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Luxor Tourist Traps

Airport con artist at work - Luxor
Airport con artist at work
by chigna
Tips and photos of Luxor tourist attractions and tourist traps, posted by real travelers and Luxor locals.
Local Time 3:45 am Saturday, May 17, 2008
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scams: not so friendly as you think about!
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  • Updated By ukirsari on April 23, 2005
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  • a butcher shop at luxor market (c) ukirsari - Luxor
    a butcher shop at luxor
    market (c) ukirsari
    by ukirsari
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    whenever you’re going to local market and feel interesting, do not too fast to take or touch the stuffs. make sure first before bargaining and touching, once you do that means you are agree and will buy it. another trick from them in the local market is asking you about several denomination of coins from countries. do not playing and touch this also, since it means you’ll buy that foreign currency.

    give them smile and see the stuff from a distance. if you feel need to say, just say “la, sukhran!” [no, thanks].

    better to stay away from a hectic local market. wait 'till you can walk easily and comfy in bargain. no need to show off you're a tourist with too much interest :)

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    Hiring taxi to the West Bank
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  • By clairegeordio on December 18, 2004
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  • If you hire taxi to take you round the sites of the West Bank, you are bound to get dropped off at Albaster factories with their own shop and Papyrus shops. This is fine to see how they are made, but the pressure to buy can be overwhelming, especially when you are the only ones in the shop as we were! Prices in here are high compared to on the East Bank and they will try to tell you that their shop is the only genuine one around! In the Alabaster shop the shop keeper was trying his best to sell me an item for 150 LE, and when I told him I did not have that sort of money on me, he said that they could collect it from my hotel later! Papyrus in one of these shop was 4 or 5 times as much as on the East Bank, as we bought some genuine papyrus for 10LE (with certificate) from a shop on the West Bank, compared to 40-60 LE in these factories/shops.

    If you don’t want to visit these places, be sure to tell your taxi driver this before you begin your journey!

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    scams: Papyrus
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  • By Saladinos on March 14, 2005
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  • Horus Papyrus - Luxor
    Horus Papyrus
    by Saladinos
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    When going to most touristic sites you will be followed and surrounded by lots of men offering you to buy their original papyrus papers. It is not an original papyrus they are liers.

    If he is offering you a papyrus as an original one tell him No this is not Original and that you are the brother of picaso or leonardo Da vinchi and that you cant be decieved by this.

    If you are stuck by his hassle then give him a 3-5 egyptian pounds (less than 1 dollar). and ask him to give you the papyrus. Dont buy papyrus from the streets cause they are not for real but a sketchy. There are special places to buy them from. ask you tour operator.

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    Look Carefully at the Notes - Piastres vs Pound
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  • Updated By Rachelynn on December 2, 2004
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  • well, maybe it was the weather or i was blur, i was 'short-changed' about 2 times in Egypt. Look carefully at the egyptian dollar notes you are holding. The word Piastres means Cents, not dollars nor pounds. So look carefully when someone returns you your change, dun mistake a 50 Piastres or a 25 Piastres as 50 or 25 egyptian pound. (Although there are no 25 EP. =) ..., yes i was blur...=(

    Try to give or bargain til the exact amount that you can give.

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    scams: The only day this market is open...
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  • By Lorenzo1971 on March 18, 2005
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  • While you walk in Luxor you will be approached by taxi drivers, horse carts and normal people who will offer to take you to the Egyptian market and that it is only open on that day. Chances are that they will take you to some shop (and they will get a percentage if you buy anything) or they will take you to the souk. In any case, all the shops and all the markets are open every day, the whole day. Amazingly, we had taxi drivers offering us to take us to the souk while we were less than 50m from the souk itself: not sure where they would have take us...

