Walk Like an Egyptian

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Overview

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Egypt took my breathe away. Cairo was hectic, noisy, and sometimes chaotic, but it was thrilling and vibrant.Quick Tips: Tourist PriceOne thing we all learned early on during the trip, is that there are two kinds of prices in Egypt, the tourist price and the Egyptian price. Expect the tourist price to be higher. Try to get an idea of how much things should cost before buying anything from the markets or any of the stores. Ask anyone familiar with Egyptian culture, or someone who works at your hotel or hostel. Many times vendors will hike up prices to make extra money from unknowing tourists. It is very common to haggle with people in the market., but be careful of scams. My...Read More

Quick Tips:

Tourist Price
One thing we all learned early on during the trip, is that there are two kinds of prices in Egypt, the tourist price and the Egyptian price. Expect the tourist price to be higher. Try to get an idea of how much things should cost before buying anything from the markets or any of the stores. Ask anyone familiar with Egyptian culture, or someone who works at your hotel or hostel. Many times vendors will hike up prices to make extra money from unknowing tourists. It is very common to haggle with people in the market., but be careful of scams. My friend and I were scammed into buying paintings on papyrus because we were initially told that they would be a gift and they wrote our names on them. The artwork was extremely overpriced. We later returned to get our money back.

Safety
Some people worry about safety in Egypt. Tourism is very important for the Egyptian economy and I was told that the government works very hard to make sure that tourists are kept safe. Tourist police can be found at almost every corner of tourist areas. They can be a bit intimidating however since they carry semi-automatic machine guns. From my own personal experience I do not feel as if I was in any danger, however, I would suggest to plan accordingly and to be safe.

Baksheesh
Many Egyptians ask for baksheesh (tip). You can expect some people to ask for a tip even for holding the door open for you. Young kids also sell items on the street for a few dollars, such as toys or tissues. Always keep small bills and change on you for baksheesh, but be careful who you give it to.
Egyptians are known for being very friendly, hence the term Egyptian hospitality. It is common to be invited in for tea in a store and to sit and chat with the store owner. They are very friendly but there is also the expectation that you will buy something from the store.

Guides
Use a guide whenever you can. I cannot stress how helpful guides were for our trip. Not only are you safer but you get a better experience as well.

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Garden City House

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Hotel | "Garden City House Backpacker's Hostel"

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The Garden City House Backpacker's Hostel, is perfect for students, or those on a budget. People who prefer high-end hotels will not be pleased and I wouldn't suggest it, there are many luxury hotels in Cairo that you can choose from. For our needs as students, this hostel was quite satisfactory. The rooms were drab and the building was old, but you get what you pay for and this hostel was very affordable.To start, the service was amazing, the hostel staff was exceptional; I would return because of the staff alone. They were extremely helpful throughout our stay, not to mention nice and accommodating. At our arrival, a hostel staff member came to pick us up and bring us back to the hostel. T...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 13, 2006

Garden City House
Backpacker's Hostel
Cairo, Egypt
+20 (2) 123543028

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Scuba Diving and Snorkeling

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Attraction

Our guide Photo - Scuba Diving and Snorkeling, Egypt, Africa

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I cannot recommend snorkeling and scuba diving enough!The waters around Hurghada are absolutely amazing. The water is the bluest I have ever seen, not to mention warm and calm. We stumbled upon the idea of scuba diving, when we met a diving instructor from the hotel while taking in some sun at the beach. He happened to be from the U.S. and he offered to teach us to scuba dive for free. We didn't have much time because we where scheduled to go snorkeling, but the sights we saw near the dock were incredible. I never imagined myself as someone who would go scuba diving. Hurghada is known for scuba diving and it has incredibly beautiful coral reefs and wildlife. Our new diving friend showed us pictu...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 13, 2006

Scuba Diving and Snorkeling

Hurghada, Egypt

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Belly Dancing and Sufi Dancers

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Story/Tip

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One night in Cairo we went on a boat cruise along the Nile. We arrived at one of the many floating restaurant where tourists can enjoy Egyptian buffets and live entertainment.A belly dancer performed during our meal. Belly dancing is a western term for the dance Egyptians know as raks sharqi, which literally means dance of the east. The movements are very focused in the belly and the isolation of ones hips. The music was lots of fun and the dancer was entertaining although we were told that she was an average dancer. Ancient Egyptians of all classes would dance, however the wealthy would never dance in public because public dance was associated with the poor. Egypt is believed to be the&n...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on February 14, 2006

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Step Pyramid of Djoser

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Hotel | "Step Pyramid of Saqqara"

Mortuary Temple Photo - Step Pyramid of Djoser, Egypt, Africa

Quote:

