Thread: Getting from CAI to Sharm el Sheikh........ id 90 or rev tickets.........g

I live for the travel planning!
AF zed low CAI/CDG (about $65 each) you can catch the CDG/ATL DL flight for your backup (if you don't get the CAI/JFK DL) on the same day you arrive CDG--you have to go out to the tkt desk and check in then re-enter to DL gates but it only took us an hour total w/carry-ons
If the PM function is working, I can help via phone or email if you want.
I have alerted Abdo in Cairo to take good care of you. Fayoum is his hometown--if it interests you, that would be an off-the-beaten-path trip.

Hi there,

You are very helpful. I will be honest, I am very overwhelmed with all the planning. We just got back from Australia for our wedding and that was a huge planning event from the States. We just bought a house and moved in 6 months ago so I am pooped with details. I am beginning to get a feeling that getting to ,from and around Egypt is going to be time consuming and a bit of an ordeal. I was very excited up until yesterday and now I am having doubts. If we get in on the 26th at 3.15pm and leave on the 5th at 0110am that only gives us 8 full days to see Cairo and go diving. I am an avid diver and have heard so many tales of the Red Sea that I can't go to Egpyt and not dive. However I need to see ancient monuments also. Weeding out the must sees and the information is what is driving me crazy. I have been told that 2 weeks is what one really needs to see the highlights. We could go another time if that is the case. However, we have talked about this a bunch and would love to go but it means planning down to the minute and it is a 3rd world country. Any thoughts? How long have you spent on your visits?

kate

We went with nothing planned/set but the Cairo hotel and guides in CAI and LXR.
We bought ID 96 for $30 each way (that's the min) from CAI for both ASW and LXR (only used one LXR)--no commitment there!
We took Zed low AF for backup $94 each (sorry not 65) Used both. Then used DL home.

You can contact guide in LXR last minute. Hassany Moresy--his contact is in my Egypt stuff. You can refer to us or I can email him to introduce you.His guide was Abdou and he was excellent.
We decided the night before to book him fo Dendera and Abydos (3+ hrs outside LXR) Awesome day.
You need at least one full day in Valley of Kings
One full day hanging around Luxor--2 main temples there and the new museum is wonderful. Karnak Temple is a few hours to do it right.You cna pick a hotel with help of Tripadvisor (we stayed Sheraton w/points) There are Accor Hotels--The Pavillion is decent--good lcoation--great rates.
You can get transport w/Hassany to Aswan w/sight stops on the (not sure price)
Aswan for 2-3 nights if you include day trip to Abu Simbel on Lake Nasser
You can buy on sight or arrange in advance. We had small netbook (PS--internet is $$$$ at hotels) use cafes--local sim card is probably a good idea if you didn't already get one in Sharm.
The 2 wk (too much in my book) would likely include 7 night cruise (long!!) and a visit to Alexandria (not on my list) I've done the 8 day whirlwind and 11 day very relaxed. 8-9 days can cover almost every important place. first one was group (never again) and the second was mostly private.
Some aspects of Egypt are way below third-world. The people are quite nice in general.Vendors can be REAL pests--just completely ignore them.

I realize you have to be sooo burned out w/planning the wedding--what a chore that must have been.

You can do parts of Egypt like we did,m Cairo and Luxor--we have to go back for Aswan (my fave city) and Abu Simbel. I know now we can just land CAI, head south and book stuff when we arrive (maybe short dahabiya cruise in advance--sailboat to Luxor)
We are so fotrunate tobe able to fly for so little--it's worth breaking the trip up to make it less pressure. Once you have a grip on the way it all works there, it's easier to return knowing what you already know and what you want to do!

here's a good 3 day tour of highhlights in CAiro--same guide we used--they did a lot of touristy things we wouldn't care for , but they had a great time. (She's right--Abdo's uncle is a trip!)
Excellent driver and guide in Cairo: Abd elHamid Ellahamy - Cairo Forum - TripAdvisor