OT: Visiting Egypt

[az city]

Anyone been? Anyone got advice?

I've looked at organized tours from the US and they look very pricey - Viking River Cruises is $6-10k per person for 12 nights (including a Nile cruise). Anyone ever been on a Viking cruise?

I want to go (Alitalia has very cheap fares to Cairo at the moment for some reason) but don't know where to start. And nobody here has ever been.

[Des Parrot]

Re: OT: Visiting Egypt

I’ve been diving in the Red Sea, I loved it & did a couple of nights in the desert, camel Safari, clear skies. My wife on the other hand was very uncomfortable due to the overbearing attitude and sexism of the men. They only offered 3 camels! We decided not to go back.

[Alan Lung]

Re: OT: Visiting Egypt

Do it yourself, backpack it. Dead easy in Egypt and dirt cheap.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Re: OT: Visiting Egypt

Anyone been? Anyone got advice?

I've looked at organized tours from the US and they look very pricey - Viking River Cruises is $6-10k per person for 12 nights (including a Nile cruise). Anyone ever been on a Viking cruise?

I want to go (Alitalia has very cheap fares to Cairo at the moment for some reason) but don't know where to start. And nobody here has ever been.

I went there three years ago but I backpack and don't join any tourist trips, groups or organisations. I also get a perverse pleasure in not staying in plush hotels and not using taxis.
(I met a Basque language teacher on a local bus and met up with him in Bilbao this year, which was very rewarding).
I went to the pyramids near to Cairo but via the entrance reserved for the locals. Had to see them on horse to really appreciate them (although I am not the equestrian type). Seeing Tutankhamen's death mask in the national museum was unbelievably stunning.
I entered Gambia this morning after a few days in Dakar, Senegal. I didn't see a single tourist, tourist bus or white face in the city in the two days I schlepped around the place, weaving in and out of backstreets as well as in the centre.
Gambia has tourism in parts but I'm avoiding those areas although people pestered me on leaving the airport in a way that just doesn't seem.to happen in Senegal. I'll be returning to Dakar on Saturday (by overland bus) and flying home on Monday in time to see the Wales game.

[AlwaysFeelinBlue]

Re: OT: Visiting Egypt

I didn't really like it, beautiful weather, people generally are very beggy, there is a huge tip culture (which is okay in itself, but people go over the top there I found) I went with my girlfriend and they wouldn't speak to her unless I was there (she's a very strong woman, earns more than me etc) animal cruelty is rife, camels and horses on the beach in sweltering heat, no water or shade, visible marks from straps etc.

[blue matt]

Re: OT: Visiting Egypt

we went on a cruise ( not Viking though ), stopped off at Alexandria and then Port Said, saw the pyramids and did the usual tourist stuff, its a 3rd world country and it shows, we walked back to the ship and had a few challenging encounters with blokes, it was a little edgy to be honest

it is defiantly a once and done for us

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Re: OT: Visiting Egypt

we went on a cruise ( not Viking though ), stopped off at Alexandria and then Port Said, saw the pyramids and did the usual tourist stuff, its a 3rd world country and it shows, we walked back to the ship and had a few challenging encounters with blokes, it was a little edgy to be honest

it is defiantly a once and done for us

Doesn't the rape and pillage become rather repetitive on those Viking cruises?

[Bobby Dandruff]

Re: OT: Visiting Egypt

Anyone been? Anyone got advice?

I've looked at organized tours from the US and they look very pricey - Viking River Cruises is $6-10k per person for 12 nights (including a Nile cruise). Anyone ever been on a Viking cruise?

I want to go (Alitalia has very cheap fares to Cairo at the moment for some reason) but don't know where to start. And nobody here has ever been.

I went albeit 30 years ago and even now it was one of the best places I have ever visited. (You are even allowed to go INSIDE the pyramids!)

We did a week long Nile cruise turning around at the Aswan dam before spending a week in Cairo. The valley of the Kings was breathtaking and I would never have thought that I’d be taken by that sort of thing.

It was incredibly interesting and even now, like nothing I have seen.

