by Zoe Francis
Zoe Explores the Wonders of Ancient Egypt
by Zoe Francis, National Sales Manager, Bunnik Tours
As an experienced world traveller, for some reason, the Middle East was a destination that I figured I’d always get to, just later. After spending 10 days in Egypt in 2020, I can honestly say that this is one to include on your bucket list!
Pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx and Step Pyramid of Sakkura
Our adventures in Egypt began at the Le Meridien Pyramids hotel Giza. Not only is this a fantastic hotel with a great pool and restaurant area, but it offers the most amazing of views: the Great Pyramids of Giza.
Room with a view
We saw these ancient wonders of the world for the first time en route to the hotel, but nothing beats waking up in the morning and having that as your first view of the day. They are so close! All our group enjoyed a pyramid view room at this lovely hotel.
Our sightseeing took in these incredible wonders, but also the Sphinx, Memphis & Sakkoura. As Dennis Bunnik recapped to our group, “today is why people come to Egypt, the rest is why they fall in love with Egypt” and how right he was.
The Sphinx, Dennis Bunnik
Cruising the Nile River
Our 3 night Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor provided the perfect backdrop and balance to our days of seeing incredible temples, including the Philae Temple, and tombs.
One of my favourite parts of the trip was relaxing on the top deck of our luxury cruise and watching life on the Nile as we sailed by.
Another was the Abu Simbel temples, an absolutely impressive sight with its mammoth construction and beautiful interior.
Nile trader
Abu Simbel
Abu Simbel Temples
The story of how they managed to relocate the entire structure on higher ground, piece by piece, to avoid being destroyed by the rising Nile river is just astonishing.
Travelling by road to Abu Simbel is absolutely worth it – including stopping on the side of the road to watch sunrise over the isolated desert – just spectacular.
Felucca cruise on the Nile
Seeing the Valley of the Kings from a hot air balloon
We were lucky enough to take in some incredible sunrises during our time in Egypt; the Nubian desert en route to Abu Simbel, from my balcony overlooking the Nile in Aswan, while getting ready for the day on our Nile cruise; but nothing beats watching the sun come up over the Valley of The Kings while floating above in our hot air balloon. That morning was my absolute highlight of the entire trip.
Hot air ballooning over Luxor
Open up your mind to Egypt's wonders and stories
My knowledge of Egypt prior to this trip was really quite limited. I knew of the key sights and ancient history and after reading our itinerary what I would expect to see over the course of our trip. What I didn’t know was how much deeper Egypt would draw me in, with its ancient stories of Cleopatra, Queen Nefertiti, the story of Horus, love, magic, good vs evil. I felt as though I had been transported into another world with Egypt settling its magic under my skin.
Experience the magic of Egypt yourself in the comfort of a small group.
Photo Credit: All Images by Zoe Francis
Author
Zoe Francis is our National Sales Manager, with over 20 years of experience in the travel industry, she’s been with Bunnik Tours since 2015. Zoe has travelled to many of the world’s incredible places, including Nepal, Columbia, Canada, Switzerland, Spain and Africa. In her downtime, Zoe enjoys spending time with friends, family and her dog Jaffa.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which of the Seven Wonders is located in Egypt?
The Great Pyramid of Giza is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and is a must-see on any trip to Egypt. It is believed to have been built over a 20-year period during the reign of Pharoah Khufu around 2560 BC. Located on the west bank of the Nile River, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.
Is the Nile one of the seven wonders?
The seven wonders of the ancient world consist of manmade structures and do not include natural features of the landscape.
The Nile was officially declared as one of the natural wonders of Africa on February 11, 2013. The Nile River is 6,650 km long and crosses 10 countries in northern Africa, starting in Uganda and Ethiopia and reaching the ocean in Egypt.
Is the Sphinx one of the seven wonders of the ancient world?
The Great Sphinx at Giza dates from around 2575-2565 BC, called “Abu al-Hawl” or “The Father of Terror” by Arabs throughout Egypt’s history. Archeologists have found that the Sphinx and surrounding pyramids have been renovated many times over the years.
While it is wonderful to see and a UNESCO-listed heritage site, the Sphinx is not in the list of the seven ancient wonders.
