Category Archives: Egypt

Cairo – Useful Airport Info for Arriving Travelers

Cairo International Airport is the major international gateway for most Egypt bound flights. It is one of the largest airports in the nation and remains the key aviation hub for Egypt’s capital city. Handling thousands of Egypt flights every year, it is among the busiest airports in Africa. Here is some useful information for travelers who board flights to Cairo and land here.

Nightlife-in-Cairo---Two-Bars-Giving-Flights-to-Fancies-of-Revellers!

Passenger-Friendly Services

Cairo International Airport is home to four state of the art terminals, each featuring a vast range of passenger-friendly amenities and efficient baggage handling systems. There are banks and ATMs in Terminals 1 and 3. In addition, 24-hour bureaux de change can also be found in the departure areas of almost all the terminals. Communication is extremely easy with airport’s public telephones and Wi-Fi facility in many areas of the terminals.  Transit passengers and waiting fliers can also satiate their hunger at immense collection of international fast-food and coffee chains strewn across the airport. One can also find various bars in departure halls of Terminals 1 and 3 that are open 24 hours a day. What’s more, wide-ranging shops including duty-free outlets and business centres are also there.

To and From the Airport

Cairo International Airport is located 13.5 miles northeast of Cairo in Heliopolis with easy accessibility via public as well as private transportation. Buses, shuttle and taxis are some of the public services that offer convenient connectivity to key areas of the city.  However, shuttle and taxi remain the most popular means among international tourists who take Egypt bound flights and get in the city. A shuttle bus service consuming 45 minutes links the airport with Heliopolis and central Cairo.

Nearby Hotels

Business travelers and time-pressed vacationers have number of options when it comes to choosing ideal airport hotels. Most of the hotels are located in immediate vicinity and provide complimentary shuttle buses from the terminals. The five-star Concorde El Salam hotel is located ten-minutes away from the airport and remains the famous accommodation option among leisure as well as business travelers.

A Brief Guide to Hotel Grand Nile Tower in Cairo

Egypt’s colorful capital of Cairo teems with a vibrant range of accommodation options that can put even some of the royal palaces to shame. But the one that simply hogs all the limelight is Grand Nile Tower, formerly Grand Hyatt Cairo hotel. Overlooking the River Nile, this luxurious property remains popular with a huge fraction of travelers booking Cairo flights to explore popular attractions such as the Citadel, the Egyptian Museum, the Giza Pyramids, and the Sphinx. Here is a brief guide to this lavish retreat in the city of Cairo.

A-Brief-Guide-to-Hotel-Grand-Nile-Tower-in-Cairo

Accommodation options

GrandNileTower features 715 well-appointed rooms and suites that have all been done elegantly and offer sweeping views of the Nile. The wide variety of rooms ranging from Standard Rooms, Club Rooms, Grand Suite, Diplomatic Suite and Royal Suite allow travellers to take their pick. All rooms and suites in the hotel feature modern amenities such as high-speed Internet access, marble bath, air-conditioning, satellite TV, work desk, twin beds or king bed to ensure comfortable stays for luxury seekers on flights to the city. The wide variety of rooms ranging from Standard Rooms, Club Rooms, Grand Suite, Diplomatic Suite and Royal Suite allow travellers to take their pick.

Dining & Entertainment

The GrandNileTower in Cairo gives other hotels a run for their money when it comes to dining and entertainment. Tantalizing dining seems to be the forte of this luxurious property and the hotel features many fascinating venues to treat taste buds to some of the world’s most coveted flavours. Sakya, the Revolving Restaurant, Okashi, Fontana, La Dorada, Chingari, La Famiglia and NubianVillage are just some of the many venues that dish out a countless variety of multi-ethnic cuisines making this hotel a preferred choice amongst epicureans booking Cairo flights. Likewise, the property never fails to impress when it comes to entertaining its visitors on Cairo flights with daily live entertainment. Some of the popular venues within the hotel for entertainment seekers are Baccarat, The Revolving Restaurant Lounge, Lobby Lounge and Pool Lounge.

