Egypt and the Nile River Cruise with Laura Lanik

• In order to enter Egypt (and Jordan on the tour extension), U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
• We recommend having at least two blank passport pages for entry stamps.
• U.S. and Canadian passport holders must obtain a visa in order to enter Egypt. You will be able to purchase one at the airport upon arrival; be sure to have exact change in crisp, new bills. Alternatively, you can apply for an eVisa or traditional visa in advance. To do so, visit the Egyptian Electronic Visa Portal website and follow our walkthrough guide. For additional assistance, you may use a third-party provider like VisaCentral—however, these services charge a fee in addition to the cost of your visa.
• A group visa for entry into Jordan (on the tour extension) will be provided for all travelers whose flights have been arranged through Go Ahead Tours, as well as for travelers who book their own flights and provide Go Ahead Tours with their full passport and flight details.
• If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact each destination country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
• You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code ENE.

• Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in and depart from Cairo (or from Amman on tour extension).
• Transfers to and from the airport at the beginning and end of the tour are included for travelers who purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who booked their own flights are responsible for securing their own airport transfers.
• When you arrive in Cairo, a Go Ahead representative will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall with a Go Ahead sign or a sign with your name(s). If you don’t see a representative immediately, please be patient and stay in the arrivals area. They may be assisting another traveler who has also just arrived and will be back shortly.

Physical Activity Level

• This is a high physical activity-level tour. You can expect to regularly be on the move throughout your trip.

Tour Pacing

This is a very fast-paced tour. Tour pacing considers how often you’ll switch hotels, what you’ll do each day, and how you’ll get from place to place. You can expect:

• One 1-night stay
• Most days and evenings full of included activities (more if you add excursions)
• Most transportation by motor coach
• Some transportation by boat and commercial flight
• Daily bus time varies and can be lengthy

Walking, Terrain & Physical Considerations

• Travelers should be prepared to walk 3-5 miles per day on city streets, cobblestones, packed sand terrain, uneven stairs, and hills.
• Travelers should be prepared for a 4 mile round trip walk to visit Petra, if taking the Jordan extension.
• Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance.
• Please note: Adding optional excursions may increase the total amount of walking on your tour.

Climate Considerations

• In the summer months (June-August) travelers can expect daily temperatures from 80 F - 100 F with minimal cloud cover. It's strongly recommended that travelers are prepared for hot and dry climate conditions.
• Travelers should be prepared for sandstorms which typically occur between March-May in Egypt and from February-May in Jordan.
• Winter months tend to see an increased amount of air pollution in Egypt.

Physical Activity & Tour Pacing Questions

• Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special mobility or luggage-handling assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group enjoys a smooth and informative journey, and they can’t be relied on to provide individualized assistance to any one traveler.
• This tour moves at a reasonable pace to avoid missing scheduled stops. The group can’t miss any activities because of an individual’s needs.
• Due to the pace and physical activity level of this tour, wheelchairs and walkers will be difficult to use and aren’t recommended. Please notify Go Ahead Tours before your departure if you plan to bring any mobility aids with you.
• If you have mobility concerns or tour pace questions, please visit our Help Center or send a message to our Customer Experience Team.

• Private motor coaches use steps for boarding, and often don’t provide ramps or lifts.
• This tour utilizes various modes of transportation, including planes, boat, and motor coaches. To board some of them, you may have to climb raised platforms or steps.
• Flights from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan to Cairo are included in the price of your tour (the tour extension also includes flights from Cairo and Amman).
• All other included transportation on this tour is by private motor coach.
• You must be able to manage your own luggage while on tour, as porterage isn’t guaranteed. This includes when arriving at hotels or airports and boarding trains or ferries.
• Luggage storage on trains is extremely limited, and often requires travelers to lift their suitcases onto racks—sometimes located above their seats.
• You should be prepared to manage your bags during ferry transfers. This includes carrying them up and down boarding ramps, lifting them onto racks, and navigating spaces crowded with other people and motor vehicles.
• Elevators in hotels aren’t guaranteed.
• Some hotels on this tour are situated on narrow streets, so our buses can’t drop you off right out front. In these instances, you’ll have to walk your luggage to the property, no more than a few blocks.

• Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches and included flights.
• Some airlines may impose additional charges if you choose to exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
• Contact your airline(s) for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights. Please note that your included on-tour flights may have more restrictive baggage limits.
• Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
• Travelers must manage their own luggage throughout tour as porters are not guaranteed. This includes at hotels, airports, and boarding the cruise ship.

