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Budget and Independent
Travel in Egypt
Part 1: Getting There and in Cairo
by Jimmy Dunn
The costs associated with a budget trip to Egypt include,
but are not necessarily limited to the airfare or other
transport to Egypt, lodging, food, transportation to
different destinations in Egypt and tickets to enter the
various attractions one wishes to see. Most people will also
be interested in finding the least expensive places and
means of buying a few souvenirs.
Budget travel does not necessarily imply independent
travel. In many instances, an economy tour may ultimately
yield a much more pleasant and even less expensive Egyptian
holiday then an independently arranged trip. Tour operators
frequently receive deep discounts from hotels and airlines
as well as provide more efficient means of transportation
within Egypt. Even the most experienced independent traveler
may not be able to beat the cost of a value tour,
particularly if a full agenda of sight seeing is required.
For an example of a value tour, see this months Tour
of the Month on Tour Egypt.
Yet travelers should be advised that independent travel
within Egypt is nothing to fear. One of the most
unusual aspects of Egypt in regards to other tourist
destinations is that Egyptians in general will go out of
their way to help tourists. They are gracious hosts,
even those outside of the tourism industry. Most hotel
personnel, if asked, will provide a world of information and
be very helpful. They will almost always be able to
arrange various tours, and in the case of some chains, be
able to guide and accommodate you from one end of Egypt to
the other.
In addition, most monuments, particularly the better
known monuments, will have identification plaques and often
detailed descriptions. Along with a good travel guide,
one who is intent on independent travel should have little
trouble in doing so.
In general, everything from hotel rooms, to flight
reservations, to full tours will be less expensive during
the off season. Most tourist traffic to Egypt begins
in the latter half of June, and continues through the middle
of September. Ramadan is also a busy time for Egypt, but
also very fun, while the ultimate peak season starts just
before Christmas and ends after New Years, due to the
holidays in European countries.
Air Fare
For many, the most expensive part of a budget holiday to
Egypt will be airfare. Those from Europe will pay much less,
perhaps half as much for air fare as North Americans. For
example, using a normal discount booking service checking
fares from London to Cairo and from New York to Cairo (using
travelocity.com for departure dates in mid September), the
London round trip ticket to Cairo would cost just over $500
US, while the New York ticket to Cairo would have cost
almost $900.00. Using a regular local travel agency would
probably result in tickets costing as much as several
hundred dollars more for each.
Those people looking hard for discount airfare are likely
to become frustrated. Most on-line discount services require
a registration process, only to yield no different ticket
pricing then all the others. There is a good reason for
this, as most on-line services must use published rates. We
would highly advise people searching out the lowest possible
ticket pricing to read the FAQ on cheap airfares,
consolidators and bucket shops at http://www.travel-library.com/air-travel/consolidators.html.
This is an excellent reference particularly on international
air fare.
To obtain the very least expensive airfare to Egypt one
must usually go beyond the Internet, and depending on the
time, effort and long distance calls required, it may not be
worth it to everyone. One is really only likely to improve
their ticket pricing using true air consolidators or bucket
shops, but these companies rarely quote on-line fares.
Further, Internet searches for air consolidators will mostly
yield companies claiming such, but with fares no different,
or even higher then the normal on-line discount air booking
companies. Others will have cheap fares to specific
destinations, but not Egypt.
In general, we have found that the earlier one books a
flight to Egypt, the better the fare will be. Two examples
of on-line air discount services which appear to yield good
results are Travel Secrets at http://travelsecrets.com/ and
in the UK, http://www.farebase.co.uk/.
However, we also received a very good air quote from
Cardinal Points Travel in Dallas, Texas (phone
800-990-0241). Readers have also praised The Traveling
Man, located in Philadelphia (phone 215-925-0700).
