Just returned from Egypt / trip report
Sep 16th, 2007, 11:30 PM
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Just returned from Egypt / trip report
Just returned from Egypt. I wanted to thank Fodorites for their guidance on this trip so I wanted to return the favor with our experiences. Some background on us – we tend to go the independent route but we bought tours for this trip. This is my first trip report so please be easy.
Our schedule was:
Cairo, 2 days
Luxor, 2 days,
return to Cairo for 1 night
I’m breaking this trip report into sections.
Cairo International Airport / Transfer
We got our visas at the Egyptian Consulate in Chicago. I know we could get them on arrival but since we have the consulate here, why not. It cost $15US to get one. It was a madhouse to get through customs as several other flights landed at the same time and there were people bringing back goods such as tvs, microwaves in addition to their luggage on their baggage carts. Despite this, passengers were congenial and being polite at 11.30pm. Did exchange some money at the exchange counter but forgot to request smaller bills.
We met the transfer driver and immediately, the traffic in Cairo reminded us of Bangkok. The heat, the 2 lanes of highway jammed with four rows of cars, buses and taxis, all honking and dodging each other to get that last inch of space ahead of everyone else. As we head closer to the city, traffic was compounded by all the people out and about (at this late hour?), crossing lanes, buses spitting out more people. This energy is contagious – we loved it! Our driver said Welcome to Cairo and started laughing. We talked the rest of the way until we got to the Hotel Longchamps in the Zamalek section.
Later on, we would learn of the Airport Shuttle van that can take you to any hotel. Cost was 66LE and we took that instead of a taxi to the Nile Hilton.
Hotels
We stayed at Hotel Longchamps for 3 nights and the Nile Hilton on the way back from Luxor. At Luxor, we stayed at the Sheraton. Each hotel was a positive experience for us. We stayed at the Nile Hilton because Longchamps was booked when we returned to Cairo.
The staff at Hotel Longchamps couldn’t be any more friendlier and hospitable. They answered every question we had, gave us good tips on taxi costs and where to get money exchanged. One morning, I saw the owner greeting each guest by name and letting them know that the time moved back an hour. Everyone was always smiling. The location is in a quiet street with the Alfa grocery store about a 15 minute walk. We used this to get some local snacks and water. There is also a Hardees fast food outlet right down the street in case you have that craving.
The Nile Hilton is in the downtown area overlooking the river. They have a rooftop bar which gave us great views of the city at night. The staff were also friendly and customer service oriented. The reception manager even stopped what she was doing to help me with some questions and we were not staying there yet. We liked the shops and the restaurants in the hotel and outside in the mall as well. There was a bank and several ATM machines adjacent to the lobby and I made sure that we got small bills for taxis and “tips.”
Sheraton Luxor was nice enough. We had a Nile view room on one of the top floors and was great to see the sunsets and also the Balloonists each morning from the balcony. It too had a mini-mall outside the hotel, two pools and some good restaurants.
Tours
We went on some tours arranged by the hotel. Our first day, we toured the open air museum at Memphis, Sakkara and Giza. It was a private tour with guide and driver and was relatively inexpensive. But it did not include entrance/parking fees to all three sites and did not include lunch. Even with tips to the driver and guide, cost was reasonable. Our guide was good. He warned us of the scams that visitors face while at the pyramids and gave us the freedom to explore as much as we wanted. We asked him a lot of questions not only of the sites but also of everyday life in Egypt. He was amused about our questions regarding popular culture. It was also nice to have an air-conditioned car waiting after every site visit.
For Luxor, a travel agency booked everything for us. They booked 2 tix CAI-LXR-CAI on EgyptAir, the Sheraton and 2 private half day tours to the Karnak/Luxor temples and the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut’s Temple and the Valley of the Queens the next day. Looking back, we could have done all this ourselves but it was still good to have the guide, driver and the air conditioned car. They wanted to take us to a papyrus factory tour but we said no and they were ok with that. We did go to an alabaster factory the next day and we ended up buying some nice souvenirs but we had to haggle hard.
Tips
We read a book entitled Culture Shock Egypt and read the forums regarding tips and it is quite the experience. Some in the tourist trade are not shy about asking for “tips.” From the airport guy who moved our luggage two feet to the scanner to the bathroom attendants to the people at the sites who wanted you to take their picture, it was certainly experiences to remember. That’s why I kept all my 1 LE notes and 50 and 25 piastre notes in one pocket. The other pocket had the 5/10/20 LE notes for taxis and my wallet was in another pocket (I wore bulky cargo pants).
