Egypt

Lonely Planet--Egypt takes a practical approach to its readers and audience. It steers away from the hippie flavour of The Rough Guide (where the virtues of sleeping on a friendly native's roof are dwelled on at the expense of more mundane information) and adopts a tone that is sensible and thoughtful, though not timid.

The information is thorough and for the most part accurate. Particularly useful are the suggested highlights for every major city, which, though doomed to meet with dissent, generally provide a good foundation for planning an itinerary. The inclusion of good, colour photographs is also a benefit. There are some notable weaknesses. Maps are disjointed and difficult to relate to each other, and there are vital moments where the guide shies away from making specific recommendations or suggesting priorities. This can make choosing which of Cairo's mosques or Luxor's West Bank tombs to visit a slightly hit-and-miss affair, especially if your time is limited.

An early disclaimer wails (justifiably) that "Things change", and there are already some areas where the information is incorrect. However, if you're a tourist, rather than a traveller, with weeks rather than months to spend in Egypt (and you're ready to view a guide book as a guide, rather than as an authority), then this may well be the single best book with which to plan and enjoy your visit. --Richard Kelly

View other editions of Egypt.
View books by Virginia Maxwell, Mary Fitzpatrick, Siona Jenkins, Anthony Sattin.

Very Good Insight For 1st Time Visitors! - Rated
We've just come back from honeymoon and used this book when we visited Cairo and particularly the incredible museum... the descriptions are spot on and the book guides you thru' room by room. Our tour guide was saying practically the same things as the book, so its all you need!

Dress codes for women in Cairo aren't as strict as the book makes it out to be, there were loads of girls with string tops and shorts, so long skirts and long sleeved shirts aren't necessarily a must!! Other than that, pretty accurate about local customs and traditions.

Mixed - Rated
I've been to Egypt 3 times and the last time I spent 4 months there. The general consensus amongst travellers was that the Rough Guide was superior, but that the Lonely Planet has better maps. An additional issue is that since the Lonely Planet is the most popular guidebook, do you really want to be sitting smoking sheesha at a coffee shop filled with other white middle class travellers, all with Lonely Planets on their tables? Cringe!

A great book for pre-travel information - Rated
My copy is already looking a bit "well read" and I have only just bought it. Bursting with information and useful advise, this book is a must for anyone who is planning their own trip to Egypt.

Essential for anyone travelling to Egypt! - Rated
We took this book everywhere! From the suggested sites to visit in each location to the suggestions about how much to pay for a felucca or callesh (and how much baksheesh to give on top of the price), it was informative, accessible and above all accurate.

We took the Rough Guide to Egypt also and that's still in immaculate condition while the Lonely Planet Guide looks like it has been read by every taxi driver in Luxor who's cousin has a felucca!

Definately essential reading!!!

Excellent - Great for preparing for that trip to Egypt - Rated
Lots of information that will help you plan a trouble-free trip to Egypt.