In 2016 May we took a 2 weeks tour of Egypt. We got a cheap flight from India to Alexandria and back and so planned the trip accordingly ( Alexandria- Cairo-Aswan-Luxor-Hurgudha-Cairo-Alexandria). We did not book any tours but booked some hostels and the Cairo to Aswan train ticket in advance. Here is the first part of the report of the tour.
Day 1 (Wednesday)
Landed at Alexandria (HBE) airport at 05:15 p.m. At 06:30 p.m. and took a taxi to train station. Taxi available at airport for 150-200 EGP for four persons. Reached station by 07:40 p.m. Bought ticket AC 2 ticket (EGP 70 pp.) for 2008 Special Service OD Alexandria - Cairo train leaving at 08:00 p.m. Reached Cairo Ramses Railway Station at 10:45 p.m. At 11:00 p.m. Checked-in to Freedom Hostel.
Day 2 (Thursday)
At 09:30 a.m. checked out from hostel (kept luggage in the hostel) and visited Egyptian Museum. (We were planning to visit it in the afternoon but the hotel staff told us that the Museum closes at 04:30 p.m.) Entry ticket 75 EGP pp.; camera ticket 50 EGP. ISIC accepted for concession ticket. Camera ticket is needed even for mobile camera and the staff checks it often. At some places the staff objected to tripod.
At 12:30 p.m. took lunch and went by taxi to Al-Azhar Mosque in the Islamic Cairo. From here we walked along the Muizz Street to Sabil-Kuttab of 'Abd al Rahman Katkhuda passing Sultan Qalawun Mausoleum and Madrasa on the way. From here we returned and visited the Wikala El-Ghouri and the Madrasah of Al Ghouri. For some tip, a man allowed us to climb the minarets of Madrasah of Al Ghouri which gives a good panoramic view of the area. In front of every mosque, we encountered people offering us to take us to the minarets of “another” mosque with the best view from its minarets. One of them even lied to us, standing just a couple of feet away from the entrance of the al-Azhar Mosque, that the Mosque is closed.
Returned to hostel by 05;30 p.m. to collect luggage and went by metro to Ramses Railway Station at 07:00 p.m. Took the 988 train from Ramses Railway Station, Cairo to Aswan. Online reservation (maximum of 2 seats on Cairo-Luxor-Aswan trains and 5 seats on Cairo-Alexandria trains) can be made 14 days in advance at https://enr.gov.eg/ . You can board the train with just this printout and the credit card used to make the booking, as long as the main named traveller is the owner of the credit card. If you've used someone else's card, then you'll need a photocopy of the front of the credit card, passport, and reservation details. In our case, the staff did not even ask for any identification document. Two of us were in AC 1 (137.2 EGP pp.) and two in AC 2 (69.68 EGP pp.). Both are comfortable enough (reclinable seats) but there were few passengers standing in the aisle and vestibules of AC II.
Day 3 (Friday)
At 08:30 a.m. reached Aswan; 30 minutes’ walk to Pyramisa Isis Corniche Hotel. Took taxi (30 EGP) to Nubian Museum (ticket 60 EGP pp.; museum is open in two shifts with a lunch break). Back to hotel by 02:00 p.m.
At 03:00 p.m. met a travel agent and arranged taxi for next day’s Abu Simbel trip. The fare is 600 EGP for a car but it can take only a maximum of 3 persons. For 4 persons the fare was 850 EGP in a 7 seater van. Finally, for Abu Simbel + Aswan high dam + Philie temple + Unfinished obelisk he agreed for 1000 EGP including the tip for driver. The agent took the copy of passport for permit and 460 EGP for tickets (115 pp.).
At 04:00 p.m. took a felucca ride to Elephantine Island. Visited the Temple of Khnum, Temple of Satis, Nilometer (common ticket of 35 EGP pp.). For a tip some the staff will guide the visitors through this area. After this we visited the nearby Nubian village and returned to hotel circling the island in the felucca. At 07:00 p.m. visited Aswan market.
Day 4 (Saturday)
Early morning (03:30 a.m.) left with packed breakfast from hotel by taxi to join the convoy. The convoy started at 04:00 a.m. and reached Abu Simbel by 07:00 a.m. From 07:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. visited the main temple and the temple of Hathor. Photography is not allowed inside the temple. At 10:15 a.m. joined the return convoy.
First stop on the way back was at the Aswan High dam (ticket 30 EGP pp.) at 01:30 p.m. From the dam, one can see the Temple of Kalabsha which was relocated to a small island south of the High Dam.
