Pyramids of Giza, The Great Sphinx and Saqqara

No visit to Egypt is complete without seeing the pyramids and the Sphinx. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the last remaining of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The pyramids are often recognized around the world as a symbol of Egypt and its ancient civilization. The Pyramids of Giza are comprised of three pyramids built by three pharaohs (grandfather, father and son) in the fourth dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, over 4500 years ago, between 2550 BC to 2490 BC.

We went to see the pyramids of Giza with a wonderful guide named Hanan. She and our driver, Farag, were full of personality, knowledge and interesting anecdotes. Their candidness regarding their country, both praises and criticisms, gave us insight into how everyday Egyptians view their country, the government and their lives.

Hanan first took us to a shady, uncrowded spot near the Valley Temple of Khafre, with amazing views of the Spinx and pyramids, to tell us about the history and construction of the pyramids. The oldest and tallest pyramid was built by Khufu. His son, Khafre built the second tallest pyramid. And his son, Menkaure built the third pyramid. Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure are sometimes referred to by the names given to them by the Ancient Greeks, Cheops, Chephren and Mykerinus. The greatest mystery of the pyramids concerns how they were constructed. Experts continue to debate how exactly the massive stones used to build the pyramids were dragged to the location and lifted into place. An older theory that the pyramids were built by slaves has been displaced by the theory that the pyramids were built by paid, largely skilled laborers who basically ate like kings. This theory is based on the work of Egyptologist Mark Lehner who discovered the city where the pyramid builders lived.

There is no mortar or concrete used in the construction of the pyramids or tombs. Each piece of stone is cut with unbelievable precision to fit perfectly in its place. When they were built, the pyramids were covered with an outer layer of polished white limestone that would appear to be illuminated in the desert. They probably would have also had a capstone, a cap on the very tip of the pyramid, made of precious metals like gold and silver, that would have created an even more beautiful sight.

From there, we walked into the Valley Temple of Khafre, the site where the body of the king was prepared for burial. The mummification process took place here and rituals were held for the dead king to receive the gods. From this location, we could also see many of the mastabas (flat tombs) that were burial tombs for important advisors and nobles.

Immediately outside of the Valley Temple, we approached the Sphinx. The Sphinx has the head of a pharoah, the body of a lion and is believed by most experts to be built by Khafre. The face of the Sphinx is believed to bear the likeness of this pharoah. The Sphinx was originally carved out of one single piece of bedrock but has since been restored by limestone blocks. Over time, pieces of the Sphinx have fallen off or been destroyed. Originally, there was a cobra on the crown and a pharonic beard. The nose was chiseled off in the 15th century by a Sufi Muslim who was opposed to idolatry.

Hanan told us about a granite slab in front of the Sphinx that was placed there by Thutmose IV around 1390 BC. It contains a description of Thutmose falling sleeping in front of the Sphinx after a long day of walking. He had a dream that the Sphinx spoke to him telling him that he would be pharoah one day. When the prophecy came true, Thutmose IV placed the plaque in front of the Sphinx to commemorate the dream.

The highlight during our visit to the Giza pyramid complex was the camel ride. Since my first visit to the pyramids over 25 years ago, the entire pyramid-going has become much more organized, especially the camel riding. We booked in advance with a cameleer that Hanan works with. Riding camels is more comfortable than riding a horse. When the camel stands up and sits down, you need to hold on tight or you might just fall off.

We rode the camels to a small hill on the south side of the pyramid complex where we had the entire place to ourselves. After looking at the photos, I believe this is the spot where most of the professional photos are taken. The cameleer was so jovial and enthusiastic about taking photos of our family. I tried to stop him at the beginning but he told us that photography was his passion. I’m so glad I didn’t stop him because the photos that he took really captured the experience. He insisted that each of us to pose in many different ways and he patiently captured it all on camera.

Originally, the cameleer was on horseback while we were on camels. RY mentioned that he wanted to ride a horse and without hesitation, the cameleer gave his horse to RY while he continued on foot. With RY on horseback, DY realized it was the perfect opportunity for him to ride alone. We shifted around a few times so all of the kids, except EY, had a chance to ride alone. We rode the camels down to the base of the pyramids where we could admire them up close and get a sense of how humongous and towering they really are.

We then rode the camels to the front of the great Sphinx. Every time we got off the camels to take photos, many Egyptian children would approach us to ask if they could take a picture with us. Most often, girls around AY’s age or slightly older would ask for a photo with her. They are extremely friendly and we usually try to oblige.

The weather was temperate and it was by no means considered hot by Egyptian standards. In early November, it was only around 30 degrees c but without shelter for too long from the heat of the sun, it felt hot enough. I couldn’t imagine coming here with the kids in the summer when temperatures reach well over 40 degrees c.