What you need to know before you go!
PRE-TRIP PREPARATIONS CHECKLIST
PACKING CHECKLIST
PRINTABLE ITINERARY
RECOMMENDED PRE-TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS
RECOMMENDED POST-TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS
ARRIVALS INTO CAIRO
We recommend you plan your travel to Egypt as follows:
- Arrive via Cairo International Airport (CAI) by Day 1 before 5 PM local time. If you have the time it is recommended to arrive 1 – 2 nights before. It is not necessary, however, it allows you time to recover from jet lag and the time change.
- Approximately 30 minutes after you land and collect your baggage, go to the arrivals area and look for a sign saying “Wild Women Expeditions” and/or your name.
- Airport transfer from the airport to the Hyatt Regency or nearby hotel (if arriving early) is arranged through Wild Women Expeditions by adding your flight information and pre-trip accommodations to the Travel Details Form.
- Once you submit your Travel Details Form to us, we will review the rooming arrangements and work with the hotel to attempt to keep you in the same rooms from pre-trip to on the trip. This may not always be possible, so please be flexible to change rooms on Day 1.
Group Rendezvous Point:
- Date: Day 1
- Time: 7:00 p.m.
- Location: Lobby of Hyatt Regency, Cairo West (Giza)
RECOMMENDED PRE-TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS
If arriving prior to the start of the trip, we recommend booking your room at the Hyatt Regency, Cairo West (Giza) – Cairo.Alternatively: Steigenberger Pyramids HotelIf you wish stay in Cairo and explore before the tour we recommend: Steigenberger Hotel El Tahrir.
DEPARTURES FROM CAIRO
Once you submit your Travel Details Form to Wild Women Expeditions, we will review rooming arrangements and work with the hotel to attempt to keep you in the same rooms from during the trip to post trip. This may not always be possible, so please be flexible to change rooms on Day 13.
Drop-Off Point:
- Date: Day 13
- Time: Anytime in contingent with your flight
- Location: Cairo International Airport (CAI)
RECOMMENDED POST-TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS
TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS
You are responsible for booking your own flights or other transport arrangements to the trip start location. These arrangements and any other independent arrangements that you may make are not a part of the trip booked with Wild Women Expeditions and are entirely at your own risk. Wild Women Expeditions accepts no responsibility, directly or indirectly, for any loss, damage or injury to property or person in connection with such arrangements. Should you require assistance with your travel arrangements, please contact:
Megan and Zale | Now Boarding Travel, Travel Specialists
Email: wildwomen@nowboarding.travel
Note: Now Boarding Travel only provides services of 3-star quality or greater. For budget alternatives, please refer to the Lonely Planet guide for your destination.
Important: For international and remote destinations, there is always the risk of flight delays, baggage delays and flight schedule changes which may cause late arrivals, which may, in return, result in you missing the group tour departure. We encourage you to consider arriving one or two days early, which will help you overcome any jet lag from traveling!
PASSPORTS & VISAS
You are fully responsible for your own visa requirements, permits, and certificates for your trip. It is the sole prerogative of each country or region to determine who is allowed to enter. It is your responsibility to check with the country's Consulate and your country's travel website such as Canada’s for up-to-date information about traveling internationally.
- Passport:
Most countries and airlines recommend passports be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected return to your home country. Before you leave, ask your transportation company about its requirements related to passport validity, which may be more stringent than the country's entry rules.
Important: A copy of your passport must be emailed to the Wild Women Expeditions office by 130-days pre-trip.
- Visa:
Many nationalities including all Western European and Arab countries, USA, Australia, and New Zealand are able to obtain a one-month single entry visa online or upon arrival at Cairo International airport or at the Egyptian land border.
Here’s how:
A) Online: You can get the visa online in advance.
B) Airport: Follow the instructions below to get the visa upon arrival in Cairo.
