Details

Frequently Asked Questions

Please read our general FAQs, where you can find essential information that applies to all of our programs.

Resources to Learn & Teach about Egypt

Visit our recommended reading page to see the list of books GEEO recommends reading before your program (this is not required reading). We also have lesson plans and Pinterest boards that may be useful for you as you learn about your destination and prepare to bring lessons back to your classroom.

Terms and Conditions

It is very important for you to visit our Terms and Conditions page before signing up for this program.

GEEO Program Confirmation Process

We require a minimum of 6 participants for most GEEO programs. We officially confirm that a program will run once at least 8 people have signed up, which provides a margin for individual cancellations. Nearly all GEEO programs ultimately meet this enrollment quota, and in the rare event that a program does not meet the minimum requirement and GEEO cancels the program, we will work with you to find a suitable alternative or provide a refund of your deposit if you prefer. We encourage you to sign up for any program that interests you, and we will notify the entire group once 6 people are booked and again once 8 people are booked. We always emphasize the importance of exercising caution when making non-refundable travel arrangements, especially given the unpredictable nature of travel. For example, we typically recommend booking flights with flexible change/cancellation policies.

Cancellation policy

All cancellations must be submitted to GEEO in written form by emailing your request for cancellation to travel@geeo.org. If you do not receive a confirmation that we have received your written cancellation request, please call us at 1-877-600-0105. Verbal cancellation requests will not be honored.

• If you cancel 60 days or more prior to departure, all your program fee payments will be refunded besides your $350 deposit which is kept on file for future use
• If you cancel between 30 and 59 days prior to departure, you will receive a 50% refund and your deposit is kept on file for future use
• If you cancel within 30 days of departure, you will receive no refund, but your deposit is kept on file for future use

Trip Notes

1. EXCURSION RECOMMENDATIONS: Tourists are frequently over-charged for excursions bought from vendors on the street or at the airport. If you arrive a day or two early in Cairo and wish to do some excursions, we recommend that you wait until you get to the joining hotel and contact our local staff for more information on available tours and excursions. You can also book excursions through websites like Tripadvisor or Viator, as we have found those have good deals and are for the most part trustworthy. Throughout this trip there are many optional activities and often G Adventures can arrange them for you through your tour leader. We find this to be the simplest and safest way to book these activities, but sometimes it will cost more than a different local supplier that you may have found yourself. We can’t vouch for the safety and quality of tours and activities not booked through G Adventures.
2. MONEY: U.S. Dollars that are series 1996 or earlier – identifiable by the year printed on the right side of the face of the bill – are not accepted and very difficult to change in East and Southern Africa, as there are a lot of forgeries in circulation.
3. NILE CRUISE: Our Nile cruise boat is modern with many of the amenities of our comfortable hotels. Cabins are twin/double with air-conditioning and private bathrooms. Facilities onboard include a large single-sitting restaurant, lounge with bar, and sun deck with a small pool. Often our cruise boats are referred to as “floating hotels,” as the actual sailing distance covered is not great and Egyptian law requires that all boats dock overnight.
4. INTERNAL FLIGHT: All local flights are included in the cost of your tour. It is important that we have your passport information ASAP in order to process these tickets. Internal flight tickets are issued locally and will be given to you prior to the flight departure. Domestic carriers for internal flights will be Egypt Air or Nile Air. Flight information will not be available until a couple of days prior to the tour departure. The domestic flight maximum weight allowance is 20 kg.

Group Leader Description

All GEEO/G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of G Adventure’s group leaders, which they refer to as Chief Experience Officers (CEOs). The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are traveling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues, and introduce you to our local friends. Our itineraries often have plenty of free time to explore on your own. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting – we think it’s the best of both worlds.

Fitness Level

Trip includes light walking and hiking that is suitable for most fitness levels.

Single Travelers

Half of GEEO’s participants travel by themselves, so please don’t worry if you do not have a travel companion for your trip. Our program fee is for one traveler in double-occupancy accommodation, and GEEO can find you a roommate of the same gender if you do not have a travel companion. Most of our programs have a “My Own Room” option, also known as a “Single Supplement,” which is an extra fee that you can pay to have a room to yourself. You will only incur an additional charge if you specifically request a single room. To see the price for the “My Own Room” option, please find your program on our extra services page. If you want to room alone, please email travel@geeo.org to request a single room.

