15 Day trip to Egypt - the travel notes, by Seafun

[tnsauerkraut]

Thanks Kane!!! A few more questions--did you stay at the Marriott? How was it?

The Marriott was incredible - huge with half a dozen restaurants to choose from, a gorgeous pool, even a casino if you're so inclined!

 

I realize there are some early morning wake-ups, but did you feel rushed with the itinerary? I'm thinking of skipping Alexandria and doing another day at the museum in Cairo, but probably doing most of the other excursions. Some of the itineraries did feel a little rushed, but that's the pitfall of going with a tour group. I also skipped Alexandria, but we spent the day in Dashour, visiting the lesser known pyramids and I'm so glad because we were the only tourists there and made the visit to Giza seem like atrip to Disneyland. I know that some people loved it, but personally, I found the museum to be very confusing and frustrating. Loved the King Tut exhibit and the Mummy Room, but I wouldn't pay to go for a second day. Ditto on what Seafun said about buying souvenirs across the street. The vendors at the musem were out of date.

 

How was the food on the meals that were included with the tours and on board ship--one possible travel companion is a vegetarian. The food was good and they always had vegetarian selections at all meals.

 

Anything you ran across on your own (not part of the tour) that is recommended? Dashour - the red pyramd and bent pyramid. It was great to see these pyramids with no crowds and you can even go into the red pyramid!

 

Were the busses crowded on the tours? Four our group of 138, we had three buses, and all the seats were taken. each group had 44 people. BUt they were nice buses.

Hope that helps!

 

 

Thanks again!

[tnsauerkraut]

I am thrilled to hear about your journey!

Gives me the thrill to plan your type of journey!

For now I have to settle on just one day in Alexandria, where I hope to see the Pyramids at Giza. I think there's a miscommunication somewhere: Giza is outside of Cairo, not Alexandria.

I'm just having alot of trouble finding a trusted and well recommended guide.There are many good guides. I would suggest you go to Tripadvisor.com and in the sticky's under Cairo, there is a list of recommended guides. Personally, we used Amira. Her e-mail address is amira-briech@yahoo.com If you have any problems getting through to her, let me know.

Please anyone with good or bad reviews with a guide or guide company...please contact me!

I would love to hear from you,

Maria

[wanderinggirl]

Thanks TNsauerkraut!! The more info the better. Any further hints are always appreciated!

[slidergirl]

Thank you for posting your journal and photos for us to see. I'm doing a 2 week trip to Egypt and Jordan in October with Adventure Women. Reading everyone's journals of their trips just makes me more excited for my own trip.

I just took a long weekend trip to Dallas to see the Tutankhamen exhibit. I used Frequent flyer miles and Frequent guest points to afford it. I really enjoyed it. I spent 3 hours touring the exhibit. It was a nice teaser to my own trip.

I loved your pictures of the various animals. I tend to take pictures of the local fauna, too. I even have wandering cat and sleeping dog pictures!!

[seafun]

More discoveries to keep us coming back...

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-science/20090426/SCIENCE-US-EGYPT-MUMMIES/

 

And remember... "Mummies Day" is May 10th. :D Be sure to send her a card or some flowers...

[WeBeGone]

You are TOO funny ! :D

[seafun]

I'm honored that you're still onboard this somewhat bumpy camel ride! ;)

Thanks for all your input and support. :)

[shadowdiver]

Seafun. I was just wandering if you could give me an idea of the cost of meals you had on your own that was not included in the package. I know most hotel restraints and room service food can be very expensive. I know I might be getting a little ahead of myself there's lots more I need to know about before I get to that question but I just happened to think about it. Am I over planing and over thinking this trip?

[slidergirl]

Seafun. I was just wandering if you could give me an idea of the cost of meals you had on your own that was not included in the package. I know most hotel restraints and room service food can be very expensive. I know I might be getting a little ahead of myself there's lots more I need to know about before I get to that question but I just happened to think about it. Am I over planing and over thinking this trip?

 

OMG! Excellent question!! I would have never thought of that. With the economy the way that it is, I was thinking of cancelling my trip. But, I figured I'd only get this chance to do it, so I'm just going to have to be frugal in my non-included items. Knowing how much food costs will be greatly appreciated!

[smeyer418]

we ate at good restuarants but not at the expensive hotels. The food was under $20 for a three course meal per person....We ate lunch in Port Said for under a $1.00 per person and it was great.....We had falafal(chip pea) and fuol(fava bean) sandwiches and Koshari....(a mixture of rice, pasta sauce and other stuff)....

no Pharaohs revenge either.

Edited May 20, 2009 by smeyer418

[seafun]

Let's see... Our first hotel was the Swiss Inn Pyramids and the restaurant prices for food there seemed cheaper than most U.S. hotels (although $10.00 a shot (!) for hard liquor. One guy with our group ordered two double Bacardi and cokes on the first night there, and almost dropped to the floor when he got the tab of $40.00!! :eek:

There was a nice "fusion" restaurant upstairs where I got a great Phad Thai for about $10 or $12.

