Horseback riding on the desert by the pyramids -- how great is that? Especially in summer, with cool breezes sweeping away the hot air, to ride and watch the sun sink slowly into the western haze.
''I go to escape the city and for the fresh air," says Claire Sullivan, a British expatriate who has lived in Cairo for five years. ''It's quite a special place, a bit magical."
Millions of tourists come every year to see the pyramids of Giza, arguably the most famous ancient monuments in the world. To get close, though, they have to contend with armies of hawkers, impromptu guides, and dozens of others clustering around the official entrance. It's also hard to get a real perspective on these massive monuments because the urban sprawl laps up right to the edge of the plateau.
From the vantage point of the desert, however, especially from horseback, the pyramids appear lined up in all their ancient majesty. Farther out in the desert, it is also possible to see the step pyramid of Saqqara and a few other minor pyramids in addition to the great pyramids of Giza.
The small village of Nazlet el-Samaan right next to the pyramids makes its living raising horses for desert rides. Most residents seem to have, if not grown up on a horse, at least lived near them their whole lives.
As you enter the town, local boys representing various stables immediately start urging tourists to ride their horses. In the middle of town, quite near the Sphinx, it can be a real nuisance. For better-quality horses and guides, discerning riders head out to the line of stables bordering the desert. Generally, the farther from the center of town, the better the stable and the better its horses.
Not all the stables are equal, and many seem to specialize in underfed, worn-out horses that are whipped into a gallop for tourists' amusement. Others pride themselves on dancing horses with silver-embossed saddles and noble bloodlines. At the better stables, the horses are well cared for and owners usually do a decent job matching the horse to a rider's skill level. These stables offer open desert riding as well as lessons for those interested in the finer points of the equestrian art.
