Egypt questions

[DodgyGeezer]

looking at the idea of a short(ish) break to interesting parts when Egypt and Jordan appeared on the radar. Just curious about a few things...


1. Has any used these guys before and if so what are your experiences?

https://tourhub.co/tour/expat-explore-travel/egypt...


2. an obvious question has to be about how safe it is given the current round of unpleasantness in the neighbourhood? I figure it can't be too worrisome as having your guests hurt, or worse, isn't good for business! Still has to be a concern though, or am I being a little bit precious?

[alabbasi]

I don't know anything about Egypt but I lived in Jordan in the early 90's for about a year and really enjoyed it. Good people, safe and lots of places to visit.

[Griffith4ever]

DodgyGeezer said:

looking at the idea of a short(ish) break to interesting parts when Egypt and Jordan appeared on the radar. Just curious about a few things...


1. Has any used these guys before and if so what are your experiences?

https://tourhub.co/tour/expat-explore-travel/egypt...


2. an obvious question has to be about how safe it is given the current round of unpleasantness in the neighbourhood? I figure it can't be too worrisome as having your guests hurt, or worse, isn't good for business! Still has to be a concern though, or am I being a little bit precious?

Looks great - I've done a very similar tour without the Jordan element. Its a very, very well established tourist route. Never felt unsafe. We did have a military escort to the Sinai Peninsular, but its been like that for a very long time due to driving through bandit country.

I like that tour a lot - yours. I'm looking at taking my other half who's not done Egypt (Egypt is an absolute must for anyone remotely interested in culture - or pretending to be Indiana Jones)

[Mrr T]

Egypt is a must visit if you have not been.

My comment about the tour is it looks hectic. You are after all visiting some of the most celebrated sites in the world.

Timing when visiting Egypt is everything. Summer is far to hot so most go spring and autumn but it's still warm and walking can be tiring.

I would look for something with a slower pace or book yourself. Its easy. Hotels and Airbnb hosts will arrange airport pickup and drop off, and guides, trip advisor also has lots.

Cairo
Pyramid and Sphinx
Grand Museum (that alone can be 2 days)
Coptic Egypt
Citadel of Salidan
Stepped pyramid
Khan Al-Khalili

Will all take a day.

Plan a day for the flight to Luxor, (and back latter) its not a long flight but getting to and from airports, check in, baggage collection etc.

Luxor
Karnak
Luxor temple and museum
Hurghada and valley of the kings (do pay for Seti).
Valley of the Queens.
Morning balloon trip.

Edited by Mrr T on Saturday 24th January 11:18

[Griffith4ever]

I really enjoyed being carted about and whisked from one thing to the next, and to be honest, most casual tourists are not going to want to spend 2 days in a museum. I certainly would not. It's all too "indoors". I did however spend 4 days exploring the temples of Angkor Watt, although some people rush it in a day, and of course some think the three day ticket is madness and you need at least a week. (I did 1 day 1st visit, then 3 days second visit).

With Egypt, I'd not care about the seaside stuff, though I travel a lot and do lot so beaches, so others will relish the chance of a couple of days by the sea.

I'd not trust anyone in Egypt with my life in a balloon.

[Rumdoodle]

DodgyGeezer said:

looking at the idea of a short(ish) break to interesting parts when Egypt and Jordan appeared on the radar. Just curious about a few things...


1. Has any used these guys before and if so what are your experiences?

https://tourhub.co/tour/expat-explore-travel/egypt...


2. an obvious question has to be about how safe it is given the current round of unpleasantness in the neighbourhood? I figure it can't be too worrisome as having your guests hurt, or worse, isn't good for business! Still has to be a concern though, or am I being a little bit precious?

I wouldn't be at all concerned about security. I just spent a few weeks in Tunisia, am in Libya at the moment, and will pass through Egypt next month sometime. Things seem pretty well under control. The Israel/Iran situation has caused occasional flight disruption over Jordan and Iraq. But, as long as you don't decide to have a picnic outside the Israeli embassy, you should be fine.

Also, I spent three years in Jordan from 2021 and there were never any security issues around tourist sites.

Edited by Rumdoodle on Saturday 24th January 13:58

[DodgyGeezer]

cheers all - some good info there... need to get the Boss to look at this stuff too

[Michael_B]

I spent my 3rd BA year at Alexandria University in the mid 1980s and travelled all over including three times down south, once making it as far as Khartoum. Never been back (did my MA in Aleppo) but am tempted to take Mrs B on a trip there in our first few years of retirement.