Look for windows (marked “banks”) selling these visas in the area where you line up to have your passport stamped. You need to get a visa before entering the passport line. The visa is a sticker that you need to stick into your passport before handing it to the authorities for stamping.
The cost is approximately $25 USD or equivalent in EUR/GBP. All change will be given to you in Egyptian Pounds.
Canadians
As of October 1, 2023, for some nationalities, such as Canadians, it is necessary to organize your visa before you travel. It is vital that you check the conditions attached to your particular passport and make the necessary arrangements in advance.
Process:
Canadian nationals visiting Egypt will need to obtain their visa prior to arrival. A Visa can be obtained either by visiting the Egyptian consulate in person (not recommended as the hours are limited) or by mailing in your physical passport to either of the Egyptian consulates located in Ottawa or Montreal (depending on where you live).
Details:
Here is a link to the entry requirements from Canada: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/egypt#entryexit
Please apply for your visa as early as possible. Here is an infographic on the process necessary to obtain your Egyptian Visa. https://wildwomenexpeditions.com/wp-content/uploads/Egypt-Visa-Application-Requirements.jpe
How To Mail In Your Visa Application:
- You will need to fill out this application form to be submitted along with your passport: Visa Application Montreal FINAL
- You will also need to include two Egypt Passport sized photos of yourself. See size requirements below:
- Place in a Canada Post express letter size envelope: your passport, application with one passport photo stapled and another photo loose, flight itinerary, trip itinerary, money order, self addressed pre-paid express Canada post return envelope (can be smaller just needs to fit passport).
In person:
You can now schedule your in-person appointment to get your entry visa to Egypt here: Make and appointment
If you have a diplomatic passport, visas need to obtained in advance.
Additional Information for your Visa:
Host for Egypt Visa:
Great Wonders of Egypt
5A, El Hidaya ST. El Sifarat
Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt.
(02) 2352 2571 / (02) 2352 2249
basem@greatwondersofegypt.com
For all visa matters, if you would like additional assistance in securing your visa, we recommend you consider using the services of CIBTVisas: https://cibtvisas.ca/?login=WildWomenExp (please note that they are unable to assist with the new visa process for Canadians)
Note: As fees and policies can change, we highly recommend that you contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements, or see your travel agent.
TIPPING
Tipping (also widely referred to by its Arabic term as “baksheesh”) is a way of life in the Middle East. Locals themselves will usually tip anyone who provides them with services. In many cases, people depend on the tips they receive to supplement the incredibly low salary and wages of the Middle East region.
While on tour in the Middle East, it is customary and even expected to tip small service providers such as restaurant and bar waiters, hotel staff, reception, cleaning personnel, bell boys, taxis and van drivers. Tips are regarded as an essential means of supplementing income for those working in the tourism industry.
During your Wild Women Expeditions trip, all tips for meals, hotel staff, and your driver(s) are included.
Tipping is advised for your Wild Women Expeditions guide and Dahabiya staff. The precise amount tipped is entirely a personal preference. Depending on the quality of the service, a guideline for tipping is roughly:
- $15 USD per traveler per day for Dahabiya staff (which will be split amongst them).
- $11 – 20 USD per traveler per day for your Wild Women Expeditions guide. At the end of your trip, if you feel that your Wild Women Expeditions guide did an outstanding job, tipping is appreciated.
ACCOMMODATION DETAILS
- Rooming Arrangements:
Our trip prices are based on a twin share (minimum of two people per room), so we’ll team you up with another solo wild woman to share with if you’re on your own, or of course, you can share with your travel companion.
- Private Upgrade
Single/private room upgrades are available and are subject to availability. Contact support@wildwomenexpeditions.com to request for an upgrade.
- Potable Water
Water is considered potable for the locals but not for visitors. When on the road, your tour leaders suggest you purchase larger (5L) water bottles to refill your personal re-useable water bottle. Purified water is provided at all accommodations.
