:: Luxor Caravaserai ::

:: Luxor Caravaserai ::

Remember me blogging about a new shop by Medinet Habu, well they have a website now. They are also support local women with their handicrafts as well as the charity the Small Pyramid.

Another Xmas 2009 for Flats in Luxor

This is amusing me no end. I have never had Xmas bookings early than about September and now I have three. Well Flats in luxor is the nicest Xmas place to stay, plenty of room, plenty of fun, plenty of frolic and a real family atmosphere.

But book early ROFL

The Guardian recommends sailing holidays

The extra Nile: An Egyptian cultural cruise | Travel | The Guardian

A great recommendation for sailing holidays like www.sailthenile.com

Flats in Luxor - Official Home of the Menna TT69 Tomb Project

We are very excited at Flats in Luxor; our first archaeological team is staying at the flats. I am hoping like mad to get to have a chat with them about their work. Melinda Hartwig is leading the team and they are working at the tomb of Menna TT69. They will be staying at Flats in Luxor for 6 weeks at our Goubli building. So now we are Official Home of the Menna Team

With 2 bathrooms and three bedrooms, swimming pool and in-house restaurant this is a great location for group bookings. Not only dig teams but tourist groups book one or more flats. Flats in Luxor are also used by other companies offering Egyptian holidays.

International Luxor

Dear Valued Guest.

Please excuse any mistakes in this translation as I used an online translator http://translate.google.com/ I am hoping to get my website translated soon.

I wanted to let you know about the holidays we offer in Egypt. Although we are only small we care about our guests and welcome visitors from all over the world. Please look at our website www.flatsinluxor.com if you would like to see a more individual and independent view of Egypt especially Luxor. Egypt has guides in many different languages and given enough notice we can arrange this for you. If you prefer to cook your own food then a holiday apartment or flat is the perfect way of staying in the country.

Arabic

عزيزي الزائر.

يرجى عذر أي أخطاء في هذه الترجمة كما استخدمت الترجمة http://translate.google.com/ وأنا على أمل الحصول على موقعي المترجمة قريبا.

أردت أن نعلمك عن العطل نقدم في مصر. وإن كان صغيرا إلا أننا نهتم نرحب بضيوفنا والزوار من جميع أنحاء العالم. يرجى الإطلاع على موقع www.flatsinluxor.com إذا كنت ترغب في رؤية مزيد من الفردية والمستقلة نظرا لمصر خاصة لمدينة الاقصر. يمكنك عرض عليه بلغتك باستخدام أداة الترجمة. وقد توجه مصر في العديد من لغات مختلفة ، وإعطاء مهلة كافية يمكن أن يرتب ذلك لك. إذا كنت تفضل ذلك لطهي الطعام الخاصة بك ثم عطلة شقة أو شقة هي الطريقة المثلى للبقاء في هذا البلد.

English » Russian
Ценные Уважаемый посетитель.

Прошу прощения любые ошибки в этом переводе, как я использовал онлайн переводчик http://translate.google.com/ я надеюсь получить перевод моей веб-сайте в ближайшее время.

Я хотел бы сообщить вам о праздниках, мы предлагаем в Египте. Хотя мы только небольшие Мы заботимся о наших гостях и приветствовать посетителей со всего мира. Посмотрите, пожалуйста, на нашем сайте www.flatsinluxor.com Если вы хотели бы видеть более индивидуальной и независимой мнению Египта особенно Луксор. Вы можете просмотреть его на своем родном языке, используя инструмент перевода. Египет гиды на разных языках и с учетом достаточно уведомления мы можем это организовать для Вас. Если вы хотите приготовить ваши продукты затем праздник квартиры или квартиры это идеальный способ остаться в стране.

English » Chinese (Simplified)
亲爱的观众。

请原谅任何错误，这是我用翻译在线翻译http://translate.google.com/我希望让我的网站翻译很快。

我 希望让您了解我们提供的假期在埃及。虽然我们只是小我们关心我们的客人，并欢迎游客来自世界各地。请看看我们的网站 www.flatsinluxor.com如果您想看到更多的个人和独立的意见，特别是埃及卢克索。您可以在您自己的语言使用的翻译工具。埃及导游在许多 不同的语言和给予足够的通知，我们可以安排您进行此动作。如果您希望在您自己的食物煮熟然后假日公寓或持平的最佳方式是留在该国。

English » Dutch
Beste Gewaardeerde bezoeker.

Gelieve excuus eventuele fouten in deze vertaling als gebruikte ik een online vertaler http://translate.google.com/ Ik hoop voor mijn website vertaald binnenkort.

Ik wil u informeren over de vakanties die wij aanbieden in Egypte. Hoewel we slechts kleine we om onze gasten welkom en bezoekers van over de hele wereld. Kijk op onze website www.flatsinluxor.com als u wil graag een meer individuele en onafhankelijke oordeel van Egypte vooral Luxor. U kunt het in je eigen taal met behulp van een vertaling tool. Egypte heeft gidsen in verschillende talen en voldoende mededeling we kunnen regelen voor je. Als u liever uw eigen eten koken vervolgens een vakantie appartement of flat is de perfecte manier van verblijven in het land.

