Added: 04/18/2006 |
Discover the wonders of the Pharaoh's land with Egypt packagesThere are very standard Egypt packages, offered by practically every tour operator. These are antiquity tours, which last between five and fourteen days and make their way up and down the Nile River, visiting the pyramids and other tombs, temples, museums and various other "standard" sites. They are the type of tours that most first time, classical tourists take, when they visit Egypt.
Depending on the length of a tour, Egypt packages offer you to visit different antiquity sites, but whether long or short, all of them include the Giza Plateau, which is understandable. It would be rare indeed being first time to Egypt and not to wish to see the Great Giza Pyramids. After all, they are the most famous men made structures in the world, and have been for thousands of years.
Contrary to the common belief, only the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), not all Pyramids of Giza, is on top of the list of Wonders. The monument was built by the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu of the Fourth Dynasty around the year 2560 BC to serve as a tomb, when he dies. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the one and only Wonder, which does not require a description by early historians and poets. It is the one and only Wonder that does not need speculations, concerning its appearance, size and shape. It is the oldest, yet it is the only surviving of the Seven Ancient Wonders.
Visitors should be aware while choosing Egypt packages that the number of people, who can enter the Great Pyramid of Khufu, is limited to one hundred and fifty visitors in the morning and additional one hundred and fifty in the afternoon. What is more, each individual tourist, who wishes to enter the pyramids at Giza, must purchase a ticket on their own at the ticket office.
The amount of time that tourists spend at Giza and how many other pyramids they visit in Egypt is a matter of balance between the length of the tour and other important sites located in Egypt. Egypt packages for relatively short tours will only stay for a very brief excursion at the Giza Plateau, making a cursory examination of the major monuments. Slightly longer tours may spend a little more time there, but will also make a stop at Saqqara (Sakkara), mainly for a tour of the Step Pyramid complex of Djoser.
Certainly, the priorities are correct. Everyone, who visits Egypt, should indeed see the Great Pyramids at the Giza Plateau, and, secondly, the Great Step Pyramid of Djoser, since it was the first pyramid built in Egypt and a grandfather of them all. In fact, for many casual tourists to Egypt it may be enough, but for others, who have a solid interest in these great monuments, there is more to be seen.
For true pyramid enthusiasts, who really wish to see more of them, about every pyramid Egypt has to offer is within a fairly short distance from Cairo. With a tour extension of a few extra days, you can easily visit almost all Egypt pyramids, apart from some small step pyramids spread along the Nile and the one lonely royal pyramid of Ahmose at Abydos. There are also several interesting private pyramids in the necropolis of Deir el-Medina, which undoubtedly worth visiting. However, they could easily be seen during the usual stop on most standard itineraries at normal tours to the West Bank at Luxor.
As a rule, all of Egypt packages also take advantages of great shopping opportunities this country has to offer. Here you can find wonderful items from handcrafted carpets and hand made papyrus to famous Egyptian furniture at great prices.
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