River of the Pharaohs
Classic Egypt
March 29 - April 8, 2011

PREPARING FOR THIS TOUR

Entry Requirements—Citizens of the U.S and Canada need a valid passport and visa for travel to Egypt. Passports must be valid for a minimum of six months after the end of the tour. The cost of the visa is $15, and is not included. Toto Tours offers a “visa on arrival” service, and more information will be provided prior to departure.

Immunizations—No immunizations are compulsory, but inoculations for typhoid, polio, malaria, hepatitis and tetanus are advised. Please consult your personal physician about immunization planning.

Exit Requirements—There is no departure tax upon leaving Egypt.

Suggested Viewing

Death on the Nile (1978) w/ Bette Davis
Valley of the Kings (1954) w/ Robert Taylor

WHAT TO BRING

Temperatures in Egypt during March and April can reach the low 90s in the daytime, but as is typical of desert climates, drop significantly at night. Expect the weather in Cairo to range from a cooler 60 degrees to a comfortable 80 degrees, with Luxor and Aswan warmer in the 70-92 degree range. Bring light-colored, lightweight cotton clothes that breathe well, or micro-fiber fabrics.
Dress is casual and conservative; your clothes should not insult local sensibilities, so leave tight, provocative apparel at home. Loose garments are more comfortable and allow wind to circulate, creating a natural ventilation system. Pack light and try to carry only two small suitcases. Pack any medications you require in a carry-on bag just in case your luggage doesn’t arrive when you do. Leave expensive jewelry at home—it marks you as a wealthy tourist and an easy target.

Suggested Packing List:

____ Passport and Visa

____ Sturdy walking shoes / cool sandals

____ 4 pairs long pants, lightweigh cotton or khaki trousers for dinners

____ 3 pairs shorts for hot desert sightseeing excursions

____ T-shirts (6 - 8).

____ Socks and underwear for 9 days

____ Daypack and/or fanny pack (you will want to carry water at all times)

____ Sunscreen / lip balm / bug spray

____ Sunglasses / sun hat with tie-on strap

____ Personal toiletries

____ Swimsuits

____ Jacket or sweater for cooler nights and mornings.

____ Camera & plenty of film or memory cards / extra batteries

____ Adapter for electric current if you are bringing items that require electricity. Egypt's current is A/C 220 volts 50Hz. Wall plugs are the round two-prong European type.

____ A good book for the plane / ship

MONEY MATTERS

The monetary unit is the Egyptian pound (EGP), which is subdivided into 100 piastres (PT). Notes come in denominations of 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 LE, and 50 and 25 PT. Coins are 25, 20, 10, and 5 PT. On May 25, 2010, the interbank exchange rate was 5.57 EGP to the U.S. $1. All international hotels and most restaurants and shops accept the major credit cards. ATMs are widely available, and many banks provide cash advances on credit cards. Make sure your ATM card is linked to one of the worldwide networks (like Plus, Novus or Cirrus), and call your banks before departure to let them know you will be traveling abroad.

Taxes and Tipping—Tipping or “baksheesh” is generally around 5% of the full sum, usually less if the bill is very high and slightly more if the bill is low. In other words, the more you spend, the less you tip. Taxi drivers are particularly aggressive and any demands for higher tips should be studiously ignored. Most cabbies already add an illegal “foreigner” surcharge. We will provide suggested tipping guidelines prior to departure, and will present a collective tip to drivers, guides and cruise staff at appropriate points throughout the tour.

LIABILITIES / DISCLAIMERS

Making a reservation with a deposit shall be deemed to be consent to these conditions: Toto Tours does not accept responsibility in whole or in part for any delay, loss, accidents, personal injury, sickness, medical expenses, or property damage occasioned by fault of any person from whatever cause. All tour participants are required to sign a standard liability form.
The tour operators reserve the right to accept or decline any person as a member of the tour at any time and to make whatever changes become necessary with or without notice. Guaranteed departure with a minimum of 10 participants. Toto Tours is not responsible for airline cancellation or change penalties incurred by individual tour participants for air tickets purchased prior to notification that the tour is a confirmed departure.
We strongly encourage you purchase Travel Insurance to cover all aspects of your travel in Egypt! You can apply online by following the link at the bottom of this page.

THE TOTO SPIRIT

Toto Tours provides Adventure Travel Experiences as differentiated from tours in the traditional sense. Adventure Travel allows (even encourages) you to be an active participant. Adventurers can be identified by certain traits. They are:

fun-loving optimists who have a sense of humor and accentuate the positive;
good natured realists who are willing to accept situations as they exist;
undaunted by the unexpected, like occasional delays or bad weather;
willing to forego some of the amenities we normally take for granted;
eager to try new things & test limits;
punctual;
not whiners!

Toto Tours is known for attracting great groups of people who are outgoing, interesting, and fun. You wouldn’t want to do this tour with anybody else! Come with us to the River of the Pharaohs for absolutely the most memorable vacation experience of your life! If you have any questions, please call toll-free: 800-565-1241.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

We recommend you purchase travel insurance with Travel Guard to cover for unforseen events prior to and during your trip. Please follow the link below or call us for more information.