possible egypt itinerary---suggestions appreciated!!!
Dec 21st, 2009, 01:11 PM
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possible egypt itinerary---suggestions appreciated!!!
hi everyone! planning a private egypt tour for 2 people for january 2011, probably through africa adventure company. here's a possible itinerary. most of this is suggestions from AAC, but i've also included my own details, 'cause i'm just obsessive like that. 
please let me know what you think!
Day 1: egyptair overnight flight (departing previous night) jfk-cairo arriving 12:15pm---anyone know what meals we'll be served, and how scary they are?
right into sightseeing---egyptian museum: tut exhibits, mummy room?, anyone have any favorites?
citadel, hassan/ali mosques, khan---lunch at naguib mahfouz sound good?---any other islamic/coptic sites you highly recommend? not sure how much time we'll have, but we're "go go go" people on vacations.
staying at mena oberoi---splurge for dinner at moghul room? (my trip partner is indian, so we have to seek out fabulous indian food wherever we go)!
Day 2: giza---sphinx, entry to khufu, solar boat
lunch at andrea sound good?
saqqara---suggestions on what's a must-see here?
dashur
dinner at barry's to view sound&light show?
overnight mena oberoi
Day 3: flight to luxor & cruise check-in---they use travcotels---thoughts?
luxor/karank temples, sound&light at karnak---heard this is the better show over giza or philae
Day 4: valley of kings---suggestions on what tombs to see? incl. tut's?
hatshepsut's temple, valley of queens---again, suggestions on what tombs?, medinet habu----what else is worth seeing?
Day 5: AAC is claiming we visit both esna & edfu temples, but i don't see esna temple listed anywhere on travcotels itineraries, and i know this isn't a usual stop, so i'm a bit suspicious---thoughts?
Day 6: kom ombo, philae, then AAC itinerary has aswan high dam/unfinished obelisk. don't care about either of these really, so wondering about EITHER camel ride to tombs of the nobles/st. simeon's OR catching boat for quick trip to kalabsha---which will take less time?
Day 7: AAC itinerary has felucca to kitchener's, but thinking we would rather do either camel/nobles/simeon OR kalabsha---whichever didn't happen previous day. again, depends on how much time these will take---thoughts?
flight to cairo, check-in semiramis intercontinental, lunch at felfella, see whatever we might have missed on Day 1 (museum, islamic, coptic cairo), cairo tower @sunset?, dinner abou el sid (or kandahar for indian?), a drink at the hard rock?---i know some of this should be w/in walking distance to/from hotel, right?, quick nap before middle of the night onward flight to tanzania for next leg of tour!
please let me know what you think!Day 1: egyptair overnight flight (departing previous night) jfk-cairo arriving 12:15pm---anyone know what meals we'll be served, and how scary they are?
right into sightseeing---egyptian museum: tut exhibits, mummy room?, anyone have any favorites?
citadel, hassan/ali mosques, khan---lunch at naguib mahfouz sound good?---any other islamic/coptic sites you highly recommend? not sure how much time we'll have, but we're "go go go" people on vacations.
staying at mena oberoi---splurge for dinner at moghul room? (my trip partner is indian, so we have to seek out fabulous indian food wherever we go)!
Day 2: giza---sphinx, entry to khufu, solar boat
lunch at andrea sound good?
saqqara---suggestions on what's a must-see here?
dashur
dinner at barry's to view sound&light show?
overnight mena oberoi
Day 3: flight to luxor & cruise check-in---they use travcotels---thoughts?
luxor/karank temples, sound&light at karnak---heard this is the better show over giza or philae
Day 4: valley of kings---suggestions on what tombs to see? incl. tut's?
hatshepsut's temple, valley of queens---again, suggestions on what tombs?, medinet habu----what else is worth seeing?
Day 5: AAC is claiming we visit both esna & edfu temples, but i don't see esna temple listed anywhere on travcotels itineraries, and i know this isn't a usual stop, so i'm a bit suspicious---thoughts?
