Is this itinerary too much for Cairo and Alexandria ?

[anglina212]

We are booked on NCL, arriving in Alexandria at 7am, leaving next day at 10pm.
Having read so many posts about the 2-day Cairo itinerary I booked a two day excursion for me and my wife with Egyptshoreexcursions.com (we will probably stick to having a private tour) and below is the itinerary I've worked out. For those who have been there and done the tour, I could really use your advice as to whether this itinerary is too much or its OK?

Day1
-Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur to see Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid
-Giza Plateau: Pyramids (interior visit ), Great Sphinx and the Valley Temple
then Go to Hotel (Mena House)

Day2
-Breakfast then Morning visit to Giza if we were unable to visit Solar Boat
-Museum of Antiquities
-The Citadel and Mohammed Ali Mosque
-Khan el-Khalili bazaar
Leave Cairo at 5pm to Alexandria, photos stops in Alexandria(lighthouse+castle)

Thanks for any help you can give.

[Jade13]

Originally Posted by anglina212

We are booked on NCL, arriving in Alexandria at 7am, leaving next day at 10pm.
Having read so many posts about the 2-day Cairo itinerary I booked a two day excursion for me and my wife with Egyptshoreexcursions.com (we will probably stick to having a private tour) and below is the itinerary I've worked out. For those who have been there and done the tour, I could really use your advice as to whether this itinerary is too much or its OK?

Day1
-Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur to see Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid
-Giza Plateau: Pyramids (interior visit ), Great Sphinx and the Valley Temple
then Go to Hotel (Mena House)

Day2
-Breakfast then Morning visit to Giza if we were unable to visit Solar Boat
-Museum of Antiquities
-The Citadel and Mohammed Ali Mosque
-Khan el-Khalili bazaar
Leave Cairo at 5pm to Alexandria, photos stops in Alexandria(lighthouse+castle)

Thanks for any help you can give.

I would leave before 5:00PM on Day 2. Is it a 3 hour drive back to the port? We are doing that schedule over 2.5 days and we will be in Cairo btw.

[cruisemom42]

I think you are okay EXCEPT for going back out to Giza to visit the Solar Boat at the beginning of Day 2. Getting to Giza and back from Cairo takes a looooonnng time and is an exercise in patience due to the traffic. You'll eat up a lot of time doing this. If you're not able to see the Solar Boat on Day 1, I think you will have to skip it.

[azevedan]

Originally Posted by cruisemom42

I think you are okay EXCEPT for going back out to Giza to visit the Solar Boat at the beginning of Day 2. Getting to Giza and back from Cairo takes a looooonnng time and is an exercise in patience due to the traffic. You'll eat up a lot of time doing this. If you're not able to see the Solar Boat on Day 1, I think you will have to skip it.

I second this (except to point out that they're staying at the Mena House, so they'll wake up out in Giza the 2nd day). The solar boat is right at the pyramids, and doesn't take that long a visit. It is a marvel, though, and worth seeing. But you should head straight into Cairo early on the 2nd day and not wait for the solar boat museum to open.

[cruisemom42]

Originally Posted by azevedan

I second this (except to point out that they're staying at the Mena House, so they'll wake up out in Giza the 2nd day). The solar boat is right at the pyramids, and doesn't take that long a visit. It is a marvel, though, and worth seeing. But you should head straight into Cairo early on the 2nd day and not wait for the solar boat museum to open.

Oops, I didn't catch the hotel. In that case, I guess it is up to the travelers to decide. If you really want to do the Solar Boat, then you may have to shorten something in Cairo -- just don't let it be the museum!

[Mexfolkart]

We are staying at the Mena House in November for 2 nights..is it possible to go out to the pyramids very early and ride a camel and be there when the sun rises?
Also, are there specific tours at the Alexandria Library in English and do we have to make sure our guide gets there by a certain time for them? Driving from Cairo TO Alexandria and back.
Thank you,
Sherry

[anglina212]

Thanks so much for your comments!

[choices-choices]

Which hotel would you recommend for 2 day tour in Cairo?

Originally Posted by cruisemom42

Oops, I didn't catch the hotel. In that case, I guess it is up to the travelers to decide. If you really want to do the Solar Boat, then you may have to shorten something in Cairo -- just don't let it be the museum!

[cruisemom42]

Originally Posted by choices-choices

Which hotel would you recommend for 2 day tour in Cairo?

Do you want to stay in Cairo or at Giza?

In my opinion, the Mena House cannot be beat if you want to stay at Giza near the pyramids.

In Cairo, the Fairmont Nile City is a very nice and fairly new hotel. I like hotels with character, so I have enjoyed staying at the Shepheard Hotel as well, but it is definitely a bit run down when compared with the Fairmont. I do like the location of Shepheard Hotel better, and it has a wonderful breakfast room with faience tiles and a view of the Nile. However -- and I stress this -- it is not for everyone. If you want a shiny new American-style hotel, it's not for you.

[Hlitner]

Love your itinerary and it sounds nearly perfect except for the 5pm departure from Cairo. Keep in mind that it can easily take 3 hours to drive back to Alexandria and this can sometimes be made worse if the Egyptian authorities decide to set up security checkpoints along the highway....which really delays traffic. We ran into one of these checkpoints 3 years ago and it did add to the time of our drive. If it were me, we would probably want to leave Cairo by around 3 and then spend a little time touring Alexandria.

We did stay at the Oberoi Mena House and loved the property. Laying out at their large outdoor pool and gazing up at the top of the Great Pyramid from our lounge chairs was an near surreal experience. The Mena House has several buildings with their main building being much older and quite elegant. But there are several other motel-like buildings scattered around the expansive grounds where the rooms are more modern...but more like Holiday Inn rooms then a 4-5 star hotel.

Although the Khan al Khalili Bazaar (more like an entire neighborhood) is open during the daytime, the place really jumps in the early evening (when the Egyptians stop to do their shopping on the way home from work). We did enjoy it in the early afternoon, but found it much more fun at night when it was more crowded.

Hank

[Nebr.cruiser]

Your itinerary sounds very doable and close to what we did when touring Egypt by land; we did not see the solar boat though (our tour was before this was available) and personally I think I'd skip that.

But, since you are at the Mena House with the Pyramids practically in your lap, maybe you can fit this in. This is where we stayed too, and it was probably the most spectacular location for a hotel I have ever seen.

We are considering a cruise with this exact Egypt itinerary too; I'd want to head back earlier than 5 PM, knowing Egyptian traffic and beaurocratic logjams.

[gloria_edwin]

I think your itinerary is fine.

[anglina212]

CRUISE MUMMY
Do you know how much is Fairmont Nile City ?

[cruisemom42]

Originally Posted by anglina212

CRUISE MUMMY
Do you know how much is Fairmont Nile City ?

It has been several years since I was last in Egypt, so I'd hesitate to quote a cost. It is easy to get an idea of hotel prices online by looking at their website:

http://www.fairmont.com/nile-city-cairo/

You'll pay a bit more for a Nile view. Also, if you are booking with a private tour, they can usually get a better price.

[cruisewill197]

I would leave before 5:00PM, its 3 hour drive back to the port