Private Tours from Alexandria Egypt & Tripoli Lybia

[Wilba]

Has anyone any experience of Private Tours/Taxis from Alexandria to the Pyramids etc. & also Tripoli/Lybia Tours. I know that security is an issue in this part of the World, & it's common for armed guards to be present on the Cruise Tour Buses.

My Question: Has anyone "Done their own thing" regarding taxi's/private vans?

Is the security issue a real threat to Europeans? Or is it more a ploy for the Cruise Companies to scare you into purchasing their Excursions?

Any Info would be Gratefully Received, but please, no encouragements for Cruise Excursions, as this is not for me. Regards Wilba

[blue whale]

In Alexandria in the spring of this year, we picked up a cab on the pier, but just to tour the city itself. We enjoyed our morning, which was relatively inexpensive. We paid in US dollars, but needed local currency for admission into the sites.

 

On previous stops in Egypt, we took the ship tour because we never take private vehicles when the trip is many hours from the port. Security was high. Our buses traveled in a caravan of 25, with an armed guard on each bus. As we passed by, police stopped all other traffic, even on the cross roads.

 

Probably it is safer to use the ship's tour or an agency tour.

[Wilba]

Many Thanks for your response. Sounds a Challenge if nothing else.

[alsas]

De Castro tours we used them in April outstanding Mustaffa a gentleman. Good value and high standards. Happy sailing Alsas

[mochuck]

De Castro tours we used them in April outstanding Mustaffa a gentleman. Good value and high standards. Happy sailing Alsas

 

Some people on our cruise used De Castro and the driver got lost coming back into Alexandria. They almost missed the ship. Some of them were VERY worried.:(

[Wilba]

Thanks for all your responses. I think a nearby bar maybe a better option.

[cruisemom42]

Security is tight in Egypt, no doubt about it. They value tourism too much to take any risks. That said, I felt very safe on our overnight trip to Cairo. We did the ship's excursion, BUT I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a private tour, having heard firsthand about others' experiences. Many members of the CC group on our cruise used Blue Nile to arrange an overnight trip to Cairo (drop off in Port Said and back to the ship at the end of day 2 in Alexandria) that was practically identical to what we did for far less $$$$ and also much easier to get around due to a smaller group -- so they actually saw more.

 

If you search on this board for Blue Nile, you'll find more info. Don't just give up and stay local -- the pyramids are definitely worth it.

 

Haven't been to Libya, sorry.

[YAC]

We used Best Way Travel in Sept 2007. Dahlia was very prompt in answering all of my emails. Since there were 4 "groups" from our ship using BEst Way Travel, we did our own caravan. If anything, the cruise tour buses looked more like a target than our small van! We left the port at 6:30 am; got to the pyramids at 8:00 am before all of the crowds. (the ship's tours didn't get there until 10:00 am!). We then went to the perfume & papyrus factory, the "store" as required by the tour guides, had lunch on the Nile and then to the Egytian Museum to view the entire King Tut's tomb before caravaning back to Alexandria for a short tour there ! We did all of this at a cost of more than half the cost of the ship's tour with only 4 people in our AC van! Heba was our guide - she is getting her masters in hierglific (sp?) and was very knowledgable and helpful in our entire trip. She made sure that we didn't get ripped off with the vendors and camel ride concessions at the pyramids as well! I would definitely recommend them! :D

[Wilba]

Thanks, All posters Regards Wilba

[MercedMike]

We convoyed from Port Said to Cairo, but returned to Alexandria alone in our van. We never felt in any danger. Our driver and guide pretty much laughed at the two teen age boys with machine guns who constituted our "convoy" guards.

 

We used EGYPTIAN EXPRESS and got wonderful service from them and saw some things most tourists never see.

 

Check out our trip report and pics at

http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/holyland2.html

 

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[Wilba]

Thank You. Excellent Report

[Bollinge]

We intend to travel to Cairo by high-speed (130 mph) train: http://www.seat61.com/Egypt.htm#How%20to%20book, rather than be cooped up in a bus for six hours across the desert!

 

So we will just get a taxi to the railway station, and then take taxis around the sights in Cairo.

 

Should be an adventure!

