Classic Cairo: 5 Things to Know Before Visiting The Pyramids of Giza
Main photo from Unsplash. Snow family photo courtesy of Blake Snow.
“Get Out There” is a column for itchy footed humans written by long-time Paste contributor Blake Snow. Although different now, travel is better than ever. Today we visit the oldest “Wonder of the World” in Egypt’s capital: the Pyramids of Giza.
Visiting the Pyramids of Giza on the outskirts of Cairo during festive Ramadan is one of the most memorable trips I’ve ever taken. There is so much to love about the Middle East’s biggest city, its people, and the hectic energy that never dies here.
But there are also some unsettling frictions that make Cairo a little more work than it should be when compared to other international destinations that are easier to navigate. I never felt unsafe, even with war next door. But the “extra everything” can wear on you.
Here are five things to know before visiting the world’s oldest, largest, and most awe-inspiring pyramids.
The Pyramids are an iconic, awesome wonder that every globetrotter should see
I knew my family made the right choice coming here within seconds of walking up to the Great Pyramid early in the morning. At 500 feet tall, it and its two famous companions are 5000 years old (twice as old as the second oldest “Wonder of the World” in China, The Great Wall) and took 20,000 ancient Egyptians over 20 years to build. That’s crazy! Built to glorify the pharoahs entombed inside, these pyramids are the only ancient Wonder still standing because they were perfectly engineered by brilliant Egyptians using the biggest rock blocks you’ll ever see in your life.
Built on an elevated plateau and right next door to the city, the Pyramids are a lot less sandy than you might think. The complex is mostly solid rock with pebbles and shallow patches of sound scattered about. The seemingly sunken in the ground Sphinx was a little underwhelming. But touring all three large pyramids on foot, camels (our favorite), and by van was a great way to spend our first half day in the city. You could easily spend a full day here if you walk around more. To avoid crowds, go early in the morning from Sunday to Thursday and bring lots of sunblock and water.
Cairo will challenge Western comfort zones at every turn
When I said hectic energy, I meant it. The Egyptian capital rarely sleeps. Even families can be seen walking around past 2 a.m. as if it were 7 p.m. Pedestrians, tuk tuks, camels, horse drawn carriages, motorcyclists, and cars from every decade share the same roads with no street signs, stop lights, or rhyme or reason. It all works. Except for the old man that sadly got hit by a car. No cops were called. A tuk tuk rushed him to the hospital. I was dumbfounded every time I tried to make sense of it.
Like Japan, Egypt is 99% ethnically homogenous, which means non-Egyptians stick out like a sore thumb, especially girls and women—even ones wearing knee length shirts and tshirts. Female elbows and calves just aren’t something most Muslims see everyday, and the unwanted stares left my wife and teenage daughters a little unsettled, as if they were walking around in bikinis. They never felt unsafe. Egypt is a safe country. But the glances and occasional jeers were uncomfortable at times.
So were the nominal surcharges, calls for tips, paying for bathrooms after already paying to get into the pyramids, this, that and the other. It almost never ends, is very extra, and pushes you beyond your comfort zone, albeit mostly in a positive direction.
