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A return or onward airline ticket, passport and visa. Your passport
should be valid for 6 months from the date of entry into Egypt. You can
purchase your visa prior to, or upon arrival in Egypt. Please contact
the Egyptian consulate nearest you for further details. The current fee
is $15 for tourist visas issued at Cairo International airport.
Note : this fee may vary depending on nationality |
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Do I have to pay custom duty on the items I bring with me? |
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All items of a personal nature are exempt from duty, but electronic
equipment, video cameras, laptop computers must be declared and may be
listed on a declaration form by a Customs official who will retain the
original and give you the copy. Keep this safe with the rest of your
travel documents in case you need it when you depart. |
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Do I bring cash or traveller's cheques?
Which currency is best, and can I use credit cards? |
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The golden rule wherever you travel, is to carry as little cash
with you as possible. Best to bring your money in traveler's
cheque or credit cards.
The US dollar is best known and most widely used. Check with
your bank for the current exchange rate
Visa, MasterCard and American Express cards are accepted at most
places, but in some cases amounts to be charged should not be
less than LE100. ATM machines are located in the lobby areas of
most hotels and banks. Exchange into Egyptian pounds (LE) only
enough for day or so, and keep the balance of your traveler's
cheques, along with your travel documents and other valuables in
a safety deposit box at your hotel.
Remember to empty your safety deposit box before check-out
! |
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TRANSPORTATION |
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What would be the best way for an independent traveller to get
from the airport to downtown? |
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The easiest way, hassle-free way is to ask your travel agent to
arrange for a local tour operator to meet, assist and transfer
you to your hotel. Some major hotels also provide a "meet &
greet" service for their guests, but you must book in advance. . |
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I want to visit Luxor and Aswan but I cannot afford the airfare.
How much will it cost to go by train, and how long does it take? |
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There are two ways to travel by train, either by the sleeper
train operated by Wagon-List which includes your own sleeper
compartment, dinner and breakfast for $130 one-way in a double
cabin or $200 in single to either Luxor or Aswan. This way seem
a bit high, but bear in mind that you save one night's hotel
accommodation. A less expensive alternative is first-class seat
on the late-night train to Luxor for about $25 and $37 to Aswan.
The journey from Cairo takes approx. 9 hours to Luxor and 13
hours to Aswan. |
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It is highly recommended that you drink only bottled/mineral
water, hot beverages (such as coffee or tea), canned or bottled
carbonated beverages, and beer. Ice is made with tap water and
should be avoided. Make sure that all fruit juices are freshly
squeezed and not mixed with non-mineral water.
Egyptian food is delicious and by no means bad, but avoid
road-side food stalls and remember that it is not what you eat,
but how you eat, that will cause you to be sick. If you lie out
by the pool in the heat of the sun and drink ice-cold beverages,
especially beer, then anything you eat will likely upset you.
Egypt boast a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, but it is
best to stick with cooked vegetables and eat fruits that you
peel yourself. Use your common sense, exercise moderation and
you will stay healthy and be happy! |
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SIGHT SEEING |
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What is the best way to visit Egypt's tourist sites on my own? |
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If this is your first visit, it is best to book an organized
tour through a local tour operator. This way you are guided
through the sites by a professional guide and transportation is
included. Most tour guides are multi-lingual, and all of them
English-speaking.
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TECHNOLOGY |
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I'm an Internet junkie. Are there any Internet cafés where I can
get my fix? |
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Lucky for you there are. Internet Egypt operates a number of
cafés around Egypt. . Business Centers
at most hotels will also
allow you to go on-line, but they tend to be more expensive
(approx. LE 30-50 p.hour) |
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would like to take my laptop along with me.
Would I need any special connector plugs or jacks to hook my
modem to the phone line? |
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You can purchase an adaptor plug from most hardware stores in
Cairo and it will cost you a couple of dollars. But if you would
rather not waste your time doing that, then take along a Port
Travel Connection Pack which you can purchase at most computer
stores in your area, |
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I live in California. Is the voltage in Egypt the same? |
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No, all electrical appliances in Egypt run on 220 volts and the
outlets are designed for a two-pronged cylindrical plug. So if
your travel appliances are not dual voltage, make sure you take
along a standard voltage converter and adapter plugs. You may be
able to borrow an adapter plug from your hotel (ask
housekeeping), but better take one along just in case they don't
have any in stock. |
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am booked to visit Egypt in May, but my family and friends fear
that I may be attacked by terrorists. How safe is Egypt these
days? |
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The last terrorist incident took place in 1997 and since then,
the Egyptian government has taken extreme measures to secure all
areas where tourists are likely to visit, including all hotels.
The Egyptians are the friendliest and most hospitable people and
will go out of their way to make you feel at home. This
eagerness to please may sometimes be mistaken as self-serving,
but most often they are genuine and seek nothing in return. A
smile and a thank-you is all the reward they need.
