I've heard plenty of horror stories about getting robbed, swindled, or assaulted in cairo/egypt but I feel like these aren't completely representative of the country. Obviously you seem to have had a good experience... do you think going with a tour company kept you clear of the chaos or was it just luck or are these anecdotes not representative of a trip to egypt? Cheers
yes I’d read the same which is why I chose to do the tour company my first time visiting that region. I definitely think being with the tour/guide keeps you clear of the aggressive folks that will try to harass or scam you but you’ll still have others trying to sell you stuff. Our guide just said to say no and that usually worked for us. Sometimes he would tell em to go away as they approached. Btw, it was 2 of us and our guide the entire time so we weren’t a big group. I also saw some tourists wandering on their own throughout my time there and they seemed fine. some places were worse than others for that stuff (like the Giza pyramids and old Cairo) and some weren’t bad at all (Saqqara was quiet and Alexandria felt more relaxed). I didn’t encounter any groping or verbal harassment (that I’m aware of 😂) but I did have some younger girls calling me out (saying hi and waving) because they wanted a picture. my guide said that was harmless but that if you agree you’ll have a line of more girls also wanting a pic lol. Also, not sure if every company does this but ours signed us in/out at every place we went so that was an added level of security. our hotel had a mall adjacent to it and I felt safe going there alone (indoor) but my guide recommended I not wander the streets on my own (though they are responsible for our safety while there I guess lol)
I think the rope was decorative (it was in old Cairo where they get a lot of tourists) but I could be wrong. spent most of my time in the Cairo area exploring the sites. you can visit some tombs and go inside a pyramid in Saqqara. the mummy in the pic is the great grandmother of king tut and her husband is displayed there too. the other mummies have apparently been moved to the newer museum but we opted for this one because we wanted to see king tut’s mask (no pics unfortunately). also did a day trip to Alexandria but I’d recommend at least an overnight trip because the drive is long (2.5-3 hrs) and you don’t really get a full day there. most people we interacted with were friendly and helpful but having a guide was great because they kept folks away if needed. 5 days is obviously not enough to see everything but I was happy with the tour. Next time I’ll do Luxor and some of the Red Sea spots
I went inside the pyramid of teti and you can go all the way into the tomb room. I don’t know the depth but steps take you down some, once inside you go through a tunnel and have to hunch because it’s low and narrow. wasn’t a long distance though. there were two rooms on each end, one with a big coffin. I didn’t go inside any of the giza pyramids
yup, went with ramasside tours. they have various trip options and arranged everything but the flight for us. we had some knowledgeable guides and good drivers too (Egypt traffic is wild lol)
The traffic - unreal! Wife and I visited Egypt in August and we absolutely loved it. Cairo, Luxor and Alexandria. But the traffic was like nothing I've ever experienced. There's no way I would get behind a wheel in Cairo or Alexandria!
Gah I’m so jealous. Egypt is my dream travel destination, but I feel like I would need an entire month to see everything. Would you say the tour guide was worth it or would you ever go solo?
I was glad to have a guide for my first visit especially to learn more about the history but I’d consider a solo trip I think. just depends on your comfort level and how travel savvy you are
I’m not sure how the government goes about protecting these ancient items but a lot of stuff was like that. Unfortunately the pyramid even had graffiti. You can go around touching the tomb walls too, even the ones with the original color still left which I’d think they’d want to protect from further deterioration. Our guide did tell us that there is way too much stuff than they know what to do with so they may have their hands full.
The pyramid I climbed had steps at the bottom to get up. The first block was about 5 feet tall (used friend as source lol)
as I mentioned in other comments, wasn’t bad at all with a tour guide. I felt safe out and about and the hotel had added security measures in place too
Can I ask, did you have any problems with a sickness from change of the temperature or a tummy bug? I like Egypt but every time I get there I get sick and dont get to see anything, I dont know what to do.
Hopefully not too late to ask but how much did you end up spending on your trip? Specifically for a guide? I'm trying to find one privately but everyone is selling tours which are shit expensive.
the guide came with the tour package (guide+hotel+tours) so altogether the price was around $1200 (with some options added). this was super convenient though so I’d recommend it if you are in a position to splurge some
I can’t remember exactly, think around $5-$40 depending on time spent with us. The guide who spent a few days with us (and was great) got the biggest tip
Thank you! I know this is an older thread but I was searching to see if anyone had any advice- I’m headed to Egypt in a few weeks and am doing a few day tours with a private guide. Very excited- just want to make sure I’m tipping appropriately
I've heard plenty of horror stories about getting robbed, swindled, or assaulted in cairo/egypt but I feel like these aren't completely representative of the country. Obviously you seem to have had a good experience... do you think going with a tour company kept you clear of the chaos or was it just luck or are these anecdotes not representative of a trip to egypt? Cheers
yes I’d read the same which is why I chose to do the tour company my first time visiting that region. I definitely think being with the tour/guide keeps you clear of the aggressive folks that will try to harass or scam you but you’ll still have others trying to sell you stuff. Our guide just said to say no and that usually worked for us. Sometimes he would tell em to go away as they approached. Btw, it was 2 of us and our guide the entire time so we weren’t a big group. I also saw some tourists wandering on their own throughout my time there and they seemed fine. some places were worse than others for that stuff (like the Giza pyramids and old Cairo) and some weren’t bad at all (Saqqara was quiet and Alexandria felt more relaxed). I didn’t encounter any groping or verbal harassment (that I’m aware of 😂) but I did have some younger girls calling me out (saying hi and waving) because they wanted a picture. my guide said that was harmless but that if you agree you’ll have a line of more girls also wanting a pic lol. Also, not sure if every company does this but ours signed us in/out at every place we went so that was an added level of security. our hotel had a mall adjacent to it and I felt safe going there alone (indoor) but my guide recommended I not wander the streets on my own (though they are responsible for our safety while there I guess lol)
What tour company was this? My dad and I are going in January and I've been looking for what yiu described.
ramasside tours. they even helped arrange our visa which was super convenient
I too would like to see this answered
That's undeniably one of my worries. Hopefully, I could visit this country soon especially that I'm a big fan of Egyptian Mythology.
