Hotel It Is
 

Updated original post

Sleeping Trains
 

Are the overnight trains ever discounted ???

I hesitate to book from overseas if I can land a better deal locally.

More thoughts:

(1) Just saw the post about water. This advice is way overblown. While I certainly would not touch/drink Nile water, anything out of a tap is so heavily chlorniated that it wouldn't harm a flea. Seriously: I have seen many, many people avoid water like the plague (!), only to get sick anyway. My advice? If you're there for only 3 days, don't eat any fresh/raw fruits/vegetables of any kind unless you peel them yourself. Drink mineral water if you wish, but no need to tape your mouth shut in the shower.

(2) Have you already made train arrangements? This is one of those areas where doing it on your own will save you $$, but unless you read and speak Arabic, I would not do this: The people at the train station - which is a total zoo, by the way - are notorious for selling the wrong thing, which you find out the hard way. Go to a major travel agent in the hotel you're staying at (and if there isn't one, go to the Nile Hilton) and have them arrange to get the tickets. Yes, it will cost more... But do you want your vacation runined by missing the train? Also: Make sure you get 1st class (definitely worth the small premium). Oh, and you'll have to arrange for your return as soon as you get to Luxor (not computerized yet, I'm afraid). You don't want to get stranded...

(3) Let me reiterate: Thomas Cook, which has an office at the Winter Palace Hotel, is an excellent place to arrange a car. A few years ago, it cost around $50 for a car and driver for the day. He wasn't a guide, though, so if you want someone to show you around it might cost more. Again, you could save money by haggling with a cabbie, but I advise against it if time is short.

(4) Personally, I think it's insane to do Luxor in a day, but so be it. Make absolutely sure you bring food with you. Water is obtainable, but unless you bring power bars, etc., you might find yourself stuck and starving. There's a horribly overpriced cafeteria near the entrance to the Valley of the Kings, but given how short your time is, you'll want to have extra calories at hand. (Water is pretty easy to find.)

(5) FYI, there is no way you'll be able to fit the Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo, Khan el Khalili, and the Cairo Tower in one day. Simply impossible. You'll quickly find that while Cairo is small, getting around is simply a lot more time consuming than in a western city; you can't zip around. My advice? Skip the Cairo Tower. Do the Egypt Museum highlights only (i.e., Tut), head to the Khan, where you can grab a bite, then wander until you can take it anymore... Not sure how you'll fit in a felucca on top of eating in there somewhere, but you seem pretty ambitious.

Good luck!

Cairo
 

Thanks!!

(1) Always cautious; but, not overboard :)

(2) have not booked yet. Will take the sleeper train and debating whether to book via the reservation form online or let hotel conierge take care of it (price & convenience).

(3) I will look up Thomas Cook and also inquire with Hotel. I really want a non-nonsense, no waste of time experience. I would prefer a guide and Egyptologist to be sure we experience the most in such a shoryt time.

(4) Thanks for the Luxor tips

(5) I know somethings may fall off as time runs out; but, will be thrilled with what we can see and enjoy. Besides, Ambition is my middle name! :D

My motto is - I may be insane to do ________________ (fill in the blank) in just _______ days (another blank); but, it is ________ days more than none at all !!

By the way, have booked the Hyatt. Big change from the Luna :)

I intentionally drank a tall glass of tap water on my second day in Cairo. My stomach said "squink", rumbled ominously for a couple of hours, then settled down -- and I didn't get the Pharaoh's Revenge on that trip or my subsequent visits either (although I did get Lawrence of Arabia's Revenge in Jordan, but that's another story). But heavy chlorination isn't entirely innocuous, this in itself can throw your stomach for a loop... and given the state of much of Cairo's plumbing, just because the water that goes in is drinkable doesn't mean that what comes out will be acceptable everywhere.

Agreed. Getting around is not as easy as you might think. Additionally, the whole train thing... Even if it is advertised, it might not necessarily leave on time and/or leave at all. So, leave some room in your program for error. Very cliche, but "go with the flow"... Time in this part of the world is not linear but more "circular"; if I don't get to do it now, it will come around again and I'll do it then. Am I making any sense? A schedule is good, but don't be surprised if things go way off track. We have a very common saying here and that is "I.B.M."... No not that... It stand for "Inshallah Bokra Ma'laysh"... In other words, "God willing, maybe tomorrow". See what I'm trying to say???

