*Meditations, gatherings, seminar time with Austyn Wells will take place on the boat, hotel, and sites throughout the tour. Exact times to be announced on site.

With ongoing global weather patterns, changes are happening also in Egypt. Egypt is desert. The following is a very broad general range.  Please check the weather report as time gets closer to your trip departure. 

With mostly clear blue skies, expect winter temperatures to fluctuate from daytime highs of mid 70’s to nighttime lows of mid 50’s. 

Springtime, March to May, averages between low 80’s to mid-90’s, falling to low 70’s in the evening.

Summertime can fluctuate from a pleasant 90 to highs of 102.

Please see the separate list of what to bring. Make sure you bring a sun hat, sunglasses, and comfortable shoes and loose-fitting clothing for comfort while traveling. Don't forget a sweater and/or jacket. (Refer to What to Take to Egypt List).

Modest dress is always recommended and even almost mandatory. Teri has been traveling to Egypt for decades and the locals know our groups. It would be embarrassing if someone from her group was dressed inappropriately. Thank you for your understanding on that.

Women should be respectful of local traditions and wear modest clothes. It is recommended not to wear provocative clothing, sleeveless or very tight-fitting tops, low-cut tops, or spaghetti straps. No stretch pants, bare midriffs, or shorts that are too short, please.

Plan on loose-fitting, non-see-through clothes covering the shoulders and at least to the elbows; no cleavage, please. No leotard tops, sleeveless or very tight-fitting tops, low-cut tops, spaghetti straps, tank tops, or sheer tops showing bras underneath, short-shorts, nothing that would show thong underwear, no bare midriffs or yoga pants please. Shorts ¾ length to just above the knee are fine.

Bathing suits for women:  There are pools at the hotels and a jacuzzi on the boat. Please no bikinis or thongs, suits showing cleavage, or suits without breast pads; higher necked suits are preferred. A beach cover to slip on while walking around the pool is highly recommended.

While sandals or open-toed shoes are fine, many of the sightseeing areas are dusty so it is recommended to wear sturdy walking shoes.

CARRY-ON FLIGHT BAG

Carry all valuables in flight bag with you on the plane; this includes passport, cash, camera, etc.; also carry with you one change of comfortable clothes (in case the airlines temporarily misplace your luggage), cosmetics, disposable razors, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, any essential medicines, packs of moist towelettes, and tissues. Name tags INSIDE and OUTSIDE of all luggage, including flight bags and purses.

LUGGAGE

PLEASE BRING ONLY ONE SUITCASE. Luggage space allowances on touring buses can be small. When most people travel, they tend to pack FAR TOO MUCH. A rule of thumb to follow:  Pack as light as you possibly can…then remove 30%!!!  We strongly suggest only one suitcase with perhaps a second fold-up suitcase inside it to take home souvenirs. Porters will take care of your luggage at the hotels and on your yacht/sailing boat.

It is always a good idea to have a piece of colorful ribbon or yarn or a strap on your suitcase to identify it as yours as many suitcases look alike.

LUGGAGE TAGS:  Please use the luggage tags provided to make your luggage identifiable as part of our Power Places group in Egypt and therefore easier for our luggage handlers to identify. If you only have one piece of luggage, use the second tag for your carry-on bag. Please fill out the card on the luggage tags with your name the same as you have given it to us for our records - no nicknames here please. All luggage including carry-on items, purses, backpacks, cameras, and luggage carriers must have your name and email on it. It is not essential, however, that the Power Places luggage tag be on your carry-on if you plan to carry it yourself to your hotel room, etc.

LAUNDRY

The hotels and sailing ship provide good laundry service and there is no need to bring a great deal of clothing. Laundry service is convenient, reliable, and quick.  Prices are inexpensive on the boat, and reasonable at the hotels.

WATER

It is recommended to drink at least ten glasses of water every day in addition to any other beverages you may have.

Drink and rinse with bottled water only. It is readily available in hotels and on the yacht/sailing boat and in all areas we visit.

FOOD

Food in general, especially in the deluxe hotels and yacht/sailing boat where we stay, is fresh, well-prepared, and tasty. You may, however, want to take precautions and eat only food that has been cooked and fresh fruit that can be peeled. Be very cautious when eating at local restaurants. Check with your tour manager for recommended restaurants with high standards of hygiene in the kitchen.

Mobile phone photos and videos are allowed at all sites. If you wish to shoot with a regular camera or film, some sites require an additional charge.

Keep in mind that filming in many museums, monuments and tombs is prohibited. As it is prohibited to photograph public buildings, police stations, or military objects. Once inside, flash photography is generally forbidden, and rules should be strictly followed.