French
Cher visiteur.

S'il vous plaît excuser les erreurs dans cette traduction que j'ai utilisé un traducteur en ligne http://translate.google.com/ je suis l'espoir d'obtenir plus rapidement mon site Internet.

Je tenais à vous informer sur les vacances que nous offrons à l'Egypte. Bien que nous ne sommes que de petits, nous nous soucions de nos clients et d'accueillir des visiteurs de partout dans le monde. S'il vous plaît consulter notre site Web www.flatsinluxor.com si vous voulez voir un individu et indépendante de l'Égypte en particulier Louxor. Vous pouvez le visualiser dans votre propre langue au moyen d'un outil de traduction. L'Égypte a des guides en plusieurs langues et de suffisamment de préavis, nous pouvons organiser pour vous. Si vous préférez faire cuire votre propre nourriture, un appartement de vacances ou un appartement est le moyen idéal de rester dans le pays.

German
Sehr geehrter Besucher.

Bitte entschuldigen Sie einen Fehler in dieser Übersetzung habe ich eine Online-Übersetzer http://translate.google.com/ Ich hoffe auf meine Website bald übersetzt.

Ich wollte Sie wissen lassen, über die Ferien bieten wir in Ägypten. Obwohl wir nur kleine wir kümmern uns um unsere Gäste und Besucher aus der ganzen Welt. Bitte schauen Sie auf unserer Website www.flatsinluxor.com, wenn man möchte, um zu sehen, eine individuelle und unabhängige Sichtweise von Ägypten vor allem Luxor. Sie können es in Ihrer eigenen Sprache mit einer Übersetzung Werkzeug. Ägypten hat Führer in vielen verschiedenen Sprachen und genügend Hinweise, die wir organisieren das für Sie. Wenn Sie es vorziehen, Ihr eigenes Essen kochen dann eine Ferienwohnung oder Wohnung ist die perfekte Art und Weise der Aufenthalt in dem Land.

Hindi
प्रिय आगंतुक लिए बहुमूल्य है.

के रूप में मैं एक ऑनलाइन अनुवादक उपयोग कृपया इस अनुवाद में कोई गलती बहाना http://translate.google.com/ मैं जल्द ही अनुवाद मेरी वेबसाइट पाने के लिए उम्मीद कर रहा हूँ.

मैं तुम्हें हम मिस्र में की पेशकश की छुट्टियों के बारे में बताना चाहता था. यद्यपि हम ही हम दुनिया भर से अपने मेहमानों का स्वागत करते हैं और दर्शकों के बारे में ध्यान छोटे हैं. यदि आप विशेष रूप से लक्सर मिस्र की एक और अधिक व्यक्तिगत और स्वतंत्र दृश्य को देखने के लिए चाहेंगे कृपया हमारी वेबसाइट www.flatsinluxor.com को देखो. आप अपनी भाषा में अनुवाद उपकरण का प्रयोग कर यह देख सकते हैं. मिस्र और कई अलग अलग भाषाओं में गाइड है हम आप के लिए यह व्यवस्था कर सकते हैं पर्याप्त सूचना दी. यदि आप तो एक छुट्टी मकान या फ्लैट देश में रहने का सही तरीका है अपना खुद का खाना पकाने के लिए प्राथमिकता देते हैं.

Italian
Cari Valued visitatori.

Vi preghiamo di scusare eventuali errori in questa traduzione, come io ho usato un traduttore online http://translate.google.com/ spero di avere il mio sito web tradotto al più presto.

Volevo farvi conoscere la nostra offerta vacanze in Egitto. Anche se ci sono solo le piccole abbiamo cura dei nostri ospiti e di accoglienza visitatori provenienti da tutto il mondo. Si prega di visitare il nostro sito web www.flatsinluxor.com se volete vedere una più individuale e indipendente, vista in particolare d'Egitto Luxor. Potete vederlo nella tua lingua utilizzando uno strumento di traduzione. L'Egitto ha guide in diverse lingue e dato abbastanza avviso possiamo organizzare per voi. Se si preferisce cucinare il proprio cibo poi un appartamento o appartamento è il modo migliore di soggiornare nel paese.

Japanese
訪問ユーザーの価値を愛する。

私は、オンライン翻訳を使用してください、この翻訳には任意のミスを口実http://translate.google.com/私はすぐに私のウェブサイトの翻訳を取得したいと思っています。

私 はあなたに提供し、エジプトでは、休日を知らせようと思いました。しかし私たちは、世界中のお客様や観光客を歓迎する気に小さい。特にエジプトのルクソー ル場合は、より個々の独立したビューをみせてください。 www.flatsinluxor.com弊社ホームページをご覧ください。自分自身の言語の翻訳ツールを使用して表示することができます。エジプト、多 くの異なる言語のガイドをしている私たちがこの通知を十分に配置することができます。休日の場合はアパートやフラットをその国での滞在方法ですが完璧に料 理を作って自分の方が好きだ。

Portuguese

Prezado visitante.