Hotels
Hotels, for the most part, are the easiest for us to
provide advise about, as we have specifically stayed in or
toured budget hotels with this very article in mind. Most
people who wish to visit Egypt independently on a tight
budget will usually wish to stay near downtown. This is the
area where the Egyptian Museum is located, and is close to
Islamic Cairo and the Khan as well as Coptic, or old Cairo.
It also probably has the best selection of budget hotels.
From here, most people can make a day tour to most of the
important pharaonic sites such as Giza, Sakkara, Dahshur and
Memphis.
All of the budget hotels we review below have air
conditioning and telephones, the availability of televisions
and private baths. Most have single occupancy pricing
between $30 and $50 USD per night. Less expensive
hotels may be found ranging as low as $2 to $5 USD per
night, but will often lack even basic comforts such as
private baths, and other guests are likely to be poorer
Arabs rather then tourists. Prior to checking in to
such hotels, it is highly advisable to make a tour of the
facilities.
The Hotel
Longchamps (see also
review) has and continues to be one
of our favorite budget hotels. It is located in Zamalek
which is on an island in the Nile just across from downtown
Cairo. At $36 USD per night for a single, the Hotel
Longchamps can't be beat The area is nice, quiet and
upscale. The hotel is bright, friendly and modern. The Hotel
Longchamps, like many budget hotels in Cairo, occupies only
the 5th and 6th floors of the building in which it is
located. In the event that this hotel is full, below it is
the Horus
hotel, which also appears to be nice, though not on the
same standards as the Longchamps.
Restaurant at the Horus House Hotel
In downtown Cairo, is the Victoria
hotel, another good choice and probably our second
favorite, though somewhat more costly then the Hotel
Longchamps. It occupies an entire building and does have a
lovely ground floor garden and reasonably priced Internet
cafe.
Bar at the Victoria Hotel
Nearby the Victoria are two hotels which are also
noteworthy, the Carlton,
because it is the least expensive of all the hotels we
visited, and the Windsor
Hotel (also see Historical Reviews and
Bar
Review). The
Carlton is clean, has a nice roof top garden restaurant with
a good view. As for the historic Windsor hotel, we have
reviewed it this month in another feature article on
historical hotels in Cairo, and last month we reviewed its
landmark bar.
Finally, there is the Hussein
hotel located within the Khan el-Khalili. Again, this
hotel has all of the basic necessities, including rooms with
air conditioning, private baths, telephones and televisions.
It is ideal for commercial buyers who plan on spending most
of their time within the Khan, and has a great view of the
Khan from many of the rooms. From huge roof restaurant, it
also has an excellent view of Islamic Cairo in just about
all directions.
The Hussein Hotel Restaurant, and View from the
Restaurant
Money
One of the secrets to budget travel in Egypt is to
carry plenty of small Egyptian notes, such as one pound and 50
piaster (half pound) notes. Actually, small bills sometimes
seem hard to find, but many hotels, particularly the five star
variety, have banks where one may load up on these.
In many instances, taxi drivers and merchants who
sell tourist items will claim to be unable to make change for
larger bills, so being able to pay the exact amount is
important. Also, as noted below, small bills will be very
handy for tipping.
Local Transport
Most people who travel independently to Egypt will still
be better off arranging day or half day tours to most sight
seeing areas. Such tours can be arranged from most hotels.
Larger hotels will frequently have more then one tour
operator available. While one may visit areas such as the
Khan el-Khalili market, or the Citadel within Cairo very
inexpensively by Taxi, the same does not hold true for tours
of the Sakkara and Memphis, for example, outside of
Cairo. For this, companies such as Misr Travel offer
half and full day tours, including guides at very reasonable
prices. For example, Misr Travel Company's half day
tour of Memphis and Sakkara is about $40.00, while a full
day trip into the Fayoum and Lake Qarun is $65.00, and can
be arranged from most hotels.
