What You Remember About Ancient Egypt is 80% Incorrect

A Bowling family guide to Cairo and Luxor

Egypt has always been on our list but we consistently found reasons or excuses not to go.

Cairo is crowded. It’s too hot. We need to get better at Arabic. Did you see that video of the tourists getting harassed in Giza? All of these are ridiculous and after visiting I’m frankly mad at us for not making the trip much sooner.

Egypt is an absolute gem of a country and Cairo is a tidy three hour and fifteen minute flight from here in Abu Dhabi, the equivalent of a flight from Seattle to Omaha. In December, at the start of our school’s winter break we took off for five nights in Egypt, starting and ending our adventure in Cairo, with a trip down to Luxor and all its history in between.

Because we’ve seen people have some difficulty we used a guide, Ramy. But Ramy is more than a guide—he coordinated our stay, booking our lodging, ground transport, and flights between Cairo and Luxor. He also hired an Egyptologist to guide us through the valley of the Kings, Karnak, and the Luxor Temple. He allowed us to navigate and access places we never would have if we were traveling alone. Thanks to his expertise this trip was nearly perfect and we had an authentic cultural experience that we could never have arranged ourselves.

Day 1: Arrival in Cairo

*The view of the city skyline from the citadel through a wrought iron gate in Cairo*

As you approach Cairo from the air, all you can see is city. Once you’re over it, you see the brown sand blasted and sun drenched metropolis sprawling in every direction. Dense, beige, and loud. Considered a “city of a thousand minarets”, Cairo-Giza metroplex is home to 22 million people. It feels like every single one of them has a horn, every single one is always on the road at the same time, and every single one loves to honk. In real estate they talk about “curb appeal,” how good a place looks when you roll up to it. Cairo has zero curb appeal, but its charm lies once you enter the city.

We met our Cairo Guide, Mohamed Zayan, outside of customs and zipped off to our first stop, the Muhammad Ali Mosque. Construction began on the mosque in 1832 and took over twenty years. It sits on a hill in an area called Citadel of Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi.

It was from that Citadel that we got our first glimpse of the Pyramids seemingly hovering about the edge of the city. The Citadel is opposite the pyramids, the entire city resting in between and the Nile off in the distance, roughly equidistant from the two points.

When Ramy was arranging our trip, he asked us what kind of travelers we were. We said we keep things simple and aren’t especially bougie. So he arranged a furnished short term rental near Tahrir Square, walking distance to mouth watering shawarma, bustling cafes, and plenty of shops to wander.

We caught the sunset aboard a sailboat, manned by the oldest, happiest sailor/fisherman. With at least three generations of sailing in his family, our captain navigated down the Nile, pausing so we could take in the river air and enjoy the red, yellow, and orange hues at twilight.

Day 2: Cairo’s Rich History

The next morning we woke up with the adhan from the nearby mosque. Zayan’s driver, also named Mohamed, picked us up and whisked us through morning traffic out towards Giza. Although we got a sneak peak of the Pyramids from the Citadel in the late afternoon of our first day, nothing prepared us for that early morning viewing. Mohamed, nonchalantly rounded the corner. To the left a boring gas station and to the right, THE ANCIENT PYRAMIDS OF GIZA. OMG. OMG. OH MY GAAAAAWWDDDDD.

“That’s pretty typical,” Mohamed laughed.

That morning we got breakfast at the Marriott Mena House, with a view of the pyramids hovering over the pool. Nothing quite like biting into a cinnamon roll while staring at one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. After a short security check, we were transported to the base of the largest pyramid, and given the opportunity to climb into a tomb. Like idiots, we precariously made our way down a rickety ladder 60 meters into the ground. As you can imagine, our “claustrophobia” and “is this worth it?” muscles were activated. Our time underground was short, as a school group of ten year old girls started pouring into the tomb and we immediately needed to leave.

From here, we got talked into climbing aboard some camels to circumambulate the pyramid complex–which actually consists of nine pyramids. In the Gulf, Hope has experienced about four minutes on a camel and Nate has always said “ain’t no way.” After some mockery and cajoling, we got on the damn camels for our forty-five minute journey. We clung to the saddles in terror as we imagined falling to our death on the rocks below the path (the average camel is over 6ft tall). Zayan tried to distract us with his Egyptian Reddit theories surrounding the pyramids.

The afternoon wrapped up with time at the Great Sphinx. We then retired to Zayan’s family hotel with a balcony view of the complex for lamb chops and libations with a view of the entire pyramid complex.

