Cairo's Giza Plateau - On A Budget
Written: Jun 12 '01 (Updated Jul 05 '01)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: The Giza plateau is absolutely amazing!
Cons: The locals who want to take you for a camel ride are very annoying.
The Bottom Line: I would recommend a stop over or holiday in Cairo to all travelers. If you have not traveled much, consider a group tour. You’ll love this amazing city.
|
|
|
| nmg1969's Full Review: Cairo |
In July 2000 I was fortunate enough to be on a two night stop over in Cairo. Although I only had one day in Cairo, it turned out to be the most memorable part of a month long holiday.
My day started at 6am. Being on a tight budget I asked about catching the bus out to Giza. The staff at the hotel told me which one to catch. They had recommended an air conditioned bus which I was very happy about as it was already starting to warm up.
My bus ride from the airport to the Cairo museum took about half an hour and cost 2LE (Livre Gyptienne or Egyptian Pound). The traffic in this city of around 15 million inhabitants is unbelievable. The Egyptians don’t appear to have heard of road rules. Donkeys pulling carts along busy roads are a common sight. It’s necessary to change buses at the museum. Just wait near the side of the museum and keep an eye on the bus numbers. It was about a 20 minute ride to Giza. There are great views of the Nile on the way.
I got off the bus and was immediately in awe at the size of the Khufu Pyramid. “Come this way my friend” is the favorite call of the tour operators waiting on the side of the road. Just ignore them and walk a little further up the road. As you approach the entry to the Giza plateau there is a disturbing view to the left of camels, horses and goats. I have never seen such a sick looking bunch of animals.
Entry to the pyramids is 20LE. I arrived quite early and it was the off season (mid summer) but there were already four tourist buses in the parking area. It would appear you need to arrive at 6 am, not get up at 6, if you want to avoid the masses.
There are a lot of gun carrying, camel riding Police at Giza. They are easily spotted by the arm band that says “Tourist Police”. I asked one if I could take a photo and he agreed. He then asked for money. I was surprised that even the police will ask for payment. Be careful who you point your camera at.
I took a close up look at the huge stones used in the construction of the first few layers. It’s just incredible how well the stones fit together. I made my way to the Queen’s Pyramids (there are three on the eastern side of Khufu). There are some interesting ruins around this area. It’s also very quiet. I did not see any other tourists or locals. There are also really good photo opportunities looking toward the other pyramids.
Be sure to check out the boat museum (on the south side of the Khufu Pyramid) as you walk to the Khafre Pyramid. The original limestone coating can still be seen at the top of this amazing structure. This pyramid looks bigger than Khufu’s, but it’s just that it’s a little steeper.
Be prepared for the locals on horses and camels offering rides. If your interested, go for it. I had heard that they take you out to the desert for a nice view looking back at the pyramids. Then they ask you for more money to get you back. I wasn’t interested in riding one of these unhealthy looking animals. If your not either just keep saying “no” in a rather firm manner! They soon stop following you.
From here I made my way to the smallest of the three great pyramids and I bought a ticket to go inside. Actually, I bought a ticket for myself and one for my camera. 20LE in total. If you have a video camera with you, hide it. I had to leave mine with a man who said he was the “chief of cameras”. He said that if I wanted to take it in with me, I’d need to buy a 100LE ticket.
Going inside one of the pyramids is a must. The Menkaure Pyramid has a long, steep and very narrow entry corridor. Once underground things level off and a hallway leads through to a larger room. The burial chamber is down another stairway. It was surprisingly hot down there. While there’s not too much to see, it’s an experience I’ll never forget. Great photo op’s too. I left the pyramid, and to my amazement my video camera was still there!
It’s quite a long walk to the Sphinx. The heat makes it worse. I approached the Sphinx from the south side. There is a great view looking back at the Khufu Pyramid. It’s a little disappointing to see the condition of the Sphinx. There has been a lot of work done, particularly around it’s front legs, which I thought looked terrible. Still, it’s an amazing monument.
I walked away from the Sphinx as far as I could to get a better view of the whole area. It’s strange to see this amazing scene before you, while on the other side of the road there is a Pizza Hut and KFC restaurant!
There were a lot of local kids around this area. They sell water, post cards and other junk souvenirs. I was surrounded by a group of about ten kids at one stage. Be very careful with your belongings.
On my way back I made my way up the Khufu Pyramid. I found a shaded area to sit in and look out over Cairo. This is a truly amazing place that I can’t wait to get back to one day. I had spent almost six hours at Giza. Time just flew by. Be sure to take plenty of film. I went through three rolls of color and two black and white.
My only regret is that I spent so long at Giza. By the time I got back to the museum it was 3.30pm. They close at 4pm and I was not allowed in. I was flying out in twelve hours, so the museum will have to wait until my next visit.
The rest of my afternoon was spent exploring the city on foot. I made my way to the Nile and did some shopping at near by souvenir stores. I never felt in danger while walking alone, even in the early evening, although I was careful about when and where I got my video camera out.
I would recommend a stop over or holiday in Cairo to all travelers. If you have not traveled much, consider a group tour (safety in numbers). I’m sure you will love this amazing city.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Students
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
nmg1969
|
|
Location: Australia
Reviews written: 14
Trusted by: 10 members
About Me:
I'm an Australian who loves bikes, hi-fi, travel and photography.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.