Travel plans to Egypt and Jordon concerns

[Luxor]

I cancelled my trip to Egypt last year due to Ebola outbreak.
Now I have ISIS and conflict concerns.
I've searched online and it seems to be safe to go.
Nothing more than regular travel precautions.
But this uprising is growing and so are my concerns.

Does anyone have any real facts about travelling there this year?

[Fisherpeak]

Why in Allahs name would you want to go to that messed up area?
And Ebola is in East Africa.

[Luxor]

Originally Posted by Fisherpeak

Why in Allahs name would you want to go to that messed up area?
And Ebola is in East Africa.

Because Ive always wanted to see the Pyramids and the Valley of the Kings etc... and Petra.
Its now my #1 travel destination and hate to keep putting it off.

Ebola was closer to Egypt than Alberta last year lol

[Ceilidh69]

Originally Posted by Fisherpeak

Why in Allahs name would you want to go to that messed up area?
And Ebola is in East Africa.

Ebola was in West Africa - Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

[Fisherpeak]

My bad,right you are.

[omega50]

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Tourism-g2...Vacations.html

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Tourism-g2...Vacations.html

Petra might be a concern, but to me the place I would most like to visit

[Luxor]

I have a buddy who's been in Lebanon for the last mnth.
Im hopeful he'll have some insight when he gets back.

Thanks Omega.
Most online travel sites say its safe at this time.
But ya I think Petra might be sketchy.

[grouse_hunter]

Originally Posted by Luxor

Because Ive always wanted to see the Pyramids and the Valley of the Kings etc... and Petra.

I'm going to Petra in Novemeber, however I'm visiting Israel and taking a brief detour into Jordan to explore that particular location.
Personally, I'm staying away from Egypt for now...

[Luxor]

Originally Posted by grouse_hunter

I'm going to Petra in Novemeber, however I'm visiting Israel and taking a brief detour into Jordan to explore that particular location.
Personally, I'm staying away from Egypt for now...

Can I ask why you are staying away from Egypt.

PS....hope you have a great trip.

[masalma]

My dad is with doctors without borders and currently in Jordan helping injured refugees. It is safe.

Have a few Egyptian friends and they say it is safe.

Was in East Africa last year, heaven on earth. Of course always use caution when traveling, check in with the embassy and provide them with your travel plans, and get a local sim card/plan and maintain contact with family. Election times in East Africa were tricky and we were advised to stay away from dense populated areas, and avoid traveling at night unless we had security.

[Luxor]

Originally Posted by masalma

My dad is with doctors without borders and currently in Jordan helping injured refugees. It is safe.

Have a few Egyptian friends and they say it is safe.

Was in East Africa last year, heaven on earth. Of course always use caution when traveling, check in with the embassy and provide them with your travel plans, and get a local sim card/plan and maintain contact with family. Election times in East Africa were tricky and we were advised to stay away from dense populated areas, and avoid traveling at night unless we had security.

Fantastic
Thanks very much for your input.

And thanks to all the pm's

I feel much more comfortable now and will go ahead with the plans

[grouse_hunter]

Originally Posted by Luxor

Can I ask why you are staying away from Egypt.

PS....hope you have a great trip.

Regardless of the fact that it supposedly safe to visit Egypt, I'm weary of the whole ISIS/Muslim extremist aspect of that country. I've been there in the early 2000s and it was an excellent experience. I will wait a few years for the situation to stabilize before I return there.

[Luxor]

Originally Posted by grouse_hunter

Regardless of the fact that it supposedly safe to visit Egypt, I'm weary of the whole ISIS/Muslim extremist aspect of that country. I've been there in the early 2000s and it was an excellent experience. I will wait a few years for the situation to stabilize before I return there.

Thanks for replying
At least you have already been there

[Gboe8]

You'd have to be crazier than a ****house mouse to go to Egypt and/or Africa right now if you have a family.

If not, fill your boots and post pics on AO.

[shep dog]

Originally Posted by Luxor

Because Ive always wanted to see the Pyramids and the Valley of the Kings etc... and Petra.

Get a library card, borrow a book, look at the pictures. Done.

[Luxor]

Originally Posted by shep dog

Get a library card, borrow a book, look at the pictures. Done.

