My Egypt Story - Part 3 - Egypt Essentials
In this post, i will talk about all you need to know when traveling to Egypt ranging from foreign exchange, safety concerns, travel within Egypt, shopping and some basic hacks. So let's get started.
1. Foreign Exchange (Forex): USD, Euros and the Sterling Pound should work everywhere but if you come from a nation that does not have these currencies or you simply do not wish to carry cash; you can withdraw from the ATM's as needed. We chose this option as Egyptian pound (EGP) is not easily available at currency exchanges in India and we felt withdrawing would be a safer and inexpensive option. You need to have an International Debit Card. I have a VISA card and my card worked only at Alex Bank. Thankfully, Alex Bank had ATM's at all the cities we visited. At one time, you can withdraw a max of 3000 Egyptian pounds which should last you 2 days. You have the option of multiple withdrawals as well.
In Egypt, there is still a very strong prevalence of cash transactions. Only high-end hotels accept cards; for the remaining hostels, eateries, bars, cabs, buses etc. you will be required to pay by cash. A tip:- keep small notes of 10, 20, 50, 100 EGP handy to hand out 'baksheesh' (tips). There is a strong tipping culture and it is frowned upon if you do not tip well; maybe the expectation has risen since tourism dipped post the Arab Spring / Egyptian Revolution of 2011.
2. Safety Concerns: This is my personal opinion; request you to do your own research as everyone's idea of safety is different. I felt very safe and comfortable throughout Egypt. There are cops and military deployed in every city, on most of the streets. And there is checking everywhere; multiple times in some places. I did feel they have overdone it a bit; but after you experience internal turmoil and instability you cannot be too cautious. The only thing it does is longer lines at most places and you spend more time due to the security checks- a very small price to pay for your safety. In most places, we have been out till late; walking on the streets and were okay.
3. Travel within Egypt: To travel from one city to another; you have multiple modes: flight, bus, train, cab, cruise. Here, I will talk about the modes of transport we chose and why; and also if I would have done it differently if given the option.
Cairo - Aswan: We traveled by the overnight sleeping train - Watania Sleeping train in their first class coach. It was an interesting experience; we had our own cabin and there was a narrow passage connecting all the cabins. The only downside was the price; cost us $80 USD per person; which is on the higher side for somebody earning in INR with a very unfavorable exchange rate. We booked this leg online prior to traveling to Egypt.
Aswan - Luxor: We took a cab from Aswan to Luxor; we did not choose to travel by bus or train as we wanted to stop at the temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu on the way; and only a private vehicle affords the luxury of stopping at will for a long time.
Luxor - Hurghada: We booked a bus on the GoBus site from Luxor to Hurghada online. It is a huge comfortable bus and we enjoyed the ride through the desert with a view of the coastline.
.
Hurghada - Alexandria: We booked an overnight bus on the GoBus site from Hurghada to Alexandria. The bus was quite comfortable for a nap. The bus started at around 10:30 p.m. and reached Alexandria at 6 a.m.
Alexandria - Suez - Alexandria: We booked a bus from the Alexandria bus stop to Suez. The local buses were significantly inexpensive compared to GoBus with a similar comfort and service level.
Alexandria - Cairo: We booked a bus on the GoBus site for this leg as well; was the quickest 3.5 hour ride.
Within a city; we just hailed taxis as and when needed. However, since they do not have a meter system; we had to haggle every time we needed to go from Point A to Point B.
There is a cruise option from Aswan to Cairo; we did not opt for it as I was keen on exploring the land and all it had to offer; the idea of being confined on a ship in this amazing land did not appeal to me.
4. Shopping: There are a lot of bazaar's throughout Egypt as well as multiple malls; I preferred the bazaar experience as I have grown up on stories of Aladdin and the wonderful middle eastern bazaars selling every trinket, pretty things, high utility items and even gold and silver. We shopped at Khan-el-Khalili bazaar at Cairo and did not feel the need to spend time in any other bazaar in Egypt. Khan-el-Khalili is one the oldest bazaars since medieval times where slaves and precious stones were once traded.
5. Hustle: This is one thing that took us by complete surprise; we had heard of it, but actually experiencing it is a very different ball game. When we first landed; and random people were approaching us we actually spent a lot of time engaging with them before realizing their end game and ending the conversation. We are polite people and do not shoo away someone when they come over for a chat. Took us 2 days to get irritated at the sight of a tout and master the art of ignoring them altogether. These guys come at you at any point; while you are walking, crossing the road, having a meal or just sitting and chit-chatting. You need to find your own comfort level and set the limit; it might overwhelm you initially but like everything you jut get used to it.
6. Basic Hacks: This is a combination of observations made during our 16 day stay, lessons learnt the hard way and some smart moves we made:-
1. Do not book anything in advance; whether you want to visit the pyramids or go to Abu Simbel or Valley of Kings. Wait till you get there- talk to 3-4 folks to get a fair idea of what the rate should be and then go with your gut feeling; at times we have chosen a more expensive tour agent because we felt they were more trustworthy.
2. Everyone has their own agenda; the touts may push you to try a particular experience or visit certain places which were not originally on your list. Ask yourself if you really want to do it; if not, firmly refuse and move on.
3. Ask for rates in local currency (Egyptian Pound); you are more likely to get better deals in EGP rather than USD or EUR.
4. From the safety perspective; best to have a local sim so that you can navigate around independently and call your hotel or guide when needed. We bought an Etisalat sim on the day we landed.
5. Food portions are very generous; you can consider ordering one dish between 2 people to minimize wastage.
6. Carry some food items with you; while you are exploring a place you may not want to or you may not have the option to come out and head to a restaurant for a meal. Some options you could go with- plum cake, dry fruits, chips, chocolates, bread and cheese.
