A trip to the land of the Giza Pyramids can be the most exhilarating experience. It may just be the needed break from the long working hours you had the whole year. So you are plotting a first time trip to Egypt and need info on how to get there, know your way around and travel to and fro safe. Here are some tips that can help you with getting there safe and with little hassle.
Get an Egyptian Passport
A passport is mandatory before I can enjoy the great Giza plateau on a Camel ride. It’s the first thing to clear all border boundaries and receive a special welcome to this great land of rich ancient history and culture plus a collection of amazing antiquities highly coveted worldwide.
There are two ways to get my Visa to travel to Egypt; an Entry Visa and a Tourist visa. The tourist visa is applied for if my purpose to travelling Egypt is to enjoy the panoramic scenery of this great land and have a wonderful holiday indulging in the great Egyptian culture. An entry visa on the other hand allows me access to Egypt is my purpose is more formal like work, a business meeting etc. But since it’s a holiday I have in mind a tourist Visa is all I need.
An Egyptian visa can be directly applied for on the website or the visa application form can be downloaded then later submitted to the Egyptian consulate in my respective country. There are requirements I might be asked for before getting a valid Egyptian visa;
- A copy of my country passport valid for about 6 months
- Two passport photos recently taken
- A copy of confirmed flights tickets pus the Egyptian itinerary package
Spending while in Egypt
All airports in Egypt have working Forex Bureaus where foreign currencies can be exchanged for the local Egyptian pound. There are also places that work with US dollars, British pounds or Euros for transactions. So when I plan my
trip to Egypt I don’t have to worry about how I’ll finance my stay while there.
Knowledge on currency conversion is also important while planning to
travel to Egypt. I only need to master three currency conversions;
- The US dollar exchanges for 5.77 Egypt pounds
- The British pound exchanges for 9 Egypt pounds
- The European Euro exchanges for 7.3 Egypt pounds.
It’s wise to carry out currency conversions of any other Country using the above information as a guide. Banks in Egypt open from Sunday to Thursday and withdrawals or deposits can be made from 0830hrs-1400hrs. However banks at the airport are open for 24 hours on a daily basis so I can exchange money at any time of the day.
But my
travel to Egypt will be worth the while if I could convert most of my big notes into small Egyptian notes and coins. Money in small denomination is a gem in Egypt! It’s the easiest way to purchase their amazing local delicacies plus an array of souvenirs you can take back home.
One last thing, make sure you are buying or spending in Egyptian currency or the dollar, pound and Euro just to be on the safe side. Irish, Scottish or New Zealand money is not acceptable in Egypt alongside other currencies without a strong foreign market power.
The Weather in Egypt
Egypt enjoys a perfect weather for a perfect tour in this ancient African country. The best time to
travel to Egypt is during the summer months of January to June. Things tend to be heated when we get to June and July because the temperatures can go up to 112° Celsius.
So I would know well than to live my sunscreen oil behind, especially if I am light skinned. It tends to be hot and dry during the summer though places like the Nile Delta and Mediterranean Sea tend to be a bit humid. Cairo has also grown humid in recent times because of its proximity to the Nile River.
The trick here is to stay close to Cairo or the Nile to avoid the scorching heat when you take a
trip to Egypt. Light clothes best fit the day as you enjoy the wonders and scenery of Egypt that are so dearly spoken of all over. I would definitely try and make reservations in the Nile Hilton Hotel or any hotel over-looking the beautiful Nile river; I can enjoy the scenic view while am sure the atmosphere is humid and bearable.
Egypt also has the coldest nights ever, so I will make sure I keep warm before I head out to enjoy the nightlife of Egypt. The winter season is mild and with some precipitation here and there, otherwise the Egyptian climate remains hot and dry for the whole year.
Transport when you travel to Egypt
The transport around Cairo town is perfect as many roads from all over the country connect to this great city. Cairo serves as an entertainment center, communication center, Sports center, commerce center and the Capital city of Egypt; so you would understand why so many roads link to the City.
Getting transport shouldn’t be a hassle for tourist because there are various Egypt tour package plans available at the airport and Hotels. There are land packages that can take me around town while the grand package is definitely the Nile Cruise ship which introduces me to the magnificence and beauty of the Nile River.
