Egypt: Treasures of the Nile Tour Details

Is this tour right for you?

Can you enjoy traveling in a developing nation? Egypt is a developing nation that has been steadily moving through a fast period of growth and change. It’s an exciting and fascinating time to experience Egypt. As a developing nation many services, systems and levels of environmental cleanliness are not the same as they are in Europe and the States. While exploring the country you will see pollution, poverty, overcrowded cities, and sadly malnourished people and animals. You will also see an Egypt working hard toward finding its way to solutions for its economic, social and political challenges. And you will meet welcoming Egyptians who are thrilled to share their country with you.

This trip requires moderate activity level – sustained walking for 2-3 hours over rough terrain, cobblestone, hills, sand and in the heat unassisted. Though there will be places to take short breaks. A number of days we begin before sunrise to beat the crowds to sites. This trip is not appropriate for travelers using walkers, wheelchairs, other mobility aids, or who cannot stand on their feet for 2-3 hours while visiting sites and walking around museums. Our tours often involve a number of hours outside in hot temperatures (Egypt can get hot, well into the 90s Fahrenheit).

There will be some very early mornings – some sunrise activities and some days we’re out exploring at 6am or 7am to avoid the crowds and desert-climate heat.

If you do not think you’ll be able to meet this level of activity requirement, or you have any questions or concerns please email our helpful team at [email protected].

Accommodations:

Comfortable, memorable hotels, eco-friendly guesthouses and rustic Dahabiyas. On this tour we stay in a variety of lodging: boutique hotels, comfortable centrally located hotels, traditional eco-friendly guesthouses, rustic yet cozy Dahabiyas (please read more on the Dahabiyas below). Not every accommodation will have all the amenities travelers may find in hotels in their home countries. Some locations will have no wifi or wifi that doesn’t work well. Some accommodations will have no air conditioning or inadequate air conditioning. Some lodging may have street noise, locals on their way to work early in the morning. We ask travelers to embrace all aspects of traveling in Egypt with a positive, flexible attitude. This is part of the ArchaeoAdventures experience and we expect our travelers to help make our tours a great experience through a positive attitude. Pack your sense of adventure, flexibility and humor.

Note: All Dahabiya rooms are twin rooms, there are no rooms with double beds.

We announce the names of contact details of the riads, hotels and desert camps 30 days prior to departure.

Why doesn’t ArchaeoAdventures announce the accommodations sooner than 30 days prior to departure?

From time to time we need to change the accommodations of a tour due to property renovations, management changes or other unexpected situations. We book all accommodations over a year in advance to secure the lodgings for our tours. Our lodging choices are very carefully planned taking into consideration the location, quality of staff, clean and safe food, and traveler experience. Due to booking so far in advance, once in a while closer to the tour departure date situations can change with one of the accommodations and we may need to switch to a different hotel or riad. As a result, we release the lodging details 30 days prior to your tour.

If you would like more details on a specific place this tour stays or the beginning or ending riad/hotel email our helpful staff at tours@archaeoadventures.com.

Activity Level:

Arrival in Egypt:

Upon arrival at airport, you will be met by a member of our incountry team and escorted through customs. There are both ATM machines and Money Exchange booths just after customs. Look for a member of our local team with a sign that says “ArchaeoAdventures Tours” or it may have your name on it. We will collect all the tour members arriving at that same time and then transfer you to our hotel.

Asthma:

For some travelers, the desert sand and dust can bring on episodes of asthma. If you suffer from asthma, even only occasionally, we recommend bringing your asthma medication as it cannot be administered by your group leader and may not be readily available while you in the desert. We recommend having your asthma medication handing throughout the tour.

Bargaining:

Egypt, like many countries around the world, is a bargaining culture. While hotels and restaurants are fixed prices, in the markets and shops prices are usually negotiated. Embrace the chance to bargain for a rug or beautiful hand-painted bowl or delicately crafted jewelry as a cultural experience. While for some travelers it can feel new and unfamiliar, if you approach bargaining as a game and bring laughter to the interaction you will find it’s a fun way to connect with locals in Egypt. If you have any specific questions on bargaining, ask your tour leader for advice and tips on bargaining in Egypt.

Cancellation Policy and Refunds:

Please see our Cancellation Policy and Refund Policy on our Terms and Conditions page.

Cancelled Tours:

Please read our Cancelled Tours Policy on our Terms and Conditions page.

Climate:

With deserts, the Nile River, and Mediterranean coastline, Egypt has climate. Summer (May – September) can be hot, particularly in the middle to southern region of Egypt. Temperatures in July and August can soar over 100 F. It’s important to drink lots of water, wear a hat for sun protection and moderate the amount of time you are outside. Winter (November – March) can be cooler, especially at night with temperatures in the 50s F – 60s F, though usually in the 70s F during the day. It is important to bring a warm sweater and jacket if you are visiting Egypt in the winter to stay warm in the evening. The shoulder seasons Spring (March – May) and Fall (September – November) are particularly good times to visit Egypt as the temperatures are not so hot.

Currency:

In Egypt they use the Egyptian Pound. ATMs are found throughout Egypt. You get the very best exchange rate when withdrawaling money at ATMs. All major cities have plenty of ATMS and nearly all hotels have a couple of ATMS. Many also have banks and exchange bureaus, though they are often not open on weekends. While credit cards are becoming more common in Egypt, they are still not taken everywhere, especially family-run establishments. Egypt is still very much a cash culture, especially in smaller towns. In the cities, restaurants often take credit cards as well as larger stores, supermarkets and hotels. For small cafes and stores plan on paying in cash. Outside of the main cities most transactions are done in cash. As a result, we recommend carrying local currency with you in case you want to purchase a snack, water during the day, or purchase a handicraft. Foreign currency is not always accepted (some places accept euros for larger purchases) so we recommend planning on using local currency (plus is a fun cultural experience to use the local money). If you are changing your home currency to Egyptian Pounds be sure to use a licensed money exchanger.

Early Mornings:

There will be some very early mornings on this tour. There are a number of mornings with some sunrise activities (such as our dawn hot air balloon ride, this will require a 3:15am start, and our sunrise visit to Abu Simbel. Many other mornings we are out early at 6am – 7am (depending on the morning). We start our mornings early to avoid the crowds (while other travelers are having a leisurely morning we get to have the iconic sites such as the Giza Plateau and the Valley of the Kings to ourselves. Other mornings the early start lets us catch the gorgeous sunsrise, make our plane down the Luxor, have a relaxing walk along the Nile while the farmers are out tiling the fields, and avoid the desert-climate heat. We expect all travelers to embrace the early starts and bring a positive attitude.

Archaeo Adventures