Some want to get lost in France. Others can’t wait to rock a kasbah. And then there are also those who just want to have breakfast in America.
However, everybody dreams of walking like an Egyptian in the shadow of the Pyramids.
Which is exactly what a group of eager travel advisors recently got a chance to do on an Egypt by Travelive FAM trip. A genuine, insightful, and unforgettable expedition into a land that has become synonymous with exploration. A land where pharaohs once ruled, ancient wonders still stand, and every archaeologist has on speed dial.
And here is how they walked, wondered, explored, and experienced it all, one unforgettable Travelive moment at a time.
Cairo, the Pyramids, Tutankhamun’s Treasures & More Pyramids
Have we mentioned that we saw the Pyramids yet?
Well, if you got a chance to witness them in the flesh, you wouldn’t be able to stop talking about them either.
Which is pretty much what everyone did upon arriving in Cairo, Egypt’s storied capital. Because while other countries may take their time revealing their treasures, Egypt’s are always within reach, keeping you curious, excited, and ready to go, even with a bit of jet lag.
And if anything can cure the latter, it’s the sight of one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
So, not to keep the Sphinx waiting, we headed to the Giza Plateau, where the sheer scale of the Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren, and Mycerinus made it easy to understand why they have left travelers lost for words throughout centuries. Meanwhile, not far away, the aforementioned Sphinx, with his unmistakable pharaoh’s head and a lion’s body, would prove to likewise leave us speechless; although, frankly, he’s not much of a talker either.
After an obligatory photo session and a delicious lunch in the shadow of 4,000-year-old wonders, Egypt continued to prove that it always does history on a grand scale with a guided tour of the Grand Egyptian Museum, the world’s largest archaeological museum!
There, vast galleries and cutting-edge displays revealed over 100,000 artifacts from ancient Egyptian civilization, including the complete treasures of Tutankhamun. It certainly was a wonderful way to go deeper below the surface of Egypt’s extensive history without doing any tomb raiding ourselves. Not that it didn’t cross our minds.
By the end of our first glimpse of Cairo (yes, there would be more to come), we couldn’t believe that Egypt had more in store.
No Denial from Luxor to Aswan
Puns aside, there’s no denying the appeal of a river cruise along the Nile.
Not only is it an efficient way to cover the iconic sights of a destination that has more of them than blocks in the Pyramids, you get to do so the very way Egyptians did thousands of years ago.
And what a way to do it. Beginning in Luxor, we eased into the rhythm of the river with visits to the magnificent Karnak and Luxor Temples, before seeing both from another perspective by rising above the Nile on a hot-air balloon. All before crossing to the West Bank and venturing through the Valley of the Kings, where the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon awaited.
And since the Nile stretches for over 4,000 miles, there was plenty more to come.
Sailing through the Esna Lock, we found ourselves in Edfu, where a horse-drawn carriage ride took us to the Temple of Horus, before continuing to Kom Ombo, whose twin temples made us feel like we were seeing double from all the excitement.
Eventually, we reached Aswan, where the pace became even more leisurely. A visit to Philae Temple offered another spectacular chapter in Egypt’s ancient story, while a tour of the Aswan Natural Reserve and a colorful visit to a Nubian house brought us closer to Egypt’s living culture.
And with that, Luxor had become Aswan, riverside views gave way to ancient temples, and millennia of history somehow managed to feel like one seamless adventure.
Temple Quest at Abu Simbel
At this point, you may think that we’ve had our fill of temples, but you’d be mistaken. For if there’s one thing about exploring Egypt, it’s that there’s always more of it to be uncovered.
So, we took to the skies once again, this time boarding a short flight from Aswan to Abu Simbel.
Rising dramatically from the desert landscape, Abu Simbel felt like the kind of place that stops even truly seasoned explorers in their tracks. Even our group was stuck in place for a moment, and not just because we couldn’t stop taking pictures either.
Carved into the sandstone cliffs, with four colossal figures of Ramesses II keeping watch over the entrance, it was almost overwhelming, while the intricate carvings covering the walls drew us further in, revealing scenes of pharaohs, gods, battles, and ancient rituals.
You see, just when we thought we’d seen it all, we really saw it all.
Back For More in Cairo
As weird as it is to come full circle in the land of triangular shapes, Cairo still had more discoveries for us.
We returned to the city with a visit to the Mohamed Ali Mosque, where the soaring minarets, elegant courtyard, and unmistakable alabaster-clad interior offered yet another spectacular perspective on Cairo. And because apparently we still hadn’t had enough of looking at the Pyramids, the mosque’s elevated position also gave us one final chance to admire them from afar.
We made a few other stops along the way, including the Citadel and Old Cairo, where the Hanging Church and Ben Ezra Synagogue offered quick glimpses into the city’s rich spiritual heritage.
But the real finale came after dark, when we headed into the labyrinthine Khan El Khalili bazaar. Wandering through its narrow alleyways, we passed bustling shops, small restaurants, and traditional cafés where locals and visitors alike gather over drinks and shisha. It was the kind of place where every turn seemed to reveal something more magical. And we’re not just blowing smoke here.
For our farewell dinner, we settled in at Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant, named after Egypt’s Nobel Prize-winning literary legend and tucked within the atmospheric heart of Khan El Khalili. Surrounded by the sounds, flavors, and unmistakable energy of the bazaar, it proved to be a fitting final toast to a trip that had given us more than a few stories to take home, or perhaps even a Nobel-worthy memoir to write about.
Explore Like an Egyptian
It’s not every day you tick off a bucket-list destination, but this wasn’t your everyday journey.
This FAM wasn’t simply about discovering a destination that continues to draw travelers from across the world; our fellow travel advisors included. It was about discovering how to capture Egypt’s overwhelming collection of wonders in one cohesive, seamless journey that will make even the Sphinx say, “Wow.”
And that’s what Egypt by Travelive’s on-site, local team does best: turning a destination this vast, varied, and spectacular into an experience that feels effortless from beginning to end.
So, if your travelers wish to uncover Egypt in a way worthy of a pharaoh, contact Egypt by Travelive at egypt@travelive.com and let’s show them what that means.