History of Wayanad and Mananthavady: By Mananthavady Locals

It will be intriguing to explore the geography of Wayanad and its capital, Mananthavady, by examining texts from a century ago. Gaining a fresh perspective on our own land is indeed exhilarating. I have included excerpts from the "Description of the Wynaud Talook" in its original form. The additions in Malayalam have been made by me. Identifying the current locations can be quite challenging, and there may be inaccuracies; therefore, your insights regarding the Malayalam terms would be greatly valued in this discussion. For our ease in locating these places.

Ref: PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOMBAY GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY MAY 1840 

 (Historical and Geographical Account of the Western Coast of India Revenue and Land Tenures By Major TB Jervis of the Bombay Engineers FRS) 

വയനാട്

Wynaud or Byenaud (വയനാട്) one of the largest divisions of Malabar situated above the ghauts the crest of which to the W and S forms its limits and divides it from the Talooks of Kotiote Karta naud (കടത്തനാട്)  Karumbanaud and Erranaud (ഏറനാട്)  for 120 miles on the north it is bounded by the Province of Koorg കുടക് on the E by that of Mysore and to the SE from Coimbatoor by the Bukkary river (കാവേരി) which divides the elevated table land of the Neelgherries (നീലഗിരി)  into two portions its perimeter measures 226 miles its length from NW to SE 60 miles in breadth about the centre 30 miles and in shape an oval. It contains a superficial area of 1160 square miles of which is occupied by rice lands one fifth of it may be considered waste and marshy but the whole was once cultivated the remainder is composed of low ridges of hills and mountains with a very small portion plain overrun with forest.

The population according to the census in 1827 gives about 30 to the square mile but it is of unequal density the eastern portion being almost deserted owing to the very unsettled nature of the country when taken possession of by the British and since from sickness and the depredations committed by elephants a large portion to the E (Read as East: കിഴക്ക് )is now become almost a perfect wilderness.

 

The villages or deshums in this portion are very similar to those below being much scattered on the sides of the fields but not so much shaded by trees. The cocoanut does not thrive and but very few groves of the suparee (അടക്ക) is to be seen. In the vicinity of some of the deshums are groves of sagoo plants പന from which a strong toddy is extracted. A few of the villages on the borders of Mysore are compact but notwithstanding are insignificant hamlets and throughout the whole of Wynaud there is nothing in the shape of a respectable town.

പ്രധാന അങ്ങാടികൾ 

 A street of bazars is here and there to be seen as at Manantody  മാനന്തവാടി Culputty(കല്പറ്റ)  Corote കോറോം  Peria (പേരിയ) and Gunnaputty vuttom (ഗണപതി വട്ടം - സുൽത്താൻ ബത്തേരി) which may contain from 40 to 200 shops.

 The most conspicuous of them is at the village and post of Manantody  (മാനന്തവാടി) .The cantonment at this place on a low flat hill (ലത്തീൻ പള്ളി  ഏരിയ)consists of a small redoubt an artillery shed, (താലൂക്ക്  ഓഫീസ് കുന്ന്), a range of officers quarters (NGO QUARTERS) , place of arms (പഴയ പോലീസ് സ്റ്റേഷൻ- Now Thaluk office) , hospital etc.  There is an upper roomed house here used as a cutcherry now falling to decay.

 Gunnaputty vuttom; (ബത്തേരി) situated SE 22 miles from Manantody is a street of shops kept by Malabar people and a few moplahs At the eastern extremity is a redoubt on a height and a small building in it is the Umshum Cutcherry used also as a traveller's bungalow.

 Culputty; (കല്പെറ്റ)  SSE 13 miles from Manantody is a place of some note from its being the residence of a few brahmins and Chetties. Here also are a few shops and a temporary traveller's bungalow it is on the high road from the Tamberchary Pass 10 miles NNE of it താമരശ്ശേരി ചുരം

 In a valley of the mountains to the S of Brammagerry peak ബ്രഹ്മഗിരി is the famous pagoda of Tirrunelly (തിരുനെല്ലി) delightfully situated the valley is well watered from several mountain streams and cultivation continually in progress. Once a year a festival is held at it which is well attended. The Tirchulery pagoda (ത്രിസിലെരി) SSE of the above is an inferior building but considered a place of sanctity.

About 2 miles to the E of Manantody is a temple on the left bank of the river on the Aratuthurra deshum (ആറാട്ട് തറ) at which a festival takes place when an immense concourse assemble and live in small booths built from materials obtained on the spot. (വള്ളിയൂർകാവ് Valliyoor Kavu )    The fish in the river at this place are held sacred and fed by the persons officiating at the temple.

Punnamaramcotah (പനമരം Kotta) was once a strong military post consisting of an extensive square mud fort with a sepoy place of arms and other buildings but the whole is now a few mounds At this place and its vicinity several severe engagements were fought by our troops. To the E is a line of bazars inhabited by people of the eastern coast Goodaloor a small village SE 39 miles from Manantody has lately become a place of note being at the foot of the Nedduvuttom  Pass (ഊട്ടി ചുരം)  where the roads from Mysore and Malabar unite bungalows have been erected and bazars established for the convenience of travellers 

 The Kuppany river (കബനി നദി)  has its principal sources on the western ghauts which take their rise in the range of high mountains. NW and NE above the Tambercherry Pass it runs a devious NNW 15 miles to the E of Coorumbullah deshum വൈത്തിരി  പ്രദേശം numerous mountain streams and one and a half miles N of the place it is joined by the Culpaty കല്പെറ്റ a large rivulet issuing from Vellary (വെള്ളരിമല)  and Munnymulla  (വവുല്മല, ചെമ്പ്ര)  mountains from thence it runs NW and a half miles then NE two miles and receives another mountain stream on its right bank from the western ghauts. These united streams flow E and NE leaving Panamaramcotah on the bank joins another powerful mountain stream rising to the SE Munnymulla it then flows N three and a half miles and is joined by the Manantody river which has its sources in the mountains between Banasoorpeak (ബനാസുരാൻ മല)  the summit of the Kotiady  (കുറ്റ്യാടി) and Peria Passes and being joined by numerous streams of the cultivated valleys flows past Manantody and making several irriguous windings joins the main river which now runs NNE with a widened bed forms several woody and rocky islands receives the Bavaly (ബാവലി) a very rapid stream on its right bank near the post of that name.

 The Bavaly rises in the Terenelly valley and meandering in a south easterly direction for 16 miles receives several streams before its junction with the Cappany (കബനി) .  A strong stone bridge was thrown across it where the high road from Cannanore crosses into Mysore but the stream being powerful and rising above its banks the bridge is now left in a precarious state(ബാവലി Bridge) .  which forms the Cubbuny river (കബനി)  flowing through the southern districts of Mysore and ultimately joins the Cavary 

The table land of Wynaud is composed of low ridges with innumerable tops and valleys running in all directions the only which is of a more level surface is about Porukudy, Punnamaram cotah and Gunnaputty vuttom to the SE. The eastern is excessively woody and few hills appear the whole of it is undulating to the SE are the Nedduvuttom mountains  ഊട്ടി മലനിരകൾ with sublime peaks and cataracts 

The ghauts from the Peria(പേര്യ)  towards the Tambercherry Pass(താമരശ്ശേരി ചുരം)  and 1 1 miles to the E are lofty consisting of immense peaks from 5 to 6,000 feet high in short a perfect Alps and occupy a large surface. The ghauts in the SE are low till they meet the Neelgherries നീലഗിരി) and have only a few prominent tops perceiveable from the interior fall in magnificent slopes into the low country towards Nellumboor .

 To the N of Manantody five miles is a lofty ridge branching off from the ghauts and N of it four miles is the famous mountain of Brummagerry (ബ്രഹ്മഗിരി)  this ridge forms the limit common to Koorg and Wynaud and these two ridges form the valley of Tirunelly.

 In the interior are several detached hills of great elevation Munnymulla  (മുനിമല? ?)SE 15 miles of the capital occupies a space of about twenty square miles the forests in the valleys are rich and contain a variety of palms also timber of immense size the summit is however plain covered with grass.

 Coorumballa cotah (കുരുംബല കോട്ട  പനമരം) though not lofty is excessively woody During the late war the inhabitants took refuge on it it being impossible to follow their track in such a wilderness.

 Yeddacul എടക്കൽ a lofty rock on a table land SSE twenty miles  from Manantody is surrounded with others which though lower are remarkable for their shapes the slopes of this hill are covered with forest Murpinmudy ( Meppady-ചെമ്പ്ര  പീക്ക് ?)a conspicuous hill with two peaks lies WNW six miles off Goodaloor the slopes occupy a large space and with the exception of the summit are covered with a dense forest of an inferior nature.

