BuildingMyBento

I was in Cairo this past December/January. Walked into a couple of hotels by Tahrir and spoke with a couple of managers (not intentionally; I needed directions). They mentioned that occupancy rates recently hovered around 30%.

Canuck2012

I think after the elections in May the situation will normalize. It's definitely a good time to visit if you're looking for a cheap trip.

DanielW

Stabilise as in less protests, or stabilise as in less bombings?

Bonaventure

Figured I'd bump this.

I'm on the fence for visiting Egypt in January for 2 weeks. From what I understand the risk level has dropped substantially over the past half-year but I'm still wary as I will be backpacking solo (which I do a lot), likely hosteling and doing public transport etc... however this will be the first time I do this in the Arabic world. Anyone have any thoughts/tips?

I'm not exactly keen on having a guide & driver (thus, the backpacking), but if it's still really cheap (any idea how much?) and improves the experience...

StartinSanDiego

Are you female? It sounds as though you are a confident, experienced traveler. Surely, a strong sense of self-confidence, with a good dose of common sense thrown in, eliminates many situations that could lead to being harassed or bullied.

Everyone's tolerance is different, but I have spent thousands of hours on my own in remote areas of Mexico, a place many people consider dangerous. I'm the type who likes to blend in, under-dress, act like a local. I've consistently found that many places viewed as "dangerous" by some haven't phased me a bit. Maybe I have both a low fear factor and a high tolerance, but I'm always glad I went...

I, personally, wouldn't tackle Cairo on my own-- with public transport and a backpack. It's big, busy and very crowded, on top of being such a different culture. They are aggressive drivers and persistent salesmen. The signs in English are few and far between. Those factors are stressful for me, but they might not bother you. I liked having a guide who was handling the logistics. I would go back in a moment, but I'd want a taxi and a day guide. I don't know about other places in Egypt.

Bonaventure

Thanks, fair points. No, I'm not female (this thread just seemed the most relevant and recent). I'm more or less just worried about being kidnapped as with more reading I figure that the aggressive hassling most people complain of just comes with the territory (of sticking out like a sore thumb), though backpacking typically acts as a good repellant for people who think I'm a walking bag of money.

On the flip side, the politics (and recent violence/tumult) is definitely something that attracts me, but that's something I've only ever thrown myself into in Asia... and I'm very tempted to try something similar in Egypt. I also spend much of my time walking through 'regular' (tourists, read 'poor') neighbourhoods where you don't see Westerners, ever, and that's where presumably I think I'm at the highest risk of kidnap.

Domat

I was just in Egypt last month. We took public transplantation a couple of times and spent some time in local only areas but never felt unsafe.

is there a reason you think you would be targeted for kidnapping?

StartinSanDiego

I never felt endangered in any way, and we (2 women) were there on the anniversary of the Arab Spring.

If rough and tumble politics don't bother you (they don't bother me, I could have been a war correspondent), then go.

Maybe couch surfing would be a good option for you. Then you'd have direct contacts.

IAN-UK

Seriously - you are worried about being kidnapped in Egypt ???

Bonaventure

You obviously don't travel the same way I do. Stick to your resorts and hotels, and I'll stick to real travelling.

IAN-UK

That just sounds silly.

You may be a particularly skittish traveller, but I'd love to understand how you've come to identify Egypt as holding any particular kidnap risk to you or, indeed, to any other tourist.

Even the conservative State Department advice on travel to Egypt makes no mention of kidnapping. Not that a traveller as seasoned as yourself would heed such sources of advice

jahason

There are two Egypts. The one where tourists go - which is horrible and frequented by people constantly asking for 'baksheesh'. And then there's 90% of the rest frequented mainly by locals, where the people are delightful and friendly and women are respected. But to access the other 90% you really have to know Arabic and travel by local transport. I was lucky because my son was living there and by then he was fluent in Arabic including the Egyptian dialect.

horse glasses

Maybe this is a good place to ask this. I would like to visit a friend who is currently studying in Cairo. This is the situation.

She is a 24 year old German university student who is spending 8 months on some kind of scholarship to study there (some kind of middle eastern studies). I am a 30 year old American female but probably would appear closer to her age. The address of her apartment is in Garden City. Everyone that I have mentioned going to visit her there to thinks it's insane, but she says it's totally fine. Is this somehow better/worse because this is outside of the tourist area? My thought was if the university was okay with sending students there, it should be okay for me to go there. She does know some Arabic, and I assume would be improved by the time I got there as well.

IAN-UK

Don't listen to your hysterical friends Trust your more cosmopolitan friend!

Apart from the chaotic traffic, Cairo is a great place to visit. Garden City has to be one of the safest, most secure, places in Cairo: the security there is intense, reflecting the presence of the US and UK embassies as well as government offices and other embassies. It's as central as can be, on the Nile with 5-star hotel neighbours. A downside is in the busy streets (traffic again!) surrounding the (generally) quiet area of Garden City. OK, Tahrir is next door, and has been the target for violent demonstrations: but should any more evolve, simply stay away from the square.

StartinSanDiego

By all means, GO!

Everybody has a different comfort level, with most people being quite intimidated by listening to the evening news broadcasts. Yes, it's much safer to sit on the couch watching TV than it is to get out and go to a foreign land, so, consider the source of the alarmist input. You friend has boots on the ground, so to speak, and, thus, is a far better source of information. Most people are NOT world travelers, and, as such, are perhaps not the best ones to listen to if traveling the world is important to you.

This thread has lots of good, first hand knowledge, and a bit of caution, too. Read through it for input.