Family Bliss On the Go to Egypt
We went to Egypt for 3 days at the end of May 2023 with an almost 5yo and almost 8yo boy.
Let me back this up by explaining how we ended up visiting Egypt in the first place. We planned a Disney cruise in Europe, which left from Barcelona. As we were pricing flights, my husband said to me that he thought we should go to Egypt first. I laughed like, "Oh yeah, sure, we'll just go to Egypt!" You see, I had dreamed of a trip to Egypt since I was a little kid and first learned about Ancient Egypt, but I never thought in a million years I'd get to go. It was a distance dream to me. I wasn't certain about safety of traveling there with kids, and I also assumed it would be ridiculously expensive to go. You never really hear about people traveling to Egypt, so it just seemed impossible. Then my husband showed me that the flights to Egypt were so much cheaper than the flights to Barcelona that the savings would essentially cover the costs of our trip to Egypt. We researched the safety, which was essentially rated at the same level of visiting NYC with kids, which we'd done a ton of times. And suddenly, Egypt went from being a distant dream to a possibility.
We only had a couple days in Egypt though before we had to get to Barcelona. I researched our must-see places and tips, then I found a tour company who was willing to work with me with my requests and make my ideal little trip. I typically never work with travel agents or tour companies for whole trips, but it felt like a good idea on this trip to ensure safety and smooth-sailing for our short trip. And I will say we LOVED the company/people we worked with. Hesham Etman was our primary guide. He owns his own company, MJ Tours Egypt (see link at end). He greeted us at the airport when our flight landed to assist us with the visa process. While dealing with our passports for this process, he realized that my youngest son's 5th birthday was going to occur while we were on the trip, and he surprised us with a celebration and cake one of the days!
We arrived in the evening around dinnertime, so they transported us to our hotel. We stayed at the Marriott Mena House in Cairo. This hotel was GORGEOUS! Our balcony literally looked out over the pyramids. There were beautiful grounds with outdoor eating with live music, sidewalks through the gardens, and a fountain. The one comment I will make is to be prepared for the driving in Egypt. It is not for the faint of heart. Thank goodness we had a driver because it was still terrifying to me, and I have no idea how there aren't more accidents. People just weaved in and out all around without any specific lanes of traffic, and then there were people walking and riding motorcycles in the middle of it all too.
The next day, we visited the Egyptian Museum. You can't take pictures in most of it, but it was absolutely fascinating. Normally, we avoid most museums on trips with kids, but this one was so worth it. First of all, it's air conditioned, which was wonderful! Second, I cannot describe to you what it's like to see real mummies in Egypt. You could still see the braids on the women's hair. I will never forget that experience. And we saw King Tut's mask! (his mummy is in Luxor, but some of his treasures are here). We did some shopping, including at a store where they make papyrus. They did a little lesson for the boys on how to make papyrus, and then we were able to get our own souvenirs. Another thing I'll always remember that can't be captured in pictures (like the mummy's braids) was how it sounded to hear the call to prayer ringing through the streets during the day. After some time back at the hotel pool to recharge our batteries, we went on a Nile River dinner cruise. This included belly dancers and whirling dervishes. My younger son was fascinated by the performers.
The last full day, we went to the pyramids early. We had to go early because it's so intensely hot, even early. The boys were fascinated seeing the pyramids up close. We then rode camels around the pyramid area. Next, we went to visit the Sphinx. Our guide provided us with tons of amazing information, as he is a certified Egyptologist. He also found all the best tourist picture spots for us.
We then went to the Muhammad Ali Mosque, which was breathtakingly beautiful. Our guide helped us feel that we were being appropriate and respectful, such as telling us to cover our shoes, and he taught us some facts about the religion. Finally, that evening we went on a traditional Felucca boat ride at sunset on the Nile. This was where they surprised us with cake for my son's birthday.
Aside from fears of car accidents, I will say I felt safe the entire time we were in Egypt. It was a bit of a shocker the first time we pulled up to a tourist area and had to wait for the bomb sniffing dogs to circle the car. That being said, knowing that they were doing such also made it easier to feel comfortable and relax at the tourist destinations because you knew it was done on every vehicle entering in there. Same for our hotel. But it did take some getting used to. Another thing we had to make certain of was to drill into our kids the need to not drink water there. After drilling it into our kids, my husband had tea the last evening and felt sick a few days later....we have no idea if it was a coincidence or not, but this is why I always suggest to people to avoid tea and to know what their coffee is brewed with before just drinking it without thinking.
We definitely could have used more time in Egypt. We made the most of our 3 days and did our must-dos, but I would have liked to have taken a trip to Luxor or into the Sahara Dessert a bit more. I will say that, despite only being 3 days, this is the trip everyone still talks about. It is my youngest son's favorite place he's ever been, and it is the trip that wows everyone when they learn we went there. For so many, Egypt is still a distant dream, but I'm here to say it really doesn't have to be. It was so much more doable than I ever imagined, and Egypt is a must-see place and lifechanging trip for kids (and parents!). If you are interested in taking a trip to Egypt, please please consider using MJ Tours for your trip. They'll make you feel safe, they'll teach you so many great facts about Egypt, they'll do all the work so you don't have to, they'll expertly drive you through those crazy driving roads!, and they'll find all the best food options for you along the way!
Here’s the link to their trip advisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294202-d12402803-Reviews-MJ_Tours_Egypt-Giza_Giza_Governorate.html
and here’s their website: www.mjtoursegypt.com
Mention us (Beth and Jonathan Bliss) as your referral!
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