[Wilba]

That looks interesting as some of the reports about the driving standards put me off the coach/bus tours. Have you looked at the train schedules & how they fit in to the cruise stop. I'll spend some time, later in the day looking at the website. Thanks again but the beers are still on you.

[Bollinge]

That looks interesting as some of the reports about the driving standards put me off the coach/bus tours. Have you looked at the train schedules & how they fit in to the cruise stop. I'll spend some time, later in the day looking at the website. Thanks again but the beers are still on you.

 

Here's the latest timetables: http://www.egyptianrailways.com/downloads/pdf/ENR%202004%20Table%201.pdf

 

There's fast air-con trains to Cairo at 10.00 and 11.00, and coming back the 19.00 Turbo, arriving Alex at 21.10, looks favourite.

[Wilba]

Yes this looks more like it for me. Many thanks for your help.

[Tipsy252]

Bollinge, you seem like an expert on the trains ;) Do you know if there is a train service between Port Sokhana and Cairo? We will be docking there at 6am and leaving at 10pm.

[Bollinge]

I am no train spotter, but Port Sokhna is not listed in my copies of either Lonely Planet or Rough Guide to Egypt.

 

It seems Sokhna is an ugly new container port at the southern tip of the canal, 110km from Cairo. The train spotter's website above; "Seat61.com", does not mention a rail route in that direction, and I doubt there will be dozens of taxis plying for hire, so I guess you are stuck with Thomson's Cairo excursions at £68 a pop. Should be nice weather for sunbathing if you decide to stay on board.

 

Also I note "you can choose you own cabin", at £35 a throw. Wow!

 

What a rip-off.

 

Why not post a new thread asking if anyone else has been to Port Sokhna?

[Andiamo!]

Security is tight in Egypt, no doubt about it. They value tourism too much to take any risks. That said, I felt very safe on our overnight trip to Cairo. We did the ship's excursion, BUT I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a private tour, having heard firsthand about others' experiences. Many members of the CC group on our cruise used Blue Nile to arrange an overnight trip to Cairo (drop off in Port Said and back to the ship at the end of day 2 in Alexandria) that was practically identical to what we did for far less $$$$ and also much easier to get around due to a smaller group -- so they actually saw more.

 

If you search on this board for Blue Nile, you'll find more info. Don't just give up and stay local -- the pyramids are definitely worth it.

 

Haven't been to Libya, sorry.

 

The name is actually Nile Blue Tours and their website is *****. I've used them twice and they are the best! One person said that their excursion was better than the Princess one that they had done the year before, but it was only 1/4 the price. Another person said that in 30 cruises it was the best private excursion they had ever done. Ask for Hazem. He gets a lot of business through Cruise Critic and you can be sure you'll get a great tour at a great price.

[optex]

Tipsy 252

We lived in Cairo for 3 years (2000-03) and used to go regularly to a place called Ain Sokhna (which means "hot eye"). It is about 110k from Cairo on the sea and must be very close to your port as the name is similar.

 

There wasn't much there...smallish town and a number of resort hotels. Definitely no train. But as it is so close to Cairo you would be well placed to contact one of the agents mentioned on this board and arrange a private tour. Definitely there were not really any security issues - other than some poor drivers ;) - on the road to Cairo. It is a fairly new road, straight and in fairly good shape.

 

Have fun!:)

[cruisemom42]

The name is actually Nile Blue Tours and their website is *****. I've used them twice and they are the best! One person said that their excursion was better than the Princess one that they had done the year before, but it was only 1/4 the price. Another person said that in 30 cruises it was the best private excursion they had ever done. Ask for Hazem. He gets a lot of business through Cruise Critic and you can be sure you'll get a great tour at a great price.

 

 

Hi Vicki -- sorry, I always get that backwards!!

 

I read your "Live From" thread and wished I was along. Maybe next year will consider again, if I don't get on the "Holy Lands and Egypt" cruise (waitlisted).

[Bollinge]

We just returned from an independent day out to Cairo from Alexandria by train.

 

The hardest part is getting a taxi from the port to the nearby railway station, which is fifteen minutes away in the Alex traffic.

 

There are blue taxis inside the port gates, but they really do not want to take you where you want to go. They will give you every excuse under the sun why you should go where they say, e.g. on tour with them in their beat up old Lada on dangerous roads (traffic wise) 110 miles to Cairo.