Sorry bud.
I like living and experiencing life ...... not just reading about it.
I also enjoy new cultures and environments and the people that inhabit it.

Do you just read about fishing and hunting ????

[Luxor]

Originally Posted by Gboe8

You'd have to be crazier than a ****house mouse to go to Egypt and/or Africa right now if you have a family.

If not, fill your boots and post pics on AO.

I 'd be happy to post em for ya

[Mistagin]

I'll let you know when we're back the end of May . We leave in just about three weeks.

Our tour leader is letting us know that where we're going is all safe, but in that part of the world the exact itinerary is subject to change last minute if necessary.

[Luxor]

Originally Posted by Mistagin

I'll let you know when we're back the end of May . We leave in just about three weeks.

Our tour leader is letting us know that where we're going is all safe, but in that part of the world the exact itinerary is subject to change last minute if necessary.

I look forward to your report.
Have a great trip

[masalma]

Have a safe trip and enjoy. Currently planning a trip to East Africa with the wife and kids. Hoping to get some hunting in.

[Deemoss]

Both countries are amazing and lots to see there... history, beaches, fishing, diving, safaris... etc.

you can't hunt there, but had you been able to, it would've opened your eyes to a completely different meaning to the phrase "bag limit"!

yes Egypt has had some issues for the past few years, but it's stabilizing fairly quickly.

despite what's going on, it's still relatively a very safe place... It's just that it was safer before... but now with all what's going on, the chances of you getting into trouble are far less than they are if you're in Mexico, Columbia, some parts or Italy, some parts of the US or even Winnipeg

Can't tell you go and guarantee nothing will happen... but that's just like i can't tell you go anywhere and provide guarantees....

Bottom line is, it's safer than what you're hearing/reading/seeing in the news.

Staying vigilant abroad is always smart!

[Luxor]

Thanks for the input Deemoss.
The travel forums Im on all say its safe at this time as well.
In fact....Egypt and Jordon don't even make the top 10 list of most dangerous places to travel. But that could change.
This ISIS thing is getting out of hand.

[Luxor]

Originally Posted by masalma

Have a safe trip and enjoy. Currently planning a trip to East Africa with the wife and kids. Hoping to get some hunting in.

Nice
You have a great trip as well.
Looking forward to hearing about it.

[Sneeze]

Originally Posted by grouse_hunter

I'm going to Petra in Novemeber, however I'm visiting Israel and taking a brief detour into Jordan to explore that particular location.
Personally, I'm staying away from Egypt for now...

While I have nothing but second hand advice- my understanding is you have to watch your passport stamps in the area. Today x is fighting with y, tomorrow y and z. An Israeli stamp at the wrong border crossing might make for a short (or very long) trip.

[slivers86]

Let us know how it goes when the trip finally happens. My wife and I want to visit, I feel fine going in there, however she is paranoid. We are going to Greece this year instead.

[Deemoss]

Originally Posted by slivers86

Let us know how it goes when the trip finally happens. My wife and I want to visit, I feel fine going in there, however she is paranoid. We are going to Greece this year instead.

hahaha... my friends and i been mugged in Greece (ammonia sq) at 5:00 pm or so (day light) back in 95.... we were 4 guys... they were 30... 14 of them were hospitalized though... so were we

again i wouldn't tell you not to go to Greece... stay away from the underground/subway/tube (or whatever you wanna call it) though... well actually now that i think about it, a lot might've changed in 20 yrs

i'd go back to Greece ... i have great Greek friends and love the country despite my bad experience back then

[Luxor]

Originally Posted by Deemoss

hahaha... my friends and i been mugged in Greece (ammonia sq) at 5:00 pm or so (day light) back in 95.... we were 4 guys... they were 30... 14 of them were hospitalized though... so were we

again i wouldn't tell you not to go to Greece... stay away from the underground/subway/tube (or whatever you wanna call it) though... well actually now that i think about it, a lot might've changed in 20 yrs

i'd go back to Greece ... i have great Greek friends and love the country despite my bad experience back then

Ouch
I was actually looking forward to the subway experience and seeing the artifacts at each station.
I'll probably still do it though lol

Greece and Rome are after Egypt travel for me

[Mistagin]

