Hello there, me and my 7 year old son will be visiting cairo for the day from Sharm. We are flying early in the morning with Egyptair. There are a few questions that i need some help with
1. I know its been discussed already but is it risk free stating that Egypt is your home country when booking the flights?
2. Will i need any visa to board this flight or to enter Cairo?
3. Apart from the Pyramids can anybody reccomend what would be good to see to keep my son interested, people say to miss the museum is a crime!! i dont want to pay in and after 10 minutesmy son tell me he's bored!!
4. When we arrive what would be the best way to get around? Would we be best getting a taxi from the airport to giza and stay there for a couple of hours then get a taxi back into the centre of Cairo
5. Would it be worth getting a guide as they would know best places and make sure you dont get scammed by taxi driver?
Thanks in advance
Max
re #3 I would take him to Dr.Ragab's Pharaonic Village (www.touregypt.net/village) on 3 Sharia al-Bahr al-Azam, Corniche, Giza.
re #4 I would use a taxi as well.
re #5 You don't need a guide.
Re #1. Yes, it is risk free. Re #2, if you're going to Cairo you need a visa. Get it when you land in Sharm.
1 : I guess the worst thing that can happen is them asking you to pay the foreigner price at the airport in case they discover you are not living in Egypt (which is extremely easy to check, as anyone residing there has a special stamp on his/her passport).
2 : Yes you will neede a visa. Upon arrival in Sharm, do not take the free visa pass for Sinai (which means you have not topay for a visa if you stay less than 15 days and do not leave Sinai) but buy a visa for Egypt, it costs 15USD per person
3 : I would go for a walk in the Islamic Cairo neighborhood, which is extremely beautiful and seems to come straight out of the Islamic Middle Ages. Plus it's close to the touristic Khan el Khalili, where you can have a sheesha and make shopping. Have not been to the Pharaonic village as I heard it's uninteresting. As for the museum, limit yourself to one hour, I'm sure your son will be thrilled to see Tutankhamon's gold mask and massive statues.
4 : no problem with a taxi. A guide is likely to take you to touristic shops where you'll be ripped off. Upon arrival at the airport, fnd a taxi driver and agree upon a price. Should not exceed 200 EGP for a day I think. Do tell him from the beginning you don't want him to take you to any shop.
Well, I guess we need someone who has been there to tell us what he/she thinks. I was advised not to go or not to send friends's kids by people who told me it was very disappointing, just like Giza zoo.
I took my kids to Ragabs village a couple of months ago. It is fine to go the once but it is verging on not being value for money. The prices are quite high and you just about get what you pay for, if it was any more expensive I'd say it wasn't worth it.
One thing to be wary of is the "packages" that you pay for. These are depending on what you see there. For kids it's a bit much to just see the "museums" part of it, they get bored, best make sure the boat driver goes to the other things as well.
- You defenitly need a visa. Get it when you arrive in Sharm.
-You don't need a guide, get a taxi and bargain for a price for the day or alternativly if you want to do some walking too. Take only a taxi to your first destination, then another one to the next etc. - whichever you feel like, but make sre that if you get one for the day, make sure you tell him exactly what you want to see, NO shops, NO 'friends places'and NO free teas and the like.
- Start with the museum before your son 'has had enough'. The museum really is a MUST for a visit to Cairo. Make it a short visit. Skip the minor parts and head straight for the highlights like the big statues and the mummies.
- Head for Islamic Cairo and the Mosque of Mohammed Ali, then the nearby medressas before you go to the Khan Al-Khali bazar which is touristy but very interesting also for your son. This is also a good place for lunch or a quick snacsks.
-Finish your Cairovisit with the pyramids.
Re the flights, no one checks to see if you live in Cairo. I've done this many times as have many other people on various forums. You hand over your e-ticket print out, they locate your reservation, give you your boarding pass and you're on your way. Unless they suddenly change things before you fly, you will be fine. Don't worry.
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