 The Davala deshum S three miles of these peaks Sucymulla (ശശി മല) ENE fifteen miles and Shegabetta E fifteen miles of Manantody are situated in the midst of extensive forest containing teak the ridge of the latter running E to W defines the limit with Mysore.

 Manselbetta a low detached hill in the midst of forest yielding much timber defines the limit with Mysore. A large portion of this division towards the Mysore frontier is overrun with forest containing some very superior teak most of the surface is flat here and there with a few low hills interspersed.

 From Gunnaputty eastward country is intersected by low ranges of hills and streams between with extensive cultivation on either bank to Teruvanur E five miles of the above place beyond which to the NEE and SE it becomes a sea of forest up to the Mysore limit. 

പേര്യ  ചുരം 

The high road from Manantody to Cannanore (കണ്ണൂർ) runs in a WNW direction passes by Dendumelterrah  തിണ്ടുമ്മൽ to Peria a distance thirteen and a half miles it is an elegant road but very circuitous owing to the hilly nature of the country it leads principally lofty wood a few stripes of paddy intervening at Peria is a and bungalow for travellers from thence the road winds around the slopes of the hills crosses several small streams to the summit of the Pass WNW three miles from hence is a commanding view of the sea coast and low country here the descent commences towards Neddibrinjal നെടുമ്പോയിൽ .

 പാൽചുരം 

From Manantody the high eastern road winds over slopes and hills and descends to the Bavaly river NE ten miles principally through forest and hills scarcely crosses any stream but water and fields in the hollows on the right and left are close at hand Bavaly is an insignificant place consisting of a few huts an old ruined redoubt a bungalow was ordered to be built to accommodate travelers.(?കൊട്ടിയൂർ )The bridge here thrown across the river was in a dilapidated state in 1827 in consequence of the river overflowing its banks.

 This spot is considered to be very unhealthy the jungle fever prevails to alarming extent travellers are known to have caught it who have been obliged to remain beyond a day.

താമരശ്ശേരി ചുരം

 The military road from Calicut by the Tambercherry Pass താമരശ്ശേരി ചുരം enters this district at its summit runs N half a mile to Lukkady ലക്കിടി a ruined redoubt on the right from thence NNE by Viteerey വൈത്തിരി  Shaylode  ചെലോട്  Perntut  to Culputty കല്പറ്റ a street of bazars and a temporary bungalow ten and a half miles it runs chiefly thick forest and crosses at intervals four large mountain streams,from Culputty the road winding NE through open country slopes crosses a good deal of cultivation to Porakady seven (PURAKADI ) and a half miles it then proceeds N two and a half miles and the high road from Gunnaputty vuttom to the capital(Manathavady) it now assumes a NW course over slopes covered with wood Punpaddy(Pulpally) descends and crosses a large stream and immediately after the river half a mile NE of Punamaramcotah nine and a quarter miles from Porakady.(Meenangady- Varadoor Panamaram Road)

 from the river പനമരം പുഴ the road runs NW over heights and fields in the hollow one and three quarter miles and SW half a mile of Koopatode a new and near cut from Manantody joins being four and a half miles less than by the main road( നാലാം മൈൽ) which now proceeds W winding over slopes and fields at intervals to Kutoor Angady bazar four and half miles from thence NW three and a quarter miles to near Pullykul Angady (പള്ളിക്കൽ) .

 The road now assumes a NE course and crosses a river to Manantody two and a half miles from Pullykul Angady situate SW two and a half miles from the capital a road runs WSW eight miles to Corote Angady (കോറോം)  over very uneven ground and cultivation at intervals from thence it proceeds to the summit of the Kotiady Pass (കുറ്റ്യാടി  ചുരം)W five and a half miles passing a small redoubt on the right in ruins another cross road from Kulur Angady കെല്ലുർ  passes by Vellaman(വെള്ളമുണ്ട) to Pyengan Angady W (?  പൈങ്ങാട്ടിരി) five miles in the same course winding joins the road from Manantody towards the Kotiady Pass (കുറ്റ്യാടി  ചുരം)  above described about three quarters of a mile from Pyengan Angady another road strikes off towards the Tambercherry Pass proceeds by Poolanjole

(പുളിഞ്ഞാൽ)   redoubt one mile crosses a mountain stream half a mile SE of Verampettay വരാംബറ്റ) proceeds winding over heights descends and crosses extensive fields ascends to a ruined redoubt NW in the Eddaturrah deshum crosses a small river and through fields winding over heights joins the main road a mile E of Polamoody the distance from Poolanjole redoubt to this spot being fourteen miles .

From Kulputty കല്പെറ്റa road runs E and SE round the northern face of the Munnymulla hill to Trickypetta over heights and crosses several small streams from thence it winds nine miles to Konjote cotah കുന്നംബറ്റ a post one and three quarter miles N of the Pass leading to Nellumboor നിലംബൂർ which has been for many years unfrequented over heights crossing much cultivation and the country well inhabited from

 Porakudy a road runs NE two and a quarter miles over heights and joins the high road from Manantody to Gunnaputty vuttom it then runs on an even slope covered with wood to the latter place seven miles a street of bazars and redoubt on a height to the east with a temporary Chowkey for travellers from the above place a road(? മീനങ്ങാടി?)

towards Goondulpett  in Mysore runs E crosses a stream proceeds over woods and heights descends to Tirvanoor six and a quarter miles and then crosses a broad field and over woody slopes to Edetorrahcotah once a strong military frontier post there is now a Chowkey established at it on leaving it crosses a river proceeds through forests River winding on the left to Pongalycotah and pagoda both in ruins NE two and a quarter miles from thence two and a quarter miles Pottancotah fort in ruins in Mysore the river crossed SE three quarters of a mile from it defines the limit one and three quarter miles E of Gunnaputty vuttom ബത്തേരി a tolerable road strikes over woody heights to the NNE four miles to a pagoda in the Wuddekeneddaungay deshum വടക്കനാട് ?

crosses fields it proceeds winding NNE over high woody slopes hills rising on the right descends to the left bank of the Kittarputty polay  കുപ്പാടി പുഴ  six and a half miles being the limit of Mysore. A road strikes off N one and half miles from the pagoda abovementioned proceeds E and ENE over high wooded slopes and descends to the ruins of Rampoor six and a half miles a branch of the Cubbany flowing to the E of the above ruins defines the boundary between Malabar and Mysore.

 The road from Konjotecotah to Chuliode proceeds NNE four and a half miles it first passes over a great deal of cultivation and crossing a deep nullah ascends and proceeds over heights winding to the latter place.

 The road from Sultan Battery or Gunnaputty vuttom towards the Neelgherries runs S through fields then SE over heights and fields to Coilandy കോളിയാടി a pagoda ജെയിൻ ടെമ്പിൾ and tank മണിചിര on the right two and a quarter miles it then resumes a SSW course crossing fields then over heights and low jungle descends to Chuliode ചുള്ളിയോട് two and three quarter miles from thence across fields winds over high grounds and joins a tolerable road from Moopyenad മൂപൈനാട് one mile N of Chayruncotah hill five and a quarter 

 Manantody

 In the eastern and woody portion S and W of the river കബനി there are many paths leading in various directions communicating between the hamlets and farm houses scattered among woods. There is a tolerable road but one of a different nature off from the high road NE two and a quarter miles of Manantody it ascends a ridge and descends into the cultivated valley of N one and three quarter miles the pagoda on an eminence on the three quarters of a mile from thence its course NNW over difficult ground ascends the summit of a high ridge in one and three quarter miles and descends rather steep into the Teroonelly valley  തിരുനെല്ലി N one and half miles crosses a branch of the Bavaley river and then through extensive rice fields river on the left ascends again the slope of the pagoda NW one and three quarter miles from thence a road communicates with Koorg it runs up a ridge of the Brummagerry mountain to its summit two miles N and descends on the other side into the above named province.പക്ഷിപാതാളം 

 There is also a communication with the pagoda and high road leading to Mysore it passes SE by Cooducootum Hoongy nile and Chaimbyle and joins the main road on its crossing the Bavaley bridge.

 Iron ore may be obtained in many parts in this division but none of it is manufactured there being no smelting places to work it Gold is procured in all parts of the Nellialam and Numbleycotah subdivisions but the ore obtained will scarcely pay the labor.

Indian Family's Luxury   Egypt visit On A medium Budget 

We are  Indian family living in Kuwait.When we decided to go a trip in Egypt, we were determined to have a luxurious vacation on this historical land. But we were decided to do it on a low cost as possible too.  As we began planning a week Egypt itinerary and estimating prices, we understand that  there was only a negligible difference in price between quite luxurious vacation in Egypt  and on a low budget trip.