 

So here's the deal, walk straight out the port gates and get a yellow and black cab - there's no problem - the driver will come to you.

 

See if he speaks English, and knows more than "yes". Check that the cab exists, and the seat belts and engine work, and offer him $10 (about five times the proper fare) to the station. He too will want to take you on a tour of Cairo/Alexandria, but be steadfast.

 

Ask to stop at an ATM (Visa machine, they call it) and withdraw Egyptian pounds, or go to an exchange booth or bank. You will need 50 EGP for the Pyramids, 50 EGP for the museums, and 35 or 42 for the trains each way, plus cah for incidentals and baksheesh. Check the current exchange rate here: www.xe.net

 

The first class booking office is inside the station, on the far left as you face the tracks, near the Stationmaster's office. Get your computerised reserved first class seat tickets from the window. I think you can book your return seats at the same time.

 

Often a helpful local will sidle up to you to guide you to the ticket office, and then to your train carriage. Give him a dollar or two of baksheesh.

 

Settle down in your reclining seat, in the seen-better-days air-conditioned carriage for the two hour 45 min or two hour 10 min journey to Cairo. A trolley comes round with ice cold bottled water, Cokes and non alcoholic beer every hour or so.

 

Gaze out at the pastoral landscape which is amazingly lush, and horse drawn carts and ducks and donkeys and sheep and water buffalo, and the giant piles of garbage strewn across the tracks. The farmers harvesting by hand, as they would have done in the time of the Pharoahs.

 

When you get to Cairo Ramses station, ask one of the many Tourist Police to arrange a cab for your tour. Again check out the car as above. We arranged a four and half hour tour for 35 Euros.

 

If you need the loo, there are various 5 star hotels en route, where for the price of a drink you can use their clean facilities. Make sure you get dropped off outside the main gates of the Pyramids, as otherwise you will find yourself at the taxi driver's friend's camel/horse/carriage rental office some way away, and then have to pay for a camel ride to the gates. Still, it might be fun to go for a camel ride.

 

We then went to the Egyptian Museum to see the King Tut exhibition on the first floor. Fantastic. Over the road is a Hilton with a bar and clean toilets.

 

And that's it. We felt completely safe, except on the Cairo roads! There are Tourist Police everywhere.

 

If you have never been to the Third World before, you might prefer the ship's excursion, as Egypt on your own can be somewhat stressful. However it was well worth it.

 

The Egyptians are lovely people, many if not most are struggling to make a living. We thoroughly enjoyed our day out, and have many more stories to tell.

[Wilba]

Good Morning Bollinge. I'll write my report on Cairo by Blue Private Hire later.

[cruisemom42]

We just returned from an independent day out to Cairo from Alexandria by train.

 

The hardest part is getting a taxi from the port to the nearby railway station, which is fifteen minutes away in the Alex traffic.

 

There are blue taxis inside the port gates, but they really do not want to take you where you want to go. They will give you every excuse under the sun why you should go where they say, e.g. on tour with them in their beat up old Lada on dangerous roads (traffic wise) 110 miles to Cairo.

 

So here's the deal, walk straight out the port gates and get a yellow and black cab - there's no problem - the driver will come to you.

 

See if he speaks English, and knows more than "yes". Check that the cab exists, and the seat belts and engine work, and offer him $10 (about five times the proper fare) to the station. He too will want to take you on a tour of Cairo/Alexandria, but be steadfast.

 

Ask to stop at an ATM (Visa machine, they call it) and withdraw Egyptian pounds, or go to an exchange booth or bank. You will need 50 EGP for the Pyramids, 50 EGP for the museums, and 35 or 42 for the trains each way, plus cah for incidentals and baksheesh. Check the current exchange rate here: www.xe.net

 

The first class booking office is inside the station, on the far left as you face the tracks, near the Stationmaster's office. Get your computerised reserved first class seat tickets from the window. I think you can book your return seats at the same time.

 

Often a helpful local will sidle up to you to guide you to the ticket office, and then to your train carriage. Give him a dollar or two of baksheesh.

 

Settle down in your reclining seat, in the seen-better-days air-conditioned carriage for the two hour 45 min or two hour 10 min journey to Cairo. A trolley comes round with ice cold bottled water, Cokes and non alcoholic beer every hour or so.

