Travel Tips

Arabic is the official language & the mother tongue.

Hence, the first spoken foreign language is English, widely spoken, and understood as English speaking staff is available in different places.

However, if you can spend some time picking up a few words of Arabic, the locals will be delighted.

If an effort to understand or speak other languages (French, German, etc.) is exerted by some local persons or working personnel in some hotels and Nile cruisers, it is not a must

GMT +2.

Take extreme care of the dry Mediterranean climate (a bright sunny sky all through the year) and scorching weather high temperatures, especially during summer months.

Summers are sweltering at mid-day but cool off at night with a constant desert breeze; winters are mild but can be quite cold at night. Rain is rare, but there can be an occasional sand storm in the spring.

Average temperatures vary from 9 to 19C in winter and 22 to 40C in summer.

Make sure you keep your fluid by drinking plenty of bottled water available at many places.

During the busy itinerary, we advise guests to take care while sunbathing.

Sightseeing can be quite strenuous, and the worst thing to do on arrival back is to spend too long in the sun relaxing and sleeping!

You may not feel the sun’s exact strength while indoor, as you will encounter a lovely breeze.

Make sure you are very well protected against sunburn and dehydration while relaxing.

The unit of currency is the Egyptian Pound (often symbolized by the letters L.E.). This Pound is divided into 100 piasters.

Banknote: 100 Pounds – 50 Pounds – 20 Pounds – 10 Pounds – 5 Pounds – 1 Pound.

Coins: 1 Pound – 50 Piasters – 25 Piasters – 20 Piasters – 10 Piasters – 5 Piasters.

The electric current all over Egypt is 220 Volts – 220 AC, 50Hz.

2-pin plug sockets are typically used as the European standard plugs.

Do not use any other electrical equipment other than tape players, radios, hairdryers, and shavers in your room.

Onboard: smart casual attire is recommended in the evening, while informal clothing is suitable for the day.

For special events, suits and cocktail dresses would be the best choice for an enjoyable evening.
For land excursions: cotton clothes for summertime and light jackets for winter during the day.

Winter evenings are a bit cold. Comfortable, flat shoes (sneakers) are indispensable.

Lady’s shorts are not recommended.

Accommodation is on a Full Board basis.

Clients starting with lunch ending with Breakfast – Clients are starting with dinner ending with lunch.

The main restaurant is luxurious, with a seating capacity of 150 guests, and can accommodate all passengers at one seating. Aboard the Nile cruise ship, you will find a big bar and lounge.

You can enjoy your favorite wine or cocktail while enjoying the live entertainment or dressing up in a traditional Gallabiya for a party theme night.

As Egypt is a Muslim country, alcohol is not served everywhere.

They are available in hotels, bars, discotheques, and pubs, onboard the Nile cruisers, and most restaurants.
You may find alcohol quite expensive since taxation on such products is very high.

Imported beer and wine are more expensive than local products.

You can easily stay in touch with your business or home: international telephone and fax facilities are available, with direct telephone dialing from your room or suite.

If you dial any number in Egypt from abroad, the dialing code is +202, followed by the city’s principle and the number.

You can make international calls via your cruise reception or in hotels all over Egypt.

Calling international is expensive, and you will find that a minimum charge of a 3-minute call usually exists.

Often, you may be charged even there is no answer from the phone’s other ends that have been left to ring for a while. Please always check this before making your call.

Please note that our staff or tour leader/guides are not allowed to offer any medical advice.

They are, however, able to contact a doctor on your behalf should you need one.

They can also point out the nearest chemist.

Should you require any medical assistance while here, please advise your tour leader/guide.

Return Transfers from the airport to Hotels/Cruise (V.V) are included by Air-conditioned deluxe H/C – Geoota new Vehicle Cars with professional drivers.

The notice boards are in the reception, informing you of your itinerary and Program.

We kindly ask you to check the notice board daily to find out your Program for the following day, which will change each evening to inform you of the daily schedules, wake-up calls, meal times, and pick-up time.

Any necessary wake-up calls will be booked for you automatically unless you advise your tour leader/reception staff on the contrary.

If you leave the boat on your own and without your group, please be sure of the time the ship will be sailing.

Guests must ensure that they are back on board for at least 30 minutes before sailing time.

Please wear comfortable walking shoes, a hat, and plenty of drinking water when on tours.

You will require spare cash to cover any gratuities or extra camera ticket costs, which are not included in the excursion price.

