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Please be patient. This article has many photo illustrations and loads slowly. If you find some photos have not loaded after a reasonable time, hit "Refresh" on your tool bar.  Cruising the Nile... Why now? Because for 2,500 years it has been one of the world's most interesting--and safest--tourism destinations, and even in these troubled times, it remains so. By Rod Lopez-Fabrega and Mary Ashcraft |
| "Egypt is the gift of the Nile." So wrote Herodotus of Halicarnassus close to 2,500 years ago. Possibly history's earliest recorded travel writer, this Greek scholar/traveler was fascinated by all details of an Egyptian culture that already was 3,500-years-old in his time. Since then, tourism has poured into this mysterious land, exploring every inch of the verdant and fruitful banks of the world's longest river and the amazing culture that has flourished there to this day. |
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As this is written in the troubled spring of 2002, an interested American traveler might legitimately weigh the question: "Why go to Egypt now?" On the positive side of the scale, modern Egypt is caretaker to the Earth's most ancient culture, already four-thousand-years-old when Imperial Rome reached its zenith. Egypt is a "friendly" Moslem country with massive economic and historic ties to the West and with a vast reservoir of admiration for the United States at the grassroots level. On the negative side, it has a restive and exploding population that is disappointed at the perceived impartiality of the American government in its handling of current geopolitical issues in the Middle East--a perception nurtured by daily doses of disaffected commentary from the Egyptian media, the Egyptian educational system, and the extremist element in the country. Adding heavily to the positive side of the scale is the determination of the Egyptian government to recover from the crippling blow to tourism it suffered after the isolated event involving European tourists at the Temple of Hatshepsut November 18, 1997. Tourism is Egypt's most important industry, and the Egyptian government to this day takes truly extraordinary steps to protect tourists and areas frequented by tourism. This commitment is underscored by the discrete presence of armed guards at the entrance to every museum, every hotel, every tourism destination, on every tourism van or bus, and perhaps even more by the care taken with airline security--more than can be found almost anywhere else in the world and far more than in the average U.S. airport. Is all of this protection still needed? The impression is that it is not! Underscoring this conclusion are the basic warmth and genuine friendliness expressed by the Egyptian people to the individual visitor--and most particularly to the scarce American visitor--though, currently (2002-2003) the friendly feelings of many Egyptians does not extend to include the American government. |
 Cruising the Nile With those caveats out of the way, it is foolish for timid travelers to avoid this beautiful country and its awesome antiquities. One easy, comfortable, and thoroughly enjoyable way to visit Egypt is on a Nile cruise. Currently, there are more than 200 cruise vessels traveling up and down the ancient waterway, and these range all the way from two- to three-day roughing-it voyages by felucca (that typical Nile watercraft with the defining triangular sail) to five-star, 60- to 80-cabin, luxury riverboats. Many cater to German tourists, perhaps the most adventurous travelers in the world today, as well as to other Europeans, but sad to say, less than ten percent of visitors to Egypt are Americans. |
 Cruise Highlights Cairo, Egypt's international gateway, is a cosmopolitan city filled with excellent accommodations and all the amenities of a major world capital. Lining the Nile in central Cairo are luxury hotels, embassies, government buildings, and palatial private homes. Just a few blocks away from the riverfront, and the city's multi-cultural history becomes evident in its many mosques, Coptic Christian churches, museums, and even a treasured synagogue. The city alone is worth a week's time of exploration. Primarily, for the visitor with limited time, Cairo is the home base for visits to those defining monuments everyone comes to see: the great pyramids and the sphinx. |
 Giza A short drive from central Cairo on the handsome Sharia al-Ahram expressway--first built for the carriage of the French Empress Eugenie--ends in the neighborhood of Giza. Looming over this busy Cairo suburb is the gigantic Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops.) Built around 2,500 BC of more than 2,500,000 limestone blocks, the shear size of this structure, built as the tomb of one man, is mind-boggling. For a price of 20 Egyptian pounds (about $4,) it is possible to climb up to the entrance and down a steep, tunneling ramp into the bowels of the great pyramid to the King's Chamber where it is believed the royal mummy once rested. Now, it is a deathly still and bare chamber except for the stone outer sarcophagus that once cradled the mighty monarch's earthly remains surrounded by his treasures, long since plundered by ancient grave robbers. |