Perhaps tinged with nostalgia, but the people are generally friendly, generous and honest away from the major tourist traps.

I still remember a group of us regularly taking a night train to Cairo on a Thursday and renting horses in Giza at dawn the next day, riding across the desert to Saqqara for breakfast.

They made us take a guide the first time, but after that let us go alone, just telling us to bring the horses back by 10am

[Miguel Alvarez]

I was in Cairo for a wedding in December last year. Was expecting to hate it but was pleasantly surprised. Lovely place amazing food and people. I stayed in Zamalek.

[TheHeadhunter]

We've done Egypt loads, I'll fly in the face of usual advice, I'd leave Cairo in favour of Luxor.

I just adore Luxor. Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, West Bank/Theban Necropolis (valley of the Kings/Queens etc), Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Medinet Habu, Deir el-Medina, Luxor Museum, Felucca trips on the Nile. Hot air balloon at sunrise.

True Egypt IMO, immerse yourself with the locals, beautiful people. See real life. Surrounded by history, everything is dirt cheap.

Blag a spot on a 5* cruise ship for a 2 days trip to Aswan (take US Dollars, $100 per head into the back pocket of the captain will do it). If not, take the train to/from Aswan (stay at the Old Cataract).

If you are extravagant, take a flight to Abu Simbel.

If you fancy a bit of sea/diving, get a taxi (via the road train convoy) to Hurghada (or El Gouna or Safaga if you want remote).


Cairo is a box tick, do it once. We can do Luxor twice a year and still love every second.

[Doesitdrive]

DodgyGeezer said:

looking at the idea of a short(ish) break to interesting parts when Egypt and Jordan appeared on the radar. Just curious about a few things...


1. Has any used these guys before and if so what are your experiences?

https://tourhub.co/tour/expat-explore-travel/egypt...


2. an obvious question has to be about how safe it is given the current round of unpleasantness in the neighbourhood? I figure it can't be too worrisome as having your guests hurt, or worse, isn't good for business! Still has to be a concern though, or am I being a little bit precious?

I don't know about the operator, but I went XMas, February and planning to go again very shortly.

This time Cairo, hire car, drive around but definitely some time in Dahab and Sharm.

I am in touch with friends there, they live between Sharm and Cairo when it suits, from Cairo, working in Sharm.

Its everyday life as normal.

Home office, last time I looked has no travel issues, except to say stay 20km away from Israel and Libya, I guess incase a stray one comes along.

When do you here Egypt mentioned in the news ? Except when they open the gates to Gaza.

Got more chance of being blown up in a city here than in Egypt.

[Rumdoodle]

Doesitdrive said:

I don't know about the operator, but I went XMas, February and planning to go again very shortly.

This time Cairo, hire car, drive around but definitely some time in Dahab and Sharm.

I am in touch with friends there, they live between Sharm and Cairo when it suits, from Cairo, working in Sharm.

Its everyday life as normal.

Home office, last time I looked has no travel issues, except to say stay 20km away from Israel and Libya, I guess incase a stray one comes along.

When do you here Egypt mentioned in the news ? Except when they open the gates to Gaza.

Got more chance of being blown up in a city here than in Egypt.

I'm transiting Cairo next week en route to Yemen and would happily stay longer in Egypt if I had the time. Your last statement is patently bks. Tourism in Egpyt has seen massive volatility for the past twenty years because of shootings and bombings targeting foreigners. You don't get that sort of thing at Stonehenge or Madame Tussauds.

[Bezerk]

Rumdoodle said:

Doesitdrive said:

Got more chance of being blown up in a city here than in Egypt.

Your last statement is patently bks. Tourism in Egpyt has seen massive volatility for the past twenty years because of shootings and bombings targeting foreigners. You don't get that sort of thing at Stonehenge or Madame Tussauds.

Steady on maybe he lives in the Gulf

[Rumdoodle]

Bezerk said:

Steady on maybe he lives in the Gulf

Well, Dubai is perfectly safe. And anyone who says otherwise will be shot.

[Doesitdrive]

Bezerk said:

Rumdoodle said:

Doesitdrive said:

Got more chance of being blown up in a city here than in Egypt.

Your last statement is patently bks. Tourism in Egpyt has seen massive volatility for the past twenty years because of shootings and bombings targeting foreigners. You don't get that sort of thing at Stonehenge or Madame Tussauds.

Steady on maybe he lives in the Gulf

PMSL, I live in London London at risk from every nutter.

