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I have just returned from a two week holiday in Luxor. I was quite anxious before I went about many things - so thought I would tell others here what I found Egypt to be like. Hoipefully you'll find it usefull. I stayed in Luxor. 1) Hotels in Luxor - If you want freindly people, a lovely view, decent rooms and nice restaurant stay at the Sheraton. It was fantastic, and being set in its own grounds gave you room to walk around and feel out in the open. I visited other hotels in Luxor. Le Meriden, St Joseph and the Sonesta are nice, except they are right on the main street, so as soon as you step outside the locals will be there trying to sell you stuff. The Movenpick is being redeveloped and looked a dump. Eating in Luxor - DONT GO HALF BOARD!! Im glad I didnt. Le Meriden and Sheraton both have lovely Italian restaurants and you can also eat traditional Egyptian food there if you like. Price £15 - for glass of wine, water, 2 main courses and a dessert. There are two local restaurants called 7 Days for 7 Ways (run by a english man) and 3 shops up form there is Maximes. Both are lovely and you can get drinks, main courses and desserts for two people for £5! I kid you not! I had no stomache upsets - although I did stay clear of dairy products, fruit and meat. My boyfriend ate these though and was also fine. Most expensive place to eat is Old Winter Palace. You have to dress smart and a three course meal with wine and drinks will cost £20 a head. It is amazing in there! The Weather - Depending on what you consider to be hot, I found Egypt fine. I went 21 july - 4 august. Apparently some days it got up to 50c. but it is a different heat to england and didnt feel like this at all. I sat out in it for at least 4 hours a day and Im hardly tanned! Take plenty of water with you on trips though, and make sure that you buy bottled water and that it is ealed properly. Hassel - I went slightly out of season but I found the locals to be okay. They are only trying to make a living. As you walk around you will be constantly asked to lok in shops, get a taxi or a carriage. Just be polite, say no thnak you or La Shukran and they will leave you alone. Any kind of freindlyness or eye contact and they will hassel you more. Just walk, head down, be polite and you'll be fine. I took the opportunity of learning abit of basic arabic before i went - i dont like being an ignorant english girl who expects everyone to speak english - although they do. They were impressed i knew arabic, and that helped me and my boyfreind, and they left us alone. In shops, nothing has a price. You have to haggle with them, which can be fun and you can get some good bargins. You can often take the rule that you should be paying a third of what they originally ask you for. If you arent happy with the price, dont be pushed into paying, walk away and the price may come down. Museums - All the tourist attractions in Luxor are cheap. About £2-4 to get in. So as long as you are preaped to take a taxi to them and go round on your own do these seperately rather then book an excursion. You will be paying about £10 over the price. In the museums and temples you will see locals sat around and they may approach you and lead you off somewhere(which can be very annoying) to show you something. They will then ask you for money or say Bashesh (tip). If you want to give them something then do so, but i didnt go iff with them and so therefore didnt give any money. I had all the money anyway, so that when my doppy boyfriend went off with these poeple because he cant say no, he had no money to give them. They will try anyhting to get money, but you ARE NOT obliged to give them anything. Taxis - will try to over charge you. Always agree a price before you take the journey. A trip to any of the local museums or temples, with them waiting for you and bringing you back an hour or so later should cost about 20 Egyptian pounds (£2). Excursions - Shop around for these because your hotel rep will rip you off. I would recommend though going with your rep to the Valley of the Kings. Kuoni do a fantastic trip to Aswan, looking round Aswan, a night in a 5*hotel then they take you through the desert to Abu Simbel, then back to your hotel. Food is included and its about £140. You can get day trips to Cairo from Jolley's travel outside the Old Winter Palace for £100, and thats flying there, a guide and excursions to the museum. sphynx and pyramids. Cairo - Beware! Pyramids are fantastic, as is the Sphynx, but Cairo museum is massive and hot so take a little portable fan with you. Also the hassel at the pyramids is bad, and they are very rude to you. I had a deformed child come up to me. I spoke to him in Arabic and tried to buy something off him. When he wasnt happy with the price £2 for 1 postcard! He got aggresive and his more able mates stepped in and got heavy.
Egypt is a wonderful country with friendly locals. I would say the highlights were watching the fantastic sunsets, Abu Simble, the Sphynx and just the general atmosphere. Cant wait to return. x
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The muricure Luxor faces the street and I think its better then the Sheraton. Unfortunetly Luxor is a tourist town where people run up and down the street wanting your custom and touts are the norm theres no getting away from it. There's also no such thing as a nice quiet strole in luxor because there's a tout always somewhere close behind you. If your a first timer then booking through your rep is the safeist option, When you go next time your'll feel more confident to arrange it yourself. Hoped you enjoyed your trip..
