Independent Nile Cruise and Tour Booking
Oct 16th, 2011, 01:25 PM
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Independent Nile Cruise and Tour Booking
Hello,
My husband and I will be flying in and out of Cairo for about 7-10 days in early January. We'd like to do a Nile Cruise, but also get off the beatent track. Can anyone recommend how we can do this with flights in and out of Cairo (ie, not Luxor)? It would be great to join a tour or get a local guide, but we are obviously on a budget!
Would love any recommendations!
Thanks,
Sarah
My husband and I will be flying in and out of Cairo for about 7-10 days in early January. We'd like to do a Nile Cruise, but also get off the beatent track. Can anyone recommend how we can do this with flights in and out of Cairo (ie, not Luxor)? It would be great to join a tour or get a local guide, but we are obviously on a budget!
Would love any recommendations!
Thanks,
Sarah
Oct 16th, 2011, 04:13 PM
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The beaten track is pretty well worn! If you want a Nile cruise, you will at least touch base in Luxor -- but no need to linger if you don't want to. (The cruises are generally one way, so you get Luxor at one end or the other -- although I've seen some RT cruises...but they usually start in Luxor.) A dahabiya cruise could mean smaller (island) overnight locations, not the large ship raft-ups in Aswan and Luxor. A Lake Nasser cruise between Abu Simbel aand Aswan (generally 3 nights) would be less popoulated?
The only real "off the beaten track" site that comes to mind is desert camping in the west? But most first (or second? third?) timers don't head there.
The only real "off the beaten track" site that comes to mind is desert camping in the west? But most first (or second? third?) timers don't head there.
Oct 25th, 2011, 01:17 AM
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I've just returned from 5 days on this:
http://www.nourelnil.com/
your budget may not stretch to this - but it's the only way I've found to do it - otherwise you're in a convoy of motor-boats, all following one another, docking next to each other, arriving at the sites simultaneously... you get the picture. I've done it three times - never again.
The cheaper option is to rent your own felucca - but that's only if you can get a recommendation for someone good.
Actually, in tourist Egypt, 'off-the-beaten-track' simply means walking one street to the side of the main tourist beats. If you stay on the beat - you're cactus.
Everything is package tourism in Egypt. Oh, and think verrry carefully about hiring an 'Egyptologist' guide... unless you want a long lecture about stuff you'll instantly forget... and that's before they'll allow you into the sites.
When I say long - I mean about 30 minutes, standing outside the site. Zzzzzzzzzz. And nothing will stop the mouth. Nothing. Just walk away.
http://www.nourelnil.com/
your budget may not stretch to this - but it's the only way I've found to do it - otherwise you're in a convoy of motor-boats, all following one another, docking next to each other, arriving at the sites simultaneously... you get the picture. I've done it three times - never again.
The cheaper option is to rent your own felucca - but that's only if you can get a recommendation for someone good.
Actually, in tourist Egypt, 'off-the-beaten-track' simply means walking one street to the side of the main tourist beats. If you stay on the beat - you're cactus.
Everything is package tourism in Egypt. Oh, and think verrry carefully about hiring an 'Egyptologist' guide... unless you want a long lecture about stuff you'll instantly forget... and that's before they'll allow you into the sites.
When I say long - I mean about 30 minutes, standing outside the site. Zzzzzzzzzz. And nothing will stop the mouth. Nothing. Just walk away.
Oct 25th, 2011, 02:00 AM
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affordabletours.com
Is running a GREAT Globua/Avalon Promo
Save up to $600 on 2012 Egypt River Cruises!
Mention Promo Code: PR453
Save up to $600 on 2012 Egypt River Cruises!
Book a 2012 air-inclusive Egypt river cruise and save $300 per person ($600 per couple) off the air price or book the cruise/land only portion and receive $150 off per person ($300 per couple) plus as always receive additional savings from AffordableTours.com. Booking must be made and under deposit before November 29, 201
Good personal experience with Globus for me in the past,
Lady Egypt and Casual Cairo Detours good locals
Shop for price... also tucantravel.com good budget group
tours #1 for me in the past...
Value World and other cheaper cruises also from $1K for 8 days
So shop around based on budget check reviews carefully.
Travel.state.gov for safety info insuremytrip.com wise
Things pretty unstable there currently so stay flexible
Group Travel best... ALWAYS pay with CC never wire money
MANY online scemmers/touts on the boards.
Caveat Emptor and Happy Cruising!
Is running a GREAT Globua/Avalon Promo
Save up to $600 on 2012 Egypt River Cruises!
Mention Promo Code: PR453
Save up to $600 on 2012 Egypt River Cruises!
Book a 2012 air-inclusive Egypt river cruise and save $300 per person ($600 per couple) off the air price or book the cruise/land only portion and receive $150 off per person ($300 per couple) plus as always receive additional savings from AffordableTours.com. Booking must be made and under deposit before November 29, 201
Good personal experience with Globus for me in the past,
Lady Egypt and Casual Cairo Detours good locals
Shop for price... also tucantravel.com good budget group
tours #1 for me in the past...
Value World and other cheaper cruises also from $1K for 8 days
So shop around based on budget check reviews carefully.