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How do I
make a reservation ? |
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Can I make a reservation directly through
the hotel? |
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You can, but the prices displayed by our agency are available
only through our service. If you make a reservation at the hotel, you
will be charged on average 10% to 50% more. |
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Will you confirm my reservation by fax or phone?
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Usually we make confirmations by e-mail, Although if you cannot
provide an email address, we will send the confirmation
by fax. |
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Can you supply a cot or crib for my room when I travel with
children? |
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Most of the hotels have Baby cot or crib facilities but our
Reservation staff will help you to request or recommend such hotels that
are 100 percent sure to have these facilities, it is always Free of
cost. |
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How will the rooms be arranged? |
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All our prices are based on two people sharing a twin or double
room. However, if there are three people in your family (one parent and
two children, or two parents and one child) we can try to accommodate
you in a triple room. Triple rooms vary in style - it may be a room with
a double and a single bed, or three single beds, or a double bed with a
fold down mattress / extra bed added. If there are five members of your
family the same idea applies - you will get one twin / double room and
we can try to arrange a triple room for the remaining three people.
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Do the hotels you use have swimming pools?
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Sometimes the hotels will have swimming pools, but often they
won't. We figure that as you're booking an adventure holiday, you're
more interested in getting out an exploring than lounging by a pool. |
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What's the standard of accommodation like?
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This depends on what sort of trip you're booking. Adventure tour
style trips tend to use the equivalent of two star hotels, hostels,
camps, felucca and/or tents. While classic tour, Nile tour, Sunny tour
style trips normally use four star hotels and up, and/or five star
cruises or/and up. It's important to remember that this star rating is
based on what the country has to offer in terms of hotels, and can't
necessarily be equated with western star ratings. On some trips, the
accommodation will be of a more basic nature, for example if you're
trekking in mountains, you will sleep in your/our sleeping bags.
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How do I check hotels & availability of a package listed on
the site? |
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simply faxes or mail us.
you can email your request to 24 hours day / 7 days-week. |
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How big can my luggage be? |
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Porte rage for one luggage on tour is included in the
tour price. Due to limited coach capacity, we strongly recommend that
this single bag should have dimensions not exceeding 30"x18"x10" and
weight not exceeding 27 kg. |
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Do you accept travelers who need special assistance? |
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Any disability requiring special attention should be reported to
us at the time the reservation is made. We will make reasonable efforts
to accommodate the special needs of disabled tour participants, but is
not responsible in the event it is unable to do so, nor is it
responsible for any denial of services by carriers, hotels, restaurants,
or other independent suppliers. We regret that we cannot provide
individual assistance to a tour member for walking, dining, and getting
on and off motor coaches and other transportation vehicles, or other
personal needs. A qualified companion must accompany travelers who need
such assistance. |
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Are tips included in the tour price? |
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tips to your tour representative, tour drivers, and local guides;
laundry, beverages and food , restaurant , all other items of a personal
nature are not included in the tour price |
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what will the tour be like? |
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Our tours are designed with families in mind - they are at a
relaxed pace with a mixture of sightseeing and free time. Wherever
possible we have made sure that you will have at least two nights (and
sometimes more) in the same hotel. This means that you aren't constantly
having to un-pack and re-pack for the whole family. We have also
included as many hotels with pools as possible so that the kids have
time to relax by the pool during free mornings or afternoons.
All of our trips are escorted by local experienced tour leaders who will
help your whole family to get the best possible experience out of their
tour. They will explain local customs and will point out things of
interest to all the family. However, they are not baby sitters - our
trips are designed for those who want to explore exciting places with
their families. Of course you have the opportunity to 'sit out' of some
activities if you want to, but you will need to make sure that your
children are accompanied by one of the adults in your party at all
times. Our tour leaders cannot take responsibility at any time, for
looking after children. |
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Why should I book my domestic air through you ? |
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We have worked with Egypt Air since 1993, and our volume
purchasing power enables us to negotiate contract fares which are often
substantially lower than published fare. We know the best time to
recommend for our trips |
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How old does a child have to be to take one of your tours?
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An adult must accompany children who are less than 12 years old
on the tour . the child receives a 50% discount on the land tour price
sharing their parents room. We do not recommend children under the age
of 4 on group tours, because we have found they are too young to enjoy
these tours, and they made a noisy for other guests.
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On FIT
tours, there is no minimum age requirement. Land arrangements for
infants under two years are free of charge, providing parents pay
directly to the hotels for food, crib, etc. Infants sometimes fly free
of charge if they do not occupy a seat,. |
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How can my family contact me while I am traveling? |
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Our
Reply: In your reconfirmation documents you will receive a hotel list.
This list will have an address and a telephone number for each hotel you
will be staying on each day, representative mobile number, guide mobile
number, our company telephones.
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If I book a tour, can I be guaranteed that it will run?
