LAND OF THE PHARAOHS

BY ROBIN NOWACKI

Egyptair now connects Dublin with Cairo three times a week bringing the ancient world of the Egyptian Pharaohs and the fashionable Red Sea beach resort of Sharm El-Sheik much closer to Ireland.

With flight times of around five hours this direct service now allows easy access to the spectacular Pyramids of Giza, the Egyptian Museum, housing the stunning Tutankhamen Hall, and the majestic River Nile, all of which are within an hours drive of Cairo Airport.

Whilst Sharm El-Sheik, is a further one hour flight from Cairo, with your 23 kilos of luggage included, checked in at Dublin Airport, travelling straight through to the Red Sea, and it’s year round warm sunny beaches.

CAIRO 

With 20 million people the Egyptian capital is one to the World’s largest cities, it has grown and expanded rapidly in the last few decades. 

The old centre still survives intact, the ancient narrow streets filled with market stalls and shops selling the latest fashions, and recommended high quality Egyptian produced perfumes, as good if not better than the top high street brands in Ireland, all at good prices for those who negotiate. 

Here also are coffee shops and cafes selling cakes rich with dates, raisins, and other fruits. Smoking is still popular in Egypt, with it seems most men still enjoying the habit which is allowed inside many bars and restaurants. For those who enjoy a glass of wine, beer, or something stronger, this is available, but it is advised to ask for domestic brands, which tend to be much cheaper than those with famous names.

THE GREAT PYRAMID AND SPHINX

A short drive from the old centre of Cairo, across the wide River Nile, where the city meets the Sahara, lies arguably the most famous tourist attraction of all, the Great Pyramid of Giza, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to survive.

I had visited Giza before 20 years ago and was concerned I might not be as impressed the second time around, but I need not have worried, soon I was once more under the spell of these majestic Pyramids in their spectacular desert setting.

Standing 146.6 metres, close to 500 feet high, and constructed around 2800 BC, the Great Pyramid was for 3,800 years the tallest man made structure on Earth. It is the tomb of the Forth Dynasty Pharaoh Khufu, and is massive in scale made up of over 2 million blocks of stone, and dominating the Giza Plateaux.

Smaller and standing close by are the Pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, near to the entrance of the pyramid complex is another iconic attraction, the 60 foot high, 220 foot long, Great Sphinx of Giza, a huge mythical creature appearing like a giant cat with the face of Pharaoh Khufu.

EGYPTIAN MUSEUM

By chance when I visited Cairo’s superb Egyptian Museum it was the 100th anniversary of when the legendary British Egyptologist Howard Carter made the discovery of the Tomb of the most famous Pharaoh, King Tutankhamun, in the Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Egypt, in 1922. Some 300 miles up the River Nile from Cairo. 

The Egyptian Museum in central Cairo is as I write, where the fabulous treasures Howard Carter discovered in the Tomb are on display in Tutankhamun Hall, however there are plans to move the entire contents to the new Grand Egyptian Museum when it opens at Giza in 2023.

DINNER AND DANCE ON THE NILE

I have been to the Source of the River Nile where it leaves Lake Victoria in Uganda, starting a 4,000 mile journey north through Africa including Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. 

The water from the River Nile is essential in keeping Egypt from becoming a total desert, with most of its 100 million population living within a few miles of it’s banks. 

However for the millions of tourists who visit Egypt each year the River is a source of pleasure with Nile Cruises much in demand, some taking many days, others a few hours. 

In Cairo a Dinner Dance Cruise on the Nile is a popular evening out combining a three course meal with great live music and Middle Eastern entertainment, whilst enjoying the spectacular views of the City by night, Recommended is the #Maxim.

SHARM EL-SHEIK

Situated on the southern most tip of the Sinai Peninsula between the clear blue waters of the Red Sea and the towering mountains of the Sinai Desert often cast crimson by the constant Sun, Sharm El-Sheik has grown from a series of small fishing villages in the 1960s into a major resort attracting tourists from all five continents.

Sharm El-Sheik also hosts major international conferences such as the COP 27 Climate Summit in 2022, when it hosted over 100 Presidents and Prime Ministers from around the globe,

Large luxury resort hotels offering a complete holiday experience on an all-inclusive basis, many with sheltered sandy private beaches, are to be found here such as the recommended Savoy Sharm El-Sheik where I stayed. Those seeking bars, restaurants, entertainment and nightlife outside their resort hotels head to Naama Bay or Soho Square.

The Red Sea rich with Coral Reefs within it’s warm clear waters is a scuba diving paradise, and popular with tourists are the boat cruises which depart each morning from the Landmark Marina, stopping to dive around different Reefs. These cost around 60 Euros per person including all diving equipment, diving lessons for beginners, and a delicious Egyptian buffet lunch with soft drinks. 

The Sharm El-Sheik Museum, which opened in 2020, adds an impressive new cultural dimension to this destination, with a wealth of fascinating exhibits from the times of the Pharaohs, ranging from Mummies to statues and furniture dating back 4,000 years.

Flying WITH EgyptAir Dublin to Cairo

The new EgyptAir service from Dublin to Cairo which commenced in June 2022 is Ireland’s first scheduled air service to and from Egypt.

From Cairo the Egyptian flag carrier operates to more than 75 destinations, and has a particularly strong presence across Africa.

From Cairo Egypt’s main tourist attractions, Sharm El-Sheik, Hurghada, Luxor and Aswan are all around an hours flight.

The route Dublin to Cairo uses A320 NEO aircraft with 16 seats in business class and 126 seats in economy class.

Robin Nowacki flew both classes and found the business class particularly impressive. Hot meals are provided in both classes and each passenger has access to individual entertainment with headphones supplied. No alcohol is served on board.

Flights can be booked at www.egyptair.com