Accommodations

Hostels Egypt has 15 HI youth hostels that vary in quality. Most are bearable, though grungy and crowded, and the unbeatable price (LE3-10 per night) will probably compensate for the less-than-luxurious atmosphere. Keep a careful eye on your valuables and take your passport, visa, and money to bed with you. Advance reservations are usually unnecessary, but arrive early just to be safe. A valid HI card may not be required, but at most hostels it will save you a pound or two. If you decide to purchase a card in Egypt you can get an International Guest Card from all hostels for LE24. For hostel expenses, don’t count on being able to use your credit card or traveler’s checks; in most places, budget accommodations are cash-only.

The larger hostels are in Alexandria, Cairo, Luxor, Port Sa’id, and Sharm ash-Sheikh; smaller hostels are in Assyut, Aswan, Damanhur, Fayyum, Hurghada, Ismail-iya, Marsa Matrouh, Sohag, Suez, and Tanta. Most hostels have kitchen facilities. For more information write to the Egyptian Youth Hostel Association, 1 Al-Ibrahimy St., Garden City, Cairo (td. 354 0529, fax 355 0329). The Youth Travel Department can also answer questions, help plan tours, and often provide maps. Write for information on their 15 hostels. Here too, an International Guest Card will cost I-E24,