The first question people ask, and shyly, about my travel is "How much did it all cost?"
Money is always a touchy subject, but in this respect I don't mind disclosing details to prove that traveling doesn't have to burn a hole in your bank account. Of course the most expensive item will be the airfare.
Here I broke down the cost of the most important elements which are transportation, accommodations, and food.
The currency conversion rate at the time of my travel: 1 USD = 6.9 Egyptian Pounds (EGP)
The flight: $1070
Purchased from orbtiz.com several months before scheduled departure. From LAX to destination Cairo. Stopovers in San Francisco and Paris on the way to Cairo. Coming back with stopovers in Rome and New York. Airlines: Delta, Air France, and Al Italia.
Accommodations
Cairo. Fortunately I was able to crash at my friends apartment, which saved me lots of money.
Dahab. A room at the Auski Camp cost me 25 EGP per night for my own room. This place was basic with shared bathrooms. My 5 night stay cost me about 18 USD.
Luxor. The hotel here was a splurge, where I had my own bathroom. A night at the Cleopatra Hotel on the West Bank went for 100 EGP, including breakfast. Therefore I limited my stay to 2 nights which equals out to about 30 USD.
Overland transportation
Long-Distance Bus fares
Food
This is where it varies in price and options. A falafel sandwich can range from 50 plasters to 1 EGP. Western style meals at sit-in restaurants in Dahab range from 40-80 EGP. Bottled water is super cheap, about 50 cents in US price for a large 2.5-liter.
Organized Excursions
Here's another part that can blow up your budget. I hired a personal egyptologist in Luxor for 2 days and did a felucca ride which set me back at 800 EGP total. That number doesn't include tips, which is customary. I didn't bother bargaining which could have saved me more money. Because of the tourism drought, I didn't feel comfortable haggling. In Dahab, I went on organized group day trips to the Colored Canyon, Ras Abu Galum and St. Catherine's Monastery. These day trips varied from 120-200 EGP. Once again, I could have saved more money if I booked directly at the travel agencies instead of from my hotel .
Other Costs
This is where it become discretionary.
Money is always a touchy subject, but in this respect I don't mind disclosing details to prove that traveling doesn't have to burn a hole in your bank account. Of course the most expensive item will be the airfare.
Here I broke down the cost of the most important elements which are transportation, accommodations, and food.
The currency conversion rate at the time of my travel: 1 USD = 6.9 Egyptian Pounds (EGP)
The flight: $1070
Purchased from orbtiz.com several months before scheduled departure. From LAX to destination Cairo. Stopovers in San Francisco and Paris on the way to Cairo. Coming back with stopovers in Rome and New York. Airlines: Delta, Air France, and Al Italia.
Accommodations
Cairo. Fortunately I was able to crash at my friends apartment, which saved me lots of money.
Dahab. A room at the Auski Camp cost me 25 EGP per night for my own room. This place was basic with shared bathrooms. My 5 night stay cost me about 18 USD.
Luxor. The hotel here was a splurge, where I had my own bathroom. A night at the Cleopatra Hotel on the West Bank went for 100 EGP, including breakfast. Therefore I limited my stay to 2 nights which equals out to about 30 USD.
Overland transportation
Long-Distance Bus fares
- Cairo to Dahab (8 hours): 100 EGP / 14.5 USD.
- Dahab to Luxor (15 hours): 150 EGP / 22 USD. (I got ripped off here since I had my hotel purchased it when I could've done it myself)
- Luxor to Cairo (8 hours): 70 EGP / 10.5 USD
Metro in Cairo (one-way). 1 EGP / .15 USD
Taxi: Prices will vary as drivers will try to overcharge foreigners. From my friends apartment to the closest metro station (~ 3 miles) cost 7 EGP. From Maadi to the Airport (~20 miles) was 100 EGP.
Food
This is where it varies in price and options. A falafel sandwich can range from 50 plasters to 1 EGP. Western style meals at sit-in restaurants in Dahab range from 40-80 EGP. Bottled water is super cheap, about 50 cents in US price for a large 2.5-liter.
Organized Excursions
Here's another part that can blow up your budget. I hired a personal egyptologist in Luxor for 2 days and did a felucca ride which set me back at 800 EGP total. That number doesn't include tips, which is customary. I didn't bother bargaining which could have saved me more money. Because of the tourism drought, I didn't feel comfortable haggling. In Dahab, I went on organized group day trips to the Colored Canyon, Ras Abu Galum and St. Catherine's Monastery. These day trips varied from 120-200 EGP. Once again, I could have saved more money if I booked directly at the travel agencies instead of from my hotel .
Other Costs
This is where it become discretionary.
- Entrance fees
- Souvenirs
- Booze
To better track my spending, I compiled a spreadsheet. I know that sounds crazy but I have an obsession with record-keeping my expenses. I took a partial screenshot as evidence. Roughly I spent about 1000 USD (Ouch! It hurts to spend that much), not including airfare, during my 3 weeks in Egypt.
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| Yes. I really do record my spending with Excel. |
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