When planning our journey to Giza, we stored studying about camel rides across the pyramids. It sounded touristy and overrated. We determined to do it, however we weren’t enthusiastic about it.
The 4 of us have ridden camels earlier than. In India, we traveled by camel into the Thar Desert and slept outdoors at evening underneath the celebrities. After this expertise, strolling across the pyramids on a camel didn’t sound all that thrilling. Truthfully, it simply seemed like one other solution to spend cash for a touristy, overrated expertise.
On our first day in Giza, we reluctantly climbed atop the camels and began our journey across the pyramids.
It was a lot enjoyable. What made it even higher is that the views you get are unbelievable. Regardless that the pyramids had been swamped with guests, as soon as we had been on a camel, we had been out within the desert, away from the crowds, with a number of the most lovely views that we had on our whole journey to Egypt.
On our last day in Egypt, we had a free morning, so we returned to the Giza plateau for an additional camel experience. It was one of many highlights of our journey and I can’t wait to share it with you on this publish.
This text is full of pictures from each rides, with all the small print on the place to get the identical pictures and do that similar experience.
Ought to You Journey a Camel on the Pyramids of Giza?
Earlier than we go any farther, one vital query to deal with is do you have to experience a camel on the Pyramids of Giza? There have been reviews about animal abuse, not simply to camels, however horses too, on the pyramids. In some circumstances, the animals are typically crushed and overworked throughout the day, and supplied little probability to take a break.
We had been unaware of this earlier than our go to and solely realized about it after penning this publish.
On our go to, we didn’t see any indicators of abuse with the camels that we rode. The camels we rode regarded in good well being and appeared to be getting loads of relaxation. Each instances, the camels had been sitting on the bottom, getting some downtime each earlier than and after our experience. Had we seen any indicators of mistreatment or poor well being, we might have skipped this expertise.
For extra details about tips on how to have an moral camel using expertise, learn this text on Matador Community. To learn extra concerning the therapy of horses and camels in Egypt, learn this text on the New York Occasions.
Camel Journey on the Pyramids of Giza
We did two camel rides in Giza. Each rides began on the similar level however we rode the camels on two completely different routes, so as to get completely different views of the pyramids.
Camel Journey #1: Pyramid of Menkaure to the Sphinx
The primary camel experience was on the very finish of the day, proper earlier than closing time (4 pm). We rode the camels for half-hour, beginning on the Pyramid of Menkaure and ending subsequent to the Sphinx.
We visited Egypt on the finish of December, over winter break. Sundown time in Cairo was 5:00 pm on the day we did this. These pictures had been taken about an hour and a half earlier than sundown.
Within the afternoon, crowds could be enormous on the pyramids, and our go to was no completely different. Nonetheless, as soon as we had been on the camels, we left the crowds behind and it was a beautiful expertise.
We visited Egypt with our moms, Kathy and Valerie. My mother selected to skip the camel experience and Valerie joined us.
Beneath is our journey in pictures.
Right here is the route of the camel experience, beginning subsequent to the Pyramid of Menkaure and ending close to the Sphinx.
Camel Journey #2: Superb Views of the Pyramids
There’s a traditional view of the pyramids the place you may see all 9 of them lined up collectively. We added on the second camel experience simply to get this view. There are guidelines about the place you may stroll by yourself and we had been instructed that the one solution to get to this viewpoint is by camel or by horse.
We did this second camel experience within the morning at 10:15 am. The lighting was a lot completely different and we even had some clouds within the sky. We additionally received very fortunate with the climate circumstances, since within the winter months, Cairo and the Giza Plateau could be coated in haze. There was little or no haze this morning, excellent circumstances for pictures.
For this camel experience, we began on the similar level, subsequent to the Pyramid of Menkaure. We even had the identical camels and information, since we organized each rides by way of our tour firm, Egypt Tailor Made. On this experience, we rode spherical journey out to the photographic level to see all 9 pyramids.
I preferred this route much more than the primary one. We went farther out into the desert and the views, as you will note under, are unbelievable. If you need to select one route and solely have time for a 30-minute experience, that is the one which I like to recommend.
Right here is our camel experience in pictures.
Pyramid of Menkaure
Trying again on the Pyramid of Khafre
Pyramids of the Queens
Planning Your Go to
What We Did: We organized each of our camel rides by way of Egypt Tailor Made, the tour firm we utilized in Cairo (and most of Egypt). Our information, Laila, organized each of those rides for us, so we didn’t have to barter costs or routes. Which is nice, as a result of on the time, we had no thought the place to go.
How A lot Does This Price?
For a 30-minute camel experience, the typical value is 300 EGP, which is about $20 USD. Nonetheless, this value can fluctuate quite a bit, based mostly in your negotiating expertise, the size of time of the camel experience, and the place you experience the camels.
We additionally tipped our camel guides on the finish of the experience.
Routes for Camel Rides
When you find yourself on the Giza Plateau, you will note camels in every single place…down by the Sphinx, in entrance of the Nice Pyramid, at panorama level, and scattered alongside the roads across the pyramids. Discovering a camel to experience shouldn’t be tough. However the place you begin your experience can have large impression on what you get to see.
Each instances, we began proper subsequent to the Pyramid of Menkaure. Laila, our information with Egypt Tailor Made, organized our experience forward of time, so the camels had been ready for us.
Our first camel experience was point-to-point. Laila dropped us off on the Pyramid of Menkaure after which met us on the Sphinx when the experience was over. We didn’t need to take care of any problem of arranging transportation or strolling lengthy distances…she considered all the things and made our go to very easy.
In case you are doing this by yourself, there have been a whole lot of camels at Panorama Level (on Google Maps this location is labeled Panoramic View of the Pyramids). That is additionally a really good viewpoint of the pyramids and I feel that this may be a great spot to begin a camel experience. You’re a bit farther away from the pyramids however you may get some nice views from right here.
Earlier than getting on the camel, negotiate the route and the worth together with your camel information. Be sure you know precisely what you might be getting earlier than you comply with something. You’ll pay your information on the finish of the experience.
This picture was taken on our second camel experience.
Greatest Time of Day for a Camel Journey
We visited the Giza Plateau twice, within the morning and within the afternoon shortly earlier than sundown.
The most effective time of day to go to the Giza Plateau depends upon which season you go to Egypt.
If you may be visiting Egypt throughout the winter months (from November by way of February), it’s common for the pyramids to be hazy within the morning. On our first two days in Cairo, a haze did cowl the pyramids, however this usually burned off between 10 am and midday. On the day we did our second camel experience, we received very fortunate that there was minimal haze. However you may’t rely on this occurring.
Due to the potential for hazy skies within the morning, one of the best time to go to the pyramids within the winter months is noon and within the afternoon. Should you desire to go within the morning, when the pyramids are much less crowded, you’ll have to hold your fingers crossed for clear skies.
If you may be visiting Egypt between March and October, that morning haze is unlikely. However it is going to be a lot hotter. I like to recommend visiting the Giza Plateau at opening time to keep away from the warmth and the crowds.
Visiting the Giza Plateau on a Tour
If you wish to get rid of the trouble of negotiating camel rides, getting across the Giza Plateau, shopping for tickets, and many others., then contemplate taking a tour. We usually don’t take excursions, however on this circumstance, having a information and a driver made our go to problem free and really pleasant.
We employed Egypt Tailor Made, a tour firm that gives non-public day journeys all through Egypt. For our time in Cairo, we had a van, a non-public driver, and a information.
Be taught extra about tips on how to plan your go to to the Pyramids: Pyramids of Giza: The Full Information for First-Time Guests
