The
Mysterious Sphinx, the incredible
Pyramids of Giza and
Luxor, with their magnificent
temples and glorious tombs, the
massive and spectacular monument
dedicated to Ramses II at Abu
Simble. The sprawling, bustling
city of Cairo is rich with medieval
splendour, graceful minarets
and wonderful ancient Bazaars.
Population
There are 70 million
people in Egypt , around
17 million live in the
capital city of Cairo .
Language The
first language spoken is Arabic
however most people speak English
and French.
Local
Customs
Egyptians are kind
and friendly people and you
will notice that you are
always welcome anywhere you
go, however in some areas
you will find some merchants
who are trying to sell their
products to tourists. Listen
to how you are approached
and reciprocate in kind.
Always refer
to your tour guide who is
accompanying you on the
tour.
Climate
Egypt
enjoys a Mediterranean climate
with four distinctive seasons
- basically dry and mild. The
temperature range in summer (May
to October) is 20C - 35C. In
winter (November to March) the
range is 12C - 25C. January to
March is the rainy period.
Clothing
A
hat, sunglasses, cool cotton
clothing and comfortable
walking shoes are essential in the morning.
By night, jackets and sweatshirts
are useful. Casual dress
is the norm but modesty prevails. Egyptians
are conservative when it
comes to dress. Women should at least
cover their knees and shoulders.
Men may walk around in shorts.
A daypack is useful for carrying
mineral water bottles.
Currency
and Exchange
Local
currency is the Egyptian
Pound, which is divided
into 100 piastres.
All hotel payments are
in US dollars and many require
cash so make sure you
carry enough notes. Notes
are in denominations
of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 & 200 Egyptian pounds.
Some banks
and currency exchange
offices can convert
the Australian dollar
to Egyptian Pound.
Many places accept
credit cards especially
at hotels and in
bazaars.
Insurance
Travel
and health insurance
is highly recommended.
Electricity
220Volts
/ 50 cycle AC. European
socket, which
is two small
rounded pins.
If you need to
use electricity,
an adapter should
be purchased
before leaving
Australia, as
these cannot
be bought in
Egypt. TV broadcasting
system is SECAM.
Food
and Water Tap
water is highly chlorinated.
Bottled mineral water is
highly recommended for drinking
and it is widely available
at all hotels, restaurants
and corner shops. In Egypt
generally the food is safe
in good hotels and good restaurants.
Exercise normal caution in
regard to cold locally made
drinks or uncooked foods.
Shopping
Shops are open from 9.00am till late night Monday to Saturday. Government offices
are open from 9.00am to 3.00pm Saturday to Thursday.
Egyptian cotton is the best cotton in the world. You can pick up a great range of goods including cotton, silk and antiques. Egypt is also popular for Gold - the majority is in 18K & 21K and compared to Australia and Europe it is very cheap. Other good souvenirs include alabaster, papyrus, small Pharaonic statues and leather goods. Rugs are very good and cheap. Remember to bargain, it is part of the process and the initial price quoted has been inflated to
allow for it.
Tipping Tipping
is customary in the Middle East
for good service. To give an
idea, people tip tour guides
- approx U$10 per person per
day that to be paid to your tour guide upon arrival where he will look after everyone else during your stay. i.e. Baggage
boys, Hotels
and restaurants drivers, ..etc. 'Baksheesh' is Arabic
for 'tip'.
Documentation A valid passport and a visa are required for all foreigners entering
Egypt. The Egyptian Embassy in Canberra or the general consulate in
Sydney or Melbourne issue visas. Visas can also be obtained upon arrival
in Egypt at the airport for a payment of US$15.00 in cash only.
Please Note: it is your responsibility to make sure that your travel documents
are in order and that you have all the necessary visas.
Health
There
is no specific vaccination
required to enter Egypt unless passing through a yellow
fever infected area.
Pyramids
Tour Please
be informed that the entrance
fees collected as part of
your itinerary are for the
pyramids area only, however
if you want to enter inside
the pyramids there is another
entrance fee to be paid and
it should be organized the
day before with our Cairo
office, or before leaving Australia - numbers are limited per day.
Abu-Simble
Tour
Abu-Simble area is under the authority of the Ministry of Tourism, however our
staff will hand you an envelope with Egyptian cash money to pay the entrance
fees at the gate of the Temple. Once you arrive at Abu-Simble Airport, EgyptAir
buses will transfer all passengers to the Temple (Approximately 7 minutes).
Upon arrival, you will be met by the Ministry of Tourism guide who will guide
you through the Temple. At the end, EgyptAir buses will transfer you back to
Abu-Simble Airport for your flight to Aswan.
Tap
water is highly chlorinated.
Bottled mineral water is
highly recommended for drinking
and it is widely available
at all hotels, restaurants
and corner shops. In Egypt
generally the food is safe
in good hotels and good restaurants.
Exercise normal caution in
regard to cold locally made
drinks or uncooked foods.
Please
be informed that the entrance
fees collected as part of
your itinerary are for the
pyramids area only, however
if you want to enter inside
the pyramids there is another
entrance fee to be paid and
it should be organized the
day before with our Cairo
office, or before leaving Australia - numbers are limited per day.