Egypt - Anyone Been?

Question

Can anyone tell me the price of an average taxi ride in Egyptian Pounds from one side of Cairo to the other during normal traffic. Also how much is a reasonable meal for 2 in a restaurant? What sites would you recommend in Cairo to see? We are looking to see a more cultural side of Egypt

Answer 1

The people are generally great. If you are a woman and don't clearly have a husband with you, young boys in Cairo have a tendency to dare each other to grab you and then run away, but otherwise you don't generally get hassled.

If you are only going to stay around Cairo, you should see the Egyptian Museum, the pyramids at Giza, and the Step Pyramid at Saqqara (there are a bunch of other tombs at Saqqara for you to see too, if you're really into it).

Also, you might want to see some of the older parts of Cairo from the Middle Ages (such as old mosques and other architecture), and shopping in the Khan il-Khalili is a necessity. You can get nice carpets, jewelry, clothing, as well chincy souvenirs. Just make sure you know a bit about what you are buying and always, always bargain. If they don't want to sell at the price you want, start to walk away and 95% of the time the price suddenly drops -- this works for taxis too, as long as you negotiate before you get in.

If you want to see more areas, there are tons of monuments around Luxor, and it will be a little warmer there than in Cairo. Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple, and the Valley of the Kings are the most popular tourist sites there. The people in Luxor have very little business other than tourism, so they are prone to hassle you more to try to sell you goods or rides in their boat or horse-drawn carriage (please don't take one of these unless you can tell that the horse is treated well). Despite what another post says, I would not call Luxor a place for "culture," unless you're looking for tourist culture. Lots of historical stuff, but not a place for a peek at modern Egyptian culture.

I spent months in a more rural part of Egypt and liked all of the people there. They were all friendly and wanted to practice the small amount of English they knew. I knew about as much Arabic as they did English, but we managed to communicate somehow. The people in tourist areas will generally speak multiple languages, so language is not an issue in those places.

As far as prices go, things are generally cheaper in Luxor than in Cairo because the cost of living, etc. is lower. The Khan il-Khalili in Cairo is great, but if you want to buy one of those things that they sell all over the place (scarfs, belly dancing costume, etc.), wait and buy it in Luxor, and don't forget to bargain. Taxis can be bargained for as well. They usually will want 10-20 EGP per ride, depending on how rich you look to them. However, I never paid more than 5 EGP. If they didn't want to take me where I wanted to go for 5, I said I'd rather walk and started walking away -- voila: price is now 5 EGP.

Meals vary, but generally are much cheaper than in the West. I could get room service in Luxor for the price of a cheap diner in the US (around 25 EGP), and it's cheaper if you just go to a regular restaurant. The biggest rule is to make sure prices are understood upfront. Don't go anywhere and order food where they are not telling you up front how much it will cost, same goes for taxis.

I hope you enjoy your trip. Post again if you have any more questions. I'd be happy to help.

Answer 2

Been to Egypt many times through work and a couple of times on holiday. Been to Cairo, Luxor and Sharm El Sheikh. Cairo is the same as any other major city in the world. Prices vary from place to place. You can get a cab quite cheap around the whole city about £10 you can also get cabs that are more expensive. Best to ask before you set off. And I've never seen 'normal' traffic all the times I've been before. It's like the wacky races. As for a meal you can pay anything from £5 per head to like £50 per head depending on where you pick to eat (Falafel is quite nice). I would recommend going to the pyramids but use an organised tour if you can. Otherwise there are people wanting cash off you every 30 yards or so just to go a little bit further. Go see the Egyptian musuem, Khan El Khalili bazaar (market) and take a nosey up the Cairo tower for a great view of the city.

Try the lonelyplanet guide. http://www.lonelyplanet.com

Answer 3

Hi - have been to Egypt on a 14 day trip with a group. That I would highly recommend as going for the first time on your own is quite a culture shock.

We (hubby and me) went with IntrepidTravel (www.intrepidtravel.com) and they took us to all the main sights, also into the heart of the villages (home-cooked meals), a ride on a felucca for 2 days, swimming in the gulf of the Red Sea, snorkelling, rides on camels, visit to a pyramid etc. We tried to get around for half a day before the group assembled and that was hair-raising to say the least.

The previous reply about the badgering is not an understatement. They are relentless in their search for tips - relentless!!!!

So, try it first with a small group (Intrepid's maximum is 12) - you will not regret this. Go in March/April though as it gets way hotter after that. We even had 40+ in April but it was reasonably bearable. It is a dry heat.

The other thing that you need to watch for is the pollution from the diesel cars (mainly Cairo). You can get quite a headache walking around the streets. I have been back from there about 14 months and still coughing up phlegm. Forget how you look, put something over your mouth/nose.

Enjoy your time there - you will either hate it or love it. Each person takes something different from the place.

Answer 4

Hey^^ I actually live in Egypt and been to many places all over...
( I live in Alex.)

It's unfortunately true that Cairo is now more and more crowded by the day and the pollution is unbearable, I have to admit
but since foreigners usually go there most either for work or tourism (esp. since the pyramids are the most famous monument in Egypt) so there's alot to see there : places like the Pyramids and The Sphynx, Khan El Khalili, Safaris around Sakkara,..

I agree that you have to bargain in taxis and shops cz some will try to rip you off when they see you're a foreigner :s, but it's okay as long as you know forehead what you're gonna pay and try to bargain your best.


