Is Egypt safe these days?

onlyroz

I'm considering booking a family holiday in Egypt next Easter, maybe a week in Cairo and a week on the Red Sea. Is it safe after the political trouble earlier this year? Has anybody been recently, with any experiences to report?

bcl999

Easter is still 5 months away and things could change. For what it's worth, my opinion is the Red sea area will be as safe as it usually is (keep in mind there were bomb attacks in the Sinai long before the revolution). Cairo is a bit of an unknown. You will likely be safe enough in reality but it is the perception that sometimes can be off-putting. Any further trouble (particulalry religious between the Muslims & the Copts) will likely get maximum exposure in the media so if that continues/worsens it will seem from afar that it is all kicking off whereas if you were actually in Cairo and not watching the news/reading the papers, you might know nothing about it.

eeeeeee

just came back from sharks bay all inclusive for 10 days booked through imperial travel via teletext holidays £389 each ; had a fantatstic tme ... no trouble couple of dodgey overcast days

Rachels1979

I did a week in taba heights which is on the red sea last month and they go to great lengths to make sure everything is safe. You have an armed guard on any trips and a police escort from the airport. This worried me at first as I thought it was because there could be problems, but it purely to reassure you and prove how safe it is.

My friend did a day trip to Cairo, I guess that's different than staying for a week under your own steam though as they had a guide and an armed guard with them all the time. If there were still problems I guess they wouldn't run the trips.

Enterprise_1701C

They are very careful with security because it is such a cash cow for them. We stayed in El Gouna and there is only one way in and out and you have to have a pass to get in.

Cairo will probably be as safe as ever by then, but a week is a long time to spend there, we went for a weekend and that was plenty. We stayed in Giza, which is actually just outside of Cairo itself, could be a solution for you security-wise.

alanrowell

The biggest danger in Cairo is cars - there's millions of them and they all seem to be on the road together

Enterprise_1701C

alanrowell wrote: »

The biggest danger in Cairo is cars - there's millions of them and they all seem to be on the road together

I'll agree with that one, not many of them are without dents either! We actually saw some traffic police at a minor crash, they were putting one of the cars back together using cable ties!!!!!

getmore4less

The cruise ships are still off loading loads of pax in Alexandria and they head to Cairo with escorts some overnight

Groups have a tourist policeman with them to "protect" mainly from beggers and vendors, they are grey suited and armed but obviously the tourist police armed escorts.

Mr_Wang

The government say...

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-north-africa/egypt

there are no travel restrictions in place in this travel advice for Egypt.

victor2

onlyroz wrote: »

I'm considering booking a family holiday in Egypt next Easter, maybe a week in Cairo and a week on the Red Sea. Is it safe after the political trouble earlier this year? Has anybody been recently, with any experiences to report?

If there is going to be trouble, it's more likely to be in Cairo, as that's where the native population is concentrated.
You don't want a week in Cairo anyway IMO. The museum and pyramids are worth seeing (or were when I went many years ago), so a full day there will do. Then leave and head for the Red Sea coast to relax.

onlyroz

Thanks for the advice.

I've got a few quotes for various options:

a) 9 days in Sharm followed by 4 days in Cairo
b) 14 days in Sharm with a day trip to Cairo
c) 14 days in Marsa Alam, with day trips to Luxor and possibly Cairo

Anybody been to Marsa Alam? It looks like a better location than Sharm if you want a bit more than just slobbing by the beach.