Day 6: kom ombo, philae, then AAC itinerary has aswan high dam/unfinished obelisk. don't care about either of these really, so wondering about EITHER camel ride to tombs of the nobles/st. simeon's OR catching boat for quick trip to kalabsha---which will take less time?
Day 7: AAC itinerary has felucca to kitchener's, but thinking we would rather do either camel/nobles/simeon OR kalabsha---whichever didn't happen previous day. again, depends on how much time these will take---thoughts?
flight to cairo, check-in semiramis intercontinental, lunch at felfella, see whatever we might have missed on Day 1 (museum, islamic, coptic cairo), cairo tower @sunset?, dinner abou el sid (or kandahar for indian?), a drink at the hard rock?---i know some of this should be w/in walking distance to/from hotel, right?, quick nap before middle of the night onward flight to tanzania for next leg of tour!
Dec 21st, 2009, 04:02 PM
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Yeah, I agree with sf7307, that first day is a killer. In my experience, an overnight overseas flight followed by trip to museum (or anything else indoors) is a disaster. In the past, when I've landed in Europe in the morning after an overseas flight, the best bet has been to do something outdoors and active. Maybe do your walk through Cairo and save the museum until the next day or the last day?
Also, I don't see Abu Simbal on your itinerary. A lot of people say it's the highlight of their Egypt trip, so you might want to consider squeezing that in. Any chance you could add a couple of days to your itinerary?
Also, I don't see Abu Simbal on your itinerary. A lot of people say it's the highlight of their Egypt trip, so you might want to consider squeezing that in. Any chance you could add a couple of days to your itinerary?
Dec 21st, 2009, 05:31 PM
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i know, we're crazy! we took a trip to fiji in august, and after 24 hrs. of travel PLUS a 16 hrs. ahead time difference, we jumped right into a crazy full day of sight-seeing. it's just how we are. (we're in our early 30s). we get SO excited that we're finally there, that the last thing we can do is sleep and relax! and the overnight flight/time diff. to egypt isn't ANYTHING like what fiji was.
maybe we'll save the museum for last, and if we don't have time, that should be within walking distance of semiramis intercontinental on our last day in cairo, right? as for abu simbel, we've been back and forth on this, and i'm sure it's incredible, but ultimately we just couldn't fit it in time-wise or expense-wise.
we took a trip to fiji in august, and after 24 hrs. of travel PLUS a 16 hrs. ahead time difference, we jumped right into a crazy full day of sight-seeing. it's just how we are. (we're in our early 30s). we get SO excited that we're finally there, that the last thing we can do is sleep and relax! and the overnight flight/time diff. to egypt isn't ANYTHING like what fiji was. maybe we'll save the museum for last, and if we don't have time, that should be within walking distance of semiramis intercontinental on our last day in cairo, right? as for abu simbel, we've been back and forth on this, and i'm sure it's incredible, but ultimately we just couldn't fit it in time-wise or expense-wise.
Dec 27th, 2009, 01:58 AM
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i agree its to much to do all of this in one week,Adria resturant is not that clean and good resturant,i have been there two times,and travcotels has lots of boats,so in which one of them you going to cruise?because some of them are not the quality!i think you better contact another local travel agencies like egypt quality tours or egypt today travel,because i think the hotels they choose is good but the resturants and cruise boat is not that great
Dec 27th, 2009, 07:44 AM
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I'm tired already, especially that first day. Good to arrive in daylight which resets body clock as many of us do heading to Europe and then sleep that night... still hectic.
Abu Simbel - don't see this. Maybe you can arrange for morning Day 7, then directly back to CAI.
Abu Simbel - don't see this. Maybe you can arrange for morning Day 7, then directly back to CAI.
Dec 28th, 2009, 08:13 AM
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I'm just out of an Egypt trip that was fantastic. I'll put together a trip report in the coming weeks but for now I just have a few notes for you.