The Step Pyramid of Djoser is a staple on the Cairo travel intinerary. Saqqara lies just outside Cairo. The trip takes about 20 minutes by car. As I suggested before, hire a travel guide, as well as a driver, in order to get to the sites outside Cairo. Guides aren't expensive and they are certainly worth the extra money. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the sites, and guided us to a nice restaurant buffet and essence shop, although I am sure he got his share of the profits from our purchases. Many guides work with shop owners and restaurants to help increase clientele.The Step Pyramid is Egypt's first pyramid, hence the oldest. It does not compare in size to the pyramids at Giza, no...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on February 14, 2006

Step Pyramid of Djoser
Saqqara Necropolis
Egypt

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Khan el-Khalili Bazaar

Attraction

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Souk is an Arabic word for market place.
Khan el-Khalili Bazaar is the biggest in Cairo. At the bazaar you can buy anything from a kurti, a traditional dress for women, to jewelry, shoes, pillows, and food.

Note:
Remember to dress appropriately while in the market. It is acceptable to wear what you like as a tourist, but it would be to your best interest to respect Egyptian culture. For women, I would bring something to cover yourself with. A shawl is fine to cover your body. I felt more comfortable with a shawl when I ventured outside the tourist areas.

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on February 14, 2006

Khan el-Khalili Bazaar

Cairo, Egypt 11211

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Safari and Bedouin Village

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Story/Tip

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The safari was one of the highlights of our trip. The excursion was very different from the hustle and bustle of Cairo, and the extravagance of the Egyptian temples and artifacts. We went on a tour group provided by our hotel. A group of us road out into the desert in jeeps with our guides. We went exploring the desert and were given a tour of a Bedouin village. Our guide stopped on the way to show us a mirage. We all got out of our Jeeps and looked ahead unto the horizon. Ahead of us appeared what looked like a body of water, but if we ducked down like our guide suggested, we saw that the water was in fact an illusion. The mirage was interesting, but nothing spectacular, although I could imagine that...Read More

The safari was one of the highlights of our trip. The excursion was very different from the hustle and bustle of Cairo, and the extravagance of the Egyptian temples and artifacts. We went on a tour group provided by our hotel. A group of us road out into the desert in jeeps with our guides. We went exploring the desert and were given a tour of a Bedouin village. Our guide stopped on the way to show us a mirage. We all got out of our Jeeps and looked ahead unto the horizon. Ahead of us appeared what looked like a body of water, but if we ducked down like our guide suggested, we saw that the water was in fact an illusion. The mirage was interesting, but nothing spectacular, although I could imagine that a person in the desert, thirsty and tired, could easily mistake a mirage for an oasis.

Bedouins are a nomadic people who seek refuge near water in the desert. Our guide told us that Bedouins find their source of water by their camels. When the camel finds the water source, it sits upon the land under which water has formed. The Bedouins then dig a well and make camp until they run out of water, in which case they search again.

Our guide informed us that the number of Bedouin people are diminishing as more people settle in cities and towns for a more stable lifestyle. The city of Hurghada encourages tourists to take these tours because money is given to the Bedouins. They also sell jewelry and handicrafts. I couldn't help but notice that the village was slightly manufactured, because of tourism, but nonetheless it was extremely interesting to see inside the lives of these people. The Bedouins live in huts that we were allowed to explore. At the end of our visit, we ate a meal that the men of the village prepared. Interestingly, the Bedouin men are the ones to cook. After we ate they performed some dances, and then we made our way back. We had to leave before sunset because the desert would turn pitch black. The Bedouins know their location by position of the stars. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 14, 2006

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Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu)

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Attraction

Sphinx Photo - Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu), Cairo, Egypt

Quote:

The Great Pyramid at Giza is amazing. Of the Seven Wonder's of the ancient world, the Great Pyramid is the only one left standing. This Pyramid is the largest ever to be built with three burial chambers in total. At 450 feet tall, the Great Pyramid was the first sight I saw upon my arrival to Egypt—we were able to see it from the airplane. Because of its sheer magnitude, taking pictures of this structure was also difficult. Each stone weighs about 5 to 15 tons.Khufu is still buried inside the pyramid, and tourists can enter the pyramid for an extra entrance fee. You descend to the tomb by way of a long staircase and tunnel.Khafre's pyramid is smaller than his father, however, he wa...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on February 14, 2006

Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu)
Giza Pyramids Plateau
Cairo, Egypt
+20 2 383 8823

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Cairo Airport

Story/Tip

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Cairo airport was a very strange experience. The airport was like nothing I had seen before. When we landed in Egypt we were rushed towards customs. People were running around like crazy, we were moved about, and there were armed guards in every corner. In order to enter Cairo, a tourist must have a visa. Conveniently enough, you can buy a visa at the airport for about 15-20 Egyptian pounds, which translates to around $3. One of the staff members from our hostel came to pick us up. To my surprise he had gotten past customs, and was waiting for us with our names written on a piece of paper. It seemed like certain people were allowed through the custom gates, while others were most certainly not. In fac...Read More

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