I will find myself in Egypt for 5 days in January. I have not been there before and need some hotel recommendations and any itinerary help with such a short stay. Stimpy, any suggestions. Luxor? Cairo?


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I was there last January (2000) and had a great time (with the exception of my arrival from and departure to TLV on El Al and being mobbed by Ramadan crowds). The weather was still quite reasonable, although a sweater and windbreaker would still be useful in Cairo.

I have no hotel or restaurant recommendations (other than the restaurants at the Mena House at the Pyramids or my $5-a-night Dahab-style crashpad), but I can recommend the following sightseeing options:

Hire a car and driver (very cheap at about $20-$30) and tour the three pyramid groups beginning with the Giza plateau and then head further south. Forget the names of the other two at the moment... In any case, get there early, because it is possible to have the pyramids at Giza all to yourself if you get there early enough. There is also a laser show at night which is OK if you have the time. There will be plenty of opportunities to ride a camel/horse, but you should know ahead of time that the drivers are all scam-artists.

The Egyptian Museum will be packed but everyone goes anyway...

Coptic Cairo is amazing. Still a large Coptic Christian population there and the architecture is timeless.

One amazing (and free) event to take advantage of is the Sufi dancing. Get there early for the best seats (front row and in the middle). The theatre is next to the main shopping bazaar (which is a great place to pick up souvenirs and spices)

Outside Cairo, you can fly or take the overnight train down to Luxor. If you have limited time, I would say that the highlight would have to be forest of columns at Karnak Temple. Personally, I didn't enjoy the Valley of the Kings or the Queens all that much. Lots of tombs, which are fascinating but I prefer being outside. If you had the energy, you could take a nice hike from one valley over the pass to the next valley for some great views.

But I would endure a 48-hour third-class carriage ride to see Karnak again. I regrettably did not see the light show. It is actually a walking tour through the temples at night. Everyone says that this is a MUST.

Once you are in Luxor, then the next obvious thing to do is to hire a felucca and take a sunset sail on the Nile.

On my next trip to Egypt, I would like to see Alexandria and the Sinai/Red Sea...



[This message has been edited by fallinasleep (edited 12-13-2000).]

Fallingasleep has it down pretty good. I would stay at the Nile Hilton or Ramses Hilton since they are walking distance to the Museum.

Do NOT talk to anyone who comes up to you at the airport. They are there to con you into a lousy tour. They have all sorts of official ID's, but they are working for themselves. Have the Hilton provide transport to the hotel where the concierge can advise you better.

I've stayed at the Mena House Oberoi (very nice indeed) and the Aswan Oberoi (even nicer!). I recommend both highly, as well as the restaurants therein. The Nile Hilton, I think, has a nice garden with vendors selling reasonably native foods at reasonable-for-a-hotel prices.

Reading a bit of history beforehand will help quite a lot with the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, where the labels can be, to put it delicately, a bit lacking in useful info. But do not miss it. Tons (literally) of good stuff.

I did find the tombs at the Valley of The Kings interesting (and in the shade!), although a whole day of it might pall on me.

If you're pressed for time, skip the felucca sails on the Nile unless you can get a private or nearly private ride. Mostly they pack so many people on the boats they spend most of their time running aground. It is amusing to watch from the shore, though.

Also, there are a number of people who spend their lives getting into your photos at ancient sites so they can demmand money from you.

Those (small) negatives aside, a trip to Egypt is a wonderful and truly unique experience. I could have spent days wandering around Karnak alone, and the sound and light show was very good--and I'm someone who normally avoids that kind of thing.

I stayed at the Cairo Marriott, which is probably a bit better than the Hiltons, though not as nice as the Mena House (but not so far out). The Great Pyramids and the museum are musts, of course. You might consider hiring a guide and driver and going to Dahshur and/or Saqqara, which are much less crowded and quite interesting. But I'd take the extra time in Luxor (Karnak, of course, Temple of Luxor, Valleys of Kings, Queens, Nobles and Workers, and the Luxor Museum, which is small and has some lovely things) and, if possible, work in a trip to Abu Simbal. In Luxor, the Winter Palace is the best place to stay.

Naxos, I am green with envy....

One thing about the drivers being scam artists. Another viewpoint is that they are trying to show you a good time yet make as much money as possible for themselves. They will take you to certain shops where they get kickbacks, but if you want to shop anyway it doesn't hurt anyone. Keep in mind that you are far, far wealthier than any of these people.

My Hilton-recommended driver took me to the Pyramids, got me on a horse, then took me to the shops nearby where I bought several large Papyruses (which currently grace my family room), then took me to another shop where I bought many gifts for family and friends. Yes I shelled out some dough that day, but I think I got my money's worth and I definitely had fun.

If I was short on money and didn't want to shop much, it would not have been fun at all.


[This message has been edited by stimpy (edited 12-13-2000).]

I was in Egypt at the end of November.

Here is the short version:
I was with a group of four friends of mine, and we traveled to Aswan, Luxor, and Cairo in a week. Since you have five days, I would sacrifice Aswan.

In Aswan, we stayed at the New Cataract hotel, which is on the same complex as the Old Cataract. The rooms were 5/10 as far as my personal scale goes, with a beautiful view of the Nile and Elephantine Island. We visited the Temple of Isis on Philae and the Nubian museum while there. These were good starting points, and prepared us well for the majesty of the sites at Luxor. But as I said, if you must shave a couple of days off, then Aswan is it.