Good luck and enjoy your brief stay in Egypt. Don't try to do too much in one day because that in itself can make you sick (even if you drink bottled water and stay away from fruits and veggies :) ).

Getting Around
 

It is always fun to think we can visit everything; but, reality always rules and we see maybe half.

The important part for me is to hear the "must do's" so I know what to prioritize at the expense of other sites. Giza, Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo and Khan el Khalili are such. (Please feel free to comment, substitute and add)

I would like to venture to Memphis, Cairo Tower and do a fellucca sail at sunset as well. Such, we shall see if time permits.

Luxor will be the ultimate "power tour" with both banks, Karnak and more. The key here I beleive is to find the right guide who is equally as energetic. I am encouraged by the Thomas Cook suggestions. Although would like to arrange in advance to accommodate train station pick up and to take off like a cloud of dust from there.

I know the system of "schedule" in many parts of the world. My temperment works well with this fortunately. Many times "Inshallah" started with a delay; but, almost always ended with a lifelong memory.

I don't know if I mentioned this. I had two vouchers via KLM that I had to burn. This is how the journey came to be. Combined with 4 days is better than 0. It also goes with if I didn't use it I would lose it. So, Cairo here we come.

I read a referrence that Cairo is like a cheetah on speed - I can't wait!!

More on Luxor...

I hear you on the push to do as much as possible given the time you have. That's cool, you make do. But at some point, you have to call the ball and make choices: seeing 5 temples and 12 tombs in one day might actually not be as enjoyable as a more leisurely pace. Both banks in 1 day is, frankly, insane. But okay, you want to maximize everything. Hit Karnak in the afternoon, after a morning on the West Bank. Depending on your train, you can go right to the station from the temple (getting quickly from the West Bank to the station is more difficult). On the West Bank, skip the Colossi of Memnon: they're neat, but much better stuff awaits (most busses stop here because (a) it's the first thing you see and (b) there's plenty of parking). The Ramesseum is a must-stop. (Take a copy of Ozymandias, the poem that Shelley was inspired to write after visiting this temple.) In the Valley of the Kings, hit the tomb of Tut first; it's small, but you'll appreciate the treasures in Cairo even more...and if you see this first, you won't be disappointed by its size. Tombs to see: Seti I (huge and awesome), Ramses II and Horemheb. Tuthmosis III is incredible, but a hike; time is of the essence! You must -- and I mean must -- hit the Nobles Tombs; you'll pass by to/from the Ramesseum. Sennofer - the "Tomb of the Vines" -- is the must-see; anything else you can squeeze in is great too. Why the nobles? No tour groups come here (so you get them to yourself), they're smaller and more accessible, and some of the most iconic funerary art is found here. About the Temple of Hatshepsut... Others may disagree, but I think it's not a good use of time. You could easily spend an hour or so there, but that time's better spent at Karnak, and there isn't much to see up close. (This is another tour group favorite because there's lots of parking and lots of souvenier sellers. Ignore them.) Last thing: If you can snag tickets to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens, go: It is the finest discovered tomb in all of Egypt. You will be shocked and amazed. See here, here, andhere.

Don't forget the Coptic Christian parts of Cairo. Many fascinating churches and thousands of years of history and older than anything Islamic. Incredible artwork as well. I really enjoyed that part of Cairo that not everyone sees. Make sure you take your 8 year old horseback riding around the pyramids!!

Have a great time!! If you get tired of Egyptian food, you can always eat at Chili's right on the Nile.

ps: the train ride to Luxor is about 10 hours, so you might want to fly down there and spend the night down there and come back the next day. Every street in Cairo has a tourist agency so you can give it a shot while you are there, no problem my friend!

All true, all true... But for a 1-time visitor to Cairo, unless you're really interested in early Christian stuff, I'd pass. The Hanging Church is nice, though. And you can get there by taking the Metro!

