NFR - Help on going to Egypt

[Admin]

I've always been fascinated about Egypt and always wanted to go. Not for a holiday to sun it up for 7-10 days around a pool but to go see the pyramids. I've been putting it off for years now but the other half has finally convinced me to go, so I'm now itching to book.

We've had a quick look on line but most seem to be for your flights, transfers and an all inclusive hotel. Again, I don't mind this as a base but what about going to see the Pyramids etc?

I've spoken to a few people and they've said they have done things like the Nile cruise, stopped off at a few places on the way and seen the other Pyramids then took a light plain to Cairo?

If I'm going to do it, I want to do it right and to be honest I'm not really worried about the money. I've heard you can do an all inclusive through Thomas Cook then when you get there, they put on excursions etc?

Any help would be appreciated thanks.

[alfie]

Admin
all inclusive is great if you intend never to leave the hotel, but it is a waste of money if you are out and about.

[Luffy86]

Don't drink the tap water!! You'll get ill!!

[Reindeer]

I'd wait till things calm down out there before doing any of the interesting stuff and certainly not be based in Cairo.

If you stay in Sinai, then you can do the Pyramid excursion as an overnight stay. 

If you fancy the south, then base yourself in Luxor, where it is all around you and you can even travel down to Aswan too.  There are some luxury hotels in Luxor and you'll get the whole Egypt experience there, but it is a bugger to get up to Cairo, unless you take a local flight.

I spent about 6 months out there and the only major place I didn't go was Alexandria.  Marvellous country.

[King_Crud]

Ignore group travel companies like Thomas Cook, go and see a proper travel agent. Should be easy to organise what you want, if you're in London you'll probably find an Egypt specialist if you do a search.

Being from Australia where almost all trips have to booked yourself (flights, accommodation, tours etc separately) I was quite surprised how big all inclusive travel companies are in the uk

[Roberty]

I can recommend the Nile cruise - remember you will be on it for 7 day so choose a good boat and not a cheap one - they all leave from Luxor and include twice daily sightseeing plus some optional things you have to pay extra for. There is lots to see and as you are on the boat for 7 day you may as well go all inclusive.

If you want to see pyramids they are at Giza and Sakkara – opposite directions from Cairo so you will need to stay there and allow a day for each. There are lots of local guides who can arrange a private trips for you or the tour operators have organised tours – message me if you want a name and contact details of a local guide in Cairo.

At this time of year it is hot, hot, hot – sometime nearer to December is cooler.

If you need time to recuperate go to Sharm El Sheikh

Enjoy

[WhiteJC]

I worked in Cairo a few years ago and was taken to the Pyramids as a "day trip", from what i remember it didn't take too long to get to them.
In the evenings they do a show, with the pyramids as a backdrop, telling their history, I can highly recommend this, be warned though they do this show in different languages on different evenings so check what language its in before you pay to see it!
Cairo is a fascinating city, lots to see and do but it is very hot, I worked there in August, don't even think about going that time of year its far too uncomfortable, and in February which is still very warm but bearable.
I didn't get to see anywhere other than Cairo but if I had the chance I'd go on one of the Nile cruises

[Berserker]

oh Mr Admin you are so lucky. I love Egyptology and Archeaology and would love to go to Egypt to see things. The only negative heard about the cruises is that everybody get stomach upsets etc.

[WhiteJC]

oh Mr Admin you are so lucky. I love Egyptology and Archeaology and would love to go to Egypt to see things. The only negative heard about the cruises is that everybody get stomach upsets etc.

the trick is to only drink bottled fizzy water, I've never had an upset stomach when I've stuck to drinking that.

[Berserker]

What about salad?

[sipwell]

oh Mr Admin you are so lucky. I love Egyptology and Archeaology and would love to go to Egypt to see things. The only negative heard about the cruises is that everybody get stomach upsets etc.

the trick is to only drink bottled fizzy water, I've never had an upset stomach when I've stuck to drinking that.

The ideal best tip is actually not to drink anything cold at all. Stick to tea, even on a hot day. Your body/stomach needs to adapt to the completely different situation. Drink tea for a day and then switch to something 'colder'. Don't do 'we arrive, "blimey it hot here", gluck gluck gluck down goes a bottle of cold water."

*Yes, I am overpreparing my own trip*


Also, from what I heard it is much more useful to take an airplane to one of the sites (forgot which one)  rather than the bus. It is a bit more expensive but it is also much more easy...

[Ron Sheepskin]

What about salad?

What about what ? Sal-ad ? Is that an Egyptian king with a pyramid worth visiting?

[Berserker]

What about salad?

What about what ? Sal-ad ? Is that an Egyptian king with a pyramid worth visiting?

I worked with a lady who had lived in Kuwait for a long until they had to suddenly leave during the 1st gulf war. She told me the worst thing for stomach upsets were salad vegetables as they absorb germs from the water they are grown in/watered with.

[ffc73]

I went to Cairo and surrounding area with www.explore.co.uk and they were excellent

An English guide from Explore + an English speaking Egyptian historian that knew so much we probably suffered from information overload.

Trip on camels to some pyramids just out of Cairo was breathtaking and real 'Lawrence of Arabia' stuff

[ffc73]

Sorry Admin, If I was not clear.  Explore sort all the transport to all the excursions.  Pyramids, Sphinx, Egyptian museums etc.  They use min-buses.  Its not all by camel.....

[MrFantastic]

Nobody can help you with Egypt now, only protests I think they don't even know what they are protesting for

[gezkc]

I went to Cairo and surrounding area with www.explore.co.uk and they were excellent

An English guide from Explore + an English speaking Egyptian historian that knew so much we probably suffered from information overload.

Trip on camels to some pyramids just out of Cairo was breathtaking and real 'Lawrence of Arabia' stuff

I can recommend Explore too - I went to Egypt with them a few years ago and had a fantastic time. They lay on all the accommodation and travel, and there are lots of trips available, so you can tailor it to what you want to do. I started in Cairo, saw the pyramids, went on a cruise down the Nile to Luxor, Karnak and onto Abu Simbel, visited the Aswan dam and then spent a couple of nights in the Western Desert before returning to Cairo to fly back.
You'd never get to see so much in such a short space of time if you organised it all yourself (I was there for 16 days), and their guides (both English and local) are very knowledgeable.

[hurricane_nz]

Look up a company called Traveltalk, well worth it and you get to see all the stuff you would want to see