It was in December 2022 that I’d been to Egypt. 3+ years later, the visuals are still etched in my mind like it was yesterday.
I started this website soon after that trip (Feb 2023), coz I really wanted to write about my travel stories – have a neat catalog before memory starts eluding me and the memories start fading away into nothingness.
But, back then, I hadn’t quite figured out my writing style. And so what I wanted to be travel stories turned out like paragraphs from a history book. But now that I’ve truly embraced my style, it’s time to restructure the first ever travelogue that featured in my website. So read through.
The Call of the Pharaohs
Egypt had been in my bucket list for years together, but when it happened, it was by chance. We were all booked (way in advance) for a winter trip to Italy. The only pending thing was Schengen Visa, and as fate would have it, that winter there were zero appointments for the same. We tried for a month, and had to finally give up. That’s when Egypt came to mind and I popped the question to husband who very gracefully obliged (My husband is really the sweetest ! 🤪)
And so, on 18th Dec ‘2022, we stepped into the land of the Pharaohs. Egypt – sprawled before us – vast, exquisite, and whispering of lost grandeur.
10 Days in Egypt – The Perfect Itinerary for first-timers
Egypt sprawls across millennia – a cradle of civilisation where every grain of desert sand carries stories of pharaohs, gods, and bygone dynasties. And so this is the route we took
Day 1 – We landed in Cairo and so technically our journey started there, but only as a stopover for the night.
Day 2 – We boarded an early morning flight to go to Aswan, crowned as the “Land of Gold”. It’s here that we onboarded the Nile Cruise which took us to Luxor. 3 nights, 4 days of sheer luxury with pitstops to witness the several verses in Egypt’s epic.
Enroute, or actually, even before the cruise could set sail on Day 3 -We rose before the sun and drove 240 kilometers away from Aswan, to go witness the magnificence of Abu Simbel, where colossal rock‑hewn temples stand defiant against time, their faces gazing eternally at the swollen Nile.
Day 4 – Was a proper pitstop. We disembarked the cruise again before the crack of dawn, to find horse drawn carriages waiting for us to take us to Edfu – the birth house of Horus, and hidden sanctuaries echoing with ancient rituals.
Day 5 – We bid a final goodbye to the cruise and headed to Luxor to enter the realm of pharaohs – Hatshepsut’s dignified mortuary temple, the silent, eternal tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Karnak’s soaring pillars before onboarding a late night flight back to Cairo.
Day 6 – A day around Cairo, covering the Pyramids of Giza, (finally!), the Egyptian museums and local markets.
Day 7 – We drove to Alexandria to get a taste of the Mediterranean.
Day 8 – We flew to Sharm-el-Sheikh for the last leg of the holiday. Just some sun, sand, sea and luxury. This continued into the next day (9).
Day 9 – Left Sharm-el-Sheikh with a heavy heart and back to Cairo, which marked the beginning of our return journey.
Day 10 – Back to home turf.
Reflections on My Journey through Egypt – The Dust and the Divine
The Beautiful Chaos that is Cairo
We had landed in Cairo. The first impression is one of sheer urban sophistication – wide, well-maintained highways stretching out like ribbons across the cityscape. Luxury hotels and glass-fronted office buildings. Honestly, it felt more global than I had expected – vibrant, fast paced and modern. It was a burst of noise and energy, with the constant hum of life running through its veins.
But that’s just one side of it. Just as you settle into the contemporary rhythm, Cairo reveals its other face – timeless and still. Amidst the urban noise and chaos there’s the Pyramids of Giza – suddenly towering over the horizon in absolute peace. Standing before the pyramids was disorienting in the best way. Too large to fully grasp, too quiet to be real. And then the Sphinx – half-lion, half-mystery – weathered but serene, seated like a keeper of secrets, and too glam to give a damn.
Cairo is magical, thriving between modernity and antiquity.
You can read all about Cairo in this post linked below.
Sailing through time – The Nile Cruise experience
There are few journeys in the world that glide with as much elegance and history as a Nile cruise. It’s quite literally a golden thread through the heart of ancient Egypt, wrapped in five-star comfort. As the ship leaves the banks of Aswan (or Luxor, depending on the boarding point) behind, the Nile unfolds like a moving scroll. Leaving behind farmlands and deserts with stories older than memory floating in the air.
