Jessie1231 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I've never been to Egypt, but I've always wanted to see the pyramids. I'm tentatively planning a trip three months from now. Not counting flight time, I would only stay two or three nights. I've found some reasonable hotels that offer tours to the pyramids, but I would love to hear from someone who has been there. Is it safe to travel there alone? What should I know before I go? What should I definitely see and definitely avoid? Any help at all is appreciated. Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
AVarma Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I've never been to Egypt, but I've always wanted to see the pyramids. I'm tentatively planning a trip three months from now. Not counting flight time, I would only stay two or three nights. I've found some reasonable hotels that offer tours to the pyramids, but I would love to hear from someone who has been there. Is it safe to travel there alone? What should I know before I go? What should I definitely see and definitely avoid? Any help at all is appreciated. Thanks! If you're a woman then I would advice you to simply not go. The sexual harassment there is nothing like you would see here. Frankly you simply wouldn't be safe. If you're a man I still wouldn't go. The political situation there is unstable and frankly I wouldn't trust the police there to keep you safe. And for those of you who think I'm prejudiced I'm Muslim so just give it a rest. 4 Link to post Share on other sites
todreaminblue Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 ava varma it is sad that a woman travelling alone is a target and the world should change...but it wont...... my aunt was a world traveller she never married she would bring me back stories and a doll from every country she went too...she travelled years and years ago well over two to three decades.....maybe even four......the thing was even back then she had pen pals in the places she visited.....she had support......back up...... you have to have an insider in the country you are going to climatize yourself to the laws and the culture differences..even soldiers who raid countries have insiders..... guides who becoem very close to them and can be trusted............and you arent a soldier........ someone to advise you where to go and where not to go..somewhere safe to go ........you have to know the route like the back of your hand the dress and customs like the back of your hand..... egypt has always been a dream of mine....i had a pen friend there when i was girl........his name was mustafa......i was already making plans to get to egypt before i left home....i thought that i might never have anyone to travel with me...walk my path ........now.....i lost contact with mustafa.......i would not go to a country without a firm guide or support from someone who lives there....... i also am not shy........have a military background and feel i can adapt to situations however nervous i get i can ....quell nervousness....and be forthright.......shyness will impede you..before you go anywhere travel to any country...be strong and affirmative and firm in your resolves..travelling to another country especially one that exhibits unrest and or political upheaval ro religious wars.........is dangerous...a possible life risk to you have that firmly in mind..............deb 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Taramere Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I think in the general course of events it tends to be a place where women are particularly liable to be harassed. Even if you cover up, it's probably going to happen a lot. Besides that, it's really not the best of times politically to visit that region. Although you'd hope to be relatively safe in the tourist resorts there are still going to be higher risks (terrorism, kidnappings) than usual. https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt Of course, some travel writers would tell you it's the best time to go. Lack of crowds etc - but note, that article was written several months ago and the political situation has worsened considerably since then. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Jessie1231 Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 So disappointing but kind of what I thought I would hear. Thanks you guys. I may postpone Egypt for a while then. And I am a woman - not to sound sexist - so it makes me a little more paranoid than it might make a man traveling alone. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
gaius Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 It should Jessie. I think I remember reading something like 80%+ of women in Egypt have been victims of sexual assault in some form, and they don't make special exceptions for foreigners. As Lara Logan can attest. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
newmoon Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 why can't you hook up with an organized tour group? if seeing egypt is high on your list you shouldn't be afraid to go, but i also would say not to go alone. go with a tour that leaves from your country of origin. and always check the government website for warnings/travel advisories for any region. the governments usually tell you where is/is not safe based on political unrest/incidents. wandering around the streets by yourself is foolish, but when you;re traveling in a group, with a guide that speaks the language and knows the customs and keeps you in tourist areas you're much safer. the lara logan example isn't really applicable - she was in the middle of a mob uprising and poking her camera and microphone into peoples' faces in the middle of downtown. i doubt you'll be doing that. Link to post Share on other sites
