At the moment, the US state department is suggesting that US citizens NOT go Sinai. It’s an advisory notice, not an official warning…
http://travel.state….

Hm, not an US citizen. And I don’t believe US government. They told us plane crashed into pentagon, and we know it didn’t.

Uh, politics aside, I say go to Sinai. I was living in Dahab for the entire summer and while tourism is down due to what happened in Sharm…there is really no reason not to go.

As for prices, I have my entrance tickets somewhere and I can try to find them. But if I don’t, here is my advice. Don’t believe Lonely Planet’s prices. I had the most recent edition and the prices were consistently quite a bit more. With that said, GET AN ISIC!!! Every place will take it and you pay about 50% less than the regular tourist price. Even some buses and trains will accept it. When it doubt, always ask. But the monuments are all heavily regulated by the Ministry of Tourism, so prices will be posted clearly at each site so you know you’re not getting ripped off.

And you’re right, that list is quite exhaustive! Here is what I did and I thought it was perfect to get a feel for everything: egyptian museum, pyramids, abu simbel, philae (did the night show, cheesy, but fun), kom ombo (not THAT great), edfu, luxor, valley of the kings. Valley of the Kings is a MUST! The entrance lets you into about 4 of the main tombs and they are amazing. Maybe try to sneak up with a group and listen to their tour guide b/c they offer a lot of valuable information. St. Catherine is ‘ok’…it depends on your reason for going. If you are very religious, you should go. I climbed Mt. Sinai for sunset and it was cool—but not a huge deal if you had to miss it.

I hope this helps!

I really enjoyed the Philae night show too, cheezy but fun!

Sufi dancers in Cairo are one of the best free shows you’ll ever see, and if you’re brave enough, the place where they perform also has Possibly The Worst Toilet On The Planet.