Each day on the cruise is a rhythm of discovery and delight. Mornings begin with ancient temple stones under your feet, and by afternoon, you’re back on deck with a chilled drink in hand, watching the river blush under the sunset. And the ship itself – think polished wood, wide glass windows, canopy-shaded sundecks, a pool that mirrors the sky, and sunset views that leave you wanting for more. You can read details about the Nile Cruise and all the pitstops on the way in this post linked below.
Wandering Through Alexandria – A Mediterranean Dream in Egypt
By the time we were done with mainstream Egypt, we were quite worn out. It was hectic to start with. And December ‘2022 was the coldest Egypt had ever seen – as per the information from the locals. Temperatures had dipped to 8 degrees Celsius while we were prepared for about a 20. And so both of us had fallen sick as well over the previous 6 days. We needed to slow down. And Alexandria felt like it’d listened to our wishes.
The Mediterranean breeze and pastel-blue skies lent the city a melancholy grace. The air smelled like sea salt and nostalgia. This was a city of echoes of the past – of Cleopatra, of philosophers, of a library that once held the world’s knowledge. There’s something beautifully worn about Alexandria, like a song you don’t need to understand to feel, beautiful and calming. You can read more about Alexandria in this post linked below.
Sharm-el-Sheikh – Egypt’s shimmering jewel
Sharm‑el‑Sheikh, a coastal sanctuary where the Red Sea wraps around the Sinai Peninsula like a jewel-toned shawl. Here, the days slow down under the mantra of dolce far niente. We did nothing but float – literally and metaphorically. Days started with a late but sumptuous breakfast. Afternoons drifted between sun-loungers and beers and cocktails. And evenings came with another round strolling the local bazaar, unhurried and without a damn worry in the world. You can read more about Sharm-el-Sheikh in this post linked below.
Wrapping Up – Egypt, A Journey Etched in Sand and Stone
If there’s one truth about Egypt, it’s this – no matter how many postcards you’ve seen or documentaries you’ve watched, nothing prepares you for standing before its living, breathing history. From your first glimpse of Cairo’s highways unfurling towards the Pyramids, to drifting down the Nile at sunset with temple silhouettes on the horizon, to climbing down tomb shafts painted with secrets meant to outlast time – Egypt is a story you walk through, one stone at a time.
And here’s another truth every seasoned traveller learns fast – you cannot unlock Egypt’s secrets alone. Whether you’re tracing the hieroglyphs of the Valley of the Kings, slipping through the colonnades of Karnak, or navigating Cairo’s tangled bazaar streets, a licensed local guide is essential. Most sites have hidden stories you’d never spot on your own – tombs with subtle wall scenes, hidden shafts, forbidden chambers, and modern-day gatekeepers who often speak only Arabic. Guides help you get the right tickets, handle tipping, dodge common scams, and open doors – sometimes literally – to parts of temples or tombs you’d miss without them. Many visitors pair this with a good local driver too, because Egypt’s cities run on their own rhythm – bustling, beautiful, and chaotic in equal measure.
And yes – bring sunscreen and patience. And come with the softest heart – because for all its chaos and dust, Egypt has a way of getting under your skin and staying there long after you’ve flown home.
Practical Egypt Travel Tips
✔️ You need a licensed guide – Required for some sites, but invaluable everywhere. They know where to stand for the best photos, how to decode walls, and how to skip lines.
✔️ Pack for the sun – Light cottons, sunglasses, sturdy walking shoes for stone paths and desert sand.
✔️ Cash is king – Small Egyptian pounds for tips, toilet stops, camel rides. ATMs can be patchy outside cities.
✔️ Time it right – High season is Oct–April, summer is very hot, especially in Luxor and Aswan.
✔️ Book big sites ahead – For Abu Simbel, some tombs in Valley of the Kings, and hot-air balloons in Luxor.
✔️ Respect local customs – Modest dress at mosques, cover shoulders and knees, and carry a scarf for women.
✔️ Always check updated entry rules – Sites open and close for restoration. A local operator will keep you updated.
Until Next Time
And when you finally watch the pyramids fade behind your taxi window or the Nile sparkle beneath your plane, you’ll know Egypt never really leaves you — it just waits for you to return, to walk new sands and whisper old stories back to life.
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