How Best to See The Real Egypt

My five-year-old son has taken a real interest in Egypt lately. He says he wants to be a ‘Pyramider’ when he grows up, by which we think he means he wants to be an Egyptologist or perhaps an explorer or archaeologist. So I’ve given a great deal of thought to visiting Egypt with him, to show him the sights. My only worry is that the pictures in his books of pyramids, mummies and sarcophaguses look rather pristine (as they’re cartoon depictions) and the real thing may be somewhat of a let-down, since the passage of time has rather eroded these once-spectacular sights to things that need a little imagination to really appreciate. Then again, who has more imagination than a five-year-old?

So, what practical considerations are there when visiting this vast country? Well, the weather, for one thing. Typically Egypt has mild winters (November – April) and hot summers (May – October). Temperatures vary from 7 degrees centigrade to around 48 degrees respectively, though the coastal regions are cooler than the central desert areas. In March – May, sandstorms are a real hazard. Given that my son and I both turn fearsome if we get too hot, and given that we don’t fancy the idea of sandstorms very much, we’d be looking at travelling sometime from November to February. Nice time to get away from our English winter, but what about Christmas?
Christmas is celebrated in Egypt, amongst its considerable Christian population, and is a respected holiday amongst the Muslim population too. But they have a different calendar and believe that Christ was born on 7th January – so that’s when they celebrate it.

Okay, so having decided to travel some time in December/January to avoid the searing heat and sandstorms but still celebrating Christmas, what is there to see and do in Egypt?

The scenery is breathtaking, a real wonder. The enormous Nile, surrounded on either side by a strip of green, fertile land, beyond which lies miles and miles of desert. It is a land of contrasts, with busy towns filled with cars and hotels to houses made of mud-bricks, oxen pulling ploughs, and the pyramids and obelisks themselves living cheek-by-jowl.
Egypt is a very child-friendly country and they are welcome pretty much everywhere with open arms. To get around town, you can ride horse-drawn carriages for very little money, which are exciting for the children who can often sit up at the front with the driver.
Must-sees include the Valley of the Kings, the Luxor Temple and obelisk; and the avenue of sphinx.
You really should tour the west bank of the Nile too – it’s called the land of the dead, but isn’t as scary as it sounds. It’s a large expanse of desert with temples, remains of temples and mysterious-looking doors leading into the ground here and there. A visit to Pharoah Tutankhamun’s tomb is worth the expense just for the fact that it’s one of the few with the mummy still in situe (most mummies have been taken out of the pyramids and put in museums) and of course it’s probably the most famous. To see other mummies and exhibits, a trip to the museum in Cairo is a must: to be able to look a 3,000 year old human in the face that still has recognisable features is eerily brilliant.
Egypt is also a good place for a good-old beach holiday (providing it’s warm enough when you travel – one of the risks if you’re travelling in winter) so lazing by the sea or by the hotel pool is very relaxing. Or you might want to try a ride on a camel – though they can be rather uncomfortable and uncooperative. And a bit smelly.
Be aware that you’ll need vaccines to travel safely, and beware of the water and peeled fruit/veg when you’re there as pretty nasty tummy-upsets await.