Port Said

[Marie-Claude]

Has anyone done a tour of Port Said - not going to Cairo, either with a private tour or with a cruiseline?

The shorex are still not up for our cruise, and we have booked Ramses for a day in Alexandria, but my travelling partner (Mom!!) doesn't feel like going back to Cairo and we're looking for something to do around Port Said...

 

MC

[smeyer418]

Has anyone done a tour of Port Said - not going to Cairo, either with a private tour or with a cruiseline?

The shorex are still not up for our cruise, and we have booked Ramses for a day in Alexandria, but my travelling partner (Mom!!) doesn't feel like going back to Cairo and we're looking for something to do around Port Said...

 

MC

 

 

yes we crossed to the Sinai and saw the sights of the 1973 Israeli-Arab war....There is a tunnel near Port Said to the East Bank or a ferry.... it was very interesting.

 

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-map-482908-map_of_port_said-i

[bellagirl]

Hi S.-can you tell me how you did this excursion? Did you have a tour guide with you and if so, can you please give details? Thanks, Shelly:)

[smeyer418]

Hi S.-can you tell me how you did this excursion? Did you have a tour guide with you and if so, can you please give details? Thanks, Shelly:)

I wouldn't do this without a guide. Any of the reputable companies will be happy to do this. I used

ITBE <itbe@itbetravel.com> that is their email address....

[smeyer418]

I wouldn't do this without a guide. Any of the reputable companies will be happy to do this. I used

ITBE <itbe@itbetravel.com> that is their email address....

 

 

www.itbe-egypt.com is the website

[bellagirl]

Thank you for the information. I will definitely look them up! Shelly:)

[Marie-Claude]

Thank you Smeyer...

I've emailed them and waiting for an answer... hopefully they will have some interesting tours to offer!

 

MC

[Marie-Claude]

Well I guess Itbe is out... here is what they replied to my inquiry about a day tour in Port Said:

Please note the visit of Mt Sinai and St Catherine's monastery is not feasible in one day as it takes around 6 hours to drive each way.

One has to spend a night in St Catherine's as the ascent of Mt Moses is approx 3 hours before sunrise and the monastery is open for visits daily (except for fridays and sundays) until 11:30 am only.

 

As for visiting Port Said and the Suez Canal area, we suggest you book this through your cruise ship, as it would be cheaper than us sending a car and guide from Cairo.

 

Thank you for contacting us, we remain available for any other information or services you may require.

 

This is the second tour operator I contact that has declined to do anything i Port Said...

 

I guess we'll have to rely on the ship having tour there, which I doubt they will as most people head out to Cairo!!

MC

[cruisemom42]

I also have "struck out" when I was looking for something to do in Port Said last year. Having spent quite a few days in Cairo, I was thinking of an easy day, but really there is very little to do in Port Said. (And I am not really interested in the Arab-Israeli war....) The only thing I found that sounded halfway interesting was to take the ferry across the canal to the other side and then back again.

 

I had to cancel that cruise in the end, but I'll be going back to Port Said later this year and I will likely plan to go into Cairo again.

[smeyer418]

Well I guess Itbe is out... here is what they replied to my inquiry about a day tour in Port Said:

Please note the visit of Mt Sinai and St Catherine's monastery is not feasible in one day as it takes around 6 hours to drive each way.

One has to spend a night in St Catherine's as the ascent of Mt Moses is approx 3 hours before sunrise and the monastery is open for visits daily (except for fridays and sundays) until 11:30 am only.

 

As for visiting Port Said and the Suez Canal area, we suggest you book this through your cruise ship, as it would be cheaper than us sending a car and guide from Cairo.

 

Thank you for contacting us, we remain available for any other information or services you may require.

 

This is the second tour operator I contact that has declined to do anything i Port Said...

 

I guess we'll have to rely on the ship having tour there, which I doubt they will as most people head out to Cairo!!

MC

sorry about that!

[Marie-Claude]

Thank you Smeyer418!

 

ITBE was actually really responsive, even if they can't help us in Port Said, their director emailed me several suggestions and in her last email she gave me this piece of advice:

 

I am sure you will be able to arrange a cab on the spot in Port Said for a few hours. Please ask the reception to have the Egyptian handling agent help you with this. If they cannot, for any reason, please agree on the per hour rate you will pay the cab. If it is only within Port Said city limits approx USD 10.- per hour should be fine.

 

So I guess we'll play this by ear a little!!

 

Thanks everyone for your comments and feedback!!

MC

[smeyer418]

Thank you Smeyer418!

 

ITBE was actually really responsive, even if they can't help us in Port Said, their director emailed me several suggestions and in her last email she gave me this piece of advice:

 

I am sure you will be able to arrange a cab on the spot in Port Said for a few hours. Please ask the reception to have the Egyptian handling agent help you with this. If they cannot, for any reason, please agree on the per hour rate you will pay the cab. If it is only within Port Said city limits approx USD 10.- per hour should be fine.

 

So I guess we'll play this by ear a little!!

 

Thanks everyone for your comments and feedback!!

MC

 

They came recommened by the hotel we were staying at. They were excellent. We only wanted a car and a driver for a day(we were checking out of the hotel and meeting our Tour after a week in Cairo on our own so I wanted a car we could use to go anywhere we wanted and finally drop us off at the hotel we were meeting the group) They insisted on adding a tour guide who we would only have to tip- she was great we used her again while we were there-when we came back to Cairo.