Egypt 2-Day Small-Group Tour: White and Black Deserts

【Inclusions】

1. Meals: 1 local breakfast; both lunches are local meals.

2. Attractions: First-entry admission tickets to the attractions listed in the itinerary (excluding additional admission tickets within scenic areas and personal expenses. The order of visits and times at attractions shown in the itinerary are for reference only. Our company reserves the right to adjust the order of visits according to local weather, traffic, and other conditions. Actual visit times will follow the final itinerary).

3. Accommodation: One night in a tent built by Bedouins (two people per tent).

4. Transportation: Tourist vehicle during the itinerary + 4×4 desert off-road vehicle, with a foreign-language-speaking driver; one seat per person guaranteed.

5. Local guide: As the White and Black Deserts are natural attractions, no Chinese-speaking guide is provided on this itinerary. The local driver also serves as your guide.

6. English-speaking assistant accompanies you throughout the tour

【Exclusions】

1. Tips for our driver/guide/assistant total €20 per person (mandatory, payable in advance together with the tour fee); excludes luggage handling and other tips.

2. Egypt visa on arrival: US$36 per person (payable at the airport or apply independently in advance).

3. Single-room supplement for a traditional tent

4. Overseas travel accident insurance and any items not mentioned under “Included in the Price.”

[Helpful Tips]

1. The same price applies to adults and children.

2. This is an international join-in tour operated locally in Egypt. Room sharing is currently unavailable, so solo travelers must pay the single-room supplement.

3. If guests are late or miss an itinerary activity for personal reasons, they will be considered to have voluntarily forfeited that activity. This cannot be used as grounds to cancel the tour or request a refund. This product is also sold as a package, so no refunds are available for individual activities that are canceled.

4. The itinerary order may be temporarily adjusted due to weather, transportation, religious, safety, or other reasons. Sightseeing times are subject to the arrangements made by the local guide. Please cooperate.

5. This is a land-arranged group tour, so you will share vehicles with other passengers and may change vehicles during the itinerary. As the itinerary is fixed, temporary changes requested by guests cannot be accommodated. If you would like a flexible itinerary or extra time at certain attractions, we recommend booking a private tour to meet your travel needs.

6. For guests on the same booking or traveling together, we provide one complimentary hotel pickup and one complimentary hotel drop-off in downtown Cairo. Additional transfer requests incur extra charges.

7. A minimum of 2 participants is required for this tour. Please confirm availability before registering.

8. A permit is required to visit the White and Black Deserts and must be arranged at least one week in advance. A second confirmation is required after you register for this tour!!

9. The White and Black Deserts are in a restricted military area, and the sightseeing order may be adjusted due to military activities. Thank you for your understanding.

Changes and cancellation policy

All expenses are prepaid in advance. Therefore, if travelers cancel after registering for personal reasons, a cancellation fee will apply. The cancellation terms are as follows:

1) Cancellations made 29–15 days before the group’s departure incur a cancellation fee of 10% of the tour price.

2) Cancellations made 14–7 days before the group’s departure incur a cancellation fee of 20% of the tour price.

3) Cancellations made 6–4 days before the group’s departure incur a cancellation fee of 50% of the tour price.

4) Cancellations made 1–3 days before the group departure date will incur a cancellation fee of 60% of the tour price.

5) Cancellations on the day of departure will incur a cancellation fee of 80% of the tour price.

6) Please note: For bookings that include domestic flights in Egypt, tickets will be booked immediately once payment is made. If you cancel, the flight cost, including any flight surcharge, is non-refundable!

Tour Information

[Helpful Tips]

Special note: Guests who are in Egypt over New Year’s Eve (December 31) will incur an additional gala dinner charge (depending on the hotel, estimated at USD 50–100 per person). Please confirm this again before booking. Thank you for your cooperation!

1. This product’s prices apply only to Chinese passport holders (including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) and ethnic Chinese with foreign passports. The Black and White Deserts are the same price for adults and children. For the rest of the itinerary, children under 10 who do not occupy a bed pay 70% of the adult price; children occupying a bed pay the adult price.

2. This is an international join-in tour operated locally in Egypt. Room sharing is currently unavailable, so solo travelers must pay the single-room supplement.

3. If guests are late or miss an itinerary activity for personal reasons, they will be considered to have voluntarily forfeited that activity. This cannot be used as grounds to cancel the tour or request a refund. This product is also sold as a package, so no refunds are available for individual activities that are canceled.