Desculpem eventuais erros nesta tradução como eu usei um tradutor online http://translate.google.com/ estou esperando chegar o meu site traduzido em breve.

Eu queria que você saiba sobre o que nós oferecemos férias no Egito. Embora estejamos apenas pequenos nos preocupamos com os nossos hóspedes e visitantes boas-vindas de todo o mundo. Por favor, olhe para o nosso site www.flatsinluxor.com se você gostaria de ver uma visão mais individual e independente do Egito especialmente Luxor. Você pode vê-lo em seu próprio idioma usando uma ferramenta de tradução. Egito tem guias em diversas línguas e deu aviso suficiente nós podemos mandar isso para você. Se você prefere cozinhar sua própria comida, em seguida, um apartamento ou flat é a maneira perfeita de permanecer no país.

Spanish

Estimado visitante.

(Ruego disculpen los errores en esta traducción, ya que he utilizado un traductor en línea http://translate.google.com.) Estoy esperando que mi sitio web sea traducído en breve.

Me gustaría darle a conocer las vacaciones que ofrecemos en Egipto. Aunque somos un grupo pequeño, cuidamos a nuestros huéspedes y recibimos visitantes de todo el mundo. Por favor, échele un vistazo a nuestra web http://www.flatsinluxor.com si desea tener una visión más individual e independiente de Egipto, especialmente Luxor. En Egipto hay guías de muchos idiomas y nosotros podemos arreglarlo para usted. Si prefiere cocinar su propia comida, un apartamento es la manera perfecta de alojarse en el país.


Ukrainian

Цінні Шановний відвідувач.

Прошу прощения будь-які помилки в цьому перекладі, як я використав онлайн перекладач http://translate.google.com/ я сподіваюся отримати переклад моєї веб-сайті найближчим часом.

Я хотів би повідомити вам про свята, ми пропонуємо в Єгипті. Хоча ми тільки невеликі Ми дбаємо про наших гостях і вітати відвідувачів з усього світу. Подивіться, будь ласка, на нашому сайті www.flatsinluxor.com Якщо ви хотіли б бачити більш індивідуальною і незалежної думку Єгипту особливо Луксор. Ви можете переглянути його на своїй рідній мові, використовуючи інструмент перекладу. Єгипет гіди на різних мовах і з урахуванням досить повідомлення ми можемо це організувати для Вас. Якщо ви хочете приготувати ваші продукти потім свято квартири або квартири це ідеальний спосіб залишитися в країні.

Finnish
Hyvä vieras

Haluan kertoa sinulle tarjoamistamme Egyptin lomista. Olemme pieni järjestäjä, mutta välitämme suuresti vieraistamme ja toivotamme vierailijat joka puolelta maailmaa tervetulleiksi. Ole hyvä ja tutustu sivuihimme osoitteessa www.flatsinluxor.com mikäli haluat yksillöllistä ja riippumatonta näkemystä Egyptistä ja erityisesti Luxorista. Egyptistä löytyy kielitaitoisia oppaita ja kunhan annat meille tarpeeksi aikaa, järjestämme sinulle haluamaasi kieltä taitavan oppaan. Mikäli haluat valmistaa itse omat ruokasi on lomahuoneisto tai asunto sinulle täydellinen valinta.

In Egypt, Living on a Farm - NYTimes.com

In Egypt, Living on a Farm - NYTimes.com

Great story about a lady I know of. I have had some of her guests come to my apartments and rave about her wonderful horses. Interesting comments about how foreigners can own land in Egypt

New Year at Flats in Luxor 2009

Flats in Luxor had a great New Year party. A few more than Xmas as we had 60 people. We went for a very Egyptian theme with all the food and entertainment being traditional Egyptian. While people ate an enormous buffet cooked by our chef Gamal traditional musicians played. The buffet was Lentil soup, various salads, vegetarian dishes, a whole roast sheep and items from the grill, finishing with fresh fruit and Egyptian pastries. Then the entertainment really started.




We had a Whirling Dervish who entranced the guests.












Especially when he went amongst them, the kids were mesmorised.












One of guests had a birthday so Gamal presented him with a birthday cake while I sang Happy Birthday in Arabic, my one accomplishment (the Arabic not the singing!!!!)










Our belly dancer was a great success with the kids who loved joining in.












The star of the evening, only 2 and see proud Dad looking on.













I am afraid the birthday boy was set up and had to wear his own costume and dance along.












The drummer and the dancer worked well together and look at the little apprentice learning the trade. The cutest little Nubian boy.












After some 6 acts we finished with Nubian dancers. This one was completely new to me, so colourful and many of our Egyptian guests joined the dancers.

Book now for Xmas 2009!!!!!

Just had my first bookings for Christmas next year. So get in quick lol

Xmas Party 2008

We had a fabulous time on Christmas night, numbers were down on last year (the credit crunch is affecting bookings) so rather than giving our guests a low key time we combined with Nile Valley Hotel and took our guests there.




