Tombs, pyramids, pharaohs and the Nile

Day 1. The irredeemable process begins.

Setting foot in Egyptian land, in Hurghada, is an irredeemable process. As every process, it takes time to adapt, to prepare oneself. Every time someone talks about eves, it refers to the date that follows; well: this is the eve before the journey. We go from the airport to the hotel.

Day 2. Go through the desert and the Red Sea.

In the morning, while the clarity of the morning starts to appear, we head to the desert to explore the vast golden extensions of sand that surround Hurghada. The opening of the desert below the mountains allow us to do what our horses love: fly through the shadows of the warm sun of the morning. We ride up to the Red Sea, in which we enter with our horses. We have lunch in the beach. As the sun starts to set, we get back to ride our horses in a trip of two hours. Egypt offers one of the most spectacular sunsets you have ever seen: a kaleidoscope of colours while the last rays of light shine over the waves of the sea.

Day 3. Subaquatic journey.

We explore the depths of the Red Sea with snorkels and goggles. We reach Dolphin House, where we meet wild dolphins, corals, and coloured fish. As the sun goes down, we head to Luxor and set ourselves in the Nile Villa House.

Day 4. The real Egypt.

As we ride our horses in the morning, we get to know the real Egypt, the one that takes us beyond tourist maps and stereotypes, while we go around traditional towns and sugar cane farms until we reach the Banana Island. There, we stop to have a refreshing beverage before returning to the Nile river to have lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon, we ride our horse and gallop until the Mortuary Temple of Ramses III, Medinet Habu. This temple is one of the best conserved temples in Luxor, not to be missed by those who look for experiences to be treasured forever. The camera may capture the surface but only our memory can capture the essence. We get down from the horse and explore with a private tour the interior, while our guide takes care of the horses.

Day 5. The Valley of Kings, where a big part of Egypt is buried.

We retrace the steps of two great pharaohs in the Valley of Kings, a place known for being the spot where pharaohs used to go around and be buried, such as Tutankhamun and Hatshepsut. We let ourselves be taken by the discoveries, sarcophagus, and chambers: a great part of Egypt is buried here and is our job to get to it. In the afternoon, we sail the Nile in the same way ancient Egyptians did it thousands of years ago.

Day 6. Hot air balloons and Temple of Luxor.

We tour in a hot air balloon at dawn, when the first rays of light start to beam. Those who have a good eye to appreciate landscapes should not miss this unforgettable experience, not only to let others know about it, which we will definitely do, but also to fill our senses with colours and sensations while the morning breeze blows in our face. Afterwards, we embark in a fantastic tour around the East Bank of Luxor, which includes the Karnak Temple, the Avenue of Sphinxes, the Luxor Museum and the Temple of Luxor. At the end, we have a one-hour flight back to Cairo.

Day 7. How to assimilate a trip: sphinx, museum and accumulated story.

We visit one of the 7 wonders of the world: we ride for two hours until we reach the pyramids and the famous sphinx with a lion body and a human head. A trip to Cairo would not be complete if we did not visit the Museum of Cairo, home to a great number of Egyptian devices and the biggest collection of pharaohs antiques. This is home to more than 120,000 pieces from ancient Egypt. How do we take in so much history, so much beauty, so much humanity accumulated? A good trip, a great one indeed, is the one that fills travellers with questions. Deep, existential, transforming questions. The highlights of today’s journey include the famous rooms of Tutankhamun, real mummies and jewellery rooms.

Day 8. Farewell.

We have our breakfast and say goodbye to our loyal partners, the horses, without whom we would not have been able to go through the vast and defying deserts. We have breakfast and see for the last time the Nile flow. We have breakfast and leave a part of us in Egypt, the real Egypt.