Egyptian Odyssey

The country’s currency is the Egyptian pound, which is divided into 100 piastres. One euro is equivalent to 7.5 Egyptian pounds (this value may vary). Banknotes are issued in denominations of 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, and 1 pound, and 50 and 25 piastres. Coins are issued in denominations of 50, 25, 20, 10, and 5 piastres, and 1 pound. Large hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, and many shops accept credit cards, euros, and dollars. Euros, like all currencies, can be exchanged at banks located in hotels, which are open to the public from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and some are open 24 hours a day. It is not advisable to exchange large amounts of currency because if you have leftover money at the end of your trip, there is no guarantee that you will be able to exchange it back into foreign currency. In all cases, we recommend keeping your currency exchange receipts.

85% of the Egyptian population is Muslim, 15% is Coptic (Christian) Orthodox.

Egypt boasts a rich culinary tradition. While hotel fare is mostly international, traditional dishes are also available. We recommend trying hummus, baba ghanoush, boiled fava beans, mahshi, and other local specialties. And don’t forget the delicious Arabic desserts. Typical Egyptian drinks include karkade, made from hibiscus flowers and served hot or cold, as well as mint tea, Turkish coffee, and juices such as mango and guava. Drinks are not included in meal prices and are always charged separately. Although Egyptian tap water is perfectly safe to drink, bottled water is recommended. Alcoholic beverages are generally more expensive than other drinks and are served in smaller portions compared to what is typical in Spain.

In Egypt, you can buy a wide variety of goods such as cotton, gold, silver, alabaster, papyrus, carpets, and more. Haggling is common in bazaars and markets, while some factories have fixed prices. It is forbidden to take antiquities out of the country.

Egypt is a safe country, and you can walk its streets at any time without fear. It is advisable to store money and valuables in the safety deposit boxes at hotels and cruise ships. Remember that hotels and cruise ships are not responsible for lost or stolen items during your stay.

To travel on this tour you must be in possession of a passport, valid for six months after your return date AND your Egyptian Tourist Visa. It is essential that we have your correct passport information on file. We have sent you an email with an access code to our customer area where this information is held. Please make sure that the information shown is correct or your visa may be delayed.  The tourist visa will be obtained by The Cruise Market and be part of the documentation you receive prior to departure from Spain.

You can bring one suitcase per person to be checked-in with a maximum weight of 20kgs.  In addition a carry-on bag weighing no more than 5kgs (maximun size 45x35x20cm) and a small bag that can easily fit underneath the seat in front of you. 

Calls from hotels are usually more expensive than calls from other local phones. It’s also cheaper to call Spain after 8 PM. The country code for Spain is 00 34 + phone number.

220 volts, 50 Hz. The plugs are usually the same as in Spain.

No vaccinations are required to enter Egypt. 

As we are staying in first-class hotels and travelling on an organised itinerary through Cairo, Abu Simbel, Aswan and Luxor, the risk of serious travel-related infections is generally low. There are no compulsory vaccinations for travellers arriving directly from Europe, and extensive travel vaccinations are not normally necessary. However, anyone who feels particularly vulnerable, has an underlying health condition, or simply wants additional reassurance should discuss hepatitis A, typhoid and routine vaccinations with their doctor or travel-health clinic before departure.

Taxis are plentiful and generally inexpensive. We recommend you choose the official black and white cabs. If there is not a meter in the cab, always agree a price before you start the journey. You will be able to use your Uber app in Cairo and Luxor.

Tipping—known locally as “baksheesh”—is a well-established part of daily life, and you should expect to encounter it frequently. Small gratuities are customary for a wide range of services, from hotel staff and guides to drivers, porters and even attendants at historical sites. Amounts are generally modest by European standards, but given regularly, and often appreciated as part of local income. Take an amount of local currency with you to use for baksheesh. You will find that requests for baksheesh are fairly persistent, it is rarely aggressive, and a polite “no, thank you” is usually respected.

Egypt is one hour ahead of Spain.

1. Your hotel bookings are guaranteed to be in Deluxe international hotels such as Semiramis, Hilton Heliopolis or Hyatt. The exact hotel and contact details will not be made available until the week of departure from Spain and you will be notified of the name together with contact details as soon as they are received.

2. Your Nile cruise ship will be one of a Deluxe fleet. The ship and cabin numbers will only be made available shortly before the cruise departure. We have no control over the location of cabins as they are all deemed to be the same size and have identical facilities. You can get a feel for the ship you will be travelling on by clicking here

3. All of the guided tours will be carried out with an English speaking guide. Because of the size of our group, we will normally be split into two buses. 

It is important that if you have any special requests such as wheelchair assistance at airports, that we know about it well in advance as such items cannot be added at the last minute. 

GENERAL NOTE

It may appear unusual that the details of certain components of our trip will not be available until very close to departure, but this is not unusual when operating holidays in Egypt. We will do everything we can to keep you up to date with arrival and departure times, hotel details and other relevant information but we would like you to be aware that much of the information will be received quite late.