On most Egyptian tours, the long overnight train journey from Cairo down the Nile to Luxor or Aswan is unavoidable. This journey can be taken in two ways, the first is the sitting train where the seating is arranged much like a bus, the second option is the far more comfortable sleeper train with enclosed cabins. The difference between the two is very similar to the difference between an economy or business class seat on a flight which makes the choice a no brainer.

There are many pro’s with the sleeper train which make it an easy choice over the sitting train. The main benefit is being able to get better sleep and an enjoyable evening experience on board before a busy day the next morning, the sleeper train is much quieter overnight, as there are not so many people moving about.

Other fantastic benefits to the sleeper train are listed below;

• Not too cold – the sitting train can get very cold at night with the AC on full blast
• More secure – your bags remain safely locked in your cabin away from prying eyes
• Toilets are much cleaner, and I stress MUCH!
• Train times are more reliable – the sleeper train gets precedence over the sitting train, but this is still Egypt, so on occasion  the sleeper is still subject to delays
• Meals are included – you get an airline style dinner & breakfast which is served to you in your cabin
• Cabin features are a storage cupboard, wash basin (great for brushing your teeth in the morning!) seats, and fold down beds which are prepared for you after you dinner by your room steward
• Bedding provided – fold down beds with comfortable mattresses, sheets, cozy blankets and pillows
• Restaurant/club car is available on most services
• Sitting train can often have broken seats that don’t recline, there is nothing worse than getting stuck with one of these

Now we would have put some of our photos up of the toilets on the sitting train, but to be honest, they’re not really fit for display on the web! You’ll have to use your imagination and just trust me, you really don’t want to use them after about half way through the night! The sleeper train toilets aren’t the Ritz, but at least they are presentable and you’re still happy to use them in the morning.

With most tour operators, the sleeper train is an upgrade to your tour, which can be an expensive addition to the base tour price. With Encounters Travel, the sleeper train is always included in the tour price! Overall it is a much better experience and a necessity if you want to feel your best as you explore and learn about incredible Luxor or Aswan without being exhausted.  If you check out the Encounters Travel prices, and compare with anyone you are comparing us to, make sure to take this point into account. There are lots of other included extras like the  facilities boat during our fellucca cruises. If you compare all of the extras, you will see what great value our tour prices in Egypt are, even if  they look a little more expensive to start with.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact our reservations team, they will be happy to help point out the differences between us and other tour companies so you can make the best choice for your trip, we hope to see you on one of our tours soon!

On most Egyptian tours, the long overnight train journey from Cairo down the Nile to Luxor or Aswan is unavoidable. This journey can be taken in two ways, the first is the sitting train where the seating is arranged much like a bus, the second option is the far more comfortable sleeper train with enclosed cabins. The difference between the two is very similar to the difference between an economy or business class seat on a flight which makes the choice a no brainer.

There are many pro’s with the sleeper train which make it an easy choice over the sitting train. The main benefit is being able to get better sleep and an enjoyable evening experience on board before a busy day the next morning, the sleeper train is much quieter overnight, as there are not so many people moving about.

Other fantastic benefits to the sleeper train are listed below;

-       Not too cold – the sitting train can get very cold at night with the AC on full blast
-       More secure – your bags remain safely locked in your cabin away from prying eyes
-       Toilets are much cleaner, and I stress MUCH!
-       Train times are more reliable – the sleeper train gets precedence over the sitting train, but this is still Egypt, so on occasion the sleeper is still subject to delays
-       Meals are included – you get an airline style dinner & breakfast which is served to you in your cabin
-       Cabin features are a storage cupboard, wash basin (great for brushing your teeth in the morning!) seats, and fold down beds which are prepared for you after you dinner by your room steward
-       Bedding provided – fold down beds with comfortable mattresses, sheets, cozy blankets and pillows
-       Restaurant/club car is available on most services
-       Sitting train can often have broken seats that don’t recline, there is nothing worse than getting stuck with one of these

Now we would have put some of our photos up of the toilets on the sitting train, but to be honest, they’re not really fit for display on the web! You’ll have to use your imagination and just trust me, you really don’t want to use them after about half way through the night! The sleeper train toilets aren’t the Ritz, but at least they are presentable and you’re still happy to use them in the morning.

