br125

World Travel Expert advice - (No Travel Bias!)



I Plan on traveling on either September or October 2014!

Need help with budget of $3,000 (US dollars), (Includes RT Air!), and have not decided where to travel?

I have only traveled to two Continents- North America, and Europe!

Fly from either Oakland or San Francisco to the following destinations-

Spain,- Madrid 3 days, Barcelona 3, other areas?

Egypt, 3 days in Cairo, the Nile river cruise, 1 day) is it worth the cost? (Overrated?) and other areas? Luxor 1 day, Alexandria 1 day, Sharm El Sheik? Hurghada? and other areas?

Safety issues for Egypt? Travel on own, and seek day tours? Affordable day tour companies? Weather cooler in October than in September?

Seychelles, 3-4 days
or
Malta 3 or 4 days?

Any suggestions?

Thank you,

br125

ShayTay

Some of the major tour companies with operations in Egypt (Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT), for example) have suspended their tours there. I think that should be a red flag. I was there in 2002, shortly after the 9/11 attack and had no problems, but the situation now is so volatile that I don't think I'd go. With your budget, I think you'll find that airfare going anywhere on the African continent will eat up most of your budget. With only $3000, how about someplace like Costa Rica? OAT has some nice trips there that include airfare that would fit your budget. Their CR trips include a mix of activities, wildlife and culture.

Femi

Definitely doable if you go with a group tour (you don't mention a preference). You could look at Smartours for example ( http://www.smartours.com/ ). They have several tours within your budget and most people I've heard from have been satisfied with their service.

sandi

With that budget, from west coast, doubt you'll get farther than Europe. Air will eat up most of what you have to spend.

If still interested in Egypt which is fascinating, suggest you contact Debbie Senters, a American who lives there and has how own tour company - you can find her under Casual Cairo Detours. Drop her an email and ask questions about where, costs and, of course, safety. Believe if tourists stay away from where the 'action' is with protests (in/around Tahrir Square), you'd likely be fine.

br125

Hi Sandi:

I want to visit Egypt in September or October, but still do not know if it is safe? One person says it is not safe, another says its ok, what is one to believe at this point?

Casual_Cairo

Hi gang...... yes, I'm still here, but things are slow and I'm not looking here on the boards as regularly. Guess I should visit once a week if not once a day.
Things are fine here. Elections are next week, so we will see what happens after that. Most are confident that X-Gen Sisi will be our new Pres and security and all like back in the "good old days" will resume shortly there after. I hope so!

As to the OP and her budget - I have to agree that $3000 isn't going to get you very far around Egypt from the west coast of America. I'm from Seattle and don't go back often at all because the air fare is pretty expensive. Check out KLM (from San Fran) or Egypt Air (if you can take some real real real cheap flight to NYC). Good luck.