I am doing this tour in January and am planning on staying a few extra days after the tour to do some extra site seeing. I am tossing up if I should stay 4 or 5 days extra.

Just wondering if anyone who has done this tour can advise of anything they feel they missed out on that we might do in this time? We are planning a second visit to Saqqara and also to see the Red pyramid which I don't think is included on the tour. Possibly a day trip to Alexandra, extra time at the museum and some shopping time as well.

Any advice?

Alexandria, IMO, is a long, long way to go for a day trip. Consider staying overnight and coming back the next day.

Yaya

We did the 12 day Nile cruise in May. Just wished there had been more time spent relaxing onboard.
We enjoyed every minute of the organised tours. But just sat there, in the cabin, or on the sun deck, watching the ever changing riverbank glide past, that , I could have done with more of !

I believe this tour is comparable to the 13-day trip I did with Insight. Trafalgar tourists were on the cruise with us. If you arrive a day early--or stay a day later-- you'll be offered a day trip to Alexandria. We ended up spending Christmas day on the day trip. It was a tight schedule(and early morning), but we were ready to return to Cairo after a late afternoon lunch. This might be all of Alexandria you want to experience.

If we had more time, we probably would have done more touring in Luxor. Some of my family members wished for a few more days.
Five seems like a lot, but I am sure you will find things to do. Much might depend on whether your tour is as long as ours was.

Regarding visa's again for Egypt. I picked up papers to send in for the visa before hand. The cost is $81.00. Need to send in passport, picture, copy of drivers license, return envelope, and have the papers notarized. From what I've read it's just a simple thing to do at the airport. Can you guys who have done this at the airport verify this for me. I'm at a crossroads here, with time running out, of what to do. Thanks, Barb

Our travel agent was right on the button when she said we should get our visa at the airport.
Even though the Trafalgar agent was there to guide us through everything . It was just a matter of following the other passengers, and as you went into the airport, you came up to the four or five counters for visas. Maybe two or three people queueing, but very quick.
I can't believe for one minute that we were lucky with the agent. He took it as a matter of course to get you through visa and customs , and out into the waiting coach.
Have US dollars ready, and I believe the guide's name was Magdi. He will have a `Trafalgar tours` sign, and look out for him on your right.

Our tour group waited for the people who did theirs at the airport. I think the Insight/TT reps assume there will be people who will need time to do that. It didn't take them that long. However, for those who had our visas before arriving, it was even quicker to get in and head for the bus.

Visa mail turnarounds are usually quick--a matter of days. I recognize, though, that some people don't want to risk the mail if it gets too close. We just picked ours up at the embassay in NYC, but that type of convenience isn't an option for everyone.

Hi All. I just found out about this site and I am so glad because....surprise, surprise...I have questions. LOL

We are definitely booking this cruise for April or May 2011. We want to go to Cairo a few days early and stay an extra few days in Luxor. Can anyone give me any information on that?

quote:

Originally posted by Beatlefan:
I am doing this tour in January and am planning on staying a few extra days after the tour to do some extra site seeing. I am tossing up if I should stay 4 or 5 days extra.

Just wondering if anyone who has done this tour can advise of anything they feel they missed out on that we might do in this time? We are planning a second visit to Saqqara and also to see the Red pyramid which I don't think is included on the tour. Possibly a day trip to Alexandra, extra time at the museum and some shopping time as well.

Any advice?

Hi beatlefan

Three possible suggestions for your free time in Cairo are:

1. Visit the Cairo Tower for great views over all of Cairo (provided the smog is not too bad).

2. Visit Coptic Cairo. You can see the excavations of the old Roman Tower before moving to visit the Hanging Church, then the Church of St Sergius (the oldest church in Coptic Cairo where legend sais the Holy Family took shelter during their "Flight into Egypt") and finally the Church of St Barbara.

3. Visit the Pharaonic Village which is a recreation of what life was like in the Pharaonic period. At the Pharaonic Village you board boats which first cruise past statues of such Pharaohs or Gods as Horus, Osirus, Nefertiti, etc., then as you cruise up a canal you pass actors and actresses on shore mimicking tasks of the olden days such as herding sheep, making weapons, pottery, papyrus, etc. There is a commentary as you cruise up the canal.

This very interesting boat trip then stops at a re-creation of the Temple of Luxor where a guide takes you through the Temple demonstrating and explaining such things as how they measured time by water in a large Urn. You then have a guided visit to the Pharaonic Museum which shows dioramas of theories of Pyramid construction, the Mummified Room which shows the various stages of Mummification and the Christian Museum. You then visit the Islamic Art Museum and Nasser Museum. Your final visit in the Pharaonic Village is at a recreation of King Tutankhamen's burial chambers with replicas of what it contained when discovered.

You have to visit the Cairo Tower on your own but both Coptic Cairo and the Pharaonic Village can be organised as special tours through your Trafalgar representative in Cairo (Spring Tours). When we did Coptic Cairo and the Pharaonic Village Spring Tours had a Tour Director and driver in a mini-van for just my wife and myself for the day. The same TD turned out to be the TD for our Egypt tour when it started the next day.

We grabbed two extra days prior to our `wonders of ancient Egypt tour . We stayed in the same hotel we were to meet our group,and what a hotel it was.
Outdoor stage and restaraunt. Swimming pool with a bar in the middle. Staff brought chilly bins full of chilled facecloths for your comfort around the pool, as you sat and looked out at the Giza Pyramids.
It was a fabulous two extra days, intended for us to get over jetlag. But it turned out to be a highlight !
Hotel `Meridiene Pyramids`, Giza.