how much time did you spend at Giza pyramids

[gmadvm]

We have a private tour in November and I'm tweaking the itinerary. How much time did you spend at the Giza plateau seeing the pyramids and the sphinx? And also, was this enough time for you or would you have wanted more time if it didn't interfere with your itinerary.

DH is into photography big time. I'm talking all the filters and lenses and such so I know he is going to be a bit of a dawdler. Would 5 hours be way too much time? We want to really explore the area, and it looks like from the maps there are lots of little temples and tombs. Plus the obligatory camel ride and the solar boat museum. This would be day 2 and I'm thinking we would need to be on the road no later than 3 to get back to the ship. Seeing the pyramids will be the highlight of our trip, and we would rather spend too much time than not have enough. Wondering what other's experiences have been?

thanks in advance

gerri

[paul929207]

We spent the entire morning at the pyramids in Giza.

[ShipsandDipper]

We're scheduled for Egypt next year, so I'll be interested in the responses you get.

 

My husband also is into photography. Speaking as someone who recently spent two hours waiting for him and his camera at the old Jewish cemetary in Prague (which most people walk through in something like ten or fifteen minutes), I have no trouble imagining that five hours won't be enough...

[gmadvm]

anyone else?

[Hydrokitty]

five hours should be plenty. I'm also a photography nut and that was plenty of time. It's a short ride from the pyramids to the Sphinx, I shouldn't think you'd want to walk it! and it's liable to still be quite warm. the solar boat museum is fantastic, make sure you use their bathroom! but really all there is to see is the boat and you walk around it on a couple of levels. It is amazing that they made it and that it was so preserved and you can snap away inside! tip: DO NOT LET ANYONE TAKE YOUR CAMERA....you'll get it back, but it will cost you! They don't steal it, they just insist on taking your picture with the pyramids, then in native headwear, then with their friends, then with their camel.....and each picture costs a few dollars, then all their vendor friends come by once they see they got somebody and they start draping you with jewelry and headdresses and all kinds of stuff, which they will tell you is free, but you are expected to make a donation to them!!! :D:D

These are among the most charming and persistent people I've ever met!!!!

[gmadvm]

DO NOT LET ANYONE TAKE YOUR CAMERA....quote]

 

thanks for the tip. don't worry, nobody will get that camera out of his hands. I'm not even allowed to touch it. Not that i could figure it out, or lug it around. it weighs a ton. :)

[Hydrokitty]

mmmmmm.....yes, I know but I'M the one that won't let HIM touch it!!!! don't be put off by my comments......the people are really warm and friendly, but this is how they make their living and they only have one shot at you!!! One of the women in our group got badly taken because they isolated her from the group and took advantage of her good nature. She spent about $300 for a picture with (not even on) a camel! Also, NEVER let them see your money, if they know how much cash you have.....then whatever you're buying, that's what it will cost! :D A very polite and firm, 'NO THANK YOU" will suffice, but they will try to engage you in personal conversation. For instance, we were all wearing name tags.....duuuuhhhhhh, how did that Egyptian guy know my name?

[JoeyJoJoShabadu]

first visit maybe an hour and a half.... second visit maybe 2 1/2 hours, but we had seen everything else and just walked a fair bit.

 

that said we had a friend an driver both times to drive us from point to point around the pyramids and sphinx.

 

2 is likely plenty for walking, site-seeing and the obligitory 100 digital photos.

 

Say "no or no thank you" to everyone and everything (about 100 times). its a hassle but thats the way it goes. everyone is hustling around anything touristy.

 

Lol at giving up your camera. Never to a local... just ask the first tourist couple you see with a digital SLR and ask them to take a photo, then you reciprocate.

[MercedMike]

There are many possible approaches to the pyramids. We have done it twice, once on a shore excursion and once on a land tour.

 

Check out our review and pics at http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/egypt3.html

and

http://www.bully4.us/holyland2.html

 

Neither time did we spend as much as 5 hours. But neither time did we do all the things you want to do PLUS spend a lot of time on photos. It simply depends on your priorities. Do you also want to see Sakkara, Memphis, the Khan el Khalili, and all the other attractions of Cairo, or do you want to do the pyramids in depth?