Family of four, including 2 kids  needs lots of detailing in searching prices. Kids more than 12 years is considered as an adult as per travel documents.In my case my daughter is just crossed 12. But still we managed to  get good deals.We began discovering some great deals, which would allow for an incredible trip to Egypt on a budget. Kuwait dinar is fairly strong and is respected.A devaluation of the Egyptian Pound only further helped to make the country a fantastic value. Before in 2014, a Kuwaiti dinar is equal to about 20 EP, Now its about 60 EP.

Start with Sky scanner

We started our search with sky scanner, its a great website. But we never booked from that site. Reason,got lower prices  at the last moments.

I got a  return ticket for 60 KWD( around 12200 RS) From India less than 20 thousand Rupees is possible if you search a lot. From Kuwait,i got attractive deal while searching in skyscanner. A total 240 KD  for a family of 4. This  airfare is  included one domestic  flight plus two international flights. I will reveal the tips to reduce the costs.

 If you are staying any western country and returning to India   you can opt  a 24 hr stop over without any extra cost of  accomadation or food.  Egypt air will provide this and you will be free for that much time which is quite enough for a  visit to the great pyramids and Museaums.. 

Timing: avoid hot summer. In Egypt its scorching hot as well as s long holidays for schools as other arab contrives. ticket rate will be very high. Avoid Christmas vacation and January. Cold and holidays make high tourist influx. Rates are too high again. Airfare and hotel rates will be cool down from February. February to early March is ideal as weather changes into a small spring season with good pleasant atmosphere. But iI could not select that time because my kids having  exam in early March. But,Still 2nd half of March providing a small 2 week vacation for schools in Kuwait.

Egypt Budget  Week Itinerary

We managed to plan a luxury Egypt  week itinerary for a budget of about 150 KD (30 Thousand INR) per person. This budget includes all expenses, accounting for everything from bottled waters and tipping the bathroom attendant, to an entire luxury Nile River cruise, 5-star hotel in Luxor, and 3 star Cairo.  It’s pretty incredible how far your money can stretch in Egypt!

This article is based on some  observations of John Widmer who is a backpacker roaming around the world. We got great tips from his travelogues.

We now want to share all of our tips and strategies to show exactly how you can afford these luxuries in  Egypt on a small budjet

Here’s Why  Indians  Consider Combining low budget trip to  Egypt with  a pinch of Luxury

Everybody asked me  before and after the our trip some  universal questions. How much it cost? Was it  any kind of package? How about travel planning, pick up from airport  or separate tours to the sites?  Is it safe for kids? What in the case of emergency? Who will take care about our trips?  I Cant answer all this questions now, but as you read on, you will understand it. Although relatively inexpensive, Egypt can be a notoriously difficult country to travel in, particularly during summer months. You will encounter extreme heat, some of the most persistent touts we’ve encountered, and the need to haggle hard over just about everything. It’s unlike anywhere else in the Middle East we’ve traveled to and it can all become exhausting!

 Prices in Egypt are such that it can be very affordable to make yourself much more comfortable than in this land. So we strongly urge you to do just that. We found that stepping up your comfort level and doing a little planning can often make the difference between an enjoyable trip to Egypt and a miserable one.

If you are  single male you can choose a backpacking trip. Backpacker accommodation in Egypt can be pretty good throughout the country. Lots of Westerners doing it.If I  were alone or  without my kids ,I will add  a trip to a sea side  resort.  It was absolutely heavenly to be able to unwind in such a relaxed environment as a Red Sea resort, snorkeling by day and sipping beers by night. For family, things are little different, but  when you can stay at a 4-star  resort at prices that are less than the cost of a hostel bed in many places around the world, Egypt is lucrative,

(starting at KD 12  per person per night), and includes all of your meals and even sometimes unlimited alcoholic drinks. Beer seems very cheaper there.

Do it yourself

Best way i found is combining two styles of travelling. Most people’s travel style seems to be firmly planted as either backpacking independent travelers or those who prefer packaged tours with luxury. But it doesn’t have to be one or the other. We’ve found that Egypt can actually be a perfect place to combinr these two mindsets together for a fantastic semi-DIY trip to Egypt, incorporating the best of both worlds and maximizing value!

Add on for  bachelors.

A week of touring around ancient Egypt’s many sites and the sheer craziness of Cairo,you may add some spice in your tour. Visit a resort in Redsea is the best idea. Our tour was great and it is filled with touring all of those famous pyramids, temples, and museums, you may grow exhausted. Especialy for children.So we recommend trading in those ancient sites to instead explore some of Egypt’s natural wonders in the underwater world. for that you have to travel to Hughada or Sharm al sheikh.The Red Sea beaches provide a wonderful contrast to the first week’s intensive touring.  We avoided Alexandria,because of some obvious reasons.

Right now is truly a special time to travel to Egypt. The  jasmin revolution and unrest subsided. Tourism industry is waking up. Not only are the prices low, but so are the tourist crowds that once swarmed the county’s most notable sites. Today you can visit the Great Pyramids and have them nearly all to yourself to enjoy. It’s absolutely incredible!

So come take an in-depth look to see how to have a little luxury while travelling Egypt on a budget of KD 150 (INR 32000) per person  during one week itinerary in Egypt.A two week extension will cost only near 50 KD in additional.

Sample  Egypt Itinerary

For One week 

This Egypt itinerary is almost exactly what we followed ourselves. we did maximum time conservation.The only difference between our exact trip and our recommendation here, is that we advise traveling  to  and  unwind at Hurghada Red Sea resort

• Day 1: Arrive into Luxor in the early morning.
• Our tour operator sent a guide and Mini van  for first day adventures in the west bank of Luxor.  then before lunch begin embark Nile Cruise. Afternoon and night- relax .overnight in Cruise
• Day 2: Nile Cruise,Edfu  and Kom Ombo(overnight in Cruise)
• Day 3: Nile Cruise to Aswan-early monrnig trop to Abu simbel. afternoon trip to Philae temple. (overnight in Cruise)
• Day 4: Book train ticket to Luxor. Reach luxor by 11 am. Check in your Hotel. If intersted, sight seeing around Luxor and Karnak temple 
• Day 5: Ralax in hotel,using swimming pool. Evening visit to Luxor temple and Karnak temple
• Day 5:  Morning Fly to Cairo, visit Egyptian museam on the way to Hotel at Giza. Check in and Tour Pyramids of Giza. spent time to watch EveningLight and sound show at 7 pm. Do shopping.
• Day 6:  take wonderful photos in early morning at Pyramids, Check out Depart Egypt

A few minor tweaks to this two week Egypt itinerary that you may want to consider incorporating are:

• Add an extra day in Aswan to make the journey to Abu Simbel (which tends to be a highlight of Egypt for many).
• Add an extra day in Giza/Cairo to explore additional sites such as the pyramids around Saqqara.
• Consider extra  day  in Luxor to exlore more in this ancient city.
• Do it in reverse! If so, we’d recommend  a reverse tour after considering the availability of flights an its lowest prices.

 Extension  of tour (total 2 weeks)

• 1 week at redsea resort,travel to Hughada or Sharm al sheikh.

How to cut cost in air ticket

Most of the people think Cairo is the main point of entry and easy to explore from there. But  if you want to cut cost, divide your trip and consider Luxor as starting point and Cairo is the finishing point. Use multi city   booking instead of two way tickets. This option is easily searched from the site Skyscanner. try different forms of timings and combination of flights.  I  my case I got a very low priced ticket from Kuwait to Luxor and Luxor to Kuwait. I gone for the extreme,that  our return flight has a special feature. I selected a flight with  long stopover at Cairo,more than 24 hours. Like this, if you choose one,In this 24 hours  you will get sufficient time to explore Cairo. Bear in mind that dates  your cruise trip  should be coincided with the flights timings.  After identifying suitable flights in sky scanner  you can try in different websites for further bargaining on flight booking. In our case Egypt Air provided the best timings as well as cost. A 3 way ticket  from Kuwait cost only  56 KD( 12500 INR) per person.

Nile River, and its cultivating  banks run through Sahara Desert.

Luxor to Aswan 4-Day  cruise and  costs

Best option to book a cruise  by a great website called  Viator, a subsidiary by TripAdvisor. If you booked , they will take care about the cruise and individual tour operators.Actually Viator integrates many tour companies and cruises. We don't  another to select a best cruise or best rate. all they will decide in reasonable rate. If you attempt to bargain separate tour companies,  time and phone call will make a miserable feeling. If one boat is not available they will take care to accommodate  in any other boats. So first 4 days are booked for us dollar 250 per person  for entire 4 day trip including cruise,food and tours. Once you booked, Viator  will give our names to some tour company and they will contact you by mail and phone calls.In our case it was Middle East tour company. if you have some guts you may further try an independent bargaining with other tour companies.

