EGYPT NOTES

Cities: Boarder Pass,Cairo,Aswan, Luxor
General Facts:Visa,cost,foods,places to stay,transport,things not to do,weather,clothes,difficulties..

ENTRANCE TO THE COUNTRY

You can choose one of the two ways to go to Egypt from Turkey.

Airway: If you don't have enough time to go , you can find cheap flight to Egypt from agencies in Istanbul.You have to search the prices.We bought for 310$ but in the same plain some people has bought 345$.

By road: Every thursday there is a train from İstanbul to Damascus.It costs 49ytl and the train goes first Jordan then Egypt .As we heard from a brasilian guy , it costed 70$ to go Egypt from Turkey. İf you have time you can travel Jordan and Damascus also.İf you go by air, you have to fill the card –they give the card in the plane-before passport control.

When you exit from airport you will see a lot of taxies.Some of them say that they are official but do not trust. Find a taxi then bargain.In Cairo you can go everywhere by taxi for 10 pound.(5 pound=1 ytl) .The best price is 20 pound from airport to city center.

İf you get off the taxi somewhere around Mustafa Kemal square you can find hostel or hotel easily. Prices are

between 10 -25 pound. We recommend Dahab hostel.15 pound (3 ytl) one person and include breakfast.

İf you need more comfort you can stay in Bostan hostel.25 pound per person ,breakfast included . it has a nice view from balcony.

** Taxi go everywhere for 10 pound. Dolmush 50 plaster(half pound). Public bus 25 plaster

** Eating is little bit problem in Egypt.difficult to find clean places to eat.

** You can buy guidebook like lonely planet or Egypt Guide by Dost publishing.

**People want bahshish after any help even imam of the mosque.

**Mustafa Kemal square has been dedicated for Ataturk

**Drinking is expensive . You have to pay extra tax for alcohol.

**There are some tax free shops in city center.You can buy something from them in first two days. They are so cheap especially cigarettes and alcohol.

**Cairo is a huge city which has 20 million population but city is pretty trim. You can learn the downtown

easily.

**Population is 80 million in Egypt and 25 percents are soldiers.

**Better to learn some arabic ,especially numbers.

**Watch out for the traffic.. it never stops!!

**Take some toilet papper with you..

There are three places you should see

1.Cairo Museum

Its better to go first the museum before pyramids because almost all archaeological pieces in museum.The museum close to hostels' area . You can go by walk.There are a lot of guides wait in front of the museum .you can deal one of them then visit inside.Because the museum is huge if you are a student or teacher,its better to take an international card for discount. Enterance fee: 40 pound,student 20 pound

Giza Pyramids

There are two ways to visit Giza Pyramids.Legal way and illegal way.We learned it after visiting.We met a guy while we were walking ,he said that there are two ways to go inside one is for tourists, one is for public people.and he said if we prefer for tourists way lots of seller can disturb us. And we prefered the public road course. Then we went to a village near pyramids and met a guy named Muhammed.the village was guite and scary.Muhammed offered us to visit pyramids with horse or camel for 140 pounds .And we dealed him and prefered camel.About half an hour later we arrived to entrance. There was a hole at wall and we entered with camels.Muhammed was giving money to the polices while we were going to pyramids.and he said us he was doing this job like 30 years. Our trip took almost 3 hours and it was amazing!!

3. Islamic Cairo:

Nile separetes Cairo in two parts. New Cairo and Islamic Cairo (Old Cairo).You should see Citadel ,Grand Bazaar and Death City.Looks like Sultanahmed You can go to Aswan from Cairo by train or bus. Train is more cheap and comfortable.You can buy ticket at Central Station .Second class ticket is 39 pound and it takes 13-14 hours. Its better to choose a train which deperture at 9 pm.,arrive at 10 am . Lots of people prefer trains thats why you should buy the ticket one day before.Aswan is pretty touristic town near the Nile.There are a lot of hostels for cheap prices like 15-25 pounds. We recommend Ramses Hostel. It costs 25 pounds that includes breakfast also cheaper hostels are available .You should search and bargain . There are lots of lovely restaurants at Nile's bank.Prices are acceptable.. There are three important trips to do in Aswan;

1.Felluka Tour: Felluka is a small sailboat. Elephant Island,Botanic Garden and Stone Tombs are on the Nile.And you can visit all of them by felluka .2 hours is enough for the tour.1 hour 10 pound per person!

2.Kelesh Tour: They say kelesh to phaeton.You can make city tour for 20 pounds per hour.

3.Abu Simbel: Everyone has to see Abu Simbel who travels in Egypt. You can see the Ramses and Nefferati temples.Abu Simbel so close to Sudan border and it takes 3 hours from Aswan. You can only go with convoy at 3:00 am because of security. 50 pounds per person for Abu Simbel tour.

LUXOR

You can go Luxor from Aswan by train or by bus. Its not easy to find a place for the train.Bus ticket is 35 pounds. Its expensive and uncomfortable.

We stayed in Venus Hostel which was pretty fine and price was cheap.15 pounds for night that includes breakfast.

Finally we found a restaurant to eat good food.It names Maraba Restaurant .Set menu 20 pounds and you can taste lots kind of egyptian food. Find chief Mustafa and bargain with him. Do not forget to give bahshish..

Places to see in Luxor: Queens and Kings Valley,Karnak Temple,Luxor Temple.

First day you can visit Karnak and Luxor temples ..

Second day you can visit Kings and Queens tombs..

GENERAL FACTS

Visa: Just go with your passport and pay 35 ytl .Take visa from embassy.

Costs: Hostel prices are like 15-25 pounds per person,eating costs about 40 pounds for a day,extra paying(museum ,drinking…)is almost 50 pounds , transport is 100 pounds .Totally 800 pounds (160ytl) is enough for travelling in Egypt for one week.if you prefer to go by road via syria and jordan costs 70 ytl. .Finally you need 350 ytl for one week..

Eating: Be carefull. Eating places are not so clean

Place to Stay: You can find a hostel easly .First, look for 3 or 4 hostels then choose one.

Transport: Trains are the best way for travelling . Buses are dangerous and uncomfortable.

Things Not To Do;

**Do not carry lots of clothes.(50 litres bag is enough)

**You should have a guide book like lonely planet or such books

**Some people want to ‘help' you for money or something else. Do not trust.

Weather: The best season to go Egypt is winter.In winter Cairo is like 25 degrees,Aswan is like 30 degrees. In summer its like 45-50 degrees.

Clothes: For nights, you can take pants and sweater to wear.Day time t-shirt and short pant is enough.

Difficulties : If you go Egypt from Turkey you will not have problem .. Maybe just dirty places is a problem , thats all!!!