Day 1: Cairo
We arrived in Cairo from the USA at 3:00pm on Lufthansa via Frankfurt. We booked the Mena House Oberoi and emailed a few days ahead of time for a pick up at the airport. This turned out to be a great idea! Mohamed was waiting for us as we exited the plane and we’ve never been whisked through a foreign entry so quickly and with such efficiency. It was like a magic trick. Within minutes of arriving, we cleared customs, changed money, picked up our luggage and were off on a one-hour thrill ride through Cairo to the Mena House Oberoi at the foot of the pyramids in Giza.

The traffic and driving in Cairo is something else!

Insider tip: Mid-afternoon is the best time to arrive because you can see so many of the sights of Cairo on your way to the hotel, but then you don’t have to wait all day to get some sleep.

We arrived at the hotel near sunset with the pyramids looming in the background. In January, the temperature is a very comfortable 68°. The Mena House Oberoi is one of the most unique hotels in the world because of its location just a stone’s throw from the Great Pyramids at Giza, as well as its colorful history. It was here that the “big three” conference took place in 1943 with Churchill, Roosevelt and General Chiang Kai-Shek. It began as a royal hunting lodge in the 1800s and turned into a hotel also in the late 19th century. (While we were there, John Major, former English prime minister was staying in the Churchill Suite.)

You can lounge at the pool and gaze up at one of the Seven Wonders of the World. You can wander the opulent interiors where royalty, presidents, dignitaries and celebrities have walked before. The hotel takes you back to the nostalgic days of travel.

More hotel info: http://www.luxurytravelmagazine.com/store/pdetails_two10105.php

Insider Tip: Always carry small change for tipping (Egyptian pounds in denominations of one and five) and some tissues or toilet paper when touring around Cairo and Egypt.