Travel.state.gov for safety info insuremytrip.com wise
Things pretty unstable there currently so stay flexible
Group Travel best... ALWAYS pay with CC never wire money
MANY online scemmers/touts on the boards.
Caveat Emptor and Happy Cruising!
Oct 25th, 2011, 02:03 AM
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www.seat61.com/Egypt
best for self guiding everything cheaper boots on the ground.
Have done this in the past independently probably but would
just go with travel buds or a group till things settle down.
best for self guiding everything cheaper boots on the ground.
Have done this in the past independently probably but would
just go with travel buds or a group till things settle down.
Oct 25th, 2011, 02:20 AM
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Quo - for any half-intelligent tourist to Egypt, things HAVE settled down.
Do you get paid when people click on these links? You repeatedly mention the same organizations... is this a kind of Google business from home thing?
Do you get paid when people click on these links? You repeatedly mention the same organizations... is this a kind of Google business from home thing?
Dec 29th, 2011, 12:52 AM
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Check http://www.eatc.travel - we went on a Dahabeya nile cruise with this tour operator last year and had a fantastic time. Heard they also offer nile cruises starting in Cairo now!
Dec 29th, 2011, 03:37 AM
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Off the beaten track on a budget is tough; either it is expensive or not interesting or just less popular for one reason or another. However, some places of above average interest would be the Siwa and Kharga Oases, Al Alamein, Dendera, El Qusier, Marsa Alam, Damietta, others.
Off the beaten path could also include things such as home stays (remote from cities, like in the center of the Delta) or other special interest tours such as cooking and crafts. If you scuba dive off Thomas Reef in the Strait of Tiran you could find fantastic extreme deep structure and strong current (but you must be extremely experienced).
Off the beaten path could also include things such as home stays (remote from cities, like in the center of the Delta) or other special interest tours such as cooking and crafts. If you scuba dive off Thomas Reef in the Strait of Tiran you could find fantastic extreme deep structure and strong current (but you must be extremely experienced).
Dec 29th, 2011, 04:06 AM
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theresa86 said: "Heard they also offer nile cruises starting in Cairo now!"
I just called the office to see if this could be true as it would be very unusual, and they confirmed it is not true.
To the best of my knowledge there are NO cruises of any nature that begin in Cairo being offered.
Just wanted to get to the bottom of that, as it is difficult when people read something like that on the Internet and are hoping to find it available. For some reason they believe the Internet to be the "be all-end all" of THE TRUTH. LOL!
Check out that web site though if you are looking for a Dahabayia - they look nice.
I just called the office to see if this could be true as it would be very unusual, and they confirmed it is not true.
To the best of my knowledge there are NO cruises of any nature that begin in Cairo being offered.
Just wanted to get to the bottom of that, as it is difficult when people read something like that on the Internet and are hoping to find it available. For some reason they believe the Internet to be the "be all-end all" of THE TRUTH. LOL!
Check out that web site though if you are looking for a Dahabayia - they look nice.
Dec 30th, 2011, 08:12 AM
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<i>"Quo: Do you get paid when people click on these links? You repeatedly mention the same organizations... is this a kind of Google business from home thing?</i>
I have always wondered about this guy. He posts IMMEDIATELY to every question with lots and lots of links....much of his information is inaccurate and obviously just Googled. Couldn't figure out the scheme. Why would anyone just camp on this site to Google answers to other people's quesitons? Now I get it. I think Google does pay for this sort of touting. Editors?
I have always wondered about this guy. He posts IMMEDIATELY to every question with lots and lots of links....much of his information is inaccurate and obviously just Googled. Couldn't figure out the scheme. Why would anyone just camp on this site to Google answers to other people's quesitons? Now I get it. I think Google does pay for this sort of touting. Editors?
Dec 30th, 2011, 10:58 AM
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I had a 17 days in Egypt this month with 1400 $ per person at 5 star hotel included breakfast, transportation, guides, entrance fees, Cairo tours, Cruise tours 4 nights in Cairo, 4 nights Nile cruise,2 nights in Luxor and 7 nights in Hurghada
Dec 30th, 2011, 11:38 AM
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Traveline, I would be very interested in more detail on your trip -- what 5 star hotels? This is not a price that I am seeing. We are asking for 5 star luxury -- Mena House (3), Winter Palace (2), Nour el Nil dahabiyya cruise (5), Old Cataract Hotel (2). Prices running about $5000 <u>per person</u> from Lady Egypt with guide, entrance fees and internal air (Cairo-Luxor-Abu Simbel-Cairo). They haven't changed since I started inquiring in January of 2011.
Who did you use?
Who did you use?
Aug 7th, 2012, 09:38 AM
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When I was searching for a tour operator to help me book my family's Nile Cruise I found this thread and tracked down Lady Egypt. I just wanted to report that I used them and they were fantastic. Their service exceeded my even high expectations. Our trip to Egypt was phenomenal - even more so because there are relatively few tourists going these days. We felt very safe, extremely well looked after and welcomed everywhere we went. This is a great time to make the trip of a lifetime if you don't like crowds.