We had our own table right at the front. They laid on a fabulous spread salads, soup, barbecue grill, hot food and deserts. We even got presents of local pottery which was a lovely touch.






The belly dancer was excellent and really got everyone involved. Apparently she is American and she really knew her stuff. The little girls loved it as did the men lol. The local drummer and her did a bit together and were really playing to each other.




The whirling dervish got them involved as well. Great fun I do find that act amazing. If you looked at his feet they do not move from the spot.









The entertainment finished with a local band who could have done the back for the Egyptian Diva Umm Kulthum. I totally loved it, put in loads of requests and even gave them baksheesh and bought the CD. We have booked them for our New Years party.

Cairo Eyes-Cairo Egypt.

Cairo Eyes-Cairo Egypt.
My man in Cairo has changed his website address. I have worked with him for 5 years and he is totally honest and reliable so for all your Cairo needs, speak to Waleed

Last Minute Holidays

We welcome last minute bookings for our flats and apartments in Luxor. There are some fantastic cheap flights at the moment and by booking last minute you can get a great deal. I just had someone book on Sunday for a flat and they are coming on Wednesday. Some of our flats are sold or on long term lets but currently we have 13 flats for rent with another 5 flats planed for 2009 so we can always find you a great apartment. Luxor is a fantastic place to visit all year round with constant sunshine, cheap food and drink and lots of history and culture to visit.

Boston Globe recommends Flats in Luxor

http://www.boston.com/travel/getaways/africa/articles/2008/12/14/wonders_and_warmth_greet_visitors_to_luxor/

LUXOR, Egypt - The tomb of the boy pharaoh Tutankhamun lies on the west bank of the Nile River. So do a host of other awe-inspiring remains of ancient Egypt, sights that help draw as many as 2 million visitors a year to the area.


Most tourists, though, stay on the more developed east side, in Luxor, an area also not without historic interest. It's where one finds the magnificent Luxor Temple, with its avenue of sphinxes, and the enormous complex of obelisks and ruins known as Karnak.

But as more of a tourist haven it's also where one finds McDonald's and the legions of taxi drivers, souvenirs hawkers, and street peddlers who inspired one guidebook to declare Luxor the "hassle capital" of Egypt.

That's why visitors seeking a more authentic experience tend to gravitate toward the west bank where one particularly good option for accommodations can be found in the sleepy village of Al Gezira.

Getting there is simple: Take the ferry, which leaves from the center of Luxor, across from the ruins of Luxor Temple. The ride takes three or four minutes and costs one Egyptian pound, or about half a dollar.

The village, which lies on the road to the Valley of the Kings and other sites, is home to Flats in Luxor, where you can stay in a clean three-bedroom apartment overlooking the green fields of the Nile valley, with the massive temple of Queen Hatshepsut visible in the distance.

Run by British expatriate Jane Akshar and her Egyptian husband, Mahmoud Jahlan, Flats in Luxor offers 21 air-conditioned apartments of various sizes at rates from around $50 a night. With plenty of room for a family, a quiet location, and a small pool, the apartments provide a good base for exploring the area's antiquities, as well as a chance to get a feel for village life.

One big draw of Flats in Luxor is Akshar herself, an enthusiastic and knowledgeable amateur Egyptologist and licensed guide, who can show visitors a side of Luxor's antiquities usually missed by the large tours.

At the nearby Hatshepsut's temple, for example - a spectacular edifice at the foot of the Theban hills built by the queen who ruled Egypt as a pharaoh some 1,500 years before Cleopatra - busloads of tourists streamed up the imposing main ramp. Akshar, however, shepherded her charges around to the colonnaded porticos at the side. There, with nary a tourist in sight, she took them on a leisurely exploration of a series of wonderfully-realistic frescoes showing the queen in the marshes surrounded by wildlife.

While Akshar is happy to guide guests through the sites for their entire stay, she's often booked. But the archeological sites in the area are easy to visit on one's own, with the help of a good guidebook. Akshar is happy to make suggestions about what to see and can help arrange transportation to various sites.

The Luxor Museum (admission about $15) is a good place to start. Located on the east side, it contains some of the area's finest antiquities, yet is a manageable size. A quick tour of its contents, including King Tut's war chariot, and haunting statues of Akhenaton, the heretical pharaoh who ruled just before King Tut, can be made in under two hours.

Close by stands the Karnak complex of temples (admission $10), for centuries the center of worship in ancient Egypt. A list of its assets from the time of Ramses III includes 65 villages, 421,662 head of cattle, 83 ships, and 81,322 workers and slaves.

Back in the center of the city is the stunning Luxor Temple, which in 1799 reportedly impressed Napoleon's soldiers so much that they spontaneously offered a salute when they saw it. Constructed by generations of leaders from Hatshepsut to Tutankhamun to Alexander the Great, the temple was once connected to Karnak, nearly two miles away, by an avenue of sphinxes.