 Once you get on board your Nile cruise, travel will become much easier, as the next several days are completely planned out for you, so you won’t have to worry about a thing. Just get on the ship and enjoy!

Day 1:  Our flight from Kuwait was at 4:05 Am and arrived on correct time at Luxor airport  at 5.50 Am. We had a good breakfast on flight. We used airport  washroom to freshen up. Our tour company guide and driver  were awaiting to take us to the West bank, to start early as possible. We got a small problem of Egyptian  Money as there is no money exchange opened  at Luxor Airport.  The private exchanges in town  will be open before 8 am. So our guide helped us   and  given an loan of EP 1000. I agreed to return the money after  our visits and when banks are open. We crossed a bridge across the Nile river and driver stopped near to a village to buy some sandwich for himself.  Our guide   took us to the valley of Kings, and the Colossi Memnon and Temple of Queens. He stopped in between to some  kind of a factory  of stoneware making. The   factory owner gave  generous amount of black tea/ fruit juice and that enjoyed by kids.But we are not in a mood of shopping and after 15 minutes, we said goodbye to the shop keeper. Temple of Hatshput was a magnificent  sight. First incidence of cheating  happened here.We bought  a half liter of drinking water at a  shop inside temple of Queen's compound. Spent 20 EP for that.  Later we found that the same amount is enough for 4 one litre big bottles  in Luxor town.

If you  attempt like us,No need to worry about the luggage while visiting the temples. It will be safe  in  your van. My advice is just click a photo of driver or registration Number of your van. This will be helpful to find  the van later .Before embarking the cruise  We visited Luxor town and to  a bank  for money exchange and bought  some water bottles. Bid farewell to guide and driver with some tips for the services. We get checked in to our Nile River cruise about 12 15.pm. Its a five star cruise but a different  having a name (M/s Gezelle) than we got informed. Its a  5 star  cruise  with 5 star facilities.Have wonderful  lunch and settle into our room. Ship began its sailing about 1.30 when we are busy with eating our luxurious Lunch. Full afternoon is ours for relaxation. We got two adjacent rooms at 2nd floor, each for kids and Parents.  Kids were happy to see the TV  with their favorite channels. After a good nap we went to upper deck   to see the and watched for a Nile sunset. Then attended dinner at basement floor(Below water level)  and dancing  at banquet hall and bar at ground level.

We passed Esna  on a full moon day. Super  feelings to watch the lock crossing from the upper deck. We spent some time in the deck lying on the chairs only to stare at stars and moon. No other sounds...

Day 2 : Slept  neatly. Day break was wonderful and delighted to watch it from our bed.If you open the windows you can smell fresh air with cool breeze. We found that ship is docked at Edfu and after breakfast at 7 am our tour guide took take us to Edfu temple.  It was not like all the people will go with  one guide as we thought. In the same  ship, there were  more than 100  peoples stayed but belongs to  different  tour companies. Each guides will come and they will pick their respective tourists. 

Our group included we four, and one lone lady from Mexico. After breakfast on the ship, our new guide took us to  a horse  carriage  and ride to tour the Horus Temple in Edfu. The horse driver  will be very friendly and allow us to hold the harness and he will assist to  take Photos.All this understandable. When leaving,he will ask a tip.

 We had a  Egyptian massage session on the spa in ship. It last for one hour. As sun get hotter we went to swimming pool and kids enjoyed. Before  Lunch, we sat at main reception area  to send some photos in social media. Wifi is available but   not in inside the room. We took a nice lunch and relaxed in the rooms. A more relaxing visit  and walk at evening followed,when  we visited Kom Ombu  temple and Crocodile museum. A shopping at small shops along the bank is also recommended here as we found the cost is less than other places. At Night dinner and dancing party. Slept nicely with  while our ship sailing towards Aswan

Day 3:  You will be amazed  when you are reach Aswan in early morning. You may think ,this will be your destination, oh so early. But two more days here. Relax.   If you booked to visit Abu Simbel, your tour guide would have   arrived at around 4 AM  at  ship's reception. Your breakfast is packed and  given as a box to have it on the way or  during the trip. A luxury Minivan  will be ready to take you with some persons from another boat.   Long journey will follow in the desert  and you can sleep a little.  Abu simbel trip is a must but can be omitted if your kids will say, "too much History".  Even one of the parents can stay in hotel room for relaxed morning.   After breakfast, alternately you can have a felluca ride in Nile to the nearest islands. Lot of locals will come  and offer if you  dare to explore. The above two activities are not belongs to the package and you have to do it your risk and cost. Have lunch on board and   visit the Aswan Dam, the unfinished obelisk, and then the Philae temple.  On your return, your minivan will  definitely stop at some so called Perfume factory. Very concentrated perfume oils  available and it is nice idea to entice friends and relatives to gift some small bottles of such oils.

Evening will be free and you can wander  in the streets of Aswan. Remember, you should book your train ticket  for next day's travel.

I booked the ticket to Luxor   for the 7.30 am train towards Cairo. If you have enough time you can book at 3 pm train. Beware, no trains in between.  Beer can be bought at some  a shop near to the railway station and it is very cheap.

The night is so special as there is a grand dinner and  following entertainments in  the middle deck. Belly dance performer will be there to entice  along with her crews. Soofi dance performed before the Belly dance. Belly dance is enjoyable to the entire family and its not a taboo to participate and dance with here. In our cruise some of the Muslim ladies and kids danced with belly dancer.

slept nicely. Kids watched movies in the TV till late night.

Day 4:   After a sound sleep  on the ship,we   checked out at 7 am. While check out, the  receptionist  gave an envelope  to put our tips to the crews. Here in this ship you need not  give your gratitude for each services individually. As a rule 3 US dollars per person per  day is normal tip. So we have to give 16 USD per day. Its not compulsory, you may not put anything in the envelop. We put a total of 50 USD. Our lunch boxes are handed over and we  hurried to railway station. We have only 10 minutes to the scheduled train departure, we thought it will be a good idea to travel in a horse carriage w for 10 EGP, but it turned to  be a time waste as our old  horse is simply walking not  more  than we could . It s about 500 meters distance only and we regret.  Our train was ready  on time and we got our seats near to a windows. Ticket examiner came and checked the ticket . One good  thing is you can board the train without a ticket and you can buy it from train conductor with a small increment of ticket price but  according to availability. There is pantry service in the train. Our train  was an express train towards Cairo and having 3-4 stops only  between Aswan and Luxor. We reached on  time at 10 Am.   Out side the railway station, its tough time to bargain to taxi and touts. A 25 EGP is all required to our hotel by taxi. After check in  the room we relaxed a little till lunch . 

We stepped down in the afternoon adventures. By this time our tour guide tried contacted us and  given a message to hotel that he will come at 3 pm instead of 12 pm,  as agreed earlier. But we missed the message and so our guide. We went our own to visit Karnak temple.  Luckily we saw our guide there with a British family. After visiting Karnak Temple,  our guide brought us to a so called Papyrus Museum. We bought some mementos from there, and proceed to Luxor temple. We didint give any tip to the guide as he not arrived at time, and it seems he didn't expected that.  We visited Luxor market  for tourists for some shopping. Our hotel is very near to Luxor temple and Mummification Museum,We  walked on streets in the early nightfall and visited Mummification museum  on way back. This night we wanted to try something different for dinner as fivestar  food on previous  days made carving for local tastes. After reaching hotel, I alone went to  the streets again to buy sandwiches and shawarma. Later in Night, we  visited the Bar  in the hotel from where you can have ice creams, sandwiches and beer.  Wonderful day, finished with a good sleep.

Day 5 : When we woke a up at 5 am, in a great calm morning,we could see from balcony , the Hot air balloons flying high in the west bank of Nile. If you needed and  ready to pay 80 USD per head you  can fly on that., Reservations are available in the reception of hotel. After a relaxing room service breakfast, head out for a visit to the Luxor Museum to admire its impressive collection of antiquities. We spend some time  at the pool of our affordable 5-star hotel in early morning.  We  are totally tired by seeing lot of  temples now and wanted to relax in the hotel in afternoon. We again spend time in garden and pool.In evening , we walked on the street on all  the way to Karnak temple  on the ancient path  leading starting from Luxor temple to Karnak Temple. This stone paved  road has its own  importance in history and guarded by numerous sphinxes on  both sides.   The road lost  some part due to  encroachment. The entire path's restoration is going on when we visited there. Near to Karnak temple some sphinxes seen destroyed  and the  road is blocked by a small village. It was nice to see the  UNISEF and a Government try to recoup the encroachments.  Alternatively if you still haven’t gotten your fill of temples, consider taking a jaunt back out to the west to check out Medinat Habu, since that wasn’t already visited. Had nice dinner at hotel  and slept neatly.