Recreational Activities

The hotel leaves no stones unturned when it comes to entertaining those with a penchant of shopping, sightseeing or other recreational activities. The hotel features Galleria shopping arcade and entertainment centre, cinemas and food court, Royal Club and heated outdoor swimming pool. Besides, the hotel also offers Nile River cruises aboard its private yacht, Marquise.

Cairo’s Khan El Khalili-The Colourful Labyrinth of Shopping Wonders

Sitting in the heart of Islamic Cairo, Khan El-Khalili bazaar is one of the most prized possessions of Cairo. The ever bustling bazaar quivers with eternal glory and transports you to an old Arab souk. Perhaps, it remains a compelling stop for almost every traveler who spends on tickets aboard Cairo bound flights. Here, shop owners clamour and call you to their stalls, the distinctive odour of spices and aplomb oozes out of every corner. Founded in 1382, this market substantially contributed to the development of trade from the east to west.

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Shopping

The shopping experience of Khan el-Khalili remains for a lifetime! It incorporates world into itself as good from all over the globe arrive here and shine across its alleys and streets. The open-air bazaar is filled to brim with awe-inspiring items ranging from spices to perfumes and jewellery to souvenirs. Shoppers buying tickets on Cairo bound flights will be spoilt for choices. They can get hands on vast range of items such as jewellery in gold and silver. The alleys of the bazaar are laden with leather items from Egypt and all over the world. Tourists having penchants for silver can buy the amazing collection of trinkets and jewellery. Water pipes are ubiquitous and can be easily found in myriad of shops. Tourists can also grab the wonderful assortment of home decorations highly acclaimed for their artistry and many masterpieces.

Key Areas

Khan El-Khalili is sits beside two markets namely Bab Zuwayla and Azbakiyyah. It is fringed on the south by al-Azhar Street and Muski Market on the west. The ancient gates make for the entrance to the authentic courtyard at the middle of Sikkit al-Badistan (street). Nearby is the El-Fishawi Cafe, or Cafe of Mirrors, the popular cafe frequented by host of tourists who buy tickets aboard flights landing in Cairo. The area north of al-Badistan and to the west are highly revered by locals while west area of the Khan offering great deals of gold and silver is apt for shoestring travelers seeking to make the most of their money invested on tickets cheap air tickets on Egypt bound flights. Move further and check out the Brass as well as copper-smith markets.

Shopping & Eating at Cairo International Airport: A Real Pleasure!

Egyptian capital, Cairo is a terrific tourist destination. The city has all the charisma, mystique and the romanticism to capture the interest of even those holiday makers who aren’t supposed to be easily pleased. Every year, millions book flights to the city airport, with many of them being first-time visitors. Cairo International Airport is well adept in handling the demands and desires of incoming and outgoing passenger traffic, and maintains a long inventory of passenger services and amenities. Let us talk about two of the most basic yet very useful ones.

Shopping-&-Eating-at-Cairo-International-Airport

Dining at Cairo International Airport

There is simply no dearth of dining options at Egypt’s busiest airport. Some of the planet’s most well recognized brands as well as a plenty of local eating joints can be found at different locations of the airport. Variety is not a problem either. Owing to Egypt’s central location, Cairo is popular stopover for travelers from all corners of the world, and hence the diversity in passenger traffic has led to the emergence of restaurants with various sorts of cuisines. So, while you have an American fast food major, Burger King at Terminal 1, you also have an Asian food specialist, YUMCHA at Terminal 3. For those who prefer a rather cheap fare, there is a McDonald’s. Bill Bentley’s, Puro Gusto, Gino’s Pizza and Pasta, Cilantro and Segafredo Cafe are some other dining options that can please passengers who have flights to and from Cairo International Airport.

