la plupart des voyages proposent en option la visite d'abou simbel
2 choix possibles en bus ou en avion
hormis la différence de prix le trajet en bus présente t'il un intérêt particulier ? y a t'il des choses à voir sur la route ? combien d'heures de trajet ?
une idée des coûts de chacune de ces options
merci d'avance
bomjour, le trajet en bus se deroule en convoie pour des raisons de securite vous serez surpris de le vitesse que font les chauffeurs routiers, vous partirez je pense en pleine nuit et vous allez arriver sur le site le matin tot pour le lever du soleil j espere, car le site est merveilleux, majestueux, un des plus beau d egypte .
La sécurité n'a pas grand chose à voir avec ça ; disons qu'il s'agit plutôt de bien canaliser le flux des touristes là et comme le gouvernement le souhaite ; il est par ailleurs possible de prendre le bus public hors convoi si on est moins de 4.
bonjour, faux les convoirs pour aboul simbel se font en convoir avec escorte de l armee cause de risque d attentas impossible de s arretter en court de route pour prendre photos ou arret pipi .
re bonjour, nous allons tres souvent en egypte derniers voyages en avril 2006 ", nous avons passe 15 jours et sejouner 5 jours a alexandrie ville plus moderne et plus ouverte du matin au soir on ete escorte voiture de police devant ainsi que derriere notre petit bus de 15 personnes chaque fois que l on arrivait sur un site la police ete prevenu de notre arrivee .nous avons revisite les site abul simbel pour la 3 fois ainsi que saqqara karnak de plus en plus de police et l armee depuis 2000 nous allons une a deux fois par l an et je constate que la police et l armee sont de plus en plus present sur les sites mais cela nous decourage pas et nous sommes chaque fois emerveille par ce pays merci a --je ne citerais pas le voyagiste qui nous organise les circuits aves des conferenciers egyptien qui nous parle aussi de la politique du pays et de ses problemes.
Expérience pour expérience j'ai passé beaucoup de temps en Egypte ces dernières années, et je connais assez bien les endroits dont nous parlons pour y être allé, seul et sans services de tour opérateur.
Si vous avez droit à ces pesantes escortes, c'est juste parce que vous faites de voyages en groupes et par des agences ; je maintiens bien sûr que l'on peut aller à Abu Simbel en bus public, et que de toutes façons les escortes, loin d'être vraiment nécessaires, sont plutôt dangereuses, donnant lieu à des traversées de villages au mépris des habitants.
vous oubliez les derniers attentats qui cible les touristes et non les egyptiens et la plupart du tourisme en egypte se fait par tour operateur plus ou moins serieur
Même si les risques d'attentat existent, le meilleur moyen d'en être épargné est bien d'éviter les groupes, les convois, les escortes et les lieux spécifiques pour tourisme organisé. Ce n'est pas entre Aswan et Abu Simbel que vous risquez l'attentat...
Il y a aussi toujours possibilité de se débrouiller par soi-même, c'est même ce qui me semble le mieux adapté, on échappe à une grande majorité des désagréments ; mais faites comme vous l'entendez.
Voyage en mars 2006: Convoi de 11.00 vers Abou Simbel: Arrêt pipi après deux heures dans une cafétéria. Nous étions en tout et pour tout 3 minibus avec chacune à bord un policier. Séjour de 24h à Abou Simbel sans la moindre escorte (et nous étions ... 13. Croisière sur le Nil en sandal sans voir aucun policier ni mmilitaire. Il n'y a que pour aller à la tombe d'Aÿ que, traditionnellement, un policier accompagne (et encore, celui-ci a laissé tomber son AK 47 qui s'est retrouvée en 3 morceaux🙂).
Juillet 2006: Dahshour, Gizah, Saqqarah sans la moindre escorte, croisière en felouque idem, un seul policier comme d'jab. pour la tombe d'Aÿ. Nous étions 12.
Les attentats visent les touristes ? Sharm: 8 touristes tués et 81 Egyptiens ! Dahab: 2 touristes, 21 Egyptiens !
Les convois sont surtout un moyen utilisé par la police pour mettre la pression sur la population, pas pour protéger les touristes.
A Alexandrie, là, comme il y a eu quelques troubles inter-religieux, il est possible qu'elle était plus vigilante envers non les touristes mais bien les Chrétiens.
Nous, nous partons toujours en groupe auto-formé, pas un groupe "officiel" d'un TO et nous sommes beaucoup moins encadrés, pour ainsi dire pas du tout par ces "forces de l'ordre".
