Egypt - on a tour?
Discussion
I am looking to go to Egypt next year - going to all the usual tourist sites so going to maybe 3 or 4 cities.
I am going on my own and I usually plan my own itinerary but what I do find is that I tend to cram a lot in and get tired/stressed.
The main benefit of going alone of course is being able to do whatever you want.
I have read various things online about Egypt being a bit of a pain because you keep getting harassed as a tourist.
I'm exploring going with a tour group - the main benefit is that everything is planned and arranged for you so its all a lot less stress and I don't mind going with other random people. I wouldn't have to worry about tickets, everything is guided (so I don't have to arrange individual guides) and importantly all hotel and transport is covered.
The main downside I can think of is that you will possibly time restricted at every site...although I assume its all planned to give you a reasonable time.
Essentially the question is it worth paying 500-1000 £ to have the hassle taken out and does it work out better in the long run. I've not done a complete comaprison yet on costs.
Anyone done a group tour? Any thoughts?
I am going on my own and I usually plan my own itinerary but what I do find is that I tend to cram a lot in and get tired/stressed.
The main benefit of going alone of course is being able to do whatever you want.
I have read various things online about Egypt being a bit of a pain because you keep getting harassed as a tourist.
I'm exploring going with a tour group - the main benefit is that everything is planned and arranged for you so its all a lot less stress and I don't mind going with other random people. I wouldn't have to worry about tickets, everything is guided (so I don't have to arrange individual guides) and importantly all hotel and transport is covered.
The main downside I can think of is that you will possibly time restricted at every site...although I assume its all planned to give you a reasonable time.
Essentially the question is it worth paying 500-1000 £ to have the hassle taken out and does it work out better in the long run. I've not done a complete comaprison yet on costs.
Anyone done a group tour? Any thoughts?
I did a tour through Egypt in a package deal with a group. Unless you go mega exclusive you will end up in a group. It worked out superbly. It can be a bewildering country and having an organiser and guide is priceless. You just sit back, let them organise everything, and enjoy the culture.
Only time we felt rushed was at the unfinished obelisc which I wanted to see but the rest of the mainly young group could not care less about. The rest of the time we had all the time we needed and a great guide thrown in to boot.
We started in Cairo, then a train, then Nile cruise,valley of the kings, Aswan ect etc and finished in Dahab. Did loads of things I never would have thought of like dinner in a Nubian village, dinner in the desert, watched the sunrise in Dahab in the mountains.
I'm very much an independent traveller but with Egypt I was happy to let someone else do the work .
Only time we felt rushed was at the unfinished obelisc which I wanted to see but the rest of the mainly young group could not care less about. The rest of the time we had all the time we needed and a great guide thrown in to boot.
We started in Cairo, then a train, then Nile cruise,valley of the kings, Aswan ect etc and finished in Dahab. Did loads of things I never would have thought of like dinner in a Nubian village, dinner in the desert, watched the sunrise in Dahab in the mountains.
I'm very much an independent traveller but with Egypt I was happy to let someone else do the work .
The alternative is a hybrid of the 2. Most of the hotels will be able to arrange guides for you. Depending on your budget you will be able to get personal guides rather than than being part of a group. This will give you more flexibility. Many things are easy enough to sort yourself anyway. Son et Lumiere at the pyramids for example, you can pick up a taxi from your hotel in Cairo, buy a ticket when you get there, taxi will be waiting for you to take you back to hotel. No need to do as a group tour.
If you are concerned about being hassled, having guides will largely prevent it at a financial expense plus having to visit the papyrus factory!!
If you are concerned about being hassled, having guides will largely prevent it at a financial expense plus having to visit the papyrus factory!!
Haha, we declined the papyrus "excursion" :-) we did go to the perfume shop for the fun of watching the kids throw away money on fake scents that don't last an hour. Our package was crazy cheap and we actually enjoyed the group experience (we were backpacking so it made a nice change from self-organising). This was back in 2006.
Ten years ago we did the Nile Cruise, but on a dahabiya rather than the floating multi-storey car parks. Started in Cairo then flew down to the boat in Luxor, sailing to Aswan. Then a short return flight to Abu Simbel. (the alternative was four hours each way on an escorted bus, no thanks)
This was with a company, and yes we were taken to the papyrus & perfume shops, also the Egyptian cotton shop which seemed ludicrously expensive.