If you would like to join Wild Women Expeditions in its commitment to reducing single-use plastic, you can travel prepared with your own water treatment system!
GRAYL Canada | OnePress™ Global Protection
Travelers Against Plastic | Take the TAP pledge
- Overnight Arrangements During Your Stay
Hilton Heliopolis
Sonesta St George Hotel
Nubian Lodge
Sonesta Nouba Hotel
Steingenberger Hotel El Tahrir
Dahabiya Sailboat
- Dahabiya is an Arabic word that means “golden boat”, describing the golden painted boats used by the pharaohs and nobility of ancient Egypt. Dahabeeyah’s today are built identically to the 19th century vessels to offer the old style luxury while taking advantage of modern comforts and techniques. They usually measure between 35-38 metres in length and 7-10 metres wide. Propelled by two Latin sails, this is a peaceful and relaxing way to cruise the Nile. Cabins have their own shower, wash basin and toilet.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT EGYPT
- About
-
- Population: 95.7 million
- Size: 1.01 million km²
- Official Language: Arabic
- Time Zone: Eastern European Time (EET) is UTC+02:00
- Electricity: 220-volt, 50-cycle AC with European-style sockets for two round pins
- Currency: Egyptian Pound (EGP)
- Safety & Security
Advisories – Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government travel advice information before departure.
Valuables – We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while traveling, for the safekeeping of your passport, air tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your valuable jewelery at home – you won’t need it while traveling. Many of the hotels we use have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage.
Traveling – A heavy security presence is observable throughout Egypt. Visitors and residents alike are requested to cooperate with Egyptian authorities. The tourist police department and the Ministry of Interior Security have to be informed of groups traveling in Egypt, which we arrange.
Activities – When traveling on a group trip, please note that your guide has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Your guide will accompany you on all included activities. While your guide will assist you with options available in a given location please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your itinerary, and we offer no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgment when selecting an activity in your free time. Although the cities visited on tour are generally safe during the day, there can be risks to wandering throughout any major city at night. It is our recommendation to stay in small groups and to take taxis to and from restaurants, or during night time excursions.
Protests and Demonstrations – Protests and demonstrations, even those that are well intended, have the potential to turn violent with no warning. Counter protests can also turn violent. Action by security forces to disperse demonstrators and protesters may occur at any time. If you are in an area where demonstrators or protesters are gathering, avoid the temptation of staying for a good photo opportunity and leave the area immediately.
Water – Water based activities have an element of danger and excitement built into them. We recommend only participating in water based activities when accompanied by a guide(s). We make every reasonable effort to ensure the fun and adventurous element of any water based activities (in countries with varying degrees of operating standards) have a balanced approach to safety. It is our policy not to allow our guides to make arrangements on your behalf for water-based activities that are not accompanied by guide(s). Swimming, including snorkeling, is always at your own risk.
- Climate & Weather:
MONEY MATTERS
Wild Women Expeditions recommends that each participant should bring enough cash in local currency or available credit/debit funds to cover their meals during travel to and from their destination. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, meals not included in the trip package, shopping, etc., and we also suggest you have access to emergency funds.
- Currency Exchange Offices & Banks:
The official unit of currency in Egypt is the Egyptian pound (EGP).
Please check online for current exchange rates. Wild Women Expeditions likes XE Currency Converter
We highly suggest you read this article: Where to Exchange Currency Without Paying Huge Fees for more information about this for your trip.
- Automated Teller Machine (ATM)
ATMs are found within main cities in Egypt.
- Credit Cards
Institutions will generally accept cards on the Visa and Mastercard networks. It is a great idea to travel with both a Visa and Mastercard if at all possible as while there is no hard and fast rule, some banks seem to only work with one brand of card. Please note, your bank will charge a fee for overseas withdrawals.
Increasingly, shops and restaurants accept credit cards and often prefer them to cash. The banks charge between 3% – 5% as commission for using credit cards. American Express credit cards are not very popular as the commission charge on it is 6%. The charge for Diners Club cards is 10%.
