Why Egypt and Jordan Are Perfect Destinations for a Family Vacation
During the Easter holidays in April, I was debating where to travel.
When traveling with children, the options are often quite similar. The destination shouldn't be too dangerous, too physically demanding, or too hot or cold. There must be access to good-quality food, and there should be enough opportunities to rest.
Naturally, these criteria lead most people to well-known tourist destinations. But those popular places often come with large crowds, which can quickly exhaust children. In the end, most families end up choosing a resort. My friends and family all seemed to share the same opinion. So when you choose a place that isn't a resort, it can seem like you're deliberately choosing hardship.
Nevertheless, I chose Egypt and Jordan as our family travel destinations.
That’s when people around me began offering unsolicited concerns:
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“Why are you making the kids suffer on purpose?”
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“What if they get hurt over there?”
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“I heard there are scams and unfriendly locals—can you really handle it?”
I admit, I also had some of those concerns.
But now that the trip is over, I can confidently say that our journey through Egypt and Jordan was the best trip of my life.
Before diving into the full travel story, I’d like to first summarize what made this experience so different from other trips.
1. Uncommon places — desert and sea
Sunset over the Nile from a cruise
Most resorts we’ve been to featured beautiful beaches and swimming pools. Even mountain trips were never particularly strenuous. City trips to places like Rome, Istanbul, or Prague usually follow well-defined routes and itineraries.
But the landscapes in Egypt and Jordan were completely different. These were desert countries. One day, we drove through the desert in a bus; another day, we rode in a truck or drove ourselves across the sand. The boat tour along the Nile was another highlight.
The Dead Sea was unlike any sea I had ever seen. On the other side of the water was another country. The landscape looked barren, yet it was breathtaking, and the sea held a deep history—just like its salt concentration.
We even drove five hours just to see the Red Sea, whose very name had once felt unfamiliar.
As Asians living in Europe, we had never seen scenery like this. Our kids found it fascinating, and I found it thrilling to be in a place I had never even dreamed of visiting.
2. Unexpected people
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| View of the pyramids from our hotel |
When traveling through Asia or Europe, you may notice subtle differences in how locals react to foreigners, but the distinctions aren't always dramatic.
Vendors say pretty much the same things everywhere, just in different languages.
But Egypt and Jordan were surprising—not only because their people were different from Europeans, but because Egyptians and Jordanians were also very different from each other.
Some say Egyptian street vendors are too aggressive, but I didn’t find it too bothersome. Still, it was easy to spot the “villains” who clearly just wanted to empty your pockets—and even our kids learned to stay close to mom and dad. Thankfully, most people we met were decent and kind.
3. Adventure
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| Inside the Great Pyramid |
When I was a student, I read Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock, which featured photos and stories of the pyramids.
I had also read about the “Valley of the Kings” where Tutankhamun’s curse was discovered—I thought it was still off-limits to regular visitors.
And Petra, the city featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, felt like a place only adventurers could reach.
But I learned that all these places were in fact open to the public—and reachable by us.
To our kids, the idea of going to these places made the trip feel like a true adventure.
4. Cost
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| Dinner by the Dead Sea |
Above all, the trip was affordable.
For Europeans, traveling to Egypt or Jordan can be even cheaper than what Koreans spend to go to Southeast Asia. Rental cars, accommodations, and meals were all inexpensive.
Of course, in hindsight, we did spend quite a bit on some guided tours due to the lack of reliable information. I’ll include those details in my full travel guide as well.