Submitted by K8T_C on Sat, 05/07/2008 - 01:47
Hi,
I'll be arriving in Egypt a couple of days before my tour starts and I was wondering how I would go about organising a day trip to Memphis and Saqqara which is advertised in the brochure as an optional extra? Do I organise it before I go or do I ask the people at the Salma Hotel for more details upon arriving into the country.
Cheers,
Katie
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K8T_C where are you??
Katie, I have been waiting for you to share your experiences. Please respond.
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FuzzyPuppy Tour
That would be fantastic if you could please fuzzy.
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Heart of Egypt, Karen Casual
Heart of Egypt, Karen
Casual Cairo Detours, Debbie
are the private guides I used. Karen is the one that took me to Memphis, Dashur and Saqqara.
I wrote a recommendation on Tripadvisor for them:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294201-i9404-k2129792-Amazing_Guid...
I guess the moderators will remove the link if they consider it "advertising."
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Thank you so much fuzzy. I
Thank you so much fuzzy. I am now writing an email to Karen to see whether she can give me a price on the tour and we'll go from there.
Cheers!
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Hello Katie, I bet you're
Hello Katie,
I bet you're starting to get excited now!! I haven't heard from you since I responded to your last email, so I hope that things are OK.
Hope tha plans all run as ordered! All the best.....Debbie
Mafesh Mushkelah!!!
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Thankyou
Thank you everyone for answering my question. I think I'll definitely go to Memphis and Saqqara now, I might just ask my ImTrav leader to help me get it organised. Budgets are a bugger.
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I went to Memphis, Dashur
I went to Memphis, Dashur and Saqqara with a private guide I had arranged on the internet beforehand.
She was amazing and not too expensive. I could give you her info if you'd like.
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Saqqara and dashur
Hi Katie
We had a couple of spare days in Cairo last year as well and used one of them to visit Saqqara and Dashur - both well worth seeing. Our Im Trav guide organised 2 taxis from outside our hotel for 7 of us.
When we reached the Step Pyramid area we were asked at the ticket box if we wanted a guide to take us into "The New Tombs". Fortunately we said yes because the guide turned out to be an archaeologist who wasn't working at the time due to Ramadan - he usually worked in the Step Pyramid (which is too dangerous to enter). The guide took us into 2 tombs not usually open to the public - the Butchers' tomb and Manicurists' tomb. Both still had lots of colour on the walls and were some of the best preseved that we saw. The guide gave us lots of information about them. The 6 of us gave him 30 E pounds each. Good value for what we got.
The Red pyramid at Dashur was an experience. Only 4 of us went inside - be prepared for a steep climb down while bent over AND ... take a torch with you! The lights went out when we were right inside it. needless to say it was pitch black and we would have been in a panic if we'd not had my mini torch (and lights from our mobile phone).
Have a great trip!
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Memphis
Glad you asked Katie as I was wondering the same thing!
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My Mom and I had an extra
My Mom and I had an extra day after our tour ended and we went to Memphis and Saqqara. We asked our guide about it the night before, and he arranged it with the front desk at the Salma. I hope this helps! Have an amazing trip!!!
Jen
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Touring Memphis and Saqqara
Hi Katie
I did Nile Safari in Nov 07. I arranged through an ImTrav person in Egypt for a guide and a driver for one of my free days in Cairo to take me to Saqqara, Memphis and Dashur. I had it all arranged before I left and I paid my tour guide when I arrived.
But. As all the guide books write, you CAN organise it yourself when you arrive. You can book a taxi with a driver for a day. You prearrange the price after outlining where you want to go.
I chose to have a private driver in nice airconditioned van with a guide as it was my first day in Cairo after a midnight arrival and long flight from Aus. It cost me much more than if I arranged just a taxi and driver for the day. BUT. I had a lovely English speaking guide. I got so much more out of it (IMO) because the guide arranged all entry tickets (included in price) and gave me wonderful information throughout the day.
You will definitely be able to arrange it through your guide and hotel.
Can I recommend you add Dashur to your day trip? Seeing the Red Pyramid and Bent Pyramid there was wonderful. The best parts: it was NOT crowded (like Giza); hardly anyone there. Plus, I went inside the Red Pyramid with no additional fee (besides Dashur entry) and there were no crowds or queues (but some major climbing up and down).
You'll have a ball whatever you do.
:)
Megan
Brisbane, Australia
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Katie, There is a tour
Katie, There is a tour with Im-Tr that I am booking for Memphis & Saqqara. Perhaps your tour leader will know. I have an extra day between the first and second tours & this is available to me/us in the group. sonja