In Luxor, we repeatedly had locals at the monuments asking us where we were from and then wanting us to either take their picture or go along with them to a secret photo spot and they are persistent. They will not take no for an answer. Our guide had warned us about this and said that if faced with the situation, to just walk away.
At the Luxor airport, once we got out of the car, a group of young men descended upon the car to assist with luggage but our transfer guide eased that as well.
Vendors/Shopping
The Luxor vendors outside the sites were some of the most aggressive I’ve ever seen, especially at the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut’s temple. Don’t walk around Luxor, otherwise, you will be hassled constantly. We ended up taking taxi’s around even though I like to walk.
In Cairo, we visited the CityStars Mall in Nasr City and bought our souvenirs there instead. They have a more upscale Khan Al Khalili section and the items were high quality. Whenever we visit a new city, we like to visit their malls as my wife likes to shop and sometimes gets better deals on some items than in downtown Chicago. One of the food court was right out of a US mall – Burger King, Panda’s Chinese Restaurant – that’s all I can remember. My wife also was on a mission to get a cartouche and found a store at the Nile Hilton to make one for her.
Other
This was a sampler trip for us. We didn’t do much else in Cairo except to visit the Egyptian Museum and went on a dinner cruise on the Nile. Next time, we will visit more of the city like Islamic Cairo, the real Khan, the Citadel, etc. Luxor is a different story because of all the touts. We did go to the Luxor Museum, underrated and uncrowded. We did meet some great locals and had great conversations with other travelers.
Moments we’ll remember
Strolling the walkway by the Nile River and seeing the boats all lit up, all these young Cairenes hanging out at the bridges and Cairo at night is beautiful; all the tables around us at one restaurant smoking shisha; the contrast in dress at CityStars; people who were genuine and wanted to help us, not asking for tips; a Middle Eastern Tour Guide who we heard speaking in Chinese (Mandarin) to a group of Chinese headed for Aswan but most of all the awe and wonder of the pharaonic history and the monuments, temples and treasures that speak of this great ancient civilization.
One person told us that once you drink from the Nile River, it means, you will return to Cairo. Figuratively, we did drink in the Nile. Cairo is both magical and maddening all wrapped up in one. We will definitely return.
Our schedule was:
Cairo, 2 days
Luxor, 2 days,
return to Cairo for 1 night
I’m breaking this trip report into sections.
Cairo International Airport / Transfer
We got our visas at the Egyptian Consulate in Chicago. I know we could get them on arrival but since we have the consulate here, why not. It cost $15US to get one. It was a madhouse to get through customs as several other flights landed at the same time and there were people bringing back goods such as tvs, microwaves in addition to their luggage on their baggage carts. Despite this, passengers were congenial and being polite at 11.30pm. Did exchange some money at the exchange counter but forgot to request smaller bills.
We met the transfer driver and immediately, the traffic in Cairo reminded us of Bangkok. The heat, the 2 lanes of highway jammed with four rows of cars, buses and taxis, all honking and dodging each other to get that last inch of space ahead of everyone else. As we head closer to the city, traffic was compounded by all the people out and about (at this late hour?), crossing lanes, buses spitting out more people. This energy is contagious – we loved it! Our driver said Welcome to Cairo and started laughing. We talked the rest of the way until we got to the Hotel Longchamps in the Zamalek section.
Later on, we would learn of the Airport Shuttle van that can take you to any hotel. Cost was 66LE and we took that instead of a taxi to the Nile Hilton.
Hotels
We stayed at Hotel Longchamps for 3 nights and the Nile Hilton on the way back from Luxor. At Luxor, we stayed at the Sheraton. Each hotel was a positive experience for us. We stayed at the Nile Hilton because Longchamps was booked when we returned to Cairo.
The staff at Hotel Longchamps couldn’t be any more friendlier and hospitable. They answered every question we had, gave us good tips on taxi costs and where to get money exchanged. One morning, I saw the owner greeting each guest by name and letting them know that the time moved back an hour. Everyone was always smiling. The location is in a quiet street with the Alfa grocery store about a 15 minute walk. We used this to get some local snacks and water. There is also a Hardees fast food outlet right down the street in case you have that craving.
