Few destinations capture the imagination quite like Cairo.
Long before I arrived, I already felt as though I knew the city. The pyramids, the Sphinx, the treasures of Tutankhamun and the mighty Nile have been woven into films, documentaries and history books for generations. At school were taught tales of the Egyptians and the mystery never really leaves our minds.
The reality, however, proved even more fascinating.
And also rather less glamorous.
First Impressions
Cairo is not a city that eases you in gently.
It assaults the senses in the best possible way. The traffic, the sounds, the heat and the endless energy create an atmosphere unlike anywhere else I’ve visited. It’s a very dirty and over crowded place.
Ancient history sits alongside modern life. One moment you’re passing busy streets packed with cars and market stalls, the next you’re staring at monuments that have stood for over four thousand years.
It’s difficult not to feel small. Tiny in fact.
The Great Pyramid
Like most visitors, I couldn’t wait to step inside the Great Pyramid.
For years I’d imagined hidden chambers, mysterious passages and ancient secrets waiting to be uncovered.
The reality?
A surprisingly long, warm climb through a narrow corridor that eventually leads to a large empty room.
That’s not to say it wasn’t worth doing.
Standing inside one of the most famous structures ever built is something I’ll never forget. But if you’re expecting golden treasures and hidden discoveries, you may leave slightly surprised.
The experience is more about appreciating the scale of the achievement than what actually remains inside. However it is sold as far more so do beware, and only purchase from the tourist attractions desks not from the thousands of random sellers who have no rights to sell anything but then run off with your money.
Beneath the Surface
One of the more unusual experiences came when we managed to gain access to underground areas that most visitors never see. This was achieved by giving a local police officer a small wad of cash equivalent to around £10.
What followed felt more like an adventure than a guided tour.
Descending beneath the ancient structures offered a completely different perspective on the history surrounding the pyramids and their construction.
The atmosphere underground was unforgettable. Quiet, eerie and steeped in history.
It was one of those travel moments that felt far removed from the standard tourist trail. The story was that this was one of the places thousands of bodies where buried from the slaves that built the pyramids, I must admit it did feel rather like a tomb. The adventurer in me felt like Tomb Raider! Whilst the human side of me couldn’t help but feel the tragedies of the people that would have been thrown into these burial chambers. Were they young or old? Did they have families? What part of the pyramids where they responsible for building? All questions we will never know which keeps some of the mystery of The Great Pyramids alive!
Face to Face with the Sphinx
No photograph truly prepares you for your first view of the Sphinx.
It’s smaller than many people imagine, yet somehow more impressive.
For thousands of years it has watched over the Giza Plateau, surviving wars, empires and civilisations that have long since disappeared. Loosing pieces of itself as each empire wandered in but never loosing its full personality.
Standing in front of it, surrounded by the desert and the pyramids beyond, was one of those moments where history suddenly feels very real.
The Treasures of Tutankhamun
If there was one attraction that completely exceeded expectations, it was the Egyptian Museum.
Walking through its halls felt like opening the pages of a history book.
The treasures of Tutankhamun were undoubtedly the highlight. His gold funerary mask, jewellery and personal belongings remain some of the most extraordinary artefacts I’ve ever seen.
Photographs simply wouldn’t do them justice. However you’re not allowed to take photographs of the items in the museum, a key way of keeping the items exclusive.
The craftsmanship, detail and sheer wealth on display are astonishing, particularly when you consider they were created thousands of years ago. The skill required to create such fantastic things is clearly beyond anything we have seen for a long time.
It’s one of the few museums I’ve visited where hours disappear without you noticing. However, upon exiting we were confronted by the Government offices, that had been blown up a few days prior. This created a security stronghold around us, complete with tanks commanded by what I can only describe as someone well under 18!
The Nile
No visit to Cairo feels complete without experiencing the Nile. Unfortunately for me my depictions and imagination of the Nile is more like the Nile either side of Cairo, where it clean and surrounded by the desert. Through the City, the Nile makes the River Thames look clear watered and immaculately clean. It’s beautiful in its own way though, for thousands of years its been responsible for the growth of Cairo.
Whether viewed from the riverbank or from a boat drifting along its waters, it’s impossible to ignore the significance this river has played throughout history.
Entire civilisations were built upon its banks.
For a while, I found myself imagining what life must have been like here thousands of years ago when pharaohs ruled and the pyramids were still new.
The Case of the Missing Waterfall
Travel doesn’t always go to plan. Sometimes that part of what makes the story telling so exciting.
One excursion promised the chance to see what was described as the world’s second-largest water feature. Im sure there are plenty of second largest water features in the World” but I was assured by the tour guide, who also happened to own the boat company that this really, really was the official second largest in the world.
It sounded impressive.
Unfortunately, there was one small problem.
It had been blown up during the civil unrest only a few months before our visit.
After travelling all that way, the experience was rather underwhelming.
Still, it provided a story that has lasted far longer than any waterfall probably would have.
Sometimes the unexpected moments become the memorable ones.
Final Thoughts
Cairo isn’t polished. At all.
It isn’t always comfortable. Rarely in fact.
And it certainly isn’t predictable. Who likes predictable anyway?
But that’s precisely why it remains one of the most fascinating destinations I’ve ever visited.
The pyramids alone justify the journey. Add the treasures of Tutankhamun, the Sphinx, the Nile and the countless stories hidden within the city, and it’s easy to understand why Cairo continues to captivate travellers from around the world.
Just don’t expect too much furniture inside the Great Pyramid.
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