Egypt Know How

Hope these tips will help you on your trip. You’re about to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Enjoy!!!

Airport Arrivals: If you arranged a transfer through Contiki, a representative will be holding a Contiki sign for you just before baggage claim. They will help you clear customs and baggage claim and take you to your hotel. They will also provide you with a welcome packet.

Visa: The following link from the San Francisco Egyptian Consulate provides information for obtaining your visa for both US and non-US citizens http://www.egy2000.com/ft401.html. This link also provides a downloadable visa application. You may obtain your visa upon arrival into Egypt, however applying in advance will speed up the entry process.

Cleanliness: Egypt is a wonderful country – however it is pretty dirty. Be prepared with lots of Purell (antibacterial gel) and antibacterial wipes. Don’t shake hands with the locals unless absolutely necessary. If you do, promptly Purell your hands after (some do not observe western potty etiquette, especially around the Giza pyramids and the camel rides.)

Water: You will want to drink bottled water only. Contiki provides a small bottle each day, but Egypt is a very dry country, so be prepared to buy more. The best deal we found on the street was three 1.5 liter bottles for 10 LE (about 2 US dollars). If you can find a Mobil On the Run or grocery store, you find the best prices. At On the Run, name brand (Aquafina/Dansani) 1.5 liter bottles were 2.5 LE per bottle. Everything is negotiable, even water, from street vendors.

Money: Currency used is the Egyptian Pound, EGP or LE. When exchanging money or accepting change, check the bills for tears and holes do not accept them if they are in poor condition. You will only end up getting stuck with them as street vendors and others will not accept them in bad condition. ALLWAYS count your change. It is smart to ask for smaller bills since everyone asks for Baksheesh (or tips) and you will want to have plenty of single pounds (which are available in both coins and notes). Most places and people accept US dollars or Euros.

Baksheesh = Tips: Everyone expects a tip, just get used to it. You can refuse to give baksheesh, but if someone really does a service for you or helps you, you should tip them, even police officers and guards. A small boy held hands with us to our tour bus and expected us to pay him – for that we did not tip. However a policeman helped up get a cab and we compensated him. Be aware of the Egyptian museum workers. They will start to tell you a story about the tomb or the ruin if you allow them to continue – or let them take you to see something specific you will have to tip them. Most baksheesh should not be more 50 Piastres to a few pounds. If someone is really helpful, give them 5 LE and they will appreciate it. That is less than $1 US.

Toilets: Most of the toilets we encountered were western style, except at some mosques or temples. Expect to have to pay to use them – most will accept whatever you give them (50 Piastres to 1 LE) and provide you with a small amount of toilet paper. Do not expect to find paper within the stall. It’s a good idea to always have some of your own. Charmin makes travel rolls that you can buy for $1.00 (US) at Target before you leave.

Shopping: EVERYTHING is negotiable, everything. You don’t need to pay the price they offer to you. Figure out what you are willing to pay before you ask the price and bargain with them. Bargaining is expected. Most items you can get for ½ of what they say their original price is. Trust your tour manager for price guidelines. If they do not meet your price, walk away. They will follow you and the further you walk, the lower the price gets. Even cab fares are negotiable.

Examples of prices we paid in 2009
Box of 12 souvenir pens, org price 60 LE – Paid 15 LE
T-Shirts (4), org price 45 LE each – Paid 15 LE each
Egyptian Style Tunic (w), org price 80 LE – Paid 30 LE
Typical Egyptian Menswear, org price 300 LE – Paid 75 LE (and got the scarf thrown in)
Bag of Chips, org price 5 LE – paid 4 LE (told you everything was negotiable)

Weather: Our trip was from 27 Dec to 3 Jan and the weather was in the high 60’s and low 70’s F. The nights were really chilly, so bring lots of layers. On our trip, people wore fleece jackets, wool jackets, thin coats and sweatshirts.

Contiki Optional Tours:
Abu Simbel - This is a must see. We were all a little freaked out about the plane ride, but it is a commercial plane and seated 200 passengers.

