HOW MUCH DOES IT TRAVEL TO EGYPT FOR FREE AND WITH AGENCY? (PROS AND CONS)

When planning a trip to egyptTwo of the most frequent doubts are:It is better to travel to Egypt for free or with agency? Y how much does a trip to Egypt cost? Today we will try to answer both.

Egypt is one of those destinations where traveling with an agency in an organized package is usually cheaper than free. You already know that we are not traveling with closed agencies and itineraries, but in the case of Egypt we decided to hire it online for 3 reasons:

• Time: to travel for free in Egypt it is advisable to have enough time. We only had 7-8 days.
• Price: with a few quick calculations we saw that it was quite cheaper to hire a package from Spain than to travel for free. The price of flights (both international and internal) is essential here.
• We did not travel alone: ​​by going with Rober's parents and not having visited Egypt before, we thought it would be all easier if we traveled with everything organized.

Do we regret it No (although we are clear that we will return to Egypt, for free and with more time). Were there things we didn't like? You are right. Then we will tell you everything you need to know to choose the option that best suits your tastes.

We compare the price of a trip to Egypt in an organized package and doing the same route for free, and we detail the aspects for and against each modality.

We will consider a standard trip, where you visit Cairo, take a cruise on the Nile and visit the main temples of Egypt. Therefore with the same duration, same itinerary and same excursions.

How much does it cost to travel to Egypt with an organized package?

Before deciding we were looking at many online agencies, which offered practically the same tours, although in general the one with the best prices was Destinia. These online companies are intermediaries, once in Egypt there are local operators who organize and take care of everything. Many Spanish companies work in Egypt with Dunes Travel.

We reserve a 8 days and 7 nights package with cruise, visits and Abu Simbel, in total we went out for a few € 700 per person. After doing some calculations and seeing that only international flights cost us about € 300 we do not think twice. In general we are happy with this company although we were not too lucky with the guide, it was a little bit of a bit and unmotivated hehe, but hey, that is pure chance, other guides of the same company were much more nice and eager to talk.

It's not included in the reservation an amount between € 65 and € 95 for visas (costs € 25), tips throughout the trip (both in Cairo hotel, as the cruise), and various fees. And travel insurance is not included, some 30€.

To this we must add the personal expenses, that were not many. Basically the drinks of the cruise (water costs € 1, coke € 1.2 and beer about € 2, in total about € 10 per person), some extra excursion that we paid, like the one in Cairo in full (60 €), or the visit to Aswan (€ 10). The only meals we paid were in Cairo, and in general the prices are cheap.

Everything else: hotels, transfers, Spanish-speaking guides, breakfast, lunch, dinner, cruise, excursions ... was included.

How much does it cost to travel to Egypt with an agency? If you find a good offer like us, calculate some850-900€ For a full 7-8 day trip.

How much does it cost to travel to Egypt for free?

The flights from Spain 3 months in advance they cost about 220-300 € i / v. Internal flights (or transfer by train-bed to Luxor) cost about € 70-100 per way. Uber is cheap so to get around in Cairo you won't have much trouble. Therefore, the approximate price of transport is about 400€.

If you want to travel for free there is one thing that yes or yes we recommend hiring: cruise by the Nile. On the Civitatis website you can find a very good offer of the 4-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan, which includes the visit of Abu Simbel. It costs € 395, more info here. Of course you can make the trip cheaper by NOT doing the cruise and visiting the temples for free, but we believe that the experience of navigating the Nile deserves every €.

In Cairo there are a couple of excursions What to do yes or yes, they are those of the Pyramids of Giza (if you want a guide calculate some 30€), that of the Egyptian Museum (€ 15 admission with mummy room included) and if you want also Menphis and Sakkara (about € 50). There are packages that include full Cairo like this one for 60€.

To this you will have to add the price of accommodation in Cairo. The Great Pyramid Inn has a lot of fame, mostly because its rooftop has incredible views of the pyramids. 2 nights here cost about € 100 with breakfast (50€ per person).

Eat In Egypt it is very cheap. You can eat the national dish, the koshari, from € 1! Although if you want to go to somewhat more touristy restaurants, calculate some € 5 per head, eating well and drinking (not alcohol). Considering that breakfast in Cairo is included, if you are only 2 days in the city, with € 20 you have covered the concept of food. Some 30€ If you want to have some beers and smoke shisha.

How much does it cost to travel to Egypt for free? In total, for a trip visiting Cairo, with cruise and with all transport and expenses, I would leave for about900-950€ per person. We reiterate: the trip can be quite cheap if you DO NOT want a guide and do NOT want to do the cruise.

Until now you will have noticed some positive and negative aspects of each option. Here we summarize them in two:

Comfort vs. freedom

If you travel with an agency, you will not have freedom of movement and almost constantly you will be subject to certain schedules and visits. However, it is a more comfortable trip because you don't have to worry about hiring visits, haggling transports, etc.

If you travel for free you will enjoy the freedom to change schedules, short-term plans, place to eat, etc ... But the feeling that the country gave us is that it is exhausting! Between bargains and burdens we do not believe that it is at all the easiest country to travel for free. Of course, the satisfaction of coming home after a day of "fighting" is priceless hehe.

Price

The price, if you find a good offer, is usually cheaper if you travel with an agency. But if you pay attention to everything that has been included in the package, to avoid having extra expenses that increase the budget. Egypt is one of the few countries in the world where, often, it is cheaper to go with "all inclusive" than riding it on your own.

This question can only be answered in one way: "It depends on the type of trip you want." For those who have limited time and want to make the most of it, it is best to hire an organized trip to Egypt. But if you enjoy freedom on a trip, to mark your schedules, if you have plenty of time, yours would be a trip for free. Realize that what makes the trip more expensive for free are flights, but once in Egypt the day to day is very cheap.

For us the ideal trip would be a combination of both. If we can have 15 days, we would do it this way:

• We would only hire the Nile cruise and we would buy for free the flights to Cairo.
• In Cairo We believe it is worth hiring the excursions to the pyramids (from Giza, from Saqqara + visit to Menphis) and the full city tour (Coptic neighborhood, Saladin Citadel, Cairo Museum and the market).
• We would dedicate unp or a couple of days for an excursion to Alexandria, for free, and maybe sleep there.
• Again from Cairo, we would take a night Train (or a flight, according to cheaper) to Luxor To start the cruise.
• After the cruise we would spend a few days in Aswan, which we found a very friendly city.
• Finally we would travel by bus to the Red Sea coast: Marsa Alam Y Rummaged They are two interesting areas. Alternatively, a visit toSharm El Sheikh , although we would have to use more flights.
• We would end the trip in Cairo and from there home.

What we would NOT do, unlike many other trips, is renting a car: what traffic madness!

Do you have clearer now how much does it cost to travel to Egypt by free or with agency? And which form do you prefer? We hope so, and that you are encouraged to discover this wonderful country, one of the most fascinating we have ever met!

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