 Also on the Giza plateau, within walking distance of the Great Pyramid are the smaller but no less imposing pyramids of Khafre (Chephren) and Menkaure (Mycerinus) as well as several much smaller pyramids of the queens of these monarchs, and down a causeway from the Khafre Pyramid, that unmistakable symbol of Egypt, the Great Sphinx. Much repair work is in evidence around this mysterious figure, and he is looking quite good these days, though much remains to be done to repair the ravages of time, air pollution, and too much attention. |
 Next to the Great Pyramid is a modern, air-conditioned enclosure that houses one of the pharaoh's two known Solar Boats. Discovered accidentally in 1954 in a pit on the south side of the pyramid, one of the boats was found disassembled in kit form made up of 1,224 separate parts crafted of cedar wood, amazingly well preserved, and all carefully labeled for re-assembly by the pharaoh's attendants in the after-life. Culminating 20 years of preservation and study by modern archeologists, the 142-foot long ship has been reconstructed in the traditional manner by being stitched together using ropes made of vegetable fibers. It is thought that the solar boat was never actually launched on water. It was to be used symbolically for the pharaoh to accompany the Sun God in his daily voyage across the heavens. An additional entry fee ($4) is required as well as a photo permit (about $2.) |
 Memphis and Saqqara Also within easy driving distance from Cairo is Memphis, once the capital of the Old Kingdom and a fortress city of strategic importance controlling access to Lower (Northern) Egypt and Upper (Southern) Egypt. Now it is a less than impressive and somewhat decaying town but of interest as the gate to the necropolis of Saqqara, site of the stepped pyramid of Pharaoh Zoser. While less impressive than the pyramids of Giza, it predates them and was the first of the monumental funerary pyramids. It introduced stone technology where previous monuments had been constructed of mud bricks. It is the central element in the huge funerary complex of Zoser. The massive entrance to the complex's hypostyle hall is interesting in that it suggests the style of architecture that probably was used in the no longer existing royal palaces. Also of importance are the surrounding tombs of lesser nobles and important high priests. These have fascinating reliefs showing all the preparations necessary for the dignitary's after-life including hunting scenes, agricultural activities, fun games with the children, furniture-making, and more. In Memphis itself, it is well worth stopping to view the colossus of Rameses II, a monumental and beautifully sculpted statue of the mighty king left by careless history lying on his back as he stares up at the ceiling of the special building that houses him. |
More to Explore in Cairo The Egyptian Museum, of course, is a must on any visit to Cairo. The museum was built in its present form in 1900 by French archeologist August Mariette. It must be said that, as conquerors, the France of Napoleon showed great respect and appreciation of Egypt's ancient culture and was responsible for preserving--and at the same time, removing--much of it. That special relationship between France and Egypt continues. Among the treasures left behind in this museum are the actual mummies of many of Egypt's greatest pharaohs, among them that of Rameses II. In 1976, archaeologists were horrified to discover that Rameses' mummy was developing a fungus infection. He was sent to Paris for repairs, and in an admirable demonstration of French savoir faire, the jet carrying the 3,200-year-old mummy of the great pharaoh was met at Le Gourget airport with a red carpet, a 21-gun salute and all the fanfare due to a major head of state. Even though this musty old museum houses more than 120,000 relics and artifact of all aspects of this remarkable civilization, it is best known as the repository of the treasures of Tutankhamun. King Tut's treasures are a world-famous attraction even though historically he was a ruler of lesser importance whose brief reign followed the upheaval in Egyptian history caused by Akenaton and his short-lived iconoclastic expulsion of the gods of Egypt in favor of the one god, Aton. It just happened, as everyone knows, that Tutankhamun's tomb escaped ancient tomb robbers perhaps because of his lesser importance. The entrance to his tomb in the Valley of the Kings was concealed for millennia by a huge pile of rubbish accumulated in the excavation of the tomb of a more illustrious pharaoh. In spite of his lesser stature, the magnificence of Tutankhamun's treasures as displayed in the Egyptian Museum give some hint of the almost unimaginable magnificence that must have accompanied one of the really great pharaohs to the afterlife. Word has it that a new and spectacular museum is being planned to replace this tired old institution. |
 The Citadel and the Mohammed Ali Mosque since the end of the twelfth century was the seat of all the rulers of Egypt. The religious fortress, situated on a dominant hilltop overlooking all of Cairo, was built in 1176 by famed Salah al-Din Yussuf Ibn Ayyub, Muslim sultan of Egypt, Syria, Yemen and Palestine, and better known to European Crusaders as their fierce foe, Saladin. Resonating in today's political climate, it is interesting to note that, as the Britannica puts it, "Salah al-Din's every act was inspired by an intense and unwavering devotion to the idea of jihad," a term that mistakenly has been adopted to mean the equivalent of the Christian Crusade. Today, his fortress is more of a museum that is dominated by the splendid Mosque of Mohammed Ali with its dramatic minarets and alabaster skin. Possibly the best view of all of Cairo can be appreciated from its terraces, with the modern city spread out below and extending to the horizon. |
