Going to Egypt in November, need some advise please :)

sabbykins

Hi,

We are planning a 2 week holiday to Egypt in Nov. Ideally we would like to stay a week in Luxor and then go on to Sharm for a week.
Travelling will be 3 adults, and we prefer to stay 4* or 5*.


I'm not sure if its a cruise i need or not, can anyone advise please.

HUGE thanks! XXX

Guys_Dad

Luxor is an absolute dump. Yes, you can visit tombs and temples for a couple of days, but it is a dirty, boring place and I did a cruies on the Nile last year, with an offer of an extra week in Luxor for less than £100 on top. I would have paid £100 NOT to stay there. There is nothing to do except get hassled.

Sorry to appear negaitive, but ......................

black-saturn

It always amazes me how the Egypt threads always provoke so much attack.

I'm going to Cairo in December. I thought about going to Luxor and Sharm but as I wanted to take a day trip to the pyramids it worked out cheaper to stay in Cairo.

bcl999

Afraid Guys Dad is right about the town of Luxor - my main recall of it is the smell of horse s**t (They have horse-drawn caleches going back & forth along the Corniche.)

Having said that, if you want to explore the tombs and temples,then a stay in Luxor can't really be avoided.

Karnak is a little out of the centre and has a few hotels, in addition to the famous temple complex. I wouldn't recommend the Hilton unless it has been refurbished in the past couple of years but I read somewhere that a Sofitel has opened.

The location of the Movenpick is wonderful, on Crocodile Island, but like the Hilton, it seemed dated and a bit run-down to me a few years ago, though it may have been refurbished since. The Sheraton has a nice out-of -centre riverside location.

There are also some nice riverfront hotels in the main part of Luxor. There is a Club Med, a Sonesta and several others. However, once you leave the grounds, you are straight into the Luxor grime.

As you want to go to Sharm, then it may be you could do just 3 nights in Luxor and "rough it" at a lower standard hotel and have a splurge at Sharm for10 days.

Personally, I would still do a week at Sharm and add a couple of nights at Aswan seeing as it is only a couple of hours by train from Luxor. Not so many monuments to see and Abu Simbel is still an hours flight away, but it is a lovely town. I stayed at the Villa Amoun, which is on a small island in the middle of the river. From one side, you look over to the Old Cataract Hotel (££££) and from the other, to the Aga Khan's mausoleum and the house his widow lived in after his death.

As for your question re cruise, I personally would say no but that is only because I would rather not be cooped up in a small cabin, be double-berthed and take a week doing a journey you could do in 2 days by land! However, some people say they are wonderful and would do another in a second.

Whatever you decide, I am sure you will enjoy it and that it will provide a talking point for years to come.

Guys_Dad

Missed bit about Nile cruise. The boats are great and you do get to see everything. Not a fan of cruises, but I enjoyed this one. Very up spec quality of fittings, cheap prices as well. However, 70% of people on boat got the dreaded Gyppie tummy. (As expected, as gyppie comes from the contraction of Egyptian). Think about it - all the water on board comes from the Nile - as does most of the hotel's water.

Suggest you go to Red Sea first so you don't waste that part of your holiday with the runs. Have them in the UK instead!!!

Also stayed in Cairo for 3 nights - great hotel and very close to the museum [a must!]. Pyramids a bit of a disappointment simply because the urban sprawl has almost engulfed them.

Cairo is not a place I would want to visit again. It's a town of 15 million people, 5 million cars and one driving licence. And I had that!. Think "Total Recall" but worse.

coolagarry

We went to Egypt about 5 yrs ago and wouldn't have missed it for the world... a 'must see' place because of all it's history.
We had the nile cruise from Luxor for the first week and included the 'add on' of Abu Simbal which is well worth seeing. We chatting with people on the cruise and soon find out who is staying at Luxor for an extra week. We palled up with two other couples (all staying in different hotels - but it's only a small town) and went to lots of places together for the second week. We went back to the Valley of the Kings, and had a much better look around with our own transport. We also visited the Valley of the Nobles which is not normally included in the Cruise on the Nile. We went to an evening 'Sound and light' at karnak temple. We also spent a fair amount of time relaxing at our hotel pool.
We stayed at the New Winter Palace Hotel and had access to the pool facilities at the Winter Palace next door.
As mentioned earlier you get hassled all the time, but that happens in any 'third world' country that you are likely to visit and there is the 'horsey' smll but as I live in the country in the UK that's not a problem.
The one thing I would warn you about is Food Poisoning!! Almost everyone I met had 'thrown up' and had at least one day in bed during the two weeks.
My wife got it on the cruise and I got it in Luxor.
The best way around that is only eat hot food. My answer to that was to eat at the cafateria at the front of the New Winter Palace where they cooked most things with chips freshly for you. (Not exotic but keeps the tummy in order).
We flew to Cairo on one of the days to see the Museum and King Tut's Treasures, having seen his Tomb in Luxor.
For me it was an expetience of a lifetime.

mummytofour

Hmmm,
Butting in here, but I just wanted to thank you for starting this thread, I was looking at egypt for nov for 7 of us, 2 adults and 5 kids, think I may stick with spain after all. Shame really but I really dont wnat to get sick, with the kids to look after.