Rien ne vaut un voyage "en individuel" qui permet, lui de vrais contacts avec la vraie population, pas avec des conférenciers officiels qui, même s'ils critiquent, n'osent pas le faire aussi ouvertement que l'Egyptien de la rue.
bonjour; depuis 5 ans; nous allons tres souvent en egypte en groupe assez restraint et nous constatons que de plus en plus il y a de plus en plus de police sur les sites, peut etre pour rassurer les touristes les policiers sont tres discret et ne nous sont jamais gene meme plutot symphatiques
Rassurer les touristes un peu naïfs, et surtout fliquer les Egyptiens... 🤪
Comme il est suggéré plus haut, les convois sont là pour affirmer la main mise sur les populations, pas pour protéger les touristes.
Pour ma part le trajet en bus est préférable.
Déjà en avion vous perdez au moins une heures de visite, cause horaire de retour, en plus petit avion(mal de l'air).Le voyage en car dur environ trois heure, départ très tôt vers six heure du matin(donc vous lever vers trois heure).les véhicules partent en convoi.Comme il fait sombre vous pouvez vous endormir facilement.Le retour est assez agréable, le désert oriantal à perdre de vue, certains sites sont magnifique, les rocs dessinent des monticules bizares.(j'ai réalisé des photos montages et on se croit sur Mars!) en plus il y a les mirages! Des simples, double, et aussi leur propre reflet, super!Et ça sur plus de cent km.Alors rien que pour cela le bus en vaut la chandelle.Et en plus le prix.On peut même faire le trajet en minibus ou taxi, payer à plusieur(moins cher) et convenir du temps à rester sur place avant de partir et se renseigner pour le départ au S.I d'Assouan.
.... Je crois surtout que vous n'avez malheureusement pas eu l'opportunité de connaître ce pays hors des agences de voyage, et donc que l'on vous a effrayé à dessein....
Pensez ce que vous voulez je m'en moque. l'Egypte est un pays magnifique a visiter un point c'est tout. La pauvreté y est très présente, j'en veux pour preuve le vécu suivant : nous avions dans nos bagages des vêtements d'enfant. Le but était de les donner aux enfants rencontrés au cours de notre séjour. Bien mal nous en a pris. Nous avons déclenché une bagarre lors de la distribution. Le plus choquant fut qu'au milieu des enfants, des adultes ont essayés de leur prendre les vêtements ; si cela n'est pas le signe patent d'une pauvreté endémique je ne m'y connais pas. De plus dans l'état "idéal" que vous évoquez, aucun policier n'est intervenu pour rétablir l'ordre. Nos protagonistes n'avaient sans doute pas besoin d'être policés...
Je comprend que votre amour pour le pays vous conduise à une certaine subjectivité mais quand même, j'ai moi aussi mes "résaux" et notre vécu du second séjour confirme nos informations. Je comprend que pour des raisons de sécurité l'Etat Egyptien doive se prémunir contre les attentats, pourquoi le nier ? C'est tout à l'honneur de ce grand Etat qui, bien seul dans son secteur géographique essait de survivre en gardant une activité touristique, dernier rempart contre un certain obscurantisme.
C'est sûr que si vous déballez dans la rue des vêtements pour les donner vous allez créer une agitation ; il ne faut pas faire comme ça, il faut les donner à qui saura les redistribuer.
L'Etat égyptien a surtout besoin d'affirmer son autorité, et c'est à cela, et à réduire un peu le chômage, que sert l'armée. Le Caire est une ville très sûre, et vous pouvez vous y promener la nuit comme vous ne le pouvez certainement pas dans votre ville de Villeneuve les Avignons.
I’m heading back to Egypt for the first time in 30 years this July. Last time, I was 20, and we spent two weeks traveling on a shoestring as backpackers.
I’m wondering about a "cruise" on a felucca from Aswan—mainly to avoid being stuck in an air-conditioned tourist bubble (we’re already spending our first week in that setting with our diving club). We’d like to explore the most interesting stretch of the Nile between Aswan and Luxor. Do you have any thoughts on this option, tips, or maybe some contacts?
Hello, my husband and I will be in Egypt this coming November. Cairo seems more challenging to explore without a guide, and we’ll be there for 3 full days. Would anyone have the name of a guide?
Thanks!
Hi, we're looking for a guide to show us around Essaouira.
