The horses used on this ride are owned and kept to the highest western standards and are well-loved friends of their ex-pat owner. The farm is based right in the middle of the Pyramids and we undertake daily exploratory rides of both the Nile banks and vast desert scattered with pyramids and sarcophagi. The riding is at all paces and there are plenty of horses to choose from and although warmblooded and forward going, they are also smooth and sensible.
This relaxed programme will ensure that, while you will have ample opportunity to enjoy Egypt, the desert and surroundings on horseback. There is also plenty of time to unwind and see the sights. Hotel accommodation is of a good clean standard. Some interesting additional tours are included in the holiday: Coptic Cairo, Kahn el Khalili markets and a felucca cruise on the Nile river at sunset.
Trip length
8 days/ 7nights / 6 day riding
Departure dates
2012: every other week beginning April to end June and 15 September - 30 October.
Approximate riding time per day
2-3 hrs
Riding ability required
Must be able to walk trot and canter and riding fit
Included from Cairo airport. Transfer time approx 1 hour.
Flight guide
London to Cairo £300 - £500
SAMPLE ITINERARY - SUMMER PALMS AND PYRAMIDS
Day 1 Saturday. Arrive in Egypt
Arrive at the hotel and relax before dinner and overnight.
Day 2
Early buffet breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the farm (30 min). Introduction to all the horses, goats, donkeys, rescued dogs and even a water buffalo. Allocation of horses (ride in the arena if wanted). Then we set off on the Sakkara Pyramids ride. We head straight into the desert - within metres of leaving the shade of the palm trees we are in the Sahara. We head out and circle to arrive at the main step Pyramid – the funeral complex of King Zoser (aka Djoser). We head back to the farm via another route - again through the desert. The terrain gives us plenty of scope to ride at all paces. Lunch at the farm before heading back to the hotel for a welcome shower.
In the afternoon you meet your Egyptologist guide & start an excursion to the Great Pyramids & the Sphinx followed by the Egyptian Museum which houses over 100,000 relics including the magnificent treasures of King Tutankhamun. Dinner & overnight at the hotel.
Day 3 Today we take an early morning ride in the countryside for about 2 hrs. We explore the complex series of canals and waterways that distribute the precious Nile water around the farmlands, we learn more about the agricultural and cultural aspects of the Egyptian countryside. Some villages are devoted to all aspects of Date Palm farming and the manufacture of products from every part of the trees while others grow clover, wheat, grass for the livestock, milk water buffalo or herd goats. Old fashioned water wheels powered by donkeys, modern irrigation pumps, dredging of canals and recycling of waste all go on here and the locals are friendly and curious, your guide can translate from Arabic. Once again there are many opportunities for trotting and cantering. As usual we enjoy lunch on our return to the farm followed by a transfer back to the hotel.
The afternoon is free for a visit to the Ibn Touloun Mosque and Gayer Anderson House - highly recommended and not as crowded as some of the other sights.
Day 4
After an early buffet breakfast at the hotel we transfer to the farm and head out on the Abur Sir Pyramid ride (about 2hrs). We head into the desert with the usual combination of walk, trot, canter and some gallops to a little visited pyramid located in splendid isolation - the Abu Sir Pyramid is the necropolis of the Vth dynasty from about 2494BC – 2345BC.
Lunch at the farm before a transfer back to the hotel. In the afternoon your Egyptologist guide guides an excursion starting witha visit of Islamic and Coptic Cairo. Not much has changed in these parts over the past 1000 years. We'll tour the Hanging Church, or Suspended Church; the Church of St Sergius in Coptic Cairo, built over a cave where the Holy Family is supposed to have stayed; and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, which dates from the 9th century, then we'll continue with a visit to the Citadel, built by Saladin in 1176; and the Mohamed Ali Pasha Mosque, ending with a visit to the open air Khan El Khalili old market where you can hone your bargaining skills! Return to the hotel, dinner & overnight .
Day 5 After the usual buffet breakfast we again head out into the coutryside and past the canals and waterways in a different direction. More opportunities to observe rural life at work.
The afternoon is free to once again visit optional sights, return to the Khan el Khalili market or relax by the swimming pool.
Day 6 After breakfast, the morning is at leisure for sleeping late or any suggested activities to be agreed by group. In the late afternoon transfer to the farm and set out on a sunset and night ride (about 2hrs).
Arrive at the farm before sunset to ride through the countryside as the sun sets and the farmers move their buffalo and donkeys home at the end of the day. As the sun goes down over the desert, the canals change from blue to quicksilver and the birds that have been foraging in the fields come home to roost in the trees. The sounds of farmers working their fields fade as they reach their village homes where the family will sit around a low table to enjoy their evening meal. With nightfall come the bats, owls, Senegal Thick knee, and other night birds. With no moon there is enough ambient light to comfortably ride in the countryside and through villages.
On moonlit nights Barbeque dinner at the farm including drink, return to the hotel & overnight
Day 7 Today the day time is free to enjoy as the group wishes. Some suggestions include:
Return to Khan el KHalili market to bargain for that must have souvenir
Special Tour I to the Brooke Animal Hospital in old Cairo and a behind the scenens tour of the work they do for the horses and donkeys of Cairo.
Special Tour II of Egyptian Agricultural Organization – the government stud farm for breeding Arabian horses.
At sunset 2 hrs Felucca tour on the Nile River including dinner on board, transfer back to the hotel & overnight.
Day 8 Final day in Egypt
After breakfast the day at leisure till your flight departure. On time transfer to Cairo International Airport for flight home.
All itineraries are for guidance only and are subject to change by the local team depending on local conditions especially weather.
NOTES - SUMMER PALMS AND PYRAMIDS
The weight limit for this ride is 15 st/209 lb/95 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.
FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
Transfer from airport and daily transfer from hotel, accommodation in 4 star hotel on a B&B basis, dinner on nights 1, 6 and 7, lunch on day 2, bottled water on ride and with included lunches, about 10 hours riding and guide, excurions mentioned, use of driver and car on non-riding days.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Flights, entry visa for Egypt, entrance to the "mummies room" at the Egyptian museum (about US$25 in 2009), meals not mentioned, drinks at hotels, Egyptian Stud special tour guide ($30 per person) gratuities (none compulsory), items of a personal nature.
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Reading List We're avid readers here at Unicorn Trails and have selected several books connected to this ride. If you're interested in reading more about the area before you travel, or want to get into the cultural background, here are some suggestions that may inspire you. Click on the links for more information.
What you see on our web site is exactly how much your invoice will come to and this will not change once booked. Unlike some other companies the prices on our web site are fully inclusive of often hidden extras such as: VAT, Sales Tax, state taxes, city taxes, service charges, non-optional tips, fuel surcharges which can add 20% or more to the advertised cost. Prices are available in £ sterling, Euros and US$. Once invoiced, prices are guaranteed against adverse currency fluctuations. Contact us for package prices which include flights from the UK and see each ride for exact details of all items in individual itineraries.
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- Elizabeth Peters. This is a series of murder mysteries set in the 1880 - 1920s in Egypt.
- Dr Mark Lehner
- Barbara Mertz