There are a variety of rules governing photography and film of different sites and monuments. Emil will let us know at the time. These restrictions are in the interest of preservation of these fragile sites. Signs are usually posted in restricted areas. Please obey these signs. If you ignore these signs in restricted areas, you can be ejected from the site and it is very likely your equipment will be confiscated.

CURRENCY

Egypt’s currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, LE). Its most common denominations are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200-pound notes.

Automated teller machines (ATMs) are common throughout Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and Hurghada, where we will be. If you are drawing on funds from a foreign bank during your stay in Egypt, you will find ATMs a convenient and relatively economical means of obtaining the cash you need.

The exchange rate you get may vary from machine to machine. All of them will charge a slight fee for the conversion (based on the amount you are going to withdraw).

Also, make sure you notify your bank of your travel plans – the last thing you want is to find your account locked after your bank sees several charges pop up from overseas!

Credit and debit cards: You will find that trendier, upscale clubs, bars, restaurants, and shops in Egypt will take major credit and debit cards.

In terms of daily life, the country is very much a cash-driven society, you will not find many grocery stores or local shops that take credit or debit cards. As a general rule, it is probably prudent to keep a couple of hundred pounds on you at all times.

It is a good idea to bring many (40 or so) $1 USD bills or 1 Euro coins. These can be used for small purchases when no one seems to have change, and it is very useful at the end of the trip, so you don't have to change more than you need. It is suggested to charge things to your room, where possible, near the end of the trip, and then when you check out and ascertain the total amount you owe, you can change whatever you need for the exact amount at the hotel's bank.

SHOPPING/MONEY

From our experience, count on an extra $400 plus per week just for meals and $400 for other incidentals, not including any significant shopping you may do, or the optional  gratuities. Keep cash in locked suitcase, in-room safe (available at all hotels and on the boat), or on your person at all times.

Do not change money for Egyptian money in the U.S. The rate will be much better in Egypt and banks and ATMs are available throughout Egypt. There are also currency exchanges at both of your hotels. Do not stop and change money when you are in the airport in Cairo or Aswan.

Credit/debit cards are accepted in most places while you are in larger cities, however, plan to have cash on hand for those places that accept cash only. MasterCard and Visa are commonly accepted; however, American Express is not widely accepted everywhere. We recommend calling your credit card company ahead of time to inform them of your destination and dates of travel to prevent fraud alerts or usage blocks.

Egypt is a shopper's paradise, from rugs to brass, silver and gold items, leather goods and wonderful artifacts. However, in Egypt the term "Buyer Beware" could not be truer. In most cases, you will have to bargain, and even after intense bargaining you often will not get a bargain! Merchants will have you believing all sorts of made-up stories to make a sale. Furthermore, if anyone brings you to a store, even a taxi driver, that person will later return to the store and receive a good commission on what you bought.

GRATUITIES/TIPPING

Tipping is really a heart offering and is always optional and up to each individual. People are frequently uncertain about tipping, or "baksheesh" as it is known in Egypt and ask us for guidelines. 

For Emil Shaker, your expert Egyptologist/archaeologist, who will be your guide and accompany the group throughout the program, it is recommended that you plan on $18-$20/day. Egyptians in the tourism industry prefer to receive USD instead of Egyptian pounds. Theresa will be giving everyone envelopes. It is customary to include a little note of appreciation in addition to the gratuity.   Traditionally, the gratuities are presented to the guide at the end of the tour. Teri will collect the envelopes from everyone when we are in Cairo at the end of the trip and put them in one large envelope and do a presentation to Emil at our final celebration dinner.

Miscellaneous gratuities for the hotels and boat staff, porters, and porters at the airport are paid by us (except for camel and Arabian horse rides where there is a customary $1-$2 tip after you get off the horse or camel!), and therefore these miscellaneous tips (including porterage) are not necessary for you to pay. Of course, if someone does an errand out of the ordinary, feel free to tip them.

Tipping is entirely up to you, and the amount also depends on whether they have done something special for you. Remember, these are only suggestions, and it is optional.

One last word on "baksheesh", a national custom in Egypt. In Egypt, "baksheesh" or tipping can be taken advantage of by certain segments of the tourist infrastructure, the camel drivers, carriage and taxi drivers, and the guards at the temple sites. The local neighborhood children sometimes even get into the act! Know that whatever you tip the camel driver or taxi driver, etc., will never be enough. They know all the tricks on how to elicit a guilty feeling to increase the "baksheesh". So, tip if you wish, but feel free to firmly say "no" when appropriate and enjoy the "baksheesh" game in Egypt!

Please feel free to contact us as 800-234-8687 or email [email protected] for any questions. You will receive a final traveler’s letter 6 weeks before departure with important information as you get ready to depart.