nippurmagnum
Contributor
I just returned from a fantastic first liveaboard trip to the Red Sea, and I thought it would be helpful to share my experiences as a U.S.-based diver making his first foray into diving in Egypt. I had some apprehensions about Egypt in terms of security, hassle, and health, and they turned out to be largely misplaced -- at least, the way I ended up putting together the trip.
I booked a week-long trip on the Tillis liveaboard through Liveaboard.com, and chose it based on its route (Brothers Islands and North Red Sea, sailing from Hurghada), price (middle-range for Egypt, about $1,000 for the week), and reviews (which noted that the owner was Egyptian, and took a very personal interest in the workings of the boat). I wanted to sail from Hurghada so as to combine the liveaboard trip with a visit to the Giza pyramids and the Egyptian museum in Cairo, which would also allow me to get over the jet lag before the diving began.
My buddy and I flew from the US to Cairo on Air France and Lufthansa, connecting through Paris and Frankfurt respectively, and paid about $800 for our flights, with a luggage allowance of 2 suitcases (50 lbs each) in both cases. The flights had longish connection times (5-8 hours) but neither of us particularly minded.
The Cairo airport was a breeze to get through. I was through immigration and baggage pickup in about 30 minutes, and picked up some Egyptian pounds from the ATM outside security, as well as a SIM card for my iPhone from the 24-hour Vodafone kiosk. That SIM card was essential, as it allowed us to use Uber to get around Cairo for two days. Uber was extremely helpful, as it completely bridged the language barrier (which is otherwise considerable with taxi drivers), and the fares (crazy cheap) were set by the app. A one-hour ride from the airport to our hotel in Giza cost about $12 with tip.
We booked rooms in the historic Mena House Hotel in Giza, currently managed by Marriott. This was a fantastic choice, as it was a truly 5-star hotel, directly across the entrance to the Giza pyramids -- and a room with balcony view of the pyramid of Khufu, plus a sumptuous buffet breakfast for two, cost us just $150. The hotel was an oasis, with an enormous pool and free sauna/steam room, and delightful views of the pyramids at breakfast.
The pyramids were awesome to visit early in the morning and at the end of the day, and we hired a guide and camels onsite at the pyramids for a solid three-hour ride for about $40 each, which included rides through the stables and villages adjacent to the pyramids. We went to the Egyptian museum at night (open Thu and Saturdays 5:30 to 9 pm) and had the place almost to ourselves. We also arranged a tour of mosques and the Saqqara pyramids through the hotel.
We arranged a private car transfer to Hurghada from the Tillis owner, which cost us about $60 each for a 6 hour ride -- and the boat owner's brother actually drove us. I found the drive to be quite scenic, as it interspersed the desert road with dramatic views of the Red Sea, though some might find it monotonous. I found it relaxing to just drive rather than deal with airports.
NEXT: the diving
I booked a week-long trip on the Tillis liveaboard through Liveaboard.com, and chose it based on its route (Brothers Islands and North Red Sea, sailing from Hurghada), price (middle-range for Egypt, about $1,000 for the week), and reviews (which noted that the owner was Egyptian, and took a very personal interest in the workings of the boat). I wanted to sail from Hurghada so as to combine the liveaboard trip with a visit to the Giza pyramids and the Egyptian museum in Cairo, which would also allow me to get over the jet lag before the diving began.
My buddy and I flew from the US to Cairo on Air France and Lufthansa, connecting through Paris and Frankfurt respectively, and paid about $800 for our flights, with a luggage allowance of 2 suitcases (50 lbs each) in both cases. The flights had longish connection times (5-8 hours) but neither of us particularly minded.
The Cairo airport was a breeze to get through. I was through immigration and baggage pickup in about 30 minutes, and picked up some Egyptian pounds from the ATM outside security, as well as a SIM card for my iPhone from the 24-hour Vodafone kiosk. That SIM card was essential, as it allowed us to use Uber to get around Cairo for two days. Uber was extremely helpful, as it completely bridged the language barrier (which is otherwise considerable with taxi drivers), and the fares (crazy cheap) were set by the app. A one-hour ride from the airport to our hotel in Giza cost about $12 with tip.
We booked rooms in the historic Mena House Hotel in Giza, currently managed by Marriott. This was a fantastic choice, as it was a truly 5-star hotel, directly across the entrance to the Giza pyramids -- and a room with balcony view of the pyramid of Khufu, plus a sumptuous buffet breakfast for two, cost us just $150. The hotel was an oasis, with an enormous pool and free sauna/steam room, and delightful views of the pyramids at breakfast.
The pyramids were awesome to visit early in the morning and at the end of the day, and we hired a guide and camels onsite at the pyramids for a solid three-hour ride for about $40 each, which included rides through the stables and villages adjacent to the pyramids. We went to the Egyptian museum at night (open Thu and Saturdays 5:30 to 9 pm) and had the place almost to ourselves. We also arranged a tour of mosques and the Saqqara pyramids through the hotel.
We arranged a private car transfer to Hurghada from the Tillis owner, which cost us about $60 each for a 6 hour ride -- and the boat owner's brother actually drove us. I found the drive to be quite scenic, as it interspersed the desert road with dramatic views of the Red Sea, though some might find it monotonous. I found it relaxing to just drive rather than deal with airports.
NEXT: the diving