With most tour operators, the sleeper train is an upgrade to your tour, which can be an expensive addition to the base tour price. With Encounters Travel, the sleeper train is always included in the tour price! Overall it is a much better experience and a necessity if you want to feel your best as you explore and learn about incredible Luxor or Aswan without being exhausted.  If you check out the Encounters prices, and compare with anyone you are comparing us to, make sure to take this point into account. There are lots of other included extras like the facilities boat during our fellucca cruises. If you compare all of the extras, you will see what good value our tour prices in Egypt are, even if may they look a little more expensive to start with.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact our reservations team, they will be happy to help point out the differences between us and other tour companies so you can make the best choice for your trip, we hope to see you on one of our tours soon!

Reservations can be contacted on 0800 088 6002 or tours@encounterstravel.com

23 November 2012 by Bridget March

Read more: http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/beauty-hair/beauty-and-the-backpack/beauty-survival-tips-for-the-jungle#ixzz2D8tpcZN2

Many well travelled people are often looking for the next big thing but before the masses find out about it. There is something very intriguing about a destination which is not yet mainstream. Many years ago most of the countries that we now consider touristy were at one time mysterious and exotic, before the infrastructure of the country was boosted by a huge influx of tourist cash. Places like India and Cambodia, Mongolia and China, these places are now easily accessible for even the greenest of travellers.

One destination that is just starting to open up to adventurous travellers is Sudan. This incredible country is a hidden gem in the Nubian desert. Steeped in history, this country has much to offer travellers, with a huge concentration of pyramids and temples and some of the most welcoming people on the planet, Sudan will not disappoint. The area of Meroe is a stunning landscape of narrow pyramids shooting up from the rolling sand dunes. The real attraction here is that you are likely to not pass any other tourists while you explore these ancient sights, so if you are a traveller who doesn’t like to get sucked into tourist traps and who likes to mingle with the locals, then Sudan could be perfect for you, make sure to get there before this incredible location opens up fully to the world, as inevitably it will.

Encounters Travel offers a 9 day Sudan group tour called Hidden Treasures.

What do you think of when you picture Thailand? There are many things that may spring to your mind… the incredible culture, the mind-blowing architecture, the beautifully wild jungle or the remarkable wildlife, oh and the food! Glorious Thai food!

The other thing that is conjured up in most people’s mind when you mention Thailand is the beaches which line the thousands of islands that are dotted along Thailand’s coastline. These islands have much to offer and most are distinctively unique, some are known for their beaches, some for their caves and some for their wild parties. The island of Ko Phangnan is a tiny jewel in the Gulf of Thailand, this small island hosts the famous Full Moon parties. Each month  10,000-30,000 people flock to the island, at least doubling the population. The party begins at dusk, when the round, yellow moon makes its appearance over the white sand beach and doesn’t stop until the sun rises above the horizon the next morning.

Revelers on their way to Ko Phangan for Full Moon Party!

Encounters Travel has 2 tours which spend a few nights on the nearby island  of Ko Samui, this gives you ample opportunity to hop on a boat for the short ride to Ko Phangnan where you can dance the night away with 10,000 new friends! We have multiple departures that will get you there at the right time, we have our Jungles and Beaches tour, the following departures are timed with the Full Moon Party – 26th Aug, 23rd Sept, 28th Dec and Jan 26th 2013. The other tour that visits Ko Samui at the right time is, Siam Treasures - 19th Aug, 16th Dec or the 13th Jan 2013.

If the idea of an all night beach party doesn’t float your boat, Ko Samui and the surrounding islands have a myriad of options for any type of traveller, go elephant trekking, snorkelling, sunbathing, shopping, get a massage, go for a dive, take a cooking class, or just plan nothing and soak up the sun and relaxation of this amazing part of the world. Amazing Thailand will not disappoint.

Ko Samui

Israel has an incredible past and is shaping up to have an amazing future. It has much to offer travellers from all walks of life.

Flying High in Tel Aviv.

Israel is part of the Holy Land and it has ties with the three major monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This creates a melting pot of culture and religion which is fascinating for all visitors. From the rich history of the religious sites which attracts pilgrims as well as sightseers, to the modern buzz of Tel Aviv, or the feeling of super buoyancy bobbing on the Dead Sea,  you will not be disappointed with a holiday in Israel.

A common reason for a trip to Israel is to journey through the Holy Land with visits to Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth among other places where you can walk in the steps of Jesus. Another reason is the unforgettable experience of floating in the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. The Dead Sea has long been renowned for it’s healing properties and after a day in the sun floating high on it’s surface, I am sure you’d agree!

Jerusalem

Another major draw for some travellers is the night life and modern lifestyle of Tel Aviv who’s beaches have been voted some of the top urban beaches in the world. On top of that, Israelis see the end of the day at sunset and  who wouldn’t love a culture who sees the new day beginning when the sun goes down? With ample opportunity for sights, relaxation and nightlife why not make Israel next on your travel to-do list?

