🇪🇬 Egypt DAY 1–2 (Giza)

Morning arrival in Doha 🛬 With an 8-hour layover, I bought a metro day pass and explored the city 🚇✨ Landed in Cairo in the evening 🌆 Followed a Xiaohongshu guide to easily get my visa on arrival Exchanged EGP and bought a local SIM card 📱 Used inDrive to book a ride to the hotel 🚖 ⚠️ Always confirm the price with the driver before getting in! Our first driver tried to raise the fare — we got out and rebooked 💢 But honestly, Egyptian taxis are so cheap — only 💰30+ RMB from the airport to Giza! 🏨 Accommodation: Mena House Hotel The whole family loved it! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦❤️ Even though the nearby gate to the pyramids was closed, it didn’t affect our stay — it felt like entering a palace 🏰 The restaurant offers a direct view of the pyramids 🏜️☕ The kids kept saying they wanted to stay longer! The morning weather was cool and pleasant ☀️🌬️ We were so comfortable at the hotel that we didn’t check out and leave our luggage until noon 🧳 ⚠️ When taking a taxi, confirm with the driver that you’re going to the NEW Visitor Center — and track the route! Our first driver dropped us at the South Gate 🚗❌ We had to rebook… The second driver insisted the new gate was closed 🗣️🚫 The third one finally got us there! ✅ The new gate is much more organized 🏗️ We took the shuttle bus between sites and also tried a horse carriage 🐴✨ (Camels are too smelly and hot 🐫🔥) 💡 Horse carriage: 500 EGP per vehicle — don’t pay per person! We also tipped the driver a little 💵 After the tour, we returned to the NEW gate instead of exiting from the South Gate 🚪 Our earlier wrong drop-off showed us how messy and chaotic the South Gate area is 🗑️😣 We had dinner at the hotel, picked up our luggage, and took a taxi to downtown Cairo 🍽️🚖 Checked in at Steigenberger Hotel Tahrir Square 🏙️ Went out for a walk — the traffic downtown is incredibly chaotic 🚦🚗💥 Almost no traffic lights in sight! #TravelMemories #LostCivilizations #PyramidsOfGiza #EgyptTravelGuide #MenaHouseMarriott #PyramidPhotos #NewBeginnings 🌍📸✨