We're 11 adults and don't want to go through an agency. If you have a contact to help us discover this city, that would be great!
Thanks
I was wondering if it’s possible to join a group as a solo traveler with local agencies in Djanet for circuits like Tadrart, Essendilene, Sefar, or Tassili?
If you have any agencies to recommend, I’d love to hear about them.
I didn’t find any info on the forum.
Best,
Here’s a first draft for a 14-night itinerary during the Christmas break with two teens. We’re especially fond of hiking (nothing too extreme, though), which is why we’re drawn to the south.
- Marrakech (2 nights)
- Aït Ben Haddou (1 night)
- Dadès (3 nights, though we’re thinking of doing a day trip to the Todra Gorge on one of those days)
- M'hamid (1 night)
- Erg Chigaga (1 night)
- 4 nights to slot in
- Marrakech (2 nights)
Okay, I realize this involves a lot of driving, and we’re still debating the return route since we’d like to avoid the Tichka Pass in January, but going through Taroudant seems like it would add *a lot* of time. 😕
If you’ve got other suggestions for an itinerary with great hikes, I’m all ears!
Also, the 4 nights total in MRK isn’t really our preference, but since we’re arriving/departing super early from overseas, we’d like to be a bit rested before the long flight.
Another question:
For hikes (aside from the desert one), is it better to have a guide with us, or are the trails well-marked?
Hi everyone,
Our trip to Morocco will be from November 3 to 17, in the High Atlas.
Basically, our route would be:
Marrakech - Aït Benhaddou
Skoura - Tinghir - Merzouga
Merzouga via the N12 to Zagora
Zagora - Draa Valley - Marrakech
It seems to be the low season, so I’d love to travel without having to book accommodations in advance. In other countries, pre-booking has restricted us and kept us from visiting unplanned sites. Freedom is important to us, but I’d also like to avoid arriving somewhere and finding nothing available.
What do you recommend? Book ahead or not?
Your advice is always helpful, and thanks to anyone who can shed some light on this for me.
Roberto
First of all: a big thank you to everyone whose insightful, funny, lively, and exotic posts we’ve enjoyed. It’s a joy to find such lovely writers on this forum, who’ve given me tons of ideas and addresses to prepare our trip.
Our plan: to explore Morocco from November 2nd to December 4th. We’ll have our own vehicle (a 2011 Renault Grand Scenic, in great condition), shipped with us from Sète to Tanger Med. Returning from Nador.
Our profile: 75 and 62 years young, so old but happy to be, in very good health. Seasoned travelers—it’s practically our whole life. Lovers of beautiful landscapes, historic sites, fine craftsmanship, and road trips. This will be my 3rd trip to Morocco, but the first two were 20 and 17 years ago. I’ve never been north of the Essaouira-Marrakech line (though I’ve gone further south). As for my husband, a lifelong expat including in Muslim countries, it’s his first time in Morocco.
He’s the one driving. He’s very experienced, cautious, not necessarily fast, but used to driving in all conditions (and countries, including the most creative on the road). But I don’t want to tire him out, and he no longer drives at night (and we’ll be there in November).
I’ve decided to show him a bit of everything by taking a road trip along beautiful backroads, with daily distances averaging 180-200 km (except on highways, which will be rare), regularly broken up by rest days. I’m counting on a speed of 40-50 km/h, plus stops/visits along the way.
Since I’ve read so many posts, I’ve narrowed it down to some very specific questions.
1) Coming directly from Rabat via the highway, we’d prefer to skip Marrakech*. Still, we’ll need to sleep somewhere nearby. We’ll head toward Skoura the next day. Does anyone have a well-located address for this route, possibly east of Marrakech? Ideally, we’re looking for a small town, easy parking, clean accommodation (minimum) with average comfort (or better if available), a bit heated, and if possible, pretty and/or nice—but above all, a place to sleep well, wash with lukewarm (ideally hot) water, and have a decent dinner.
(*Explanation for the "no-go" in Marrakech: it’s a shame, because there are truly beautiful things in this city, but I think the vibe won’t suit us—it’s an understatement for "it’ll put us off" / "make us flee" / "traumatize us." Not because it’s too crowded and we want to stand out from tourists (we’re part of them), but because of forced henna on your hand, or spending 10 minutes every quarter-hour saying "no thank you" to a "guide" who’s as much a guide as I am a trapeze artist. Knowing us, it’ll wear us down. The country is vast and beautiful, and our time too short to waste our memories just days after arriving. And I don’t want to ruin things for my peaceful husband, or he’ll demand we turn back—and Sète in November isn’t exactly thrilling either.)