A
trip to Egypt can never be complete without adding one of the various Travel tour in my itinerary. A land tour experience can take me to the amazing Museum of Cairo where King Tut still lives then later to the Giza plateau for a Camel ride round the Pyramids and an escapade inside the tombs and the Sphinx. Later I would have my tour travel drop me at the buzzing open air bazaars for some real shopping of Souvenirs.
Egypt tours come with different prices depending on the various places their cover on their roster. Amazing enough the cheapest travel tour during my
trip to Egypt would be the Nile cruise tour. It covers goes for as little as $455 to as much as $755 for a boat trip to Thedes, Karnak, Esna Edfu, Kom Ombo, and the great Aswan High dam which is a major icon of how Egypt has greatly advanced in technology and knowledge.
The mentioned rates are exclusive to the Nile trip and don’t include any in-land trip. One thing to note during the
travel to Egypt is that land travels can be a bit pricy for the first time visitor; it means I have to save up real good to enjoy the luxuries and exquisite sites around Cairo and the outskirts.
There are several inland travel packages I can work with while on a
trip to Egypt:
- There is the Grand Egypt tour which costs about $2400 for 17days and 16 nights while in Egypt. This is an exclusive travel tour package that involves a private guide and private transport covering Alexandria, Sinai, and Cairo inclusive of the Nile cruise.
- Egypt on the Full is a second VIP package going for $2450 for 19 nights and 20 days. As a tourist, I get to spend 6 nights west of the Egyptian desert, 4 nights in Cairo, 5 nights in Hurghada and finally 4 nights on the Nile Cruise ship.
- Egypt and Petra venture must the priciest of them all. For 20 days and 19 nights, it offers a one of a king trip around Cairo Town, Alexandria, Jordan, Luxor, the Aswan dam and completes the package with 3 nights at Cairo. This package goes for $3900 which is understandable given it covers the highlights of Egypt in a private transport plan.
- The Egypt special is a cheaper inland tour travel guide compared to the rest. While on your trip to Egypt, this amazing package will cover all your transport need for 4nights at Cairo, 2 nights in Alexandria and the crème of it all is 7nights on the Nile night cruise. The Nile cruise is said to be a cracker and I wouldn’t miss out on the Egypt Special package if I wanted such an experience.
- The Egypt Revealed is another cheaper travel package which offers a trip to Cairo, Hurghada and another tour in Alexandria. The climax of course is in the Night Nile cruise which is 3 nights of touring the great waters of the Nile while enjoying the nightlife on a cruise ship.
- The Egyptian Odyssey travel package is ideal if I am visiting Egypt on a bargain. This lovely package covers 12 days and 11 nights of touring Cairo, the Aswan Dam, Luxor and 3 nights special at the Nile night cruise ship.
Mind your health on your travel to Egypt
Of course when I travel to a new place I would want to know how safe the water is for drinking and how clean the food is for eating. Among these two will be concerns on whether there are any potential diseases I might catch while in Egypt.
As a tourist, I will sure stick to bottled water if am not used to chlorinated water. Most of Egypt’s tap water is high chlorinated for germ control. Note that the water isn’t polluted or contaminated, only that a tummy upset may ensue if you are not used to chlorinated water.
Egypt is prided for the best tasting fruits and vegetables you would get in this world. However you must be careful to wash the fruits and veggies before eating them. Street vended food is a common ting especially in the open air market. There is no need to avoid indulging in the delicacies because the locals care to prepare the food just how the tourists like it. Just make sure you don’t eat from cheap, unhygienic places.
Same applies on the cruise ship package am on while on a
trip to Egypt. Cheap cruise ship rates means the on board service will also be cheaply handled. So I would mind my tummy and pay the extra to make sure I enjoy quality food while having a nice stay in Egypt.
While you sample the hygienically prepared local delicacies, don’t miss out on the amazing cup of coffee at the Bazaar open air markets or Tammia, an extremely tasty Egyptian delicacy.
And if I am on medication, I will be wiser not to leave any behind while taking a trip to the land of the Pharaoh.
Egypt has the best to offer in terms of ancient and modern attractions to tourists all over the world. From the breathtaking view of the Nile at the Cairo Tower to a day’s venture in the warm sun to the Pyramids at Giza and a memorable explore tour inside the Giza Sphinx.
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