Luxor---Egypt

[bluemel]

This is my 1st Christmas not working for 40 years and we have booked to go to Egypt!!! We fly Dec 24th and return 31st Dec.
We have booked The Iberotel in Luxor, I have spent hours reading the reviews on line, but wonder if anyone here has been and any advice etc.
I worry about hygiene, flies, bugs etc. I know it will be pleasant temperature wise 20' plus.

[jno]

it will be quite nippy once the sun goes down so take a good fleece. I've always wanted to do a balloon flight over the Valley of the Kings at dawn but was never able to; so feel free to do it on my behalf. Visit all the tombs you can, plus Hatshepsut's temple and the temples at Karnak and Luxor. Go for a caleche ride, or a felucca sail. You can also do trips to Abu Simbel, the temple rescued from the river when it was dammed, but it means catching a bus or plane about 3am to see the dawn. Great experience, though.

Don't eat street food, stick to unpeeled fruit and cooked meals and you'll probably be ok (take some immodium in case you aren't). In a decent hotels bugs shouldn't be a problem, or flies at that time of year.

[pinktwink]

luxor is amazing but poverty is high. ?Hotel hygiene is goo is outside you need to be very carful. Get your vacines.
See all the above go to the light show in luxor consider a day or two on the nile or an overnight trip to cairo to see the pyramids
most of all enjoy

[smiths]

You will have a wonderful time. For all the trips I would look at Jollys, its by the Winter Palace. Any taxi driver will know the winter palce. They have always been really good and the prices are less than half what you will pay with any reps. Good advice about the street food. Its a no no out there. You only have to wonder into the local market and go into a butchers to see why. Talking about the local market. When you go into Luxor market its one long street. Half of this is meant for the tourists, however if you carry on walking you will come to the market where the local people shop. This really is an experience not to be missed. Also if you can take some pens and pencils for the local kids. They havent got much money and it makes a big difference to them.
Hygiene has never been a problem in the hotels I have stayed in, however this is a third world country so outside of course its very different.
Take some handwipes as its a dusty place and also their money is always grubby.
Have a wonderful time.

[bluemel]

Thank You all so much for your replies. Its great to hear your views. Jolly's for booking the trips is exactly the type of thing I want to know--I always think when we return from any trip and then read guide books(usually on the boring plane journey home) its too late when you get home to "Do" so many of the things available!!!