Just back from: Egypt

Egypt has been at the top of my travel bucket list for a very long time, so when I was invited by a partner to scout the destination, I jumped at the chance. We booked the trip long before the war started so I had some concerns going in, but was reassured by our host that Egypt was safe and that tourists were still coming. I am happy to report that it is true, and this trip not only lived up to expectations, it greatly exceeded them.

Here is my itinerary and some of the highlights.

I had heard the Red Sea Riviera is a world class diving and snorkeling site with one of the most beautiful and protected reefs in the world. The onsite dive center at the Four Seasons Sharm El Sheikh makes it the perfect place from which to access the reef. It is a sprawling, lush resort built into the hillside, with rooms, suites and villas stepping down toward a long stretch of private beach. It has a great spa, a fantastic gym, multiple pools and several dining venues.

• Snorkeling in the Straits of Tiran, where the beauty of the reef and marine life took my breath away.
• Dining next to the sea under the moonlight, with soft Arabic music playing in the background.

If you have the time, I would highly recommend starting here, to relax and recharge before diving into the early starts and long days that a fuller Egypt itinerary requires.

Saqqara is where Egypt's pyramid story really begins. As the main necropolis of ancient Memphis, it contains the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the first large scale stone pyramid, and the surrounding funerary complex, plus the underground Serapeum with its enormous sarcophagi for the sacred Apis bulls.

Together, Saqqara and Giza show the evolution from those early experiments to the finished pyramids you know: Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure on the Giza Plateau, each part of its own mortuary complex. The sheer scale and engineering of Khufu's Great Pyramid is still surprising, and somewhat otherworldly, even if you have seen it in photographs for years.

The Grand Egyptian Museum, overlooking the pyramids and more than two decades in the making, is the largest museum in the world devoted to a single civilization. It brings together over 100,000 objects spanning 7,000 years of history, including the full Tutankhamun collection displayed in dedicated galleries for the first time. It is truly the most beautifully designed museum I have ever visited. Leave time for the museum shops, which feature Egyptian designed fashion and jewellery, and watch for the two fine dining restaurants opening soon with full views of the pyramids.

Ever since seeing Death on the Nile, I have dreamed of doing this cruise. Launched in 2021, the Historia is one of the newest ships on the Nile. As a member of SLH of the World, it is intentionally designed to feel like a boutique luxury hotel rather than a traditional cruise boat. With a small gym, a spa and a gorgeous pool on the top deck, it was the perfect place to relax between temple and tomb visits: Karnak and Luxor Temples, the Valley of the Kings including Tutankhamun's tomb, Edfu and Abu Simbel.

Egypt is not a destination I would recommend trying to piece together on your own, as the logistics are complicated. We worked with a partner who handled every detail of our arrangements, from assisting with visas at the airport to coordinating all accommodations, transportation, site and museum visits, meals and experiences. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a knowledgeable Egyptologist as a guide, and ours was outstanding.

If you would like to learn more or need help planning a trip to Egypt, we would be happy to help. We are also going to be featuring Egypt as one of our Carte & Compass Journeys. Stay tuned for more details.

A lot of what we plan at Carte & Compass falls into two very different categories, even though we use the same word, trip, for both. When we talk about planning a vacation, we think of slow mornings, long lazy days at the beach with a good book in hand, and lovely dinners that unfold without much effort.

Travel, in the deeper sense, asks more of you. It means early starts to see a site before the crowds, long transfers because there is no easy way to get somewhere remarkable, walking in the heat, and the mental energy of taking in a place that is very different from home.

In Egypt, I was reminded how important it is to name this distinction upfront. When you are boarding a bus at 4:30 a.m. for a three hour drive to stand in front of Abu Simbel, you are not on vacation, you are travelling. You are choosing fatigue in service of perspective, saying yes to the kind of experience that changes how you see the world. The magic is that it is often the most demanding days that stay with you: the moment the temples come into view, the first call to prayer drifting over Cairo, the way the Nile looks at sunrise when you are already on the move.

The most successful journeys are the ones where everyone understands, before they pack a bag, which kind of trip they are choosing.

As advisors, we try to be very honest about which kind of trip you are signing up for. If what you need is to exhale after a relentless season at work, we will design something that feels like a true vacation: fewer moves, more ease, built in rest. If what you are craving is to learn, be challenged, and perhaps see a completely different way of life, we will build a travel itinerary, with all the work and reward that entails.

Montenegro has quietly become one of the most compelling corners of the Adriatic for travellers who crave dramatic coastlines without the overdone crowds. With fjord like bays and stone towns, there is a sense that you have stepped slightly off the most obvious path, without sacrificing comfort or access. For clients who have already done the classic Amalfi and Croatian circuits, this is where our compass is starting to point next.

One property we are especially excited about is Mamula Island by Banyan Tree, set on a restored 19th century fortress island at the mouth of the Bay of Kotor. It is the rare place where history, design and seclusion come together: thick stone ramparts, contemporary interiors, and uninterrupted sea views in every direction. Days here can be as quiet or as curated as you like, with boat transfers across glassy water, swims off the rocks, lingering lunches, and evenings that feel like you have an entire little world to yourselves.

If you are craving something that feels new but still refined, a different chapter of the Mediterranean, consider Montenegro.

Have a trip in mind, even loosely? Tell us what you are thinking and we will shape the details. If you are already thinking beyond this next trip, membership gives you a dedicated advisor on call for your travel life, not just one itinerary. And for hotel scouting and real time itineraries we cannot fit here, we are @carteandcompass on Instagram.