We said goodbye to Zayan and reconnected with Ramy, at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (which btw, has a sneakily delicious vegan cafe on its premises). The museum is sprawling and is still in the midst of a soft opening. They are consolidating the national collection (the parts the Brits didn’t steal at least) at the museum. Upon our exit we realized we’d actually only explorer about half of the mammoth building, with more galleries to open in the future.

Day 3: Journey to Luxor

Egypt is a land of hustle and bustle with an emphasis on both words, so having an Arabic speaking, six foot five inch tall, Egyptian guide was priceless and absolutely worth doing. One of the many times we appreciated working with Ramy was our travel day to Luxor. Ramy booked our flights, helped us navigate the Cairo airport, all the while laughing, smiling and bantering with airport officials, other guides, and anyone else we met along the way. When we landed in Luxor we were taken straight to a joint for breakfast that had the best falafel we’ve ever had.

As soon as we reached Luxor, we met the Egyptologist, Nermeen, Ramy arranged for us, who whisked us into Hatshepsut’s Mortuary Temple. Depending on your age, you might know Hatshepsut—an extraordinary queen who ruled for two decades and often wore a male Pharaoh’s headdress for authority. Her son, a great ruler in his own right but bitter toward her, chiseled her face off most statues after her death. Apparently, today’s middle schoolers learn about her, but back when we studied Ancient Civilizations, she was left out.

We then headed to the Valley of the Kings. The tombs for Egyptian Pharaohs are dug into the sides of mountains. Literally nothing we can write here can capture what it felt like to visit the Valley of the Kings. Workers started digging tombs for kings the day each Pharaoh took power and they continued throughout their reigns. The longer they ruled the deeper and more opulent their tomb. Some went over 100 meters deep into the mountainside. Nate’s a bit claustrophobic and didn’t necessarily love all that. But the murals and carvings inside the tombs were truly breathtaking.

The interior of King Tutankhamen’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings

We closed the evening with al fresco fireside dining at a vegetarian restaurant, the Wanas Art Cafe, near the Nile.

Day 4: Karnak and Temple of Luxor

Hot air balloons preparing for lift-off, pre-dawn in Luxor

The next morning, we were up well before dawn, jolted awake by a 3:30 a.m. alarm for our sunrise hot air balloon ride. When we arrived at the launch site, we were met with the sight of a fleet of balloons in various stages of preparation, their crews working methodically in the dim pre-dawn light. Dozens of massive balloons dotted the field, each capable of carrying up to twenty passengers and supported by a team of at least ten, including the ground crew.

As the sun rose, the scene felt cinematic—like the moments before a battle—then flames roared to life as the giant balloons slowly lifted off, one by one.

As our balloon took off we were greeted with a view of the Nile, then Hatshepsut’s Mortuary Temple, and finally Karnak and Luxor Temples, where we’d venture in the afternoon.

After breakfast (more falafel, yes!) and a brief rest, we crossed the Nile to explore the Karnak Temple Complex, one of the largest religious sites of the ancient world, where we wandered through the towering columns of the Great Hypostyle Hall dedicated to Amen Ra. Next, we visited Luxor Temple, admiring its colossal statues, intricate carvings, and the iconic Avenue of Sphinxes. We even learned and saw where the obelisk in Paris came from.

We ended the night with a boat trip back across the Nile. We even found a waterfront restaurant showing a Real Madrid match and retired for the evening before our flight back to Cairo.

Day 5: Farewell to Egypt

We returned to Cairo, via Nile Air, and that evening went cologne and souvenir shopping at the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar. It’s a sprawling traditional market that seemingly goes on for miles. Hoping to avoid the Cairo commute, we checked into a hotel near the airport in preparation for our flight back to the US.

Shouts to the lounge singer in the Novotel Lounge.

Takeaways

We’re fools for living this close and not going sooner.

Our trip to Egypt was everything we had hoped for and more. From the dizzying expanse of Cairo to the quiet grandeur of the tombs in Luxor, every moment felt like stepping through layers of history. The sheer scale of what we saw was staggering.

And yet, beyond the monuments and the museums, what made the trip truly special were the people—our guides, the vendors in Khan el-Khalili, the boat captains, the balloon crew, and the countless Egyptians who greeted us with warmth and hospitality. Thanks to Ramy’s planning, we were able to experience Egypt without the stress of logistics, allowing us to focus on the adventure itself.

Looking back, all the hesitations that kept us from visiting sooner seem absurd. Egypt is not just a place to check off a bucket list—it’s a country that gets under your skin, lingers in your thoughts, and demands a return visit.