Joining Instructions

Day 1 is an arrival day, and no activities have been planned. Upon arrival to the city on Day 1, or earlier if you have booked pre-accommodation with us, please make your way to the joining hotel. Please note: Check-in time will be in the afternoon. Once you arrive at the hotel, look for a note at reception from your tour leader. This note will give the details of your Welcome Meeting on Day 1, usually between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., during which you will get a chance to meet your tour leader and other travelers, as well as learn more about how the tour will run. If you don’t see a note, please ask reception for details. If you miss the Welcome Meeting, your tour leader will leave a note at reception for you with any information you may need and with instructions for the next morning. The program fee for this trip includes an arrival transfer from Cairo airport on Day 1, or up to three days prior if you arrive early and have booked your pre-accommodation through GEEO/G Adventures in our starting hotel. Arrival transfers will not be available to passengers who have booked pre-tour accommodations independently of GEEO/G Adventures. A G Adventures representative will be at the airport to meet you with your name on a sign. They will meet you inside the airport before immigration, as they are all licensed airport representatives. There could be many signs at this rendezvous point, so please check carefully for your name. If for any reason you are not met at the airport, please call our local support line (see below). If you are unable to make contact for whatever reason, please make your way to the hotel via taxi. Unfortunately, there have been cases of people misrepresenting themselves as G Adventures representatives, so please check that your driver knows your name and the hotel to which you are going. If in doubt, ask them to call their manager to confirm your transfer.

Emergency Contacts

Should you need to contact G Adventures during a situation of dire need, it is best to first call their local G Adventures office. If for any reason you do not receive an immediate answer, please leave a detailed message and contact information, so they may return your call and assist you as soon as possible. AIRPORT TRANSFER Your arrival transfer has been arranged based on flight information provided to us. If you are advised of a flight schedule change within 48 hours of your scheduled arrival time, we will do our best to rearrange your arrival transfer, but we cannot guarantee this. If your arrival transfer does not arrive within 30 minutes after you have exited the arrivals area, please take a taxi to your start point hotel. EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS G Adventures local office emergency phone number: +201000003945 G Adventures regional operations manager emergency phone number: +212 6 13 54 20 21 If you are unable for any reason to contact G Adventures’ local office, they have a toll-free line which will connect you directly with their Toronto office: Toll-free, North America only: 1 888 800 4100 Calls from UK: 0344 272 0000 Calls from Germany: 0800 365 1000 Calls from Australia: 1 300 796 618 Calls from New Zealand: 0800 333 307 Outside North America, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the UK: +1 416 260 0999

Packing List

Please read this article on GEEO’s blog for our staff’s suggestions on the best gear to pack for your upcoming travels. You must be prepared to carry your own bags and be comfortable carrying them up and down stairs, on and off transportation, and to hotels. As a rule, we try not to have to walk more than 15-20 minutes with your bags, which is why we recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 22-30 lb. Most travelers carry a backpack or rolling bag of small to medium size. No XXL bags please! A daypack is also essential for carrying everyday items. Space is limited on transportation, so there is a limit of one main piece of luggage per person plus a daypack per person. Health & Safety

• N95/KN95 face masks (at least a few just in case there is an outbreak within your group)
• Hand sanitizer
• Rapid Covid test/antigen tests (at least 3)

Suggested Checklist

• Light windproof/waterproof jacket – chances are it won’t rain much
• Sun hat (or scarf)
• Personal clothing for hot weather: shorts and t-shirts (you can do laundry, so do not overpack!)
• One or two nicer outfits for dinners
• Daypack
• Sturdy walking shoes
• Sport sandals or flip-flops
• Sunblock
• Sunglasses
• Watch or alarm clock
• Flashlight or headlamp
• Toiletries – your hotels will have soap and shampoo
• Camera
• First-aid kit, including: lip salve, aspirin, bandaids, anti-histamine, Dramamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, electrolyte powder, insect repellent, extra prescription drugs you may be taking

Optional Checklist

• Lightweight silk sleep sheet
• Travel pillow
• Money belt
• Phone/tablet for internet – most hotels have WiFi, but you will also want an eSIM when WiFi is not reliable (we recommend Airalo)
• Chargers for electronics as well converters/adapters, if needed
• AirTags or Tile trackers
• Packing cubes
• Earplugs
• Snacks – packing a few granola bars is a good idea; you can buy snacks when you get there too, so don’t go crazy here
• Ziplock bags for wet clothing
• Reading/writing material
• Hand sanitizer/Baby wipes
• Cooling gel neck wrap/bandana
• Toilet paper or tissue packets (Most public toilets do not have TP)

Document Checklist

• Passport (with photocopies)
• Any entry visas or vaccination certificates required
• Travel insurance ID card
• Flight itinerary/boarding pass(es)
• USD/EUR cash
• Credit/debit card
• G Adventures vouchers

Laundry

Laundry facilities are offered by some of our hotels for a charge, or you can ask your tour leader where the nearest laundromat is located. In case you want to do your own laundry, we suggest you bring your own non-polluting/biodegradable soap.

