Essential Trip Information: Egypt Family Adventure
Passports, visas, and entry requirements
PASSPORT & VISA REQUIREMENTS
A valid passport is required for international travel, and your passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond your travel dates. Most countries will not allow you to enter if your passport expires less than 6 months after your travel dates, so please make sure to check your expiration date.
A visa is currently required for travel to Egypt if you are a citizen of the U.S., Canada, and most other countries. For convenience, we recommend applying through a visa service such as Visa HQ. We recommend starting the process as soon as possible after booking your trip in case of any delays.
Required documentation for minors: If a participating child is traveling without both parents, a notarized letter from the non-traveling parent or guardian must give permission for the minor to travel. You may be required to present this in order to board your flight, on arrival into or departure from Egypt, and/or on arrival back in your home country. Additional detail, including guidance for parents or guardians with sole custody of a child, can be found here.
Medical and health information
HEALTH
All travelers need to be in good physical health in order to participate fully in the trip. Please read the itinerary carefully and assess your and your children's ability to participate. We recommend consulting with your doctor before traveling, including for necessary vaccinations.
DRINKING WATER
Drinking tap water in Egypt is not recommended. Please stick to bottled water.
Food and dietary requirements
Please be sure to inform us of any food allergies or dietary requirements. Most common dietary restrictions can be accommodated, but please contact us if you have a severe allergy or particular concerns.
Accommodation
ROOM CONFIGURATIONS
Your rooming configuration will depend on the number of family members you're traveling with. Parties of 2 (i.e., one adult and one child) typically share a room, unless individual rooms are requested (at a supplement of $715 per person, subject to availability). Parties of 3 (e.g., two parents and one child) typically have two rooms—one shared by two people in the party and one single room (subject to a supplement of $715)—that are connected or adjoining whenever possible. Larger parties will typically share multiple rooms—two rooms for a party of 4, three rooms for a party of 5 or 6, etc. The single supplement of $715 applies for anyone needing their own, unshared room.
If you have questions or a particular rooming preference, please don't hesitate to contact us. Please note that unshared, single rooms and adjoining or connecting rooms are subject to hotel availability.
OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
It's rare, but occasionally we need to switch hotels and stay somewhere other than what's listed on the itinerary. This can happen if the service level of a hotel has unexpectedly declined, for example, or if the hotel makes a mistake with our reservation (again, very rare). If we do need to change hotels, we always strive to find an alternative of at least a similar standard.
ACCOMMODATION STYLE
In Cairo and Luxor, we stay in comfortable, convenient 4- and 5-star hotels. We also spend one night in private sleeper cars on the train from Cairo to Luxor. The sleeper cars are cozy but comfortable, and a fun part of the adventure! Let us know if you have questions and we'll be happy to provide more detail.
CHECK-IN TIME
Many flights from the U.S. arrive in Cairo early in the morning. If your flight lands before noon, we recommend booking early check-in at the hotel in order to have access to your room upon arrival. Please get in touch if you'd like assistance with early check-in or pre- and post-tour accommodations. Early check-in, late checkout, and extra nights are subject to availability at the time of booking.
Money matters
SPENDING MONEY
ATMs are available in Cairo and Luxor, but we recommend bringing a few hundred dollars in cash. It's helpful to have in case you want to make any purchases shortly after arriving, before you have a chance to go to the ATM. It's also helpful to have some cash just in case you have any issues with the ATMs. You can exchange currency for Egyptian pounds at major airports in the U.S. or at the Cairo Airport.
Most of what a typical traveler would spend money on is included in the cost of your trip—accommodations, guides, group activities, most meals—but you'll want to have some spending money for non-group meals, souvenirs, and other odds and ends, especially if you want to explore during free time away from the group.
TIPPING
Tips are included for all service providers during group activities and meals, with the exception of a customary tip for your trip leader. For a 7-day trip, we recommend $60–$100 per person for excellent service, though it's of course entirely optional.
Packing
We'll be adding a packing list here shortly!
Phone and internet access
The hotels we use have pretty reliable wi-fi, but if you want to have full use of your phone while traveling, we recommend checking with your provider to make sure you'll have service in Egypt. (With many providers and plans, you'll get a text on arrival with the choice to opt in to get international service for a fee.) If needed, you can get a prepaid sim card on arrival at Cairo Airport. When you leave the Arrival Hall, there are booths inside on the left for the mobile phone providers Vodafone, Etisalat, and Orange.
Other than scanning the QR codes in your Adventure Toolkit each morning for daily audio dispatches from Wow in the World hosts Mindy and Guy, we encourage everyone to limit phone use while on tour in order to fully participate and be present with your fellow travelers.
Safety
We recommend that you check your government's advice for the latest travel information before departure. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Petty crime like pickpocketing is fairly common in Cairo and Luxor, as it is in most major cities in the world. You may want to bring a neck wallet or money belt for your passport and cash. We strongly recommend leaving expensive jewelry (dress is casual) and other valuables at home. The hotels have safety deposit boxes which we recommend using for any valuables you do bring. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage.
Your trip leader will accompany you on all included activities, but you'll have some free time to explore on your own if you choose to. (You can also just relax at the hotels.) While your trip leader can make recommendations, please use your own judgment about what feels comfortable and safe.
Itinerary changes
Please keep in mind that itineraries can change. Our trip leaders do their best to stay on top of a variety of factors that can impact your travel experience, from weather to transport schedules (sometimes a train or plane gets delayed) to traffic conditions. The sometimes need to adapt plans on the fly based on changing conditions, always with the safety and enjoyment of our group as top priorities. Your trip leader will keep you up to date if changes need to be made.