This was truly a life changing holiday for me. I was the only person on the riding holiday due to some last minute COVID related cancellations. Emma, Mohamed and Saber made me feel like part of their family and I will not soon forget them.
The trip kicked off in Cairo with some incredible desert riding and exploring of the pyramids. I had so much fun with my two new friends Saber and Mohamed, riding eating, drinking, smoking shisha. Other than the riding and history, a major highlight was hopping in a couple of horse carriages for a an evening trip through the desert to a coffee shop for tea and drinks.
Next stop was Luxor! Ride Egypt’s stables in Luxor were so wonderful. Horses, dogs, donkeys, cats. I made a lot of new furry friends that I was very sad to leave. I loved exploring the village, desert and plantations on horseback with the team. The history is absolutely magical here, incredibly rich with tombs and temples.
Luxor was meant to be the end of my trip but I couldn’t bear to leave so I joined the Ride Egypt team for their next planned tour with a different group back in Luxor. I did a few repeat rides which were just as magical the second time. We also did a new trail through Abu Sir which was unbelievable fun with a horse that seemed to have endless speed and endurance for gallops in wide open desert! We also spent 2 days in Fayoum, camping in the desert! This was such a major non-riding highlight! We drove through sand dunes in 4×4 with everyone screaming and laughing in the car. We walked through Wadi El Hetan world heritage site and finally pitched our tents in a beautiful patch of desert where we grilled meat, ate dinner and watched a desert fox eat our leftovers! Back in the town of Fayoum, we rode on the banks of the lake and through the village. Such a fun time with great horses and food to boot!
The horses: Incredible all around. We rode horses from a partner stable in Cairo who were fabulous: hot, friendly, incredible endurance and sure footed in long desert gallops. The horses at Ride Egypt’s stables in Luxor were even more amazing, it’s obvious that so much care, love and training was put into every single one of them. Fast rides through desert, farmland and sugar cane plantations were mind blowing.
Tours: I was lucky enough to experience a lot of the amazing ancient Egyptian history with very little tourists. As a fiercely independent person who normally hates guided tours, I figured this was the place to do it since I really wanted to learn for about Egypt’s rich history. The tour guide in Luxor was great, super informative yet relaxed. So much great history to discover on this trip.
Food: I can’t fit into any of my clothes but it was so worth it! Food was plentiful and delicious everywhere we went. Grilled meats, dips, fresh vegetables, tagines, rice, unbelievable bread; I was in heaven. I even brought back some spices so I can attempt to reproduce a few dishes at home.
What really made this trip special though was the people. If anything else can sell you on this trip, I’m currently drafting this review crying profusely in the airport I’m so sad to leave. Couldn’t recommend these guys enough!
Clementine – France.
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