Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Travel: What to do with children in Egypt

Egypt Today (John Prosser)

A look at some of the educational and entertaining areas of Cairo that might keep your children engaged on holiday.

A fitting place to begin your family’s academic adventures is Dr. Hassan Ragab’s Pharaonic Village. Visitors are transported 4,000 years back in time to a painstakingly recreated pharaonic civilization. As you take a canal-boat tour through the village — complete with rare plants and animals believed to have lived in the region thousands of years ago — actors in period clothing demonstrate ancient methods of cultivation, ship-building and fishing. Museums on the island cover all aspects of ancient Egyptian life; from the building of the Sphinx and the pyramids to the production of papyrus. There’s even a museum explaining how chocolate was discovered and used, with free samples of cocoa of course. With new exhibits constantly being added, the Pharaonic Village is worthy of repeat visits. The village is located on Jacob Island, off the west bank of the Nile about six kilometers south of downtown. Guided tours last from one to three-and-a-half hours, depending on your desired itinerary, with prices starting at $15 (LE 83) per person.

A more traditional venue for learning about ancient Egyptian culture now also has a great alternative for kids. The children’s gallery at the Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square, (after coming through the main gate, follow signs round to the left of the main building) teaches children the ways of ancient life through the medium of Lego.

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