We visited Cairo, Egypt for the first time in January 2015. We stayed in a town just outside of Cairo called Nazlet a-Sammam where we were able to see the Pyramids from the window of our vacation rental. During our week long trip, we saw the Pyramids both from afar in the desert after a camel ride, and also from the inside.
Inside the pyramids.
The Great Pyramid at sunset.
Lots of people do a camel ride to the pyramids, but we walked. Instead, we did a camel ride out into the deserts near the pyramids.
The pyramids in Cairo, Egypt.
The pyramids in Cairo, Egypt.
Sandstorm at the pyramids in Cairo.
Inside the pyramids.
Camel with the pyramids in the distance.
Camel ride through the desert near Cairo.
A downward view of my camel.
It doesn’t matter where we are in the world, John doesn’t leave home without his iPhone and travel apps.
Sana was gave us gifts and showered us with affection on our first trip to Egypt in 2015.
Sana (in the hijab) chiding Hani (in the shades) to bring us back in time to meet her son-in-law at her shop. We were exhausted after the camel ride (it’s more of a workout than you’d think), but we had to sit and wait to meet this fellow for reasons we couldn’t really understand.
It was a little tight inside one of the pyramids.
Inside a pyramid in Cairo, Egypt.
Inside a pyramid in Cairo, Egypt.
Inside a pyramid in Cairo, Egypt.
Inside a pyramid in Cairo, Egypt.
Inside a pyramid in Cairo, Egypt.
Inside a pyramid in Cairo, Egypt.
Inside a pyramid in Cairo, Egypt.
Inside a pyramid in Cairo, Egypt.
Inside a pyramid in Cairo, Egypt.
The entrance to a pyramid in Cairo, Egypt.
The entrance to a pyramid in Cairo, Egypt.
Outside the pyramids in Cairo, Egypt.
Looking toward Cairo from the pyramids.
Outside the pyramids in Cairo, Egypt.
Looking toward Cairo from the pyramids.
Outside the pyramids in Cairo, Egypt.
Looking up at one of the Pyramids of Giza.
Looking at one of the Pyramids of Giza.
Looking at one of the Pyramids of Giza.
The pyramids were cool, but they didn’t change my life or challenge my worldview. It’s cool to see cool things, but it’s even cooler to walk away from an experience feeling like a whole new layer of existence has opened up for my perusal.
Rather than being burdened by idle chitchat and smalltalk with other tourists trying to one-up us on best-travel-experience, we got to sit and just look around while we were in the desert.
Egyptians are incredibly friendly. Their government may have some big issues right now, but the people on the streets are some of the nicest people we’ve ever encountered.
The pyramids are so enigmatic and strange. It was quite a treat to get to sit and stare at them from our balcony.
Related Posts:
Egypt Tourism: Sandstorm at the Pyramids in Egypt (video)
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Egypt Tourism: Call to Prayer in Egypt Overlooking the Pyramids (video)
Places to Visit in Egypt: The Pyramids (View from Nazlet A-Sammam Apartment) (video)
Egypt Tourism: Sandstorm at the Pyramids in Cairo (video)
Lines in the Sand: Speaking Arabic in Cairo, Egypt (as a Woman)– By Jennifer Shipp