Day 01 - Cairo and the Pyramids of the Old Kingdom: Saqqara, Pyramids, Sphinx

Today we stepped back 4800 years into history with a visit to the oldest pyramid in Egypt: the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the pharaoh of the third dynasty of the Old Kingdom. We entered the corridor to the tomb chamber, which could be viewed from above. We also toured some of the other tombs at Saqqara, learning about ancient Egyptian burials and their understanding of the afterlife.

In the afternoon, we toured the Pyramids of Giza, three pyramids of one family - a father, a son, and a grandson. The pyramid of Khufu , the father, is the largest stone structure on earth. We learned that the pyramids were at least 500 years old by the time Abraham visited Egypt.

We ended our day with the Great Sphinx of Giza, which guards the pyramids of the Giza plateau. Together with the mortuary temple of Khafre, the Sphinx was at the center of ancient Egyptian ceremony and superstition.

A swim in the pool in the shadow of the pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum as well as a sumptuous buffet at our hotel was a fitting end to an extraordinary day.