Egypt - initial questions

Hi David,

I can't answer Question 1, other than to say we were just in Egypt in October and the weather was good, not too hot.

Question 2 - not trying to convince you one way or another, but just for some perhaps-useful info, our trip was through OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) "Ancient Egypt and the Nile". This tour starts and ends in Cairo and includes 7 nights on a 75-passenger ship cruising between Luxor and Aswan. Our trip had fewer travelers, and we were split into 3 groups so we were with about 20 people most of the time. There are pros and cons to this kind of travel - it is a lot of people, and a lot of...personalities. But it was an excellent tour, went to all the places, had a nice mix of downtime built in (especially on the cruise, nice to just sit on the boat and watch the Nile go by), etc. I could do without the trip to a school, and the home-hosted meal can be hit or miss - but these are both signature OAT features, oh well, and were hardly awful. The guides were excellent, as they tend to be with OAT. All the logistics are handled of course, which would be the same with a private tour I would guess. Overall, an excellent experience and we saw all we wanted to see and then some. For context, we are also independent travelers but there are just some thing that seem better suited to a tour, and this was one (in our opinion). It also helps that we are retired, and can take advantage of last minute "we gotta fill this tour" deals :)

Just about every website or video I've seen has put the peak high season as December through February. Makes sense, since those are also the coolest months in Egypt. Note that Ramadan in 2027 runs from Feb 7 -Mar 8.

There are quite a few previous threads about tour companies for Egypt. This one from a couple of days ago includes a few links: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/beyond-europe/egypt-tours Our choice was a small group tour (25 people) with Odysseys Unlimited.

Marie M and Tammy (aka Diveloonie) both have posted trip reports of private tours they took, using Egyptian companies.

Whether you choose a small group tour or a private tour, I'd definitely recommend either over independent travel, unless you are fluent in Arabic and have been there before.

We went over Christmas in 2021. The weather was perfect--about 65-70 during the daytime. We traveled with Egypt and Beyond and had a private tour guide and driver. In fact, if you watch the Rick Steves Egypt episode, our guide was Marwa (sp?) the same guide as in the episode. Our "greeter" who picked us up at the airport and made sure we got where we were going was also in the episode.

We have also traveled both independently and with group tours, and the main benefit we see that comes with a private tour is that you can customize it to exactly what you want to see and do. The only negative was that the trip was pretty expensive for us, but at the same time I would say that it was well worth it. After the trip, you don't continue to think about how much it cost. You remember the great time you had and all the interesting things you saw and experienced.

We went in late April/early May 2024 and had an amazing time, and I'm sure you will as well. To respond to your questions:

-My first thought when seeing your proposed dates was to double check Ramadan, and as CJean mentions above, it will indeed be the month of February in 2027. I would suggest not going at that time as things are more likely to be closed or have limited opening hours. It's certainly possible to visit at that time but I would try for another time. We initially planned to go around Easter 2024 but after realising Ramadan was then and researching a bit we decided to book for a little later in the year. For the time we went, the only times I really struggled with the heat was being out in direct sun visiting the monuments around Aswan and Luxor- it was ok in the shade. But it does get up to 40C in Aswan at that time of year.

-We did a mix of private tours, group tours, and independent travel which could also work for you. For the Nile cruise part, we did a group tour (meaning you are taken in a group to visit the main sites like Abu Simbel, Edfu, Karnak, etc). Our group however was very small- the two of us and four other people. For when we were in Cairo, we used private tours to visit both the Giza pyramids and the Saqqara pyramids. The rest of the time we were on our own and found it very easy to get around. Despite studying Arabic for three years at university I have forgotten a lot of it so we were reliant on English which was not an issue. The metro is easy to use and Ubers are very inexpensive and easy to get.

Good luck with your planning!

I would second the OAT recommendation. As well as the one previously described, they have another one with similar itinerary, but the cruise is on a private yacht with the group no more than 16. It costs a bit more but the yacht (as well as the rest of the tour) were really good.

We just got back. Weather was 70-80s during the day and in 40s at night. We went on a Viking tour and were happy we did. I cant imagine navigating the streets and fighting the traffic. Crowds will be a problem no matter what size tour you're with.

