Hi All!

My husband and I are from Thailand and planning to have Egypt trip in April 2005. I've read many guidebooks and websites and got my brief itinery. But my time in Egypt is too short on 6 full days. Here is my itinery:

Day 1 : 5AM arrive Cairo, sightseeing
Day 2 : Sightseeing. At night, depart Cairo to Luxor (by sleeping train)
Day 3 : 5AM arrive Luxor, sightseeing
Day 4 : Sightseeing. At night, depart Luxor to Cairo (by sleeping train)
Day 5 : 5AM arrive Cairo, sightseeing
Day 6 : Sightseeing
Day 7 : 9:30AM depart Cairo
(3 nights in Cairo, 1 night in Luxor, and 2 nights in sleeping train).

Actually, I love to do independent travel but time and schedule seems to be too short especially in Luxor (only 2D/1N).

Now, I'm contacting some tour companies, train ticket, hotel reservation to compare the price. I plan to buy tour on Day 2 - Day 4, but it seems that they want me to buy the whole package on 7 days.

I also have contact with few local guys but I don't think they own registered company. One guy said he could provide me full day guide for $50 for 2 persons and extra $30 on air-con taxi. Another lady in Luxor, she owns flat and provides Luxor tour also quotes me the Luxor tour price. Their prices are competitive because they don't have companies and of course! additional expenses. Does anyone have experiences with guy local people guide?

What are your advices for me? Buying whole package, full-day packages from registered company, or local people .. which one should I pick?

Contact Debbie Senter, an American living and working in Cairo. She will coordinate your Cairo time and be able to arrange your Luxor.

Her website: www.casualcairodetour.com

She has a wealth of experience, honest, smart, good sense of humor and she can definitey provide a good service or a name of someone she feels is reputable.

With your short time, and even though you're considering the night sleeper train, I might suggest you take morning flight to Luxor and early-evening flight back to Cairo. But it's your choice, and Debbie can be of help. Hope this works for you.

Sawaddi Krup,

The most memorable or favourite sites in Egypt for me are as follow:

1. Great Pyramids
2. Abu Simbel
3. Philae Temple
4. Valley of the Kings
5. Egyptian Museum in Cairo

For such a short visit how about:

Day 1: Arrive in Cairo in the early morning - checkin to your hotel and freshen up then go to see the Cairo Museum. Afternoon visit the Bazaar of Cairo. At night go to the "Sound and Light" show at the Pyramids.

Day 2: Visit the Step Pyramid and the Great Pyramid + Solar Boat Museum.

Day 3: Fly to Abu Simbel spend a few hours there and fly back to Aswan. Visit Philae temple in the afternoon or at night for the Sound and Light show there.

Day 4: Fly to Luxor and visit Karnak(there is also another Sound and Light show here).

Day 5: Visit the valleys of the Kings and Queens and see all the tombs.

Day 6: Visit Medinet Habu, Temple of Hatshepsut and the Temple of Hatshepsut.

Day 7: Fly back to Cairo and return home.

Oops.. for Day 6 that should read: Day 6: Visit Medinet Habu, Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon.

Sakullak
Did you get through to Debbie Senter's page? We thought that address could also help us. Thanks...mandg

The www.casualcairodetour.com URL for Debbie Senters didn't work for me, but this one did:

http://www.casualcairodetours.pyramids.net/

Judy - thanks for posting the correct URL, which should be helpful to others. Sorry not to have posted it correctly - I usually contact her thru some of her messages on the AOL Travel Message Boards. Sandi