Shopping at Cairo International Airport

Like dining, shopping is big at the airport. Keen shoppers who have heard a thing or two about Cairo’s specialty shopping would be able to start their retail expedition right from the airport, as soon as they get off flights! The duty free adds to the magic and surely turns up the heat for compulsive buyers who are boarding Cairo bound flights. Egypt Air Duty Free, at Terminal 3, is the place to be for cheap bargains. It is a huge arcade and offers a wide range of global brands that are not to be found in any other airport of the country.

Cairo Airport Duty Free, on the first floor of Terminal 1, is another option for making up for expensive flights tickets with pocket-friendly deals!

Some Lesser Known Attractions to Spice up Your Trip to Cairo

Cairo, the capital city of Egypt, might be synonymous with the Giza Pyramid complex and the Sphinx, located away from the city, but that only one aspect of what Cairo can offer to visitors. Those booking their passage on-board flights destined for the metropolis can easily immerse themselves into various unique adventures when they reach here. Following is a short list of lesser known attractions that holidaymakers can visit by booking tickets on-board Cairo bound flights.

Some-Lesser-Known-Attractions-to-Spice-up-Your-Trip-to-Cairo

Solar Boat Museum

History buffs who disembark flights at this metropolis should try and make their way to the Solar Boat Museum. The centerpiece is a boat belonging to the famous pharaoh Khufu. Though not featured prominently in guide books and popular itineraries of Cairo, it’s the best place in the city for those seeking further information about the pharaohs and their belongings beyond the pyramids and mummies. Tickets to the exhibition can be obtained at the location and though they are cheap, pre-booking is not necessary.

Cairo Opera House

For those interested in the music of the region, the opera house located in the heart of the city is well worth the tickets it takes to attend a show at the destination. It is open round the year and many leading musicians both local as well as international have performed at the venue. The melodies of a show here are sure to stay in the hearts of globetrotters long after they have boarded their flights to reach home.

Memphis Museum

This is a truly out of the way museum but it holds many wonders for those seeking to further their interest in ancient Egypt. Named after the old capital of the pharaohs, this place is home to numerous artifacts and statues that hark back to the days of ancient Egypt long before Cairo existed. The centerpiece of this establishment is the imposing limestone statue of Ramses II, considered to be the greatest pharaoh in the history of Egypt. It is only a short drive away from downtown, so those booking flights to Cairo should find time to visit it.

Top 3 Traditional Egyptian Restaurants in Cairo

Cairo, the magical city of wonderful pyramids and pharaohs is packed with numerous attractions. But the city offers various reasons to the foodies as well to book flights for the metropolis. Here is some information about three most popular eating joints of Cairo.

Abou el-Sid

The winner of the Pan Arab Web Awards, Abou el-Sid is the first modern form of Egyptian bistro in Cairo that is very popular among the locals as well as with the gourmets arriving on flights here. Located in Zamalek, the classy restaurant offers delectable Cairo cuisines and authentic Egyptian spirits. The typical furniture setting, huge hanging lamps and the atmosphere of the place offer a traditional feel to the guests. Some of the must tries are mezzas, stuffed pigeons, fattah, rabbit molokhiya, and bamya. You can visit the other branch of this eating joint at Midan Amman in West Cairo. Don’t forget to taste the famous ‘Umman Ali’ before boarding flights back home.

Koshary Abou Tarek

Koshary Abou Tarek is one of the best restaurants in Cairo. Foodies arriving on flights in this metropolis of Egypt and wanting to taste the famous local dish – Koshary, often visit this place. Located in the city centre, the eating joint is one of the best places where one can taste the finest Koshary in Cairo. The food is really yummy and the price is reasonable. Apart from the eating, tourists enjoy the traditional yet simple atmosphere of this place. You can sit and enjoy your meal. There is a take-away option as well.