Taxis
Regardless of whether one takes organized tours to
sightseeing areas, a taxi ride or two is inevitable. Most
people will not wish to rent a car to drive, particularly in
Cairo, and will probably not have the proper international
drivers licenses and insurance even if they wished to. For
the uninformed, taxis can be very expensive. At worst, a
tourist may exit a five star hotel, climb in the nearest
taxi and request a destination. Upon arrival, the tourist
asks the price, and pays perhaps four or five times the
Egyptian price for a similar ride. This can quickly destroy
a planned budget, even for someone who can afford the five
star hotel.
Typical Black and White Taxi
Egyptian travel sites will often advise people to
negotiate the price of the Taxi in advance. This continues
to be good advise for someone who wishes to rent a taxi for
a day, a number of hours, or who expects the taxi to wait
while one visits sightseeing areas.
But for normal trips around town, this simply is not the
way to get the best fares. Egyptians hail a cab without
negotiating a price because they know the approximate cost
for their destination. Upon arrival, they simply pay that
amount. There may even be a small tip involved if the taxi
driver is particularly courteous, informative or funny, but
the amount is paid as a lump sum. Hence, it is important for
tourists to have an idea of what the taxi driver expects for
trips to various parts of the city. Even so, one might find
the taxi driver arguing the price if the tourist appears
overly wealthy. For this reason, it is often best to walk a
short distance from a five star hotel prior to hailing a
cab. There does not seem to be the same problem involved
with three and four star hotels. However, other tricks
include making camera equipment as inconspicuous as possible
and not engaging the taxi driver with tourism questions.
Invariably, the taxi driver will wish to become your tour
guide. In fact, one trick we have used is to have the hotel
write the destination in Arabic, handing this to the taxi
driver, and then saying little if anything while in route.
On the other hand, taxi drivers who speak the language of
the tourist can be helpful, and will try to be. Allowing the
taxi driver to provide information should result in a small
increase in the fare from the prices outlined below.
1: Nile Hilton to the Citadel - 7 to 10 L.E.
2: Citadel to Khan el-Khalili - 4 to 5 L.E.
3: Nile Hilton to the Khan el-Khalili 4 to 6 L.E.
4: Nile Hilton to Heliopolis 12 to 15 L.E.
4: Nile Hilton to Airport with bag handling 25 L.E.
5: Nile Hilton to Old Cairo (Coptic Cairo) 10 to 12 L.E.
6: Nile Hilton to the Giza Pyramids 12 to 20 L.E.
7: Nile Hilton to Zamalek 4 to 5 L.E.
The reason for the difference in fares
depends on traffic and traffic jams. For example, if
the taxi trip is taken during rush hour and takes twice the
normal amount of time, then the taxi driver should be paid
more. Also, these rates are for one passenger. The
amount should be increased by a modest amount for additional
passengers. For example, a trip which would cost 5
L.E. for one person should probably be increased to 7 L.E.
for two, or perhaps 8 or 9 L.E. for three people.
Keep in mind the exchange rate. For example, a trip
which costs 10 Egyptian pounds (L.E.) is about $2.89 USD.
You should consider a lower limit for short trips. For
example, a trip from the Nile Hilton to Garden City, while a
short trip, should still run three to four pounds. Below
this amount, it is hardly worth the taxi driver's time. Most
of these prices are above that which an Egyptian will pay for good
reasons. The average Egyptian income is less then that of
most tourists, and it should not be the aim of tourists to pay the
Egyptian rate. Taxi drivers do not get rich, few own their own
cabs, and most must pay a daily fee to the owner which is the same
regardless of how good a day the driver had.
When paying for the taxi, exit first, pay the taxi driver
through the window, and walk away. This is really what
the driver expects. If he suspects that you are a
wealthy tourist, he may put up some argument, but simply
avoid this and keep walking. However, one must remember to
carry plenty of small Egyptian notes. In order for our
suggestions on paying taxi drivers to work, one must pay the
exact amount. Giving the taxi driver a larger note and
expecting change will promote a discussion as to the amount
of the fare.