Also a terrific thing to do... But 2 things. First, be aware that not all horses at the Pyramids plateau are healthy, well-tended beasts. Do a favor for the horses - and animal lovers everywhere - by refusing to ride on sick, unhealthy horses. This has been a problem there for a long time. Second, do not get roped into paying more than you should. Bargain hard, and if they don't seem interested in coming down price-wise, just start walking away, do not be afraid to offend. They'll quickly come down...

abu simbel is really the hot place for a power trip. You should be able catch a 3am plane to fly up there, instead of train to luxor, do Abu simbel in the morning, when it is cooler, then fly to luxor, and knock it off in the afternoon, and then catch the night train back to Cairo....or even continue to Alexandra and do it the next day.

Trip Confirmed
 

Trip confirmed and posted itinerary - please pass along all thoughts and suggestions!

All right, so I won't berate you for trying to see too much... ;)

But... :)

Day 1: What are the other "sites outside of the city" you mentioned? Seriously -- tens of thousands of tourists go to Cairo every year, spend 30 minutes at the Pyramids, and are gone... They miss the boat. I can't stress this enough: Of all the things to see in Cairo, the Pyramids plateau is the Big Kahuna...I strongly recommend getting sufficient rest at your hotel, then spending the day at Giza. Between visting the Pyramids themselves (i.e., going inside), walking around them (the plateau is huge), seeing the Sphinx (not as impressive), taking a camel ride (cheesy but much fun!), the Solar Boat Museum (another absolutely must-see!) and lunch at the Mena House, you're talking about 3-4 hours minimum. Everything else in Cairo, in Egypt really, pales in comparison; don't rush!

Day 2: You've heard how insane it is to do Luxor in a day, so I'll not say more about that :eek: . My one thought: skip the Luxor Temple in favor of Karnak. Architecturally, there's nothing at Luxor that isn't at Karnak on a much grander scale, and the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak is, well, it's magical and should be wandered through at leisure. If you had the time, the Luxor Temple has its charms, but if time is pressing, Karnak is the place to spend it.

Day 3: Unless you're interested for religious reasons, skip Coptic Cairo. Again, it's interesting, but compared to the mosques in Islamic Cairo -- unparalelled in the Arab world -- it isn't that much to see and will take a couple of hours to see. In Islamic Cairo, think about visiting the Ibn Toloun mosque and Gayer Anderson house. Why? Two gems next door to each other! And climbing the stairs of the minaret of Ibn Toloun is fabulous.

You must remember to post a trip report when you return!

Happy trails!

Insanity
 

Hello as219 :)

Thanks again for your thoughts. They have driven many of my decisions to date. When I secured my guide, I was sure to include your advice regarding what to see and not, etc.

In Cairo, (Day 1) I plan on spending as long as necessary at the Giza Pyramids. No rush whatsoever. If time permits, perhaps Memphis or Dahshur. Bur, Giza is the highlight and we will also include Sphinx, Camel ride (especially fur junior), Solar Boat Museum and lunch at the Mena House.

In Luxor, (Day 2) I think I may have come across a wonderful service and guide. If sucessful, I will definately post as they may be a huge asset to the forum and future travelers. I mentioned a few of your suggestions and they only ones that did not stick are tombs which are currently closed. The plan is to hit Karnak in the afternoon.

In Cairo, (Day 3) I highly agree with you. The focus is on the Egyptian Museum, Islam Cairo and Khan al Khalili. Plus, an evening felucca sail to wrap things up before a quick rest and the flight home. If time permits, I have thought about the Cairo Tower, Mohamed Ali Mosque and have also noted your last two suggestions.

I will DEFINATELY post a trip report when I return. I have posted my Istanbul adventure over Thanksgiving and my Hong Kong / Macau adventure from which I just returned.

P.S. Decided to fly to Luxor instead of train :)

I will be on a trip to Cairo with my daughter later this week. I would like to hire a driver/car to go see the pyramids and then get us to the train to Alexandria that evening (or drive to Alexandria directly). Can anyone recommend the best place or way to hire a driver or does anyone have contact information for a reputable driver or service?

Any help would be great.

PM me or post here.