1. The vendors are annoying, but didn't make me feel like I was in any danger. They step in front of you, say "hello, good day", anything to get your attention. If you stop, you'll be swarmed. Do NOT go into a shop unless you are going to buy something, and you should negotiate the price before even doing that. If you look at anything, you'll be swarmed. I never felt like I was in danger, but don't take that for granted and do something silly. I didn't walk through the one market at night because I would have been alone. I stayed with the group and walked back to the boat on a path away from the market. Remember "la shukrun" (no thanks) and most of the vendors will move on to the next tourist. Be polite but firm and they mostly move right on.
2. I know you said that you can't fit Abu Simbel into your itinerary time-wise or cost-wise, but double check and see if you can wiggle it in. Hearing that it was moved is one thing. Seeing the immense size of these two temples and knowing that they were moved is absolutely mind-blowing.
3. At the pyramids... I went into Khufu's pyramid. Do you have any back, knee or claustrophobia issues? It is a long trek down a 45 degree angle ramp, a flat section, and a long trek up a 45 degree angle ramp. That doesn't sound bad, but the passage way is barely wide enough for two people to pass and the angled sections are around 3 feet tall. Basically go stand next to your kitchen counter and bend/squat so that you're below it. Stay that way for 10 minutes. Now imagine doing that on a ramp. There's practically nothing once you get inside, just an empty large box and a guy wanting a tip. I'm glad I went just to say that I was inside a pyramid, however, I was glad to have a mini flashlight and wish I had brought my tiny battery operated fan inside. I'm glad I went, but definitely take the conditions into consideration before you go in.
4. At the Valley of the Kings, we went into the tombs of Ramses 9, 3 and 1. Ramses 1 had a lot of painting and decoration and was VERY cool. Ramses 3 had quite a bit if I remember right, and Ramses 9 was fairly plain. A few people in our group did pay extra to go into Tut's. They said it was worth the 100LE ($20) just to say that they had been there.
5. I went to the Sound and Light show at Karnak and thought it was pretty stupid to be honest. I had really high hopes, but it just seemed overly dramatic and silly.
6. If you do a camel ride, be very wary. The guys at the pyramids took a few in our group for a ride even after our guide had told them to play nice and no tricks. They separated one family from their kids and didn't want to turn the camels around until they paid a "tip". That family said "we'll ask the guide" firmly enough that the camel guys turned them around and quit screwing around. Another couple had their camera taken away and not given back until they paid a tip. It can be a lot of fun, but be cautious and be ready for some BS.
7. Don't wear revealing tops or skirts. I know, everyone says it but some people do it anyway. You don't have to have your head covered if you're a woman but try to play by some of their customs. The girls in one family in my Trafalgar tour group kept wearing short skirts and skanky tops. They wondered why the vendors kept migrating to them and getting very close. *eye roll* Nobody can do smarmy quite like Egyptian men. I also highly suggest against sandals/flip flops. There's no such thing as even pavement in many areas and most areas are pretty dirty with sand and trash.
8. Take a sweater, the mornings and evenings are brisk and a few times I considered pulling my jacket for the London portion of my trip out of my bag. I wore T shirts and alternated between a cable knit cardigan in the mornings and evenings and a long sleeve, 100% cotton shirt during the late mornings and afternoons. The long sleeve shirt was extremely light weight and practically see through, but it kept the sun off of my skin. Despite it being late December, the sun is still quite bright.
Egypt is a fantastic country and I hope to go back some day. I was a little apprehensive before the trip, but I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved it. You'll have a fantastic time, January will be excellent weather.
