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Budget Vacations to Egypt:

For many, a trip to Egypt may be a vacation of a lifetime; something that one has always wished to do but unable to afford. One can arrange budget travel to Egypt at anytime. However, when times are bad in Egypt, which is a reoccurring event caused by world conflicts that seldom have much to do with Egypt such as the Afghanistan and Iraqi wars, tour operators sometimes provide amazing deals. Tourists have remained safe during these periods in Egypt, and for one who wishes to make an Egyptian journey, not only are tours cheap, but monuments and other sightseeing locations are less crowded. So for the individual who has always wanted to got to Egypt but hasn't been able to do so, keep these periods in mind. 

The costs associated with a budget trip to Egypt include, but are not necessarily limited to, the airfare or other transport to Egypt, lodging, food, transportation to different destinations in Egypt and tickets to enter the various attractions one wishes to see, with the possible hiring of guides. Most people will also be interested in finding the least expensive places and means of buying a few souvenirs. Of course, this is for a fairly standard classical excursion.

Budget travel does not necessarily imply independent travel. In many instances, an economy tour may ultimately yield a much more pleasant and even less expensive Egyptian holiday then an independently arranged trip. Tour operators frequently receive deep discounts from hotels and airlines as well as provide more efficient means of transportation within Egypt. Even the most experienced independent traveler may not be able to beat the cost of a value tour, particularly if a full agenda of sight seeing is required. Not infrequently in fact, packaged tours may be as little or less then the cost of airfare to Egypt if arranged independently.

This is particularly true when visiting Egypt from Europe. There a number of European charter services and travel houses do a large volume of business in Egypt, allowing them to negotiate huge discounts with hotels and ground operators in Egypt, resulting in prices that are extremely affordable.

As we advise in our section on independent verses packaged tours, perhaps one of the most inexpensive means of independent travel in Egypt is often a hybrid, where one accepts a relatively defined package tour but allows themselves extra time to do independent sightseeing or other activities. That way, they take advantage of inexpensive tour packages while allowing themselves independent time.

Yet travelers should be advised that independent travel within Egypt is nothing to fear.  One of the most unusual aspects of Egypt in regards to other tourist destinations is that Egyptians in general will go out of their way to help tourists.  They are gracious hosts, even those outside of the tourism industry.  Most hotel personnel, if asked, will provide a world of information and be very helpful.  They will almost always be able to arrange various tours, and in the case of some chains, be able to guide and accommodate you from one end of Egypt to the other.

In addition, most monuments, particularly the better known monuments, will have identification plaques and often detailed descriptions.  Along with a good travel guide, one who is intent on independent travel should have little trouble in doing so.

In general, everything from hotel rooms, to flight reservations, to full tours will be less expensive during the off season.  Most tourist traffic to Egypt begins in the latter half of June, and continues through the middle of September. Ramadan is also a busy time for Egypt, but also very fun, while the ultimate peak season starts just before Christmas and ends after New Years, due to the holidays in European countries. During this short end of year period, prices will be at their highest, and in many cases hotel and other reservations cannot be had at any price unless planed well in advance. There are other periods to consider as well. Many of these have to do with European holidays, particularly in the Autumn and at Easter, when vacations flock to Egypt. October is a busy month in Egypt, as are usually several weeks between March and the end of April. The slowest months in Egypt are usually September and all of November.