 El Muallaqa, the Hanging Coptic Church is an eye-opening introduction to Christian Cairo. With its origins in the fourth century AD, it is the seat of the Christian minority in Egypt and, though not the original structure, it is nevertheless extremely well preserved. Most interestingly, it is an exclamation point in history. The predominant religion in ancient Egypt went from millennia of worship of its many gods to centuries under Roman influence and Roman gods. At the end of that period, when Roman Emperor Constantine decreed Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire, Egypt followed suit. It was not until Saladin pushed the Crusaders out of the Middle East that Egypt became a predominantly Moslem state. So, it is instructive to note that Egypt was Christian before it turned to Islam. Ben Ezra Synagogue, hidden in the alleyways of old Cairo, is another interesting stop. The oldest synagogue in Egypt, it dates back to the end of the ninth century AD and was restored in the twelfth century by the Rabbi of Jerusalem, Abraham Ben Ezra. Coptic tradition has it that a well outside the synagogue marks the spot where pharaoh's daughter plucked the baby Moses from the reeds and much later in time that the apostles Peter and Mark preached here. |
 Café Riche. By all means, get off the tourist trail for lunch in a memorable little establishment that "has been a silent player in nearly every facet of Egyptian public life--its politics, its literature and its performing arts." Café Riche is a picturesque watering place in Cairo that has been a base for Egyptian intelligentsia for decades. It has resisted the pressures--plague of all growing cities—to give way to fast-food restaurants, parking lots and the like. Closed down for over a decade, it has now re-opened to great acclaim. Waiters in colorful uniforms reminiscent of the Egypt in the time of the Khedives (1805-1879) serve excellent lunches in the outer restaurant or in the intimate interior chamber where framed sketches of famed Egyptian writers, artists and intellectuals look down on diners. It's a very special place. |
 The Khan El Khalili Bazaar may be a tourist trap, but it also is a place where Cairenes come for special ingredients, fresh produce, and odds and ends not available at the supermarket. It is a warren of alleyways and grubby streets filled with donkey carts, swarming humanity, and strays of all kinds along with endless closet-size stores of every imaginable kind of knick-knacks and temptations for the tourist. It requires a firm technique to put off the insistent salesmanship of countless hawkers of goods--that is, until you find just the item that interests you. Then, the fine art of haggling comes into play. It's expected, and only an idiot foreigner would pay the asking price. When the process becomes too exhausting, the visitor can stop at one of the many pocket-sized cafes and have a Stella Lager beer or puff away at a Shisha water pipe (a.k.a. Narghila, Hookah, Hubbly Bubbly,) or even have a Coke Lite. |
| THE NILE CRUISE: Luxor and the Valley of Kings |
 Together, the Temples of Luxor and Karnak form the largest funerary complex in the world. Peter France in his book "The Rape of Egypt" repeats a telling anecdote that gives an idea of the first impression Luxor/Karnak makes. In 1798 when occupying French troops entered the area and first rounded a bend in the Nile, "...they saw spread out before them the ruins of the cities of Luxor and Karnak, the full panorama of ancient Thebes. In a spontaneous response to this magnificent sight, the entire division halted. Without an order being given, the men formed their ranks and presented arms to the accompaniment of the drums and the bands." Today, in spite of the incursions of the growing city of Luxor with even a Mickey D"s fast-food outlet across the street from the southern end of the temple, Luxor remains awe-inspiring. Seen on a moonlit night, Luxor is stunning in its majesty. Its monstrous but elegantly capped columns tower over the visitor, and the scale is gigantic. Built by Amehophis III with later additions by Rameses II, the temple is dedicated to the god Amun. The shear monumentality of the massive colonnades is a clear indication of the wealth and technical mastery of the ancient builders who found ways to carve and position incredibly heavy pieces of stone with extraordinary sensitivity. In ancient times, the Luxor temple was connected to the equally impressive Karnak temple by an avenue of ram-headed sphinxes, each with the figure of a mummified Rameses cradled between its paws. The avenue is still under archaeological excavation, so today the best way to get from one temple to the other is on the main road in one of the many carriages that literally fight for attention in this city of 100,000. Succeeding pharaohs over a span of 1,300 years added to the temple structures--all to the greater glory of the god Amun--and to the priesthood that profited from the god's prominence. |
