FAQs

Question

How can I get more information about the Cairo tour?

Answer

After you’ve read the “Schedule” tab on this website, please follow @QueenCleopaTaryn on TikTok. Taryn and Ahmed will be uploading videos over the next several months as a fun way to update you on what to expect and look forward to on the Cairo tour and at the wedding!

Question

How much will it cost to get from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh on April 8?

Answer

As of January 12, flights from Cairo to Sharm on April 8 are $107. The flight is one hour and 30 minutes. The plan is to leave a little on the earlier side of the day in order to enjoy a beach day in Sharm on the 8th. Once the final group is confirmed, Taryn will instruct you on which flight to purchase, and she will be accompanying everyone on the plane. For those who would rather take the bus, this will cost approximately $10. You will join Ahmed and his family, and the drive is very safe, but it does take approximately 8 hours, up to 10 hours if there are any traffic delays. Please discuss with Taryn if you have any other questions regarding this matter.

Question

How much money should I budget for meals?

Answer

Food in Egypt is relatively inexpensive. For high quality restaurants, $30 to $40 should get you all you need including an appetizer, main course, an alcoholic beverage, and maybe even dessert. Casual lunch restaurants are less expensive.

Question

How much will tickets to Cairo attractions cost?

Answer

At the time of this writing, prices for tourists are as follows: National Museum of Egyptian Civilization- $10 per person Museum of Egyptian Antiquities- $10 per person Khan El Khalili- free to enter but bring some cash to spend on souvenirs! Pyramids- general entry fee of $14 per person. If you’d like to go INSIDE the pyramids there is an extra cost. Please only plan to enter inside the pyramids if you are somewhat physically fit, as there are a lot of steps/stairs and it can be quite warm (no breeze of course). Other potential activities include the Cairo Tower (aerial view of the city and pyramids), mosque of Muhammad Ali (this is the only place we will be visiting that is recommended to wear a hair covering), a felucca boat ride on the Nile, Sakkara Necropolis, and/or Memphis City. These options and costs will be discussed ahead of the tour, once the final group is confirmed.

Question

Is Sharm safe? How about Cairo?

Answer

Sharm has its own police force dedicated to tourists, called the “tourist police” - they patrol the city at all times and are very strict, as Sharm’s economy relies on tourism. Taryn believes Sharm to be much safer than Kansas City. Still, a basic precaution is for women to go out at night in pairs, as you normally would back home as well. In Cairo there is less police presence around town, however the famous tourist spots will be heavily patrolled. The most common crimes are petty theft, so keep your items in a cross-body bag with the bag situated to the front of your body, and avoid having your phone out frivolously in heavily crowded areas. Violent crime is rare here, and at a much lower rate than New York City. Use common sense and avoid going out alone at night in areas unknown to you. Taryn and Ahmed will be with you at all times during planned activities and transportation. Taxi scams and overpriced souvenirs are more common. Please discuss with Taryn or Ahmed before paying any amount for taxis. A good app for taxis in Sharm is In-Drive, and Cairo has Uber. Taryn and Ahmed will arrange all transportation to planned events. Gold and diamonds are available here to purchase, but please insist on using a diamond-tester pen to confirm authenticity. Please do not purchase any jewelry with other stones such as rubies, emeralds, etc as these are much harder to test for authenticity. Please discuss price with Ahmed and Taryn before paying any significant sum to avoid scams.

Question

What should I wear?

Answer

Comfortable clothes and shoes for the Cairo tour. Hair covering is not necessary, but recommended if you will be entering any mosques (we may visit one on the tour). If you want to avoid uncomfortable stares from locals, avoid showing cleavage or wearing extremely short shorts. Covering of legs is recommended (long dress or pants). If you want to blend in even more, covering of arms is recommended. You will encounter the most locals at our stop in Khan El-Khalili so plan your dress accordingly here. Other stops encounter less locals. In Sharm, you can wear whatever as this is a tourist city!

Question

Is Egypt gay-friendly?

Answer

First, I apologize that this is something we even have to discuss! Most people that live in Egypt are Muslim, and unfortunately are not accepting of LGBTQ people. HOWEVER locals tend to mind their own business as their only goal is to make money to feed their families, so there is a strong “don’t ask, don’t tell” culture. You should not encounter any harassment unless you are putting on PDA (public displays of affection). It is not even recommended for straight couples to kiss publicly, as physical affection is an extremely private thing in Islam. As an extra precaution, stay within our tour group and you should have absolutely no problems. Please consult with Taryn if you have any concerns at all.

Question

What currency should I pay with?

Answer

You will need to pay in Egyptian pounds if you are using cash. You are unlikely to find Egyptian pounds in America before you leave, so it’s best to bring an ATM card you can pull money from once you’re here, or cash you can exchange. Egyptians will accept dollars, however spending money in the local currency helps stimulate the economy and the value of the Egyptian pound. Most places accept credit cards and tap-to-pay as well! Please keep your receipt. If given the option, choose to pay in EGP (Egyptian pounds) if your credit card does not charge foreign transaction fees. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR OWN EXCHANGE RATE. Salesmen will often tell you the wrong exchange rate in order to charge you more money- don’t fall into this scam. Open your phone and show them the exchange rate; then they will know you are smarter than the average tourist. You can find the current day’s exchange rate on Google, but Taryn likes to use the app called “Currency”.

Question

Can I ride a camel at the Pyramids? Is it ethical?

Answer

Yes you can, and the ethicality of this is questionable. Of course the camels work long tireless days and are probably not the happiest. However, the people that own the camels and make money from the rides are probably struggling to feed their own families, and are in need of the work. Ultimately this comes down to a personal choice. Taryn rode a camel at the Pyramids when she first went and this is what she did- she brought an apple and/or banana to feed the camel as her “tip” to the camel. And she tipped the care-taker appropriately. You can get the fruit from our breakfast buffet at the hotel the morning of our Pyramids tour!