Behind The Veil Special Edition: A Trip of A Lifetime - What Going to Egypt Is Really Like.

For this episode we are going off topic.  I was lucky enough to do a bucket list trip.  Two weeks starting in Jordan, and then cruising down the Nile in Egypt.  

I met this amazing podcaster on the trip and of course we had to do a podcast about the trip.  To hear more about river cruises and travel - please check out River Cruising Masterclass Podcast by Sydney Schellinger or follow this link: https://open.spotify.com/show/3xzx88VZ2GXpUh17Ek0H0x

First a note to anyone thinking about going to Egypt - it is safe!  If anyone tells you different do not listen to them.  As long as you are with a tour group, you will be fine!

My overall itinerary- 

Wednesday - Travel to Istanbul, with a connecting flight to Amman, Jordan, followed by a four hour drive to Petra.

Thurs  Petra - Home of "The Treasury".  Building that were cut into stone.  Petra is several miles long and you should take two days because there is just so much to see.

Fri  Petra - Went to the top of the mountain, which is 950 steps, to see the great temple (not related to Egyptians or pharaohs) 

Sat  Travel to Cairo - 4 hour car ride and 2 hour plane ride... it's not an afternoon walk for sure!  Went to the Grand Bazaar our first night.  Cairo is double the density of people per square foot when compared to New York City.  Home to 25 million people!  This is where our official tour with Uniworld began.

Sun  Cairo - a tour of the Citadel and Mohammad Ali Mosque, which is modeled on the Blue Mosque of Istanbul.  From there we went to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).  

Mon Travel to Luxor

Tues  Dendera - Dendera Temple.  It is the most complete temple in all of Egypt. The only place in Egypt where Queen Cleopatra is actually depicted - who was not a queen BTW. 

Wed  Luxor - hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings and saw 2 of the 62 tombs there plus King Tut’s 

Thurs  Kom Ombo - the Kom Ombo Temple half dedicated to the Crocodile God (an evil good) and half to the God of Protection (a good god).  The Kom Ombo Temple showcases the use of medical tools for brain surgery and cesarian operations (performed by the high priest in 230 BC! Forceps, clamps, tubbing, and sponges can all be cleary seen.

Fri  Aswan - temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari.  These were moved to higher ground when Aswan dam was built 

Sat Aswan - tour of the Philae temple and the quarry where all the obelisks were created 

Sun Esna - the Khum Temple  - a lot of the original colors are still visible.  It was converted to a church by Coptic Christians who burned fires inside.  The resulting soot covered the colors and archeologists are removing the soot, exposing amazing colors.  

Mon 1/5/2026 Cairo - back to the US!