Travel Tips

Climate/Clothing

Spring: 70°F - 85°F; Summer: 80°F - 130°F; Autumn: 70°F - 85°F; Winter: 60°F - 85°F. Bring comfortable shoes, a sweater, clothes you can layer and an all-weather coat. Sunscreen and a hat or sunglasses are also recommended. Some religious sites do not allow shorts or sleeveless shirts.

Passports and Visas
Passport and visa required.

Passports: To be valid at least 6 months or longer after the date of travel. Please check with the Embassy or nearest Consulate of the country that you plan to visit for their requirements.

Visas: If a visa is required, obtain it from the appropriate foreign consular representative. Some nationalities can get the visa on arrival, Like USA, Canada, UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Argentine, Brazil, Ecuador, East & West Europe

Money
Egypt is quite a cheap country when compared to many other popular tourist destinations. The following guide will give you an idea of how much money to allow for daily travel costs.

Currency Exchange
Approximate current exchange rates for the Egyptian Pound (LE) are as follows (as of Feb 07 2007):

For up to date rates we recommend you check this website: www.xe.com

Before you leave:
Before you leave your country, we recommend you to make sure you have the followings with you:
Passport
Airline or transportation ticket
Tour voucher
Insurance policy
Visas (if necessary)
Label on your backpack & travel bag
Vaccination certificates
Pre-departure information
Safety & Security
Money; Working out your Budget
You are highly recommended to prepare a list of necessary belongings to be taken with you before your journey.

Medical
Be prepared for a change from your regular diet. It often takes your body a little time to adjust to the different food, water and hot weather. Therefore, bring some Imodium to stop possible diahorea and stomach pain, and a general anti-biotic.

During the hot weather we recommend that you avoid eating red meat products and choose chicken or fish instead. Regarding water, please do not drink tap water or use it for brushing teeth. Bottled water is very cheap and available everywhere. Also bring plenty of quality sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses.

Electricity
The voltage used is 220 volts

Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is strongly recommended for all travellers.

Contacting Home
E-mail is the easiest way to stay in contact with family and friends, and Internet Cafés can be found either in, or close to the places we stay. Most mobile phones work in Egypt, and International phone cards are readily available for use from a public phone.

Public Transportations
 
Ladies…… Do sit next to other women on public transportation.
Ladies ….. Do enter the car assigned for women only (first two cars) on the metro, as others may be too crowded.
Do bargain the amount you will have to pay the Taxi driver before getting in, as some take the advantage of tourist (but no fight please)
Do shout out the name of the location that you are going to when hailing a taxi.
Do look both ways before crossing the street even if it says, “walk”.
Don’t get on overcrowded busses. It’s anything but comfortable.

Time
GMT +3 (in summer) GMT+2 (in winter)

Culture
Please - when you are visiting places of religious significance, both men and women should dress appropriately.
Men and women should have their legs and shoulders covered.
Safety/ Security
In general, travel to Egypt is surprisingly safe, group travel even more so. However thieves are still about and you should always use your common sense. Take at least the same precautions you would take if traveling around your own country. DO NOT worry yourself sick but at the same time be prudent and keep your valuables in a safe secure place whenever possible. All money and travel related documents should be kept in a secure place, NOT in your luggage. Concealing them under your clothing in a cotton pouch or money belt or pockets sewn inside loose clothing is recommended.
DO keep alert at all times and don’t be lulled into a false sense of security if nothing happens. DO listen to your tour leader’s advice at all times and heed any warnings given. Most of our hotels have safe deposit boxes in the rooms or a safe at reception, where we suggest you deposit your valuables on arrival. If using the reception safe, put your valuables into a sealed envelope and sign across the seal to make sure it is not opened. Get a receipt on all occasions.
Timeless Egypt cannot accept responsibility for any valuables left in safe deposits in hotels.

Shopping
Egypt offers an incredible selection of shopping. Shopping ranges from the famous Khan el-Khalili Bazaar largely unchanged since the 14th century, to modern air-conditioned centers displaying the latest fashions. All the bounty of the East is here - particularly good buys are spices, perfumes, gold, silver, carpets, brass and copperware, leatherwork, glass, ceramics.
You can also try some of the famous street markets, like Wekala al-Balaq, for fabrics, including Egyptian cotton, the Tentmakers Bazaar for appliqué-work, and Mohammed Ali Street for musical instruments and, although you probably won't want to buy, the Camel Market makes a fascinating trip.
Cokes, batteries, water and similar items can usually be purchased much cheaper in supermarkets. But of course, many items which the travelers will wish to purchase such as gold cartouches, Egyptian theme clothing or t-shirts and statues replicas are souvenirs by definition and must be purchased, for the most part, from a market that caters to tourists.
A considerable aptitude for negotiation will unquestionably result in lower prices in areas which cater to tourists, such as the Khan and tourist shops around the pyramids and old or Coptic Cairo. Most everywhere else such as grocery stores, shopping malls and the shopping area downtown, prices are fixed and not really negotiable at all. In some of the shops, one might make a friendly effort to secure a small discount, but a strong attempt at negotiation will probably offend the sales person.
Please also bear in mind that haggling is a way of life in the Middle East. Haggling should always be relaxed and can be a lot of fun – you will find most shop owners are very friendly and will probably invite you in for a cup of tea to break the ice before the haggling starts.
Opening hours
Normally shops and department stores are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with possible variations from town to town (except for the Ramadan period).
Banks in Egypt are open Sunday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and they are closed on Friday and Saturday. Post Offices are open from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. They are closed on Friday.

Language
Egyptian language is Arabic.
Below you will find some important phrases that will make your travel easier:

Please feel free to contact us for any further information, we wish you fantastic Trip.