Thursday, November 13, 2014

Planning Your Trip to Egypt

Egypt is one of those countries that you have always dreamed of visiting. If you're a young traveler or a backpacker and you think Egypt is an inexpensive holiday destination, you're wrong about that. Some places in Egypt are so fancy that I wouldn't dare to go there, but it's not all exclusive attractions for rich travelers. It depends on what you do and where you go.
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Egypt is a unique country. It's rich with history. You can pretty much see the world's wonders in Egypt. Ancient Egypt, Greek antiquities, Roman monuments, Jewish temples, ancient Coptic churches, Islamic Cairo. Nature and wildlife destinations, like the white desert reserves and safari trips. Beaches that are famous for diving.

The first thing you need to know is that the fact that you're a foreigner will make people in the touristic areas try to rip you off. People in the local market will do the same. Child beggars will also do the same, and taxis, etc.....

Want to know what locals are saying around you? Check out my book about Egyptian street culture and language.


Here are some tips for you:

1- Women should wear conservative clothes. I've met a lot of western women in Egypt who told me before they came to Egypt their embassies recommended that they should dress conservatively. What they don't know is, just the fact that you're a foreign woman will make people stare at you, especially if you wander into non-touristic areas and some neighborhoods in Old Cairo. I would say don't wear revealing clothes in Cairo. Short sleeved shirts and a short or a knee-length skirt is okay. In the Red Sea and upper Egypt you can wear whatever you want. Tourism is the main industry there and people there try their best to make the tourists happy.

2- For women: Do not couchsurf with single Egyptian guys. If you're a single woman who is traveling solo, you want to save some money while traveling or you just like meeting locals, you might want to couchsurf. Before you send any couchsurfing requests make sure that you read all of the references that were written by other couchsurfers, Not by the guy's best friends. There are great Egyptians guys who are couchsurfers, but unfortunately there are those guys who joined the site just to hook up with foreign women. So be careful there.

3- Always carry cash around. Not all ATMs accept foreign cards. You should go to a bank or a hotel to find an international ATM. Small shops, small restaurants and small cafes don't accept credit cards. Check the door of any store to see if they have a Visa or Mastercard sign. That means they accept cards. Having cash is a good idea to get around.

4- Be aware of pickpockets. Put your wallet in a safe place and be careful in subways, trains and buses and in the local markets. In fact, I don't recommend riding the local buses at all.

5- Take the white cab. It's a meter cab. It's better than the regular cabs that would charge you whatever they want.

6- Having a local friend will make getting around easier.

Eating in Egypt:

I'm not one of those people who say they love their countries' food the best just because they are from that country. Egyptian food is my favorite. I love other ethnic food as well, but Egyptian food is simply the best. Whatever your taste is, you'll find it in Egypt. Spicy food, mild food, meaty food, vegetarian food, vegan food. There are a lot of international restaurants in Egypt too, like Mexican, Indian, Italian, and other Middle Eastern food.

If you're a vegetarian and going on a trip to Egypt, or simply want to try ethnic vegetarian dishes, check out my book, Vegetarian's Guide to Egyptian Street Food.


You can't miss having dinner in Al-Hussin area. There are plenty of choices there, like outdoor restaurants and cafes.
Al-Hussin area. www.youm7.com


Shopping in Egypt: Whether you're shopping for clothes or groceries in Egypt, don't shop in street markets. Street markets are cheap for Egyptians. However, they raise the price when they see a foreigner. I know that many foreigners don't care about this because however high the price is, it would be still cheap in dollars. But to me it's a matter of honesty and really I don't like people who double the price just because you're a foreigner. I recommend shopping in Carrefour and shopping malls, as they don't rip you off there.

Accommodation:
I had my own home in Egypt, so I don't have a lot of experience staying in hotels. However, I have some friends who do. Don't expect much from cheap hostels, they might be really bad.

