Holiday FAQ's
Q: I am looking for information on how Europeans could spend holidays in Arab countries, including Egypt, and I need to know if there are tourists coming to your country in motor-homes or with caravans? Does Egypt have camps for such tourists? If I want to come to your country with a motor-home or caravan, what do I need?
Bernarda Bevc
Novo mesto
SloveniaYes, there are some tourists who come to Egypt in motor- homes or with caravans and sometimes even on motorbikes. However, they are not many. Most travellers to Egypt come by plane or cruise ship, or by bus from neighbouring countries.
If you want to come from Europe to Egypt with your caravan, you will need to bring the vehicle's registration papers, liability insurance and an international driving permit in addition to your domestic licence. You will also need a carnet de passage en douane, which is effectively a passport for the vehicle, and acts as a temporary waiver of import duty. This carnet is brought from your local automobile association.
At the Egyptian border, you will be issued with a licence valid for six months. After six months the vehicle should either leave the country for six months or be stored in Customs Department storage for six months. When the six months pass, you can re-enter the vehicle to the country and get a licence every three months. For more information contact the Automobile and Touring Club of Egypt (00+ (202) 574 3418 or 574 3191).
There are several campsites in Egypt that could accommodate caravans, such as Salma Camping in Saqqara (00+(202) 384 9152) in Giza, El-Rezeiky Camp (00+ (2095) 381 400) in Luxor and the Municipal camp site in Aswan next to the Unfinished Obelisk. In the oases on the Western Desert, you can camp anywhere near a water spring but always bear in mind that this could be someone's land so you should have permission. In Dakhla oasis you can camp near the dunes west of Mut or Al-Qasr, on a plateau just north of town where the night sky is a spectacular field of stars. You can also try Khamees Camp (00+(2092) 821 577) in Mut and the Bedouin Camp (00+(2092) 830 604) in Al-Dohous. There are also several camp sites in Bahariyya Oasis such as Ahmed Safari Camp (00+(2011) 802 090) and Eden Garden Camp (00+(2011) 802 345).
Camps are abound in south Sinai especially in Dahab and in the area between Nuweiba and Taba. In Dahab there is Auski Camp (00+(2069) 640 474) and Camelot Paradise Camp (00+(2069) 640 136). Between Nuweiba and Taba there is Basata Camp (00+(2069) 500 481), Castle Beach (00+(2010) 317 4754) and Ayyash Camp (00+(2010) 575 6064).
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 27 November - 3 December 2003 (Issue No. 666)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/666/tr8.htm