Anybody been to Cairo in last 4 years? We are experienced travelers but never done anything quite like Cairo. Seems the government has heavily invested in tourism and protection so we ar r looking into going for 7-10 days.

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Posted by Pepperoni

Mar-a-Lago

Member since Aug 2013

4136 posts

Posted on 3/3/22 at 7:42 am to MywifesAsst

quote:
Cairo?

Check TA forums

LINK https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g294200-i9124-Egypt.html

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Posted by lilibet

Member since Sep 2019

357 posts

Posted on 3/3/22 at 7:49 am to MywifesAsst

Go with a tour company like GoAhead tours. Consider leaving wife and daughter at home if you don't. They should be okay with a tour company.

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Posted by Tree_Fall

Member since Mar 2021

1082 posts

Posted on 3/3/22 at 2:36 pm to MywifesAsst

My wife and I spent 3 Jan weeks in Egypt. The tour started w/ 3 nights and ended with 3 nights in Cairo. We very much enjoyed ourselves. The government is investing heavily in tourist attractions across the entire country with an emphasis on the larger Cairo area.

An informative website is -

LINK

It's maintained by a young American guy trying to make a living as a paid travel adviser. His YouTube videos are very useful. You can also have a free chat with him before paying for advice, booking, etc.

Cairo is 22 million people... think about that. So, you need to have a driver and a guide. Traffic will eat up a good part of your day.

Security is very tight but mostly unobtrusive. You guide will quietly coordinate with the Tourist Police via cell phone.

I strongly advise delaying your trip until Covid is no longer an issue. Confusion about testing and documentation adds more stress than is needed.

Wife and I are mid 70's and well traveled. My older sister is in Cairo as I write...museum curator.

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Posted by Twinkie

Member since Jan 2022

10 posts

Posted on 3/5/22 at 7:10 am to MywifesAsst

We typically go yearly for family visits. Cairo and the surrounding areas are amazing, minus the traffic! The Grand Egyptian Museum is scheduled to open in the fall of this year (supposedly), which will be worth the wait. Definitely coordinate your trips with a tour company and go during fall and winter months. If this will be your one and only trip to Egypt consider adding Luxor & Aswan to your itinerary. It’s a short flight from Cairo and a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of the city not to mention some of the most amazing sites in the world. (I enjoy Cairo but LOVE the smaller less congested cities)

The security has greatly improved and the president is in fact focused on getting tourists back which has made travel from the states a pleasant one.

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Posted by LC412000

Any location where a plane flies

Member since Mar 2004

16673 posts

Posted on 3/5/22 at 6:15 pm to MywifesAsst

We went 2019 and had an awesome time. After spending two days in Cairo, we took a Nile River cruise and then returned to Cairo for one more day. The entire trip was nine days.

We have talked about returning once the museum is completed in Cairo

If you are interested I can place you into contact with the two guides we used (one for Cairo and one for the river cruise).

My email is LSU@hotmail.com

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Posted by MywifesAsst

Misery

Member since Sep 2021

108 posts

Posted on 3/5/22 at 8:35 pm to LC412000

Thanks for all the info. Looking into all this.

quote:
we took a Nile River cruise

Was wondering about the cruise- would you do it again?

Will email you about the guides.

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Posted by MywifesAsst

Misery

Member since Sep 2021

108 posts

Posted on 3/5/22 at 8:39 pm to LC412000

Did any of y’all do a long stopover/side trip on the way to/from Cairo?

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Posted by LC412000

Any location where a plane flies

Member since Mar 2004

16673 posts

Posted on 3/6/22 at 1:39 pm to MywifesAsst

We really enjoyed the Nile River Cruise. Now, laughing here, I was happy for the Bourgeois Beef Jerky I brought as the food was average at best. Below is pretty much the itinerary we followed, except that we had a private guide for Cairo and a private guide for the River Cruise. To answer your question, we would do the Nile River Cruise again.