 Still based on board your Nile cruiser, next in order is a visit to the Valley of the Kings. It is a short ride from the docks in an air-conditioned van and includes crossing the Nile on a modern bridge to the West bank and past the Ramesseum, a monument to Rameses II, the great builder. Tourist buses converge on the parking area leading to the tombs, and scores of Disneyesque mini-trains carry hordes of visitors the several hundred yards into the site of those tombs that are open for inspection. Of the 62 tombs uncovered, perhaps the biggest and finest is that of Seti I. Steep ramps bring the visitor to chambers whose walls are covered with exquisite relief paintings of all the preparations necessary to insure that the pharaoh's after-life will include all the necessities and pleasures he enjoyed in life. The original colors of many are still amazingly intact. For ancient Egyptians, access to the after-world was not a simple matter and involved countless magic spells and discourses with the gods of the underworld. Clearly, the deceased had better have the right answers when quizzed by Anubis, the jackal-headed god of the dead. The small tomb of Tutankhamun is open for inspection but, in spite of the stiff admission fee of 80 Egyptian pounds (about $16), numbers of visitors allowed are limited in order to reduce the damage human exhalations and humidity bring into the tomb. All of the king's treasures are in the Cairo Museum, but this tomb has the distinction among all the others discovered so far of being the only one to have the mummy of the pharaoh still in residence. |
 Queen Hatshepsut's terraced mortuary temple is dramatically different from all the others. From a distance, it has the clean and formal lines of contemporary architecture, its many terraces spreading in stark horizontal layers across the foothill of the beige sandstone mountain that frames it. Inside, there are reliefs commemorating this remarkable and powerful woman's expedition to Punt (Somalia) and all the rare and wonderful animals and riches she brought back. Another area tells of the "divine birth" of the Queen who justified her ascension to the traditional male bastion of pharaoh-hood by claiming direct descent from the god Amun-Ra, no less. To underscore her right to rule, she is often depicted in statuary and reliefs wearing the royal beard. Of almost equal interest is the much more recent rambling villa where the Polish archaeologists who have been restoring the temple stay while working at the site. |
 Edfu, the next port of call, is where one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt is located. Dedicated to Horus, the hawk-headed god, this temple is a recent addition, built a mere 2,000 years ago during the Graeco-Roman period. Covering almost every surface, the temple's reliefs are considered some of the best in all of Egypt. Kom Ombo is the next stop, and it is the unique double temple, dedicated to not one but two gods: Horus, the hawk and Sobek, the crocodile god. Sobek represented the four elemental gods (Ra of fire, Shu of air, Geb of earth, and Osiris of water) and also the might of pharaoh. The temple is literally split down the middle with two entrances side-by-side and duplicate holy-of-holies where the deities resided, each in his own sanctuary. Dating to the Ptolemaic period, under Roman influences, it is interesting to note the reliefs pictured on the walls of the temple representing Roman emperors in the garb of Egyptian pharaohs making offerings to Egyptian gods. That says something about the willingness of ancient Rome to tolerate the gods of peoples they conquered and even to incorporate them into their own pantheon, though in some cases the acceptance took a while (you remember the Coliseum and the unpleasant practice of feeding Christians to lions.) |
 Aswan After an overnight docked at Kom Ombo, the cruise continues to Aswan. Possibly suffering from temple-fatigue at this point, you will enjoy this beautiful little city, located on Egypt's ancient southern border with Nubia. Best known as the site of the controversial Aswan High Dam, the city was known long before construction of the dam as a restful place, far from the big-city pressures and congestion of Cairo and blessed with a healthful climate and widely favored by turn-of-the century travelers as an excellent winter resort. A favorite watering hole was the elegant Old Cataract Hotel, still in service and still very elegant. Nothing will make you feel quite like a pampered nineteenth-century tourist more than taking tea or having a cool sorbet on the broad, high-ceilinged terrace of this magnificent old hotel while gazing down across the Nile to the lush gardens of Elephantine Island and its Nubian village. In more recent times, this hotel was immortalized by Agatha Christie in her novel, "Death on the Nile," and the film based on her book was shot here. |
 One of the highlights of the area and one of the crown jewels of a trip to Egypt is the Temple of Philae. This gem, along with the now famous temple of Abu Simbel, is one of the major structures that were moved above the new levels of the Nile created when the High Dam was built. Over a period of twenty years, the massive salvage operation included literally carving a new island to resemble the old site of Philae and block by block, transferring the old to the new. Today, a fleet of boats for rent will carry hordes of tourists to the island and through the Gate of Diocletian and the Roman gate to the beautifully preserved Temple of Isis, goddess of ten thousand names, mother of the god Horus, and some believe, a deity whose worship precludes veneration of the Virgin Mary as mother of a god. This beautiful temple is a high point with which to end a Nile cruise. Aswan's international airport is the gateway for the short flight back to Cairo and the trip home. |