Encounters offers our 8 day Holy Land Journey with weekly departures from only £949 per person. This is a great alternative to just any old week on a beach, you will go home with memories which will last a lifetime.

I reach Dahab in the early afternoon after an eight-hour road journey from Cairo. Although the route goes through bumpy terrain and involves a lot of winding roads, it’s a surprisingly pleasant experience. Soaking in the views from the minibus windows provides a unique insight into this fascinating Egyptian region.

Dahab has much to offer visitors, and its expatriate community makes for a unique experience compared with Egypt’s main tourist cities such as Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. This seafront town is recognisably Egyptian, but with a quintessentially European twist. This is demonstrated well by the shopping culture of the town, striking a distinctive balance between the in-your-face chaos present in most of Egypt and the Western tendency towards helpfulness with no pressure. With a population of just 14,000, the community consists of 6,000 Bedouin people, 4,000 Egyptians and 4,000 European expatriates.

Located in the picturesque Sinai region of Egypt, Dahab is well positioned to allow a full exploration of sights and history both within Egypt and its neighbouring countries. The Sinai region mainly consists of desert and sandy cliffs; this combined with the bluest of skies and a colourful, mesmerising coral beneath its waters creates an atmosphere of serenity in the area.

Sinai is of great historical significance, playing host to the infamous Mount Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God – a scene prominently depicted in the books of Jewish, Christian and Islamic religious traditions. It’s possible to arrange an overnight visit to Mount Sinai, which entails watching the sun rise from near the top, and exploring Saint Catherine’s Monastery on your way up or down the mountain. Guides are available to accompany your climb up Mount Sinai, or an alternative option is to take a camel ride for most of the journey upwards.

Daytrips are also available to visit Jordan’s capital of Petra, various parts of Saudi Arabia and nearby Israel during your stay in Dahab, though there’s little chance of not being able to occupy yourself by staying local either.

During my stay, the Dahab International Festival of Watersports, Culture and Desert Adventure is in mid-swing. Organised by members of the local community and, in particular, expatriates living in the area, the festival happens in April of each year and includes activities for children, teenagers and adults throughout the day and night. Every event involves a local organisation, business or individual, and activities focus on celebrating and sharing culture, skills and talents from anybody who wants to take part. Cooking classes, camel races, meditation and yoga, poetry readings and live music are just some of the events of this annual gathering, and almost all of the festival’s activities are offered free of charge.

The locals are laid-back and friendly, many of them working as artists and writers, while others are involved full-time in the local scene through community work. Dahab is incredibly bohemian, but without any of the pretention of London’s hipster suburbs. Our tour guide, the kind and knowledgeable Ahmed, beguiles us with tales of Egyptian culture and stories from his own life, at least half of which might be true.

Dahab has a fantastic food culture, particularly as a result of its prominent fishing location on the Red Sea. Most of the restaurants along the seafront offer a ‘catch of the day’ dish, including a scrumptious sea bass mixed grill at El Fannar during my stay. Other recommended restaurants include the Ali Baba restaurant offering traditional Egyptian and Bedouin food, and The Kitchen Restaurant which offers Chinese, Indian and Thai food. Every café, bar and restaurant I visit in Dahab is elaborately decorated and boasts a fantastic welcoming atmosphere.

Each night, freshly baked flat breads and an array of dips grace our table before we’ve even ordered – hummus, beans, aubergine, yoghurt and cucumber, and a strange orange dish that is supposedly (doubtfully) cheese. At the end of the meal, fresh sliced fruit or a traditional pastry dish is offered, such as a cake garnished with desiccated coconut. There doesn’t appear to be a charge for these bookends of our meal, because we’re with tour guide Ahmed who is known well at all of the local haunts.

As you enjoy a meal at one of Dahab’s many restaurants, almost all of which look out over the town’s stretch of the Red Sea, you’ll be greeted by a series of faint glimmering lights from the other side: Saudi Arabia. This part of Egypt is so close to other Middle Eastern countries, that Saudi Arabia is visible just a short distance across the water, and the sight of it is wonderful.

Kite-surfing and windsurfing is popular along the Sinai coast, as well as diving, snorkelling, sailing and quad-biking. After a few jokes about taking a swim across the water to visit Saudi, Ahmed tells us about a tourist who took a windsurf all the way across the Red Sea, and reached the shore over in Saudi Arabia. Without a passport and visa, he was arrested and then deported back to Egypt by bus. This story serves as a jovial warning to us, and the idea of travelling over to Saudi Arabia unannounced is quickly abandoned in favour of a cup of a Bedouin tea.

