The Giza Pyramid Complex

On June 7, 2018February 9, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Egypt12 Comments

No visit to Cairo in Egypt would be complete without going to see the Great Pyramids. Although the Pyramid of Khufu is officially known as The Great Pyramid, the entire complex is often referred to as the Great Pyramids of Giza. The Pyramid of Khufu is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World and also one of the most intact wonders and stands 481 feet tall (146.5 meters). There are actually six pyramids that make up the pyramid complex as well as the Great Sphinx. The Pyramid of Khafre still has the limestone covering at the top of the pyramid that would have covered all of the pyramids making their sides completely smooth as opposed to the exposed stones that are visible today.

View of the Giza Plateau with Cairo in the Background

The three large pyramids are certainly the focal point of the complex, but there are other interesting features of the site including pits where the remains of a ship were buried. It is important to understand that to the ancient Egyptians, because the sky was blue and water was blue, they believed that they needed to sail to the afterworld. It was an important connection to the Nile, which they relied on for there survival, and the world of the gods. The three smaller pyramids were for queens of the Pharaohs which serve as a reminder that the Egyptians had a high regard for women of royalty. Clearly, the Great Sphinx is also an important sight to see while spending time on the Giza plateau.

One of the Pits Where the Ship was Unearthed

Busy Road Between the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid

Because of its close proximity to Cairo, the pyramid complex is extremely busy with tourists, horse drawn carriages, camels, and people peddling trinkets. It is worth having a guide with you so that you can learn the historical facts regarding the pyramids, but it is a location that you can visit on your own. Riding a camel in the desert with the pyramids in the background is about as touristy as it gets, but is worth doing for that classic photo opportunity. Although fascinating, it only takes a couple of hours to fully see the Great Pyramids and the surrounding sights.

The Great Pyramid Up Close, People in the Foreground Providing Scale

Clearly, seeing one of the Seven Wonders of the World is an incredible experience. Gazing up at the pyramids, seeing not only their height, but also the symmetry of their architecture has to make you marvel at the ingenuity of the people who built them over 4,500 years ago. In fact, the Great Pyramid was the largest man-made structure for over 3,800 years, truly an impressive feat.

Walking Around the Great Pyramid with the Pyramid of Khafre in the Background

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado

On June 4, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Colorado6 Comments

Located about 30 miles outside the town of Alamosa in Colorado, the Great Sand Dunes are a fascinating feature that has been created by nature over thousands of years. The giant sand dunes sitting at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains highlight the diversity of habitats in southwestern Colorado, which ranges from wetlands, prairies, mountains, and forests. The sand dunes seem oddly out of place, it is almost as if a piece of the Middle East was scooped up and dropped in the mountain valley. The reality is that they were created after a large lake dried up thousands of years ago and the wind drove the sand to the base of the mountains.

The People Give Perspective to the Size of the Dunes

Although this year the mountains did not receive a lot of snow and therefore the runoff was minimal, usually there is a river or stream running at the base of the sand dunes, making the contrast even more interesting. One of the good things about the stream not being there was that we didn’t have to get our feet wet in order to get to the base of the dunes, but the bad part was that it was even more sand to walk through in the heat of the sun. It is not easy walking in the sand and even harder walking up the steep sides of the dunes. They may not seem as large from the distance, but the actual peaks of the dunes can be as high as 750 feet (230 meters).

As more and more people visit the dunes, one of the most popular things to do is to bring a sandboard and go sandboarding. People will spend hours climbing to the top and then boarding their way back down. Just to reach the top is difficult, so to do it over and over again in order to shred the sand is a real achievement. It also means that you will be surrounded by plenty of crowds as people flock to the area. There is camping nearby and you will find and endless array of motorhomes and RV’s. Since it is a national park, you can expect to pay $20 per vehicle to get into the park, which is good for seven days.

It took us about three hours to drive from Colorado Springs to the Great Sand Dunes, but it is well worth the drive. We hadn’t been to the sand dunes for over twenty years, so it was also a little bit nostalgic for us as we remembered bringing our young children there to play in the sand. We only spent a couple of hours at the sand dunes as climbing the hills is very exhausting and hard on the legs. Even though we were walking in the Sahara Desert only a few weeks ago, visiting this unique place in Colorado was really something special.

Visiting Dahshur Outside of Cairo, Egypt

On May 25, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Egypt11 Comments

We enjoyed seeing a wonderful variety of pyramids during our time in Cairo, but visiting Dahshur was probably one of our most interesting experiences. First, we were virtually by ourselves as we walked around the pyramids as there were less than a dozen total other visitors there during the time that we spent there. Also, since it is the site of the first smooth sided pyramids, one successful and a couple of others that weren’t successful, it is an interesting look into the learning that occurred by the ancient Egyptians to create what would later become the Great Pyramids. Dahshur is located out in a remote area of the desert, which was purposeful as they wanted the pyramids to be away from any well-traveled area.

Looking at the Red Pyramid from the Bent Pyramid

We visited two of the pyramids, the first being what is commonly referred to as the “Bent Pyramid” as they miscalculated the dimensions of the sides and had to curve the walls as it neared the peak in order to keep it from collapsing. Although it was never used as a tomb, it is certainly still fascinating to see. Imagine all of the work that must have gone into building such a structure only to deem it a failure despite the fact that it has survived thousands of years. From the bent pyramid, you can see the ruins of another pyramid that collapsed called the Black Pyramid, which was actually built in a later time period, as well as the first actual smooth sided pyramid off in the distance. Standing in the desert and seeing the pyramid off in the distance was very surreal and it almost felt as if we were standing on the surface of Mars or some other distant planet.

Looking Up at the Entrance of the Red Pyramid

Visiting the Red Pyramid as it is called due to the color of the stones that were used to build it, was simply amazing. Partly due to the fact that we were basically alone as we visited it, but also because we were able to climb up to the entrance and then down the steep tunnel leading to the tomb and antechambers. Although it was well worth the effort, be prepared for a steep climb up and down and the tunnel is only about 4 feet high (1 1/3 meters), so you have to crouch as you scoot your way down. The ground of the tunnel was smooth, so wooden boards with metal slats have been added to allow you to keep from sliding down the near 45 degree angle. In addition to the physical exertion, be prepared for the heat. In the desert heat, climbing into the pyramid is almost like climbing inside of a clay oven.

Although there aren’t any colorful hieroglyphs or anything remaining inside of the tomb and antechambers, seeing the Red Pyramid in Dahshur is definitely an amazing sight. The Red and Bent Pyramids were both built by King Sneferu between 2613 and 2589 BC, which makes them almost 5000 years old. The son of King Sneferu, King Khufu, would be inspired by his father to build his own pyramid, which is now one of the Seven Wonders of the World and is known as The Great Pyramid of Giza. Obviously we would make our way to see the Great Pyramids, but seeing the pyramids of Dahshur was the perfect way to start our time in the Giza Plateau.