| A Word About Accommodations In Cairo The range of accommodations in Egypt runs the gamut from five-star plus hotels and converted palaces to at least one superior bed and breakfast in Cairo. Backpack adventurers can, of course, find an even fuller range of accommodations, but for the average tourist, here are some standouts:  The El Gezirah Sheraton in Cairo has all the comfort and amenities to be found in any Sheraton with the spectacular addition of location, location, location. Positioned at the very tip of the Gezirah peninsula, the round, 477-room Sheraton tower dominates the Nile in the center of Cairo. From almost any room, the views are unequaled, and the hotel is ten minutes away from the business center of the city. Prices are in the $210 range for a double.  The Palace, The Cairo Marriott Hotel is a tourism destination in itself. The central portion is the converted palace of the Khedive Ismail (1830-1895) and was built to entertain French Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III on the occasion of the inauguration of the Suez Canal. The extravagant detailing of every public space is stunning. Towers have been built around the former palace to accommodate its 1,250 luxury rooms. The lavish dining rooms are world-renowned, and the food department alone is staffed with 750 technicians, butchers, bakers, captains, busboys, supervisors and managers.  The Mena House Oberoi is another luxurious establishment that can boast of its location, location, location. It literally sits in the shadow of the Great Pyramid of Giza. The super luxurious, five-star Mena House Oberoi was originally designed as a royal hunting lodge for Khedive Ismail, the King of Egypt, and as a guest house for himself and his friends while on hunting trips in the desert or during visits to the Pyramids of Giza. Since the opening of the Suez Canal, Mena House Oberoi has received international royal guests including Empress Eugenie, Albert, Prince of Wales, and in more recent times, Winston Churchill, President Jimmy Carter, and Princess Diana. Ask to visit the suites occupied by these luminaries at different times. The suites have private terraces with an up-close view of the Great Pyramid. Definitely plan to stay for lunch.  The Hotel Longchamps, at the other end of the luxury scale, is a marvelous find: an excellent bed and breakfast located in the Zamalek district of Cairo, an upscale neighborhood of embassies and residential buildings. For the more adventurous independent traveler, there is no better deal in all of Cairo. The hotel occupies two high floors in an otherwise unprepossessing building. The hotel's wide terraces overlook gardens and the rooftops of neighboring apartment buildings. Hotel Longchamps is owned and operated by Madame Hebba Bakri and her husband, an associate of Lufthansa German Airline. The hotel once was a nightclub operated by Mme. Bakri's mother, a noted theater personality in Egypt. Mme. Bakri and her husband converted it some years ago into a first-class B&B. Rooms are spacious and modern, with comfortable sitting areas. All rooms have private baths with bathtub and shower. Every room has a color television, a modern telephone with international direct dial capabilities, mini-refrigerator and individually controlled air conditioning. Guests include archaeologists on their way out to the field, artists, and, in general, interesting people. The price is right with double rooms starting at around $50 including a Continental breakfast. You can access more information about the hotel at http://hotellongchamps.com |
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Getting There South Sinai Group. There are more than 1,000 travel companies in Egypt, but only South Sinai Group and one other have received the prestigious ISO 9001 certificate from the International Quality Management Institute for its training, accounting and organizational systems. With six offices (five in Egypt and one in the U.S.) South Sinai Group has been providing first class service to tourists to Egypt since 1982. Its hotel division owns top rated properties in Aswan (Basma) and other prime tourism sites in Egypt. The cruise division has the newest luxury fleet on the Nile. The most recent addition to the fleet is the five-star Mirage. Its ground transportation division owns the most modern fleet of buses and four-wheel-drive vehicles and Mercedes vehicles. Its diving operations feature six luxury live-aboards, and its hotels and dive companies are equipped to handle the needs of handicapped divers. The company's North American representative is Travel Egypt, http://www.travelegypt.com |
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General Information on Egypt One of the best sources for information on Egyptian antiquities and tourism points of interest is Tour Egypt, the official site in the U.S. of the Ministry of Tourism of Egypt and the Egyptian Tourist Authority (ETA.) Based in Lubbock, TX, this impressive and amazingly comprehensive site is managed by the inimitable Jimmy Dunn, a man of inexhaustible interest and knowledge in and about Egypt. Access is at www.touregypt.net |
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© 2002 ROMAR TRAVEL GUIDES
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