Fantastic Egypt Tour
Suggested minimum tips for this tour showing the basic amount to allow for each day plus additional costs not included in the tour.

Day 01: (Monday) Arrive Cairo, clear immigration and customs then staff transfers you to your choice of hotel. Overnight Cairo
Entry Visa: $15 + $3 service charge
Tour leader (person who meets you at the airport and takes you to the hotel) $1 per person
Luggage handler at airport 50 cents per bag
NOTE: At airports and other places many people will try to help with your bags. Then every one of them wants a tip. Give your tip to only the person pushing the cart, actually handling the bag.
Then if someone else asks point them to the one you actually gave the tip.
Driver (driver who transports you from airport to hotel) 50 Cents per person
Luggage handler at hotel 50 cents per bag
Waiters: (excellent service) 50 cents per person at buffets, add 5%-10% for other meals when you get excellent service (a service charge of 12% is already included)
TOTAL Day 01 TIPS: About $3.00 per person

Day 02: (Tuesday) International buffet breakfast at the hotel, then a full day tour of the Pyramids at Giza, the Sphinx and the early pyramids at Sakkara and Dashur. Overnight Cairo (B)
Tour Guide: $5 per person
Driver: $1 per person
Waiters: same as above
Maids: 50 cents a person or $1 per room if a single
TOTAL Day 02 TIPS: About $6.50 per person

Day 03: (Wednesday) International buffet breakfast at the hotel then visit the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities and marvel at King Tut's treasures. In the afternoon, visit the Khan el Khalili Bazaar where travelers have been finding bargains since the Middle Ages.
Tour Guide: $5 per person
Driver: $1 per person
Waiters: same as above
Maids: 50 cents a person or $1 per room if a single
TOTAL Day 03 TIPS: About $7.00 per person

Day 04: (Thursday) Staff transfers you to the airport, assists with checking in and you fly to Aswan. Arriving Aswan, staff transfers you to your choice of hotel. Overnight Aswan (B)
Tour leader: $1 per person
Maid at Cairo hotel: 50 cents per person or $1 if a single room
Luggage handler at Cairo hotel: 50 cents per bag
Luggage handler at Cairo airport: 50 cents per bag
luggage handler at Aswan airport: 50 cents per bag
Tour leader in Aswan: $1 per person
Luggage handler at Aswan hotel: 50 cents per bag
Waiters (Cairo and Aswan): Same as above
TOTAL Day 04 TIPS: About $4.50 per person

Day 05: (Friday) Breakfast, check out then enjoy a tour of the Temple of Philae, the Pharaohs granite quarries with the Unfinished Obelisk and the High Dam. Transfer to board your choice of 5 star Nile cruiser. Lunch. Dinner. Overnight Cruise (B, L, D)
Tour Guide: $5 per person
Driver: $1 per person
Luggage handler at hotel 50 cents per bag
Luggage handler on ship 50 cents per bag
Waiters (excellent service) same as above
Maid at departing hotel 50 cents per person or $1 for singles
TOTAL Day 05 TIPS: About $7.50 per person
CRUISE NOTE: Many people leave an envelope at the front desk with their cabin number on it at the end of the cruise. Basically we suggest $5 per day, per cabin to cover tips to ships crew. This includes the waiters and maids plus other staff on ship.

Day 06: (Saturday) Breakfast on board while sailing to Kom Ombo. Visit the Temple of Two Gods. Return to the ship for lunch. Sail to Edfu. Dinner on board. Overnight Cruise (B, L, D)
Tour guide: $5 per person
NO driver
NO luggage handlers
TOTAL Day 06 TIPS: About $5.00 per person

Day 07: (Sunday) Breakfast on board then visit the Temple of Horus in Edfu. Return to the ship to sail to Luxor. Lunch on board. Afternoon visit to the Temple of Luxor. Dinner on board. Overnight Cruise. (B, L, D)
Tour guide: $ 5 per person
Edfu Temple carriage driver or bus driver: $1 per person
NO luggage handlers
TOTAL Day 07 TIPS: About $5.50 per person

