Carriages, Luxor

There seems to be no way around it.
Horse carriages can not only be found in Luxor, but also many in Edfu and some in Assuan.
Before you enter one of these carriages, make sure you haggle over the price (and maybe also if the Bakshish is includet yet, or not).
I would not pay more than 30 EP for a 1 hour ride.
Also have a look at the horse. Look how it is treated. It is well fed or are the rips showing all over?
I realize that a different culture also treats the horses different (and they are some very special ones, I could not see a horse where I live walking right next to -and through - honking cars and such) - but they beat the horses a little too much in my opinion.

Anyway, it is a nice way to see the city of Luxor and I would recommend to do it.

I think carriages are the main transport :-) in Luxor.
Everyone carriage ovner had decorate his carriage as well as he can. In some carriages we saw the photos with tourists, i think, the ovner so tryed to say to other tourists how good he is ;-)

Price: 1,- LE (per person)

These are horse drawn carriages and are everywhere on the East bank of Luxor. As soon as you leave your hotel you are bound to hear a Kalesh driver shouting for your attention. They can be quite persistant and slow down to catch up with you to try and get you on board, and even if you are walking on the opposite side of the road they still shout out asking if you would like to use their services. They often try to get you to go to the markets with them, where I guess that they have particular stalls they would stop at. If you don’t wish to be bothered tell them that you have already been to all the markets and already purchased all you need. Or, you can always tell them that you have already been on a kalesh several times.

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.

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

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.

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

The best way to see Luxor is by Hot Air Balloon.
You leave early in the morning, but is worth it.
We paid £135 for two of us and had a wonderful time.

Hod Hod Suleiman air balloons give the best value for money service.

I am going back next year and will have another go.

Eagerly they await outside the favourite tourist spots and hotels....their beady eyes noticing even the smallest movement of a tourist. Silently, they shelter within the dark confines of their carriages awaiting the fresh tourist meat to emerge from the safety of the hotel reception. As you emerge they descend like a hoard of locusts, a swarm of carnivorous leeches eager to make the first strike. Even when you say NO or La they cannot comprehend. They will stalk you, they will harrass you, they will make you get in even if you are only walking twenty yards.
One carriage driver gets my recommendation for his diplomacy, courtesy and overall demeanour. Well done Achmed Bedowi carriage number 110 stationed outside the Emilio Hotel. Give him my regards when you see him and his horse Jemila. He can be a little overbearing but he his honest and fair and will offer some great advice on where to go, who to see and who to stay away from. He knows all the local rogues and all the scams and you would do well to heed his advice.

You can't walk very far in Luxor without being asked "You want Kaliesh ride"? I never took a Kaliesh ride as I prefer to walk and Luxor is not a big town, but sometimes it can be a little trying to keep having to say "No thankyou". The driver will often follow you for five minutes or more trying to persuade you to take a ride. If you do not want to take a ride, don't get anoyed just smile and keep on saying "No thankyou" He will soon spot someone else to hassle