However, it was very well organised and our tour guide - as well as being a lovely chap - was an ex-footballer, so was recognised and got us in some places ahead of queues and hassle.
Tackling Cairo on your own would be risky - it's enormous and chaotic.
This was with a company, and yes we were taken to the papyrus & perfume shops, also the Egyptian cotton shop which seemed ludicrously expensive.
However, it was very well organised and our tour guide - as well as being a lovely chap - was an ex-footballer, so was recognised and got us in some places ahead of queues and hassle.
Tackling Cairo on your own would be risky - it's enormous and chaotic.
We went at the height of the revolution (before the evacuation of UN Staff), but had the added luxury of several friends who were in Egypt either working for UN or museums.
Someone sourced a dahabiya boat that needed to be pulled by a tug, had 2 feluccas being dragged as mini ferries to shore, it had enough rooms to cater for 12-14 of us and only us, since the revolution was going on, every excursion we went on was devoid of any tourists, even Al-Azhar Park was pretty much empty.
So we did the usual, starting at Aswan Dam, stopping off at all the major sites of interest, and finishing up in the Valley of the Kings, the guards were offering us to go into the cordoned-off areas, the works.
We then split in a hired a taxi to drive us the several hours to Marsa Shagra village for several days of diving, we usually go to Dahab staying at Dahab Paradise and using Poseidon Divers, but too far and painful to get to.
When in Cairo, Zamalek was my choice, only as OH lived there, and when going around we would just hire a taxi for the day and make them wait, so it was easier to visit Saqqara and Giza, though the sneaky t
t thought he could try and fleece us on the money, unfortunately, he was not expecting one of the "foreigners" to speak Arabic and panicked.
Wonder if it will completely calm down again to do it again safely instead of touring in a group?
Someone sourced a dahabiya boat that needed to be pulled by a tug, had 2 feluccas being dragged as mini ferries to shore, it had enough rooms to cater for 12-14 of us and only us, since the revolution was going on, every excursion we went on was devoid of any tourists, even Al-Azhar Park was pretty much empty.
So we did the usual, starting at Aswan Dam, stopping off at all the major sites of interest, and finishing up in the Valley of the Kings, the guards were offering us to go into the cordoned-off areas, the works.
We then split in a hired a taxi to drive us the several hours to Marsa Shagra village for several days of diving, we usually go to Dahab staying at Dahab Paradise and using Poseidon Divers, but too far and painful to get to.
When in Cairo, Zamalek was my choice, only as OH lived there, and when going around we would just hire a taxi for the day and make them wait, so it was easier to visit Saqqara and Giza, though the sneaky t
t thought he could try and fleece us on the money, unfortunately, he was not expecting one of the "foreigners" to speak Arabic and panicked.Wonder if it will completely calm down again to do it again safely instead of touring in a group?
Lotusgone said:
Tackling Cairo on your own would be risky - it's enormous and chaotic.
Absolutely this!Worked there on and off a few years back. Mad bonkers place. Aside from that, it's useful to know what you're looking at. I took myself off one weekend to have a mooch round the pyramids. Cab, ticket and in. Other than the obvious, unless your'e really into ancient Egypt, there's not much to glean. Next time I went, I arranged a personal tour - cost £20 plus entry. Just one very knowledgeable and nice bloke and me. A much better experience. Still got the one-on-one sales pitch for perfume and papyrus, though.
Griffith4ever said:
I did a tour through Egypt in a package deal with a group. Unless you go mega exclusive you will end up in a group. It worked out superbly. It can be a bewildering country and having an organiser and guide is priceless. You just sit back, let them organise everything, and enjoy the culture.
Only time we felt rushed was at the unfinished obelisc which I wanted to see but the rest of the mainly young group could not care less about. The rest of the time we had all the time we needed and a great guide thrown in to boot.
We started in Cairo, then a train, then Nile cruise,valley of the kings, Aswan ect etc and finished in Dahab. Did loads of things I never would have thought of like dinner in a Nubian village, dinner in the desert, watched the sunrise in Dahab in the mountains.
I'm very much an independent traveller but with Egypt I was happy to let someone else do the work .
Can you tell me what company you used? On here or PM is fine.Only time we felt rushed was at the unfinished obelisc which I wanted to see but the rest of the mainly young group could not care less about. The rest of the time we had all the time we needed and a great guide thrown in to boot.