The Nile Hilton is in the downtown area overlooking the river. They have a rooftop bar which gave us great views of the city at night. The staff were also friendly and customer service oriented. The reception manager even stopped what she was doing to help me with some questions and we were not staying there yet. We liked the shops and the restaurants in the hotel and outside in the mall as well. There was a bank and several ATM machines adjacent to the lobby and I made sure that we got small bills for taxis and “tips.”
Sheraton Luxor was nice enough. We had a Nile view room on one of the top floors and was great to see the sunsets and also the Balloonists each morning from the balcony. It too had a mini-mall outside the hotel, two pools and some good restaurants.
Tours
We went on some tours arranged by the hotel. Our first day, we toured the open air museum at Memphis, Sakkara and Giza. It was a private tour with guide and driver and was relatively inexpensive. But it did not include entrance/parking fees to all three sites and did not include lunch. Even with tips to the driver and guide, cost was reasonable. Our guide was good. He warned us of the scams that visitors face while at the pyramids and gave us the freedom to explore as much as we wanted. We asked him a lot of questions not only of the sites but also of everyday life in Egypt. He was amused about our questions regarding popular culture. It was also nice to have an air-conditioned car waiting after every site visit.
For Luxor, a travel agency booked everything for us. They booked 2 tix CAI-LXR-CAI on EgyptAir, the Sheraton and 2 private half day tours to the Karnak/Luxor temples and the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut’s Temple and the Valley of the Queens the next day. Looking back, we could have done all this ourselves but it was still good to have the guide, driver and the air conditioned car. They wanted to take us to a papyrus factory tour but we said no and they were ok with that. We did go to an alabaster factory the next day and we ended up buying some nice souvenirs but we had to haggle hard.
Tips
We read a book entitled Culture Shock Egypt and read the forums regarding tips and it is quite the experience. Some in the tourist trade are not shy about asking for “tips.” From the airport guy who moved our luggage two feet to the scanner to the bathroom attendants to the people at the sites who wanted you to take their picture, it was certainly experiences to remember. That’s why I kept all my 1 LE notes and 50 and 25 piastre notes in one pocket. The other pocket had the 5/10/20 LE notes for taxis and my wallet was in another pocket (I wore bulky cargo pants).
In Luxor, we repeatedly had locals at the monuments asking us where we were from and then wanting us to either take their picture or go along with them to a secret photo spot and they are persistent. They will not take no for an answer. Our guide had warned us about this and said that if faced with the situation, to just walk away.
At the Luxor airport, once we got out of the car, a group of young men descended upon the car to assist with luggage but our transfer guide eased that as well.
Vendors/Shopping
The Luxor vendors outside the sites were some of the most aggressive I’ve ever seen, especially at the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut’s temple. Don’t walk around Luxor, otherwise, you will be hassled constantly. We ended up taking taxi’s around even though I like to walk.
In Cairo, we visited the CityStars Mall in Nasr City and bought our souvenirs there instead. They have a more upscale Khan Al Khalili section and the items were high quality. Whenever we visit a new city, we like to visit their malls as my wife likes to shop and sometimes gets better deals on some items than in downtown Chicago. One of the food court was right out of a US mall – Burger King, Panda’s Chinese Restaurant – that’s all I can remember. My wife also was on a mission to get a cartouche and found a store at the Nile Hilton to make one for her.
Other
This was a sampler trip for us. We didn’t do much else in Cairo except to visit the Egyptian Museum and went on a dinner cruise on the Nile. Next time, we will visit more of the city like Islamic Cairo, the real Khan, the Citadel, etc. Luxor is a different story because of all the touts. We did go to the Luxor Museum, underrated and uncrowded. We did meet some great locals and had great conversations with other travelers.
Moments we’ll remember
Strolling the walkway by the Nile River and seeing the boats all lit up, all these young Cairenes hanging out at the bridges and Cairo at night is beautiful; all the tables around us at one restaurant smoking shisha; the contrast in dress at CityStars; people who were genuine and wanted to help us, not asking for tips; a Middle Eastern Tour Guide who we heard speaking in Chinese (Mandarin) to a group of Chinese headed for Aswan but most of all the awe and wonder of the pharaonic history and the monuments, temples and treasures that speak of this great ancient civilization.
One person told us that once you drink from the Nile River, it means, you will return to Cairo. Figuratively, we did drink in the Nile. Cairo is both magical and maddening all wrapped up in one. We will definitely return.
Sep 18th, 2007, 11:14 AM
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Nice report, thanks for posting.
<<This energy is contagious – we loved it! Our driver said Welcome to Cairo and started laughing.>> This is funny.