Zooba

Travellers taking flights to Cairo would definitely love to taste street food. But people having a concern regarding the cleanliness. Zooba is a perfect destination that provides hygienic and healthy yet mouth watering street food. The place serves authentic Egyptian breakfast and brunch including various types of salads, foul bean soups, taamia, hawawshi, spicy sausage with foul, a variety of yummy pickles, rice pudding, rosemary mango and many more. The best thing in Zooba is they serve the traditional food with a touch of modernity.

 

Nile River Cruise – A Tantalizing Excuse to Plan Cairo Holidays

No holidays are rendered complete without the river Nile Cruise experience when in the city of Cairo. Quite naturally, millions book hotels and flights for holidays to Cairo only to dive headfirst into the compelling wonders of the Nile! These cruises allow visitors to soak in the appeal of Bedouin culture, walk down the memory lanes at breathtaking temples and ruins or gasp in wonder as the ancient wonders and attracters unfold in full bloom!

Nile River Cruise

For most visitors on flights to the city, Nile Cruise remains an opportunity to get high on the fascinating mystique of Egypt’s most authentic wonders! Aboard River Nile Cruise, one may spend some exhilarating hours in the morning exploring some of the most popular sights and attractions. While booking tickets and packages for Nile Cruise holidays, one must remain careful of choosing the cruise liner that includes some of the most popular Egyptian hotspots in its itinerary.

Usually, Nile Cruises introduces cruisers to some of the most fascinating sights including the stupefying Valley of the Kings, Temples of Karnak and Luxor, Temple of Horus in Edfu, the double temple of Sobek and Haroeris in Kom Ombo and much more! The time flies by as travellers takes in some of the most fascinating sights of the ageless rustic tableau slowly floating by.

In between, visitors may choose to spend their afternoons lounging languidly on the deck of the boat taking in some of the most fascinating tableau slowly floating by. And as soon as the scarlet sun fades away in the time of the Nile, it’s time for a regal evening of entertainment. Fine wines and tantalizing delicacies are served, while musicians play haunting melodies to make the ambiance even more romantic.

The night seems to be radiating with music and melodies amidst the panoramic backdrop of the shimmering lights of the city gleaming brilliantly across the river. It would certainly be no exaggeration to say that a Nile cruise definitely makes up for the money one spends on flights and accommodation for Cairo holidays.

Entry Tips for Travellers Taking Flights to Visit Cairo, Egypt

Cairo, the mystical city of ancient pyramids and pharaohs is packed with numerous attractions that provoke number of tourists to look for cheap flights to the city. Also known as ‘The City of Thousand Minarets’, Cairo is located near the Nile Delta in Northern Egypt. Tourists often board flights to this historical city for a gratifying holiday. But before boarding flights, it is advisable to know about the entry requirements for travelling to different parts of Egypt, including Cairo.

Flights to Cairo

FCO’s Advice for Britons

As per Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Britons normally need visa for travel to Egypt, with an exception to those travelling to Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba resorts who receive a free entry permission stamp upon arrival for up to time of 15 days. But to get the permission to enter Cairo, you must obtain a visa. Tourists can obtain a visa from the Egyptian Consulate in the UK before taking flights to Cairo; they may also purchase a visa upon arrival in Cairo for stays of up to a month by paying in Sterling (GBP), US Dollars or Euros.

Business Visa

Travellers visiting Egypt for business purposes also need to satisfy the usual visa requirement. Business visas must be applied for before travelling to Egypt, hence all those travelling to business must ascertain visa requirements before booking flights. Additionally, the website of Egypt Consulate states the requirement of an official letter for any business travel to the country.

Visa Fees

Tourist and business visas can be applied for single entry or multiple-entry into the country which entail varying fees that is given on the website of Egypt Consulate. Britons applying for tourist visa to Cairo/Egypt need to pay £15 for single-entry and £18 for multiple-entry visa. If you are applying for business visa, it will cost you £53 for single-entry and £91 for multiple-entry. For latest and updated information on visa fees please consult with the Egyptian Consulate or visit www.egyptianconsulate.co.uk

Visa Extension

Flyers arriving on flights here and need to extend the visa for any reason can do so at the Egyptian Passport and Immigration Office. You will not be allowed to leave Egypt if the visa is out of date by more than 14 days as per FCO.

