Egypt and the Valley of the Kings

Egypt has experienced a sustained period of relative calm and peace since their latest regional flare-up ended over 10 years ago.  The governments of Canada, USA, and the UK currently do not advise against travel to the areas on this itinerary (Cairo and tourist areas along the Nile River).  That said, it's important to use the resources provided by these official governement sources to ensure you are making informed travel choices about any destination you're interested in traveling to.  For extra safety, the Tourist Police have copies of our itinerary and know of our whereabouts at all times. Occasionally we'll be escorted by an officer, as is common practice for all tour groups in Egypt. 

Local attitudes towards LGBT people mean that this trip may not be right for all travellers.  While homosexuality isn't illegal in Egypt, it isn't socially tolerated by most Egyptians.  To help improve the comfort, enjoyment, and safety of our travellers Detours partners with local LGBT-friendly inbound operators and accommodation, and uses private services including local guides and transportation.  We encourage travelers to respect local customs and behaviors while in Egypt and any country they visit.
In any country that we operate in, we encourage our travelers to respect the local culture, and this should be applied to modesty within a majority-Muslim country such as Egypt.  For the safety and comfort of your fellow group members as well as your own, we require that you do not engage in any public displays of affection.  The use of online meet-up apps is also discouraged in Egypt.  Outside of our group itself, this particular trip is not one with a LGBT-focus.

While this part of the world is known for its hot and sunny climate, we've scheduled our Egypt trips outside of the hottest months of the year to get those great hot-but-not-too-hot days with plenty of sunshine! 

March/April: In locations like Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan, average high temperatures in March/April range from around 20 to 27°C (68 to 81°F). These temperatures provide comfortable conditions for outdoor activities and sightseeing. Average low temperatures during the night range from approximately 11 to 17°C (52 to 63°F) 

October in Egypt offers delightful weather with milder temperatures, making it an ideal time for outdoor exploration. The scorching summer heat starts to dissipate, providing a more comfortable climate for travellers.

In cities like Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan, as well as the Nile Valley, daytime temperatures range from 25°C to 30°C (77°F to 86°F). The evenings start to become cooler as well, with temperatures ranging from 16°C to 20°C (61°F to 68°F).
The weather in October is generally sunny and pleasant, allowing for enjoyable outdoor activities and sightseeing. However, it's still advisable to wear sunscreen, bring a hat, and dress in layers to accommodate temperature fluctuations throughout the day. 

We highly recommend wearing shirts that breathe (i.e. anything but cotton!) 

Traditional Egyptian cuisine includes many legumes and vegetables and closely resembles cuisines of Eastern Mediterranean countries.  While there are a lot of vegetarian options here, meat-eaters need not worry as there's plenty of options too.  Think shawarma, hummus, kofta, pita bread, and kebab.  In the areas that we'll be visiting on this trip you'll have the opportuity to experience the local cuisine, while also having varied other options as well.  Tea is the national drink so you'll find lots of it!  And if you're looking for alcohol, don't worry, it's not actually that hard to find. While local Muslims avoid alcohol, there are many non-Muslims who enjoy drinking in Egypt.

The tax on liquor is significantly higher than other alcohol in Egypt, so you might find yourself choosing a local Egyptian wine (yep, that's a thing!) or a beer instead of a cocktail or mixed drink.

You'll want to pack for warm weather in Egypt, so plenty of short-sleeved shirts (ideally not cotton as they don't breathe well in the scorching heat), and shorts to ensure you're comfortable outside in the sun. 
While the majority of this trip will be very casual and t-shirts and shorts are completely accepted (just not short-shorts, like booty shorts), you may want to bring a few button-up shirts for nice meals - along with your swimwear and tanktops of course!  Comfortable walking shoes are very important on this trip so make this your priority footwear.  No hiking shoes required.  Flip-flops or sandals can be nice for the boat too.  On the Nile cruise there's a dress code for dinner only, where pants must be worn.

It's a good idea to pack a little bug repellent, as the flies can get a little frustrating at times. 

Egypt uses the "Egyptian Pound" as their official currency.  While many places accept (and prefer!) US Dollars, you'll generally get a better price when using their local currency.  There are NO currency exchange shops around Egypt, only one at the airport on your departure out of Egypt (it's located after you've passed through passport control). 

