Looking at some of the reviews written for Luxor, I've noticed that most of the people who visited this amazing city went on organised package tours. Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this; in fact in many respects it makes visiting Egypt easier - less hassle from the various friendly but often over-enthusiastic traders and a guaranteed itinerary in many areas.
As a degree student in Egyptology, I know a bit about Egyptian history. At too many sites did I see bus loads of tourists being ferried around sites in a frog march fashion, often not being shown some of the most interesting parts of sites. These same toursits did not venture into the heart of Luxor and very rarely did I see any of these tourists in the abundance of excellent Egyptian restaurants.
Being ferried around is all well and good, but if you are visiting a country, surely it is better to see it for what it really is?
I visited Egypt for a total of three and a half weeks, starting in Cairo and then travelling
by train to Luxor, then Aswan. The trains in Egypt are an untapped resource for the package tourist. However, for the independent traveller they are a lifeline - cheap, easy to use and more reliable than the trains in the UK! A ticket from Aswan all the way to Cairo by 2nd class (no different from 1st class except you get slightly larger chairs) cost a mere E£48 - that's only £5 GBP - with an ISIC (International Student Card - available at travel agents in the UK such as STA Travel). The card entitles the holder to 50% discounts at most sites in Egypt as well as discounted travel and entry to shows such as the Sound and Light Show at Karnak Temple. If you're a student or are a student travelling with your parents, I recommend you get one as it has amazing benefits. Even without an ISIC card, rail travel is still amazingly cheap - the above journey would cost no more than £10 GBP. Just compare that to the price of a ticket from Cornwall to Edinburgh in the UK!
The hotels in Luxor are another resource that the budding traveller can mine to their benefit. If you have the money, then by all means stay at the Old Winter Palace. However, if you want a bit more adventure but still be extremely comfortable, try a hotel such as The Nefertiti, just over the road from The Luxor Temple. Contrary to popular belief, everything in Egypt can be haggled for. We managed to bring down the price of our 3 bed room from E£60 to E£45. That's only £1.50 GBP per night for an en siute with bed and breakfast. It was also the best breakfast we had throughout our entire stay in Egypt - yes, basic compared to 5* hotels, but more than adequate and included cornflakes and an orange as well as more flat bread than you could possible ever consume! The staff at the hotel were extremely helpful and friendly. When I return to Luxor, I will be staying at The Nefertiti again.
While I'm on the subject of food, be prepared to explore the abundance of restuarants in cafes in Luxor. If the locals are eating there, then you can bet it serves good, safe, food. Of special note are the falafel stall just past Luxor Temple for a quick and delicious snack (visited many times!) and a small but absolutely delicious restaurant owned by a British couple in the square by the police station (again, near Luxor Temple). Absolutely divine food - try the stews oven baked in clay pots. Also well worth a visit is the local bakery where all Luxorians buy their quota of bread for the day. Freshly baked for you and exceedingly cheap, this is a fantastic way to make Egyptian-style packed lunches if you're visiting the extremes of the West Bank and aren't near a restaurant.
Another potential gold mine is the office of the Director of Antiquities at Luxor. Being budding Egyptologists, we managed to get a letter from the Director that allowed us free access into all of the sites around Luxor. People other than students are sometimes able to get one of these passes if you are persistent enough and show a dedication to learning about Egyptian history. The Director's office is just around the corner from the Luxor Museum. Be prepared to wait - we were in his office for at least 2 hours, but the benefit is wothwhile. If you have one of these letters, you also tend to get better guides at the sites as they are aware you are not just a dim-witted tourist.
On the subject of guides, if you are going to hire a guide from one of the sites, such as Karnak temple, be extremely careful. It is often better to purchase a guide book before you go as this will give you factual information. Most of the guides I overheard were appalling bad - especially the ones shepherding the bus loads of tourists. All manners of incorrect information were being thrown around, some meaningless errors, some ludicrous monstrosities! Also be vigilant for people who approach you while you are looking at certain parts of temples, etc. These people are not guides, they are security guards who only want your money for identifying (incorrectly) a god or king on the temple wall. Guides are found at the entrance to the site, not in the middle of it! The best guides to get if you can find them are local students of Egyptology. The student guide we found at the entrance to Karnak was excellent and his information was accurate. A good guide will also allow you to pay him how much you think he deserves - not an upfront extortionate price.
Luxor is a beautiful place - fun, vibrant and exciting - and if you delve below the blanket that organised tours throw around you, you will find real Egyptians and some fantastic places!
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Hi, read your review with great interest.We have been to Luxor 4 times but always with a package tour.We want to go back in late March/very early April with our 7 year old godson as he,s desperate to see it for himself.We,re working on a fairly tight budget,but have found as its the Easter holidays the prices are sky high.Could I be a pain and ask if you can recommend who to go to for cheap flights etc?We,ve been on a few websites but are new to all the computer malarky and there are so many sites It,ll be April before we get something sorted###.We would be really grateful for any advice.
magicloudz 11.12.2003 14:46
I have no desire to go here but this is a very good first opinion:) -Jon
kris002263 10.12.2003 20:17
hey man great first review, are you sure your a newcomer! that was excellent, great info look forward to reading your new ops if there all this good. welcome to ciao -Kris
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Dec 9th, 2003
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