I will be going to Jordan and Egypt for the first time in July of 09, taking the Jordan and Egypt Adventure Trip. As you can imagine, i have many questions. Hopefully someone can help me:
-sleeping bag vs. sheet? How cool does it get at night? and how cool is it to hike up to Mt. Sinai for the sunrise? Do i really need a fleece? i am trying to pack as light as possible and i dread taking anything bulky or unnecessary.
-since drinking tap water is unwise, is buying bottled water expensive? i am a water drinker...and i wonder if there are even cheaper alternatives? iodine tablets? bring a water purifier (like the kind i use for backpacking)? how much is a bottle of water in those 2 countries?
-any optional activities i should not miss in those 2 countries? Few people mentioned horsebackriding to pyramid sunsets...anything else? what about the R.A.C.E performance at Jerash, Jordan? or is that a tourist trap?
-i look forward to visiting the orphanage in Luxor (the one sponsored by ImTr)...i am a teacher...should i bring something to give to the children?
-for hiking up Mt. Sinai, Petra, etc...i have a pair of KEENs that are for light hiking. Is that ok?
-What is the best/easiest thing to bring for visits to religious sites where i need to cover up? i will be spending a week in Israel after Egypt as well.
Thank you, fellow travellers, for reading and helping me out!
Hello Jlee,
I haven't done this tour, so I can't comment on it.
However it can be VERY cold climbing Mt Sinai, the best thing is to layer clothing so that you can peel then off & put them back on as required. The main time that you will feel the cold is at the summit, whilst waiting for the sun to rise.
Again I can't comment for Jordan, but in Egypt bottled water is very cheap, best bought from street vendors (cheaper than the Hotel's) just check that the seals are intact.
In Egypt, I would try to do a horse ride at the pyramids, even just once! I would also suggest a visit to Abu Simbel. Khan El Khalili is a great place to visit, where you can shop til you drop!
The most basic rule for travelling in the Middle East, is no bare shoulders, no bare knee's, no plunging necklines. If you are really concerned you could pack a couple of long sleeved blouses for visit's to the mosque's
There are so many places in Egypt I could suggest!
Hope you have a wonderful time.......Debbie
PS, I forgot to mention that I always take exercise books, pens & pencils to the orphanage!
Mafesh Mushkelah!!!
Hi,
I did Jewels of Egypt a couple of years ago and agree with Debbie (when does anyone disagree with her!). I went to the orphanage - we bought a few presents in Luxor itself to take but if there was anything educational you could take (I'm an FE teacher but can't quite think what would be easy to pack and take) then they would appreciate it I think.
In terms of optional extras I would just do everything.
For covering up my friend and I had long sleeved tops that were made out of a very thin material. They were from a market in Spain and designed to be worn with a swimsuit on the beach but great to wear over a vest top to keep covered.
Have a great holiday
Lyn
Sorry about the delayed response, but I thought I would add a few thoughts. I did the Egypt & Jordan Caravan trip last December.
- As others have mentioned, bottled water is very cheap, especially if buying several large bottles at a time. Take a smaller bottle with you so you can transfer water into it to carry around during the day instead of lugging a large bottle around. If you have iodine tablets, it couldn't hurt to bring them in case you end up somewhere where the stores are closed and you have no bottled water for whatever reason. It's unlikely, but iodine tables don't weigh much and are a good backup, just in case.
- The Race in Jerash was kind of corny, but in an amusing and historical way. I think it was worth it, plus it's a great setting and if you don't see it, you'll have to wait for others in your group to finish watching the show anyway, so might as well take advantage of it.
- Footwear - I took a pair of Keens and a pair of light hiking boots (trail runner type) and did not end up wearing my Keens at all. However, I was there in December and it was quite chilly. The Mt. Sinai hike was very cold with temps bordering on freezing. I suspect it will be warmer when you are there. :-) Most of the path is loose gravel/sand of varying sizes. This could end up in your Keens a lot. A totally closed shoe would be more comfortable IMHO. But if you do decide to give the Keens a go, wear a pair of good socks with them and bring an extra pair of socks in case the socks get full of gravel or damp and chilly. It takes a couple of hours (if I recall correctly) to climb up and about half that to come down. Petra has a gravelly/sandy terrain also (but less steep), so there would still be an issue of rocks/sand getting in your Keens. I always end up having to take my Keens off to get the rocks out, but if you're better at de-rocking, then the Keens would probably be fine.
-Carrie