We advise arriving to Egypt with the following: 5-7 USD tip for the welcome concierge service, 5 USD tip for the driver (airport to hotel), and your bank card to withdraw EGP from any of the 5 ATMs in the hotel lobby. The maximum you can withdraw per transation is 4000 EGP and you will be able to withdraw from multiple machines (and/or withdraw as you go). You could arrive with 1,000 EGP to ensure you're ready for those first little necessities but the ATMs will dispense smaller bills and are very conveniently located in the hotel lobby. Just remember to always deny conversion (for the better exchange). Credit cards are accepted in all of our hotels for personal meals (not group meals), and on our cruise but cash will be necessary for things like tips and all group meals and optional activities/entrance fees.

If possible, it's always a good idea to travel internationally with a credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.  The savings will add up over the course of your trip and may end up being worth the work of getting a new card prior to your trip.  Once you're overseas, if presented with the option to pay in the local currency or your home currency, we suggest always choosing the local currency to further avoid fees.

Tipping is a large part of the tourism industry in Egypt.  Those who work in the tourism industry in Egypt have come to expect tips at almost every interaction, and that's why we encourage our groups to participate in the tip pool at the beginning of the trip (approximately 70 USD per person) as it takes away the frustration of always looking for cash, and allows our guide to appropriately tip service staff along the way.  Your trip leader and guide will cover this topic during your welcome talk/drink. As is standard in the industry, most travellers budget around $10-15 USD per day for their trip leader.

On this particular trip we've chosen big-brand hotels as they provide a higher level of comfort and safety than the smaller boutique properties that we use in other destinations.  They're beautiful properties, all in great locations, with fantastic reputations that we're sure you're going to love!  Just note that the 5-star designation can mean different things to different people and in different countries so we encourage you to check out the listed properties online to get a better understanding if this is something that concerns you.  A 5 star ranking in one country is not always the same as a 5 star ranking in another.

You'll have one trip leader and Hend, our local guide - during your entire Egyptian adventure! Our leaders are a big part of the success of your experience with us and their job is to help ensure that this is your trip of a lifetime by taking the hassle out of your trip and enabling you to experience everything you came to Egypt for.  Don't hesitate to ask them questions along the way and let them know if there's something that can make your trip more enjoyable.

In most of the destinations we operate in, we avoid scheduling activities or transfers early in the morning.  However, given the heat and crowds that reach the sites on this itinerary in the mid-day, we know that the best time to experience Egypt is in the early mornings.  That's why, on this particular itinerary only, days tend to start quite early to avoid that heat and those crowds.  While our scheduled activities and tours may start together at 6am-7am most days, you may even choose optional activities that begin earlier than this, such as hot air balloon rides or a trip to Abu Simbel.  If you're looking for a "stay up late, sleep in late" type of trip, this may not be the right itinerary for you.

While there is no minimum group size on a trip, the maximum group size is 16.  Ages of group members vary but travellers are generally in their 30's to 60's. Whatever the age of the guests, everyone's already got something in common, an exciting new experience in a new country! We welcome everyone onto our trips although it’s important to know that most groups are made up of entirely gay men.

No problem! Don’t worry, at least half our travellers come solo and our trip will provide plenty of chances to meet great people within the group, including other solo travellers. As far as your accommodations go, you’ve got two choices. We can either pair you up with another solo group member in a two-bed room for no extra charge, or you can have your own room for a very reasonable surcharge. 

Egypt uses the same plug shape that most of Europe uses, with two circular pins.  The voltage is 230V with 50 Hz frequency. These days, the majority of items that are plugged into an outlet are built to handle varying voltage and frequency levels, but just to be sure, we suggest checking your item for its acceptable range.

To ensure you don't lose connection along the way, your mobile phone provider likely has several roaming options available.  We suggest reaching out to them prior to the trip to find out which package is right for you as it will depend on how much you intend to use your phone while travelling.  Keep in mind that all accommodation and most restaurants have free WiFi available as well. 

A NOTE ABOUT WIFI IN EGYPT: Specifically, the Nile cruise operates on a SIM-based WiFi system, which often has weak signals especially when docked close to other ships. The WiFi is also only available in one common area on the ship. Please remember that there are still many places in the world where signal strength won't be as good as what you might be used to at home, so we encourage you to exercise patience and understanding - or to go grab a cocktail and chat with other guests up on the sundeck as you watch the world pass you by, you're here to enjoy it after all!