is the paper like material made by the historical Egyptians from the pith of the Papyrus reed. It was used to write on but today, it is a familiar tourist souvenir, in most cases with pictures of age-old Egyptian gods and similar images. At the Papyrus shop, there is a wide range of Papyrus available and tourists can also enjoy a display of how modern day Papyrus is made.
The excursion bus departs and the excursion to Cairo is over. The tour party now heads back to the airport for the flight back to Sharm el Sheikh or the road journey. The day outings to Cairo from Sharm are quite tiring but are excellent value. For visitors staying in Sharm el Sheikh, it is a fantastic way to watch many of the attractions of Cairo without actually staying there.
Cairo is home to the world notable Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx but the day outings to Cairo offer a great deal more than simply these age-old monuments. From Sharm, day-trippers can either get to Cairo by road or air. Either way, its an early morning start with road excursions departing at about 2am and flights at roughly five in the morning. It all means a long day ahead but it is absolutely worth the effort.
Itineraries may vary on trip to trip but regularly begins with a visit to the Cairo Museum or to give it's proper title "The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo". Almost all of the morning is spent at the museum and it is full with some renowned pieces. A number of the more wonderful pieces are those discovered in the tomb of the boy Pharaoh Tutankhamen which include the notable gold and blue death mask. There are also a good number of items of furniture and ornaments and one thing that is evident is how well the colours are preserved in many of the treasures taking into consideration they are thousands of years old. All the same there is far too much to explore in the museum so tourists have to decide on the areas they want to view.
From the museum, the tour group is taken down to the River nile for a meal aboard a river boat. There is a good assortment of food and for entertainment there are also dancers. On the other hand, you can easlily watch the Cairo skyline pass by as you sail up and back to your starting point.
The next item on the itinerary are the Pyramids of Giza. Looking at the majority of photos, you may be forgiven for believing they are in the middle of the desert but that isn't the way it is. The Pyramids and Sphinx are actually on the outskirts of Cairo. It is hard not to be amazed the moment you get close up to the Great Pyramid because of the sheer size of the it. You'll be able to have a good amount of time here to stroll round the Pyramids and there are no lack of local people trying to sell you a wide array of mementos or rides on their camels. There are plenty of opportunities for photographs prior to the tour bus takes you a bit further down to the Sphinx. Yet again, you will be offered the chance to buy all kinds of souvenirs and there are further picture opportunities. Even so, the Sphinx has not worn nearly as well as the Pyramids which means you can't get as close to it. Its late afternoon as the excursion leaves Cairo's most renowned tourist places but there continues to be time for a couple more stops.
The first of these stops is at a scent shop where your are invited to try a few of the a great many fragrances the shop offers. Next the tour coach gets under way to travel back to the airport with one remaining stop on the way. Papyrus is the paper like material made by the historical Egyptians from the pith of the Papyrus reed. It was used to write on but today, it is a familiar tourist souvenir, in most cases with pictures of age-old Egyptian gods and similar images. At the Papyrus shop, there is a wide range of Papyrus available and tourists can also enjoy a display of how modern day Papyrus is made.
The excursion bus departs and the excursion to Cairo is over. The tour party now heads back to the airport for the flight back to Sharm el Sheikh or the road journey. The day outings to Cairo from Sharm are quite tiring but are excellent value. For visitors staying in Sharm el Sheikh, it is a fantastic way to watch many of the attractions of Cairo without actually staying there.
About the Author:
Even though the majority of visitors head to Egypt for a beach holiday, Cairo is becoming more popular as a destination for a day trip or slightly longer stay.. This article, A Tour to Cairo from Sharm el Sheikh is available for free reprint.
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