Passports and Visas

All GEEO trips require that the participant have a valid passport. Please see our general FAQ for information on obtaining a passport. As with all of our trips, we try to provide the most accurate information we can, but governments sometimes change visa rules. It is your responsibility to double-check the information we provide below by searching here. U.S. citizens must have a visa to enter Egypt. We recommend getting a 1-month single entry visa on arrival at Cairo International airport or at the Egyptian land border. You must pay in cash (exact amount, no change), either in U.S. Dollars (USD), British Pounds (GBP), or Euros (EUR). The visa fee is $25 USD or the equivalent in your currency. Egyptian Pounds and credit cards are not accepted as payment methods when obtaining your Egyptian entry visa. Look for windows (marked “banks”) selling these visas in the area where you line up to have your passport stamped. You need to get the 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. E-Visa in Advance: We feel it is much easier and more straightforward to receive your visa on arrival, but you may also apply for an e-visa in advance here: https://www.visa2egypt.gov.eg/eVisa/. The website can be buggy and difficult to use, but the GEEO team can assist you with the information you need to provide to obtain an e-visa if you have questions while filling out the application.

Money Exchange

The currency used in Egypt is the Egyptian Pound (EGP). ATMs are found within main cities in Egypt and 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. Cash is recommended for times when ATMs are not accessible. Euros, British Pounds, and U.S. Dollars are all easy to exchange for the local currency. You should bring some cash with you for emergency situations, but carrying only cash is a high safety risk. ATM cards and some cash is the ideal mix. If you are bringing U.S. Dollars, please make sure that the notes are new and in good condition. Notes older than 1996 – as identified on the right-hand side of the face of any USD bill – or with any tears or blemishes may not be accepted. Be fussy with your bank when buying cash! As currency exchange rates can fluctuate, we ask that you refer to the following website for daily exchange rates: www.xe.com.

Tipping

Tipping (also widely referred to by its Arabic term, “baksheesh”) is a way of life in the Middle East. It is customary and even expected to tip small service providers such as restaurant and bar waiters, hotel staff, cleaning staff, luggage porters, and taxi drivers. In many cases, people depend on the tips they receive to supplement low salaries/wages. A guideline for budgeting for tips is approximately $5-10 USD per day. To make things as easy as possible and avoid awkward situations, G Adventures utilized a tipping kitty system in which your tour leader will collect a contribution from each traveler at the start of the program and use these funds to tip anybody who provides services to the entire group. On Day 1 of your tour, the tour leader will be able to advise on the amount to contribute to the tipping kitty. You can contribute USD or the equivalent local currency, but the local currency is typically preferred. At the end of your program, if you felt your G Adventures tour leader did an outstanding job, a tip would be appreciated. The amount is entirely your personal preference, but as a guideline, $6-9 USD per person per day would be appropriate.

Vaccinations

GEEO cannot provide any medical advice, so it is very important to consult your doctor or a travel clinic about which vaccinations you will need for your trip. We recommend contacting Passport Health (http://www.passporthealthusa.com/), which has travel clinics located throughout the United States. You can also check the CDC's recommended vaccinations for your destination. Please take this seriously!

Flights

We find the best prices for flights are often available around 90 days before departure, but of course this varies greatly from route to route and year to year. You should wait until this trip is confirmed before you book non-refundable flights. GEEO and G Adventures bear no responsibility for any flights purchased before the trip is confirmed. This program begins and ends in Cairo. Please double-check our itinerary for the date by which you must arrive in Cairo. You may want to arrive in Egypt one or more days early in case you have flight disruptions. You can arrive at any time you choose, but try to make it in time for our 6:00 p.m. Welcome Meeting on Day 1. You can depart from Cairo any time on the final day of the program, or stay longer to see more of the city.

Plugs and Converters

There are two components to provide external power to your device: adapters and transformers (also called electrical converters). The adapter is for your device's plug, adapting the prongs on a standard U.S. two- to three-pronged power cord to fit the local outlets. The transformer/converter changes the local voltage to the voltage used in the U.S. Egypt uses a European-style Type C plug with two circular prongs, and the voltage is 220V. (Standard U.S. electrical outlets are 120V.) Most new devices, including phones and laptops, are made to work with the different voltage rates, but some devices, like hair dryers, may only work on the U.S. standard of 120V. Check your device's plug or manual to see what voltage range it requires. Most transformer blocks will have an “Input” line that defines its voltage capacity; for example, “Input: 100-240V” means that it will work with voltages between 100V to 240V. If your device can’t handle the higher voltage, you’ll need to purchase a transformer/converter. You can find world transformers/converters online or at many retail stores in the travel section.

Expectations

Before you decide to travel with GEEO, it is important that you read all of the information about the program you are considering. Remember, our programs are quite adventurous.