Info on Two Popular Airports for Travellers Booking Tickets to Egypt

Tickets to EgyptFrom electric pace of Cairo to the timeless beauty of Giza Pyramids, Egypt is a nation filled with epic history, dramatic sights and spectacular sounds. Quite expectedly, Egypt flights ranks high on the popularity polls amongst visitors from across the globe, especially from the UK. Though there are innumerable sightseeing charms in the country, the first thing that is sure to cast a lasting impression on visitors booking tickets to Egypt is the architectural brilliance and superb facilities of the country’s prominent international airports. Let’s get acquainted with two of the most preferred gateways that cater to huge influx of foreign visitors on Egypt flights.

Cairo International Airport

Located at a distance of 15kms from the city centre, Cairo International Airport is Egypt’s premier international gateway to the world. It is the primary hub for national carrier, EgyptAir and serves numerous other global airlines such as Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch, British Airways and Air France that offer tickets for scheduled direct/indirect Egypt flights. The airport’s newly-established lounges ensure that the passengers booking first or premium class tickets to Egypt are privy to warm hospitality, superb facilities and impeccable services. Numerous bars and restaurants and duty-free shops at the airport make sure that the epicureans and shoppers are a happy lot. In addition, the airport features several means of transport to move to and from the premises including Airport shuttle bus service and public air conditioned buses.

Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport

The key gateway to the famed Red Sea, Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport is yet another popular airport in Egypt. Located at about 23 km northeast from the city, Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport is the hub for the national carrier, EgyptAir and its regional subsidiary, Egypt Air Express. In addition, the airline receives several international flights from across the world operated by popular global airlines such as British Airways, Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa. The airport’s convenient location, excellent public transport links and a host of passenger-friendly facilities ensure pleasing airport experiences for both arriving and departing passengers. In addition, the airport pleasingly surprises its guests with its exuberant panoply of excellent duty-free shopping and extravagant dining scene.

Vital Entry Tips For Britons Booking Tickets to Egypt

From the Sphinx to the pyramids and Tutankhamen’s tomb – Egypt has enough charms to its 6000-year old historical legacy. Some of the world’s most spectacular archaeological treasures make Egypt flights a revered commodity amongst Egyptologists from the UK and the rest of the world.

But being heedless of entry requisites may spoil one’s vacation in this mystical nation. Skim through a few fast facts about entry requisites as advised by FCO before booking flight tickets to Egypt for a gratifying vacation. It makes sense to consult the website of FCO or Egypt’s consular representation in London for more updated details.

Tickets to Egypt

Visa Requisites

Britons booking Egypt flights for holidays normally require a valid visa.

British national booking flights to Sharm El Sheikh, Nuweiba, Dahab, and Taba resorts for stays up to 15 days normally get a free entry permission stamp upon arrival. But those planning to travel out of these areas or intending to overstay here must obtain a visa before-hand.

Those entering without a visa, and travelling to one of these South Sinai Red Sea resorts, can normally purchase a visa at Sharm El Sheikh Airport in case their plans change and they want to travel elsewhere in Egypt.

One can obtain visas from an Egyptian Consulate outside Egypt, or on arrival in Egypt for stays of up to a month. Payment in Sterling, US Dollars or Euros is acceptable.

Those booking air tickets to Egypt for work or business related trips must obtain a valid visa before-hand.

Britons who need to apply for visa extensions should apply with Egyptian Passport and Immigration Offices. Note that you may have difficulties exiting Egypt with an expired visa. In fact, travellers are normally not allowed to leave if they hold a visa that is out of date by more than 14 days.

Passport validity

British nationals planning to book flights tickets to Egypt for holidays must ensure that their passport is valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the intended date of entry into Egypt.