11 must do’s in Hurghada

When I was in school, history was one of my favorite courses especially when it was about Greece and Old Egypt. In 2009 my family and I went there and it was amazing! Here are my must do’s in Hurghada.

1) Red Sea Snorkeling

The most famous tourist places like Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh, and Marsa Alam are all located on the Red Sea. If you are staying at one of those places make sure to go diving or snorkeling! There are many corals and fish in the sea. We even had a beautiful coral reef just in front of the hotel (but gosh how many people that touched the corals was nerve-wracking).

Sad Fact: We went in 2009 and the GoPro wasn’t invented yet. We did have an underwater kodak but those photos aren’t that great.

Travel Fact: In comparison to Thailand, Egypt has more colorful corals and fish!

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2) Luxor

So we eventually did a day trip that included: Luxor temple, Karnak temple, the Nile, Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Kings, and Temple of Hatshepsut (numbers 2-7). We left the hotel early and came back in the late evening.

The first stop is the Luxor temple. Luxor temple is located on the east bank of the Nile River in the city Luxor (ancient Thebes). It is said that Luxor Temple was a place were the kings of Egypt were crowned. The temple also has parts that were built by Amenhotep III, Alexander the Great, Tutankhamun and Ramesses II. During the Roman era, an Egyptian temple at Luxor temple was transformed into a church.

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3) Karnak Temple

Karnak temple is located next to the Luxor temple. If you have to choose between the Luxor temple and Karnak temple, just go straight to Karnak temple! Karnak temple has a large area of 134 pillars that still have color from the old days. The stones on top of these pillars weigh 70 tons. The complex is also the second most visited historical site in Egypt, after the Giza Pyramids.

Fun Fact: There’s a scarab statue where you have to walk around a couple of times to receive 7 years of luck.

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4) The Nile

In order to get to the Colossi of Memnon, we’ll have to cross the Nile River. This river is the largest river in Africa and in the world (although some people claim the Amazon River is the largest river in the world).

Sad Fact: I did not see the Nile Crocodile.

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5) Colossi of Memnon

After crossing the Nile, you’ll end up in a green region: the Nile floodplain. At the edge of that floodplain, you’ll find the Colossi of Memnon. The two statues are portraits of Amenhotep III. They used to be the guards at the entrance to Amenhotep’s memorial temple, the largest temple complex in that time. Today only the two statues and some ruins are left from that complex.

Sad Fact: The temple complex stood on the edge of the Nile floodplain. Due to the annual water flooding the site complex decayed at a more rapid rate.

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6) Valley of the Kings

You can see the Valley of the Kings already from the site of the Colossi of Memnon. The Valley of the Kings is a valley in Egypt where tombs for noblemen and pharaohs were carved out from the rocks. The valley contains over 63 tombs and chambers. Before entering the valley, you’ll have to pass the visitor center where you can get your guide and a map of the valley. You can see how deep the tombs are located and how many chambers a tomb has.

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When you enter a tomb, you’ll see that they’re decorated with scenes from Egyptian mythology (the successes of the pharaoh) but also its funerary rituals. Don’t forget that it’s not allowed to photograph inside the tombs because it can damage the color of the paint on the walls.

Fun Fact: The Valley is most famous (or notorious) for the curse of Tutankhamun.

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7) Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

Near the Valley of the Kings, is also the Mortuary Temple of Pharao Hatshepsut. The temple is built in a way that the sunlight will highlight the statues of Osiris at around 21-22nd of December.

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8) El Dahar: Souk Hurghada

When in Egypt you’ve got to visit a souk. A souk is an open market with a roof made out of sails to protect you from the sun. You can buy spices, clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc.

Warning: Due to the sails, it can get very hot in the Souk! Drink a lot of water and try to limit your time at the Souk!

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9) Hurghada Marina

When your hotel is located in Hurghada, just take a taxi and go to the Marina. Stroll around the harbor and find yourself a restaurant you like. As a dessert, just go to a teahouse to drink tea and do shisha (not for children).

10) Cairo

We wanted to visit Cairo from Hurghada but the bus ride would take more than 6 hours to reach the city and after our long tour in Luxor, we just couldn’t sit on a bus any longer (remember this was 2009). Shame, because I really wanted to see the Sphinx and the pyramids but we were lucky on our flight back home! We had to stop in Cairo and we flew past the pyramids! Mind the sepia colour, I thought it looked cool…

11) Relax

The final thing to do in Egypt? Just enjoy your holiday and relax! My family has the tradition to always take part in hotel activities like water polo (yes me too), darts, ping pong, etc.

Fun Fact: I also had the luck of celebrating my 14th birthday in Egypt! I even received a cake from the employees! How friendly!

What’s your holiday tradition?

Life of a Passion