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Budget and Independent
Travel in Egypt
Part I1: Getting Around Egypt and
Alexandria, Luxor & Aswan
by Jimmy Dunn
Travel Within Egypt
Independent travelers in Egypt have any number of ways to get
around the country. Most major, and even many minor destinations
have airports, and even though the airlines available in Egypt are
sparse, airfare is nevertheless not outrageous.
Air Travel
Currently, one way tickets from Cairo (reverse destinations are
the same price) are priced as follows from EgyptAir (all prices
are in US Dollars):
- Luxor $121.00
- Aswan $167.00
- Alexandria $72.00
- Hurghada $131.00
- Sharm el-Sheikh $138.00
 There seem to be number of other small airlines in Egypt that
come and go. Most do not have a web site at this time, and those
that do have no on-line reservation systems. However, Orca Air
seems to be one of the more aggressive of the small internal
airlines. They have a web address at www.orca-air.com/home10.htm.
In general, their prices for internal Egyptian destinations are
from 20 to 25% less then EgyptAir, the national carrier.
Trains
Trains in Egypt, in general, are comfortable, particularly the
first class variety. They are usually not the cheapest fare
between destinations. That distinction appears to go bus travel.
While the sleeper trains seem expensive, this may be somewhat
deceptive. Traveling at night, one makes the trip, misses no real
"Tour Time", and avoids the cost of a hotel room. All
pricing and other information is far departure from Cairo, and are
for one way only. Prices are in US Dollars.
Trains to Alexandria leave almost hourly. The duration of the
trip is approximately two hours. Tickets cost $8.64 for first
class and or $6.34 for second class.
Regular trains to Luxor (non sleeper trains) leave usually in
the morning or late evening, as do trains to Aswan. The duration
of this trip is anywhere from about 8 1/2 to 11 hours depending on
the train. Tickets to Luxor are $17.27 for first class and $10.37
for second class. The regular trains to Aswan are $21.00 for first
class and $12.09 for second class. This trip can take from 14 1/2
to 18 hours, depending on the speed of the train.
Sleeper trains can vary. The Abelaegypt sleeper train costs
anywhere from $89.50 per person for a double occupied sleeper all
the way up to $241.00 for a single person cabin for a trip to
Luxor or Aswan.
All trains depart from Ramsis Station (Mahattit Ramsis). It is
a very good idea to make advanced reservations. For information,
call 202 57 53 555 in Egypt.
Buses
Buses are the most economical way for a tourist to travel in
Egypt. Buses available to tourists are air conditioned, fairly
comfortable and generally in good condition. Again, all pricing
and other information is for departure from Cairo, and are for one
way only. Prices are in US Dollars.
Buses to Luxor and Aswan depart daily from Mahattit Aboud (Aboud
Station) in Cairo-Shubra at 8:30 p.m. The trip takes 9 hours. From
the same station, buses to Aswan depart at 5:30 p.m. This trip
takes about 12 hours. For either, the cost is $14.39. It is best
to get reservations a day ahead of time, though we are told that
one need only make such arrangements within an hour and a half of
departure. For more information, call 202 43 16 723 in Egypt.
Buses to Alexandria depart from a different terminal in Cairo,
the Mahattit Tourguman (Tourguman Station) in Downtown, behind the
building of the publishing house Al-Ahram. Buses to Alexandria
depart at least once an hour, and sometimes more frequently.
Reservations should be made at least one day in advance, though
one may be able to arrange tickets as little as an hour prior to
departure. One way tickets cost between $4.32 and $7.20 depending
on the bus. Some buses are more comfortable then others. For
additional information, call 202 75 60 261 in Egypt.
About the Destinations
This month we are examining independent and budget travel in
Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan. Last month, our focus was on Cairo.
Together, these three destinations account for most of the
antiquity tourism in Egypt. It should be pointed out that
Alexandria and Cairo are very different then Luxor and Aswan in
one important aspect. Alexandria and Cairo are large cosmopolitan
areas. Neither city's real focus is Tourism. On the other hand,
Luxor and Aswan are very geared to the tourist trade, and it is
somewhat more difficult to find bargain pricing in these areas.
Yet Luxor and Aswan are much smaller, more intimate cities then
either Cairo or Alexandria. Transport is often not as necessary as
in the larger cities, and one will find all manner of tourist
walking along the streets anywhere one goes in Luxor and Aswan.
Hotels
Actually, there are some great hotel values, particularly in
Luxor and Aswan, and some are very reasonable indeed. Let's take a
look as some of the very best budget hotels in Egypt. Hotels in
this review will range in price from as low as about $15.00 to
$50.00 per night (USD). Most are in the range of $20.00 to $35.00.
Luxor
Traditionally, the Pharaon has been a favorite of many of our
Tour Egypt travelers. It is a clean, budget hotel, with a large
(and I might add, active) pool (with a bar) facing the Nile.
Believe me when I say that after a long day of climbing down into
hot tombs, a hotel in Luxor with a swimming pool can't be beat.
The rooms have good air conditioning, private baths, color TVs,
phones, and even private terraces. There is a restaurant with 24
hour room service, and Egyptian style coffee shop and a night
club. The hotel is very clean, and caters to many tour groups. In
addition the hotel is very convenient to Karnak Temple.
However, the Pharaon is not the only good deal in Luxor. The
Philippe hotel is another in about the same price range as the
Pharaon. It is so popular that reservations should be made well in
advance. It too, has a nice swimming pool, as well as a
restaurant. Rooms are well air conditioned, have TVs, mini-fridges
and private baths. Some rooms also have terraces. It also has a
pleasant roof garden with a bar. The hotel has a new addition,
with rooms that are better than in the old section. This hotel is
very clean, and has a nice, friendly staff. It is located in the
heart of Luxor.