 

Gaze out at the pastoral landscape which is amazingly lush, and horse drawn carts and ducks and donkeys and sheep and water buffalo, and the giant piles of garbage strewn across the tracks. The farmers harvesting by hand, as they would have done in the time of the Pharoahs.

 

When you get to Cairo Ramses station, ask one of the many Tourist Police to arrange a cab for your tour. Again check out the car as above. We arranged a four and half hour tour for 35 Euros.

 

If you need the loo, there are various 5 star hotels en route, where for the price of a drink you can use their clean facilities. Make sure you get dropped off outside the main gates of the Pyramids, as otherwise you will find yourself at the taxi driver's friend's camel/horse/carriage rental office some way away, and then have to pay for a camel ride to the gates. Still, it might be fun to go for a camel ride.

 

We then went to the Egyptian Museum to see the King Tut exhibition on the first floor. Fantastic. Over the road is a Hilton with a bar and clean toilets.

 

And that's it. We felt completely safe, except on the Cairo roads! There are Tourist Police everywhere.

 

If you have never been to the Third World before, you might prefer the ship's excursion, as Egypt on your own can be somewhat stressful. However it was well worth it.

 

The Egyptians are lovely people, many if not most are struggling to make a living. We thoroughly enjoyed our day out, and have many more stories to tell.

 

Thanks for an excellent and detailed report. Having done the ship's tour previously, I would definitely opt to try this on a future trip.

[Wilba]

We did the trip from Alexandria to Cairo by Blue Private Hire Car. We started with the intention of doing taxi to the train station & then train – taxi into Giza as per Bollinge’s trip. On reaching the exit of Alexandria Port we were accosted by a taxi man who spoke good English & given the spiel that a car for the day would be quicker & more convenient than our original plan & we would see & do far more by risking life & limb with him. The ’taxi’ was a Peugeot 7 seater Estate of an unknown vintage & looked like it had entered a Demolition Derby on the previous day. Off we go into the streets of the town where no traffic rules apply & 5 minutes into ride we hit traffic, literally, as a Yellow & Black Cab had not left enough room for our man to get into the next lane, he ‘booted’ him up the rear to make sufficient space to drive through. The drivers never even looked at each other as we drove past. This is going to be a fun day out!!!

Onto the desert toll road for 140 miles to Cairo with 4 lanes each side, but with a squeeze 5 & 6 cars can often be overtaking each other, any speed, any lane. We passed the tour bus convoy with their armed guards following in trucks. After an hour or so we stopped at a service area with typical facility’s & the added bonus of waiter service, a small zoo park with Deer, Llamas, Flamingo’s etc. Eventually we reached Cairo where the traffic is even worse & the local ‘centre’ busses had to be seen to be believed. We stopped at the Papyrus Museum & local Bazzar for 30 mins & then onto Memphis (Giza) to the Pyramids. 50 £Egp pp to enter (5 Quid in English) & this is where the taxi came into its own, as we could drive to the top of the hill (about a mile) for photo’s of all 3 pyramids, back into the taxi down get close up & touchy with the 2 smaller pyramids & then taxi again down to the Sphinx. If you are on a coach this means a lot of walking or camel/horse/donkey ride at your expense. By now our bravery is reaching heroic proportions, so we tell our man to take us for a local meal. He took us to a small restaurant in Giza where the owner spoke good English. We had salad, brown rice, sheesh kebabs, lamb & chicken, cooked on a charcoal grill plus bottled water, cokes & fanta. You would think we had never eaten for a week as we devoured the overladen plates & left nothing.

Back onto the desert toll road, flat out in the taxi, 120 kms an hour in lane 4, 2 tuk tuks come the other way side by side in lanes 1 & 2 taking a ‘short cut’.

On reaching Alexandria we went to a large out of town shopping mall for about 30 mins. & then a final tour of the city before going back to the ship. We were out 11 hours in total. The whole day including all our food & drink, taxi fare, tip came to £35 GBP per person for five of us.

The Egyptians are a most welcoming race of people & everyone we had contact with, including police, security & shopkeepers said welcome to our country & none of us felt the slightest bit threatened at any point in the day. It will certainly go down in our memory as one of the highlights of our cruising background. So if your adventurous, streetwise & travel savvy, give it a go, it’s more fun than a tour bus, that’s for sure.