• We recommend packing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered, as well as a light jacket or rainwear.
• While many places in Egypt have a warm, sunny climate, the desert can be very cold at night and temperatures will dip with changes in elevation throughout your tour. Therefore, we also recommend packing a few long sleeve shirts and warmer layers to wear at night.
• A sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers is recommended for sightseeing.
• Travelers on the tour extension may also wish to bring a swimsuit and pair of water shoes or strapped sandals for the included visit to the Dead Sea.
• You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
• It is preferable not to visit mosques or other religious sites with bare legs or shoulders (entrance may be denied on this basis).
• A sun hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen is recommended for outdoor activities.
• Public restrooms in Egypt can be quite bare. We suggest carrying bathroom tissue and hand sanitizer with you.
• We recommend packing a universal adapter, as well as a voltage converter if you plan on using your own hairdryer or other device without a built-in converter.
• In case of emergencies, we also recommend packing your medical insurance card in your carry-on.

• Go Ahead handpicks every hotel you’ll stay at, striking a balance between comfort, location, and local charm.
• Specific properties will vary based on your departure date, but are typically three-to-four-star hotels; always include private bathrooms; and usually have in-room safes for valuables. Additionally, your hotels will have Wi-Fi, but access may be limited to common areas. There may also not be elevators.
• Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that your accommodations will have laundry services or facilities. We recommend checking directly with your hotels once they’ve been confirmed, about 30 days prior to departure.
• Some hotels on this tour are situated on narrow streets; as such, our buses can’t drop you off right out front. In these instances, you’ll have to walk your luggage to the property, no more than a few blocks.
• Please be advised that the air conditioning in African hotels and buildings is often not as strong or cool as what you might be used to in the U.S. or Canada.
• Egypt operates on 220 volts and use Types C or F plugs with two round pins.
• Jordan, on the tour extension, operates on 220 volts and uses Type C or G plugs with two round pins or three flat pins, respectively.
• Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date.

• Excursions are available for purchase prior to departure, and most excursions will be available for purchase while you are on tour directly through your mobile app for an additional $10 USD.
• We recommend purchasing excursions at least 3 days prior to your tour departure. Please note some excursions have advance booking deadlines. Check your tour itinerary for more information to ensure you don’t miss the deadline to add them.
• Optional excursions may be canceled on tour due to reasons like low enrollment, weather or unexpected closures. If an excursion you signed up for is canceled by Go Ahead Tours, you will be refunded the full cost of the excursion. Please note it may take up to 60 days for your refund to be processed.
• Your Tour Director may offer their own optional excursions which can only be purchased on tour via cash (in local currency).

• At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov.
• If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to your departure by logging in to your account and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please contact our Customer Experience Team.
• If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour and any possible delays encountered.
• Most of our itineraries include headsets used during certain sightseeing tours so travelers can hear their guides or Tour Director. If you use an assisted listening device, such as a hearing aid or cochlear implant, please visit our Help Center for more information or contact our customer experience team. Please note that at this time not all our destinations offer headsets due to supplier limitations.
• Take proper care with sun exposure, as the sun can be especially strong in some of the regions on this tour.
• Drink bottled water only. Refrain from drinking tap water, including when brushing your teeth.
• Avoid eating fresh fruits and vegetables unless they are cooked or washed in clean water and peeled.
• Bring a small first aid kit, including antacids, anti-diarrhea medication, motion sickness medication, and any prescription medications in your carry-on bag.
• Depending on season and weather patterns, air pollution in Cairo may be problematic for travelers with a history of respiratory problems. Based on your health history, please discuss any precautions with your healthcare provider prior to departure.
• Certain over-the-counter and prescription medications may be banned in one or all of the countries on this tour. Importing these drugs can carry severe consequences, including imprisonment. Please consult your healthcare provider prior to departure to ensure that any drugs you may want to bring with you are legal in all countries you will visit.
• You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code ENE.

• This tour includes five lunches and nine dinners: They may be set menus, buffets, or family-style meals, depending on the location. Dinners also include one glass of beer, wine, or a soft drink, as well as water, coffee, and tea.
• Breakfast each morning is also included at the hotel and is typically buffet style with hot and cold options.
• Meal times vary greatly in Egypt and locals often skip lunch. While on tour, breakfast will be served around 8am and lunch is often served around 3pm. Therefore, we recommended bringing energy bars, crackers, or other packable snacks with you during the day.
• Egyptian cuisine uses the bountiful harvests of the Nile Valley—corn, eggplant, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, chickpeas, and citrus fruits are popular in many dishes. Don’t miss out on Egyptian interpretations of typical Mediterranean staples like baba ghanoush, falafel, and stuffed grape leaves. Tea is the national drink and is offered at breakfast, after lunch, and in most social situations.
• On the tour extension, Jordanian cuisine resembles that of the rest of the Middle East. Olives, hummus, sesame seeds, and herbs are typical in many meals. Falafel is the main street food and many meals are served with rice. Hummus and salad are also popular and available at many restaurants. You'll find plenty of opportunities to sip mint tea or Turkish coffee.