1. The vendors are annoying, but didn't make me feel like I was in any danger. They step in front of you, say "hello, good day", anything to get your attention. If you stop, you'll be swarmed. Do NOT go into a shop unless you are going to buy something, and you should negotiate the price before even doing that. If you look at anything, you'll be swarmed. I never felt like I was in danger, but don't take that for granted and do something silly. I didn't walk through the one market at night because I would have been alone. I stayed with the group and walked back to the boat on a path away from the market. Remember "la shukrun" (no thanks) and most of the vendors will move on to the next tourist. Be polite but firm and they mostly move right on.
2. I know you said that you can't fit Abu Simbel into your itinerary time-wise or cost-wise, but double check and see if you can wiggle it in. Hearing that it was moved is one thing. Seeing the immense size of these two temples and knowing that they were moved is absolutely mind-blowing.
3. At the pyramids... I went into Khufu's pyramid. Do you have any back, knee or claustrophobia issues? It is a long trek down a 45 degree angle ramp, a flat section, and a long trek up a 45 degree angle ramp. That doesn't sound bad, but the passage way is barely wide enough for two people to pass and the angled sections are around 3 feet tall. Basically go stand next to your kitchen counter and bend/squat so that you're below it. Stay that way for 10 minutes. Now imagine doing that on a ramp. There's practically nothing once you get inside, just an empty large box and a guy wanting a tip. I'm glad I went just to say that I was inside a pyramid, however, I was glad to have a mini flashlight and wish I had brought my tiny battery operated fan inside. I'm glad I went, but definitely take the conditions into consideration before you go in.
4. At the Valley of the Kings, we went into the tombs of Ramses 9, 3 and 1. Ramses 1 had a lot of painting and decoration and was VERY cool. Ramses 3 had quite a bit if I remember right, and Ramses 9 was fairly plain. A few people in our group did pay extra to go into Tut's. They said it was worth the 100LE ($20) just to say that they had been there.
5. I went to the Sound and Light show at Karnak and thought it was pretty stupid to be honest. I had really high hopes, but it just seemed overly dramatic and silly.
6. If you do a camel ride, be very wary. The guys at the pyramids took a few in our group for a ride even after our guide had told them to play nice and no tricks. They separated one family from their kids and didn't want to turn the camels around until they paid a "tip". That family said "we'll ask the guide" firmly enough that the camel guys turned them around and quit screwing around. Another couple had their camera taken away and not given back until they paid a tip. It can be a lot of fun, but be cautious and be ready for some BS.
7. Don't wear revealing tops or skirts. I know, everyone says it but some people do it anyway. You don't have to have your head covered if you're a woman but try to play by some of their customs. The girls in one family in my Trafalgar tour group kept wearing short skirts and skanky tops. They wondered why the vendors kept migrating to them and getting very close. *eye roll* Nobody can do smarmy quite like Egyptian men. I also highly suggest against sandals/flip flops. There's no such thing as even pavement in many areas and most areas are pretty dirty with sand and trash.
8. Take a sweater, the mornings and evenings are brisk and a few times I considered pulling my jacket for the London portion of my trip out of my bag. I wore T shirts and alternated between a cable knit cardigan in the mornings and evenings and a long sleeve, 100% cotton shirt during the late mornings and afternoons. The long sleeve shirt was extremely light weight and practically see through, but it kept the sun off of my skin. Despite it being late December, the sun is still quite bright.
Egypt is a fantastic country and I hope to go back some day. I was a little apprehensive before the trip, but I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved it. You'll have a fantastic time, January will be excellent weather.
