A Family Adventure back in time 5,000 to 7,000 years

December 7th, 2024

Bucket List Adventure: Conquering Giza with the Fam!

Yesterday was EPIC! A long time Bali Resident finally crossed off not one, but TWO major items from his bucket list (a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime).

At the famous Giza Pyramid

First up, a few days earlier his family consisting of a lovely wife Azizah and two wonderful boys Xander age 20 and Darius age 16 officially set foot on the incredible continent of Africa! 

(Antarctica, you're next...maybe when the boys are older and can handle some serious penguin vibes).

A visit to the last remaining wonder of the world

Secondly, they got up close and personal with the last remaining Wonder of the Ancient World - the Great Pyramids of Giza!

The Giza pyramid complex in Egypt is home to the Great Pyramid, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure, along with their associated pyramid complexes and the Great Sphinx. 

All were built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt, between c. 2600 – c. 2500 BC. 

Address: Al Haram, Giza Governorate 3512201

Hours: Open 8:30 AM ⋅ Closes 4 PM

Coordinates: 29°58′34″N 31°7′58″E / 29.97611°N 31.13278°E


Now, traveling with Generation Z has its challenges (getting them out of bed and off their devices is a Herculean task in itself), but Lawrence is a firm believer in "early bird gets the worm" when it comes to famous landmarks.

And boy, was he right! Their early morning Uber ride from a cozy home exchange in the upscale residential area of Maadi delivered them to the pyramids just as they opened.

Talk about beating the crowds! 

As they came back down several hours, they saw thousands mostly students coming up the hill. 

They were advised by their guide that it was a national holiday. Thank God they came early.

 Later when we they arrived at the bottom and saw the droves of visitors backed up 200 meters.

 Lawrence stated "if we would have come at that time I would have turned around and went home".

They were immediately greeted by a super helpful guide, Mahoud who whisked them through the ticket process and provided the lowdown on all the pyramid-exploring options.

As the Pyramids are quite a distance up a relatively steep hill it takes a lot of energy, especially later in the day when the hot sun would make it very uncomfortable going up and down the hill to the Pyramids.

So, their guide offered them an option of Camels, horseback rides and finally, Carriage rides?

Double check! (Two carriages, of course, because even ancient Egyptians probably didn't squeeze four people onto one small carriage).

Be aware that if you have any physical disabilities none of these are suitable and perhaps you should sign up for one of the guided tours on the tour buses.

The point about them is they go right to the top of the hill and there’s no slope for you to deal with.

Getting on and off of horses and camels and even the carriage is not an easy task.

Sons Darius and Xander

The last thing you want to do is pull your muscles and be in bed for the rest of your trip.

First Stop Famous Sphinx:

They were among the first to enter the complex that morning, and their first stop was the iconic Sphinx.

The Great Sphinx of Giza is a limestone statue of a reclining sphinx, a mythical creature with the head of a human and the body of a lion.

Facing directly from west to east, it stands on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile in Giza, Egypt. The face of the Sphinx appears to represent the pharaoh Khafre.[2]

Their guide shared a fascinating tidbit about Napoleon supposedly chopping off the Sphinx's nose (apparently, he wasn't a fan of the Pharaoh). 

Lawrence thought at the time he would definitely be doing some more research on that historical drama! 

Here’s what he found. Although some stories claim Napoleon's troops shot off the statue's nose with a cannon when they arrived in Egypt in 1798, 18th-century drawings suggest the nose went missing long before then. 

More likely, the nose was purposely destroyed by a Sufi Muslim in the 15th century to protest idolatry.

Three main pyramids at Giza:

The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops):

Their guide Recommended that they go inside the pyramid of Chofu but it's a bit of a challenge. 

You'll need to purchase a separate ticket and be prepared for a climb through narrow, steep passageways. 

The air inside can be hot and stuffy.

Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) inside

The height of the passageway for visitors inside the Khufu pyramid at several points is approximately only 1.2 meters (about 4 feet).

Keep in mind that this is an average, and the height can vary slightly in different sections of the passage. 

For taller vistors like Lawrence it's definitely a tight squeeze, and visitors need to bend over while walking through it.

This low height was likely intentional, serving several purposes:

Security: It would have been difficult for intruders to enter and steal treasures.

Religious symbolism: The cramped passage may have symbolized the journey to the afterlife.

Practical considerations: It helped maintain the structural integrity of the pyramid.

If you plan on visiting the Great Pyramid, be prepared for a bit of a physical challenge navigating these narrow passageways!

Claustrophobia: If you're claustrophobic, you might find the interior of the pyramids uncomfortable.

Tickets: You'll need to purchase separate tickets to enter the pyramids in addition to your general admission ticket to the Giza Plateau.

The first part of the entrance was no problem then you had to hunch down to 1.5 Meter for a crawl along a narrow passageway often meeting other tourists coming in this the opposite direction. 

If it was too large persons it would make it almost impossible fortunately.

The sheer scale and majesty of these ancient structures is simply breathtaking. (And yes, he took a ton of photos - family selfies with the pyramids? Priceless!)

Stay tuned for more updates from their African adventure! 

Next up, they are diving into the vibrant culture of Cairo and then the final part of our Egyptian trip will consist of Alexandria which is on the coast and they are looking forward to the fresh air.

Until then, enjoy some sneak peeks of their pyramid escapade below!

P.S. For those of you planning your own Giza adventure, here are a few tips from a seasoned traveler:

Go early! Seriously, it makes all the difference.

Hire a guide. They're a wealth of knowledge and can help you navigate the site. He highly recommends their guide Mahoud is very experienced and a very respected guide. 

He can be reached at 00 20 10 05 002811.

Wear comfortable shoes. You'll be doing a lot of walking.

Don't forget your sunscreen and hat! The Egyptian sun can be intense.

And most importantly, have fun! This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.