I have been to Egypt 3 times. I lived in Saudi Arabia for 5 years in the 80s.
I keep up with the political and cultural situation in Egypt.

I strongly recommend taking a group tour to tour Egypt. This will provide much better security for you. The Egyptian government mandates that all tours have an armed guard for security.. The current government has significantly improved security for the people there, after a radical was elected President several years ago. Still, it is not a good idea to tour on your own.

The last time I was in Egypt was about 3 years ago. I found the country to have progressed economically since 1985 when I was last there. The infrastructure has vastly improved. Still, traffic can be difficult around Cairo.

Also, Egypt is still a poor country and it is not wise to eat street food. Never drink any fluids unless you are given an unopened bottle that you open. It is best to stay in a four or five star hotel. Dine in upscale restaurants.

The good news is that Egypt is relatively inexpensive compared to Europe.

As for tours, we did a great Gate 1 Tour that included two river cruises and Abu Simbel (be sure to do Abu Simbel).
Our hotels were top, 5 star Marriott hotels. Our guides had university educations.

Gate 1 had great prices, be sure to compare at least three different tour companies. OAT is another good tour company.

If you have done Morocco independently, then you won’t have much issues in Egypt. I think it is straightforward to do Cairo, Luxor, Aswan by yourself. When we did this which was quite a few years ago, we flew to Luxor after wandering around Cairo and seeing the pyramids. After Luxor, got a driver and minivan for the drive to Aswan including the usual stops at Edfu, Edna, and Kom Ombo. Visiting Abu Simbel at that time required one to be on an organized day tour which departed at 3 AM and returned around noon or so.

For the boat cruise you will need to decide on # of nights and whether traveling upstream or down stream and which part of the river to travel.

I haven’t checked but I don’t think the security situation is any mor dire than it has been for many years.

I’m sure you’ll enjoy your trip no matter how you set it up and do be aware of the temple overload

Due to the Ramadan dates, you may need to target the last week in Jan and the first week of Feb to avoid the constraints of Ramadan.

Chiming in again on the security consideration - police "minders" are indeed still required by law on tours/tour buses, especially in Cairo, although our guides went to great lengths to assure us that while it is still the law, it is not really necessary anymore. The only time we ever saw them in action was 1) when one of our tour members fell and needed medical attention, and 2) when there was a big bus traffic jam on a narrow street that needed sorting. That said, we went with a tour here in part because if something went crazy - well, crazier - in the Middle East, we had a company that could get us re-routed or out of the area. Egypt goes to great lengths to remain neutral, but that doesn't always mean safe.

Also, if you are considering renting a car and driving in Cairo - just don't. It is the most insane traffic I have ever seen, ever, and I've been some places. Traffic lights and lane markings are barely even suggestions. There seems to be some secret driving code known only to Egyptians lol. Fun to watch from a bus though!

I wonder if Ramadan would have much affect on your trip. Places that cater to tourists will surely be operating much as usual. On the other hand, you may get to enjoy the evening celebrations as people are able to eat and enjoy at the end of each day's fasting. I would check on tripadvisor forums where you are more likely to get info from locals and recent tourists. I would advise you to avoid the 3-day holiday of Eid at the end of Ramadan when it's likely much will be closed and many locals will be on vacation.

February would be my choice. Longer days than January and likely warmer weather. Though I don't know if it's ever going to be very cold in the Middle East. January is usually our coldest month and I'm still wearing sandals and short sleeves outside on most days.

I did the OAT tour Slate mentioned (Egypt & the Eternal Nile by Private, Classic River-Yacht) in 2023. It was fabulous. The private yacht (called a dahabiya) was such a pleasure. We saw plenty of the larger boats, and I felt so happy to be with a smaller group on a boat that was just for us. And the itinerary is exactly what you're looking for.

I did Morocco partially during Ramadan, and it did not really affect the experience. In fact, I was glad to have the opportunity to learn about this part of Muslim culture.

Thank you to all who have answered so far. Some initial responses:

Thanks for the heads-up on Ramadan dates, I should have checked that. FWIW I am seeing divided opinions online (surprise!) as to whether and how much that might impact us. The consensus seems to be (I think) that for foreign tourists hitting the big sites, there should be little impact. Greater impact would be refraining from public consumption during daytime hours - we would need to be discreet about eating/drinking in public (I do like to stay hydrated, but assume I could duck into a semi-private space occasionally to drink some water); and we might enjoy the festive time (analogous to going to Europe during Christmas holidays).