RECOMMENDED

Lauren visited Dahab with Encounters Travel as part of their 14-day Nubians and Beaches tour in April 2012. Encounters Travel have been operating tours in Egypt for more than 15 years and offer a range of different trips, varying in length, activities and Prices start from just £339. More information on everything Encounters Travel offer is available from their website: www.encounterstravel.com.

Egypt Air offer direct flights from London Heathrow to Cairo eleven times per week as well as flight options to Luxor and Sharm El Sheikh. To book flights or find out more, please visit www.egyptair.com.

If you have an opinion on this it will usually be a strong one. People who travel with backpacks see it as a badge of honour, a way of earning the travel experience you are about to have. People that love their backpack have a hard time not travelling with it, like it is somehow cheating by opting for a case with wheels.

I do think that as we age, the lustre of the backpack does fade. Having to pop your pack up on your knee in preparation for the heavy swing up onto your shoulder starts to really feel like a chore and the draw of a wheelie case becomes more and more inviting.

There are times when a rolling suitcase is truly the way to go, such as resort holidays which include airport transfers or cruising, the convenience of rolling your case around and it standing on it’s own during check in and while waiting for transfers make it the best option.

A backpack on the other hand cannot be beaten on uneven terrain such as cobblestones or sand, also many tour companies in Africa insist on soft bags/backpacks for ease of packing into overland trucks. For trekking tours in areas like Nepal a backpack is best but tours in other countries such as Egypt, Israel and Morocco a suitcase is probably more suitable.

It is much easier to navigate stairs with a pack, but much easier to walk long distances with a suitcase. Now you can get hybrid bags which function as both a soft backpack with a frame and the added convenience of wheels, could this be the way of the future? A way for people to pass their fear of moving from their adventurous ‘backpacking years’ and into their holiday years. These bags allow you the pride of wearing your backpack, with the hidden extra of opting for your wheels on tiring days or smooth ground.

Some people will always be backpack people, a few weeks ago I saw a very happy couple in what looked like there 70′s navigating an Italian train station proudly toting their aged and very travelled backpacks, I guess for some people, donning their pack at the beginning of the trip will always be part of their travel experiences.

The tropical paradise of the Maldives has always seemed like it was reserved for honeymooners and the rich and famous. This is no longer the case as Encounters Travel is opening up this world to adventure travellers with the first ever group tour of this magical archipelago.

With the first tour set to run in September this unique opportunity should now make your short list of must see destinations.

This tour offers all the same features as other Encounters Travel tours, with a maximum group size of 18, local guides and guaranteed adventure!

This trip will give you a true insight into the beauty and culture of the Maldives. You spend one night in the capital city of Male before boarding your luxury yacht for a 3 night sea safari with ample opportunity for snorkelling, diving and exploring deserted islands.

You then get to experience true Maldivian culture by spending two nights in  a Guesthouse on a local island. Here you will see how people from these tiny islands live day to day. One afternoon will be spent on an uninhabited island, swimming and snorkelling in the crystal warm waters, in the evening enjoy a beach barbecue with local cultural show including singing, drumming and dancing.

Now the only thing that is missing so far from this tropical experience is what most people think of when you picture the Maldives, this incredible tour is finished off with 3 nights in a 5 star luxury beach resort! The Royal Island Resort and Spa is a series of beachfront bungalows with all of the mod cons. There is a reef in front of the hotel for you to enjoy and your snorkelling equipment is included for spontaneous dips in the ocean.

This tour gives you a real taste of the real Maldives, it is for people who want a bit more than just lying on the same beach for a week. It gives you the culture,  relaxation and luxury of the Maldives with a spirit of adventure.

This is the first group tour of the Maldives and will become popular quickly, the first 4 departures are discounted to an unbelievable £699 per person, but be fast, we won’t keep it that cheap for long!

If the thought of discovering the mysteries of Egypt’s ancient kings and queens sounds more appealing than eating cucumber sandwiches in front of the TV this Jubilee bank holiday, then Encounters Travel (www.encounterstravel.com / 0800 088 6002) has just the ticket, offering an escorted, six-day group tour of Egypt with a 15 per cent discount, for just £288 per person (saving £51). Available for departure on 5 June, the price includes airport transfers from/to Cairo, varied accommodation in four-star hotels and on board a sleeper train on a mixed board basis, and the services of a fully qualified Egyptologist throughout. Flights excluded. The perfect introduction to Egypt, the Pharaonic Encounters tour visits all the main sites including the Pyramids, the Sphinx, Luxor Temple, Karnak, the ancient city of Thebes and the Valley of the Kings.