On the Al Gezira side of the river, visitors have a wealth of impressive archeological sites from which to choose, starting with the fabled Valley of the Kings, honeycombed with more than 60 royal tombs, including that of King Tut. Don't expect to see Tut's riches here, however. Most of the treasures that were buried with him are in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Some of them are on exhibit at museums in Atlanta and Dallas, and will travel to San Francisco and Indianapolis next year.

Near the Valley of the Kings lies the temple of Hatsheput with its graceful colonnades, and the two famous Colossi of Memnon. Also worth visiting is Deir el-Medina, a village that housed the craftsmen who built the royal tombs, those in the Valley of the Queens, and many of the smaller, but still fascinating, Tombs of the Nobles.

Besides dispensing useful advice on visiting antiquities, Akshar can recommend interesting places to eat. After a visit to the temple of Hatshepsut, she might take visitors to the nearby Ramesseum Resthouse, run by the grandson of one of the workers who helped Howard Carter, the English archeologist, excavate Tutankhamun's tomb.

Back in Al Gezira, Akshar sent visitors off to Tutankhamun Restaurant, a rooftop bistro with a Nile view, south of the ferry landing. There, the genial owner, Mahmoud Sayed, formerly a chef at a five-star hotel in Luxor, offered a choice of interesting dishes. If he's making it, try the chicken curry with apples, banana, and coconut.

After detailing the evening's choices, Sayed is happy to chat with guests about their home country and their experiences in Luxor.

Those sorts of conversations happen often in Egypt. Egyptians are a warm and welcoming people, and seem genuinely friendly toward Americans. Despite terrorist attacks against tourists over the years here and elsewhere, Luxor feels safe. (Egyptian police patrol all the big tourist sites.) And Akshar scoffs at advice that venturing out on your own in Luxor is dangerous. Those who take that advice are missing a chance to taste a true slice of Egypt and have some fun, too.

Cheap flights, cheap holidays

Wow just had some people come out here for £135 GBP, add that on to the price of a flat. £250 GBP for a week for 6 people and you have a super cheap holiday. Lots of last minute bargains for the new year. Definately a credit crunch holiday in lovely sunshine.

Details of Christmas and New Years 2008 Events

Flats in Luxor
Christmas & New Year Events

Christmas Party
7pm
25th December
Roast Turkey Open Buffet

-0-

New Year Eve
8pm
Egyptian Dinner
with
Whole Barbecued Sheep
and
Traditional Egyptian Dishes

Vegetarian Options

-0-

Entertainment on both nights includes

Belly Dancer
Sufi Dancing
Drum Band
Nubian music

Price 300LE
Children Half Price

Tours of Upper Egypt now there is no convoy

Such good news as from yesterday the convoy system ceased around Luxor. This means you do not have to leave at a set time, travel at breakneck speed with no stops, visit the sites at the same time as 100's of other people or only have a short time.

For sites like Abydos this will mean lots of time and an opportunity to visit the entire site and no compulsory visit to Dendera.

For Aswan instead of just being able to visit Edfu and Kom Ombo on route you will also be able to stop at Tod, Moalla, Esna, Gebel Silsila and El Kab

I understand the Aswan to Abu Simbel convoy still operates but who knows that might change as well

Currency Woes

We have decided that all our payments will be in Egyptian pounds in future. The current exchange rates are crazy and our margins are so small we can not take the hit. So in future please make your payments in local currency. Our three bedroom flats are 1,650 LE per week low season; 2,200 LE high season. Private guided tours 400LE per person including guide, tickets and transport

Flats in Luxor Poolside Restaurant

Just to make you all jealous this was Luxor, Egypt a couple of days ago. We definitely have winter sunshine. We now have a nice poolside restaurant and we were enjoying a meal and a drink there.

Cheap flights to Luxor

Check out this site Charter Flights. I was emailed by a guest who has found loads of cheap flights in December and January. Get some cheap winter sunshine with a holiday in Luxor.

First review on our Trip Advisor listing

I love feedback like this, well who wouldn't Trip Advisor Flats in Luxor listing. This was a lovely family from Israel who stayed at the Flats and did some tours with us. I couldn't get them a guide, not many Hebrew speaking guides in Luxor! But we did help them as much as we could with their tours.

Cheap Flights to Egypt

I just had two people arrive tonight who booked at the last minute using the link on my website www.charterflights.co.uk. They got return flights for £175 GBP which made a trip to Egypt the best value holiday you can get. With winter weather hitting the UK and people looking for a bit of winter sunshine it seems booking at the last minute can get you some great bargains.

Abydos

The House of Companions Abydos

I have blogged this on my Luxor News blog when I read about it through Iris. she is a Dutch resident in Luxor and has a blog Hidden Egypt. She reported her visit there and it sounds wonderful.

So now you can actually stay the night there. There are 6 rooms including a triple. The price is 150LE for a single room and 250LE for a double and that includes meals. I have the contact details of the owner Amir and he speaks good English and seems quite friendly.

So now there are more options about visiting Abydos


Road convoy with 90 minutes in the temple

Train travel with half a day in the temple

Overnight with travel there being by road with the convoy or by train.

