Currency

The local currency is the Egyptian Pound which is devised into 100 Piasters. Prices may be shown in either Pounds or Piasters i.e., LE 2.00. Please ensure that you exchange enough money to carry you through the interim stops. An exchange receipt is issued for the amount of hard currency exchanged which you are advised to retain until the end of your stay. Bank rates tend to be the same throughout hotels and cruises. Money changers are everywhere and it is best to change money in Cairo before embarking on your Nile Cruise in Upper Egypt. Before departing Egypt, be sure to use any excess currency or exchange it at a city bank. Surprisingly, shops at Cairo Airport do not accept local currency and limited exchange facilities are available. Please note that it is sometimes difficult to convert your Egyptian currency on departure, so please exchange small amounts at a time. Payment at Hotels / Cruise All extras, such as drinks and laundry, should be signed for the bills settled at the end of the stay. Payment can be made in either local currency or by credit card such as Visa, American Express or Master card. Travelers cheques should be converted into local currency with the bank first. Personnel cheques and Euro cheques are not accepted. Please be aware that if you wish to use your credit card to settle your bill, some hotels/ cruises reserves the right to levy a 4% charge for banker’s fees. Once you have settled your bill, any further incidental expenditures will have to be paid for in cash (local currency). Tipping in Egypt is called baksheesh. Salaries are low and baksheesh is regarded as an essential way of supplementing income. Your Tour Manager will be able to advise you how much and when to tip as you go along. In Egypt you will be expected to tip many people including your tour guides, drivers, waiters, porters, hotel concierge, guards in museums and tombs, and shoe minders in mosques. Please try and keep cool about this and don’t let it spoil your holiday. US dollars in small denominations are very useful for tipping.

Shooping

Egypt offers a wide variety of interesting souvenirs; gold and silver jewelery, brass and copper ware alabaster, leather goods, hand-made rugs and carpets, papyrus and wood work. Your Tour Manager will be able to best advise you of where to shop to ensure good quality and value. Bargaining is a way of living in Egypt. Shopping can be a joy in Egypt, once you understand that 'bargaining' is a game. Egyptians are very good at it, and actually expect buyers to aggle with them. Offer a third of what they ask, originally. Keep it light, keep it fun, and you will probably get the item for half of the original .

Safety

Egypt is probably one of the safest countries in the world for travelers. Just use the same common sense you would use in visiting any 'strange' location for the first time. Valuables the crime rate in Egypt is low but you should take sensible precautions. Take care of your passport and valuables, we strongly advise you to keep all valuables in the safety boxes provided at the Reception desk. Never leave them unattended in your room or cabin. This includes Travelers Cheques, cash, credit cards, passport and your air ticket which should be retained for departure. Security and Safety our programs are designed to avoid sensitive areas in any case and we have taken further steps in order to tighten security on all hotels and cruises that we use. However, we ask you to observe the following points: Never leave belongings unattended in any public area or place. Please always check that you take your belongings with you when leaving your car or coach and upon your return from an excursion. At times it is possible to leave items on the car or coach during the excursion. Please check with your Tour Manager before you do so. Never leave items such as cash, Travellers Cheques or credit cards unattended at any time. Please dress modestly when walking in the towns - short skirts and shorts can sometimes cause offence and we must remember that this is a predominantly Muslim Country. Do not wander into the "back streets" of towns or into badly lit areas. Always stick to the well-populated tourist areas. At Esna. when visiting the temple, please go directly there and back to the ship again. Never agree to go with any locals from the streets. your Tour Manager who can best advise you where to go for the best quality and value. Do not make private travel arrangements. If you are in doubt in any time, please do not hesitate to consult your Tour Manager for advice or assistance.