Also there was a pasta buffet right next door at the Hilton Pyramids that was reasonable too -- all you can eat -- around $16.00? Don't know if you'll be in the same hotel, but most restaurant and hotel food seemed reasonable -- and as smeyer said, some of it downright cheap!

Beer was inexpensive (as an alternative to bottled water, LOL), wine was more expensive and hard liquor was very expensive everywhere.

There's a MacDonald's in Luxor LOL (just kidding, but I did have a Coke there). Go there for the stunning views upstairs of the Luxor temple across the street, and the hilarious MacDonald's mural of Chicken McNuggets skateboarding in front of the pyramids, and the Sphinx with Ronald McDonald's face! :rolleyes: Oh, and you can buy a large "MacDonalds Egypt" towel (sun tan size) for $10.00 -- I did.

I didn't buy much street food other than baked goods, pastries, rolls, etc -- all of those were dirt cheap and extremely tasty. So was a gyro type thing in a pita. Stay away from the raw vegetables, lettuce in salads or sandwiches, and ice in anything. I even did my Coke ice-free in MacDonalds.)

Many of the non-covered meals I did by just buying a couple cans of soda pop, a bag of chips, a bit of candy and whatever else appealed to me a little stores along the way, rather than worrying about the safety of foods in a local restuarant.

I was fairly careful to not try much that could cause "gastro" problems when we were not in the hotel, a sponsored restaurant, or on the ship.

I would say you can plan on not spending more than $200.00 for all meals not included on the 15 day trip. I did it for MUCH less. Hope that helps. :D

[shadowdiver]

Let's see... Our first hotel was the Swiss Inn Pyramids and the restaurant prices for food there seemed cheaper than most U.S. hotels (although $10.00 a shot (!) for hard liquor. One guy with our group ordered two double Bacardi and cokes on the first night there, and almost dropped to the floor when he got the tab of $40.00!! :eek:

 

There was a nice "fusion" restaurant upstairs where I got a great Phad Thai for about $10 or $12.

 

Also there was a pasta buffet right next door at the Hilton Pyramids that was reasonable too -- all you can eat -- around $16.00? Don't know if you'll be in the same hotel, but most restaurant and hotel food seemed reasonable -- and as smeyer said, some of it downright cheap!

 

Beer was inexpensive (as an alternative to bottled water, LOL), wine was more expensive and hard liquor was very expensive everywhere.

 

There's a MacDonald's in Luxor LOL (just kidding, but I did have a Coke there). Go there for the stunning views upstairs of the Luxor temple across the street, and the hilarious MacDonald's mural of Chicken McNuggets skateboarding in front of the pyramids, and the Sphinx with Ronald McDonald's face! :rolleyes: Oh, and you can buy a large "MacDonalds Egypt" towel (sun tan size) for $10.00 -- I did.

 

I didn't buy much street food other than baked goods, pastries, rolls, etc -- all of those were dirt cheap and extremely tasty. So was a gyro type thing in a pita. Stay away from the raw vegetables, lettuce in salads or sandwiches, and ice in anything. I even did my Coke ice-free in MacDonalds.)

 

Many of the non-covered meals I did by just buying a couple cans of soda pop, a bag of chips, a bit of candy and whatever else appealed to me a little stores along the way, rather than worrying about the safety of foods in a local restuarant.

 

I was fairly careful to not try much that could cause "gastro" problems when we were not in the hotel, a sponsored restaurant, or on the ship.

 

I would say you can plan on not spending more than $200.00 for all meals not included on the 15 day trip. I did it for MUCH less. Hope that helps. :D

Thanks that's a great help I never even thought about the coke and a bag of chips that snack sounds safe. I hope I'm not asking to many questions but I know I'll think of more. It's good to be able to chat with someone who has already been on a Gate1 trip.

[tnsauerkraut]

I found that most restaurants I went to were buffet style, so you had a wide variety to choose from - a godsend for me because I am very picky. But I have to agree with SeaFun - on our Grand Circle Trip most meals were included and I spent less than $150 in three weeks on food.

[shadowdiver]

I found that most restaurants I went to were buffet style, so you had a wide variety to choose from - a godsend for me because I am very picky. But I have to agree with SeaFun - on our Grand Circle Trip most meals were included and I spent less than $150 in three weeks on food.

 

Thanks, Yeah I like the idea of buffet because I can see the food before I order it so I can make sure it's a dish that's well cooked

[shadowdiver]

I found that most restaurants I went to were buffet style, so you had a wide variety to choose from - a godsend for me because I am very picky. But I have to agree with SeaFun - on our Grand Circle Trip most meals were included and I spent less than $150 in three weeks on food.

 

Well I'm not as lucky as you I'm only going to be going on an 8 day gate1 trip but I'll still need to know some of the same info. I think on my 8 day trip most all breakfast at the hotels and all meals while on the river cruise. I'm going to be doing the full day excursion of pyramids and museum on 1 day and it comes with a buffet style lunch so I think I'll only have 2 to 3 meals on my own.