• You must be able to easily carry or roll your luggage, so do not over-pack.
• We recommend always carrying snacks with you. Meals can sometimes be far apart.
• Please make sure you understand the role of your tour leader on this trip, as they are not the traditional “guide” you may be expecting. While our trips are educational, they aren’t study/lecture trips. We want you to learn through exploring, and much of your experience will be based on how active you choose to be in acquiring knowledge and interacting with locals.

Hopefully this is the kind of adventure you are interested in!

Itinerary Disclaimer

While it is our intention to adhere to the routes described on our website, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable, to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The information on our website is a general guide to the tour and region, and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.

Weather

The Egyptian summer is very hot and dry in most of the country, and humid in the Delta and along the Mediterranean Coast. In recent years the humidity has spread to Cairo, and the city swelters in the summer!

Here is some advice from teacher and GEEO Board member Maddie Hunt:

"I traveled to Egypt in the summer, so this is my context for the trip.

• Traveling in the summer made it MUCH less crowded than other times of the year.
• It was easier to get in and out of different museums, historic sites, and stops on the trip (fewer lines, people, etc).
• In the summer, it is VERY hot (I am from Minnesota so am not used to hot temperatures). I believe at one point when we were in Southern Egypt it was close to 120 degrees F.
• Bring a water mister for the heat and some long-sleeved light layers (this will also be required when visiting any holy sites).
• Bring toilet paper- it is not readily available in many places and you may need to pay extra. I found it helpful to just have some in my purse or backpack.
• Bottled water is an absolute must- I would not recommend drinking anything with ice in it.
• My favorite part of the trip was our time on the Nile River cruise and our visit to the Nubian village. Treat yourself to some henna!
• There are so many beautiful and stunning pools on the trip itinerary - bring a swimsuit. It is an excellent way to cool off!
• The food was difficult for my stomach so I stuck to mostly vegetarian options.
• You will want to ask about seeing a papyrus shop and stone shop. Your guide can arrange this and you will get to see paper and art being made. It was amazing. We also did this with an essential oil shop on our visit.
• Expect to be absolutely blown away by the magnitude and beauty of the structures there.
• I would absolutely recommend finding time to visit the Alexandria Library.
• It is a heavy tipping culture, but lots of banks and ATMs can be found at any point of your trip.
• If you are there in the summer, prepare for many early mornings because that is when temperatures are lower. Afternoon naps are a must and always scheduled into the day :)
• The camel rides by the pyramids were disappointing - I would not recommend them. The camels seemed worn down and not as healthy as other ones we saw later on in the trip. (See our animal welfare policy here.)"

Here is further advice from other travelers:

• There is cold water bottles available for sale on the bus.
• Bringing a filter for purifying water can save you from wasting so much plastic. (See GEEO's gear recommendation list.)
• It's not pretty, but everyone really should get a prescription for diarrhea. I think everyone had some rough days and Imodium just won't cut it.
• "I washed my clothes by hand a lot. We had laundry options on the boat and I think one hotel because we moved so frequently. Laundry was kind of pricey to folks, and I found hand washing to be fine. But I think just to let folks know to bring clothes that can handwash and dry well or at least a shirt or two that are specifically made to wick wetness and such. I brought one t-shirt from REI that was so brilliant for this trip, and I wore it a majority of the days, handwashing it each night!"
• You will likely be taking two or more showers per day.
• I had a cooling gel bandanna and a cooling towel (the kind that works when wet with any temp water but doesn’t need to be soaked in cold water) that really helped but the gel bandanna was the best because the cooling towel dried off too fast.
• Don’t bring $1 and $5 bills for tips - the vendors say “$1 dollars pretty lady” but the currency exchanges won’t take the small currencies so it is useless to them. The currency exchange also won’t take US bills that have the slightest flaw in them (tears, pen marks, excessive wear, etc.) so if you bring US cash and want to exchange it instead of using the ATMs make sure you go to the bank in the US and get new bills.
• Meals are substantially more expensive at the hotels.
• Getting small Egyptian currency is a problem and a lot of shops would not accept 100 or 200 pound bills which is what most of us were getting from the ATMs. I found out on the last day that some ATMs at banks dispense only small currency.
• If the bill is 35 Egyptian pounds and you have a 50 and a 200 bill try the big bill first to see if they can break it and save the small stuff for water and bathrooms. Sometimes they can break it and other times they will ask for something smaller. If they don’t have the correct change they will give you what they can and keep the difference.
• I never had any luck withdrawing cash from an ATM using my Visa credit card but fortunately, I also had my debit card - otherwise, I would have been in trouble.
• Many of us found our menstruation cycles were off, probably due to the heat, jet lag and crazy eating/sleeping schedules. It can be hard to find feminine products outside of pharmacies, so bring enough supplies regardless of where the trip falls in your cycle.