Ancient Egypt Far From the Madding Crowds – Revolution Empties Temples, Tombs and Pyramids

Recent events in the Middle East, and the no-fly zone over Libya, have steered tourists away from Egypt, but the real plus is that, for the moment, you get the famous sites to yourself.

The monuments of Classical Egypt must be on everyone’s once-in-lifetime “to do” list and a cruise down the Nile, with a short stop in Cairo, means you get to see most of the big ones.  The trouble is that, usually, everyone has the same idea, so most of the sites are overrun with tour parties of every nationality. It can get very frustrating, standing in Disney-like queues, to see the inside of temples and tombs, but the aftermath of the demonstrations in Tahrir Square means all is peace and quiet. It’s also completely safe.

I start off in Luxor and board my boat which is to be home for the next few days.  Normally around 300 vessels ply the Nile, en-route to Aswan, but at the moment there are less than 30 running. The riverside here is jammed with docked luxury cruisers and will remain a gigantic parking lot until things pick up.  I get my first taste of temples with an early morning visit to Karnak and have the majestic ruins all to myself.  It’s the same down the road at Luxor temples, the silence only broken by an Egyptian school party.

Next day we’re off to the Valley of the Kings, after visiting Queen Hatshepsut’s temple jutting out of the mountainside.  As you’d expect the entrances to the tombs are narrow, some hardly wide enough for one person, and inside, a steep narrow corridor leads to the burial chamber. When the coach parties descend, queuing is normally the order of the day, often for up to half an hour, but we get the tombs to ourselves.  Even the famous King Tut’s is almost completely empty and I enjoy the luxury of lingering by his mummy, thinking of old times.

As we sail down the river, there’s the occasional fishing boat, but otherwise it’s completely empty, soaking in the swimming pool a delightful way to relax.  Every so often we’re overtaken by one of the other cruise boats and at Edna I see the reason for their hurry. There’s a series of locks here, and it’s good to be first in the queue. It takes about an hour to get through but I can’t help thinking that when 300 plus boats are plying the river, this must be a real bottleneck.

I have the same thoughts when we come to moor for the night.  Space is limited so the boats tie up alongside each other and, if you’re unlucky, your cabin view will be limited to the windows of the neighbouring vessels, and to get to dry land, you’ll have to walk through umpteen reception areas.  The other downside is that all boats arrive at the temples at the same time and, normally, there’ll be a sunset rush as a thousand passengers race to get their photos of the ruins.  Now there are so few boats that the sites easily accommodate the diminished numbers.

The story is the same at the other temples and we visit Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae and take a road trip to Abu Simbel.  This is even better than expected and the immense statues dwarf the frugal scattering of mankind at their feet. The journey across the desert is done in police convoy, a measure brought in after the terrorist attacks of 1997, but nobody really seems to take it seriously.  In fact, the only signs of the recent disturbances are regular checkpoints, with the odd armoured vehicle thrown in for good measure.  Perhaps, in Cairo, things will be different.

My hotel is right in downtown, close to Tahrir Square, and, as I arrive, I see a handful of demonstrators waving flags and placards.  I’m told that this is now a regular event after Friday prayers, and indeed the atmosphere is more like an urban picnic with mum, dad and the kids enjoying a day out.  Politics is a new sport here and the Egyptians I speak to are proud of their revolution. The only danger I feel  is when I try to cross the road and I learn to use a local as a human shield.

The objects of the Egyptian Museum are justly famous and it’s easy to spend a whole day here.  Of course the highlight is the golden treasures of King Tut, but it’s also worth paying extra to see the mummies. Some of them have had their heads bared and you get the chance for a genuine face-to-face with the great Pharaohs.  Last, but certainly not least, is a visit to the pyramids and I want to get inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu. I read that tickets are limited to 150 per day, so I set off early, but they’ve only sold 10 when I arrive at 9 am.  

The entrance is reached by steps cut into the sides of the Pyramid and, inside, a narrow passage, less than head height, suddenly climbs steeply, to reach the burial chamber about two thirds of the way up. There are no guards, no people, no signs and I have the inside of the Pyramid completely to myself. It’s a private view of the only surviving wonder of the world, and I feel very privileged, if slightly disconcerted, as I touch the granite sarcophagus. There’s a sense of panic, but fortunately, after ten minutes, I hear voices – sometimes there’s a disadvantage in standing out from the crowd.