Day 08: (Monday) Breakfast, disembark, visit the West Bank of Luxor including the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at El-Deir El-Bahari and the Colossi of Memnon. Return to the East bank and visit the Temple of Karnak. Staff transfers you to your choice of hotel. Overnight Luxor (B)
Tour guide: $5 per person
Driver: $1 per person
Luggage handler on cruise: 50 cents per bag
Luggage handler at hotel: 50 cents per bag
Tip for boat staff for entire 4 day/3 night cruise: $7.50 per person (or $15 per cabin left in an envelope at the front desk with your cabin number on it.
TOTAL Day 08 TIPS: About $14 per person (including cruise staff)

Day 09: (Tuesday) Buffet breakfast, then staff transfers you to the Luxor Airport and you fly to Cairo. Arriving Cairo continue to Alexandria by air-conditioned vehicle. Staff transfers you to your choice of hotel. Overnight Alexandria (B)
Maid at Luxor hotel: 50 cents per person
Tour leader in Luxor: $1 per person
Luggage handler at Luxor hotel: 50 cents per bag
Luggage handler at Luxor airport: 50 cents per bag
Driver in Luxor: $1 a person
Tour leader for Cairo to Alexandria: $1 per person
Luggage handler in Cairo: 50 cents per bag
Driver Cairo to Alexandria: $1 to $2 per person (NOTE: this is more because of the transfer time, about 3 hours driving)
Luggage handler in Alexandria: 50 cents per bag
Waiters in Luxor and Alexandria: same as above
TOTAL Day 09 TIPS: About $6.50 per person

Day 10: (Wednesday) Buffet breakfast then tour Alexandria, including a visit to the Alexandria National Museum, a world class presentation of Alexandria's history from its founding through the Middle Ages and visit the Greco Roman sites including the catacombs, Pompey’s pillar and the amphitheater. Overnight Alexandria (B)
Guide: $5 per person
Driver: $1 per person
Waiters: as above
Maid 50 cents per person or $1 for single rooms
TOTAL TIPS: About $7.00 per person

Day 11: (Thursday) Breakfast, check out and continue your tour of Alexandria including the new library then return to Cairo in the afternoon to your choice of hotel. Overnight Cairo (B)
Guide: $5 per person
Luggage handler Alexandria 50 cents per bag
Driver $1-$2 per person (3 hour drive)
Luggage handler Cairo 50 cents per bag
Waiters in Alexandria and Cairo: Same as above
Maid in Alexandria 50 cents per person or $1 for single room
TOTAL TIPS: About $8.00 per person

Day 12: (Friday) Staff will transfer you to the Cairo Airport, assist with exit formalities and checking in for your international departure.
Tour leader: $1 per person
Luggage handler at hotel: 50 cents per bag
Luggage handler at airport: 50 cents per bag
TOTAL TIPS: About $2 per person

TOTAL FOR A 12 DAY TOUR: $76 - $80 per person

Please know that the entire tourism industry in Egypt is underpaid and overworked. The average MONTHLY salary for the waiters, bellmen, front desk staff, etc. at hotels and on cruises is $100-$150. This is why everyone is looking for tips.
When you get good service think about rewarding it.
If you don’t get good service then do not tip them anything.

Other costs to expect
bottled water at hotels or on the cruise: $1 to $3 for a small bottle, $2.50-$5 for a large bottle. NOTE: This is filtered water. If you order perrier it will cost more.
coffee or tea: 50 cents
alcoholic drinks:
beer: $3 per bottle
wine: local $4 to $6 per glass. imported will be more $$.
liquor: local $5 per cocktail, imported $8-$15 per cocktail
NON included meals per person (in hotel ala carte restaurants) Lunch $7 to $15, dinner $7 to $20 (think Applebees/Chili’s prices)
Fine dining restaurants would be more.
Buffets: lunch buffet $12-$20, dinner buffet $20-$30

So for this tour of 12 days you would have:
7 lunches averaging $10 per person ($70)
9 dinners averaging $20 per person ($180)

Approximate extras for a 12 day tour including tips, meals,
beverages with meals: $250 per person
This does not include alcoholic beverages nor souvenirs.

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