Sharm is very safe, so many checkpoints to get in, plenty of plod on the streets, not holding speed guns lol, not seen them have to respond to anything and I travel around.

Dahab was so laid back , like Cornwall in the 60,s.

Any sign of trouble, out comes a phone , vids sent to somewhere every body knows plod nab them.

My Egyptian friends say they have never even seen a punch up in Sharm.

Will see what Cairo is like, and driving around, booked flights this evening.

Haven't seen anything happening in the news for years, remember something about beach shooting, but being there twice in recent months, tourism wasn't in trouble at all, full at most places and met people who go 4, 5 , 6 times a year, and a lot from around the world that live there.

Cuban, Italian, American, Canadian, German and of course British, oh and a couple of Ukrainian women who have married Egyptians, and a Newcastle bird who had too.

Seriously thinking of following them too, my partner feels much safer there than London and as we stand out , as an odd couple lol, get a lot less whispering snide s than we do In London.

Out and about nobody takes any notice and we have made friends there very easily, still snide tourists though lol.

[Rumdoodle]

Doesitdrive said:

PMSL, I live in London London at risk from every nutter.

Sharm is very safe, so many checkpoints to get in, plenty of plod on the streets, not holding speed guns lol, not seen them have to respond to anything and I travel around.

Dahab was so laid back , like Cornwall in the 60,s.

Any sign of trouble, out comes a phone , vids sent to somewhere every body knows plod nab them.

My Egyptian friends say they have never even seen a punch up in Sharm.

Will see what Cairo is like, and driving around, booked flights this evening.

Haven't seen anything happening in the news for years, remember something about beach shooting, but being there twice in recent months, tourism wasn't in trouble at all, full at most places and met people who go 4, 5 , 6 times a year, and a lot from around the world that live there.

Cuban, Italian, American, Canadian, German and of course British, oh and a couple of Ukrainian women who have married Egyptians, and a Newcastle bird who had too.

Seriously thinking of following them too, my partner feels much safer there than London and as we stand out , as an odd couple lol, get a lot less whispering snide s than we do In London.

Out and about nobody takes any notice and we have made friends there very easily, still snide tourists though lol.

Maybe they remember the plane full of tourists that was blown out of the sky over Sharm. Couple of hundred people. But, yeah, UK much more dangerous.

[Rumdoodle]

And why do you think they have all those checkpoints, while we don't have them in British tourist sites?

[Mikebentley]

I went to Taba Heights 20 years ago and the now wife and I rented a private mini bus for a day out in Dahab. I accept it was 20 years ago but was one of if not the biggest st hole I have ever been to. Flies and stray cats everywhere in cafes and restaurants. We ate in a restaurant called Sinbad. Absolutely filthy. A week after we left there were tourists killed in explosions in Dahab at the same restaurant. I’m no wimp but I won’t put my family at risk going to that part of the world whilst the orange gibbon bombs Iran. Westerners are soft targets for martyrs and revenge attacks.

[Doesitdrive]

Mikebentley said:

I went to Taba Heights 20 years ago and the now wife and I rented a private mini bus for a day out in Dahab. I accept it was 20 years ago but was one of if not the biggest st hole I have ever been to. Flies and stray cats everywhere in cafes and restaurants. We ate in a restaurant called Sinbad. Absolutely filthy. A week after we left there were tourists killed in explosions in Dahab at the same restaurant. I m no wimp but I won t put my family at risk going to that part of the world whilst the orange gibbon bombs Iran. Westerners are soft targets for martyrs and revenge attacks.

Places change in 20 years lol. London is fighting fir third world status. Cornwall has changed for the worse.

Going to travel around more this time, we will see, but there are plenty of positive stories on YouTube from those that live there, some negatives too, but safety is something that doesn't get mentioned often.

Bloody shops have security in London and cameras following your every move, a few checkpoints to keep thousands if tourists safe lol, been far more terror attacks in London and many more nipped in the bud, at great cost to the taxpayer.

[Rumdoodle]

There's an important difference between shoplifting and terrorism. Compared to the UK, Egypt is awash with guns and there is a long-running armed insurgency in part of the country. I live in a touristy area of the UK, and we don't have checkpoints. Because we don't have locals who want to kill tourists.

Most people who go to most places in the world have no problems. And that obviously includes the UK. But, the reason that half the hotels in Sharm closed down after the Metrojet bombing was because people thought it might be safer to go to the Canaries.