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 famous Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx but the day excursions to Cairo offer much more than simply these age-old monuments. From Sharm el Sheikh, day-trippers can either get to Cairo by road or air. Either way, its an early start with road trips leaving at roughly two in the morning and flights at close to five in the morning. It makes for a long day ahead but it is definitely 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.
After leaving the museum, the tour group is taken down to the Nile for lunch aboard a river boat. There is a fair selection of food and for entertainment there are also dancers. On the other hand, you can easlily observe the Cairo skyline pass by as you sail up and back to your starting point.
Next stop are the Pyramids of Giza. Looking at a good number of photos, you should be forgiven for thinking that the Pyramids are in the middle of the desert but that isn't so. The Pyramids and Sphinx are basically on the edge of Cairo. It is extremely hard not to be astounded after you get near to the Great Pyramid due to the actual scale of the it. You are able to have plenty of time here to wander round the Pyramids and there are no shortage of locals attempting to sell you a range of mementos or rides on their camels. There are lots of chances for pics just before the tour coach takes you a bit further down to the Sphinx. Just as before, you will be offered the opportunity to get all sorts of souvenirs and there are more photograph opportunities. Yet, the Sphinx has not worn nearly as well as the Pyramids hence you can not get as close to it. It is late afternoon as the group leaves Cairo's most notable tourist points of interest but there remains to be time for one or two further visits.
The first of these stops is at a fragrance shop where your are asked to try a few of the plenty of perfumes the shop stocks. Next the tour coach begins to travel back to the airport with one final stop en route. Papyrus is the paper like material made by the age-old Egyptians from the pith of the Papyrus reed. It was used to write on but nowadays, it is a frequent tourist souvenir, in most cases with images of historic Egyptian gods and similar images. At the Papyrus shop, there is a wide range of Papyrus available and holidaymakers and visitors can also see a display of how modern day Papyrus is made.
The tour coach leaves and the tour group to Cairo is over. The tour group now returns to the airport for the flight back to Sharm el Sheikh el Sheikh or the road journey. The day trips to Cairo from Sharm el Sheikh are quite exhausting but are great value. For tourists staying in Sharm, it is a great way to watch a few of the sights of Cairo without actually staying there.
Cairo is home to the world famous Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx but the day excursions to Cairo offer much more than simply these age-old monuments. From Sharm el Sheikh, day-trippers can either get to Cairo by road or air. Either way, its an early start with road trips leaving at roughly two in the morning and flights at close to five in the morning. It makes for a long day ahead but it is definitely 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.
After leaving the museum, the tour group is taken down to the Nile for lunch aboard a river boat. There is a fair selection of food and for entertainment there are also dancers. On the other hand, you can easlily observe the Cairo skyline pass by as you sail up and back to your starting point.
Next stop are the Pyramids of Giza. Looking at a good number of photos, you should be forgiven for thinking that the Pyramids are in the middle of the desert but that isn't so. The Pyramids and Sphinx are basically on the edge of Cairo. It is extremely hard not to be astounded after you get near to the Great Pyramid due to the actual scale of the it. You are able to have plenty of time here to wander round the Pyramids and there are no shortage of locals attempting to sell you a range of mementos or rides on their camels. There are lots of chances for pics just before the tour coach takes you a bit further down to the Sphinx. Just as before, you will be offered the opportunity to get all sorts of souvenirs and there are more photograph opportunities. Yet, the Sphinx has not worn nearly as well as the Pyramids hence you can not get as close to it. It is late afternoon as the group leaves Cairo's most notable tourist points of interest but there remains to be time for one or two further visits.
The first of these stops is at a fragrance shop where your are asked to try a few of the plenty of perfumes the shop stocks. Next the tour coach begins to travel back to the airport with one final stop en route. Papyrus is the paper like material made by the age-old Egyptians from the pith of the Papyrus reed. It was used to write on but nowadays, it is a frequent tourist souvenir, in most cases with images of historic Egyptian gods and similar images. At the Papyrus shop, there is a wide range of Papyrus available and holidaymakers and visitors can also see a display of how modern day Papyrus is made.
The tour coach leaves and the tour group to Cairo is over. The tour group now returns to the airport for the flight back to Sharm el Sheikh el Sheikh or the road journey. The day trips to Cairo from Sharm el Sheikh are quite exhausting but are great value. For tourists staying in Sharm, it is a great way to watch a few of the sights of Cairo without actually staying there.
About the Author:
Although many tourists travel to Egypt for a beach holiday, Cairo is fast becoming more popular as a destination for a excursion or slightly longer stay.
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