Egypt

Here is a list of places I stayed in Egypt:

• Cairo – Le Meridian Pyramids Hotel – This hotel has a great view of the pyramids.  The room was nice and spacious.  The staff was quite helpful.  There is a nice pool with a view.  The restaurant was good, if not a little bland.  There is a fun small local chain to eat just down the street called FelFela and it has a great view of the pyramids.  Just don’t get hit while walking, that street is crazy!  When the new museum opens this hotel will be very close to it.
• Nile Cruse – MS Nile Dolphin – This was a fun ship!  The staff was very attentive, they went out of their way to help us enjoy our time on the boat.  Rooms are small but alright with good views out the windows.  It stops often to help you see everything the Nile has to offer.
• Hurghada – Hilton Hurghada Plaza – A fun resort right on the red sea.  It is pretty far outside of town so you’ll have to take a taxi to get into the main part of town, but There are many shops in the newer part of town where the HIlton is located.

I had so much fun in Egypt.  Here is a brief rundown of the things I did:

• Visiting the Pyramids at night and during the day.
• Attending the downtown market in Cario
• Nile Cruse
• SCUBA in the Red Sea
• Abu Simbel Sun Festival
• Hot air balloon ride over Valley of Kings
• ATV ride through the desert to a Bedouin Camp

There are so many amazing places to visit in Egypt.  Here are a few of the ones i saw:

• The Great Pyramids of Giza
• Temple of Philae
• Abu Simble Temple
• Hours Temple
• Luxor Temple
• Valley of Kings
• Temple of Hatshepsut
• Sphinx
• Old Cairo
• Khilili Bazar

Egypt has so much to offer it is tough to narrow down the things that were amazing.  Here is a short list of things I think you should see while in India:

• Pyramids – It sounds obvious but you MUST see them, go in them, experience them and feel like a part of the world’s history.
• Camel Ride BEHIND the Pyramids – Don’t take the camels offered at the front, go all the way to the end of the road and take the ride that costs a little more but brings you around the back of the Pyramids… Worth every penny.
• All of the stops along the Nile River Cruse-  way too much to cover… so many places to see.
• Have a Turkish coffee at one of the local coffee shops.  Its strong and full of caffeine but it is good!  Oh, don’t drink it too low, the grounds are in the bottom.
• SCUBA in the Red Sea – an amazing warm and clear experience.  Beautiful fish, eels, and much more.
• El Fishawi – this is a small coffee house in downtown Cairo – the oldest coffee house in Egypt.  This place is older than most places in the United States!  It was founded in 1756.
• Old Town Bizarre in Cairo –   Near El Fishawi this bizarre is a busy place to be!  Don’t be intimidated by its size, there is lots to see and many bargains to be had!
• Abu Simbel Temple Festival – What a fun thing to be a part of.  There are thousands of people gathered to see the sun shine on Ra once more.  A festival that has a history longer than most of the histories of countries in the known world!  What a privilege to be a part of it.
• Starfish Restaurant Hurghada  – This place was great!  The seafood was amazing, the portions were HUGE.  Ask them for recommendations as to what to get.  Everything that came to the table was awesome!

As with every trip there are always things you wish you hadn’t wasted your time doing.  Here are a few:

• The night presentation at the Pyramids.  I’m not sure if we were just super tired or if it really wasn’t that good, but it seemed like a lot of build up for an out dated presentation.
• Tourist restaurants – most of them are bland and boring.  Particularly around monuments.  They are over priced and the food isn’t great.
• Getting the curse of the Pharaohs – I got really sick in Egypt.  I’d recommend not doing that… Life is better when your healthy.
• Hard Rock Cafe Hurghada – Unless you have a desire to go to these places, skip it.  Its just like all the rest of them

A few parting thoughts:

• You can get your Egyptian Visa upon arrival.  Something to note – Israel and Egypt are enemies.  If you visit Israel before Egypt you may want to ask them not to stamp your passport as this will cause you issues entering Egypt.  The same goes in reverse.
• Tipping is expected in Egypt.  Ask your guide or someone trusted how to go about it.
• Do not be guilted into buying something just because your driver took you to a specific place.  You are never under any obligation to buy anything, even if they give you a demonstration of how it is made or provide you with drinks or snacks.  If the price isn’t good then don’t buy it.
• Pay attention... There is SO much to learn in Egypt.  It can be very overwhelming.  A good guide will help you learn at your pace.  Don’t go with a group as you won’t get the attention that you need in order to learn what you should know!
• Use my guide.  He was amazing, helpful, and understanding.  He took us out to places that others don’t go, helped us secure souvenirs at reasonable prices, and navigate through all of the local streets.  Traveling with him is like traveling with an Egyptian friend.  Sam at Egypt Luxor Tours.