I'll be in Egypt in one month so I'm happy to read that you enjoyed it. I'm a bit disappointed about walking around Luxor though, I was looking forward to that.
Is there an actual Khan al Khalili section? Or is it something similar? What type of goods did they have that were high quality? I know I'll shop and want to avoid junk.
<<This energy is contagious – we loved it! Our driver said Welcome to Cairo and started laughing.>> This is funny.
I'll be in Egypt in one month so I'm happy to read that you enjoyed it. I'm a bit disappointed about walking around Luxor though, I was looking forward to that.
Is there an actual Khan al Khalili section? Or is it something similar? What type of goods did they have that were high quality? I know I'll shop and want to avoid junk.
Sep 18th, 2007, 03:12 PM
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Thanks, also from me - we will be there in late December. And, as you say Luisah, that's a shame about Luxor. I also was looking forward to a stroll. I LOVE to walk around new places. We will be very capably taken care of by Debbie in Cairo, but dealing with the vendors and new BFF's in Luxor and Aswan will be a pain. Everyone just says to say"la, shukran". I hope that suffices.
Sep 18th, 2007, 03:43 PM
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Thanks for the report. I just made a reservation for a tour to Egypt yesterday and I am very excited. It is interesting to read what to expect with regard to the vendors & tipping etc. Sounds like you had a great trip.
Sep 18th, 2007, 05:49 PM
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Luisah/Momliz -- Please don't let the touts stop you from walking around Luxor. It was just our experience that when we tried to walk around, we kept getting approached by the carriage drivers and taxi drivers asking us if we wanted a ride. Sometimes, "la shukran," works, other times, they were very persistent so I had to resort to speaking Spanish to throw them off or pretended we did not know English. We felt that completely ignoring them would be rude but after a while it got frustrating.
Luisah -- the actual section at CityStars Centre is called the Khan Al Khalili Treasures on the 4th or 5th floor. They sell jewelry, knick knacks, home accessories, etc. We found great touristy stuff like pewter photo frames, Egyptian art, etc. My wife bought a beautiful jewelry box inlaid with MOP.
Note on Vendors -- If you know how to bargain and haggle and like that stuff, you'll do fine with the vendors. I have yet to master this skill which is why I didn't enjoy this part.
Luisah -- the actual section at CityStars Centre is called the Khan Al Khalili Treasures on the 4th or 5th floor. They sell jewelry, knick knacks, home accessories, etc. We found great touristy stuff like pewter photo frames, Egyptian art, etc. My wife bought a beautiful jewelry box inlaid with MOP.
Note on Vendors -- If you know how to bargain and haggle and like that stuff, you'll do fine with the vendors. I have yet to master this skill which is why I didn't enjoy this part.
Sep 23rd, 2007, 06:36 PM
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bkk95:
I am going to Egypt in February and the one thing I want is a cartouche.. how much are they ? and any tips on what I should look for quality ? Thanks so much. And how long did it take for your visa from the Egyptian Consulate in Chicago ?
I am going to Egypt in February and the one thing I want is a cartouche.. how much are they ? and any tips on what I should look for quality ? Thanks so much. And how long did it take for your visa from the Egyptian Consulate in Chicago ?
Sep 24th, 2007, 03:31 AM
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frugal,
a lot of the stores have readi-made plates and when you order, they can put your name for you. She got a 3 letter 18k gold 1" long cartouche (w/o a hook) set for $90US but the plate was pretty thin. The quality is not bad but if you want a thicker plate, then you would pay more in a nicer jewelry store. There are cartouches made of sterling silver also which are lot less expensive.
As for the visa in Chgo, it took one day. My wife dropped off the passports during her lunch hour one day and picked it up the next.
a lot of the stores have readi-made plates and when you order, they can put your name for you. She got a 3 letter 18k gold 1" long cartouche (w/o a hook) set for $90US but the plate was pretty thin. The quality is not bad but if you want a thicker plate, then you would pay more in a nicer jewelry store. There are cartouches made of sterling silver also which are lot less expensive.
As for the visa in Chgo, it took one day. My wife dropped off the passports during her lunch hour one day and picked it up the next.
Sep 24th, 2007, 06:42 AM
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bkk95,
Thanks for the additional info re the City Stars Mall.
Responding to the touts in Spanish was a good idea. I speak a bit of French but they may too! I guess I'll have to practice the "distant stare" and a firm la, shokran.
Thanks for the additional info re the City Stars Mall.
