​After two action-packed days in Cairo, we took the first flight of the morning to Luxor to explore the city sprawled across the east and west banks of the Nile River.  Luxor, known as Thebes in ancient times, is also reachable by train, but the hour-long flight is a time-saver.  Unlike Cairo, Luxor felt airy, open and, along the Nile, almost tropical, fading out to vast deserts.  

​We started our 11-day Egyptian adventure with two whirlwind days in Cairo - the first we spent exploring the city of Cairo, and the second we immersed ourselves in ancient Egypt, on the outskirts of Giza and inside the Great Pyramid itself.  We hired a private guide both days to understand the important historical contexts and also to maximize our short time amongst the mind-boggling sites and locations.