 

The principal photography spot is the "high desert plateau" which gives an amazing overview of the three pyramids. I can easily see a true camera buff spending an hour there, getting different views, and perhaps returning again in a few hours for different lighting. This is the place to get a camel ride, only a few minutes or a longer one if you want. Then you can drive down to the pyramids, and do an inside tour of one of them. It is only a short distance from there to the sphinx. Once again a photography buff could spend a lot of time here, shooting from various angles with the pyramids in the background. Then there is the solar boat museum, which does not really take that much time unless you are really interested in details.

 

So -- stop at plateau, shoot a couple pics, take a short camel ride: 30 mins. Stop at pyramids, inside tour if there is not much line: 30 minutes. Look at sphinx, shoot a couple pics: 15 minutes. Total time an hour and a half. Off to Sakkara and Memphis, then shop the Khan el Khalili.

 

OR ... plateau, lots of pictures, long camel ride: 2 hours or more. Pyramids, pictures, inside tour: 1 hour 30 min. Sphinx, lots of pictures: 30 minutes. Solar boat museum: 30 minutes. Total time four to five hours.

 

OR ... add in as much more time as you want to spend, shooting pictures, taking in the atmosphere, shopping with the importunate vendors ... how much time do you have?

 

YMMV.

 

On the question of watching your money: Definitely let your guide arrange any camel rides or photo ops. The vendors know the guides know the right price and don't fool around. In fact, our guide negotiated with the camel driver and paid him, and after my wife got off the camel the herder politely said, "You don't have to tip me, but you can if you want to."

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[Hydrokitty]

[

Say "no or no thank you" to everyone and everything (about 100 times). its a hassle but thats the way it goes. everyone is hustling around anything touristy.

 

Lol at giving up your camera. Never to a local... just ask the first tourist couple you see with a digital SLR and ask them to take a photo, then you reciprocate.

 

Solid advice Joey...and please be polite about it...you can say "No thank you" with a smile!:D

[Valeen]

We're scheduled for Egypt next year, so I'll be interested in the responses you get.

 

My husband also is into photography. Speaking as someone who recently spent two hours waiting for him and his camera at the old Jewish cemetary in Prague (which most people walk through in something like ten or fifteen minutes), I have no trouble imagining that five hours won't be enough...

 

We'd been told we'd have 3 hours at the Pyramids. If that was what we had it was NOT enough!! We felt too rushed. It also was irritating that our bus was parked in the pyramid area, and the guide was talking and talking about the history and we were had to listen until he was done before we could get out. I thought maybe I was the only one feeling like screaming "Stop talking and let me out!" but I found out later my feeling was shared by most, and the other bus had the same experience. It seemed we had more like 1&1/2 HOURS than 3. We were taken to a camel riding spot and our guide arranged the price for us to do a 10 minute ride. The cost was $15.00. WE were put on the camels, led down the hill toward the Pyramids and that was it, done, over, get off. No picture opportunities offered. Most of us had expected that our mates, left back on the hill, would be taking our pictures. But there was such a rush to get on the camels and down the hill that few photos were taken. Also many thought we'd be returning up the hill and we did not. So when we got to the bottom of the hill we had to get off the camels and our companions were not yet there, so no pictures. I had a disposable camera with me and gave it to the little boy leading my camel. He did take a few pictures for me but None were what I'd hoped for. In conclusion Be VERY firm in what you want from your guide and the time at the Pyramids.

[Valeen]

I feel bad for your experience at the Pyramids. That should have been the highlight of your visit to Egypt. Perhaps it is too late for you, but for other readers, I would like to mention some of my experiences having visited Egypt more than once in the last few years. The Egyptian people are very kind and hospitable, but some are not familiar with the priorities of the traveling tourist. What an experienced tourist would have done is ask his tour operator about the details the visit, and explain in clear and firm terms what is expected from the trip.

 

I do not know which tour operator you took, but this is an important issue which requires choosing the most experienced. In our tour with Moustafa Egypt Tours, our guide Heba gave us all the time we needed at the Pyramids and Sphinx, When our bus arrived at the Pyramids, some of us entered inside the great Pyramid while others strolled around for about 30 minutes admiring the giant structures. When we started taking pictures, Heba suggested that we should save the best pictures for later. What she meant was that we were going to a location a bit farther away from the base of the Pyramids by bus where all three structures were within focus of our cameras. That is where we took our most breathtaking photos.

