I did the cruise to Egypt a couple of years ago and the people who organise the trips will change your CYP into Egypt currency so there's no need to worry... We changed some money on the coach if i remember just for the trip your on.

Best to get "low" notes as well as most of the time you haggle for the goods you want...

Hi, We went on the 1 day trip to Cairo by air in March, and took Cypriot money, especially 1 pound notes, with us. We didn't need any Egyptian money, they seem to take Cypriot everywhere that we went. When we bought a drink on the nile cruise, we got the change in Egyptian currency (not a problem as we left it as a tip )
We really enjoyed the trip, although it is a very long day, and thought it well worth the money.

Thanks guys and gals

I think I will take a few low value notes in Egyptian money (get that changed at the airport). The rest will be CYP as they seem to accept that OK or credit card if needed for anything bigger.

Cheers again.

If you do the same trip as me, the only 'bigger' thing you'll buy is the perfume.

Hugo Boss for men, I think, is called Ramases over there. Very cheap.

And as previously mentioned Cypriot cash is perfectly alright, we didn't take any Egyptian.

Look bemused when they come out with some English phrases. Watch out for the 'luvly jubbly' local at the pyramids. He'll ask you if you know his brother in Bradford.

agree about the money, we met luverly jubbly at the pyramids - had to pretend to be spanish... that threw him!!

ATB,J.

Hi

I was interested to see that some members have taken a day flight from Cyprus to Cairo.

I would be glad of any details e.g. how to book, cost, timings, airports used (can you go Paphos to Cairo?), were the trips 'all in' packages and airlines who provide the service also any other info that might be helpful.
This would be for October 2006.

Thanks
Jael

Hi Jael - we did the 1 day fly trip to Cairo at the end of the June from Paphos. It wasn't cheap, but it was an absolutely fantastic experience.

We booked with Pafo Rentals next to the Athena Royal and paid with our credit card. We've just had our statement this morning and it converted to 480GBP for the 2 of us.

We were picked up at 6.15am (last pick up) for the 8am flight which takes 55minutes and breakfast is included. We travelled in a convoy of 4 air-con buses to the Giza plateau for the pyramids and sphynx, lunch at the Le Meridien Pyramid hotels, entrance to Cairo Museum (the obligatory stop at a jewellers and papyrus 'museum'), dinner on the Nile cruise and stopping at the El Khalilli bazaar before our flight back at 11pm at which we were served a light supper and wine. We arrived back our our hotel at about 12.30am (first stop)

So, although expensive, we had a fabulous time and felt it was well worth it. There are optional extra's of a few pounds to enter the great pyramid and the mummies room in the museum, other than that entrance fees and meals are included.

We had a very knowledgeable tour guide and were escourted by guards on the bus and at the attractions and felt totally safe. We were warned about the sellers at Giza, but a polite no would see them off - luverly jubbly, ASDA-price, BOGOF and do you know Frank Lampard

The TO was Sea Island Tours. If you do go I would highly recommend them as they are (or so they told us) the only tour that includes the bazaar in the itinerary.

Let me know if I can help you with any more info.

Hi Saintscully

Thank you so much for your amazingly comprehensive reply .

It certainly sounds well worth doing. I recently did a cruise from Luxor to Aswan - which was terrific - and it would be good to have a look at the Cairo end, if only briefly.

Do you know if it's possible to book a 'both ways flight only' option?

Thanks again

Jael

Hi Jael - not sure if you can do the flight only. I think the EuroCypria flight we were on was chartered. Have you tried searching on Cyprus Airways site?

The only concern I would have doing DIY is obtaining the visa. We had a speedy transfer through Cairo airport only because we didn't have to wait for the visa. Our passports were taken from us and returned to us on the transfer back to the airport.

Good luck and let us know if you have any joy. I'd love to go back and spend longer in the museum especially - King Tut's treasures were a sight to behold.

saintscully, the trip sounds fab!

Do you know if the trip departs from Larnaca as well? What day was the trip on?

Thanks
Jaime C