How Should You Prepare For Your Trip To Egypt ?
A trip to Egypt can initially seem intimidating to some, but rest assured that it’ss not nearly difficult as you might think. Here are a few key things to keep in mind when traveling in and around Egypt:
Safety: Some people question the safety of traveling in Egypt. However, Egypt is a very safe country. Travel in tourist areas, especially those along the Nile River (including Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel) are safe according to the majority of Foreign Consulate Offices. Feel free to check our FAQs for more details. It’s worth pointing out that Egypt as a country, according to the international crime index, has a lower crime rate than USA, France, Italy, Greece, and many other countries!
Transportation: While in Luxor, getting around in quite easy. When on the West Bank, you can walk to many major attractions while, on the East Bank, it’s worth hiring a taxi to take you to locations such as the Karnak Temple. Taxis in Egypt are typically based on negotiation, rather than a meter. We are happy to give you general advice on costs or, if you’re interested, we can arrange a private taxi or tour around Luxor.
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Currency/Money: It is easy to exchange most major forms of currency (USD, EUR, GBP, etc.). Bringing cash is always a good idea, as ATMs, while available, are likely less prevalent than you’re used to.
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Water & Food: Tap water is heavily chlorinated. Local people’s stomachs are used to it but yours is probably not. It is okay to use this water for brushing your teeth, but not for drinking. Bottled water is readily available and recommended.
Food in restaurants is usually safe to eat. Local restaurant and hotel owners have learned from the disaster stories of years ago and follow western-style hygiene practices. There may be individual instances of problems with food, but remember that that is the case in any city. In general, you want to make sure that the food is cleaned with purified water, has been stored properly and that meat is cooked well and served hot.
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Seeing the Sites: Luxor is full of beautiful historic sites. Depending on much time you have, you’ll want to plan accordingly to use the time wisely. First and foremost, it’s always good to do your research ahead of time. We strongly recommend
Lonely Planet Egypt by Anthony Sattin. Organizing a driver/guide is fairly easy and will help you cover more ground in a short period. However, we recommend not rushing to see everything, but rather take your time and enjoy each site. We recommend two full days in Luxor, at a minimum. We are happy to help you arrange tours.
Flight Tips: Getting To and Around Egypt
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Flights to and around Egypt are frequent and often relatively inexpensive. The major airports
that you should be aware of are Cairo (CAI), Luxor (LXR) and Aswan (ASW).
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Most international flights on your way to Luxor will require a stopover/transfer in Cairo. Once in
Cairo, the flight time to Luxor is less than an hour. EgyptAir is the primary airline servicing
Egypt. Intra-country transfers are quick and affordable, typically costing roughly $50 USD
each-way.
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One should be aware that it is not unheard of for EgyptAir to change the departure times of
inter-country flights, so be sure to check your flights the night before and/or day of the flight
to be sure you don’t run into any problems
Need to Arrange a Tour or Taxi?
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Visiting Luxor’s many beautiful sites is often the first priority of our guests, prior to boarding the cruise, as it visiting Aswan and/or Abu Simbel after the cruise. As a result, we’re providing some useful information here on organizing tours and taxis around Luxor.
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Organizing a driver, with or without a guide, is often a good idea around Luxor, given the plethora of sites to visit. Your first decision is whether to visit the West Bank, East Bank, or both, in any given day. If you have more than a single day, we recommend splitting the two up. Additionally, our travel agency, Nour El Nil Travel (reservations@nourelnil.travel) is happy to arrange a driver and guide for you
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Here Are Some Of Our Favorite Restaurants Around Luxor
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For those who haven’t experienced it before, Egyptian cuisine is characterized by dishes such as Ful Medames, mashed fava beans; Koshari, a mixture of lentils, rice, pasta, and other ingredients; ‘Molokheyya, chopped and cooked bush okra with garlic and coriander sauce; and Fetir Meshaltet. Egyptian cuisine shares similarities with food of the Eastern Mediterranean region, such as rice-stuffed vegetables, grape leaves, Shawerma, Kebab, Falafel, Baba Ghannoug, and baklava.
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Luxor has many great Egyptian restaurants. Here are a few worth highlighting:
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Sofra Restaurant & Cafe
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The Lantern Room
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Gerda’s Garden
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Al-Sahaby Lane Restaurant
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Jewel of the Nile
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