Egypt was an unexpected travel route. I shifted to Canada for my higher studies this April 27th, where I got to take a layover for about 20 hours in Cairo. I took the Egypt Airlines on April 27th from Mumbai International Airport at 3.00 am and landed in Cairo by 7.00 Am. It was indeed an incredible experience for me because we were given a halt at Novotel Cairo Airport. Even breakfast, lunch, and dinner were complimentary for all the guests.
With me, there were in total of 50 students who were traveling from Mumbai to Canada and everyone was allotted a double room with a random person or you can also select your own friend. I have taken a room with my friend since I know her very well.
So, I wandered around the vibrant streets of Cairo, Egypt’s magnificent capital. The climate of Egypt is hot and dry year around. But the best time to visit there is during spring or fall. It is one of the budget-friendly destinations.
Nile River
After arriving at Novotel, the staff members gave us the idea of exploring unique destinations at just 50$ per person and gave us the option of which location we need to explore. So at first, we decided to go to the Nile River. You can also take Nile Cruise which is very famous and it takes between the cities of Aswan and Luxor.
Egypt is a mysterious land, and as one of the oldest cities in the world, Cairo is rich in culture and ancient history. It is one of the most magical experiences I had with minimal time. Ancient Marvels at the edge of Cairo are “The Pyramids of Giza.” A trip to Cairo would only be complete by visiting these iconic place.
Our tour guide was giving us historical information about Egypt and about the wholesome city, its importance, Khan-el-Khalil market – which is one of the most beautiful markets to shop or to wander about. He also stopped by nearby places to convey the importance of historic monuments or local heritage. He was very friendly and was cracking jokes with me the whole time and making us comfortable the whole time. I was happy that I chose to explore this destination and took all the snaps to save as a memory.
Great Sphinx of Giza
The Great Sphinx of Giza is a gigantic statue representing a human’s head and a lion’s body 139 meters in height. It is an awe-inspiring symbol of Egypt. Pyramids are royal tombs, and there are 138 of them. There are two gates to enter, one is near the Great Pyramid of Giza and the other is beside the Sphinx. We can explore this whole area either by horse riding or by walking. If you are taking the ride then you have to pay an amount of $20 for the ride.
You can either take the guide or explore by yourself. One Tip:- You can also take your own car or bus through the road. They scare you like you can’t take your own vehicle but that’s the myth, you can save your money.
We had to give some tips to our tour guide as he gave us a good company and also took some great eye-catching photos of me. I was really impressed so I thought to provide a tip, that really made him ver
Egypt Antique Stores
While taking the ride from Great Giza Pyramid we took a stop at one of the antique stores. It is one of the fantastic antique stores located near the market Ata Bazar. Moreover, it is reasonable and the store owner was so polite and very helpful that I was looking in particular. Also, he has given me one free item of blue stone which the Egyptian feels is a lucky charm in them. I was so grateful that he had given me. I would recommend everyone take a visit to this shop to get the best souvenir.
Egypt Papyrus Museums
Our guide then took us to the Egypt Museum which is one of the most wonderful places that I have visited so far. Its uniqueness comes from its various collection and original architectural design that proves the regional importance of Egyptology and Egyptian museology. Here, we got to know how each and every letter has its own importance, and how they derive the names.
They make paintings on papyrus and it is an interesting education on how the original paper was created. In the beginning, they provided the demonstration and I was intrigued by the explanation of how papyrus is made. After that, they have taken us to one of the rooms(where lights go off) where they try to convince everybody to buy one of the products by showing every appealing piece of their art.
Before visiting here, make sure to carry a lot of tissues, and some snacks and pack 2-3 bottles of water to stay hydrated. Carry sunglasses and click a lot of snaps.