It is really not recommended to attempt to hire a taxi
for a day, or even for several hours. Taxis are
plentiful in Cairo, and it is much better usually to simply
take a taxi to a destination, and then find another taxi
when you are ready to leave. However, if you decide to hire
a taxi to tour outlying areas such as Sakkara and Dahshur
rather then taking a more economical organized day tour,
expect to pay between 120 and 150 L.E.
Food and Other Necessities
How budget minded are you? One may spend a lot of money
eating in Egypt, or very little. On the lowest side, our
advise would be to hit the supermarket and buy sandwich and
other cold meals. Even many of the three and four star
hotels will have mini fridges where such items may be kept.
In particular such items as bottled water, soft drinks and
cigarettes can be obtained from a reasonably sized market
much less expensively then at most hotels.
Cairo has a number of new supermarkets. By a coke
here for 1.5 L.E., or as high as 10 L.E. at your hotel.
Meals at five star hotels will most likely be the most
expensive way to eat in Egypt, though we do not mean to be
critical, as this is perhaps true throughout the world.
After all, these restaurants are often the best, at least
from the standpoint of facilities, and one may expect the
food to be consistently good. Yet a breakfast at a five star
hotel which costs 45 L.E may be free at many three or four
star hotels which include the cost of breakfast in the price
of the room. Lunch and dinner in these hotels may also be
somewhat reasonable, and, given the cost of searching around
for alternatives, may be the best bet.
At any rate, we cannot really recommend eating the fare
of street vendors, of which there are many, even though this
might make for a very economical meal. Probably the best
prices can be found in Egyptian family style restaurants off
the beaten tourist track. Restaurants such as the Al Tekkia
which we reviewed last month are clean and reasonably
priced, and we must encourage our readers to keep an eye on
our restaurant reviews for future additions. Other plentiful
options include traditional fast food establishments where a
western style hamburger may cost in the range of $3.00 to
$4.00 USD.
Telephones
The simple rule is, find out how much before making the
call, any call. For most hotels in Egypt, even local calls
will have a charge, and long distance charges back home may
vary extensively between different hotels. For three or four
star hotels, most of the time everything, including food,
drinks in the hotel bar, taxis, will be less expensive then
a five star hotel, but telephone charges may be an
exception. Many of the budget hotels lack the new, direct
dial international phone systems. In fact, of all the three
and four star hotels we have visited, only the Hotel
Longchamps currently has a modern phone system. Hence,
making a direct call to Europe or the Americas may cost two
or three times the normal direct dial rate.
However, many long distance carriers have local access
numbers that can be dialed. These include AT&T, Worldcom,
and Sprint among others. These vary and the number is
subject to change, so we will not attempt to list the access
numbers here. Most hotels will have these numbers and will
supply them if asked. If not, call one of the five star
hotels such as a Sheraton or Sonesta and ask.
When making these calls, one must either have a calling
card with the company, or make a collect call. However,
these lines are frequently busy for any specific carrier, so
carrying multiple calling cards is not a bad idea. In fact,
most of these lines are busy throughout the day. If
international phone communications is important, we highly
recommend finding a hotel with a direct dial international
phone system.
Hotels with direct dial international phone systems are
fairly reasonable, though one must remember that calling
anywhere from Egypt is inherently costly.
Beer, Liquor and Wine
Drinking in hotel or other bars can be expensive,
particularly depending on the type of liquor ordered. Local
beer such as Sakkara, or my favorite, Stella, as well as the
local tasty wines are reasonable. European liquors and beer
are less reasonable, and American alcoholic beverages are
either non-existent or completely unreasonable. For example,
a local beer will generally cost in the range of 8 L.E.
(Egyptian pounds), or a little over $2.00 USD. This is not a
bad price, as the bottles are larger then those in Europe or
the US, and the alcoholic content is greater. It can
probably be found for even less. A European vodka shot will
probably cost more like 20 L.E., while a shot of Jack
Daniels, if they have it, will run as high as 50 L.E. These
prices may very somewhat, but to say the least, if one likes
American or European brands, drinking can get expensive.
