ISRAEL TO EGYPT, BEST WAY TO CROSS ON A BUDGET?

I HAVE A RENTAL CAR AND WAS TOLD I CANNOT DRIVE INTO EGYPT FROM ISRAEL WITH AN ISRAELIE RENTAL CAR, ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Yes, that is right. I think you can drive until the Taba Hilton, but that is the end.

But if you want to go to Egypt that is easy - just drop off the car in Eilat and take the bus. There is a local bus to the border with Egypt, you walk across the border and from then on you can catch the bus or a shared taxi to Sharm-el-Sheikh or Dahab. From Dahab or Sharm-el-Sheikh it will be easy to arrange transport by bus to Cairo. Eilat to Cairo by bus should cost around 30 USD one-way.

http://www.ask-aladdin.com/bus_schedules.htm

If you got a decent guidebook (like Lonely Planet Egypt) you'll find plenty of info about crossing the border in there.

Important note: If you want to continue past the Sinai peninsula to Cairo you need to get a visa for Egypt at the Egyptian Consulate in Eilat or the Egyptian embassy in Tel Aviv in advance. The stamp that you can get at the Taba border crossing is only valid at for the Sinai peninsula, you cannot travel to Cairo with it.

Egyptian Embassy 54 Rehov Basel Tel Aviv Tel: (3) 546-5151/2

Egyptian Consulate -- Eilat 68 Afraty Street Bna Betkha, Eilat Tel: (7) 597-6115