Where it all began

Dear Advisor Partners,

Where did civilization begin? I used to have the answer down cold from my history books in grade school and university. And I used to recite it as factual data fact because, well, I was in the nerd crowd in school. Then something amazing happened during my travels. I began to question my history books and delve deeper… And you know, I am so glad I did.

Did the Romans really learn to mummify from the Peruvians as I learned in Northern Peru and at the Field Museum in Chicago? Did the Nile River that flows through Egypt really source from Lake Tana in Ethiopia and converge near Khartoum Sudan, where my mother was born?

Where did it all begin? The one true answer perhaps will continue evading us as new theories emerge from different parts of the world. But we have to start somewhere, and Egypt is a good place to begin. I remember my first visit there as a teenager. A math nerd, I was enamored by the geometric shapes, the acute angles, the perfect construction and, oh, the legends.

What kept me fascinated with Egypt, however, was not the pyramids. It was the history of queens in ancient Egypt and the power they commanded right up until the Cleopatra VIII, who ruled until 30 BCE during the Ptolomaic Dynasty.

Fast forward to present day and you see that a gender gap exists in many countries around the globe. Outside the tourist space, Egypt is no exception. But tourism creates one in six jobs, and it remains the largest employer of women in Egypt. Here our guests discover one of our favorite experiences with my Egyptian soul sister, Farah, who is one of the bright minds in the country. Gaining valuable experience with the United Nation in post education, Farah now takes Big Five guests on a unique exploration of the city revealing it through local people and the local scene of cafes, restaurants and shops.

While Farah is introducing our travelers to the non-tourist side of Cairo, she is also doing the inverse. She is exposing local women working in the small businesses around the city to an international culture, using tourism to empower these micro entrepreneurs and propel them forward.

Egypt… come see where it all began, and meet Farah, Manal, Wafika, and the other great personalities that are ready to tell you their stories. Consider this extraordinary exploration President’s Pick Heritage Journey in Time & Place. Until then, please enjoy our new video!

P.S. We have all our testing protocols in place as we do in our other online destinations. In Egypt, your departure Covid test is done in the comfort of your hotel. Ask us if you need more information.