Egypt’s fine weather and clear skies afford ideal exposure conditions practically year-round, and the variety of Egyptian scenes allows the enthusiast opportunities for spectacular shots. In a few cases, however, photography is prohibited, and these areas are marked, such as bridges, dams, ports and airports, and the restricted regions.

At some historical sites, photography is wholly forbidden all together as is the use of a flash.

You can book them with your tour leader/guide after the welcome meeting on the first day of your arrival upon a receipt signed by the tour leader and the client, providing that the latter will keep the original when the tour leader has a copy.

All tours should have a minimum number of participants. For instance, if insufficient numbers attend, we can still organize a private trip where a surcharge on advertised prices will be applicable.

Private or tailored-made tours in all areas can be discussed and organized with your Geoota representatives.

We will advise you of the pickup time and any other details by your tour leader at the booking time.

Prices quoted are in Euro and U.S. Dollars, and you can make payment in cash or credit cards.

Kindly note that all credit card transactions are charged in Egyptian Pounds, a 3% handling charge levied on all such transactions.

The exchange rate may differ between the time of transaction processing in your country and the time of sale in Egypt. Geoota Travel is not responsible for such fluctuations in exchange rates.

Please also note there are strictly no refunds on any tours involving a flight with Egypt Air once the flight tickets are issued.

For the other tours we organize, you should advise your tour leader at least 24 hours before the tour date if you wish to cancel. Children under 12 years will be offered a 50% discount.

Should you have any internal flight tickets that have not already been collected for reconfirmation, please advise your Geoota representative as soon as possible.

If you are traveling to any of the above destinations, you will be met upon arrival by Geoota Travel Rep’s and transferred to your hotel.

For security precautions, the Egyptian government applies specific procedures to ensure the tourist busses’ safety when traveling from one destination to another.

All tourists’ busses gather at specific points at fixed hours, and police cars, one at the front heading the Convoy and one at the rear end, escort the Convoy.

It is forbidden for tourists to travel between two cities without the Convoy, regardless of transportation (private or tourist bus).

The schedule is subject to change without prior notice; therefore, you are kindly requested to check it up with your Geoota representative.

We can arrange a private convoy out of the regular hours at an impressive rate, which our Geoota representative can advise.

The 1^st and 2^nd convoys stop at the sites for the tourists to visit, while the 3^rd one drives direct it reaches the locations after its closure.

One of the greatest pleasures of traveling in Egypt is the people’s friendliness, especially in hotels and cruise boats. All the staff strives to provide a very high standard of service. It is customary to leave a tip (BAKSHEESH) for the team during your stay in Hotel/Cruise or excursions.

Tipping is not restricted to foreigners, and you will often see during your travels within Egypt local people leaving a tip for any service provided.

The crew’s tips are equally divided amongst all staff members, including those behind the screen, such as the engineers, the pilot, mariners, laundry, and kitchen staff. Also, several people assist with the tours included in your itinerary, i.e., driver, boatmen, temple guards, etc.

Suppose the tips are not included in your tour price. In that case, usually, the tour leader/guide will advise you to pay an overall amount of EUR10.00/USD10.00 per person per day, collecting the whole sum, which is payable after you arrive at the beginning of your stay, to start to distribute it on your behalf immediately. You will find this “kitty system” more convenient than tipping daily by yourself.

For all international or internal flights or transfers, your tour leader will supply full departure details and check-out times at least one day before you leave.

We will also place the time of your pickup from the Hotel/Cruise on the notice board.

Guests who had an internal flight will find their flight tickets with the representative who picks them up from the Hotel/Cruise reception.

Staying healthy during the summer requires more than just eating the right foods.

Below is a partial list of things that will help you stay calm and healthy during the hot summer months.

• Drink plenty of water. Your body needs water to prevent dehydration during warm summer days.
• Take a rest or nap. Don’t push yourself beyond your physical limits.
• Wear Sunscreen. Sunburn is painful and unhealthy. Use a sunscreen that is right for your skin.
• Stay cool. Wear light, loose-fitting clothing to help you stay cooler. Wear a hat.
• Wear Sunglasses. Sunglasses are a must to protect your eyes from the sun’s U.V. rays.
• Maintain your energy level by limiting your fat and sugar; focus on carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables.
• Warm your body during the day and cool it at night. Fluctuations in body temperature and being too hot at night can lead to restless sleep. Too much exposure to daylight can result in mild insomnia. People should darken their bedrooms or sleep somewhere dark. This will limit sun exposure in the early morning.
• Many people come back from an action-packed vacation needing another one to recover from it. Do not let your vacation become another source of stress in your life. If you intend to rest and relax, do not plan too many activities for yourself.