My Korean friend stayed in Oum Kalthoum hotel in the Zamalek area. The room was over 120$ and it wasn't good at all. It was spacious, but the furniture was broken. The service was very poor, the manger and the receptionist were rude. We asked the hotel to arrange a car to pick up my friend from the airport, but the car showed up an hour late. Also, this hotel doesn't serve alcohol, which is not a problem if you don't drink.

There are cheap hostels in Cairo, which start from 10$ a night. That's very cheap. Even in Egyptian pounds it would be around 60 pounds. I imagine the room would be bad for that amount of money, but I may be wrong. Just read the reviews of the hostels before you book a room.

Unfortunately, the best hotels are the most expensive ones, just like anywhere else.

Places to Visit:
1- The Pyramids. Of course it comes on the top of the bucket list to many travelers. I know that many people think the pyramids are located in the heart of the desert. Well, they aren't. Maybe they once were. One side of the pyramids is facing the city, so don't get disappointed if you don't see enough sand. It's still a beautiful place to go to. BE AWARE of scams in the pyramids area. For example, they will overcharge you for camels and horse rides. You might end up paying hundreds of dollars. Also, you might meet those guys holding cards from the national tourism organization. They will tell you they can tour you around and tell you some historic information about the place for free. After the tour they will ask you for money. That happened to my husband and me when we visited the pyramids in 2010.
www.onmasr.com


2- Old Cairo is a place filled with art and beauty. While you're in Old Cairo you must visit the Religious Complex, which includes Babylon fortress, the hanging church, Amr Ibn Al-Aas mosque and Ben Ezra synagogue.

3- Khan el-Khalili, it's an outdoor bazaar.
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4- Simon the Tanner church in Mokattam area. It's a beautiful place but unfortunately the road there is neglected, so it might be a rough ride to get there. I went there in 2003. I hope the roads are fixed now.

5- Saladin Citadel in old Cairo, a medieval Islamic fortress. The stunning mosque of Muhammed Ali is located inside the citadel. The mosque is a piece of art. You must take your shoes off to enter the mosque. Women are given robes to wear to enter the mosque.
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6- Nile cruise: There are all boat sizes and prices for Nile cruises. I would recommend you choose a boat that serves dinner while cruising the Nile.

Museums in Cairo:
1- The Egyptian Museum.
www.egyptiantalk.org

2-Islamic Ceramic Museum.
3- The Coptic Museum.
www.egyptexpresstvi.com

4- The Museum of Islamic Art.
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5- National Library and Archives.

Museums in Alexandria:
1- Bibliotheca Alexandria Museum.
2- Roman Auditorium.
3- The Greco-Roman Museum.
For information about the museums, please click the link below:

Cities You Must Visit:
1- Alexandria: I've traveled to many places but Alexandria will always be number one in my heart. Alexandria is a Mediterranean beauty. It's has a lot of monuments from the ancient world.
www.women.bo7.net


2- Upper Egypt is one of my dream destinations. Sadly, I haven't had a chance to visit Upper Egypt before, but will do someday. Upper Egypt is certainly the place richest with history.
Al-karnak temple

Aswan, upper Egypt www.immigration4visa.com


3- The Red Sea: There are a bunch of cities over there, and all of them are perfect beach vacations, especially if you love diving. Hurgadah is gorgeous. There are some topless beaches there, but not all of them.
Diving in Hurgadah www.viator.com


4- Sharm Al-Sheikh is a must if you're around there.

5- Dahab, is a small town on the southeast of the Sinai Peninsula. It's a favorite for many tourists.

While in Sinai you should visit Saint Catherine's Monastery.
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Nightlife in Egypt:
There are plenty of bars, night clubs, and gambling casinos in Egypt. The casinos are located inside the big hotels. You can gamble as long as you have a foreign passport.


90% of hotels serve alcohol. There are alcohol shops downtown and other places. 
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For more tourism information please visit the following sites:

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