We started in Cairo, then a train, then Nile cruise,valley of the kings, Aswan ect etc and finished in Dahab. Did loads of things I never would have thought of like dinner in a Nubian village, dinner in the desert, watched the sunrise in Dahab in the mountains.
I'm very much an independent traveller but with Egypt I was happy to let someone else do the work .
Oh mate , it was 15 odd years back! I just booked the cheapest deal I could find online at the time - I flew into Cairo under my own steam, then joined the group at the 1st hotel. I'm sure we paid less than £250 each for 2 weeks :-p (last 4 days in Dahab).
Just looked it up! 2008! £638 for the two of us!
www.traveltalktours.com
Day 1 Cairo Arrival transfer from the airport to our hotel in Cairo. In the evening our tour
leader will meet us to brief about the next days of your journey.
Day 2 Cairo Today we will first visit the Giza Plateau to explore the world famous pyramids
of Cheops, Chephren and Mycrenos. In the afternoon we will head our way to Sakkara, the
first capital of ancient Egypt, famous for its step pyramid built by King Zoser in 2700 B.C. In
the evening we’ll board the overnight train to Aswan.
Day 3 Aswan Our day will start with the discovery of the High Dam before visiting the Philae
Temple - dedicated to the Goddess Isis - and the unfinished Obelisk.
Day 4 Aswan, Nile Cruise Today we’ll board our 5 star Nile Cruise boat to start our cruise
on Nile. We’ll first visit the Elephantine and Kitchener Islands and continue our way down to
north. Overnight stay in cruise boat including all meals.
Day 5 Nile Cruise Today we’ll sail all day long on Nile and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of
one of the greatest rivers on the earth. Overnight stay in our 5 star cruise boat including all
meals.
Day 6 Nile Cruise, Komombo, Edfu, Luxor After breakfast we will head our way to the
Komombo Temple which was built during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. The temple is
dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and god Horus. Then we’ll continue to Edfu to visit the
largest and best preserved temple in Egypt. The temple is dedicated to the falcon god Horus
and was built over a 180-year period from 237 BC to 57 BC. Then we’ll head our way to
Luxor. After cheking into our hotel, we’ll depart to visit the temple of Luxor on the East Bank
of the Nile which was dedicated to the great god Amun, his wife Mut and their son Khonsu
(the mood god) - together representing the Theban triad. The temple was built on the site of
a probable smaller structure for the god Amun, while the earliest parts of the temple seen
today date from the 14th century BC and the time of Amenhotep III.
Day 7 Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Karnak, Hurghada After breakfast we’ll
depart for the West Bank of the Nile where our donkeys are waiting to take us into the Valley
of the Kings through quiet roads with lovely views of the Nile. After the donkey ride, we’ll start
our discovery with this magnificent sight, “the city of the Dead”, where magnificent tombs
were carved into the desert rocks, decorated richly, and filled with treasures for the afterlife of
the Pharaohs. Rising out of the desert plain in a series of terraces, the Temple of Queen
Hatshepsut will be our next stop. Then we’ll proceed to the Temple of Karnak, one of the
most important religious centres in the ancient Egypt. In the afternoon we’ll depart for
Hurghada. Evening free to discover this interesting town by the Red Sea coast. Overnight
stay in Hurghada.
Day 8 Hurghada, Dahab Early in the morning we’ll depart for Dahab, the leisure and activity
centre of Egypt.
Day 9-10 Dahab Enjoy the activities available at Dahab:swimming, snorkelling, diving, camel
and jeep safaris and more !
Day 11 Dahab, St. Catherine, Mt. Sinai Trek In the afternoon we’ll depart for St. Catherine.
Early in the morning (aprx. 1:30 a.m between day 11 and 12) we’ll ascend Mt. Sinai, where
as the night ends you can witness the spectacular sunrise which blankets the surrounding
peaks in gold and unveils one of the best views in Egypt. In the morning of day 12 we’ll visit
St. Catherine Monastery and travel back to Dahab.
Day 12-13 Dahab Two more days to savour the sun, sand, sea at this popular Red Sea
resort. In the evening of day 13 we’ll board our overnight coach back to Cairo.
