The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Image via Omar El Galla / Facebook

Whenever you read about inspirational role models, usually they have unconventional beginnings and unexplainable sources of inspiration for their backstories. Well, today’s piece features a man who fits this profile and whose journey raises a lot of question marks, but also raises a lot of admiration for his amazing feat. Want to know more? Read on. 

A few months back, we had written an article about a jewelrysalesman-turned-adventurer, Omar El-Galla, who had cycled all around Egypt! Did the word “jewelry” throw you off? It must have, because we were utterly flabbergasted to find out that he is a Business Administration graduate from the BUE who left his family’s largely successful jewelry business to travel across the country, according to NileFM.

His cycling trip began on September 27^th 2018 and due to his high ambitions, his set goal of 5,000 km in 50 days extended to a whopping reality of 6,500 km in 65 days! He started in Cairo and worked his way through Damietta, Port Said, Ismailia, Dahab, El Gouna, Alexandria, and so many other stops. According to his website, he stuck to a 50 LE budget, relying on nature, tents, or hosts for accommodation.  

But El-Galla’s journey did not stop there! He then decided to take it one step further, ditching the bike and tackling the terrains on foot. The idea was first ignited during his last week of his cycling and executed soon thereafter! He stated, “I ran 1,500 km along Lake Nasser and the Nile River in 36 days, averaging a distance of a full marathon every day, starting from the south near the border of Sudan at Abu Simbel all the way to the north at the city of Alexandria on the Mediterranean sea coast.”

After his victorious triumph, El-Gallathen asked himself, “This journey has transformed me in a lot of ways. It was a true test of my physical and mental abilities. It made me wonder how far can I test and stretch my limits? What else could be achieved?”

His answer was soon revealed when he decided to resort to the sea. According to Egyptian Streets, September 15^th was a lifechanging moment for the champion when he became the first person in history to attempt swimming across all 900 km of Egypt’s eastern coastline, from Suez to Shalateen, over a period of roughly 90 days. Going the extra mile, El-Galla partnered with the environmental initiative, if, to raise awareness about marine plastic pollution.

Stay up-to-date with Omar’s wild adventures on his Facebook page or better yet, check out his Instagram stories, recording every single day since the moment he started this beyond amazing mission.We are rooting for you until you reach the finish line!