If I get your email I can share with you a link where you can see our photos and videos from the Egypt trip

DAY 1
CAIRO The Adventure Begins
Airport Assistance and Visa Service - Representative
Airport - Vehicle/Driver/Representative
At Leisure
Dinner (not included)

DAY 2
CAIRO Sun and Sand
Half Day Pyramids of Giza & the Sphinx, Entrance to Chephren Pyramid - Private Tour
Camel Ride by the Great Pyramids
Lunch at a Local Restaurant
Dinner at Marriott Mena House Hotel

DAY 3
CAIRO TO LUXOR TO NILE Explore with an Expert
Airport - Vehicle/Driver/Representative
Air - Cairo - Luxor [1 hr] - Economy
Airport - Vehicle/Driver
Embarkation (Noon)
Lunch on Board (Included)
Half Day Temples of Karnak and Luxor - Private Tour
Cruise Entertainment
Dinner on Board (Included)

DAY 4
LUXOR TO NILE A Walk Through the Past
Half Day Valley of Kings & Queens with King Tut's Tomb - Private Tour
Sail to Edfu via Esna
Lunch on Board (Included)
Dinner on Board (Included)

DAY 5
NILE It’s All Ancient History
Half Day Edfu Horus Temple Tour - Private Tour
Lunch on Board (Included)
Half Day Kom Ombo Temple Tour - Private Tour
Dinner on Board (Included)
Sail to Aswan

DAY 6
ASWAN TO NILE A Journey Back in Time
Half Day Kitchener Island & Aga Khan Tour - Private
Lunch on Board (Included)
Half Day High Dam, Temple of Philae & Obelisk Tour - Private Tour
Dinner on Board (Included)
Overnight at Port

DAY 7
ASWAN TO CAIRO The Journey Continues…
Disembarkation
Airport - Vehicle/Driver
Air - Aswan - Cairo [Daily Direct (1.5 hrs)] - Economy
Airport - Vehicle/Driver/Representative
Old Cairo (3-4 hrs) - Private Tour
Dinner (not included)

DAY 8
CAIRO Explore a City of Contrasts
Egyptian Museum & National Museum of Civilization with Royal Mummies Hall (6 hrs) - Private Tour
Lunch at a Local Restaurant
Cairo by Night & Khan Khalili Bazaar (with Dinner) - Private Tour
Dinner (included)

DAY 9
CAIRO Head Home
Airport - Vehicle/Driver/Representative
View itinerary details

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Posted by LC412000

Any location where a plane flies

Member since Mar 2004

16673 posts

Posted on 3/6/22 at 1:41 pm to MywifesAsst

quote:

Did any of y’all do a long stopover/side trip on the way to/from Cairo?

No, only had connection in Frankfort. On the way home, we booked a hotel room inside the airport for some sleep as our connection time was 10 hours

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Posted by MywifesAsst

Misery

Member since Sep 2021

108 posts

Posted on 3/6/22 at 7:59 pm to LC412000

Sent you email yestrday.

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Posted by Tree_Fall

Member since Mar 2021

1082 posts

Posted on 3/7/22 at 1:46 pm to MywifesAsst

Flying to southern Egypt and taking a boat between Aswan and Luxor is pretty a standard and highly rewarding route. Longer tours might take you by bus to Abu Simbel near boarder with Sudan. You get an armed escort.

Boat experiences vary greatly. At the small/expensive end are dahabiyas with accommodations for fewer than 20 guests. Our group was 5 + guide. We had the boat to ourselves. These are rigged as sailing barges but are towed.

There are a few operators. Our tour company used

LINK

Our 5 nights were outstanding and the food excellent.

Tourist boats are almost completely restricted to the Aswan-Luxor segment of the river for security, navigation, logistical and demand reasons.

Our 15-day tour was through Boston-based Overseas Adventure Travel.

I have to be cautious about a recommendation. Our experience was great, but their reviews are quite low now. I'm sure it's hard to manage travel with all the Covid cancellations and general fears.

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Posted by LC412000

Any location where a plane flies

Member since Mar 2004

16673 posts

Posted on 3/7/22 at 7:54 pm to MywifesAsst

I have not received the email

LSU@hotmail.com