The Pyramids at Giza, the Sphinx and the Nile are generally what come to mind when people imagine Egypt. Fewer people know much about the temples at Abydos, Dendara, Edfu and Kom Ombo, to name a few of the ancient sites.
Egypt seems a relatively safe place to visit solo – due to high security and a major police presence -but not necessarily an easy one. Vendors are aggressive and men likely will stare at women on the streets who aren't dressed modestly.
Few temples are labeled well, so if you go alone, you would benefit from hiring an English-speaking guide or getting a very detailed book about what you're seeing. The same is true of much of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. It was handy to have our guide explaining what we were seeing and its importance to Egyptian life and culture.
On the other hand, the Luxor Museum and the Mummification Museum in Luxor, were well labeled and interesting and you could do those on your own easily.
But now that I know the lay of the land at, for example, Kom Ombo, I could see how it would be easy to book your own Nile cruise, hop onto a horse and buggy at the dock where the carriages pile up waiting for tourists, and head for the temple.
Once there, you could hang around at the entrance for an English-speaking tour group to happen by, and tag along listening to the narration. You could do that at Luxor's temples as well.
Or you could go on a package deal. The upside of my bus tour was ease in getting around the country and into the sights and not having to figure out where everything was. It was all arranged.
The down side was always traveling in a crowd and not having enough time at some of the places we visited.
But it seems that no matter what, at all the popular sites in Egypt, you will not have the place to yourself. People spill out of tour buses, whether you make your way alone or not.
The same is not true at places like Sakkara, Dendara and Abydos, where we were practically alone, thankfully. But those places are tougher to get to. They're not a taxi ride away from Cairo or a hansom cab trip from a dock.
Your choice. Solo on your own, or solo with a tour. You know what's best for you.
Meanwhile, there are ways to meet the people, even when with a tour. In Luxor, I made "friends" with a shopkeeper selling dates and hibiscus blossoms (for tea). I'd seen the bags of dates elsewhere, but they seemed, well, dirty. 
Turns out the dried dates need to be washed off and then soaked in water for half hour to "freshen" them. I actually prefer them dry and chewy, but the Egyptians seem to like them soft.
In any case, I walked off with one bag of hibiscus and one bag of dates, for a couple of dollars total. And some photos of me with the shopkeeper. A deal. In many ways.
Photos above, by Ellen Perlman: Wall relief at Abydos, Egypt. Colossi of Memnon, Valley of the Kings, Egypt. Hibiscus, peanuts and dates, Luxor shop.
Boldly Go Solo 
Leave a reply to Georgia Travel Cancel reply