4. The itinerary may be temporarily adjusted or reordered due to weather, traffic, religious or safety-related reasons. Visit times are subject to arrangements by the local guide. Please cooperate accordingly.

5. As this is a join-in tour departing from Cairo, you will share vehicles with other passengers. Vehicles and guides may change during the tour. As the itinerary is fixed, requests for last-minute changes are not accepted. If you would like a flexible itinerary or extra time at certain attractions, we recommend booking our private tour to suit your travel needs.

6. For guests on the same booking or traveling together, we provide one complimentary airport pickup and drop-off service within a 24-hour period. Additional transfer requests will incur an extra charge.

7. Hotel check-in is generally available only after 14:00 on the day of arrival. If your flight arrives before 14:00, we will coordinate with the hotel to store your luggage at the front desk first. Once your room is ready, the hotel will let you check in as soon as possible. Please don't worry.

8. This tour requires a minimum of 2 participants. Egypt is now in peak tourist season, and cruise, hotel and domestic flight availability is very limited. Please confirm availability before registering.

[Disclaimer]

1. No refund will be given if you leave or drop out of the tour midway for personal reasons.

2. If the China National Tourism Administration or the Chinese government has not issued an official travel warning, a cancellation request based on a traveler’s personal perception that the destination is unsafe will be considered invalid. If you cancel your tour, the applicable fees will be deducted according to the cancellation policy in this document.

3. If the hotel is unable to provide the room we booked due to reasons of its own (such as being fully booked or equipment failure), we will make every effort to help guests check in to a hotel of the same class, but will not cover any additional costs incurred. If the replacement hotel is not of the same class, the price difference will be settled accordingly, with any overpayment refunded or shortfall collected.

4. We are not responsible for any additional expenses resulting from force majeure (such as flight/train delays, cancellations or schedule changes, war, government policies, strikes, severe weather or tsunamis). If force majeure delays the itinerary or makes it impossible to visit a certain attraction, we reserve the right to adjust the itinerary as appropriate.

5. The eligible age range for joining the tour is 6–65. Guests outside this range who still wish to join must sign a liability waiver.

6. We are currently unable to accept pregnant guests, nursing infants, guests with conditions that may cause sudden illness such as heart disease or high blood pressure, or guests who have recently undergone surgery. Thank you for your understanding.

[Egypt Travel Information]

Helpful Information

1. Time difference: Egypt observes daylight saving time and standard time. Daylight saving time runs from April to October, when Egypt is 5 hours behind Beijing; standard time runs from November to March of the following year, when Egypt is 6 hours behind Beijing.

2. Egypt is generally safe, but please take care of your personal belongings and documents. Do not display large amounts of cash or other valuables in public.

3. During the tour, please stay with the group and follow the guide’s arrangements. When leaving the hotel, it is best to take a card from the front desk with the hotel address and phone number in case you get lost; traveling with others is also recommended;

1. Please bring any medications you normally use, in case they are needed. If you need to take medication long-term for conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stomach problems, or diabetes, bring enough medication and your doctor's prescription, just in case;

2. Chinese Embassy in Egypt: Address: 14 Bahgat Aly Street, Zamalek, Cairo

Tel: (00202) 7361219 / (00202) 27363556 Fax: (00202) 7359459

3. Egypt emergency and police numbers: Police: 122; Fire: 125; Tourist Police: 3906028; Medical emergency: 123

Arrival and departure

Important notes

1. Checked baggage:

(1) International flights generally allow one checked bag free of charge (weighing no more than 20 kg, with total dimensions not exceeding 269 cm) and one piece of carry-on luggage (with total dimensions not exceeding 115 cm);

(2) Do not pack cash, cameras, laptops, or other valuables in checked baggage, and keep your baggage claim ticket;

(3) Liquids, creams, gels, and similar items should be checked in whenever possible. If not checked in, place them in containers of no more than 100 ml and put them in a clear, resealable plastic bag for airport security screening;

2. Customs regulations:

(1) Currency: China Customs limits the amount of currency that may be taken out of China to RMB 20,000 and foreign currency equivalent to USD 5,000;

(2) Electrical appliances: Large appliances must be declared in advance when taken out of the country, such as video cameras, professional cameras with zoom lenses, and computers;

3. Entry into Egypt:

(1) Bringing drones into the country is prohibited!

