Can anyone help me regarding getting a Visa to Egypt? I have read that you can get one at the airport once you land in Cairo for $15. Is this easy to do ? Does anyone recommend this or should we get our visa before we leave the states ?
Thanks...

Don't know what they cost to do them in the US, but it's very easy to do at the airport.

I haven't been to the Cairo airport since it was renovated, but it used to be that as you entered the main hall (where all the meet&assist people are waiting with signs), there was a counter where you bought your visa. It's just a stamp that they put in your passport. THen you proceed to passport control, baggage, etc.

To anyone who's been there recently - is this still the way it's working? I may be heading there in October.

thanks for your reply and information.
We are going there in Febuary and I wanted a positive feel on this different experience of obtaining a Visa.
thanks again.

Yes, right before passport control there is a booth on the left. Getting the visa is very painless.

Doug,

I read your great report on your OAT trip to Egypt and am going myself in October. I received a letter from OAT advising me to get my visa before arrival to avoid long lines or problems, but I don't like mailing my passport to an agency, especially when there is a disclaimer on the form "Not responsible for lost passports."

Did you get your visa in Cairo? Or before you left the U.S.?

Thank you

Yes, I bought my visa on arrival in Egypt. Only 2 people on our trip bought visas prior to arrival in Cairo. They're fairly slow at getting the luggage off the plane so it's not as if you are holding yourself or anyone else up. And the line was very short on our flight.

I think you'll have a wonderful trip. October is a great time to go. Our weather was really great (though fairly hot in Aswan and at first in Cairo).

Doug is spot on with his advise. Wait to do it in Cairo if you are traveling on a USA passport. It is so easy to get when you arrive and much less expensive in the long run when you add the cost of Fed Ex or some other secure mail service to the cost.
OAT only wants you to have your visa to make it easier on their rep as he will be meeting you and he is the one that will no doubt have to take your passport over to the window and purchase the visa. Don't worry about him though. This is his job and he knows how to do it easily and well. And like Doug says, you likely would be in the minority if you really did prepurchase the visa.

Have a good time in Egypt!!!

I don't know about OAT but many reps meeting you will get the stamps from the window in advance (if you get them your passport number and expiration) and when they meet you will put them in your passport. No lines to stand in.

Thank you all. I'm going to wait for Cairo to get the visa. I am taking the Alexandria pre extension and will be arriving on a Wednesday, so that may not be as busy as the Saturday flight.

Doug has a good point about the wait for luggage, I should have thought of that.

I'm really looking forward to this trip -- won't be long now!

Our OAT rep did not get our visas for us (we were met at baggage claim, not before passport control). But I don't think it really matters.

Thanks all for the replies to my Egypt-Visa question. I feel more comfortable about getting it at the airport in Cairo. Anyone know what the weather will be the middle of February? And the cost of a taxi from the Hilton Pyramids Golf Resort to the airport would be ?? And, do they have just taxi cabs or do they also have taxi van's ? There are 4 of us traveling together. Thanks again to all.

frugaltraveler - with 4 of you traveling from the airport to the Hilton, I would strongly suggest NOT taking a taxi.

The taxis are rather small and it might be difficult to get all your luggage in (they often strap excess pieces on the roof of the car). I don't think I've ever seen a taxi van at the airport. Most of the vans I have seen are owned by hotels or private transportation/travel companies. But, others on this board might know more about vans.

I would contact the Hilton and have them arrange a shuttle pickup for you. Then, whoever your contact/driver is would be waiting with a sign as you exited the customs area. Also, you would know the cost (if any) of this arrangement and you may be able to add it to your hotel bill.

If you do decided to take a taxi (and you may need 2), then make sure to agree to a price BEFORE you put your bags in the taxi. Be prepared for the driver to get more from you when you arrive at the hotel, but stick to your agreed-upon price.

Somewhere yesterday I saw a list of the most polluted cities in the world and Cairo was listed as #1. Wow, is it that bad?

Our hotel does offer a shuttle to the airport for $14 per person, sounds like that will be our option. I hope Cairo isn't the most polluted city.. I went to Beijing, China 6 years ago and came back with a horrible upper respiratory infection because of their smog problem. I hope they get that cleaned up before the Olympics.

I thought Cairo and Mexico City rivaled for the most polluted cities with Mexico City winning out, but only by a slight margin. Luisah, where did you read that? And where did Mexico City come in on the list?

Was that $14 a quote by the Golf Resort Hilton? That must be PER PERSON, correct. I can imagine that they will come for $56, or maybe they are just giving you a very very good rate because you are clients. You would NEVER get a taxi in Cairo to take you that far for $14. The Hilton Golf Resort is truly out in BFE (if you know what I mean). IT IS WAAAAAYYYY OUT THERE.

Casual Cairo.. YOU ARE FUNNY.. a friend of mine uses that expression (BFE) and that was the first I heard of it..
now I hear it again...
the quote was for $14 a person.. The Hilton's brochures state that you can see the pyramids from their hotel..is that a stretch ?? maybe with binoculars ?
Do they have ATM's, or should we convert $$ at the airport ?
thanks for the info and BFE chuckle!

<<I thought Cairo and Mexico City rivaled for the most polluted cities with Mexico City winning out, but only by a slight margin. Luisah, where did you read that? And where did Mexico City come in on the list?>>

The list is in the July 9 issue of Newsweek magazine. The chart lists the top 10 for "Worst Air Pollution" according to the World Bank. Cairo tops the list and the other nine are cities in India (4), China (4) and Indonesia (1). Beijing and Mexico City aren't on the list.

frugal t - The pyramids are pretty damn big, and I suppose if you got a clear day and stood on the roof of the Hilton you could see them...(you actually might not have to stand on the roof, but I didn't see them the day I was there from the lobby)- but you can see them from the Citadel in town too on a clear day.... so saying you can "see" the pyramids from anywhere does not make it necessarily close by.
On the other hand you have to remember that Cairo is HUGE and the pyramids are on the far side of the city - on the side towards 6 October City (where that Hilton is at) so the pyramids are the closest monument site in the Cairo area to this hotel.... but that doesn't place them exactly next door. And, it does make everything else from that hotel A LONG WAY AWAY!

And frugal t - You will definately know the definition of BFE after being at that hotel. You can take pictures of it for your friend.

HA!

Sorry to keep adding...I just keep seeing new parts to your message that I forgot to answer in the last post, and since we can't edit our posts on Fodors I have to start a new one.

Regarding ATM's. I'm quite certain the Hilton should have an ATM and a bank at it, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to get money at the airport if you see an ATM there. As you tourist around, you will see ATM's here and there (like thre is an ATM at the entrance to the Citadel) so stop and use them as necessary.