2) Which route to Skoura (in 2 days)? I see two options: either via the Tichka Pass, with a night in Telouet before reaching Skoura, or via the R307/N23 from Demnate, with a night near Megdaz before descending to Skoura. So: Tichka Pass or R307/N23? I have a slight (big) preference for the second option, even though I know the other route is very beautiful too. Of course, before deciding, we’ll check the weather and the current state of the R307/N23—does anyone know where to get info on the road conditions? But even assuming the road is "passable," is it a bit too tough in itself? In short, is it reasonable? If a kind soul could share their experience, a thousand thanks in advance.
That’s all I’ve written for now. I’ll save the other questions for later posts. Thanks again to those who had the patience to read this and to those who can respond. Happy Sunday to all!
I’m just a few days away from my trip to Marrakech—I’m leaving from November 13th to 20th and bringing my parents along! I’d love to plan my stay as best as I can, and I’m sure the forum crew can help. So, here are my questions:
- Where’s the best place to exchange money without getting ripped off? The owner of the riad where we’re staying told us to avoid doing it at the airport because it’s really expensive and to do it in the medina instead, near Jemaa el-Fna square.
- Which traditional hammams do you recommend that are reasonably priced? How much should we budget for one? That’ll help me plan my expenses.
- What are some nice restaurants in the medina?
- I’d also like to know roughly how much to expect for a tea, a meal, a taxi, a djellaba, and babouches. I don’t want to get overcharged and would like to know what to expect.
- What are the must-do activities and places to visit?
Hi, I’d like to head to Morocco next week with my car. I’ve looked online at all the different info about the ferry crossing to Tangier, but I’m finding it really expensive. Is there a way to buy tickets in Spain? Or another way to get the Algeciras–Tangier crossing cheaper? Thanks for any tips or info!
We found a guide who offers the trip from M'hamid to a camp (departure at 3 PM, tea, meal, camel ride, overnight stay, breakfast, and return to M'Hamid by 11 AM the next day via the sacred oasis). He quoted us a price of 380 € for April.
What do you think of this rate?
This might sound like a silly question, but is it common to negotiate the price for this kind of thing (we're booking from France)? It’s still a big part of our travel budget.
Hi there,
We're planning to visit Egypt between January 25 and February 15, 2027. I looked up the Ramadan dates and found some sites saying it starts on February 8, while others say February 18... Where's the mistake?
Thanks,
Christian
Hi there,
We’re a family of 4 with two boys aged 12 and 10 traveling to Egypt in February.
We’re spending 3 days in Cairo to take our time exploring the city and the sites before heading south.
-Is it necessary to have a guide to visit the GEM? Are audio guides available?
-Do you have any contacts for drivers to organize a few transfers (Giza, Saqqara, Airport)?
-Do you know a French-speaking guide who’s friendly, family-friendly, and good at making things exciting, with reasonable prices?
With our two teens, we’re heading to Morocco for two weeks at the end of December and beginning of January. It’ll be our first trip that’s more "off the beaten path," even though we’ve visited several countries before. Given the overwhelming amount of info, I’m feeling a bit swamped with the prep this trip requires, and I’ll admit I’m a little lost when it comes to figuring out what’s realistic to visit in two weeks 😕 So, all your tips, personal experiences, and suggestions are more than welcome!
- Which places should we prioritize during this time of year? (I’ve read that some spots are less accessible in winter?)
- What’s the best way to get around? (rental car, train, private transport, buses, etc.? — just a heads-up, we’ll have a few suitcases!)
- In terms of "safety," are there any areas to avoid?
- Any recommendations for reliable local tour companies (beyond the big names like "Get Your Guide") that offer excursions or private transport to help us explore the country?
- A doable 2-week itinerary that lets us enjoy the country’s diversity without having to change accommodations every two days?
I’m planning a trip to the High Atlas in Morocco and have a few questions for you:
- Why do so many people recommend avoiding international agencies for car rentals? Can anyone explain why?
- Is Booking.com reliable, and has anyone rented a vehicle through their service? There’s a pretty big price difference compared to local Moroccan agencies.
- Is there a detailed road map included in the rental car?
- Is Google Maps enough to get around the High Atlas? This will be my first trip there.
Thanks so much to anyone who can help with this destination I’ve been dreaming about for years.