Responding to the touts in Spanish was a good idea. I speak a bit of French but they may too! I guess I'll have to practice the "distant stare" and a firm la, shokran.
Sep 24th, 2007, 01:43 PM
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Liz,
Don't worry, I'll teach you enough Arabic to politely get rid of the annoying little pests in Luxor. If the polite stuff doesn't work, I'll teach you the rude stuff too. HA!
Frugal Traveler, and bkk95 - Gouzlan Gold is a good place to get a good cartouche. They have lots of choices to choose from. They do excellent work and the price you pay will depend on who you go in with and what kind of a commission they are taking from the place. If you go in alone there will be no commission to pay, so you should be able to work out a fair price for both of you. Gouzlan used to be the gold shop of choice for TWA crew, and is still the place the American Embassy sends people that go through them.
There are 2 Gouzlans in the Khan. 2 in Maadi and a new one in Mohandiseen.
I hope you have a good time.
Don't worry, I'll teach you enough Arabic to politely get rid of the annoying little pests in Luxor. If the polite stuff doesn't work, I'll teach you the rude stuff too. HA!
Frugal Traveler, and bkk95 - Gouzlan Gold is a good place to get a good cartouche. They have lots of choices to choose from. They do excellent work and the price you pay will depend on who you go in with and what kind of a commission they are taking from the place. If you go in alone there will be no commission to pay, so you should be able to work out a fair price for both of you. Gouzlan used to be the gold shop of choice for TWA crew, and is still the place the American Embassy sends people that go through them.
There are 2 Gouzlans in the Khan. 2 in Maadi and a new one in Mohandiseen.
I hope you have a good time.
Sep 24th, 2007, 07:54 PM
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Debbie, actually, I used to speak some Arabic - learned it when I went to school in Beirut. Not much that I could say in polite company, however 
That was a really long time ago, however, but I hope I'll pick some up again.
That was a really long time ago, however, but I hope I'll pick some up again.
Sep 26th, 2007, 11:14 AM
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Luisah - Sure there are. If you like Pharonic motif designs, I think Gouzlan has some of the best available too. They have done some beautiful pieces that resemble Tuts thrown, and many other pieces from the museum.
Another idea is to have your name done or any wording done in Arabic. they will make it in Gold for you, any size you want it to be.
There are Islamic Pieces, or Coptic Crosses.
And there are lots of normal rings, chains, necklaces, etc. Oh, there is a puzzle ring that seems to be from this area. I hear people have bought them in Turkey too, so I suspect it is a regional thing.
It should all be 18K gold, so it is a nice step up from the normal 14K and 12K available in most of the West.
Another idea is to have your name done or any wording done in Arabic. they will make it in Gold for you, any size you want it to be.
There are Islamic Pieces, or Coptic Crosses.
And there are lots of normal rings, chains, necklaces, etc. Oh, there is a puzzle ring that seems to be from this area. I hear people have bought them in Turkey too, so I suspect it is a regional thing.
It should all be 18K gold, so it is a nice step up from the normal 14K and 12K available in most of the West.
Sep 26th, 2007, 11:17 AM
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I forgot to mention that if you like the idea of the cartouche but don't like the looks of the traditional cartouche that hangs from a chain on your neck, you are in luck. You have choices.
Cartouches come in rings, cuff links, moneyclips, ear rings, bracelets, and probably a few more that I can't think of right now.
Cartouches come in rings, cuff links, moneyclips, ear rings, bracelets, and probably a few more that I can't think of right now.
Sep 27th, 2007, 07:35 AM
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Casual Cairo,
Thank you, you've given me some good ideas. I like the suggestion of arabic script, it's so beautiful--or the puzzle ring, earrings etc. I wasn't too excited about the cartouche on a chain because I have so many pendants that I don't wear now, but earrings are a different story.
Is there a Gouzlan in the City Stars mall?
Thanks again
Thank you, you've given me some good ideas. I like the suggestion of arabic script, it's so beautiful--or the puzzle ring, earrings etc. I wasn't too excited about the cartouche on a chain because I have so many pendants that I don't wear now, but earrings are a different story.
Is there a Gouzlan in the City Stars mall?
Thanks again
Sep 27th, 2007, 11:04 AM
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No Gouzlan in City Stars yet, and probably just as well. Floor space there is out of this world expensive so they could never hold their fair prices in a shop located there, I think. There are gold and silver shops in the area known as the Khan el Khalili. Go check out how low you can get them to go on their gold in the mall and let us know.
