Full day Cairo tour to Pyramids, Sphinx, Egyptian Museum and Mosque
December 19th and 20th, 2009

Tour to Cairo, to visit the pyramids of Giza with the Sphinx, the step pyramids of Sakkara, the fantastic Egyptian Museum of Antiquties and the citadel with the beautiful Alabaster Mosque of Mohammed Ali.

Chefren pyramid
This full day Cairo tour starts with an excursions to the pyramids of Giza. In the picture, the pyramid of Chefren shows on the top the coverage material originally used to cover the entire pyramids. Such material was almost completely removed by later civilizations, and recycled to erect other buildings.

 

Pyramids in Egypt Giza pyramids
Pictures of the pyramids. In the left picture, the Cheope pyramid (also called the " Great Pyramid ") seems to be smaller than the Chefren pyramid in the center of the picture, only because the Chefren pyramid is actually built over a flat hill.

 

Cheope pyramid
Cheope pyramid, also called the Great Pyramid, was built around 2570 b.c.

 

Cairo pyramids
Pyramids in Egypt Egyptian pyramids
Ancient Egypt pyramids

Building the pyramids did take about 30 years and several hundred-thousands of people. Normally, the works were concentrated in the three months of Nile flooding, every year, because during that time, the agricolture was not possible.

 

The Great Pyramid
The Great pyramid of Cheope.

 

Cairo, Egypt Cairo, Egypt
Cairo is an immense city with 18 millions of people, expanded up to the archaeological area of Giza.

 

Sakkara pyramids
Distant away, between the smog of Cairo city, the ancient pyramids of Sakkara are visible.

 

Walking on the ruins between the pyramids.

 

Sphynx
The Sphynx and the Chefren pyramid.

 

Sphynx, Egypt Sphynx, Egypt
Sphynx, Egypt Sphynx, Egypt
The Sphynx is the world's largest monolithic statue, build from a single piece of rock coming out of the ground. It was built about 4500 years ago.

 

 

Step pyramid Step pyramid, Egypt
This Cairo tour continues to Sakkara, a huge necropolis having several step pyramids and just " unperfect " pyramids. They are the oldest pyramids and, probably, they are just " experiments " trying to learn how to build a perfect pyramid.

 

Djoser pyramid
The most important step pyramid built in Sakkara is the Djoser pyramid.

 

Sakkara pyramids Sakkara pyramids in Egypt
Cairo

Around Sakkara there are many additional pyramids visible all around. Giza pyramids are also visible in the distance.

 

Sakkara
A passage going 25 meters below the ground.

 

Sakkara, Egypt Sakkara, Egypt
Sakkara, Egypt Other ruins present around Djoser step pyramid in Sakkara.

 

Citadel Al-Qalaa - Cairo - Egypt Mohammed Ali mosque Mosque - Cairo - Egypt
During another day tour in Cairo, I visit the Citadel ( Al-Qalaa ), a fortified area on the top of an hill, where there is the beautiful Alabaster Mosque of Mohammed Ali.

 

Alabaster Mosque, Cairo, Egypt Alabaster Mosque, Cairo, Egypt
The external hall of Mohammed Ali Mosque, with the alabaster fountain where people clean the body before praying.

 

Mosque Mosque
Mohammed Ali mosque
Alabaster Mosque, Cairo, Egypt

Inside the Mohammed Ali Mosque.

 

Cairo, Egypt Cairo, Egypt
Pictures of Cairo from the Citadel.

 

Lunch on Nile river
At around noon, I have a lunch on a cruise ship on the Nile river.

 

Khan El Khalili bazar Khan El Khalili bazar
The tour continues to the bazar of Khan El Khalili.

 

Tutankamon treasure
Of course, a visit to the Egyptian Museum of Antiques was also planned, but unfortunately there are no pictures of the Tutankamon treasures and of the mummies, because it's strictly forbidden to take pictures inside the museum.

 

Sofitel Le Sphinx Sofitel Le Sphinx
Sofitel Le Sphinx

During my stay in Cairo, the accommodation was at the Sofitel Le Sphinx, having a garden with a panoramic view onto the pyramids.

 

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