In Luxor, we stayed at the Luxor Hilton, which is actually a bit far from the main part of Luxor, and even farther from the bridge that crosses the Nile to get to the west bank, where the Valley of the Kings/Queens, and various other ruins are situated. Go for the Club Rooms, because they are in a separate part of the complex and have a bit more privacy, not to mention full balconies overlooking the Nile. If you are not into Egyptology, then Valleys can be rather boring because there's nothing there in terms of relics, save for the tombs themselves. It's a lot of dirty climbing around and crawling in small spaces to see some heiroglyphics and art on rock walls. That said, however, I found the Valleys very engaging and felt very small, overshadowed by the vast span of history. Also on the west bank are Hatshipsut's temple, the Ramesseum, Medinet Habu, etc. Not to be missed is Karnak Temple on the east bank. It was the highlight, from a purely egyptology standpoint, of the trip.

Cairo was a big city. In every way. Traffic was horrendous, and the air quality seemed akin to smoking a carton (that's 200 cigarettes) of non-filters per day. The pyramids are a must, simply because you have to go and at least see one of the remaining wonders of the ancient world. I mean, you stand there and realize that these objects have stood for more than 4500 years. It's beyond comprehension. Unless you are a masochist, do not go into the Great Pyramid. There are just too many people and too little space. If you want to go into a pyramid, go into the red pyramid of Dahshur, maybe a half an hour drive from the Giza pyramids. Also, I highly encourage a visit to the Egyptian Antiquities Museum (aka the Egyptian Museum). It is stocked to the ceilings with artifacts. Everything that was taken out of Tutankhamun's tomb is there, but there are also relics from every era of egyptian history up to the Roman era and even the Christian era past that, if I recall correctly. The Citadel is another impressive location not to miss (although we did simply because we ran out of time). We stayed at the Nile Hilton. Again, I think the extra you pay for the executive floor is worth the attention to detail in service. We had rooms overlooking the Nile, from which one is supposedly able to see the Giza Pyramids on a clear day. I surmise that a "clear day" worthy of such conditions has not been seen in Cairo since before the hotel was built; thanks to the ever-present smog.

As far as food goes, we stuck with hotel food except for one meal, at Farfala (sp?) in Cairo. Being a bit paranoid, we stayed away from roadside vendors and the such. But if I had not been traveling with others, I probably would have ventured it at least once. Farfala, by the way, was a tremendously good restaurant and it is unfortunate that we had it on the last day because I think it would have envigorated us to try more egyptian food while we were there.

As far as the people go, I found Egyptians to be extremely friendly. Yes, it's true that from the moment you clear customs you are accosted by throngs of vendors, taxi drivers, children, etc... looking for your money. But keep in mind that the vast majority of these people are genuine, and that they are simply trying to make a living. If you get ripped off, it is because you let yourself get ripped off. Do your research before you enter a negotiation, like with any business transaction, and you will be fine. You will have to learn how to say "no" often. If the driver wants to take you to a perfume factory (they get paid commissions on tourists they bring to these places) and you don't want to go, tell them. They'll keep insisting of course, but just be firm. I often find that westerners, especially Americans, find this persistence annoying. Well, keep in mind that this is their living and their society. Be patient and firm. Also, many people you encounter will insist on bakshish, or tips. Again, tip when you feel you've received a service of value. There will be people who will try to show you the "best" thing to see in a site. If you were planning to get there anyway, I don't see the need for a tip. If they truly do show you something different, then, by all means... Usually a 1 EL (egyptian pound) note is sufficient; there are also 50 piaster notes (half a pound) and even 25 piaster notes. Children in Cairo will hail you as a hero if you give them clicky pens. Bring a bunch with your company logo; that's what I did. Hahaha.

Finally, if you want, one of my friends put up a photolog...
http://communities.msn.com/virelaine...naventryid=121

Enjoy your trip!

[This message has been edited by jet (edited 12-13-2000).]

Naxos,

Enjoy the trip as the weather is nice and not that hot especially in summer with lots of places to visit till your legs gives up. However, like the rest who has responded here. BEWARE : lots of demanding touts and they won't give up easily.

Cairo - stayed at the Conrad Intl for 5 days and nice experiences with lounge access with lots of food and beverages choices.

The above posts cover most of the important sights. There's also a restored synagogue in Cairo that's well worth a visit, regardless of your religion. Same with the big mosque whose name I forget (Ali something?).

A more primary decision, though, is one city or two (I can't imagine trying to do three in five days). That will depend on what kind of traveler you are. If you're content to do the highlights only (i.e., pyramids and Egyption Museum in Cairo, but precious little else), Then do Cairo and Luxor (including the Valleys of the Kings & Queens). Adding Karnak may be pushing it, but then again it's close to Luxor if you find you have the time.

But if you're the sort that would rather see a location in depth (e.g., the mosque, the Coptics, the synagogue, etc.), I suspect that Cairo will be plenty to fill your time...and leave you wanting to come back for Luxor / Karnak / Aswan / Abu Simbel.

Have a great time. It's definitely third world (with all that implies, for good and bad), but also definitely worth it.