Cairo, Egypt

We arrived in the middle of the night to the Mena House in Cairo. Our room had promises of pyramid views and we couldn't wait to see! Our concierge pointed out into the darkness, very proudly showing us the pyramid view. All we could see was the black of night and we went to sleep wondering whether we were in the right room or if we had been scammed. Nothing can prepare you for your first sighting...

View from our bedroom balcony at Mena House

Fast Five Favourites:

• Staying at the Mena House. Pyramid views galore and in walking distance. Delicious restaurants and breakfast included. Relaxing place to return to after a busy day.
• A trusted driver. We can not recommend Samir highly enough. Very reasonable price and tidy car. You can private message him on Facebook at Samir MrEgypt and Over Egypt Tours.
• Pyramids of Giza. For obvious reasons, we were in absolute awe! 
• Museum of Cairo. Samir organized a tour guide for us and we really enjoyed the information he shared. Seeing Tutankhamun's Tomb and the mummies were incredible. 
• Lunch on the River Nile. We enjoyed this with our same tour guide who was able to provide more history to add to the experience.

Tips:

• Having a guide made it quick and easy to get around to the best viewpoints at the pyramids. He also helped with the people trying to sell us merchandise and camel rides. Be prepared for this. 
• Book the Indian restaurant at Mena House in advance if you enjoy Indian food.
• Take advantage of all the facilities at Mena House-the jacuzzi is huge!
• Go to the pyramids early in the morning to avoid the heat and crowds.
• Take the opportunity to go inside one.
• If you have time, visit the historic Coptic churches. 

Baby on Board:

Lilah wasn't born when we visited Egypt but if she was with us, there would be a few changes we would make. 

• Stay an extra night, three instead of two.
• We wouldn't visit the markets with Lilah. The sellers could be quite tense with the drop of tourism.
• A trusted driver would be essential from airport pick up to drop off. The driving was pretty crazy.
• More downtime at the Mena House.

Giza Pyramids-camels pose on point

Cairo Museum

The sheer size and beauty!

Deep in thought