Still not sure about the tour details, I might mix up a hybrid with a few days of independent travel on our own (in/around Cairo) then maybe private tour bits strung together, for the south and the boat. Will investigate options from OAT, Odysseys Unlimited, Gate 1, Djed, and perhaps others. Hoping to find an operator that is amenable to customizing things for our sometimes-unconventional travel style and tastes.

For the boat cruise - any input on which direction (upstream/downstream) is better, and which sections of the river are more/less interesting? I definitely want the small boat experience.

Yes, I am aware of the security situation, or at least as aware as an outsider can be, and take it seriously (though I have a pretty high freak-out threshold...I've been around armed guards and kids with machine guns before: "as long as they're in a uniform, we're probably OK..."). I gave up trying to manage Arabic long ago, a few memorized polite phrases and yes/no is about all I expect to master - but I don't think we will be getting very far off the main tourism circuit. No street food for me in developing nations. I stick to the axiom "Boil it, peel it, or forget it" unless I'm in a very controlled eatery that's trustworthy (and even then I'm pretty careful).

Thanks again, please keep the insights and suggestions coming.

Greater impact would be refraining from public consumption during daytime hours - we would need to be discreet about eating/drinking in public (I do like to stay hydrated, but assume I could duck into a semi-private space occasionally to drink some water)

Maybe Egypt would be different in this regard, but in Morocco during Ramadan there was no expectation by anyone that we would need to be discreet about eating or drinking in public.

Ramadan is good to be aware of, but my small number of three experiences (none of them in Egypt) has been that it is an interesting time to be there. Each country can obviously be different, but in Jordan, Dubai, and Bosnia, courtesy was appreciated but no one expected me to follow the same rules - with the exception of when you are joining in an Iftar meal. And that is an experience not to be missed. You’ve traveled enough to know how to be aware of or ask about what to do or not do. (In Jordan, my drivers were allowed to “take a day off” if needed for safety and make it up later.) I have no experience in Egypt.

I agree visiting during Ramadan could be an interesting experience and have enjoyed Hari Raya in Malaysia (the local term for Eid). However, I personally would feel self conscious eating and drinking in front of people who were fasting. The Egypt Lonely Planet guidebook says "tourist sites, shops, and businesses close around mid-afternoon and many restaurants remain shut during daylight hours." That may not impact your plans but definitely something to consider. It also says if you're a late-night person you may actually enjoy this time more as there's a lot more happening in the evening.

Edit: I checked my Jordan Lonely Planet for comparison. It actually encouraged visiting during Ramadan! I wanted to check Morocco as well but do not seem to have that one handy.

For the boat trip, the majority of people just go between Aswan and Luxor as that is where all the major sites are. You can go all the way up to Cairo if you want but there's less to see and of course additional cost. However, being on the boat itself is extremely enjoyable so you may want a longer cruise. In terms of direction, going north from Aswan to Luxor is three nights, and going south is four- so again, depends how much of your time you want to spend on the boat.

To put it another way, boats travelling south are going against the current, so they go more slowly. Boats travelling north move with the current so can go faster.

The number of nights varies among different cruises and isn’t necessarily dependent on which direction you’re going. For example, the OAT yacht cruise can be going either way depending on which tour departure you’re on, which makes sense, since when the boat reaches Aswan it’s efficient to pick up another group to go back the other way to Luxor, or vice versa, than deadhead back empty, and either way, you’re five nights on the boat. I don’t think it matters which way you’re going. There are locks a bit south of Luxor — some boats go through them, others, such as OAT’s yachts, do not and they embark and disembark about an hour’s bus ride from Luxor. That may sound like a disadvantage but it really isn’t. The locks are time consuming and I understand boats using them may need to be competitive to jostle for a good time slot, and the classic good river scenery and temple sights are between the locks and Aswan. There are places along the route where all the boats stop, as they have the major temples, such as Edfu, but an advantage of the smaller yachts is that they also can visit smaller villages more easily and tie up for the night where the bigger ships can’t.