Day 6: Our tour guide had  promised me, that the company driver will arrive at  correct  time  in morning.But I had  a doubt  on it. He never came. Instead we catch  our own taxi to reach Luxor airport.  After check in, we used our precious waiting time on packed breakfast boxes from hotel. It have its own experience to eat in a waiting area on airport. There are 4- or 5 flights in the morning all heading to Cairo.  I have picked our ticket to Kuwait is routed deliberate through Cairo with a big lay over time of more than 24 hours.As we are considered domestic travelers till Cairo we will have enough time to visit  the attractions.Egypt air was correct in time and services. Reached about 10 am, at Cairo airport. Guides, touts and taxi drivers  surrounded us but we managed to get an old taxi driver for 100 EGP to Egyptian museum. After we  took some fresh juices and tea, we  were ready to visit the museum.

 Dont worry about your Luggage.  You can keep it free of charge near to the front gate, just turn left and next small building have this facility . they will issue a token. small bag,phones, camera(With ticket) water bottles are allowed inside museum. Professional guides will aproch. we got an old fellow  Claimed as  Egyptiologist and have doctorate on subject and will charged 200 EGP. He will be  good for a group  But if you are not so interested in deep history,you can avoid him.

We need at least 2- 2 .30 hours to  visit a quick look as there is  thousands of artifacts displayed. We avoided  Mummy's room,the price  we saved , because we saw mummies  in Mummification museum  for a very normal fee at  Luxor. We  catch another taxi to Giza hotel  for 100 EGP, and on the way I requested  our driver to stop at a good restaurant for packed Lunch . He did it splendidly  at a Khusheri meal(Egyptian lunch with spices and rice, pasta,and  roasted onions) shop. Worth for price. He dropped at Pyramids Inn hotel which is situated at very front of the great Sphinx and Pyramids. After checking in we  consumed a quick lunch at our room, because we have to reach at pyramids before 4 pm. Its just a walkable distance and we made it. 

First we visited the great sphinx and the proceeded to The great Pyramids. It was very difficult to avoid drivers of  horse carriages,and guides as they repeatedly interfere our smooth journey and sight seeing.I think Evening is the best time to visit  pyramids and  the Plataea.

 As I have read,  visiting inside of the pyramid can be avoided, as it is claustrophobic and nothing to see inside than empty chambers. Still we wanted to go inside, but for our unluck or luck, the closing time (4pm) blocked that attempt. But for our good thing we could explore the entire  pyramids our own. We had enough time to walk around the surrounding area. The sunset near the  deserted pyramid was mystical. On the way back to hotel we bought some souvenirs from surrounding shops.

 We could clearly see the pyramids and sphinx from our bedroom. this was the main reason for selection of this hotel. Py

ramids van be well viewd from  as well as top of the hotel, which turned to be a restaurant  too.

At 7 pm each day there will be a light and sound show in front of this hotel and we could watch it free of cost  while having our dinner. I have searched  a lot in various travel forums  to reach this hotel to book.The hotel was a family owned  home converted to a modern hotel, and still the family is running the hotel.  Its  not a 5 or 4 star hotel but its was really fantastic and value for money.

Day 7: The last day of the tour, enjoyed at beautiful morning sights of pyramids as we could see all the views though our windows and balcony.  take wonderful photos and  did some shopping. Went back to Cairo airport last leg of journey.

We added some more days of exploration. This will help to modify  your travel.

Planning Egypt 

I just trying to  help your planning of the tour. you can check various forums, as i did, but latley I found the best deals and methods. I just combining all of the tips here

Cruising the Nile River : Luxor to Aswan  by Boat

The best way to tour the Nile Valley is by boat! This classic journey runs from Luxor to Aswan and makes the return trip from Aswan to Luxor. The entire experience was our highlight of Egypt and we highly recommend it as part of your two week Egypt itinerary. 

It is interesting to note that attempting to see all of these sites as an independent traveler backpacking Egypt would likely end up costing more than the cruise, would be extremely inefficient, and perhaps even impossible to do. These reasonably-priced Nile River cruises are really the way to go and it has been one of our favorite experiences throughout our entire travels.

Pricing and Where to Book Nile Cruise for Cheap

Lock in Your Dates: While planning your budget-friendly Egypt itinerary, we recommend booking your Nile cruise first and planning around that if possible.  The ships are scheduled to leave on only certain days, so once you have your Nile cruise agenda, you can then plan your pre- and post-Nile plans after locking in your exact dates. I combined the searching with various airline prices at it was working.

Most websites offer Nile River cruises for prices that run well into the thousands of dollars per person  by  international tour company In reality it wont. It was a pleasant surprise to find these same exact ships, itineraries, and cabins listed in a few other places for a fraction of the cost. Many prices are further discounted for the Nile cruises offered during summer months, which makes for incredible value.

To find these low Nile cruise prices, we recommend booking through Viator. we booked throug ot. and they given our details to Middle east tour company. In both cases price will be the same. But I think if we negotiated earlier  to the local company we could have  save some money in the deal.

The absolute best prices for a 5-star Nile River cruise that we tracked down were through Viator was 260 USD per person.(80 Kuwaiti Dinar)

And while a $260(80 KD) trip may not seem like a particularly budget-friendly proposition, you must consider that this breaks down to less than $70 (20KD) per day, which includes all your meals, luxury lodging, transportation down the Nile, (except all entrance fees), and even a personal guide. We think it all adds up to one of the best travel values out there! It’s not possible to organize an independent itinerary over the same route for less than $70 per day.

Seasonal Price Changes: Understand the the lower prices for Nile River cruise deals are only available in summer. Prices fluctuate based on the date you’re booking for.  So you’ll be saving about a hundred bucks per person by going in the middle of summer. Although we can tell you from experience of roaming around Egypt in 46 C degree temps that it may be worth the slight splurge to go during this much more comfortable time of year. Prices during shoulder season (e.g., April,May) have both moderate prices and moderate temperatures, so that’s a great consideration.

These Nile Cruises offered on Viator are the best deal you can book online. However, you are limited by your departure dates. check this factor before booking.The 4-Night Cruise from Luxor to Aswan only departs normally on Mondays. The Cruise from Aswan to Luxor only departs on normally Fridays.  If you can make those dates work, this is the way to go. 

But you’ll definitely save a few hundred bucks per family with Viator, if you’re able to work out a Friday or Monday departure. That’s the Nile cruise we took and would highly recommend it.

Group Tour vs Private Tour

Also understand that all the cruise prices we’ve mentioned are based on touring the sites with a group rather than a private guide. If you noticed that the prices listed were higher than we mentioned, go back and ensure that you changed the pricing to reflect Group Tour. 

The difference between group and private tours is about a hundred dollars or so per couple. While it’s actually very affordable to have your own private guide, we recommend choosing the group tour, as it will save you some money that you can spend elsewhere on your Egypt trip. Being part of a group tour will also provide for the chance of meeting & mingling with other passengers.  We never saw more than four people to a group anyhow, so you’ll still likely to have a small and intimate tour. We were fortunate to get paired up with some lovely Mexican ladies.

Nile River Cruise Price Inclusions and Exclusions

Prices typically include all of your transfers, taxis,  guide service for all days,accommodation and all meals. The only expenses not covered are drinks and tipping on the Nile cruise. we have to pay entrance fees at each sites.

Nile Cruise Price-Cutting Tips

With beverages and tipping being your only added expenses during this portion of your trip to Egypt, there are definitely ways to minimize each.

For water, stock up on plenty of bottled water while on land. You should always be able to find large bottles for 5 LE. Bring this water back onboard with you too, as the savings will add up compared to the 15 LE charged on the ship.

Bring Your Own Alcohol: For booze, bring it with you. Some ships don’t allow outside beverages to be brought on board, so perhaps enquire in advance and plan accordingly. Our Nile voyage on the M/S Gezelle thankfully did permit bringing drinks on board. Your room is equipped with an empty refrigerator to cool down whatever beer, wine, or liquor you may bring. But be warned: it can be difficult to find stores selling alcohol in Egypt, so bring some booze with you from home or stop by the duty-free store when disembarking your flight. Beers onboard our Nile cruise ran 45 LE ($5.75 in 2018) during our trip, so this strategy will save you loads if planning to kick back a few while drifting down the Nile.

Tips on Nile Cruise Tipping: Tipping is a way of life in Egypt and it’s a must on these cruises. For gratuities, recommended tipping on Nile River cruises is 50 LE per couple per day for the guide. It’s also also recommended to tip the service on the boat another 50 LE per couple per night. If you were very pleased with the service, consider being extra kind with the gratuities you leave behind and adjust upward.