- Cash
Cash is recommended for times when ATMs are not accessible. Euros, British Pounds, and US Dollars are all easy to exchange for the local currency. Please note that you should bring some cash with you for emergency situations but carrying only cash is a high safety risk. ATM card/s and some cash is the ideal mix.
If you are bringing US Dollars, please make sure that the notes are new and in good condition. Notes older than 1996, or with any tears or blemishes may not be accepted. Be fussy with your bank when buying cash!
Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional $200 USD (or equivalent) as an ’emergency’ fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change of our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Youtube:
Trip Preview Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvgjRNbBNeE
Blog:
Women's Empowerment Along the Nile
GETTING FIT
Please be sure to provide complete, accurate, and up-to-date information about your health & fitness level and keep us updated if there are changes. Wild Women Expeditions trips travel to remote areas where limited or no sophisticated medical facilities exist.
A medical emergency situation is extremely unlikely; however, should it arise we need to be prepared with the necessary information to help you.
Important Note: If you choose not to disclose a condition, infirmity, injury, or ailment herein and are subsequently deemed to be unfit for expedition travel due in whole or in part to such condition, infirmity, injury or ailment, Wild Women Expeditions guides, and partners shall have the right to remove you from the trip with no refund or compensation payable. Any evacuation expenses incurred are payable by the evacuee via their medical travel insurance or personal expense. Generally, our expeditions are intended for travelers in reasonably good health for their safety, along with that of their fellow travelers.
Tips:
You don't have to be a professional athlete to enjoy your Wild Women expedition. Not by a long shot! You'll be surprised at what you can achieve with our experienced guides at your side and a little camaraderie.
That said, you’ll definitely enjoy yourself far more if you do some preparation so your body is conditioned and ready to enjoy and make the most of the outdoors.
Here are a few ideas to help you get ready:
- Take every opportunity you can to be active.
You can improve your fitness a lot just by adopting some new habits; take the stairs at work, go for a walk at lunchtime, park your car away from work and walk. Aim for 30 minutes a day and keep a diary so you can look back on it and feel proud. These may sound trivial but they’re all building blocks!
- Rev up your ticker!
Think ‘interval training’, which means doing short bursts of high-intensity work with recovery time in between. Depending on how fit you are this can mean strolling with bursts of power walking, or jogging with sprints. Either way, the aim is to get your heart rate up.
- Join a local walking or running group.
This is a great way to get fit and you’ll also see new places, meet great people… and make them all jealous when they find out what you’re about to go on your travels.
- Warm up, cool down and stretch.
If you’re doing a workout then make sure you start and finish gently and stretch any tight muscles – this will help you avoid any aches, pains and pulled muscles. If you’re a member of a gym try some yoga, tai chi or pilates classes to build up your flexibility, stability and balance.
- Hydration.
When you suddenly ask your body to walk or be active, it needs a bit more fuel than it needs when, say, sitting at a desk all day! The main thing your body needs is water, so stay hydrated and practice sipping water often. Getting a water bottle or hydration bladder is a great way to make sure you have it on hand at all times. Make a habit out of taking a bottle of water with you wherever you go.
- Nutrition.
Eating little and often will keep your body well fuelled for outdoor exercise, especially food like nuts, dried fruit and bread. The odd bit of chocolate and a few boiled lollies are good for keeping your blood sugar levels up while you’re hiking as well!
- Have fun!
The most important point of all! You are about to embark on the trip of a lifetime. You’re going to meet some amazing people, see some wonderful places and create memories that will stay with you for life. The more prepared you are to tackle the various challenges, the more fun you will have. Also, with all the endorphins you create from all this training, you’ll be smiling from ear to ear! It’s a great way to boost your happy vibes.
GENERAL FAQ'S
For general Wild Women Expeditions FAQs please click [HERE].