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We need a minimum of two people to run most of our trips,
although some trips, for example in Adventure tours, require a minimum
of six people. As long as we get this minimum number booked, then your
tour will go ahead. Occasionally, of course, political situations and
other factors may mean that it's not possible to run a trip but this is
very rare. |
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How large are your tour groups? |
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This varies with the destination. For example, in Adventure,
groups are limited to 6-18 passengers, divided into vehicles that
provide each person with a window seat and unobstructed game viewing.
There is no group size limit on private groups, classical group or
incentive groups. All of our scheduled trips are designed to operate
with as few as 2 guests up to charter flights. |
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What constitutes a group tour with your agency? |
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A minimum of 16 paying adults is considered a group |
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How far in advance should I make my travel plans? |
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Reservations including domestic flight must be made at least 21
days prior to travel. Land only bookings can be made up to 10 days
prior to travel. We recommend booking 1 to 2 months in advance.
Especially for winter season and/or peak periods. |
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Are there any hidden extras? |
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You should read our trip includes and/or excludes carefully, to
make sure you're aware of what entrance fees and meals are included. You
should also be aware that a tipping on your tours. This is typically
used by the tour leader to tip people who have provided the group with a
service as part of your itinerary, such as guides, and bus drivers. |
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Why is it so important that I provide names exactly as they
appear on our passports? |
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Due to increased travel security around the world, it is now more
important than ever that the passenger's airline ticket match the full
title, first name, middle name / initial and last name exactly as it
reads on his or her passport. It is best to provide that information to
us at the time of reservation so the air we confirm is not in jeopardy
of being lost |
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What type of groups can you handle? |
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We can handle any group profile including families,
friends, safaris, Nile Cruises, not Gay or women groups,
and anyone with specific interests, please see our four
sections which features on our web site. |
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Can you assist
with 'hotel only' bookings? |
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As we are a full-service tour operator, we can handle and
organizing any service you require or you need.
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How do I check reservations & availability of a package listed
on the site? |
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simply faxes or mail us.
you can email your request to 24 hours day / 7 days-week. |
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PAYMENTS
When do I need to Pay?
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Once we
confirm reservation in return E-mail for you, you will be given Option
date that you need to settle all your payments on or before this date in
failure to settle all the payments before the Option date your
reservation will be automatically cancelled. |
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Once I decide to Confirm my reservation with your Company How
do I pay? |
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When you receive Confirmation E-mail from our
Reservation staff. Our accounting staff will send you
same time invoice form Through e-mail , then you should
to trans the amount found in through our bank,
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Are taxes and breakfast included in your prices? |
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Yes. Unless noted otherwise, all taxes and breakfast
are included. |
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Are prices based on double occupancy? |
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Prices are per person, based on twin or double room. And Single
room supplements . |
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Does the price include domestic flights? |
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Our
reply: The prices sent in our offers are for the tour only and do not
include domestic flights. We usually arrange flights separately for you,
as long as they originate from the Egypt Air |
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How do I check pricing & payment for a package listed on the
site? |
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simply faxes or mail us.
you can email your request to 24 hours day / 7 days-week. |
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How do I check the cancellation fees for your package listed
on the site? |
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simply faxes or mail us.
,
you can email your request to 24 hours day / 7 days-week. |
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We
are four good friends traveling to Egypt , and are wondering what the
restrictions for bringing in alcohol to the country are. I mean, it is
the new year and we would like to bring some. Especially champagne.
Can we?
Yes. Individuals may bring in up to two liters.
What
is the legal drinking age in Egypt ?
21
Years Old.
Pets
We
are planning a trip to Egypt and wonder whether we will be able to bring
our cat. Is this possible?
Yes.
Pets may enter Egypt provided you provide a certificate of origin and a
health certificate. There are no forms for this, but a dated, signed
letter is acceptable. The certificate of origin may be provided by the
pet store where your pet was purchased or by a vet. The certificate of
health must be provided by a vet.
I
wish to drive my car into Egypt. What is required to do this.
A.
Unfortunately this cannot be done. Some cars may be ferried in, but in
general, you should not plan on bringing your car into Egypt. Once
there, you may rent a car, but in many instances I cannot even advise
you to do that. Particularly in Cairo, it is much safer to take a cab,
due to the driving habits of most people in Cairo.
Perhaps one of the best things about any trip to Egypt is the fact that
it is quite possible, enjoyable & perfectly safe (despite the dire warnings of some locally
based foreign tour company rep's to the contrary) to just go off for a wander along the
streets & amidst the Egyptian people secure in the knowledge that there is sure to be
something new & interesting around every corner. Additionally, so many tourists listen so carefully to the spiel of the
company rep (Don't do this,).
it's dangerous/You aren't insured) that they miss out on what is,
probably, the greatest joy of any trip to Egypt, namely the chance to get out & encounter the Egyptian
people outside of the context of hotel staff. This is a real tragedy, as they will never
come to know a people who I feel are without doubt the most friendly, welcoming, kind & generous
in the world.
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