Hope this helps you with your planning. Suggestions and comments are welcome.
In the next post, I will talk about Cairo in greater detail.
1. Foreign Exchange (Forex): USD, Euros and the Sterling Pound should work everywhere but if you come from a nation that does not have these currencies or you simply do not wish to carry cash; you can withdraw from the ATM's as needed. We chose this option as Egyptian pound (EGP) is not easily available at currency exchanges in India and we felt withdrawing would be a safer and inexpensive option. You need to have an International Debit Card. I have a VISA card and my card worked only at Alex Bank. Thankfully, Alex Bank had ATM's at all the cities we visited. At one time, you can withdraw a max of 3000 Egyptian pounds which should last you 2 days. You have the option of multiple withdrawals as well.
In Egypt, there is still a very strong prevalence of cash transactions. Only high-end hotels accept cards; for the remaining hostels, eateries, bars, cabs, buses etc. you will be required to pay by cash. A tip:- keep small notes of 10, 20, 50, 100 EGP handy to hand out 'baksheesh' (tips). There is a strong tipping culture and it is frowned upon if you do not tip well; maybe the expectation has risen since tourism dipped post the Arab Spring / Egyptian Revolution of 2011.
2. Safety Concerns: This is my personal opinion; request you to do your own research as everyone's idea of safety is different. I felt very safe and comfortable throughout Egypt. There are cops and military deployed in every city, on most of the streets. And there is checking everywhere; multiple times in some places. I did feel they have overdone it a bit; but after you experience internal turmoil and instability you cannot be too cautious. The only thing it does is longer lines at most places and you spend more time due to the security checks- a very small price to pay for your safety. In most places, we have been out till late; walking on the streets and were okay.
3. Travel within Egypt: To travel from one city to another; you have multiple modes: flight, bus, train, cab, cruise. Here, I will talk about the modes of transport we chose and why; and also if I would have done it differently if given the option.
Cairo - Aswan: We traveled by the overnight sleeping train - Watania Sleeping train in their first class coach. It was an interesting experience; we had our own cabin and there was a narrow passage connecting all the cabins. The only downside was the price; cost us $80 USD per person; which is on the higher side for somebody earning in INR with a very unfavorable exchange rate. We booked this leg online prior to traveling to Egypt.
Aswan - Luxor: We took a cab from Aswan to Luxor; we did not choose to travel by bus or train as we wanted to stop at the temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu on the way; and only a private vehicle affords the luxury of stopping at will for a long time.
Luxor - Hurghada: We booked a bus on the GoBus site from Luxor to Hurghada online. It is a huge comfortable bus and we enjoyed the ride through the desert with a view of the coastline.
.
Hurghada - Alexandria: We booked an overnight bus on the GoBus site from Hurghada to Alexandria. The bus was quite comfortable for a nap. The bus started at around 10:30 p.m. and reached Alexandria at 6 a.m.
Alexandria - Suez - Alexandria: We booked a bus from the Alexandria bus stop to Suez. The local buses were significantly inexpensive compared to GoBus with a similar comfort and service level.
Alexandria - Cairo: We booked a bus on the GoBus site for this leg as well; was the quickest 3.5 hour ride.
Within a city; we just hailed taxis as and when needed. However, since they do not have a meter system; we had to haggle every time we needed to go from Point A to Point B.
There is a cruise option from Aswan to Cairo; we did not opt for it as I was keen on exploring the land and all it had to offer; the idea of being confined on a ship in this amazing land did not appeal to me.
4. Shopping: There are a lot of bazaar's throughout Egypt as well as multiple malls; I preferred the bazaar experience as I have grown up on stories of Aladdin and the wonderful middle eastern bazaars selling every trinket, pretty things, high utility items and even gold and silver. We shopped at Khan-el-Khalili bazaar at Cairo and did not feel the need to spend time in any other bazaar in Egypt. Khan-el-Khalili is one the oldest bazaars since medieval times where slaves and precious stones were once traded.
5. Hustle: This is one thing that took us by complete surprise; we had heard of it, but actually experiencing it is a very different ball game. When we first landed; and random people were approaching us we actually spent a lot of time engaging with them before realizing their end game and ending the conversation. We are polite people and do not shoo away someone when they come over for a chat. Took us 2 days to get irritated at the sight of a tout and master the art of ignoring them altogether. These guys come at you at any point; while you are walking, crossing the road, having a meal or just sitting and chit-chatting. You need to find your own comfort level and set the limit; it might overwhelm you initially but like everything you jut get used to it.
6. Basic Hacks: This is a combination of observations made during our 16 day stay, lessons learnt the hard way and some smart moves we made:-
1. Do not book anything in advance; whether you want to visit the pyramids or go to Abu Simbel or Valley of Kings. Wait till you get there- talk to 3-4 folks to get a fair idea of what the rate should be and then go with your gut feeling; at times we have chosen a more expensive tour agent because we felt they were more trustworthy.
2. Everyone has their own agenda; the touts may push you to try a particular experience or visit certain places which were not originally on your list. Ask yourself if you really want to do it; if not, firmly refuse and move on.
3. Ask for rates in local currency (Egyptian Pound); you are more likely to get better deals in EGP rather than USD or EUR.
4. From the safety perspective; best to have a local sim so that you can navigate around independently and call your hotel or guide when needed. We bought an Etisalat sim on the day we landed.
5. Food portions are very generous; you can consider ordering one dish between 2 people to minimize wastage.
6. Carry some food items with you; while you are exploring a place you may not want to or you may not have the option to come out and head to a restaurant for a meal. Some options you could go with- plum cake, dry fruits, chips, chocolates, bread and cheese.
Hope this helps you with your planning. Suggestions and comments are welcome.
In the next post, I will talk about Cairo in greater detail.
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