You will also run into situations during your daytime excursions on land in which you should tip. Taxi transfers, boat trips, horse carriage rides, or even a quick stop in the bathroom will all require a nominal tip. A 10 LE tip per couple seemed about right for each of most instances. Consider tipping more if a driver was with you all day and kept the A/C cold. Be sure you are prepared with lots of small 10 LE notes. If you only have a 50 or a 100, good luck on getting change.

We would recommend the 4-night Nile Cruise if it weren’t for the awkward onward connection times once in Aswan. So if you can make that work out, do the 4-night cruise. For smoother connections following the rest of this itinerary, the 3-night cruise.

Know Before You Go on the  Train from  Aswan to Luxor 

Unlike the other  recommendations in this blog post, don’t expect the t train from  Aswan to  Luxor to be luxurious. It’s not an awful experience either, but we recommend to come with low expectations.  If you’re backpacking Egypt, this will be a breeze.The train journey can be compared to Indian railways. 

There have been some reports that the train from Cairo to Aswan (and return ) is not safe, as it travels through some supposedly dangerous areas. Despite these generalized warnings, we could not find any major incidents to support the claims. We felt safe the entire time and our cabin steward was pleasant and helpful.

Train Experience

If you really enjoy train travel, this may be a journey to take. Despite some of these downsides, it all makes for an interesting travel experience. So choose your own adventure!

Booking  at Aswan  Train station

An evening walk on previous day is enough for  find the railway station and making an advance booking. We recomment to book the train which start at 7.30  am  or at least  before that. Because next train is at 3 pm only  to Cairo. we can partially book the ticket to Luxor  and it have a seat number.  The train ticket price is about 30 LE per person for foreigners. Be sure to have a printed ticket with you on board the train. 

A Day in Luxor

Your inclusive tours during the Nile cruise will have already taken you to Luxor’s star attractions along the West Bank (Valley of the Kings and Temple of Hatshepsut) and the East Bank (Karnak & Luxor Temples).

Additional plan

You could easily disembark  and head out to Hurghada later that same afternoon, which we have mentioned as an additional plan. Yet we’d instead recommend considering an extra night in Luxor. This will allow time to explore other attractions around the city that were not included on the cruise excursions. It will also give you a moment to relax before immediately rushing off the train/ cruise to catch a bus.

There are now two buses from Luxor to Hurghada running each day. The Luxor to Hurghada bus timetable is 8:00 am and 3:30 pm. The Luxor “bus station” is next to the train station. It’s not really a bus station though and rather a small parking lot in front of a small white office building where you can purchase your Go Bus tickets. But you can now also purchase Go Bus tickets online on their website. Ticket prices from Luxor to Hurghada run a modest 90 LE.

Luxor Museum (100 LE) is a great option to either fill that afternoon or the following morning. Also, after a full week of heavy touring around the country, take some time off to just relax. If taking our recommendation and staying at the Achti Resort, their Nile-front pool will certainly aid in this.

Where to Stay in Luxor: A 5-Star Resort for  free

We recommend staying at the Achti Resort formely Sheraton. This 5-star property features an amazing pool right on the Nile! The Achti was formerly a Sheraton property and hence you could redeem Gulf bank points. Although this Nile resort has since changed ownership, incredibly low prices have remained. You can currently find rates as low as KD15 per night. Where else in the world can you stay at a 5-star resort for such amount?This is another fantastic value to experience luxury for less. Yet don’t pay that or whatever it’s listed for today. We instead recommend staying there for free!

Egypt Travel Hack: How To Here Stay for Free

Staying at the 5-star Hotel  for almost  free is easy to do using Gulf Reward points. I and My wife were using Gulf bank Credit cards in Kuwait even  we sere not caring about its reward points. To regulate and  for easy accountability  we were using a single  credit card over the years. It has been regularly used for small to big shopping , air tickets and even small  monthly expenses. Whenever salary is credited to  my bank I would pay full amount  to avoid any fines. We suddenly  found it is worth while. When checked it got about 5000 reward points and can be redeemable to any air ticket or hotel bookings. I compared to  bookings. com and found I can book a five star hotel with food for 1.5 KD only.    (Pro tip: consider converting them to airline miles to use towards a flight to Cairo.)

Note: If using this credit card recommendation to easily acquire Gulf bank points to stay at 5 star hotels for free, you must know that the credit card is free for the first year but carries a KD 30 annual fee after that. You can avoid that fee by canceling the credit card within 12 months. You still keep all the points. Also, only use this strategy if you are able to pay off the credit card in full each month. Otherwise the high interest charged could outweigh the free hotel stays.

Free Nile View Upgrade: One benefit of coming to Egypt in the middle of the March while this property is empty is that you’ll likely get a free upgrade to a Nile view room. 

Late Check-out: The Achti Resort also allowed a super-late check-out at 3:00 pm at no extra charge which will be very convenient if following the remainder of our suggested itinerary, given that the only bus to Hurghada leaves in the late afternoon.

Extended tour: Hurghada Red Sea Resorts – Luxury for Less

By now you will have spent a full week touring some of Egypt’s most famous sites, mostly in style. And while it’s hopefully been an inspiring trip-of-a-lifetime, you’re likely going to be tired. The heat, the touts, and the madness of Cairo may be starting to wear you down a bit. This is now the perfect time to end your Egypt vacation with a relaxing all-inclusive stay at a Red Sea resort in Hurghada.  The bargains here are amazing. And during the summer months, there are some particularly incredible rates to take advantage of. As said earlier Luxor is the entry point for Hurghada. You could  either  select this 7 day trip in line with your flight schedule, before or after your visit to Cairo.

All inclusive resorts are typically shunned by anyone visiting Egypt. We’ve actually never stayed at an all inclusive resort during  trip . But in Egypt, it just felt right to continue sprucing up our trip with a little luxury, and it was so worth it given the incredibly low prices. You can have an all-inclusive experience here for less than the cost of a  3 star hotel bed in most places in India!

Hurghada Red Sea One Week Itinerary

This sample itinerary begins with “Day 8” and picks back up right from where the prior itinerary left off, from the entire two week Egypt itinerary.

• Day 8 (cont.): Arrive from Luxor to Hurghada by bus and transfer by taxi to check into resort. Have dinner, followed by drinks at the bar.
• Day 9: Enjoy breakfast at the onsite restaurant. Take a dip in the pool and join the scheduled bocce ball tournament. Have lunch on the beach and take an afternoon snorkel. Sit back in one of the beach cabanas and order a beer (or seventeen beers, up to you). Freshen up before enjoying dinner al fresco. Then go play a game of pool in the billiards room before the nightly show in the theatre. Wind down the night at the onsite club or relax with a cocktail in one of the lounges.
• Day 10: Repeat
• Day 11: Repeat
• Day 12: Repeat
• Day 13: After breakfast, check out and taxi to the airport.

Other Things to Do in Hurghada

There’s really a lot to keep you busy on the resort property itself. But if you’re like me and have a hard time sitting still, not to worry as there are other things to do in and around Hurghada. So after you’ve rested and relaxed for a day or two, consider some additional excursions offered in the area. Here’s just a few recommendations to get you started:

Scuba Diving and Snorkeling in the Red Sea: Scuba diving in the Red Sea is rather incredible, but you’ll need to budget an extra $66 (20 KWD) for a 2-dive trip all day trip (including equipment). 

Swim with Wild Dolphins: You may also want to consider the all day excursion that takes you to the Dolphin House which is not a “house” and is rather an area where pods of these sea mammals swim freely. ( 12KWD)

Quad Bike Desert Safaris: are another popular adventure that you can embark upon. (12 KWD)

Note: These suggestions of things to do in Hurghada were not included in the total budget, so be sure to factor that in yourself.

Know Before You Go:

There are dozens of all-inclusive resorts to choose from. All-inclusive is the way to go. Prices not only include your meals, but also domestic beer, wine, and spirits. Your nightly rate also incorporates loads of daily activities and nightly entertainment. You really get quite the bang for your money . This is an offer for Keralites who love to drink alcoholup to their neck..

How to Book a Budget-Friendly Hurghada Resort Deal

Stay 1-week: The key to scoring these deals is to stay for at least one full week. When searching, be sure you look for exactly a seven-night stay. When staying in increments of less than a week, nightly rates will be significantly higher. Seven is the lucky number.

Incredible value: We can find prices as low as $386 (115  KWD = 26000 INR)  (including taxes and fees) for a weeklong stay at a four-star property. That’s only $28 (8 KWD = 1800 INR) per person, per night for an all-inclusive! You could easily spend 8 KWD  on a few beers in Hurghada. So to get those beers and three meals per day and snorkeling and an awesome pool and luxury accommodation, all for the same price – this is incredible value.

Where to book:  Hurghada Resort deals on Booking.com, which has better search functionality such as the ability to filter on “all-inclusive.” There is a seemingly endless number of resorts to choose from, so  narrow your selection down. Your selection should  based upon price, recent reviews, wifi availability, photos, and whether it was adult only.

