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flowerfairy
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07-01-2008 12:08 PM
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Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Posts: 34
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| I've taken all your brilliant advice and am just about to book a flight to Cairo and a guide from reallifeegypt. Just a bit concerned now about getting to the airport. Do hotels have reliable taxi drivers they can call upon and how much would I expect to pay? (from Naama Bay area).
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My Latest Review: Jan 2006 Hilton Sharm Dreams Resort Hotel, Sharm El Sheikh (9/10)
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kazl
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07-01-2008 12:21 PM
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Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 128
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| You will be able to book a taxi with your hotel no problem. Costs vary depending on where your hotel is so I can't give an exact amount. I have seen recent posts of people paying around 50 - 70le.
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My Latest Review: Apr 2006 Navas Hotel, Granada (8/10)
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sunfunsun!!
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08-01-2008 09:41 PM
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Joined: 08 Jan 2008
Posts: 2
| Hi I'm kinda new to all this, just wonderin if you could help me in anyway? Read you were booking trip to cairo which I am pretty interested in doing myself just abit baffled as to where to start going about all this? any advice you could pass on to me would be much appreciated thanks
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flowerfairy
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09-01-2008 10:24 AM
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Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Posts: 34
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| Hi Sunfunsun,
It's really easy - go to Egyptair.com, log on to 'Egypt' as your country and go from there. You will get all the available flights, just choose and book it by your credit card. Before booking the flight I contacted reallifeegypt@hotmail.com who arranged to provide a guide for the day to see all the sights with lunch included, we will meet him at Cairo airport. They have been highly recommended by others on this site.
Total cost for the flight/guide of £110pp a considerable saving on Tour Operators' prices.
There are various threads discussing the booking independent trips but it's a bit of a maze sometimes!
Good luck,
FF
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My Latest Review: Jan 2006 Hilton Sharm Dreams Resort Hotel, Sharm El Sheikh (9/10)
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Finnsmummy
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19-01-2008 11:04 AM
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Joined: 10 Sep 2006
Posts: 51
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| Flower Fairy
What hotel are you staying at?
I booked an independent trip to Cairo last year using Egypt Air and Reallifeegypt which was fab but the bane of our day was organising a taxi to and from the airport
We arranged (several days in advance) to use the hotels taxi service (Coral Sea Hotel) however they never turned up on the day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this should not be a reflection of the hotel as they were very apologetic and rang a local taxi and haggled for me to get me to the airport just in time for the flight (I do mean just in time as thankfully they let us check in about 15 minutes before boarding!)
The problem was then getting a taxi back to the hotel at midnight - lots of taxi drivers with dodgy old bangers etc eventually agreed a price and got to hotel approx 10 minutes later only for the price to change dramatically - after threatening to call the tourist police we paid a bit more but not what he was asking - this really but a dampner on our day
Hope you have a wonderful trip
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My Latest Review: Aug 2008 Coral Sea Resort Hotel, Sharm El Sheikh (9/10)
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flowerfairy
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20-01-2008 04:30 PM
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Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Posts: 34
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Hi Finnsmummy,
We're staying at the Hilton Sharm Dreams (Naama Bay), going on Tuesday. What you said about the taxis has really unsettled me, we are going to Cairo on Thursday so I won't be able to book the taxi until we get to the hotel for one thing. It is my worst nightmare that we will be at the mercy of unreliable and/or unscrupulous taxi drivers - it must have been awful for you. But thanks for the warning! At the end of the day you have to put it all down to part of the 'adventure' I guess!!
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My Latest Review: Jan 2006 Hilton Sharm Dreams Resort Hotel, Sharm El Sheikh (9/10)
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Iain99
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29-01-2008 12:29 PM
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Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 3
| Sounds like independant booking is the way to go to save money etc.
Can someone outline to me a summary of the day so that I can try and get an idea of what flights I need to book? e.g arrive 9am & depart 9pm? My other half doesn't really like long long days so if I could cut it down a little then it would be brilliant.
I had a look at Egypt Air and they are quoting about £75 per person which is good. I assume that all I need to do is contact reallifeegypt and they will organise everything from the Cairo end. Also need to book at the other end for taxi to and from hotel as it sounds like this is horrible!
Any comments welcome.
Thanks,
Iain
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kazl
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29-01-2008 04:21 PM
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Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 128
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| Iain99 did you book the flights using egypt as your home country? The flights are normally around the £30 mark return each.
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My Latest Review: Apr 2006 Navas Hotel, Granada (8/10)
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kazl
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29-01-2008 04:24 PM
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Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 128
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| Should of put about my trip. I did 9am to 9pm flight with Egyptair, cost £35 last june. I went to Giza pyramids, Sphinx, Khan el Khalili market, Solar boat museum and Cairo museum. This was my second visit to Cairo. Try and book a friday if possible as the traffic is less heavy. You would be met at Cairo airport if you book with them yes!
Hope this helps a little.
