egyptian property and tour specialists

Luxor Travel Guide

Luxor - A wonderful place to visit

Luxor is a wonderful place to visit. There are many unmissable sites to see for all age groups. However, like any overseas destination it can be very useful to understand the way of life in the area and how to get the best out of you stay.

Uncover Egypt have put together a few useful hints, which we hope will help all our travellers when they are in Luxor. We genuinely love Egypt and Luxor and wish every one to get the best from this wonderful place. Please fill free to contact us if there is anything we can help or advice you on to make your visit to Egypt more enjoyable.

Currency

The Egyptian Pound is worth approximately 10 Egyptian to 1 English Pound. Most hotels take credit cards and also change money for you. However, outside the hotels, shops, restaurants, and excursion centres, rarely take credit cards and have no credit card facilities. Egypt is predominantly a cash society.

You can use credit cards to withdraw money from cash machines in Luxor and the charges are not too high. Traveller's cheques are the best idea. Either US dollars or sterling. NEVER change money with any one other then banks, proper Bureaux de Change or within the hotels.

There is a high level of security with a very visible police presence. All tourist attractions have scanners for you to put your bags through. When travelling from Luxor to Hurgada the coaches travel in a convoy with police escort. This is a precautionary measure which has been in place since 1990 and is not meant to concern but to reassure you.

The climate in Luxor is good all year round with no rain fall to speak of. Summer months from the end of June to end of September can be very hot in day time peaking in August. Generally temperatures at this time are over 35çC and rarely fall below 30çC in the evening.

The coolest time of the year is January when the day time temperatures are usually around 21çC with night time dropping to 13çC. A cardigan or light weight jacket is recommended for the evenings during winter and spring months.

There are many traditional restaurants and a three course meal can cost as little as 35 Egyptian Pounds (£3.50 English) per head! Along the East bank river front there are numerous cafes and restaurants where you can eat, drink even smoke the shisha pipe whilst watching the busy activity of the Nile.

In the area know as the Old Bazaar there are many cafes to drink a glass of Kalkadi (Hibiscus drink) and smoke shisha pipe a great place to go to quench your thirst following some hard bargaining with the locals for Egyptian memorabilia! On the West bank there are a couple of local hotels with restaurants on rooftop terraces, the prefect place to view the beautiful Nile by night.

You may even be lucky enough to get a belly dancing show! Check with each restaurant in regard to alcoholic drinks. Most restaurants do supply a wide range of drinks including beer, wine, and spirits however some local restaurants don't serve alcohol.

Getting around in Luxor is easy and cheap. Taxis can be stopped in the street, agree a price before getting in. The cost of a taxi from Garranah Docks where the Nile Cruise boats dock into Luxor should cost no more than 25 Egyptian pounds (£2.50 English).

For the more adventurous there are the service buses which run through Luxor day and night. You can flag them down and pay no more than 2 Egyptian Pounds (20p English) per person for a trip through Luxor. You can book a transfer with Uncover Egypt from your hotel or cruise boat to the airport when arriving and leaving but if you prefer you can arrange for a hotel car to pick you up, this must be done in advance or take a taxi from the rank outside the airport.

To get from the East bank of the Nile to the West bank, the quickest way is too take either the ferry boat which costs 1 Egyptian Pound (10p English) or hire a small water taxi for approximately 25 Egyptian Pounds (£2.50 English).

There is plenty to buy in Luxor and shopping is a lively experience with no fixed prices. Always decide what you want to pay and be prepared to haggle. Silverware is well priced in Luxor and alabaster figures, bowls and candle holders are made here near the Valley of the Kings and very beautiful.

Of course there are many statues and other souvenirs of this wonderful city, the quality of which does vary, so it is better to shop around before purchasing. Shopkeepers want your business so they will call you to their premises but they are mostly genuinely friendly and kind, so a gentle push back if you are not interested is sufficient.

Don't forget bartering is a must, wherever you go, very few shops take credit cards, so make sure you have plenty of cash!!

Ensure prior to your trip that you have had all the necessary inoculations, check with your doctor for up to date information on requirements. Make sure that you have good comprehensive travel insurance for the duration of your trip.

There are hospitals in Luxor that will deal with your local medical needs. Major injuries however, would require a transfer to Cairo. There are many pharmacists, most who speak English and who act like doctors for minor ailments. So visit the pharmacist first for advice

All hotels have a doctor that they can call so this should always be your first port of call. On board the cruise ships there is always a First Aider and if required a doctor will be called to the boat at any of the docking points.

Egypt is a predominantly Muslim society with a small Christian population. The Egyptian people are however kind and tolerant and non judgemental. They respect other people's opinions and are very fond of the British.

However, this is a Muslim country and overtly sexual or overtly drunken behaviour is not tolerated. (A plus to most discerning travellers). Topless sunbathing is not acceptable; however dress styles for holidaymakers are the same as most sunshine destinations.

Egypt requires all Europeans to have a visa. A one entry tourist visa is available at the entry port in Egypt. Uncover Egypt can arrange the visa for you.

Please contact us for further details.