The highlight of any visit to Cairo is seeing the pyramids. Soaring above of the desert sands, their titanic grandeur gives credence the popular theory that they must have been built by visitors from a far more technologically-advanced civilization than our own. Visiting the pyramids by day is an absolute must, but returning to see the pyramids at sunset, dusk, and by night is equally thrilling.
As the Egyptian sky changes from light blue to darkest indigo, a myriad of stars provides a stunning backdrop to the illuminated pyramids, reminding one of another theory about these almost otherworldly structures: that they are portals for time and space travel.
One way to appreciate the full grandeur of the pyramids at night is to attend the excellent Sound & Light shows which operate nightly in English. Narrated by the Sphinx, the Sound & Light show chronicles the construction of the pyramids of Giza and the tumultuous history of Egypt.
An elegant and comfortable way to experience the pyramids - before and/or after the Sound & Light show - is a visit to one of Cairo’s oldest and grandest hostelries, Mena House Hotel, located just next door to the pyramids. Here, one can enjoy a sundown drink and unparalleled views of the pyramids at one of Mena House’s elegant bars, or over a dinner of regional Middle Eastern specialties at the hotel’s premier restaurant, Khan el-Khalili.
Mena House Hotel was built as a royal hunting lodge for Egyptian rulers in the 19th century, but in 1886 was turned into a luxury hotel that quickly became the must-stay location for the flood of European tourists who flocked to Egypt in the Edwardian era. Famous guests who have luxuriated in the sumptuous hotel include Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Edward VIII of Great Britain, Empress Eugenie of France and many others. Today, Mena House Hotel is a member of the Oberoi group of hotels, and belongs to the prestigious Leading Hotels of the World association.
Alexander+Roberts welcomes guests to Cairo at Mena House Hotel before their departure for a luxury Nile cruise on its
Visions of Egypt by Small Ship.