Carriages, Luxor

NOT JUST A RIDE ROUND LUXOR BUT A CALECHE RIDE WITH A AMAZING DIFFERENCE
My wife & I have just returned from Luxor (Our honeymoon) - We had a great time
and stayed at the Sonesta St George. While there we got to know a Caleche
dreiver Mohamid His carriage number is 264 He has 2 well looked after horses
called Jimmy & Simon. He is a realy great guy who went out of his way to help
& show us the things we wanted to see. For my wife (Kary) he took us to the
old part of the town (souq ?) where the everyday people lived, the traders sold
garments, bedding, veg. and meat - it seems at face value that things have not
changed for hundreds of years there. For me as I have am interest in engineering
he took me to a wheelrights premises and introduced me to the 75 year old owner
and we watched him making the wheels for the caleches later on we visited the
curbside manufacture if the metal chassis, shop front upholstery houses and the
curbside shoeing of the horses.
If you would love some of this ring Mohamid on 010 927 9224 (his mobile)
Go for it! Robert

A Caliche is a horse drawn carriage, and in Luxor the Caliche's are very heavily ornamented with either Silver or Brass.

They are a common means of transport, and any visitor to Luxor/Karnak is going to be hassled slightly to ride in one.

If you do, pick a Caliche that has a horse that is in good condition.

There is a move here to educate the drivers on how to look after their horses that appears to be taking effect, please endeavour to keep it going.

While in Egypt you will be constantly asked if you want a Caliche ride, if you do decide to take one please look at the horse first as quite a few of them are in very poor condition and some of them even lame (limping). Also if you do take the ride please tell the driver not to hit the horse with the whip and don't go any faster then a trot...

Take a visit to The Brooke Animal Hospital in Luxor (which is free) for more information and to find out what is being done to help sick working animals.

Hantour rides along Luxor's Corniche have always been a tourist favourite.

(Hantour is the Arabic name of such carriage.)

Such romantic convoys give a sort of special pleasure to tourists, mainly in Luxor (Upper Egypt) and Alexadria (North Egypt).

Let me advise you not to miss such experience and enjoy the rythm of the horse steps accompanied by its ornaments.."♫ღToko tak..Toko tak..Toko tak .♫ღ hmmmm

photo: Mohamed El-Hebeishy, Ahram

We took a carriage on the first day but no more. The drivers are auful to the horses. They run all day and night from 9am til 2 in the morning. Look a little carefully and you will see the whip marks around their back legs and under the belly. They whip them there so that the tourists dont see the marks. Use the taxis they are cheaper as well.

In my spare time in Luxor i decided to have an horse and carriage ride down the Nile and around Luxor. It was a very nice carriage, definately looked the part in Luxor with beautiful decor in rich colours. We had a nice gentleman who took us down the Nile and pointed out the main sites in Luxor, he took us to Karnak Temple, then down Sphinx Avenue to a Market. He then took us to a Papyrus shop which were really nice and the guy told us how it is made etc and how to tell the difference between a genuine piece and a fake. Interesting!

He then took us back to the hotel where i was to be picked up for my flight to Sharm. Definately recommended, especially on an evening. It last approximately an hour and all for 25 egyptian pounds (£2.50) but gave him 30 egyptian pounds because he was really nice.

You will find the horse and carriages around Luxor town centre and just wave one down and negiociate a price.

I think that the best way to experience Luxor is definately to hire a local man and his horse. They give a brilliant ride to a certain location or just simply around the city and to tell the truth they are not too expensive if you arrange a price BEFORE you set off. They do look a little Daunting at first as they will shout at you for attention but to be honest, they are definately worth the hassel! There are no setr timetables or real pick-up points so there is no need to worry there.

Everywhere in Egypt [and Rome and ....] the carriage drivers tout for custom. We always resisted the driver's shouts, but as we were really playing at being tourists , as opposed to being somewhere new because of work, we decided to go all the way and succomb to temptation
We selected our driver carefully. We stopped him, rather than letting one of the louder drivers choose us.
It was fun, clopping along the corniche to the Temple of Luxor.
The drivers decorate their carriages with brasses and other dangling ornaments, and keep the carriages in very good condition. The horses too were not ill treated, in spite of the long whips .
For a once in a life time experience it was good.