I have just booked my trip,kingdoms of the nile, 10-23dec 2000, the travel agent said you maybe asked to pay upto 100 egyptian pounds to use a video camera on some of the sites & 5 Pounds for a normal camera?, also to exchange all egyptian pounds to anything else when leaving egypt, i.e. back to US$
is it worth taking my camera along?
Thanks
Chris
Re: Video Cameras & Normal Cameras charges $
Hello Chris,
When I was in Egypt (approx 18 months ago) I took my video camera & also my still camera. I took very little video footage as I was too tight to pay the fees....but now wish I had paid the fees! Some sites only charge a 20 egyptian pound fee for videos, others are much more expensive. But you will be able to get some nice footage whilst cruising down the Nile aboard Amy.
I took heaps of still shots........but do wish I had taken more video footage. You can really capture the vitality of Cairo, the serenity of the Nile, the sheer magnificence of the Great Pyramids....... on Video tape!!
Have a great time......... [img]http://www.imaginative-traveller.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]
Re: Video Cameras & Normal Cameras charges $
Hi Chris,
Don't even consider leaving your camera at home.
While there may be charges at the sites such as the Valley Of The Kings, Egyptian Museum etc, you are not allowed to use a flash even having paid the fee!
But all round you will be so much action, entertainment, happenings that you will regret it if you do leave your camera at home.
If you exchange your foreign currency in Egypt you should keep all of the receipts. The only area to exchange LE when leaving Egypt is at the airport. They may or may not ask for the receipts but best to be careful.
Marty
[b]
Imaginative Traveller Online[/b]
Re: Video Cameras & Normal Cameras charges $
Chris
I did the same trip in September and had a wonderful time. DO NOT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT YOUR CAMERA!!! I am not sure about the camcorder....I did not take one with me. Make sure you take a few rolls of 1600 speed film with you.....thats the only way that you will be able to get decent pictures in the Egyptian Museum and the Valleys of the Kings and Queens. Also, purchase camera tickets for all tombs that you visit.....its well worth the money! Have a great trip, and if your tour leader happens to be "Andrew" tell him I said hi!
Re: Video Cameras & Normal Cameras charges $
Last week the rates for still photography were
Egyptian museum - 10 LE
Most other sites - 5 or 10 LE
2 people on our tour had video cameras and were charged between 50 and 200 LE for most sites. Having said that some places were free e.g. outside Giza pyramids free (but not Saqqara).
Personally I'm not a video camera fan - great way of looking at Egypt through a viewfinder and seeing it all when you get home (IMHO).
Even if your just using your video camera to take stills, you'll have a hard job persuading the ticket sellers that.
My advice - be selective about which sites you take your video camera to. A good up to date travel book such as "Rough Guide" can give you info about what a site is like, and what the charges are likely to be.
Edwin.