(2) The airport pickup assistant at Cairo Airport will help you clear customs. Assistants generally do not speak Chinese and speak only English;

(3) Entry procedures for Egypt are simple: passport (valid for more than 6 months) + entry card (provided on the plane) + visa slip (purchased after arrival);

Weather and Clothing

1. Daytime temperatures in Egypt are high and UV rays are strong. Please bring sunglasses, sunscreen, a sun umbrella, sun-protective clothing, etc.;

2. There is a large temperature difference between day and night, and evenings can be relatively cool. Be sure to bring a warm jacket or sweater.

3. In summer, wear loose-fitting, breathable, light-colored clothing as much as possible. In winter, bring a thick coat to keep warm;

4. Weather website: http://www.worldweather.cn/tu/tuindex.htm

Communications

1. To call China from Egypt, dial 0086 + the three-digit area code + the phone number. For example, to call Shenzhen: 0086 + 755 + 12345678. To call a local number in Egypt, dial 0020 + the city area code + the phone number.

2. To make calls outside the hotel from your room, contact the front desk to activate the service. Hotel calls are relatively expensive.

3. Mobile phones with China Mobile international long-distance and roaming services enabled can be used directly.

To call a mobile phone, dial 0086 + recipient's mobile number (e.g., 00861390…….)

To call a landline, dial 0086 + area code + recipient's number (e.g., 0086+75525851744)

Power outlets

Egypt uses European-style two-round-pin power outlets. We recommend purchasing a universal travel adapter.

Dining

1. We recommend bringing some spicy condiments, such as chili sauce or pickled mustard stems. Tea is not provided with local meals.

2. Most restaurants do not allow guests to bring their own alcoholic drinks. Alcoholic drinks and other beverages are not included in meal prices; if you would like any, please pay for them separately on site.

3. When dining at a buffet, please take food courteously and do not waste it;

4. To avoid discomfort from unfamiliar food or stomach problems, please drink bottled water and avoid eating food sold by street vendors.

Accommodation

1. Hotels are generally locally rated five-star. As Egypt’s level of economic development is far below China’s, their standards are broadly equivalent to four-star hotels in China.

2. Hotels do not provide disposable items such as slippers, toothbrushes, or toothpaste;

3. Mains electricity in major cities is 220 volts, and outlets use European round-pin plugs;

4. Tap water is not safe to drink. Hotels generally do not provide electric kettles. If you need hot water, you may bring your own kettle or ask staff to bring you hot water (a tip of around USD 1 per pot is required).

During the trip

Important notes

1. Travel by road: Journeys between major cities are long. We recommend bringing some snacks. Travelers prone to motion sickness should bring motion sickness medication.

2. Safety: Take good care of your valuables and documents, and keep valuables with you at all times;

3. Transportation: Cairo traffic is very congested, and traffic jams are common. Traffic conditions in other cities are generally good. Travel from Aswan to Luxor and the Red Sea must be reported to the local transport bureau in advance, and departures must be at the designated time. Please gather promptly.

Sightseeing

1. Egypt is a country with a long history. The main reason to visit Egypt is to experience its history and culture. Learning about the country’s history and culture before departure will make your trip even more rewarding.

2. Attractions such as the pyramids, the Valley of the Kings, and the Red Sea are sandy. For ease of walking, we recommend not wearing high heels;

3. At the Pyramids, many locals may offer camel rides, take your photo, or ask to take a photo with you, claiming that it is free. Do not believe them; afterward, they will ask tourists for a large tip;

4. The guide may adjust the itinerary as needed, provided no attractions are omitted. If weather, traffic jams, strikes or other force majeure events prevent visits to attractions on the itinerary, the travel agency reserves the right to change the attractions or refund the loss after your return, based on the ticket price.

Expenses

1. Specialty products: papyrus paintings, perfume oils, spices, glassware, copperware, crystal, cotton goods, carpets, dates, etc.

2. Reference exchange rates: US$1 = EGP 49; RMB 1 = EGP 7

3. Currencies in circulation: US dollars and Egyptian pounds. Some tourist shops accept international credit cards; RMB is not accepted;

4. Public restrooms in Egypt charge a fee of EGP 10–20. Please bring small change.

Tipping

1. Tipping is customary abroad, and giving a tip is also a courtesy.

2. If you request extra service from staff at a hotel, restaurant, or other venue, it is best to leave a tip, generally about US$1;

3. We recommend bringing small items such as cooling balm and pens, as locals often ask Chinese visitors for these items.