Have a great evening,
Roberto
hi there, I’m heading to Tunisia 🙂 from April 27 to May 8 with my family. I’ve read through the various discussions about the country, but I’m still a bit unsure🤪: for currency exchange, I saw on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website that withdrawing currency with a bank card from ATMs is limited to 200 TND per week. There are four of us traveling by car, so that might be a bit tight! And it’s a hassle to carry a lot of cash, even if I’m not being paranoid! What do you all recommend?
Cheers,
Laurent.
We're planning a 2-week trip in late February/early March for a road trip in the High Atlas with a rental car, and we'd love to avoid booking our accommodations in advance. Is that doable, easily manageable, or risky (are accommodations available, expensive, or not great)? Thanks for your tips!
Annie
Hi,
This autumn, we’re planning to explore the Oriental region and we’re wondering where the best place to land would be. We’ll have three weeks ahead of us and we’ll be renting a car.
Any tips would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Is there an official website or list of certified Egyptologist guides in Egypt? And most importantly, what are the normal prices for a full day or half day? There’s so much scamming and crazy pricing—depending on who you contact, it can range from simple to quadruple!!!!
Thanks
Hello,
In September, my wife and I, along with another couple, will be traveling to Tunisia and staying at the Sheherasade Hotel near Sousse.
We’d love to hear your recommendations or tips on places to visit, as well as advice on taxis or other transportation options.
Thanks in advance!
This autumn’s trip should be in Morocco—barring any geopolitical issues between now and then.
After many trips to the south of Fès, I’m giving the north a try.
My plan is roughly to do a road trip loop from Rabat back to Rabat, passing through Asilah, Tangier, Tétouan, Chefchaouen, Akchour, Fès, Meknès, and Volubilis.
That’s a lot of cities.
Probably a bit too many for our taste—we usually prefer more isolated spots...
So I’m looking for tips on little backroads, secluded beaches, half-day hikes, and offbeat places.
If you’ve also got recommendations for accommodation... (We’re open to splurging over 100 € if it’s a real favorite.)
Feel free to think outside the box—this is an open-ended plan! !😉
Hello,
I’m looking for testimonials from Pieds-Noirs who have recently returned to Algeria.
There can’t be many left after 65 years of the country’s independence.
I’m planning to go back myself soon to reconnect with my roots... before I pass away...
I’ve started making a few pre-bookings for hotels and apartments to rent in Algiers. At first, I received friendly and welcoming responses. Then, when I mentioned I wanted to stay for two or three weeks—maybe even a month—explaining that my trip wouldn’t be strictly touristy but more of a pilgrimage to the places of my childhood, and that it would likely be a very emotional journey, I expected a positive and warm reaction to my approach. Instead, I suddenly stopped getting replies from the three or four people I’d contacted. So now I’m wondering about the reception former Pieds-Noirs can expect...
Anyone here who can share their experience of returning? I specified “recently” because it seems that right now, diplomatic relations between the two governments are extremely tense, not to say hostile... even if Macron claims otherwise...
Hello,
I’m traveling to Algeria from October 27 to November 16, 2026.
I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been through the process about the accommodation attestation required for the visa application:
- Does it need to cover the entire duration of the trip?
- Is this document mandatory for a hotel to rent a room?
- Is it checked during inspections?
- Is a hotel booking (e.g., via Booking.com) sufficient for the visa?
- If so, does it need to be paid in advance?
I plan to visit several cities and do one or more treks with a guide or agency.
If you have any contacts you’d recommend, I’d be grateful!
Also, I’d love to share this trip with a companion who’s already done some traveling.
We’d organize the journey together, of course.
Thanks for your feedback!
Safe travels to all,
Dom, Dijon, 64 years old
I’m leaving for Tunisia in five weeks for a full 15-day trip. I’ll be arriving in Monastir and departing from there as well.
I’d like to do a route that’s a bit different from my first stay, which was more focused on cities and culture (Tunis, Sousse, Kairouan, El Jem).
I’ll be getting around by public transport.
I’d like to head south toward Tozeur, and I saw that you can take a *louage* from Monastir to Sbeitla (2h30). I imagine it’s not too complicated to get to Tozeur from there afterward? The issue is the return trip to Monastir and safety in Sbeitla.
If this route seems too complicated, I might opt for Djerba instead, which looks simpler.
I’m heading to Morocco in September 2026, and part of my trip takes me through Merzouga. I’m looking for a 4x4 driver-guide to explore the area with my partner and me.
