Egypt Things to Do Tips by MikeySoft

Aswan, Felucca Boat ride.

Here is the phone number of Felucca Boat caption in Aswan.

+20 12 81 65 238

I used him for a 1/2 day feluccas ride in Aswan. He is Nubian and seems very honest. I could see it in his eyes that I was overcharged when I told him the price I paid for a cruise boat. He can also help you with cruises to Luxor should you wish.

PS
I didn't understand all the detail. But I think the felucca caption got his boat from a charity company to help him make a living. The web sire is:

http://www.admacum.com/feluke/en/index.htm

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Directions: He hangs out by the Aswan Moon restaurant.

Phone: +20 12 81 65 238

Nile Cruise

My trip was back in April 2008, not sure what the prices are today. You can go right to the boats to check them out and book.

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You should be able to arrange a Nile Cruise once in Aswan for $50US/person/night or less on a 5 star boat.

All 5 stares boats are not alike so you should check the boat. Better yet, asks the boats and you should be able to get a better price. I did it in Aswan, but I think it can also be done in Luxor.

Here is the phone number of Felucca Boat caption in Aswan.

+20 12 81 65 238

I used him for a 1/2 day feluccas ride in Aswan. He is Nubian and seems very honest. I could see it in his eyes that I was overcharged when I told him the price I paid for a cruise boat. He can also help you with cruises to Luxor should you wish.

He gave me a cheaper price for the cruise the day before, but I was hot, tired, and did not pay attention and booked with someone else later in the day for a cruise a few days later.

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Luxor, Hot Air Balloon

A hot air balloon ride over the West Bank is a great way to spend a morning. The rides are early in the morning. They pick you up at your hotel. Take you on a private ferry across the Nile. There is tea and snacks on the boat. They drive you back to the private ferry and take you back to your hotel after the ride.

If you want, when they take you back to the Nile, you can rent a taxi for about 6 to 7 hours to see what you flew over. I'll have more information on that in a different tip.

I recommend you see the West Bank first, and then take a hot air balloon ride on a different day. That way you will recognize what you are looking at. There are many things to see from the balloon and some of then are far so they may be hard to recognize if you have not been their on the ground.

At the start of the trip, the caption asks who is this the first hot air balloon ride they taken. He then states, this is his first time also. :)

They have a little dance after the ride which is fun to join in.

My guide book said the price for a 40/45 minute ride is over $100 USD per person. However, the tout in Aswan said he can book for $80 USD per person and booked two Australians we met. This guy overcharged us before, plus he was in Aswan, not Luxor so we didn't book with him. We booked in Lusor for $60 USD per person. The Australians which paid $80 were on the same balloon as us.

We later found out from a taxi driver that we could book the same ride for $40 USD per person. So, buyers beware. :)

Viking is one balloon company, there are many others.

This tip is both under my Egypt and Luxor sections. I will have different pictures in the two postings of the tip.

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Directions: You will fly over the West Bank of the Nile.

Website: http://www.vikingairegypt.com

Dahshur, Memphis, and Saqqarah

Many people and guidebooks recommend doing the Pyramids, Dahshur, Memphis, and Saqqarah on the same day because you can hire a taxi for the rest at the Pyramids. But I felt doing Dahshur, Memphis, and Saqqarah starting in the morning is better because things close around 5:00 pm and I don't want to be rushed.

Many people do it in one day so I'm sure they will disagree,

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Luxor, West Bank

You can do this on your own. I got the information at the tourist office in Luxor. BTW, the tourist office moved, it is now near the mummy museum on the lower lever near the boats.

The tourist office recommended what to see. They said you can rent a cab on the west bank for 70 Egyptians pounds for about 6 or 7 hours. She say they may ask 1000 LE but tell them the price is 70 and that is all you are going to pay. We paid 70 for what turned out to be almost 8 hours. Just take the local ferry (1 LE) to the west bank. Then get a taxi there.

You should be aware that many people will approach you on the east bank and may take the ferry with you. They say they are a cab driver. But they are not. They just take a cut of the price. So the taxi will get less. It is hard to get rid of them. But we found we just tell them 20 LE and that all you will pay. After a while, They will give up. Then you can pay 70 to the cab on the west bank.

We also paid less on other days where we went to other places but not as long. The taxi is not a guide but will take you to the places you want to go, just read a guide book and maybe stop at the tourist office.

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