Another hotel, very popular with the British, is the St. Joseph
Hotel. It is one of the cleanest of the budget hotels, has a
swimming pool as well as a basement bar. Rooms are air
conditioned, have TVs, phones, full private baths and large
terraces. There is also a restaurant with good, inexpensive food.
The Eight floor terrace has an excellent view.
We could really go on and on about hotels in Luxor, but must
conclude this topic with one last favorite, the El Gezira Hotel
Phone +20 95 310-034 Fax: +20 95 310-034.
This is one of the least expensive but has lots of atmosphere. It
is small, but has a pleasant roof top restaurant and bar. Rooms
are comfortable and clean though Spartan. Some rooms are air
conditions, while others have ceiling fans, and all have private
baths.
There are certainly other good choices for budget
accommodations in Luxor. Just to mention a few other hotels, the
Emilio Hotel is somewhat pricey for a budget hotel, but has lots
of facilities and amenities.
Aswan
Probably one of the best choices of budget hotels in Aswan is
the Cleopatra. This is a fairly large hotel with over 100 rooms, a
restaurant, bar, and we believe the only roof top swimming pool in
Aswan, with a great view. The restaurant stays open 24 hours a
day. Rooms are appointed with air conditioning, private baths,
telephones, and all are clean. The hotel is close to good market
areas.
One of the best values in town, though somewhat more pricey
then the Cleopatra, is the Amun. It is situated on its own island,
which is beautiful and peaceful with well designed gardens and a
view of Elephantine Island. This is a small, Club Med operation,
and some would say the hotel needs an additional star. It has a
huge swimming pool facing town, restaurant perched above rocks and
the river, bar and steam room. Some of the 19th century structure
it was build around remains. Rooms have private baths (with
showers only) and balconies. The service is great and friendly,
the food is excellent, and if you can afford a few extra dollars,
this is the place to stay.
Another excellent choice, and less expensive then either of the
above, is the Abu Simbel
Hotel, though it gets some mixed reviews.
Surrounded by shaded gardens, this inexpensive hotel has a
restaurant, bar and disco, laundry facilities and a night club,
along with a good view of the Nile. The rooms are air conditioned,
and have small, but private baths (showers only). The rooms are
clean, the view is good, and for the price, this hotel is hard to
beat in Aswan.
Alexandria
Alexandria, or Alex as it is often called, does not have a huge
selection of budget hotels. However, many agree that the Hotel
Union is at the top of the list. Its outside appearance is
somewhat dingy, but once past this, one finds great value. The
hotel would probably add a star easily if it had a few more
amenities. The rooms are very clean, with very nice private baths
and a balcony that almost overhangs the Mediterranean. The
balconies overlooking the harbor, and the great location really
makes this hotel a great value. Inside, this is a bright hotel
with excellent fixtures. There is also a coffee shop. Be sure to
make reservations well in advance.
Somewhat higher in price is the Petit
Coin. This is a simple
hotel, with a restaurant, cafe and billiards room. The rooms are
also simple, but clean and comfortable, air-conditioned and fresh.
It is well located, but serves no alcohol, so bring your own. The
restaurant has received mixed reviews, but the cafe offers and
excellent sunset view.
After the above hotels, things get rather expensive for the
budget minded. However, two hotels worth a mention include the Sea
Star and Crillon. The
Sea Star is a budget hotel with a certain
shore front charm. It has a restaurant but little else in the way
of amenities. The rooms here are small, but comfortable. The
Crillon is a good, and very similar choice to the Union, if the
latter happens to be filled. It is very clean, has a great view,
and considerable charm. But again, reservations should be made in
advance.
Food
For those who have not discovered the first part of this
article on budget travel in Egypt, this is a good place to remind
you of this. There is much covered in that article which is not
here. For example, buying food from a market remains one of the
least expensive ways to eat while in Egypt. Buying food from
street vendors remains a rather poor, and possibly dangerous means
of eating on a budget. And while we will not specifically review
fast food establishments such as McDonalds or KFC, these
establishments remain a reasonable alternative to some more
expensive choices.
One reason we do not provide a great deal of information on
restaurants is, that as all over the world, they come and go.
However, one will find, particularly in these cities, that the
finest hotels have some of the finest food, at some of the highest
prices. Budget hotels, will likely offer reasonable food, at
often much more reasonable prices.
Local Transporation
Aswan and Luxor are both small enough and many of the sights
localized enough that many people may walk to their
destinations. A short taxi ride in either of these cities
is, and should be higher than in Cairo, because both cities cater
so heavily to tourists. Expect to pay 5 to 10 L.E. (Egyptian
pounds) for short rides, and more if more than one person
rides. However keep in mind that 10 L.E. is only around
$3.00 USD.
A very viable alternative for the budget or independent
traveler is often the hotel supplied tours. Be careful with
budget hotels, as many of these will supply local tours.
Check around some for pricing. Misr Travel will often be
located at one of the hotels, and will supply good consistent
local tours.
Consider Alexandria much the same way you might Cairo when it
comes to taxis. This is a larger town, but we have also
found that general prices seem somewhat higher, and likewise one
might increase the fees we advise in Part I by 20% or so.
Other costs
Other costs which most people traveling to Egypt will encounter
include the cost of tickets to monuments, largely uncontrollable
for any specific attraction, telephone charges, alcoholic
beverages, tipping, and shopping. These latter subjects are
all discussed in Part I.
The only real addition that might be made, is that Luxor is
well known for Alabaster, which is quarried near by. There
are many places about to purchases it, including a number of
"factories" on the West Bank where one may actually
watch the products being made. Recent reports advise to be
aware of a few peddlers of Alabaster as some tourists have
returned with largely wax imitations. |