Dec 28th, 2009, 01:49 PM
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thanks so much! this is great! yes, my trip partner (my best friend, and a guy) is from india, so he's well aware of how to deal w/the vendors etc. that's why he's my trip partner! thanks for the advice on the pyramid. it does sound like quite the adventure. we're both young and fit, and i'm sure we would be fine. but definitely good to know what to expect. as for tut's tomb, yes, i just want to be able to say i've been in it. i know it's probably a total rip-off, but oh well. and yes, i had also heard that any of the sound and light shows are really cheesy, so i kind of expected that. but i've read that it's nice to see the temple lit up at night, and that, of all of them, karnak's is actually the best show. thanks again for all your help!
thanks for the advice on the pyramid. it does sound like quite the adventure. we're both young and fit, and i'm sure we would be fine. but definitely good to know what to expect. as for tut's tomb, yes, i just want to be able to say i've been in it. i know it's probably a total rip-off, but oh well. and yes, i had also heard that any of the sound and light shows are really cheesy, so i kind of expected that. but i've read that it's nice to see the temple lit up at night, and that, of all of them, karnak's is actually the best show. thanks again for all your help!
Dec 28th, 2009, 02:29 PM
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tut's tomb is fascinating due to the size--once you see the contents at the museum, it flips you out.
I'd skip all sound light shows--you can get a carriage and ride bu to see the lights--total waste of time/money--you may need your rest for 5AM flight to abu simbel (or caravan) should not be missed
memfis was bust to me
make sure you avoid the carpet and papyrus places and heed the shop advice offered previously
you need to be more flexible about restaurants--go w the flow
--locking into a set place/time will kill a fast paced trip and yours is VERY ambitious.
I've done 2 tours--one large group and one private and am headed back end Jan for 10+ days to do it right this time!
I'd skip all sound light shows--you can get a carriage and ride bu to see the lights--total waste of time/money--you may need your rest for 5AM flight to abu simbel (or caravan) should not be missed
memfis was bust to me
make sure you avoid the carpet and papyrus places and heed the shop advice offered previously
you need to be more flexible about restaurants--go w the flow
--locking into a set place/time will kill a fast paced trip and yours is VERY ambitious.
I've done 2 tours--one large group and one private and am headed back end Jan for 10+ days to do it right this time!
Dec 29th, 2009, 06:32 PM
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I was exhausted looking at your itenary. For some reason flying east bound is more exhausting than west bound. Last year when we flew to Portugal all I could do was take a walk-have a bite to eat & go to sleep before the sun had set.
Going west-both to New Zealand & Thailand was easy. Good luck.
But you are half my age!!!
We are going to Egypt next year so will look forward to your report-I am in the notetaking stage (Do have plane tickets-the guide lined up & 1 week at a time shrare in Heraghada to relax from the sites)
Chris
Going west-both to New Zealand & Thailand was easy. Good luck.
But you are half my age!!!
We are going to Egypt next year so will look forward to your report-I am in the notetaking stage (Do have plane tickets-the guide lined up & 1 week at a time shrare in Heraghada to relax from the sites)
Chris
Dec 30th, 2009, 05:32 AM
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kyshel, I'm following the Egypt forum because I'm in the planning stage for a trip to Egypt in 2011. There will be four of us, all experienced travelers, who will use a local travel agency - Lady Egypt? - for hotels and some internal transportation. What do you mean by "do it right" ? We want an independent, less touristy experience. Any advice?
Dec 30th, 2009, 08:31 AM
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Most itineraries for first-timers to Egypt go to the same monuments, temples, museums and sights, so I don't think that's an issue. As far as the "tour operator", we (and others on here) were very pleased with Lady Egypt's services. You can see my trip report here:
http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...p-report-3.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...p-report-3.cfm
Dec 30th, 2009, 10:47 AM
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anyone have recommendations on what exhibits to see at the egyptian museum? obviously the tut stuff is a priority. i've been told that the museum is not laid out or marked well, so just thought it might be nice to have some idea of what's worth it, and what's not. thanks so much!
Dec 30th, 2009, 12:52 PM
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Don't forget the Mummy Room. This is an additional fee... about $20, but well worth it. Like the Tut exhibit, is air conditioned, unlike the rest of the museum.
There is so much to see, that one can never cover all in a day or two or months. In fact, there's more in the basement and storage facilities than actually on display.
