Sharm el sheikh to the pyramids : Egypt with kids

Sharm El Sheikh to the Pyramids, Egypt with the kids has been on our wishlist for a while: a 10 years old avid reader of Kane Chronicles and Percy Jackson; an 8 years old keen to support his brother and 2 adults revisiting Egypt after 20 years. Best paired with the Red Sea snorkelling and kids scuba diving, Egypt dazzles on so many levels, history, mystery, contemporary chaos of a big city but also chilling and soaking the sunshine.

Egypt trips to the pyramids

Red Sea snorkelling and kids scuba diving

Last time around in Egypt the trip to the pyramids was the last part of a diving holiday in Hurghada and we felt 2 days in Cairo were not enough; this time we combined a week in Sharm and kids scuba diving at the fantastic Four Seasons with 5 days in Cairo, with Sofitel Gezirah by the Nile the perfect pied a terre for sailing, snorkelling and exploring.

Egypt trips to the pyramids

Red Sea makes the perfect starting point for kids scuba diving

Egypt trips to the pyramids : The Sphynx

Giza enchanted the kids instantly, between the Great Pyramid, the carriage ride, the Pyramid of Khafre, the camels and the Great Sphinx, we had a blast. Best way to experience in our view is with a private tour; whilst feasible with Uber or local taxis as it’s located just minutes from modern-day Cairo; a knowledgeable, local guide can go into the mysteries:  still figuring out how they were built; using astronomy to guide construction; telling time – the precision of the pyramids alignment baffled scholars and scientists over centuries.

Egypt trips to the pyramids : Giza complex

Egypt pyramids : Saqqara complex

Saqqara complex is way quieter than Giza and makes a tranquil day out soaking in ancient Egyptian history: home to Djoser’s step pyramid—the oldest standing pyramid in Egypt; we puzzled out hieroglyphics in the mastaba of Kagemni and stepped inside the Pyramid of Teti to see an ancient burial chamber from the Old Kingdom.

Saqqara complex with the kids

Saqqara pyramids, Cairo

The Pharaonic village makes the perfect preparation for Egypt trips to the pyramids: within Cairo, the museum is spread over 30 acres of land and includes several reconstructions of actual Pharaonic-era structures; the brainchild of Dr Hassan Ragab, one of Egypt’s foremost archaeologists, it took us back in time to experience the ancient Egyptian culture first-hand.

The Pharaonic village : sailing the Nile

Cairo with kids: Pharaonic village was a highlight!

We started with a Nile trip and continued through a replica of an Old Kingdom tomb, seeing how papyrus was made using traditional techniques, rides in ceremonial barge,  workshops where artisans demonstrate their skills in creating everything from pottery to jewellery.

Pharaonic village Cairo

Cairo with kids: Pharaonic village was a highlight!

The kids got to see how Egyptians lived during different historical periods: strolling through farmers’ markets, entering homes and temples, modelling outfits and historical gadgets, wrapped up with playground and running around.

Cairo could be easily exhausting and busy but with the precious advice of friends living in there, we picked Sofitel Gezirah as a base; difficult to leave the gorgeous pool by the Nile and the gorgeous spa; breakfasts by the river, executive lounge floor on the 17th floor overlooking the pyramids.

Sofitel Gezirah by the Nile

Sofitel Gezirah by the Nile – the spa

Sofitel Gezirah Cairo lobby

Sofitel Gezirah pool by the Nile

Sharm El Sheikh to the Pyramids is feasible by driving but the flight is slightly less than an hour and we reckon best! And by the Read Sea, we reckon treats, chilling and scuba diving are best by Four Seasons in Sharm: sprawling, flourishing gardens, endless facilities, dozen restaurants and bars, spectacular clear-water seascape providing some of the world’s best snorkelling and diving. The kids scuba diving is gorgeously easy, from huge pools to FS own coral reef, whilst some 20 exhilarating minutes away by the resort’s high-speed boats, Thomas, Gordon, Woodhouse and Jackson Reefs are among the most beautiful in the region and the world.

Kids scuba diving – Sharm Egypt is a great for PADI

Sharm with kids at Four Seasons : Padi diving

Kids scuba diving and snorkelling – Sharm Egypt

It’s also a 30-minute drive to the edge of the desert, where adventures such as quad biking and camel trekking can be arranged, and the same again to the shops and restaurants of Old Sharm – though that area’s mass-market focus means it’s unlikely to appeal to the typical Four Seasons guest.

Kids scuba diving – Padi in progress

Four Seasons Sharm beach & jetty – kids scuba diving

It’s impossible to get bored here: 5 pools, multiple tennis courts and squash courts, a comforting spa, 2 gyms just some of the facilities and one glorious kidsclub. Sharm is also blessed with strikingly colourful corals that have mercifully managed to withstand much of the distressing bleaching that has blighted other snorkelling and dive sites globally. Book an invigorating trip by high-speed RIB to the crystalline waters of nearby Gordon and Jackson Reefs to see coral cliffs that shimmer the most spectacular shades of canary yellow, electric blue and violet – their vibrancy could even supersede Maldives. A perfect place to start kids scuba diving, and getting their PADIs training: there’s plenty of sea life, from butterfly fish, barracudas, scorpion and lion fish, to turtles, dolphins and so much more.

Egypt trips to the pyramids

Four Seasons Sharm by night

Sharm El Sheikh to the Pyramids makes an authentic have it all holiday from history to mystery, adventures , fun and sunshine. For more roadtrips within the area and sunshine, check favourite Morocco roadtrip in here;  Jordan and Petra head here ; Dubai itineraries here; Doha versus Dubai, head here, Oman itineraries head here. For more wildlife adventures, check our articles on our favourite places to swim with dolphins in the wild  or even better, best places to dive with sharks. Happy playful swimming all!