• At the conclusion of your tour, it is customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in US dollars or local currency. Please keep current exchange rates in mind.
• We recommend tipping the equivalent of $10USD to $12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $3USD per person per day for your driver.
• If applicable, we also recommend tipping the equivalent of $2USD per local guide.
• In Egypt, tipping is an important part of the local culture and you will be expected to tip for services including, but not limited to, taking photos in some areas or seeing additional exhibits. Travelers should carry small bills (in USD) for this purpose.
• Tips can only be paid in cash.
• If you are traveling to multiple countries with different currencies and the same Tour Director, ask them what currency they prefer for their tip.
• The cost of porterage is included in your tour price, and it is not necessary to tip baggage handlers.

• You will use the Egyptian pound in Egypt (and the Jordanian dinar on the tour extension).
• You may find it useful to have a supply of U.S. currency in small denominations when bargaining for everything from taxi rides to souvenirs.
• Better rates of exchange are usually available abroad, although it’s worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive.
• We strongly advise that you take debit/bank cards and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks as needed.
• You can use most debit/credit cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
• Inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans so that they won’t confuse your international purchases for fraudulent charges.
• International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you do not already have at least one debit or credit card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
• Plan ahead and bring cash to tip your tour director, local guides, and bus drivers.

• To help you feel prepared before going on tour, we strongly recommend downloading the EF Go Ahead Tours mobile app. It’s free and provides information about important deadlines and entry requirements, as well as your detailed itinerary, packing tips, and more. You can also connect with fellow travelers through the app’s chat feature.
• Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though some charges may apply.
• There’s no Wi-Fi on any of the motor coaches.
• Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.

• Your Tour Director, who is also an Egyptologist, will be with you throughout your journey in Egypt.
• There will also be additional staff working alongside your Tour Director to confirm logistics, as well as assist with transfers and on-tour flights. Having these staffers, who are solely focused on ensuring all on-tour logistics go smoothly, allows your Tour Director to dedicate even more one-on-one time to teaching your group about Egyptian history and culture.
• As dictated by Egyptian Tourism Police, all foreign groups must be accompanied by an armed guard and/or convoy.
• You will have a different Tour Director in Jordan on the tour extension.
• The role of the Tour Director is not only to provide information and context on the destinations you visit, but also to confirm services, coordinate inclusions, prepare each days’ activities and support travelers while on tour. As such, they must focus on the success of the group, and cannot provide individualized assistance to any one traveler.

• One of the benefits of traveling with EF Go Ahead Tours is having access to our 24/7 Emergency Support Team.
• Our extensive network of global offices and our integration of ISO 31000 Risk Management Guidelines help this dedicated team anticipate and address on-tour challenges in a flexible, iterative way.
• Using a combination of extensive training, thorough incident response planning, and decades of experience, this team assists travelers and Tour Directors in case of emergencies—stepping in for everything from personal health concerns and injuries to major world events.
• Our On-Tour Support team can also provide additional help to travelers on tour, arranging assistance from outside specialists and liaising with local and international authorities as needed. And if there’s an emergency on the road or at home, the team will facilitate and support communication between travelers and their families.

• Egypt is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and six hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
• Jordan, on the tour extension, is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and seven hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
• When it's noon in New York, it's 6pm in Egypt (and 7pm in Jordan).

• When you travel with Go Ahead Tours, you’ll make a positive impact on the places you visit and the people and animals you meet along the way. That’s because our three core Responsible Travel commitments—protecting the environment, supporting local communities, and promoting animal welfare—are at the heart of every tour we offer.
• Travel, when done responsibly, can have an enormous socioeconomic impact on communities. To maximize your impact, eat at locally owned restaurants and shop at small businesses. Ask your Tour Director to point out restaurants they recommend.
• Prepare for your trip: Be aware of monetary norms such as tipping and negotiating in a market; learn about the destination’s forms of etiquette; and take some time to learn a few words in the local language.
• When interacting with locals, make sure to ask people for permission before you take their picture, and approach cultural differences with empathy and an open mind.
• Go Ahead Tours encourages travelers to limit their waste while on the road, especially single-use plastics. You can cut back on generating plastic waste by packing your own toiletries, using electronic documents, and bringing a reusable water bottle and shopping bag. If you need to use plastics or paper, please recycle.
• When you come across wild animals on tour, take the philosophies of World Animal Protection to heart: Don’t touch or feed them, and maintain a respectful distance. The animals you encounter on your trip should be able to exhibit natural forms of behavior.
• Furthermore, avoid buying exploitative animal products, like crafts made from tortoiseshell or meals such as shark fin soup.
• If you feel we aren’t meeting any of these commitments, please let us know.

• On this tour you will spend 4 nights on the Nile River cruise.
• Cabins will feel very similar to a hotel room and will include a private bathroom.
• While Wifi is available on the ship, it is often available only in common areas and sometimes at an additional cost.
• Most ships do not have elevators.
• Ships often dock directly next to each other, which may require travelers to walk through other ships' lobbies and cross the small gap to their own ship.
• It is recommended travelers get any cash or necessities before boarding the ship.