Isn't great to have some choices at last

Birkbeck Egyptologists recommend Flats in Luxor

Birkbeck Egyptologists Service 1 Comment from a Birbeck College student

REVIEW: Flats in Luxor - When I was in Luxor this March, I stayed in one of Jane Akshar's flats on the West Bank. We had a fabulous balcony with views of the Theban Hills and plenty of room - the flat sleeps 6 people. Having stayed in hotels in the past, I found that having your own space after a day of tombs and temples was wonderful! There are plenty of places to eat in the village, the ferry was a short walk away and there was no problem getting a taxi to pick us up each morning. Jane Akshar can also arrange trips, guides and taxis for you. Link to Flat's in Luxor website ( Jane, March 2007)

Swimming pool update - painting the wall

We are getting our painter Sherban to paint the walls of the swimming pool. I love what he is doing.

Donkey Ride over the Ridge

One of our most popular family tours isthe Donkey Ride over the Ridge. We have had everyone from 4 year olds to 80 year olds do this trip and everyone seems to enjoy it. The views are spctacular. Here is an old story of mine originally published on Tour Egypt giving my view of the experience.

I now know where the expression, "walk like an Egyptian", come from. Whoever first said it almost certainly had taken the donkey ride over the ridge on the West Bank at Luxor (ancient Thebes), Egypt. It is an amazing experience following in the steps of the workman that built the tombs on their daily commute from their homes at Deir El Medina on one side of the mountain to the Valley of the Kings on the other side.

We started really early as it is much cooler then and easier on both man and beast. I had asked for and been promised a nice quiet animal. It had to be very strong as well as I am no light weight. I went with my daughter and some friends and we started at my home on the West Bank of Luxor. The donkey man, Ashraf, managed to get us all on board which was an accomplishment in itself. My saddle seemed to be really insecure but off we went. This is an amazing way to travel with the soft clip clop of the donkey's little hooves plodding along. Exchanging greetings with locals on their way to work, we got to the cross roads where the big tours busses have right of way. Well actually they didn’t because our donkeys were determined to keep on going and we couldn’t stop them. The policeman was in fits of laughter as he stopped all the big coaches so this group of middle aged ladies on uncontrollable donkeys went across. Our guide was laughing too hard to be of use. Actually he told me afterwards he always lets that happen because the guests enjoy it.

We went passed the Colossus of Memnon and up to the workman’s village at Deir El Medina. One can appreciate the site of Amenhotep III's mortuary temple so much better from this vantage point and we were going slow enough to take note of all the current excavation work. It was very interesting.

At Deir El Medina we started ascending the mountain. The donkeys needed little guiding as they had done this route many, many times, which was just as well because hanging on required all my concentration. The path ascended quite quickly and within a few minutes one can see the village laid out beneath. It is truly an amazing way to view this site, looking almost like a plan drawing.

Just to the right looking back one could see the Valley of Queens and even in the distance the mortuary temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu. Only 10 minutes and already we had fantastic views. However, the ascent started getting steeper and my saddle more insecure. Whoops I started to slip and gracefully, I like to think, descended to the ground. I told the guide that saddle was wrong and we got it sorted out and were off again.

There were a couple of places where we had to get off and lead the donkeys but we were able to ride most of the way. There were some people doing the same route by foot, which if one is young and active is a great alternative, but I am neither, so I was sticking to my donkey. Well at least I was trying to. It was interesting to think about treading in the footsteps of the tomb builders who traveled the same route so many thousands of years ago. One wondered if those steps cut in the rock were from ancient times. The views were spectacular, the landscape and in the distance a hazy glimpse of cultivation. But it was the sites that I couldn’t get over. We had already seen Medinet Habu, Deir El Medina and the Valley of Queens, and wasn’t that the Ramasseum in the distance. Down below us there was the temple of Hatshepsut and to the side the Valley of the Kings.

Actually at the top one realizes the relationship between the Valley of the Kings and Deir El Bahri much more clearly. It is only a short distance between the two. It made it much easier to understand the relationship between Hatshepsut’s tomb and her temple. The Valley lay beneath our feet and we could see what looked like small ants scurrying around going into tombs, the entrances of which we could see clearly. On the other side we could look straight down on the top terrace of Hatshepsut's temple and the ramps of the lower levels.

At the top my daughter amused herself looking for fossils and we found loads. At this point the donkeys left us as it is very steep. They descended by themselves in no time but we took ages as we walked down by the side of Hatshepsut's temple getting the most fantastic views. Stumbling across rock cut tombs and small burial pits, we found even more fossils and came back with bulging pockets.

I guess one could call this trip the poor man’s balloon ride as the views we got were similar but the price was a lot cheaper. Of course, the tour took a little longer than the balloon rides as well, which themselves take only a little more than an hour.

But we hadn’t finished, we now went back through the villages and roads with the donkeys picking up pace as they sensed their stable lay ahead. Our feeble cries of “hush hush” had no affect and actually we were a lot more confident by this time and rather enjoyed racing along in our donkey derby, though I can't say now who won..