Posts: 176 | From: United Kingdom | Registered: Aug 2003
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thanks allie It was nice to read the thoughts of a "tourist". I am going in june and i was a bit worried about the heat, i feel a bit better now.
Posts: 124 | From: england | Registered: May 2004
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Hi there, Thanks for the info. Can you tell me more about the building works at the Movenpick please? I'm booked to stay there in about 6weeks time and, although building works was mentioned, I'd rather know the worst beforehand! It gives me time to change hotels if necessary! Thanks.
Posts: 12 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Hi Allie, Thanks for the info. particularly on the hotels. Could you tell me more about the Movenpick please? I'm booked to stay there in about 6 weeks time but, if it's as bad as you say, I would sooner change my hotel before I go and not have the hassle when I get there! TIA.
Posts: 12 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Hi, I've just received a letter about the building works at the Movenpick as well, and am booked to go 06 October for a week. Has anyone seen it recently?
Posts: 2 | From: London | Registered: Aug 2004
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loved your views of your holiday to luxor allie have to say though the novotel is our fav hotel and in an ideal location to wherever you want to go isnt maxims 'the best place ever' !! we are sooooo hooked on tajine yum yum we were there in feb/march and had a heat wave could not go out in the mid day well too hot ! you must 'love the sun' girl to stay out in it for 4 hours in those temps . we are going again in jan was hoping to do cairo this time but bit worried now with the hassle did have a 3 day trip booked this year but the police would not let us on the train cause of the shooting but determined to do it next year isnt luxor such a wonderful place ?! just cant get across to people in words how nice it is . anyone thinking of going ......................................... JUST GO !!!!!
Posts: 130 | From: torquay . uk | Registered: Feb 2004
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rubyslippers the Movenpick is out the other end of luxor dont know bout the building works but when we went they had little chalets everywhere (bit like butlins) got on there free bus from the corniche to the hotel for an ice cream (swiss , and world famous) it was delicious if you want a sitting beside the pool relaxing holiday the Movenpick the place to go . but you are a long way out if you want sight seeing etc .
Posts: 130 | From: torquay . uk | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Originally posted by gary: [B]we are going again in jan was hoping to do cairo this time but bit worried now with the hassle did have a 3 day trip booked this year but the police would not let us on the train cause of the shooting but determined to do it next year B]
what shooting????
Posts: 124 | From: england | Registered: May 2004
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Allie, Thank you so much for the info! I will be in Cairo and other places late September so all of this helps. I was wondering how much spending money would be reasonable to take? Not including hotels, meals, transportation, etc. Just money for souvenirs, gifts and jewelry and clothes? I was thinking around $400 US dlls? I am especially interested in buying good custom made jewelry. Thanks a bunch!!!!
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Posts: 62 | From: San Diego, Ca USA | Registered: May 2004
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chelle67 village between luxor and cairo is home to a big drugs baron not sure of the whole story but something annoyed him so he decided to take the whole village hostage and then took pot shots and the passing trains . it was in the papers when we were there , whole village surrounded by egyptian army trying to get him to give up . had a lovely 3 day trip played to , was well upset .
Posts: 130 | From: torquay . uk | Registered: Feb 2004
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Congratulations on a first class posting allie. Its nice to be able to read a report about visiting Egypt in a forum called Visiting Egypt. Please copy your report to the Lonely Planet Form, it will be appreciated by many travelers there.
Posts: 119 | From: West Midlands. U.K. | Registered: Aug 2003
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Great travelogue!Lots of truthful and important information to people that decide to go to Egypt. I agree with you in most parts; the heat is completely dry,so you feel not so exhausted, They are making a living when they constantly annoy you to buy stuff, It's better to eat outside and discover Egyptian restaurants than to have all your meals at the hotel, I'm also learning arabic, always eager to go back. Thanks, Paula
Posts: 38 | From: Lisboa,Portugal | Registered: Dec 2002
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I was in cairo ealier this yr with my daughter, we took ourselves off and had a good wander around with very little hassle, we were occassionaly asked if we wanted a taxi but the drivers went away when we said no and we were frequently told "welcome to egypt" by people on the street, which was lovely. It is a busy busy place the traffic is somethin else but it also one of my most favourite places in the world.You will have a wonderful time.
quote:Originally posted by chelle67: what shooting????