At 02:00 p.m. reached the ticket counter for Philae temple (60 EGP pp.). From here took a boat (fare 100 EGP including return) to the Agilkia Island (temple of Isis from Philae was relocated to this place due to flooding caused by the low dam). Reached the island at 02:30 p.m., visited the temple of Isis (photography is allowed) till 03:30 p.m. and reached the ticket office by boat at 04:00 p.m.
Next a quick visit to the Unfinished Obelisk (40 EGP pp.; photography is allowed) at 04:30 p.m. (closing time) and back to hotel in Aswan by 05:00 p.m.
Arranged taxi for next day; EGP 850 + 100 (driver tip) for a van from Aswan to Luxor by visiting Daraw, Kom Ombo and Edfu on the way. This can also be done by train as well but will take more time. At night visited to the Aswan market.
Day 5 (Sunday)
At 07:15 left by taxi to Luxor. Reached the Daraw camel market (entry free; photography is allowed) at 08:00 a.m. Camels brought from Sudan are sold in this market each Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. There is also a market for cows, goats, sheep, donkeys and camels on Tuesday. There were about three hundred camels when we reached there.
We left the market at 08:45 a.m. and reached the Kom Ombo temple (50 EGP pp.,; photography is allowed) at 09:00 a.m. Visited the temple dedicated to Sobek and Horus and also the crocodile museum.
Left the place at 10:15 a.m. and reached the Temple of Horus at Edfu (60 EGP pp.) at 12:15 p.m. Every hour or so they screen a documentary about the temple and its history. Photography is allowed. Left the temple at 02:15 p.m. and reached the Bob Marley House Sherief Hotel Luxor at 04:00 p.m. We did not stop at (missed) Esna (Temple of Khnum and the lock in the Nile) on the way.
Day 6 (Monday)
At 07:00 left by taxi for tour of West Bank. We were planning to visit the West Bank by public transport but then the hostel offered a taxi (van) for EGP 150 for a trip to four important monuments in the West Bank. We were also told that they do not anymore allow anyone to walk from the Valley of the Kings to Hatshepsut’s Temple by crossing the ridge between them. First we visited the Valley of the Kings (Ticket 100 EGP pp.) where you have to deposit the camera at the entrance. The return ticket for tuf-tuf (electrical train) between the visitors centre and the tombs (about 500 m one way) costs 4 EGP pp.. The ticket can be used to visit three of currently open tombs except the tombs of Ramesses VI, Tutankhamun, and Ay for which separate tickets are needed.
We left the Valley of Kings at 08:30 a.m., briefly stopped at the shops in the Sawalim Village and reached the Hatshepsut’s Temple at 08:45 a.m.(ticket 50 EGP pp.; photography allowed). We left the temple at 10:00 a.m. and reached Medinet Habu (ticket 40 EGP pp.; photography allowed) in 15 minutes. We left Medinet Habu at 11:15 a.m. and reached the Colossi of Memnon (entry free) in ten minutes. We left Colossi of Memnon at 11:30 a.m. and reached the hostel by 12:15 p.m.
Afternoon left by public bus to the Temple of Karnak (ticket 80 EGP pp.; photography allowed). Next visited the Mummification museum (ticket 40 EGP pp.; photography not allowed). From the hostel we arranged for the next day’s hot air balloon trip (EGP 220 pp.) and taxi to visit Dendera (180 EGP)
Day 7 (Tuesday)
At 03:30 left for hot air ballooning. Car sent from the agency picked us from hotel to Nile shore. After tea, snacks and orientation in the boat, crossed the Nile and reached the West Bank shore where another van was waiting for us. There were about 10 balloons preparing for take-off. Ours took off at around 05:00 a.m. Crossed the Nile and reached the East Bank in about 45 minutes in the balloon. The pilot told us that the maximum altitude is generally 500m; our GPS track showed maximum 700m. At 07:00 a.m. reached hotel and had breakfast.
At 08:30 a.m. started by taxi to Dendera. Reached the Dendera Temple complex by the 10:00 a.m.; ticket 40 EGP pp.; 20 EGP for camera stand (tripod). Spent about 150 minutes at the temple complex and reached Luxor by taxi at 01:45 p.m.
At 04:30 p.m. went to the Luxor temple; ticket 60 EGP pp.. There was a 20 EGP ticket for camera stand (tripod); but we did not take it.
Our original plan was to leave this evening or next day early morning for Qena; visit the temples at Abydos and Dendera and leave from Qena to Hurghada by bus or taxi. However, since we would reach Hurghada late this way, we had changed our plans and visited Dendera in the morning and skipped Abydos (though many people rate it as their most favourite). From our hotel in Luxor, we arranged hotel and diving trip at Hurghada (EGP 300 pp.).