But I know I am going to regret it tomorrow, my poor muscles, yes I shall definitely be walking like an ancient Egyptian.

Flats in Luxor has listing on Trip Advisor

At last Trip Advisor has responded to my requests for an inclusion on their listings page. I am wanted to get on totally legitimately and not get round things by pretending I was a hotel and not flats. So after a lot of lobbying by myself and you my guests I have a listing.

Flats in Luxor Trip Advisor Listing


Now it is just about my flats so if you had a fantastic felucca holiday then if you want to add a review you must do an honest appraisal of the flats even if you were only there for a cup of tea after a tour (no harm in adding a btw we also did xyz with Jane and Mahmoud). Loads of you have done great reviews on the forums and if you added then to our listing I would be so grateful.

And thank you, all of you for all the lovely things you have said and please know it makes a terrific difference to our business.

Ramadan in Luxor

We are in the middle of the Holy month of Ramadan and it is such a special time to visit Egypt. Try if you can to get invited by a family to break the fast at sunset. They do not mind at all that you are not fasting and love to share this special time with you.

I love being in a country so united in a religious festival, the nearest thing I have experienced before is Easter in Cyprus.

How does it affect the tourist, well hardly at all. Hotels etc try and use Christian staff where ever possible to serve alcohol but don't be surprised in small hotels to find no alcohol or the staff asking you to help yourself. They prefer not to even touch it during Ramadan. It is not a good idea to be on the road around sunset as road regulations tend to be tossed aside in the rush to get home for Iftar. Certain government and official places like passport offices and banks close early and some of the sites have special Ramadan openings.

If you are on a full day trip be considerate to your driver or guide and insist that they stop and break their fast. They do not mind you eating or drinking in front of them but I prefer to be discreet but woe betide you if you lit a cigarette.

This is not the time of year to disagree with an Egyptian man during the day!!! Wait until he has broken his fast before nagging him about chores not done.

Soon it will be Eid and everyone gets new clothes and the children get money. Egyptians try and pay all their debts and make sure everything is up to date Mon wise so that everyone can have a good Eid. I you give someone a good tip so they can enjoy a good Eid your kind gesture will be much appreciated.

Egypt Is Attracting A Growing Number Of Overseas Property Investors | A Blog About Personal Finance

Egypt Is Attracting A Growing Number Of Overseas Property Investors | A Blog About Personal Finance

Credit Crunch Holidays

With money so tight at the moment and the collapse of one of the UK budget charter airlines holidays need to be good value, inexpensive but interesting and use a scheduled carrier. What about Egypt? What about EgyptAir?

Egypt is not the first destination to come to mind but with internal costs extremely low even when you add on a flight the holiday becomes affordable. I have flown EgyptAir to the UK on numerous occasions and once to Japan, I prefer getting the greater leg room and luggage allowance. With charter airlines you seem to pay extra for everything which a scheduled flight provides automatically. EgyptAir is competitive on price and flies into all Egyptian cities like Cairo and Luxor. For non British tourists scheduled is your only choice and many other airlines fly here from all the European destinations as well.

There are 3 types of holidays 5*, 3* and backpacker. Do remember these stars are Egyptian ones so paying through the nose for a 5* hotel is not going to give you a Tiffanies experience. So why bother. Backpacker accommodation is great for the young and young at heart and is certainly cheap out here. But the real bargains are in 3* hotels or self catering apartments like mine. Flats in Luxor www.flatsinluxor.com BTW flat is British for apartment :) We offer 3 bedroom apartments that sleep 6 with fully fitted kitchens, Western bathrooms AND a swimming pool, free Wi-Fi, in-house restaurant. All for $50 USD low season $70 USD high season. Divided by 6 now where could you get such great accommodation for the price. Now that is a bargain.

Similarly food experiences like falafel, foul and koshery are ridiculously cheap and very nourishing. Koshery a mixture of lentils, pasta, rice and a sauce is under 20 cents. But if you want the Egyptian experience try Felfela in Cairo or Sofra in Luxor. Real Egyptian food at real Egyptian prices. A great meal for under $10 but don’t worry it is not spicy like Indian food but really tasty. And also don’t worry about a dickey tummy. Actually fresh food cooked locally is safer than many a buffet left out for hours.

Add to that the most stunning array of historical sites like the pyramids and sphinx, Tutankhamen‘s tomb, the temple of Hatshepsut, the most famous female Pharaoh, the sound and light at Karnak temple, camel rides in the desert, sailing boats at sunset on the Nile. Now that is a holiday.

A word about safety. There are some odd areas of Cairo I would not fancy walking around at 2 am, that is the same in any country. Think about downtown New York or the East End of London however the tourist areas are safe and mugger free. In fact we (Although I am British I live here in Luxor, Egypt) are not quite sure what muggers are? Refreshing isn’t it?

Any troubles you have read about are likewise miles away from the tourist areas. Would you let a problem in Mexico stop you holidaying in Canada, exactly? Giza and Gaza are not the same place. The only problems you will get round the pyramids at Giza are camel drivers trying to get you to take a ride. That is a monetary one as well as a flea ridden one.