Just bringing back a thread I promised to post on

We arrived back from our trip to Egypt, Jordan and Israel a week ago. We went to the three countries on a 'Lands of the Bible' study tour. It was an awesome, amazing experience. Totally safe. Great people everywhere, even the soldiers and tourist police officers who accompanied us in Egypt were friendly and polite. Some people in our group were quite nervous about security, but as was pointed out, we were / are generally safer there than in the USA. In fact, the murder rate in those three countries combined is significantly less than Chicago! Violent crime is way lower than in the US, and even in Israel racial tensions and incidents are way, way lower than the African-American / Hispanic / Caucasian tensions in the USA (other than in the Gaza Strip and adjacent areas of Israel).

In Egypt we started in Cairo (Giza) and then went down to Aswan, and Luxor (Valley of the Kings), then flew to Sharm el Sheikh and spent time in Sinai - including a night camped on top of Mt. Sinai - not the main tourist Sinai - we went with the Bedouins .

Egypt has taken a real hard economic knock from the Arab spring shenanigans, tourism is way way down, and they will do everything to make sure tourists feel safe. That's why we had tourist police and soldier escorts everywhere our tour went. Now, we basically stayed out of Cairo except for passing through and visiting the Giza pyramids and the Cairo Museum. We visited a lot of archaeological sites - some on the main tourist route and several sites tourists don't go to. We hiked the Sahara in 45 degree temps and we also sailed on the Nile - and even swam in it, so refreshing after being in the intense heat of the desert wilderness

Jordan: security presence was not as noticeable, but there was no sense of any insecurity. We visited various places including Jerash and Petra as well as the traditional site where it is believed John the Baptist was busy back in his day, as well as hiking wilderness and mountain trails. Lots of cool stuff to see and do there too - including a swim in the Dead / Salt Sea and a hike up a wadi in the water course flowing down it. Friendly people all over. I'd say they were generally delighted to see us and those we interacted with expressed that they were highly honoured by our coming to visit their country.

Israel: really interesting and exciting to be there. We visited lots of historically and Biblically important sites and venues, many not on the main touristy route . There too we hiked up mountains (Mt. Arbel and the 'Horns of Hattin') and through wilderness as well as significant sites in and around Jerusalem. We also went to Qumran.

There was a different level of security in Israel. Noticeable if you looked for it but otherwise quite unobtrusive. In Jerusalem we saw lots of armed Israeli soldiers - and their guns were noticeably bigger! There were also military aircraft flying around - which we didn't see or hear in Egypt and Jordan. I'd have to say the Israeli security was extremely professional while being polite.

There is a huge contrast between Israel and Egypt / Jordan. Israel is 'western' through and through. It is probably the most secular country in the world, but at the same time there is the powerful religious undercurrent that befits that part of the world. Israel is prosperous and it shows. They are agricultural 'juggernauts' who, as Ben Gurion predicted, are "making the deserts bloom". They are world leaders in energy use, as well as water use and development and conservation. The difference can be attributed to vastly different worldviews.

Contrary to much media hype we get over here, Israelis and Palestinians in Israel proper get along quite well. Gaza is another story due to radicalism and the tensions it produces. Our Israeli tour guide was a Palestinian Arab Christian and our bus driver was a devout religious Jew. Of course, and understandably, Israel is 'cautious' with Palestinian folks (due to not knowing who the radicals are), but generally they - as citizens of Israel - are as free as we are. Ya gotta be there and see it firsthand to understand it. As our Palestinian Arab tour guide said, "We understand Israel's concerns and tight security; they only have to lose once and they are done!" The 'settlements' are a tension point, but on the other hand, as our guide said, "we live good here in Israel."

All said and done: I'd highly recommend going if you have a desire to do so, but do it on a tour like we were on, not as a 'wing it on your own' tourist. Reason: access to sites and stuff you won't otherwise get into or be able to experience .

[pinelakeperch]

I was in Israel for a week in February and would love to return. What an incredible place! Egypt is also on my list. Sounds like you had an amazing trip.

[lmtada]

Sounds like you had a excellent trip.
Did you take a Feluca down the Nile? Was the heat inside the pyramids, what you were expecting. Did you eat Bean foul? Drink tea half full sugar? Iwa.
Cheers
Lmtada