Funny story.... when we visited with our guide started on the first floor along with the throngs of visitors and it was very crowded. I suggested we start on the top floor and work or way down, in the hopes of avoiding the crowds. His reply "it should be done in order" to which I remarked (not wanting to sound snippy) "but it's all so old, a few thousand years one way or the other shouldn't much matter." He didn't quite get it, but my friend turned away in subtle laughter We went to the top and worked our way down and sure enough... less peeps!
There might be a map of museum layout/exhibits, but how current or/if exhibits are changed... who can say.
Maybe if Grcxx3 or Debbie see this thread, they'd have more info.
There is so much to see, that one can never cover all in a day or two or months. In fact, there's more in the basement and storage facilities than actually on display.
Funny story.... when we visited with our guide started on the first floor along with the throngs of visitors and it was very crowded. I suggested we start on the top floor and work or way down, in the hopes of avoiding the crowds. His reply "it should be done in order" to which I remarked (not wanting to sound snippy) "but it's all so old, a few thousand years one way or the other shouldn't much matter." He didn't quite get it, but my friend turned away in subtle laughter
We went to the top and worked our way down and sure enough... less peeps! There might be a map of museum layout/exhibits, but how current or/if exhibits are changed... who can say.
Maybe if Grcxx3 or Debbie see this thread, they'd have more info.
Dec 30th, 2009, 03:03 PM
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I'll defer to Debbie on any special exhibits to see. I've been to the museum several times - but a couple of the visits were school field trips and it was a bit chaotic!!!!
The layout is a little confusing, but basically the ground floor has the main stone sculptures and goes in chronological order. The various rooms are numbered (but the sequence of numbers doesn't match the age of the exhibits!). The upper floor (called the first floor) has exhibits arranged more according to themes. This is where the King Tut and Mummy rooms are (and those 2 should not be missed).
This is the book I have -
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...useum_in_Cairo
It has lovely color photographs, good descriptions, and diagrams of the museums layout. I think I picked it up in the museum gift shop, but if you can find it online or in a store - it might be worth looking at before going into the museum.
Note: the book it about1.5 inches thick and rather heavy - but it's good.
The layout is a little confusing, but basically the ground floor has the main stone sculptures and goes in chronological order. The various rooms are numbered (but the sequence of numbers doesn't match the age of the exhibits!). The upper floor (called the first floor) has exhibits arranged more according to themes. This is where the King Tut and Mummy rooms are (and those 2 should not be missed).
This is the book I have -
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...useum_in_Cairo
It has lovely color photographs, good descriptions, and diagrams of the museums layout. I think I picked it up in the museum gift shop, but if you can find it online or in a store - it might be worth looking at before going into the museum.
Note: the book it about1.5 inches thick and rather heavy - but it's good.
Dec 30th, 2009, 04:50 PM
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thanks everyone! i keep reading horror stories about egyptair. is it really that scary? any idea what meals will be served on our overnight from jfk? and how scary the food is? lol! thanks again!
Dec 30th, 2009, 07:30 PM
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Dec 31st, 2009, 10:50 AM
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thanks! i feel better---seems it's not so scary as all the horror stories i've read. are the major islamic sites (citadel, hassan/ali/ibn tulun mosques, bab zuweila, al-azhar U., khan, etc.) all w/in walking distance of each other? just trying to get a feel for the layout. thanks again!
are the major islamic sites (citadel, hassan/ali/ibn tulun mosques, bab zuweila, al-azhar U., khan, etc.) all w/in walking distance of each other? just trying to get a feel for the layout. thanks again!
Dec 31st, 2009, 12:02 PM
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Egypt was one of my most favorite trips. I would slow down and take in more of the sights and sounds. You have a very ambitious itinerary. If you do spend any time at the hotel pool (good way to relax/unwind) be wary. There were locals at my hotel who were filming women in the pool. BUT other than that it was a great, safe trip and the food (I am a very picky eater) was delicious... just use commmon sense.