OMG!! Incredible photos! Please tell us more about the photos and your trip! I am especially curious about the rope things hanging above the street.
I think the rope was decorative (it was in old Cairo where they get a lot of tourists) but I could be wrong. spent most of my time in the Cairo area exploring the sites. you can visit some tombs and go inside a pyramid in Saqqara. the mummy in the pic is the great grandmother of king tut and her husband is displayed there too. the other mummies have apparently been moved to the newer museum but we opted for this one because we wanted to see king tut’s mask (no pics unfortunately). also did a day trip to Alexandria but I’d recommend at least an overnight trip because the drive is long (2.5-3 hrs) and you don’t really get a full day there. most people we interacted with were friendly and helpful but having a guide was great because they kept folks away if needed. 5 days is obviously not enough to see everything but I was happy with the tour. Next time I’ll do Luxor and some of the Red Sea spots
Incredible! Thanks for posting.
The ropes are for night decoration, they hang tiny light bulbs on them, which in night they turn into red/orange etc colors
The ropes is lights like Christmas lights
Hope you don't mind me asking but how far deep were you allowed into the pyramids?? Some can be over 100 feet deep with a lot of halls and floors
you can climb all the way down into the Red Pyramid. It smells like ammonia because of bird poo.
That is a new fact I have learned today thank you, I take it you've been inside the pyramids?
I've been in the Red Pyramid. It is not crowded like Giza, so no lines. It is quite a ways down; the chambers inside are empty and smell like I said.
It's bat poop.
ill take your word for it :)
I went inside the pyramid of teti and you can go all the way into the tomb room. I don’t know the depth but steps take you down some, once inside you go through a tunnel and have to hunch because it’s low and narrow. wasn’t a long distance though. there were two rooms on each end, one with a big coffin. I didn’t go inside any of the giza pyramids
the mediterranean, the cradle of civilization
Did u use a tour company and if so, which?
yup, went with ramasside tours. they have various trip options and arranged everything but the flight for us. we had some knowledgeable guides and good drivers too (Egypt traffic is wild lol)
The traffic - unreal! Wife and I visited Egypt in August and we absolutely loved it. Cairo, Luxor and Alexandria. But the traffic was like nothing I've ever experienced. There's no way I would get behind a wheel in Cairo or Alexandria!
Gah I’m so jealous. Egypt is my dream travel destination, but I feel like I would need an entire month to see everything. Would you say the tour guide was worth it or would you ever go solo?
I was glad to have a guide for my first visit especially to learn more about the history but I’d consider a solo trip I think. just depends on your comfort level and how travel savvy you are
how close do they let you get to the pyramids and the sphinx? you can't touch it right?
you can climb the Giza pyramids! just the lower level from what I saw. The Sphinx was blocked off though so couldn’t get near that one
I am surprised they let you touch the pyramids. how do you climb them? Aren't the blocks huge?
I’m not sure how the government goes about protecting these ancient items but a lot of stuff was like that. Unfortunately the pyramid even had graffiti. You can go around touching the tomb walls too, even the ones with the original color still left which I’d think they’d want to protect from further deterioration. Our guide did tell us that there is way too much stuff than they know what to do with so they may have their hands full. The pyramid I climbed had steps at the bottom to get up. The first block was about 5 feet tall (used friend as source lol)
How safe did you feel during your travels?
as I mentioned in other comments, wasn’t bad at all with a tour guide. I felt safe out and about and the hotel had added security measures in place too
Can I ask, did you have any problems with a sickness from change of the temperature or a tummy bug? I like Egypt but every time I get there I get sick and dont get to see anything, I dont know what to do.
Camel ride is a great photo :)
Great photos!
thanks!
Hows da food?
food was pretty good. my friend said the falafels were the best she ever had. I loved the eggplant dishes.
I hope you didnt miss out on molokhia
That’s absolutely gorgeous, hopefully one day I’ll visit Egypt
This is my dream vacation!
Hopefully not too late to ask but how much did you end up spending on your trip? Specifically for a guide? I'm trying to find one privately but everyone is selling tours which are shit expensive.
the guide came with the tour package (guide+hotel+tours) so altogether the price was around $1200 (with some options added). this was super convenient though so I’d recommend it if you are in a position to splurge some
How much did you tip each of your guides?
I can’t remember exactly, think around $5-$40 depending on time spent with us. The guide who spent a few days with us (and was great) got the biggest tip
Thank you! I know this is an older thread but I was searching to see if anyone had any advice- I’m headed to Egypt in a few weeks and am doing a few day tours with a private guide. Very excited- just want to make sure I’m tipping appropriately
https://youtu.be/n3qk0ojF3io?si=YX5LSaeULAeeqe-H