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My Latest Review: Apr 2006 Navas Hotel, Granada (8/10)
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Iain99
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29-01-2008 04:51 PM
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Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 3
| Thanks for that. You are correct, I changed my country to Egypt and it gives me the price in Egypt pounds which works out at about £32. Is it ok to book the flights this way? Is this allowed?
So when booking the guide I should outline what I want to do and what should be included and they will give me a price for it? (e.g. pickup from airport, guided tour of all surroundings, include meals?, return airport drop off?)
I just want to try and cover all the things I need to ask for as I've never done this before and am a bit nervous!!
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Finnsmummy
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29-01-2008 05:53 PM
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Joined: 10 Sep 2006
Posts: 51
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| Don't be nervous - if you email reallifeegypt they can give you a typical itinerary for the day and you can adjust according to your personal interests etc
I asked them for the typical itinerary and cancelled off the market, we did much the same as others with Sakkara, Giza, Museum, Papyrus Shop, Carpet School and Felluca down the Nile with lunch included (they dropped us at KFC Kentucky Fried Camel they told my son) and we offered to pay ourselves as much higher cost than usual Egyptian cuisine (only about £5 for 3 of us)
Guides cannot enter the airport and so you meet them outside - this I didn't know in advance and panicked when noone there to meet us but just stood outside with a sign.
The main thing is that you ask questions - they were always more than happy to answer - I even asked how much I was expected to tip as didn't know and didn't want to offend/look cheap (they suggested 20-40LE for driver and 50-100LE for guide this was last year and we gave maximum as were fantastic)
Have fun and post your comments afterwards
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My Latest Review: Aug 2008 Coral Sea Resort Hotel, Sharm El Sheikh (9/10)
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kazl
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29-01-2008 06:09 PM
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Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 128
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| hi again, i think finnsmummy answered your questions.
It is fine to book the flights this way. You will receive etickets for each traveller , print them off and take them with your passport and the credit card you booked with when travelling. (though i have never been asked for this but it does say on the terms too) Glad to see I saved you some money! By the way I did 6 internal flights last year booking the same way.
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My Latest Review: Apr 2006 Navas Hotel, Granada (8/10)
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flowerfairy
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30-01-2008 11:04 AM
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Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Posts: 34
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| Hi all.
Just got back, had a brilliant time in Cairo. No need to worry about the taxi to and from Sharm airport as the hotel ran a complimentary shuttle service. I didn't find this out until I happended to read the hotel guide in our room so It's always advisable to check whether your hotel offers the same service.
Caught the 6.35 am to Cairo and was met at the airport by a rep and taken to our taxi with driver. The rep was dropped off and we continued our way to the Giza where we met our guide. Then did the Giza pyramids, Sphinx then lunch ay Saqqara which was an Egyptain style barbequed meal. This was included in the price but you pay for your drinks. Then to The Step Pyramid then back to Cairo for the Museum where we spent quite a time.
The beauty of having your own personal guide is that you can ask questions much easier, and decide where you want to go instead of being hauled round the tourist route of perfume shops/papyrus factories etc etc. Caught the 8.40pm back to Sharm.
Can't recommend the do-it-yourself method highly enough, Cairo is the most amazing place.
Thanks again to all on MSE for your help and tips.
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My Latest Review: Jan 2006 Hilton Sharm Dreams Resort Hotel, Sharm El Sheikh (9/10)
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flowerfairy
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31-01-2008 04:39 PM
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Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Posts: 34
My Profile
| Hi Finnsmummy,
I know the following is a bit off topic but in answer to your query have only done two other excursions while in Sharm -
Tiran Island - This is a day trip to three reef sites out to sea, and not snorkelling from a gently sloping beach as I was expecting! You need to be a pretty confident snorkeller, or alternatively you can stay on the boat and chill out/sunbathe! Lunch is cooked on the boat. A great day out whichever way you want to do it. Booked with Sun 'n Fun, see below.
Bedouin dinner - This was brilliant and a holiday highlight. I had been put off the night before we went by someone we met who had been very disappointed, turns out they went on the Tour Rep's one (Thompsons) whereas we booked a different one with Sun 'n Fun at half the price. They have a booking kiosk on the Fayrouz beach and at the Hilton Sharm Dreams but ther main Booking office is along the prom just past the Fayrouz on the left. Anyway we joined the minibusses at the allotted time and were pleased to see it was full of Egyptians, suppose you can reckon on it being an ok night if the natives are on board! Didn't take long, just a short ride across the desert and spectacular with the mountains being lit up with candles. Were met by Bedouins with flaming torches on camels, sat in tents, had tea, strolling band. On the bus we had got talking to an Egyptian girl on holiday from Cairo and she came to find us and asked us to join her and her family. It was great to talk to her mother and sister (with her translating of course).
After the buffet, cabaret with a whirling dervish and belly dancer and amusing audience participation, then band playing songs which most of the audience joined in. It was a wonderful night but really down to spending it with Yasmin and her family.
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My Latest Review: Jan 2006 Hilton Sharm Dreams Resort Hotel, Sharm El Sheikh (9/10)
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