Sail the Nile : the review Trip Advisor would not publish

From a satisfied cutomer who experienced one of our felucca sailing holidays.

Well what can I say? Should I tell you all how fantastic my experience sailing down the Nile in a Felucca was? Should I try and portray everything we saw in great detail? Should I tell you that we have just enjoyed the best few short days of our lives?


In short; no.

The memories are mine and my family's, they are precious and I could not possibly put into words how we all feel since we have got home. I could not do justice to all we have seen and experienced.


What I can say is this; if you are thinking of creating some incredible memories for yourselves then please think about taking a trip down the Nile on a Felucca. I have a 14 yr old son and I really wanted to do something this year that would have a lasting impact on him, something not to wild or dangerous but just enough to give a young man the travel bug that leans slightly toward the independent traveler and away from those horrid package tours that take you to a place that has all the food and entertainment found at home with just more sunshine.
I figured that with Egypt being so close to Europe with a culture and history so diverse to ours and a river running through it that holds the whole history of its nation on its banks then here was the perfect solution: Sail it.

And with the look in his eyes and face every morning I am quite sure I hit a perfect 10.

I have opened a young mans eyes to the world outside his own. For a father that is the best that you can hope to do.

I may be pretty well travelled and quite used to being in a strange land with a problem of where to go next and how to get there. That is perfectly fine if as an adult you have decided to be there, however when you have taken a child into that arena then you do need to have as much under control as possible. And that is where I have to give thanks to Jane Akshar. The English lady that runs www.sailthenile.com who is not only a voice at the end of the phone when I booked the trip with her, she was like a friend who would help if I needed it.
Jane arranged the boat and its crew, and when the train to Aswan from Cairo was 4 hrs late she made several phone calls and within minutes of my telling her, Jane had arranged for someone to meet us and get our plans back on track. On more than one occasion I had to get in touch with Jane and ask for help and on each occasion the solution was given within minutes.

Edfu: The experience of sailing down the Nile is one that none of us will ever forget and is something so special that I don't want to tell you about because I want you to discover it for yourselves.


My only recommendation is that you get a guide for the Valley of the Kings and then go back to Jane's Flats in Luxor for a shower and a swim. We sailed from aswan to Esna where we met up with Jane's friend/guide who took us around the Valley of the Kings and believe me it made all the difference. Then after 5 days sailing we could have a shower and a meal, I can't tell you how good it felt.

We organize sailing holidays www.sailthenile.com for people and one of our very satisfied guests sent the above review to Trip Advisor. They refused to publish it saying

We received your review; thank you for taking the time to write it. Since we don't list this type of cruise right now, we're holding onto your review until we do. We'll be able to post your review then, and we'll let you know when it's up.

Isn't that bizarre I would have though Trip Advisor would publish anything about trips!

Some great photos aren't they, he sent me so many I didn't know which to chose

Virtual Tourist recommends Flats in Luxor

A lovely recommendation in Virtual Tourist for a change Just returned from my first visit to Egypt, and stayed in the beautiful apartments owned by Jane and Mahmoud of "Flats in Luxor". In the heart of the rural West Bank at Luxor, the experience was like a magical trip back in time, but with all modern comforts! Stunning views over lush farmland, as far as the Theban Hills and Hatshepsut's temple, hot air balloons floating aloft at dawn - yes, we'll definitely return! A fabulous experience!!

Guest Book
Despite the best efforts of the help desk at Bravenet I cannot get my guest book to display in Internet Explorer. Is anyone else having the same problems it is fine in Firefox. The helpdesk think it because of my add-ons Anyway please do have a look at the guest book and see what past guests have written and add your own comments. Also Trip Advisor is a good source of reviews on both the flats and the tours we do.
Flats in Luxor Guest Book

And still the Trip Advisor reports keep coming in

We have just returned from Egypt after staying at one of Jane & Mahmoods properties and I can give nothing but praise. We have been to Luxor many times and decided to have a change and wanted to stay on the west bank. We contacted Jane and arranged to stay at their Goubli property. The flats were great and very spacious, the pool is finished however the pool bar is yet to be furnished but the whole area is very private and there is a kitchen area on the ground floor with a fridge to put your water etc in whilst at the pool area.


The staff at the flats are brilliant and there is a member of staff at the flats 24/7, big Mohammed is a true gentleman and cannot do enough for you, Akhmed has a taxi and is very reliable and more than fair with his prices, also when you ask him to take you somewhere he takes you there and fetches you right back without stopping at every alabasta shop on the way(the luxor savvies will know what i mean!!!!)


We only booked one trip with Jane and it went like clockwork so I would have no problem recommending her trip service.


Having now spent time on the westbank I would find it hard to stay on the eastbank, the people are so much more friendly and we walked from the flat to the local shops(about 10 mins) a few times and didnt have a scrap of hassle. It was great going to the local shops and buying fruit and veg etc and you really see the difference in price for everything on the westbank, it was so much cheaper.


We fully intend to go back and stay with Jane and cannot wait for our next holiday