The solution to this is to either bring it in with you,
or obtain it from the duty free shop upon entry. One may
bring up to two liters of alcoholic beverages into the
country. While this may sound like additional luggage, the
empty space will often be used to carry souvenirs back.
However, prices at the airport duty free shop are reasonable
and up to four litters may be purchased upon entry to the
country. Prices are often about what one would pay at home.
Also, keep in mind that EgyptAir, a frequent carrier of tour
groups will not serve alcoholic drinks in-flight (though
they occasionally provide complementary wine prior to
boarding. However, they do allow people to carry aboard
reasonable amounts of alcohol for self service (BYOB!).
Tipping
Tipping, what is known as Baksheesh, or Ba'Sheesh, is common,
expected and not an invention of Egypt. However, there are
limits. One need not tip for a service that has not been
rendered even if asked. For taxis in particular, the price
discussed above is usually paid without a tip,
unless the taxi driver has rendered a service you find to be
specifically helpful. As with hotels throughout the world,
porters and others should be tipped when bags are carried or room
service is delivered.
Egyptians are by nature courteous and gracious
hosts. Asking a stranger on the street for directions does
not warrant a tip, and in most cases, the stranger would probably
be offended. Many, including taxi drivers, may wish to point
you out to a good shop. Most will then receive a commission
from any sale made, so here again, a tip is not warranted.
Baksheesh is a great excuse to carry a few one
pound notes (Egyptian) at all times. One pound is worth less
then 30 cents USD, so keep this in mind.
Shopping
Simply put, and not unlike most other tourist
destinations, the further one can get away from shopping areas
which cater to tourists, usually the better the shopping. Hotel
shops are probably the worst, followed by independent shops in
close proximity to the hotels, particularly the five star
hotels. Other places to avoid include the peddlers and small
shops near tourist attractions such as the Pyramids at Giza.
Cokes, batteries, water and similar items can
usually be purchased without the hassle of negotiation and much
cheaper in supermarkets. But of course, many items which
the tourist will wish to purchase such as gold cartouches,
Egyptian theme clothing or T-shirts and statues replicas are souvenirs
by definition and must be purchased, for the most part, from a
market that caters to tourists.
Places like the Khan el-Khalili continue to be
some of the best places to buy souvenirs. However, it is
often best to walk away from the center of things, and find some
of the less frequented shops just outside of the Khan.
In addition, a considerable aptitude for
negotiation will unquestionably result in lower prices in areas
which cater to tourists, such as the Khan and tourist shops
around the pyramids and old or Coptic Cairo. Most
everywhere else such as grocery stores, shopping malls and the
shopping area downtown, prices are fixed, and not really
negotiable at all. In some of the shops, one might make a
friendly effort to secure a small discount, but a strong attempt
at negotiation will probably offend the salesperson.
When negotiating, show only a slight interest in the item
and
then, work the price down. At that point, the price will
probably be only three to four times that which an Egyptian
would pay. Then tell the vendor that you will thank about
it, take a longing look at the item, and begin to drift away ...
not too fast. With luck, the price will come down
further.
But stop. Even as you walk away, the price
may come down more, but don't buy from the first vendor, at
least not yet. In order to really scout out the best
price, no matter how low this first vendor goes, try a few more
vendors repeating this to really get a feel for the best
price. There is usually no problem in returning to the
original merchant and accepting his lowest price.
Keep in mind one other facet of shopping in
Egypt. Almost every tour guide and taxi driver maintains
an agreement with a number of shops for commission. This
is not an exception, but rather an expected source of income for
people in these trades. Of course you will find others who
will also insist on leading you to "the best perfume
bottle" factory, a better hotel or a less expensive
restaurant. Just remember that all of these people have a
profit motive.
Also keep an eye out for our shopping reviews in
our Tour Egypt Monthly magazine, where we will highlight
alternative markets and provide more insight into shopping in
Egypt. |