Day 14 Cairo Our journey will continue with a visit to one of the most important museums in
the world, the Egyptian Museum, which houses more than 100.000 relics of ancient Egypt.
Today we’ll also discover the Citadel of Saladin, Mosque of Mohamed Ali, the Hanging
Church and the world famous Kahn El Khalili bazaar.
Day 15 Cairo Our trip will end after breakfast in Cairo. Transfer to the airport
Just looked it up! 2008! £638 for the two of us!
www.traveltalktours.com
Day 1 Cairo Arrival transfer from the airport to our hotel in Cairo. In the evening our tour
leader will meet us to brief about the next days of your journey.
Day 2 Cairo Today we will first visit the Giza Plateau to explore the world famous pyramids
of Cheops, Chephren and Mycrenos. In the afternoon we will head our way to Sakkara, the
first capital of ancient Egypt, famous for its step pyramid built by King Zoser in 2700 B.C. In
the evening we’ll board the overnight train to Aswan.
Day 3 Aswan Our day will start with the discovery of the High Dam before visiting the Philae
Temple - dedicated to the Goddess Isis - and the unfinished Obelisk.
Day 4 Aswan, Nile Cruise Today we’ll board our 5 star Nile Cruise boat to start our cruise
on Nile. We’ll first visit the Elephantine and Kitchener Islands and continue our way down to
north. Overnight stay in cruise boat including all meals.
Day 5 Nile Cruise Today we’ll sail all day long on Nile and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of
one of the greatest rivers on the earth. Overnight stay in our 5 star cruise boat including all
meals.
Day 6 Nile Cruise, Komombo, Edfu, Luxor After breakfast we will head our way to the
Komombo Temple which was built during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. The temple is
dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and god Horus. Then we’ll continue to Edfu to visit the
largest and best preserved temple in Egypt. The temple is dedicated to the falcon god Horus
and was built over a 180-year period from 237 BC to 57 BC. Then we’ll head our way to
Luxor. After cheking into our hotel, we’ll depart to visit the temple of Luxor on the East Bank
of the Nile which was dedicated to the great god Amun, his wife Mut and their son Khonsu
(the mood god) - together representing the Theban triad. The temple was built on the site of
a probable smaller structure for the god Amun, while the earliest parts of the temple seen
today date from the 14th century BC and the time of Amenhotep III.
Day 7 Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Karnak, Hurghada After breakfast we’ll
depart for the West Bank of the Nile where our donkeys are waiting to take us into the Valley
of the Kings through quiet roads with lovely views of the Nile. After the donkey ride, we’ll start
our discovery with this magnificent sight, “the city of the Dead”, where magnificent tombs
were carved into the desert rocks, decorated richly, and filled with treasures for the afterlife of
the Pharaohs. Rising out of the desert plain in a series of terraces, the Temple of Queen
Hatshepsut will be our next stop. Then we’ll proceed to the Temple of Karnak, one of the
most important religious centres in the ancient Egypt. In the afternoon we’ll depart for
Hurghada. Evening free to discover this interesting town by the Red Sea coast. Overnight
stay in Hurghada.
Day 8 Hurghada, Dahab Early in the morning we’ll depart for Dahab, the leisure and activity
centre of Egypt.
Day 9-10 Dahab Enjoy the activities available at Dahab:swimming, snorkelling, diving, camel
and jeep safaris and more !
Day 11 Dahab, St. Catherine, Mt. Sinai Trek In the afternoon we’ll depart for St. Catherine.
Early in the morning (aprx. 1:30 a.m between day 11 and 12) we’ll ascend Mt. Sinai, where
as the night ends you can witness the spectacular sunrise which blankets the surrounding
peaks in gold and unveils one of the best views in Egypt. In the morning of day 12 we’ll visit
St. Catherine Monastery and travel back to Dahab.
Day 12-13 Dahab Two more days to savour the sun, sand, sea at this popular Red Sea
resort. In the evening of day 13 we’ll board our overnight coach back to Cairo.
Day 14 Cairo Our journey will continue with a visit to one of the most important museums in
the world, the Egyptian Museum, which houses more than 100.000 relics of ancient Egypt.
Today we’ll also discover the Citadel of Saladin, Mosque of Mohamed Ali, the Hanging
Church and the world famous Kahn El Khalili bazaar.
Day 15 Cairo Our trip will end after breakfast in Cairo. Transfer to the airport
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