Camel Ride in Luxor/Village Visit – This is actually your second opportunity to ride a camel – During your first day in Cairo, you will have the chance to ride a camel in front of the Pyramids. If you are only up for one ride or don’t want to budget for both, skip the one in Luxor, the Giza Camel ride (Cairo) is totally worth it. You will also have the option of riding a donkey or a horse in Luxor. The camel ride in Luxor is a tour through a west bank village. You may want to bring a small package for the kids in the village. Some ideas are coloring books, crayons, small games/toys, toothbrush and tooth paste, or snacks.

Group Photo – Why not?!

Sound and Light Show - Skip it!!! It sounds like a really great time and you will be tempted to do it because others on your tour will want to and hey, you are in Egypt … but in our opinion, this was an hour of our lives that we will never get back. Don’t expect an exciting show of loud music and extravagant laser light displays. It is very slow moving and a booming voice will rehash the history of the Pharaohs in Giza and the Pyramids. For us it was more like the adult voices in Charlie Brown. To be honest I fell asleep.

Other Optionals and Not so Optional Optionals:
Traditional Egyptian Meal in Cairo – this is one of the not so optional things…..budget about $8 -10 US dollars for this. It’s a ton of food and definitely worth it.
Egyptian Party – In Aswan, you will visit the market for an opportunity to purchase belly dancing costumes, tunics, dresses, etc. for women and traditional clothes for men, which you’ll dress up and have a party. Dressing up is completely your decision but adds to the fun. Budget about $5-20 US for an outfit (it becomes a nice souvenir after all)
Tips – $25 US dollars that you need to pay on your first day – this covers baksheesh to bus drivers, porters, Nile cruse staff and the cabin stewards on the overnight trains
Hot Air Balloon Ride in Luxor – For some reason Contiki no longer offers the balloon ride as part of its optional excursions. Your guide will have information regarding the balloon rides in Luxor. This was also a must do for us.
Photos – Various photos will be taken of you during the trip (Egyptian Dress Up Night, Camel Ride in Luxor), budget about 10 LE (2 US dollars) for each photo
Alexandria – One of the guides from our tour organized a small group for a day trip to Alexandria. This may be available before or after your tour dates. Check when you arrive. We did this tour after our tour ended with some other Contiki folks both from our group and from the next and thought was a great way to round out our trip.
Other Egypt Sites – Although Contiki does not arrange this, if you have extra time there are other things to do in Egypt such as a Safari tour 3days/2nights, you can contact Spring Tours for more information. Spring Tours operates the Contiki Trip in Egypt.

Excellent tips overall.
Egypt is nicey. It is spicey. It can be dicey, and if you are not careful it will be very very pricey my friend . Beware of touts and scams.
Scam identification prior to trip:

http://connect.contiki.com/eve...12105522/m/448100404

^ Certainly check it out and be aware of them.

http://contiki.com.au/people/7...9687c11a4ee38777e054

^ Other tips and tricks that can help you prepare for your trip.
Enjoy

These videos of the trip are pretty good as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDBX6jxz0VQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...JKhU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...TB_0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...Rpd4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...9Xg0&feature=related

quote:

Originally posted by hcomet42:
Airport Arrivals: If you arranged a transfer through Contiki, a representative will be holding a Contiki sign for you just before baggage claim. They will help you clear customs and baggage claim and take you to your hotel. They will also provide you with a welcome packet.

I don't know if the rules have changed recently, or if they are different for the new terminal at Cairo airport but this wasn't the case for me or a number of other people on the same trip as me. We were met after baggage claims and customs which confused a few people because the contiki booklet says you will get met before then.

There have been three serious hot air balloon accidents in Luxor so far in 2009 which I imagine is why it is no longer an optional.

Good advice hcomet42

The reason that the hot air ballon optional is no longer offered as an "official" optional is due to a family member of corporate contiki being seriously injured on one of those trips.

Tour participants can still take it but it has to be arranged independently. The TM can recommend.

New Terminal 3 sounds more like a modern airport whereby security is a lot more strict