In Egypt tourism varies: you can:
a) snorkle and dive, see the coral reefs, enjoy the sun,sea and shopping around Hurgada and Sharm El Sheikh basically

b) If you wanna go for the Pharoanic monuments other than the Pyramids of Giza,
you have Luxor and Aswan, two cities in Upper Egypt packed with historical (mainly Pharoanic) sites but the temperature is aufully high there lol.. but about this time of the year, it should be quite good.

c) peasant life and pure fresh air: the Delta of the Nile, Damietta, Areesh,..

d) Beautiful sea, Greek and Roman monuments and a few Islamic and Coptic: Alexandria

e) Too many Coptic sites and really old and cherished churches, also Safari trips and mountain climbing:Sinaii

so enjoy your stay and don't let the little flaws bug you lol :D

please contact me if you need to know any more about anything, I'd be glad to help (swirlyivy@yahoo)

Answer 5

Don't know about the price, is difficult to know because you have to barter with them. Just say where you want to go, let him tell you a price and then say you'll get one from over the road or a different firm and start to go, he will probably drop his price then, you'll have to work out whether its a good price or not.

How long are you going for? Luxor is the place to go for culture, I stayed in Luxor for a week a few years ago, the people are so friendly, some a little pushy, but you can joke with them etc. You will see proper bazaar streets, the smells of incense and cooking, Kids trying to shine you're shoes etc. Its brilliant, woke up sad everyday for a month after because I wasn't there anymore.

Take some English money (coins mainly), alot of the beggars and people that do you favours like a bit of English money as a tip, it is worth more than Egyptian. They will ask for Baksheesh, which I don't think is specifically English, just change.

The children like Biro pens, they are used to ink pens (like fountain) and love Biros.

I'm sure you will have a fab time in Cairo, it is just very touristy, Luxor is less so and Aswan.

Hope you have a great time!

Answer 6

Yes I have been to Egypt many times and I know exactly how things goes there. SOmetime syou might get ripped of my local people while you don't know the place very well, .. It's also crazy and Cairo is really polluted when it comes to enivornoment.. Every time I'm there I hate it and the best place I think is good for living is Maadi or Digla because it's quite there other wise go leave in Alexandria which is more beautiful and quite...

Answer 7

Cairo may be the capital of Egypt and one of the largest cities in Africa and the Middle East and a great place to go to; find more with hotelbye . On the Nile lake, Cairo is famous for a unique record, maintained in the fantastic ancient Islamic town and Coptic sites in Old Cairo. The Egyptian Museum in the center of town is crucial see, with its countless Old Egyptian artefacts because no visit to Cairo could be total without a stop by at the Giza Pyramids, and to the regional Saqqara Pyramid Complex. In Cairo you can see: The Pyramid of Cheops (also called the Great Pyramid or Pyramid of Khufu), the greatest chart of the Giza class, and its inside of thin passages can be investigated, though there isn't much to see, except a plain tomb step with an bare sarcophagus. Right behind the Great Pyramid may be the Solar Ship Museum, which features among the ceremonial solar barques unearthed in the region that has been carefully restored to its original glory. Further south on the plateau could be the Pyramid of Chephren (also referred to as the Pyramid of Khefre), which has an inside tunnel region which can be entered.

Answer 8

Cairo is not so big
it has lot ofpeople
I rented taxi by the day
much cheaper
Western hotels charge Western prices
at risk eating in Egyptian restaurants

Answer 9

unfortunately thats true. i live in the USA but came for a visit and yes the girls here were very tight clothes and watch the very bad movies. Although those wearing niqab dont those who wear hijab wear a tight short sleeved shirt and under it the dreaded body (which is extremely tight). im egyptian and i live in america and ive never wore pants outside only skirts and shirts that have to be approved by my father. there are different levels of bad here in egypt and some you can hardly differentiate between a muslim egyptian and some girl from a western country. there are times where i thank Allah that I'm living outside from what I see here and thank God i'm leaving soon. However I still like Egypt. Rabina yihdeehum

Answer 10

There isn't too much in the way of a "cultural side" to Egypt -- at least not modern culture. Egypt is a poor overcrowded country, with little in the way of aid to its very poor people. Rates vary as for food.
, but as I remember it was reasonable. We pretty much ate in good restaurants and hotels that catered to Europeans and American tastes.... Suggestion is that when you eat at a buffet, always eat the food right under the flame. Forget salads, as in any third world country. Traffic is a mess, but you really can't walk too much in Cairo, since your are constantly crossing busy streets. $6 or 7 dollars as I remember got you about anywhere you wanted to go.... However, I'd suggest that you got on a tour, and they take you to the places you ought to be looking at. We stayed at the Nile Hilton and the Cairo Hilton, both relatively close to the Cairo Museum, both fine, but had we booked them ourselves they would have been $350 American dollars per night -- way cheaper on the tour. Egypt is really warm, esp. in the summer, so don't go much sooner that middle of September. You will be in the tourist season, but hey, at 114 degrees near Hapsetshut's memorial, you will be too hot to walk, even if it were not crowded. Tooks taxis everywhere. (2002). our purpose was to see the Cairo Museum, Edfu, Dendira, and down to Luxor. Take the overnight train from Cairo to Luxor. You don't want to fly -- Egyptian planes are really dirty .......reallyyyyyy...... Eat your own food that you bring (nutrition bars that you bring from the states) on the train, and just use it to sleep on. My husband got really sick on the train food...... and to visit the bazaar -- a huge shopping area in Cairo. There are light shows at Giza and in Luxor that are really worth seeing...... And in Oct they do Aida, the opera at Giza -- spectacular!!!!! I'd suggest to get onto Amazon.com and order the Book by Eyewitness travel on Egypt. It will tell you the lastest things, and offer ideas as what to see. Our interest was the history, so I learned to read hieroglyphics--- also from a book ordered on Amazon.com. Spent 4 hours/day for about 4 months, and was pretty fluent.... didn't learn to speak it, as we think it was spoken, just translate. Lovely language. Book was called "How to read Egyptian Hieroglyphics" by Mark Collier and Bill Manley...