Prices and review scores will change  in time, so be sure to vet them out on your own before booking, of course. 

Best Value in Hurghada: Bel Air Azur Resort Review

We recommend the Bel Air Azur Resort because it offers what we have found to be the best value in Hurghada. As of 2017, you can stay at this 4-star, beachfront all-inclusive resort for what amounts to $30 (9 KWD = 1900 INR) per person, per day, including all your food and even alcoholic beverages! One Week long stays at this paradise are currently being offered at $400 (120 KD =2700 INR) for  one week.

The hotel  itself truly is gorgeous. There are two fantastic pools and the beach cabanas that jut out on a peninsula into the Red Sea make you feel spoiled. Just call over a cabana boy and you’ll have a few adult beverages delivered to you at your every beckon call. It’s one of those rare occasions in which the property turns out to be even better than in the pictures online.

Jumping into the Red Sea, directly in front of the hotel reveals a very healthy reef ecosystem. If you enjoy snorkeling, this house reef will provide for hours of enjoyment during your week long stay.Simple additions such as shampoo & conditioner along with some more plush bedding, would go a long way here. Yet given our typical accommodation standards elsewhere in the world, this resort still felt quite luxurious in comparison.

The meals were good overall and we enjoyed the themed dinners each night of the week.

Minimizing Additional Expenses While at an Red Sea All-Inclusive:

With food, drink, accommodation and activities covered for the week, the only other expenses you may encounter are as followed:

• Tipping 
• Laundry:charging a very modest 1.5 LE per piece.
• In-room wifi:was an additional 45 LE per day, but week long packages could be purchased for 200 LE.
• Optional excursions varied in price and you can usually find better values outside of the resort walls than at the resort.

Luxor to Cairo flight 

Egypt air is the main option. Luxor airport is small and  there are 4- or 5 flights in the morning all heading to Cairo.  we have selected our ticket to Kuwait which  is routed deliberate through Cairo.It has   a long lay over time of more than 24 hours. As we are considered domestic travelers till Cairo we will have enough time to visit  the museums pyramids and other  attractions. Egypt air was excellent  in time and services. Tip:If you are an international passenger and do not have connection flights Egypt air will provide free accommodation and food coupons. The lay over time can be used wisely to visit pyramids. there are tour operators   for such short  visits and charges are very nominal

In Cairo: The Egyptian Museum

After the Pyramids, the other must-see attraction in Cairo/Giza is the Egyptian Museum. There’s no price cutting strategy here. Pay the 75 LE admission fee and enjoy what is the best collection of Egyptian antiquities in the entire world!

Know Before You Go:

• The museum has very little signage, so it may be worthwhile to splurge on a guide (~100 LE per hour).
• Also know that the optional mummy room is an additional cost of 100 LE per person, But in my opinion, you can avoid it, instead, you may visit mummification museum in Luxor.

Other Things To Do In Cairo On A Budget

There are many sites and attractions to see in Cairo, but that’s a whole ‘nother post entirely. Here are a small handful of notable and budget-friendly Cairo recommendations you may want to consider to fill the remainder of your day:

• Bargain at the Khan al-Khalili souk (free + souvenir costs),
• Climb up the Bab Zuweila minarets (LE 20),
• Visit the Cairo’s impressive Citadel (LE 60)
• If you have your Le Meridian room key, you’ll have access to the Egyptian Modern Art Museum which provides free admission as part of their #UnlockArt promotion.

Alternate Cairo 2-Day Sample  trip

Day 1: We recommend an easy first day afternoon. Have an airport transfer waiting to get you to your hotel where you can get settled, have dinner, and rest up to get an early start to the following day.

Day 2: Head directly to see all the sites of the Great Pyramids. After lunch have a relaxing afternoon splashing around at the hotel’s pool as you admire the pyramids in the background or unwind in the complimentary spa. Alternatively, for a more action-packed itinerary, consider squeezing in some of the sites of Saqarra instead. That evening, go see the Sound  Light show.

Day 3: Now that you’ve been in Egypt for a few days, perhaps you’re ready for the madness of Cairo. Grab a taxi to the city’s main attraction, the Cairo museum. Use whatever remaining time after lunch to visit any secondary attractions that are of interest to you around Cairo. With most attractions closing around 4:00 or 5:00, use the remaining time before your departing train to indulge in a few beers in one of Cairo’s cafes. Then take the overnight flight from Cairo to your country.

Transportation Around Cairo on a Budget

Price Cutting Tips: Airport Transfer

After a long flight to Cairo, you won’t want to deal with public transportation in Egypt. The savings of doing so is somewhat negligible and having a private transfer will do wonders for your sanity. You’ll avoid being bombarded with a hoard of about 100 screaming taxi drivers all aggressively pouncing on you upon exiting the airport.

Instead of the main airport transfer company, we now recommend the private airport transfer from GetYourGuide, as the best value we could find among all services offered. Their airport transfer to Cairo or Giza are currently only $12.50 USD per person (singles, couples) or even lower – down to $6 per person – for larger groups. For comparison, other companies charge upwards of $40 USD for an airport transfer to Giza.

Use Uber to Get All Around Cairo

Dealing with the taxis around Cairo can be a maddening experience. Many taxis don’t speak any English at all, so communicating with taxi drivers to inform them of your destination and negotiate prices can be extremely difficult unless you happen to be fluent in Arabic. And as a foreigner, you’re likely to get grossly overcharged no matter how hard you try to bargain. Also, many of the cabbies drive like maniacs. 

Uber in Cairo is a saving grace. The rates are fixed. You input your location and destination into the Uber app, which eliminates the need to have to explain to the taxi driver where you’re heading. The driver is tracked, lessening any safety concerns you’d otherwise have in a taxi.  During Uber rides within Cairo, we just hopped in the car and were seamlessly delivered to our destination, without even uttering a word to the Uber driver other than thanking him upon our safe departure.

We also found Uber to be a nice alternative to using the Cairo metro. Although the metro is extremely inexpensive, we found it to be crowded, hectic, and it often didn’t have direct routes to where we needed to go. For just a wee bit more, Uber provides your own private driver to anywhere you need to go in Cairo!

Know Before You Go:

In Kuwait Uber is tied up with Careem and known as Careem. The same  app that you use at home, wont works here, so just be sure it’s downloaded. Also ensure your phone’s data plan includes coverage in Egypt( like Ooredo passport)otherwise you may end up with exorbitant roaming charges.

Eating Around the Great Pyramids on a Budget

The local Egyptian food on the menu in our hotel (pyramids Inn)  is not only shockingly well-priced, but is also a very tasty introduction to local cuisine. koshari, shwarma, falafel, and fatuous salad all come highly recommended by us and are priced at only about 10-20 LE per item. Our hotel given free water bottles too.

Know Before You Go: While the food items are very reasonable, drinks (even bottled water) are still a bit overpriced, so take that into consideration when ordering.

Breakfast: Eat a Light In-Room Breakfast

If you take our recommendation to stay at Pyramids in , the  breakfast is included. They will even pack your breakfast very neatly if you check out on an odd hour. We took that advantage and ate it during the leisure time. There are also some reasonably priced pastries at the resort’s coffee shop you can snag on your way out to the Great Pyramids.

Go Local

just outside the hotel in the evening you’ll find a pleasant night-market-of-sorts with cafes and tables in the median of the road. Despite being so close to the major tourist attraction of the Great Pyramids, you’ll find a surprisingly local environment here that is refreshingly both void of tourists and hassle.

Eating & Drinking Around Cairo

Downtown Cairo has plenty of local eateries that are both delicious and easy on the budget. You can find countless restaurant recommendation in Cairo online, so we won’t attempt to do it injustice within this travel guide. 

For those need  beers , try finding the somewhat hidden entrance of El Grillon. At this oasis, just a few blocks from Tahrir square, you’ll receive complimentary “Egyptian peanuts” to snack on alongside friendly service. Here Stella half-liter beer cost, 30 LE (Half KD or 110 INR)

Where to Stay in Cairo

We recommend not staying in Cairo and instead in neighboring Giza, near the Great Pyramids. While some may recommend staying in downtown Cairo, we firmly advocate to stay near the Great Pyramids. This recommendation is for four reasons:

1. Location: The Great Pyramids will most certainly be on your list of things to do in Cairo, and being close to the pyramids will allow you to get an early start to beat the heat. You can even walk directly from your hotel and not to have to deal with deceptive taxi drivers. And it can be pretty special to look out your hotel window or go for a swim in the pool while having those ancient marvels as your backdrop!
2. Value: The hotels near the Great Pyramids tend to offer better value compared to those in downtown Cairo.
3. Calm: Downtown Cairo can be a maddening and hectic place. Meanwhile we found the suburban area around the Pyramids to be more tranquil.
4. Safe: Our research found that the majority of occasional incidents in Egypt have occurred in the downtown Cairo area. While such occurrences are infrequent and not targeting tourists, it may be a safer bet to stay outside of the downtown Cairo area.