 

If you are into photography, this is where you will get your highs. This Pyramids background has probably been the subject of hundreds of thousands of photos, probably not two alike.

 

Happy photos to future travelers. :)

 

Dear Sinbad, I was with a 3 bus group booked with a well known tour agency ( I will not mention the name, because while my opinion expressed here sounds critical, my overall opinion is not bad) Our guide seemed to be rushing us at Giza, in order that we could spend over an hour at the "government store" before having to rush us back to our ship. Our ships parting time had changed, so we had to be back sooner than had been planned for. This certainly impacted our time at Giza. So if somethign had to be shortened it would have been nice to have been polled on what we all cared to spend our precious time on. He'd said not to waste time with the vendors at any of the sites we stopped at because the merchandise would be better, and the prices would not require barganing, at the govenment store. The stuff at the govenment store was the same as anywhere else, and I heard the store staff negociate on prices. Frankly buying something at a site I prefered over spending time in a store. If I ever get to Egypt again I will look for a tour that promises I can opt out of going to any leather, jewlery, carpet, papyrus, or trinket store. Our priority was to spend as much time as possible experiencing the sights, not being in stores. Still, Egypt was the favorite of my trip. If there ever is a next time there, I'll do it better.

[dorijo]

Hi Valeen,

 

We were on the Brilliance Nov 18 and arranged a private tour with another couple..we decided on where we ate, what we saw, how long we stayed and no shopping..we feel we saw soooo much more than most and had delightful surprises from the tour guide/company..we paid 1/2 of what the ship charged and had a wonderful experience. We were NEVER hassled by the touts anywhere. The people smiled and were friendly and did not in any way interfere with our tour. Our guide was very knowlegeable, friendly, and made sure we saw everything we asked for and more. We were upgraded to a pyramid view suite in the Le Meridien hotel taken to a zoo, went to two places for jewelry which is what we wanted to do. no government stores or carpet shops and he made sure we passed the new library and lighthouse on the way to the ship which by the way he insured we would not be late for sailing and he got us there at 6:50. 10 minutes to sailing..I had no doubt he would pull it off as he has done many times before. We left Egypt with a sense of fulfillment and a yearning to go back again and see upper Egypt with the same company.

We saw all the sights in Cairo some in Alexandria had a camel ride which was the highlight of the trip at Giza and I have 1100 terrific pictures to remember it all.

[MSPCUBS]

dorijo - Sounds like your tour was wonderful. Which tour company did you go with?

[MVPinBoynton]

We were there for only a couple hours and it was not enough. We also got to eat at a restaurant looking out at the Spinx and pyramids. The meal wasn't that good, but nobody really cared, since we one of the best views in the world. I took thousands of photos in Egypt, but there just wasn't enough time to take as many photos as I would have liked. I don't think there would be no matter how much time I had in Egypt.

 

You can see many of our photos and read about our Nile River cruise on our website www.thepreismans.com . We also so have many photos in my Smugmug album at LINK . Have a great time in this amazing part of the world.

[maryann ns]

We went with Ramses in November and were very pleased. The people who took the camel ride were able to take lots of photos. Our guide had mentioned that we would be having an opportunity to shop, which was not in our plan. We had a vote and there was no shopping. You should be able to get what YOU want.

[dorijo]

MSPCubs,

We took Ramses Tours. Wonderful driver and guide.

[CRUISERTN]

We were with Dorijo on the private tour in Egypt. We had a fabulous time. We told Ramses on the front end that we did not want to stop at carpet, cotton or papyrus stores, and the stopping that we did do for shopping was at our request. They were extremely accommodating, let us do what WE wanted to do, and took extremely good care of us. Our guide, Karim, was most helpful and had extensive knowledge of his country's history. He negotiated our camel ride and told us he would not pay the guy until AFTER we were off of the camel and had no complaints. We did a short ride and let the camel guide take a few photos after they positioned us with the pyramids in the background. (yes, it made me very nervous to give them my camera - only because I did not want them to drop it!!) We were not hassled at all, but I do believe the key is having a guide with you who negotiates everything for you, waits there for you, and pays only after you get off the camel and are satisfied with everything. We would highly recommend Ramses!! We loved Egypt and thought it was truly an amazing place with amazing, warm, kind and friendly people.:p