Posts: 26 | From: england | Registered: Aug 2004
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The 'shooting' as you call it was nothing to worry about but as the police protect tourists to the nth degree, they would not let any tourists use the trains for a week because they went past a village where there had been trouble.
It was to do with the gowing of 'bango' and involved two familes who were the sort of local drug barons. They had been growing the stuff for decades and the government thought that it was about time it stopped. The barons did a runner and it was soon over.
Nothing to worry about at all.
Glad you all enjoyed Egypt. It is an interesting place to live.
[This message has been edited by Luxorlover (edited 26 August 2004).]
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thats how we heard it LL we thought they over reacted a bit and we were still were prepared to travel and whats the matter with a bit of 'bango' ? never hurt anyone and i must say think luxor is 1 of THE safest places in the world wasnt trying to put anyone of just relating our only dissapointment whilst there . but hey , always next year Posts: 130 | From: torquay . uk | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Luxorlover: they would not let any tourists use the trains for a week because they went past a village where there had been trouble.
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Can you imagine the police here doing that , most major cities would grind to a halt.
Posts: 124 | From: england | Registered: May 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Jenga: Hi, I've just received a letter about the building works at the Movenpick as well, and am booked to go 06 October for a week. Has anyone seen it recently?
Hi Jenga, Since I first posted I've learned that the Movenpick IS undergoing renovation which should be finished by the end of September. The impression I got from Allies' post though was that she thought it was a dump even WITHOUT the building works! Maybe she'll come back and give us a more detailed reply!
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The Movenpick most certainly is NOT a dump! Its lovely! It has a beautiful swimming pool, lovely gardens, a mini zoo and the most famous ice-cream! Its great!
Posts: 156 | Registered: Aug 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Carol_2004: The Movenpick most certainly is NOT a dump! Its lovely! It has a beautiful swimming pool, lovely gardens, a mini zoo and the most famous ice-cream! Its great!
Whoops! Sorry Carol! I was only repeating the above info!
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Most of the hotels have to have a refit at some time or other. I think that the Movenpick is in one of the most beautiful spots in Luxor. I walked there from Luxor the other night at about 11.00 pm (perfectly safe) and sat with an orange juice watching the lights on the river. It was magical.
The Hilton was renovated a while back and the Sheraton will be done before too long. All are good hotels. There is some inconvenience to guests but it is slight.
I agree with what you said about the effect of stopping the trains in England for a week. Here the trains still ran, but they would not let any Europeans go in them. The buses still did the journey though.
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I couldn't agree more! So far in Luxor I have stayed in the Etap, Emilio, St Josephs,Novotel,Isis,Sheraton and Movenpick and the Village of Habil!. In my opinion, the Movenpick is the best by 150%.
If you take a Nile Felucca trip in Luxor and look at the East, the bank is dominated with unimaginitive architecture that dominates the view. Some may think that the Movenpick is like 'Butlins' however, if you sail past the Movenpick resort, all you can see is the top of the sun lounger umbrellas, all made from natural materialsa amongst luscious palm trees and brightly coloured plants and flowers. No concrete buildings spoiling the view! On the island they are very very environmentally friendly, all fruit and vegetables eaten here are grown on Crocodile island. They recycle waste, encourage guests not to waste water and it is a place of outstanding natural beauty that no other Luxor hotel can match. I think that the Movenpick gets a hard time because it is located further out of town. Here you see the beautiful Egyptian Hod hod (Hoopoe) birds in their hundreds. If you walk round the island and gaze at the water you will see Cray fish by the plenty. Local fisherman casting their nets in their rickety old fishing boats and the most beautiful native plants and trees you will EVER see anywhere in Luxor.
By the way, I have just found a great website that advertises Luxor restaurants www.travelnorthafrica.com. Obviously go to the Egypt section etc etc.
[This message has been edited by claire_1237 (edited 29 August 2004).]
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you are right claire, i followed the link to travel north africa. great lot of restaurants, looking at so much food has made me hungry Posts: 124 | From: england | Registered: May 2004
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Thanks everyone! I feel much better about staying there now - I'm actually quite glad it's a bit further out of town than some other hotels as I'm looking ofrward to getting back to the hotel away from the hustle in the afternoons! And the icecream of course..
Posts: 2 | From: London | Registered: Aug 2004
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could not go out in the mid day well too hot ! you must 'love the sun' girl to stay out in it for 4 hours in those temps 
what shooting????
Can you imagine the police here doing that , most major cities would grind to a halt.
And the icecream of course..
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