    If you are walking on a road and don't want to be approached by taxi drivers, walk on the side against the traffic (they are less likely to stop and they cannot follow you). Also, for some reason "La" ("no" in arabic) seems to be more effective than "No, thanks". Another good way to lose their attention is to tell them: "I have arrived, I am going there" pointing at some place nearby. When you say this, funnily some of the taxi drivers (or horse cart drivers) will tell you: "Maybe later then? I will wait here for you"

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    scams: Airport Scams
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  • Updated By JohnDensley on August 12, 2004
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  • Arriving at Luxor Airport there was a large queue of people trying to purchase immigration visas. Out of the blue an Eygyptian person summoned me forward and I thought he was guiding me to another place where you could purchase a visa. All he was doing was taking me to the front of the queue! Then he asked for a tip and I reluctantly gave him £1 sterling coin.

    This could have turned nasty for example if you were in Tesco and someone pushed in front of the queue you would not be happy. Fortunately everyone was in a holiday mood and saw the funny side of it. When we were leaving Luxor airport there was another scam. Someone came up to exchange £ coins in exchange for Egyptian notes. I was offered 8 £1 coins and 1 £2 coin for an Egyptian L10 note. I checked the coins and did the deal but as he handed me the coins there were only 8 £1 coins the £2 coin was hidden in his hand until I complained and he handed the coin over.

    Is there an alternative? You have to use the airport but beware of Egyptians bearing gifts ( a habit they have borrowed from the Greeks?)

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    scams: "Taxi Scam"
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  • By geordiebutcher on March 5, 2005
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  • The first time we left our hotel in Karnak we took a taxi and,as we had been warned, we agreed the price (30 Le) before we got in. When we got to the luxor Temple, the driver said, when we offered the money "No both ways, same price when do I pick you up? well he picked us up at the agreed time but when we got back to our hotel he wanted 90 Le. 30 Le each way and 30 Le for "waiting". So do not agree "both ways" unless you are sure of your driver. After that we were never troubled but I always made sure the driver understood

    Just make sure the driver knows what you are prepared to pay, if the first taxi is too expensive walk to the one behind. They soon bring their prices down.

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    Don't miss the Luxor Temple!
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  • By Kuznetsov_Sergey on July 18, 2007
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  • Luxor Temple through the bus window - Luxor
    Luxor Temple through the bus
    window
    by Kuznetsov_Sergey, 3 more photos
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    This tourist trap is waiting for you if you have only one-day excursion in Luxor. After visiting Karnak Temple you will go to the West Bank and see Hatshepsut Temple and the Valley of the Kings. After that guides usually take you to the numerous shops. And that’s all! You may miss the Luxor Temple, because the excursion time is over and you have to go to the boat! Ask your guide to stop shopping and to make a stop at the Luxor Temple before the embarkation onboard. An hour would be enough!


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    scams: Can you write a post card for me?
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  • By geordiebutcher on February 8, 2005
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  • One chap asked me to write a post card he wanted to send to England. All he wanted to do was to get me into his shop so he could pressure me into buying some of his papyrus rubbish. It didn't work but he was VERY persistant. It would have been easier to part with a few pounds but as my wife said "You're so mean, the poor man never stood a chance"

    This con is easy to spot.

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    scams: Pretending to be gays
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  • By Saladinos on March 14, 2005
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  • "Khawal, metnak, olla" are different names for describing a homosexual man. If you are one then i have to warn you from the trap. You might find guys who pretend they are gays and will lead u to believe so till u r inside a room or so and they will start the blackmail game. They might rip you off of your money and still wont give you what you want.

    Dont show you are a gay and wait till you know what's going on around.

    Get to know the person very well before getting involved. Many murders happens around gay community in Egypt.

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    More Luxor Tips
    Overview
         		General Tips
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    Things To Do
    Tips: 890 - Photos: 845    		Nightlife
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    Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 47 - Photos: 39    		Tourist Traps
    Tips: 30 - Photos: 11
    Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 61 - Photos: 23    		Transportation
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    Local Customs
    Tips: 26 - Photos: 18    		Packing Lists
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    Shopping
    Tips: 33 - Photos: 27    		Sports Travel
    Tips: 3 - Photos: 2
    Flights
    Tips: 10 - Photos: 8

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