9 days: Egypt and Jordan
How to get there?
We all live in different places, so it’s up to you to find the flight that suits you best, whether it’s a direct flight to Cairo or the cheapest option that gets you there. I chose the cheapest option. I flew from Orlando to New York (JFK), then from New York to Amman, Jordan, and finally to Cairo. Several airlines fly there. My experience with Royal Jordanian was very good—I recommend it—but there are others like EgyptAir, Saudia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, etc. Again, it all depends on which airport you’re departing from and your budget.
In Cairo, now what?
Upon arriving at the airport, the first thing we did was purchase the tourist visa, which cost $25.
What an adventure it was getting from the airport to the hotel! I wanted to stay in Giza to wake up with a view of the pyramids, so it was about a 50-minute ride. Taxis and Uber drivers often try to charge more than what they initially offer or what the Uber app shows. Many taxi drivers wait outside the arrivals area, trying to get you into their car, but we went with an Uber driver. Everything was fine when we got into the car, but after about two minutes, the driver told us it would cost an extra $15 because he had to pay the airport entry fee. We refused, so he dropped us off in the middle of the street. I had no signal where we were, but luckily, a taxi driver stopped. We asked if he would take us for the same price as the previous Uber ride, and he agreed. So, I recommend talking to the driver—probably using a phone translator—and agreeing on a price before getting into the car.
Driving in Cairo is an extreme adventure—I thought I was going to die! The road has three or four lanes, but they somehow make six or seven. They honk constantly, almost as if they’re having conversations between cars. I closed my eyes so many times until the taxi driver suddenly stopped. I thought we had arrived, but I didn’t see the pyramids anywhere. That’s when the driver asked for more money to take us the rest of the way—this time, about $5. We didn’t want to be left in the middle of an unfamiliar place, so we agreed. He started driving again, and five minutes later, I saw the pyramids in the distance! I was overwhelmed with excitement. When we arrived at the hotel, he asked for even more money, but we refused. Then, we walked into our hotel right in front of the Pyramids of Giza, and I couldn’t stop looking at them all night. They looked absolutely spectacular!
Day 1: Pyramids
