Egypt

I appreciate the report. I have many facebook friends who live in Egypt and want me to visit. I was always afraid to go because of how the media portrays it as very dangerous. Now I might start planning my trip.

I'm headed to Egypt in January and I'm very excited!!!

With locals or expats living there, you will have a blast, go. We had the great chamber of Cheops to ourselves, even Tut's tomb. Try to time your tourist spot visits, and go in winter when it is cool. Tut's tomb is empty after 1, the tour buses come in the morning, the Cairo Museum is always busy, but not crazy. Cairo is big, loud, polluted (but still go!). Luxor and Aswan are what you think of the Nile, blue, clear, cattle along the banks, pastoral. Camels are scarce outside of Cairo(and maybe Alexandria), so get your fix if you are there, I was lucky and took camel ride to Monastery by Aswan I think. Do tourist things like hokey poses by Pyramids. I was glad I did, who knows when I'll be back. There's a lot of Planet to visit, and I just started.

My friend's live close to Alex as they refer to it. I am hoping to meet them there for beach time then venture to Cairo and other locations. Did you take a tour? If so what company? Any info is appreciated.

We went to Egypt/Jordan last November with Odysseys-Unlimited. We have traveled all over the world, and Egypt was probably our most amazing trip! We had a 2013 trip canceled because it wasn't safe then. We had armed guards, police escort and a wonderful guide. It's a first-class tour company with very nice hotels, meals etc. Tourism was down 90% so people were so glad to see us. The ancient history, sights, tombs, street scenes etc. are amazing. We had 13 days in Egypt and 4 days in Jordan. So, so glad we were able to get there. GO

Hi Steve, I used Memphis tours and would highly recommend them. With friends though, tour may be less necessary. Don't even try driving in Cairo. I've not been to Alex (since you know) but want to. Roads and traffic not the same (optional use of designated lanes, Direction, and "horn" is its own language). Depending on personal preference, may be better on your own, so you could spend more time. If you want to go outside the main areas where your friends may not have time or means to get you, then hire a car or tour. From Alex, fly or train down to Aswan or Luxor. We drove from Cairo to Luxor, with one or two overnight stops to check other sites (Beni Hassan, El Minya). Nile tours between the two I think are time consuming (days or close to a week). Also, Nile tours are nearly nonexistent due to lack of tourists. Good for us, Nile was big boat free, only falucas. Other friends who went before said Nile was boat superhighway at tourist height. Took train back to Cairo, clean, decent food despite some reviews, and my first sleeper. Best advice given: bring Imodium, you will be glad you have it if you need it, and always carry toilet paper (partial roll from friend or hotel). I will add, if you are there and have the opportunity, do it. I'm scared of heights but so glad I did the ballon ride in Luxor. When I asked about an unlit set of spiraling dirt stairs in a temple, I was told it was nothing, an unfinished room. A 4000 year old unfinished room in an Egyptian temple! I went down and turned off my phone light, and have a great memory and story for it. I was the one who crawled and climbed everything allowed, the young'in of the group. I never felt I needed to be glued to our guide to be safe while in the larger cities or towns, but I would be cautious off the beaten path. Fewer English speakers and much more conservative, but still friendly people. As for trinket hawkers, bring sunglasses and wear them, DO NOT ENGAGE! Seriously, practice it if need be. My roommate and I had a system of "rescuing" one another as needed. Oh yeah, and haggle. Enough, I can talk forever. :-). One more thing, if you have an Egyptian to help, it can make things smoother.

Hi Sandra. Thanks for the report. Brings back great memories. Six of us toured last year. We had an armed guard with us at all times but mostly like you I didn't feel it necessary. None of us ventured out at night though. We were warned it was not safe. Being a passenger in Cairo is a thrill not to be missed. Taxi stands on the side of the highway!! But what we saw of Egypt was so poor. So much garbage in the Nile water can barely flow. People living in condemned buildings. Pencil thin animals pulling carts. Our tour guide was fascinating. With tourism down she said she was barely surviving but she was hopeful since she saw some signs of tourism growth. My group was the first to go back in years.

We flew down to Luxor and went to the Hatshepsut Temple, Valley of the Kings and Queens, entering the tombs of Ramses iv and ix, Septal and Tawesret and Sethherkhopsef. Incredible sites. It only got better when we went to the Temples of Karnak and Luxor. The archaeology history is amazing. Back to Cairo we went to Saqqara, descended into a couple of pyramids, fascinating and to think it predates Abraham by 700 years!! Climbing on the giant pyramids in Giza! A lifelong dream come true.

You are so right about the hagglers. Sunglasses, keep your head down and keep walking and eventually they'll move on to the next person. Worst part of the trip. Thanks for bringing back great memories.

Thanks for all the information! I have visited Israel and Jordan twice so I am familiar with the Middle East and ignoring trinket sellers and the art of haggling. Most of my friends live between Cairo and Alex and speak English so yes they would be an awesome help to me.

Thanks for the report, Sandra. I would really like to go there. I agree with Judy that Odysseys Unlimited does a great job with their tours. We have taken two of them. The reports of attacks on tourists and local Christians in recent years have held us back. We will reconsider this destination as it is on my bucket list. One question - did you need a yellow fever shot for this trip?

Hi Mary. I was advised by my doctor to take a Typhoid vaccine (oral vaccine lasts longer). Not needed according to reports, but since we were all over Egypt rather than just metro areas, he thought it best. The US government has vaccine advisories that you can google. I was told don't put your hand in the Nile/drink the water.

Thanks, Sandra. We have had the oral typhoid vaccine as well plus hep ab, tdap, etc. Yellow fever is the only one we haven't had. We have traveled in third world countries and know about the water issues and so far so good for us.