Giza Hotel Luxury price cutting Strategy

Book Your Own Way: If you don’t want to deal with the points game in  your credit cards or don’t qualify for that offer, we still recommend if you can find a good price during your travel dates. Egypt is cheap. Do not entertain travel agencies to book your hotel or transport. you can book your self for  everything.  At the time of research, we found the best rates in Bookings .com. Just go through HotelsCombined.com, also for price comparison  which searches all the main booking sites, and almost found same.  you can have 5 star hotels around Pyramids. But our personal choice was Pyramids View Inn.This small Hotel known for the friendly owner’s warm hospitality and affordable prices. Perhaps best of all, it couldn’t be better located. It is right next to the Sphinx entrance to the Great Pyramid site.

An Even More Budget-Friendly Option Directly at the Giza Pyramids: If you’re paying your own way and looking for a more budget-friendly accommodation, then we suggest the Sphinx Guest House Giza. The Sphinx Guest House may not be quite as comfortable to families   but this is a good choice for  bachelors those seeking a more independent option and wanting to save.

Things to Do in Giza/Cairo 

Of course you absolutely must visit Giza’s Great Pyramids, which carries a modest entrance fee of 80 LE per person  to walk around the grounds of all three Great Pyramids and the Sphinx.

Entering the Pyramids Price-Cutting Tip

Skip the additional 200 LE entrance fee into Khufu (the largest of the three Great Pyramids) and instead go inside whichever of the two other pyramids (Khafre or Menkaure) are currently open. This tradeoff will save a duo traveling together 120 LE.

Many people are underwhelmed by going inside the Great Pyramid, while others rave about it and say it’s totally worth it. For us, it didn’t make sense to pay five times more (200 LE) to go inside the Great Pyramid.

Know Before You Go: Inside the Great Pyramids

• Bring bottled water with you. It is triple the cost (and higher) when purchased around Pyramids.
• Be aware that the interiors of either Khafre or Menkaure pyramid will be open, but not both.
• The interiors of Khafre or Menkaure are a bit smaller than the Great Pyramid, so take this into consideration.
• Cameras are not allowed inside any of the pyramids, although guards will watch them (or turn a blind eye) for a tip.
• You must buy your ticket at the front gate, not at the actual pyramid.

Know Before You Go: Inside the Great Pyramids

• Bring bottled water with you. It is triple the cost (and higher) when purchased around Pyramids.
• Be aware that the interiors of either Khafre or Menkaure pyramid will be open, but not both.
• The interiors of Khafre or Menkaure are a bit smaller than the Great Pyramid, so take this into consideration.
• Cameras are not allowed inside any of the pyramids,but smart people use it although guards will watch them (or turn a blind eye) for a tip.
• You must buy your ticket at the front gate, not at the actual pyramid.

Cheops Boat Museum: requires a separate ticket (60 LE) and is a worthwhile detour located behind Khufu. It is here that you will see what is said to be the world’s oldest boat! The Cheops Boat Museum will also give you a break from the heat, as there is a small air conditioner inside.

Camel or horse carriage?

If you want that great  photo at the pyramids, expect to pay an additional 20-100 LE for a camel ride, depending on length of time and your haggling skills. We found the pyramid grounds to be very walkable, so we chose to forgo the hassle of dealing with a camel handler. And it is a hassle. They are aggressive. A simple “no” or “la shukraan” (no thank-you in Arabic) is never enough to shake them off. They’ll think you’re just negotiating. It takes several minutes and heavy assertiveness for them to fully understand that you’re not interested. Also, some of the camel handlers are notable scam artists with very deceptive practices, so be extremely careful if choosing to deal with them.

There are also other animals who can take you around the site . We received multiple offers to take quick jaunts in a horse carriage for 100 LE. That may sound like a good option, but also consider the horse’s well-being in the intense heat and know that the 100 LE price is likely a deceptive quote just to get you in their carriage.They will increase the money later.

How To Avoid Being Bothered  at the Great Pyramids

There are so many touts  all over the Great Pyramids. Many will be persistently hassling you to buy their camel ride.  Others may be performing some of the many known scams that occur regularly. You may or may not get scammed, but you’ll certainly be hassled many times throughout the day.

One way to avoid this is to have a guide with you. Unlike most other places around the world, guides are very budget-friendly in Egypt! You can book Egyptologists for half-day tours for about $10-$15 USD (5 KWD = 1100 INR) per person. These guides include hotel pick-up too, so the price of this can often come out even cheaper than taking a taxi from your hotel to the Pyramids and back.

So if you want to be hassle free,make arrangements with a good guide before your day of visiting the Great Pyramids and ensure they have a consistent track record of great reviews.

If that’s not exactly what you’re looking for, you can also try sifting through the many listings at our affiliate site on GetYourGuide.com,  or from viator which is a trusted website used to book local guides in destinations all around the world. Again, just be sure to choose one that’s not only priced well, but also has consistently great reviews.

Sound & Light Show Price-Cutting Strategy

Every night there is a sound and light show at the Pyramids narrated by the Sphinx himself. It’s outdated, dull, monotone and, in our opinion, not worth the 75 LE per person admission. But it can still be a neat experience to see this legendary site all lit up at night. So instead of paying 75 LE per person, go to the  rooftop of  your hotel Pyramids view inn or Sphynx Guest house.  This is a solid strategy to save a few bucks on the light show while eating a very reasonably priced meal located right outside this major world attraction.

If you staying some other hotel  you can visit   the only restaurant that overlooks the entire site that place is Pizza Hut. It can be worth going there to take in a free light show, once you consider the economics of it.  So instead of paying 300 LE for four  people to watch the light, those four  people can watch it for free with the purchase of a few pizzas. But you should also beware that the light show often gets canceled when attendance is low.

Visa procedures

A tourist visa to Egypt cost  15 KD (about Rs 3100) per person. You may apply 30 days  prior to your trip to the Egyptian Embassy in your country. Normal  tourist visa for one month only. 

For Indians residing in US or UK can avail Visa on arrival.

A  group more than 10 members manged   by a travel agency, May not need visa.

If you residing in India you may apply to Egyptian Embassy ,New Delhi  through some travel agent in your town.

For Indians residing in Kuwait, go to the Egyptian Consulate in Rawda. (DO NOT approach to Egyptian Embassy  at Al Dasma in Embassies zone as I did  earlier.)

 You need the following documents and check the things before going to the Consulate.

First, book a hotel where you supposed to stay and take a print out (Do it online , do not pay any money, you can easily cancel the same after visa procedures) If you have  finalized your travel dates you may book your flight tickets too.

1.  6 month valid Passport original and copy. (Passport will be held in the Consulate for about  4 days.) Check your and family's  Residence expiry !

2. Copy of Salary certificate from your employer

3. Bank statement (with lots of transactions) 6 months

4.Two passport  size photos with white background

5. copy of Civil Id  Card

6. copy of hotel booking

7. copy of flight tickets.

For your dependents, make one set  for each one.Some times they will ask relation certificates. Husband and wife should be present in Person.

Egyptian consulate in Rawda is a mess, you may go early  before 8 am to avoid rush. Every notice boards are in Arabic. But you may find easier if planned well. After security check  go straight to first floor and take  4 tickets from the queue machine. The display is Arabic, but I remember the first button with Arabic letters 'Thasheera "is for  visit visa. Press it . Get your ticket. If you dont know ask help from the officials. you may have to wait more than 1 hour.  Use this time to go basement floor to  buy visa application form,near to a photostat machine. Come back and  now you can start to fill the form.  

After  an official  cheks your applications you passport will be held the and a receipt will be given. the Visa will be stamped  and can be avail from basement floor after 4 days.

Luxury Egypt on a Budget

So that is how we experienced a little luxury while in Egypt.If you add up all of those prices and expenses, you wind up having only spent about  KD200 (45000 INR) per person on a two week luxury trip to Egypt . Not too bad! We hope you agree that while touring Egypt, it can fun to include a little luxury.

If you are following this itinerary, we’d recommend to budget for at 300 KD (67000 INR) to be on the safe side. There may be additional expenses that fit for your travels that we didn’t account for. For example, we bought some  souvenirs, but we didn’t account for them in this daily budget.

We hope you found our Egypt budget & guide helpful and that you are well prepared to go on an epic journey of your own. Egypt is a fascinating place and now is a most interesting time to go.

Enjoy it!  And feel free to drop us a comment with any questions.