🤴👪✈️🎄📸🇧🇪🇪🇬 King Philippe of Belgium decided to visit Egypt for his first time with his family and his young kids during the Christmas and New Year holiday. He was convinced to visit Egypt for Christmas by his wife Queen Mathilde, who has visited Egypt before on a low-budget trip as a student when she was 18 years young. The king of Belgium and his family arrived on the EgyptAir flights from Europe to Cairo international airport where they were welcomed at the VIP terminal.
Tour of Ancient Egypt, the southern valley of the Nile and Boat Trip
🛥️🏛️🌊 The royal family took a private Nile cruise on a private boat where they visited Aswan and Luxor. In Aswan, King Philippe decided to go on-foot by himself to explore the central market of the city and to have first-hand discussions and talks with the local people at the market. The royal family visited the Philae ancient temple, the Pharaonic temple of Kom Ombo and the temple of Edfu.
🌞⛵📷 In Luxor, Dr. Zahi Hawass accompanied the Belgian royal family to the valley of the Kings. They visited together the tombs of the Pharaoh kings Tutankhamoun, Set I and other Pharaohs. They also visited the valley of the Queens including the tomb of Nefertari. The royal family and Dr. Zahi had dinner together at a local restaurant on the western bank of the river Nile. The king and his family also visited the famous Karnak Temple of Luxor.
Trip to the Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx of Giza
🔼🔺🔼🦁 The king of Belgium and his family were accompanied by world-renowned Egyptian Egyptologist Dr. Zahi Hawass during their trip at the Giza Pyramids of Egypt and the Great Sphinx of Giza. King Philippe insisted on going inside the tunnels under the Sphinx of Egypt to be named the first king ever to step foot inside the Sphinx. His majesty went inside the Sphinx by taking the secret tunnel at the back of the Sphinx, and he demonstrated his strong will, courage and insistence to complete his tour with great happiness. Dr. Zahi gave the king and his family a royal tour around the Giza plateau, the Giza pyramids, and the ancient ruins and sites.
Trip concluded in Cairo
👑🌆 At the end of this 5 days private trip by the Royal family of Belgium, King Philippe expressed his great happiness for spending his Christmas holiday in Egypt with his family and his gratitude for all the warm hospitality they have experienced in the different cities of Egypt. The king was also amazed by all the ancient sites and tombs he has visited during his holiday and promised to visit Egypt again with any new archaeological discovery in the future. King Philippe said that “Egypt captures the heart […] I would have never imagined that it was that beautiful”! 💖 Here is a video showing a collage of all the nice memories in Egypt … thank you your majesty for visiting the Land of the Pharaohs … see you back soon! 😍👍
Source: Sada El Balad (English) article
Egypt United – Voice of the pharaohs 