writergal Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I second the organized tour group. If Egypt is a country you really want to see, then join one of the tour groups that goes there. There is safety in numbers when you're a woman who wants to travel to countries where your safety is at risk. If you Google the travel websites, there are many travel forums that discuss women's safety traveling in Egypt if you want someone else's first hand account. If you really want to travel there, go with a tour group. That way you will be safe and have fun with a group of people. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
contact1 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I think given the current state of Egypt, even traveling in a group carries a lot of risk. I would highly advise against it, a group of tourist isn't going to prevent some corrupt officers from abusing their powers or random bombings hitting you, in fact there was a bombing just 3 days ago where one officer was killed. Link to post Share on other sites
AVarma Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I second the organized tour group. If Egypt is a country you really want to see, then join one of the tour groups that goes there. There is safety in numbers when you're a woman who wants to travel to countries where your safety is at risk. If you Google the travel websites, there are many travel forums that discuss women's safety traveling in Egypt if you want someone else's first hand account. If you really want to travel there, go with a tour group. That way you will be safe and have fun with a group of people. Tour buses aren't that safe either. BBC News - Sinai attacks: Deadly bombing hits Egypt tour bus The ugly truth is that Egypt is not the romanticized country people see in the movies. The reality of Egypt in much worst. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
writergal Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Oh it's not safe even with a tourist group? Yikes. That's unfortunate. Link to post Share on other sites
contact1 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Oh it's not safe even with a tourist group? Yikes. That's unfortunate. It is because I want to be able to see the pyramids one day, climb to the very top, and go tobogganing all the way down Link to post Share on other sites
PapayaRepublic Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I lived in Egypt alone at the age of 23. At that time( 2003-2004) it was safer. Although I was completely covered from head to toe I would get a few stalkers now and then. Egyptian men love white women and they would do anything to start a conversation. If you want to travel to that part of the world my advice is to cover your body and wear a veil(niqab) otherwise you will be stalked all day long. I am still in the Middle East, much older now, and yet I get unwanted attention from the Middle eastern men. Unfortunately, they are extremely perverted. Be safe. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
gaius Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Just go here instead. Carrot top is a little less scary than a horned up Egyptian male. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Rko28 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I went in 2010, I know things have changed a lot since then but even back then it was a bit risky. I stayed well out of cairo at a complex which was lovely, secure and friendly, however once on the trip we saw people on rooftops with guns, our bus being checked for bombs often, lots of beggers and pick pockets around. It really made you grateful for what you have. Also if you go be prepared to spend a couple of days with an upset stomach. Theres no escaping it. Im glad I saw the pyramids and even went in one but Id never go back there. Link to post Share on other sites
PegNosePete Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 You are more likely to be killed in an RTA on the way to the airport, than caught in a terrorist incident in Egypt. These incidents may be a lot more common than a few years ago but they are still so rare that they make the news. Millions of tourists go without incident. I would go with a group. Stay in Luxor for a few days, or take a Nile cruise to Aswan, and take a day trip to see the Pyramids and museum. There's really not much else in Cairo when compared to the treasures of Luxor, Philae, Abu Simbel etc. Wear a fake wedding ring and don't talk about your personal status with any locals. Don't make eye contact unless you want to buy. Practice ignoring people. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
sam_999 Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Travel advice and advisories for Egypt Link to post Share on other sites
PegNosePete Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 ^ Exactly. Most of the treasures of Egypt are in the upper Nile area. Karnak, Valley of the Kings/Queens/Nobles, Luxor temple, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae, Abu Simbel are all down South in the area that has no travel advisories. A day trip to Cairo to see the Pyramids and Egyptian museum (with the mummy room and King Tut's mask), although the odds of anything bad are low, maybe if you're scared then save it for when times are more stable. Link to post Share on other sites
SycamoreCircle Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Two to three days is not enough time, unless you're only interested in seeing the Pyramids, going to the National Museum and walking around Cairo a bit. You can stay in a pension for next to nothing, but lift the mattress and inspect for bedbugs. Even in a cushy place, do that. Early Spring is a good time to go. The days don't get too hot and the nights are cool and comfortable. Seek out the restaurant in Cairo that specializes in koshary---a weird Egyptian dish that's comprised of macaroni, lentils, rice, and spicy tomatoes. One of my favorite things was bumping into some other travelers and jointly hiring a small skiff to float us up the Nile from Aswan to Luxor. Siwa, a small oasis in the Northwest, which overlooks the border to Libya is an unforgettable place. You can swim in the natural pool and spend a night in the desert. Link to post Share on other sites
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