alan43

Will be driving to Eilat early Oct. from Tel Aviv. Want to spend 2 nights in and probably 3-4 nights in Egypt. I was told that travel to Petra is no problem from there. Leave your car in the hotel. Getting to Giza via Cairo is much more difficult and was warned that under no circumstance take a bus there [due to safety concerns] Can we fly there from Petra or Amman to Cairo, visit giza and then travel to Luxor by hooking up with a tour group? Please suggestions anyone on how to manage this trip. We are flexible within the two weeks, we plan to be there.
Thanks for your help

sandi

There are flights between AMM to CAI and between TLV to CAI.
No flights from Eilat or Petra to CAI.

Once in Eilat you should leave car at hotel and then get taxi transfer to border and then hire a local Jordan taxi or tour operator to Petra; or arrange thru Eilat hotel to go with a scheduled tour group a full-day outting.

If you wish to visit Cairo and Luxor suggest you do this from AMM or TLV by flights. Cairo needs at minimum 2-full days to visit the Pyramids, Sphinx, Museum, Bazaar and if time allows out to Saqqara and Memphis. Likewise, for Luxor, by short flight or overnight train, to visit the temples and Valley of Kings/Queens tombs, also minimum 2-full days.

Remember, Oct is still hot in Cairo (though somewhat cooler evenings) and the farther south you travel (Luxor) it's even hotter (can reach into the 100s), where you move slowly. By mid-day it's best to chill at a pool... sightseeing should be done very very early 6am or late-afternoon after 4-5pm.

Casual_Cairo

Two comments I want to make to Sandi's post -

1 - I advise against Memphis unless you've researched it and know there is something there specifically that you want to see...ie:Alabaster Ramses statue (their pride and joy) I know most tours take you to Giza, Memphis and Sakkara, giving the impression that this is the best to see. Not my opinion. Memphis is no more, these days, than an outdoor museum - again, in my opinion, without too much of interest to see. I would opt instead to go to Dashure and spend my time there. Dashure is a treasure not to be missed.
The major tour companies visit Memphis for two reasons instead -1 - it's closer, 2 - it's closer to the Carpet Schools which is the reason they take you out there in the first place.

2 - You can tour very early in the AM and later in the PM in Luxor, but not so in Cairo. Sites like the Giza Plateau open at 8 and close at 4 or 5, all year round. That was no doubt Sandi's intention in that post, but I just wanted to make sure everyone understands that. I often get requests to start in Cairo very early, and it isn't possible.

sandi

Thanks Debbie for picking up on that my last convuluted sentence. Yup, I was referring to the very early and late in Luxor, not Cairo!

Drat! How did our guide miss a carpet school Didn't stop or see a single one our entire time in Egypt! Not even a papyrus shop! Lucky us! But we did find a great papyrus shop on our own, own time, no guide around!!!

alan43

Thanks for your replies. It is becoming increasingly clear that Petra is going to be a definite, while Cairo and Luxor are probables. My wife was warned by a travel agent she deals with to definitly not take a bus to cairo after crossing into Egypt from eliat.
Thanks again
alan

kleeny88

Hi Alan,

Could you elaborate on why one should definitely not take a bus to Cairo after crossing into Egypt from Eilat? This is what a group of 10 of us (American students) are planning to do in a few weeks.