My only regret is not spending the now rather paltry £99 pounds to fly to Abu Simbel.

Do it! You will NOT regret it.

[tpcnw]

Re: OT: Visiting Egypt

I have been four times and think it is a great country. People are very friendly and there is loads to see. Yes it is dirty and the 'hassle' merchants are world class, but the sights to see are also world class. You just need to be firm with the hawkers. Learning a few Arabic swear words helps.
Did a two centre (Cairo and Luxor) in the late eighties, a two centre (Luxor and Aswan) in the early 90s, a week over Christmas in Luxor about 2000 and a week playing croquet for Wales in Cairo about 10 years ago.
Pyramids are worth seeing and bigger than you expect. The Tutankhamun exhibits in the Cairo Museum are outstanding, though the old museum is very old fashioned - a new museum is being built near the Pyramids and most exhibits will be moved there. First time I went to the museum it was very busy, but I went a few days later on Sunday afternoon and I was the only person in the room with the death mask.

Luxor is superb and fairly relaxing and Aswan even more relaxing. Did a bus trip down to Abu Simbel from Aswan and again that is well worth seeing.
The Valley of the Kings at Luxor is a real highlight and some of the tombs are enormous with incredible paintings in them.
Have not done a cruise but we did do a one day boat trip from Luxor down river to Denderah and that was most enjoyable. The boat stopped on the northern outskirts of Luxor for a few soldiers to board with a large machine gun. I think most passengers on board did not spot this.

[az city]

Re: OT: Visiting Egypt

Genuine thanks to everyone who has responded.

[jon1959]

Re: OT: Visiting Egypt

We have been twice.

Once in early 90s that included Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel with all the main historic sites, with a 4 day cruise down the Nile in a paddle streamer! My highlight was a dawn hot air balloon ride over the Valley Of The Kings which was amazing.

When we first went it was only about 5 years after the Luxor Massacre, and most tourist buses still had armed police or soldiers on the roofs when they were on the highway in central Egypt - but most days there was no shooting!

A few tourists and a guide were killed about a year ago in Alexandria, but that was the first time for a lot of years. Generally it is safe and full of visitors.

Giza and going inside the pyramids was fantastic - and it was a surprise how close the edge of Cairo is to the site. All the touristy photos make it look like it is out in the desert by itself. It isn't.

The second time in the late 90s was a Red Sea resort and Cairo. Not as mind blowing, but a chance to go back to the Cairo museums and see a bit more of the north.

It is an amazing country - you could spend months there and still not see all you want to see. There was some hassle, but not as bad as Morocco.

[Alan Lung]

Re: OT: Visiting Egypt

I thought the pyramids were rubbish personally. No higher than my house.

[Moodybluebird]

Re: OT: Visiting Egypt

I went there about 20 years ago and the highlight for me was the Cairo Museum. Like a previous poster, I too was left alone with the death mask of King Tutenkhamen. A very profound moment with just me and probably the most famous relic on the planet, it was very surreal.

The sphinx and the pyramids were a must see but too many locals wanting some baksheesh made it less enjoyable that it could have been.

As for Cairo itself, it is a dirty place and not uncommon to see a dead horse or two floating in water courses.

My missus went on a Nile cruise with my daughter and had a fabulous time, especially the hot air balloon trip over the Valley of the Kings, albeit having to be up at first light.

[WJ99mobile]

Re: OT: Visiting Egypt

I’ve been to Sharm and found it seedy tourist trap but the Red Sea diving was incredible.

[Blue Dwr]

Re: OT: Visiting Egypt

I entered Gambia this morning after a few days in Dakar, Senegal. I didn't see a single tourist, tourist bus or white face in the city in the two days I schlepped around the place, weaving in and out of backstreets as well as in the centre.
Gambia has tourism in parts but I'm avoiding those areas although people pestered me on leaving the airport in a way that just doesn't seem.to happen in Senegal. I'll be returning to Dakar on Saturday (by overland bus) and flying home on Monday in time to see the Wales game.

I went to Gambia for a winter holiday a few years ago (tourist place!) Lovely place.