Hello all!

I am itching to plan yet another trip and think maybe we will head to Egypt for Eid vaction, Oct.12-16, 2007.

We are American Expats living in the Middle East, so we aren't as interested in the dessert/camel aspect because that is our daily life! We ARE intersted in pyramids, history, and seeing what is unique to Egypt.
Our boys will be 7,10,12 at the time. They are used to traveling and pretty great unless there are too many "boring" museums in a row!

Are the sights open during the Eid holidays? In the Middle East everything closes down, is that true of Egypt?

We probably want to skip the Nile cruise due to time and the fact that 4 of the 5 of us get car/air-sick and I'm afraid to see if they get sea-sick as well!

So...what do you reccommend? Cairo and Luxor? I'm open for suggestions!

Thanks so much!
KatyBelle

As you know - the end of Ramadan has quite a party atmosphere to it. During Ramadan, things are rather slow during the day and I do believe the Egyptian Museum alters it's hours a bit, but everything else should be fine. Of course, things get a little "iffy" at iftar time!!!!!

Several years ago, during our 1st year in Egypt, we were in Luxor for the end of Ramadan. We stayed at the Movenpick Jolie (or some similar name I can't recall at the moment) - and that would be perfect for your boys. It's on a private little island, just a 5 minute taxi ride from the city. The grounds are expansive and I only wished I had thought to bring a football or soccer ball for my boys to play with.

Have your kids studied Egyptian history at all? If not, I would suggest a 1/2 day visit to the Pharonic Village in Cairo. It's a rather touristy setup (okay - you might even call it "cheesy!&quot, not what I would normally recommend, but it would give the kids a good overview of the history (including all the gods, how mummies were made, what King Tut's tomb looked like when found, etc) before seeing the sights.

At the minimum - my suggestion would be 2 days in Cairo and 2-3 days in Luxor. And if you have time - fly up to Abu Simbel for a day trip.

I think you will find things a little more laid back in Egypt compared to the rest of the Middle East. After 4 years in Egypt, we now live in Azerbaijan (middle of the middle of nowhere) and Ramadan is REALLY laid back! If you didn't know better, you wouldn't know you were in a Muslim country!

Have fun planning your trip!

Too bad you won't be taking a Nile cruise. It's the best way to see all the archeological sites along the Nile. You won't be seasick at all. The Nile is a river, it's not as if you're on the sea. The boats are flat bottommed, you hardly notice they're moving when you're on them. I think it would be a great experience for your kids, too. You can take a mini cruise of - say - 3 days starting in Luxor upto Aswan. You won't regret it!

I don't do boats. Too much H2O out there.

That said, I did the Nile Cruise and it was wonderful. What sold me was that the Nile is a river, it's narrow (you can see both shores), flat bottom boats. And as mentioned above, you never felt the boat moving.

It would be a shame to miss the many temples along the Nile. Do reconsider this.

And, the Movenpick in Cairo or at Luxor are great hotels, the latter on it's own private island, with large bungalow-type rooms. While 5/days is short, you can still get in a short 3/day cruise and spend the balance of time in Cairo.

Some places "might" be closed, but otherwise, life pretty much goes on as usual. It is, however, suggested, as this is a fasting period for those who observe, it's not a good idea to walk dow the street eating food. But you will be served your meals in restaurants or on the cruise.

I believe your boys will really enjoy Egypt.

I recommend the Nile Cruise, too. Make sure you get a boat with a swimming pool. Most boats have a dress-up night. It's a little cheesy, but a lot of fun. You can look for an outfit on the boat or during your shopping time. There also may be a Captain's Dinner or some such thing. Your children can wear khakis and a Polo shirt.

There are a number of posts that discuss traveling with children in Egypt. They must cover every age & gender.

Thanks for your help everyone!

I guess one of the biggest reasons I wanted to skip the cruise was lack of time. We have 5 days. A 3 day cruise plus two days to see Cairo and Luxor, is that enough? I guess I need to figure out what we would see on the cruise.

Also, the hotels that I have looked at in Cairo and Luxor really appeal to me. Hmmm, maybe we should move this to Spring Break and have a longer time to work with. Would you?

Thanks for your help.
KatyBelle

Yes, I would definitely move it so that you have more time. If you want to do Cairo + Luxor + a short cruise, you will need at least 7 days (which IMO is short). Moving to spring break will also solve your problem of traveling during ramadan.