[shadowdiver]

:DWell I'm committed now I just booked my 8 day Gate 1 trip and deposit is in. march 16 2010, I'm ready to start my reading and research on Egypt.

[bqkali]

We are booked for a 8-day "land" trip to Egypt in January and are VERY excited for it!! :D We'll be going to Cairo, Aswan, Luxor, and Abu Simbel.

 

Does anyone have a recommendation for private tour operators? We are looking at adding extra time in Cairo. We'd like to see Coptic & Muslim Cairo one day, which our tour does not go to, along with Alexandria as a day trip. I've seen several recommendations for tour operators from the port in Alexandria going to Cairo for the day, but none in the reverse direction.

 

We are open to private tours (of reasonable cost) or bus-type excursions.

 

Thanks!!!

[seafun]

It's alright to ask questions shadowdiver, LOL. We've all done it. I'll keep my eyes peeled for your inquiries. Go get cracking on those guide books... the research will be worth its weight in ancient Egyptian gold! :D

And bqkali, I have a great suggestion for you... Over on trip advisor dot com there is a great thread that will give you lots of info on suggested guides -- and will open up a whole new place to research for you. Start off with this thread, and go from there:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294201-i9404-k2432984-Guides_in_Cairo-Cairo.html

 

My friend over there, Cairo Wendy, has been in Cairo almost as long as the pharoahs --- hee hee, well, not THAT long -- but is an excellent source of information, and she particularly loves Coptic Cairo. She writes on the trip adisor forums frequently, but check out the thread mentioned for guide suggestions.

[tnsauerkraut]

If I may add to your request..I've posted this on Trip Advisor already, but wanted to mention the wonderful tour guide my mom and I used in Cairo. Her name is Amira and her e-mail address is amira-briech@yahoo.com. We had booked her for one day for the mosque, coptic museum, etc and were so impressed that we booked here again the next day. WE probably spent 2 hours at the mosque, sitting and talking about differences in our religion, and the lives of Muslim women beyond what you hear about that is mostly false. This is not to say that these philosophical discussions are mandatory, but to me it was one of the highlights of our trip, being able to speak to someone who could tell us about the real lives of muslims. I would go with her again in a heartbeat. And the price for the private tour, car and driver was $23 per person.

[shadowdiver]

Thanks Seafun. I wish Gate 1 had a roll call type sight like cruise critic does so I could meet and chat with other folks who will be on my same 8 day trip. LOL but since I don't think they do I'll just have to bug Seafun & all the rest of you.

[bqkali]

And bqkali, I have a great suggestion for you... Over on trip advisor dot com there is a great thread that will give you lots of info on suggested guides -- and will open up a whole new place to research for you. Start off with this thread, and go from there:

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294201-i9404-k2432984-Guides_in_Cairo-Cairo.html

 

Thanks for the link. I sent off some preliminary emails to guides who looked promising and hopefully I'll have some answers within the next few days. Normally, I am an independent traveler, so it is strange for me to rely on guides instead of public transportation/cabs. In Egypt we (as two young women traveling alone) don't want to take a chance on safety. The added bonus is having someone to explain the sights and make it a more valuable experience!

 

Now I need to read this thread more carefully; I skimmed most of it, but really appreciate all the insight that is within each posting. If you have any other tips or advice, I'd love to hear it!

[Benita]

Seafun - Do you remember if your guide, Sam's name was Hosam Gedowy? He was our guide on our recent trip and said he spends most of his time with Gate1 tours.

[seafun]

Have you got a photo of him? I just looked back through my photos and don't see any of him that I posted.

I know I've got one of him on a felucca but I can't find the original memory card right now.

[Hydrokitty]

Seafun: I did this trip in January/February, 2009 with Vantage. It was such a wonderful trip and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading your diary. It brought back so many wonderful memories. I was so disappointed for you that your balloon cruise was cancelled. We took it and it was spectacular! Thank you again for a fantastic job!!!:):)

[shadowdiver]

Question for you Seafun, On my 8 day itinerary it shows some optional tours that are not listed in the optional tours list when I booked.

example DAY 5, Saturday - Cruise to Luxor

This afternoon, sail via Esna to Luxor, known in ancient Egyptian times as the city of Thebes

Optional Shore Excursion: Ptolemaic Temple in Edfu (AM)

Overnight: Cruise

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 6, Sunday - Full Day in Luxor

Enjoy a full day at leisure in Luxor. The premier destination in Upper Egypt, Luxor features an array of ruins and monuments and is often considered the most extraordinary open-air museum in the world. The city is also known for its horse carriages, called caleches, which offer a charming way to enjoy the area's many sightseeing opportunities

Optional Shore Excursion: Necropolis of Thebes, Colossi of Memnon, Valleys of the Kings and Queens, Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (AM)

Optional Shore Excursion: Temples of Karnak and Luxor (PM)

Optional: Luxor Sound and Light Show (PM)

Overnight: Cruise

Meals: Breakfast

 

The tours that are listed above for day 5 & 6 was not in the tours listed when I booked.

 

My question is do they offer tours that are not listed on the optional tours list that you can preorder when you book your cruise?