Membership & Research Plans
Choose the Right Level of Access
Straightforward pricing with no auto-renewals. Pay once, access verified guides for the duration you select.
Three Tiers
Discover, Explorer, or Scholar
We designed these tiers around the actual needs of independent travellers, heritage professionals, and academic researchers — not around maximising average order value.
For short-trip visitors who need accurate, up-to-date guides for a single itinerary.
- Access to all 47 published site guides
- Verified ticket prices & opening hours
- Transport and access notes
- Standard visitor tips and crowd advice
- Web-based reading on any device
- Email confirmation of plan details
For travellers spending two to four weeks in Egypt or returning within a season.
- Everything in Discover
- Downloadable PDF guides for offline use
- Detailed floor plans and suggested routes
- Photography permit and equipment notes
- Accessible routes and facilities report per site
- Seasonal timing recommendations per site
- Priority email updates when guides change
For heritage professionals, academic researchers, and frequent independent travellers.
- Everything in Explorer
- Annual access — covers all seasonal updates
- Up to 3 direct researcher queries per month
- Licensed-guide recommendation by region
- Institutional bibliography and source references
- Early access to new guide publications
- Priority response within 2 business days
Full Feature Breakdown
Detailed Plan Comparison
Every feature, clearly listed. No asterisks, no hidden conditions.
| Feature | Discover ($9) | Explorer ($29) | Scholar ($79) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access period | 30 days | 90 days | 12 months |
| All 47 site guides | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Verified ticket prices & hours | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Transport & parking notes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| PDF offline downloads | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Floor plans & suggested routes | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Photography permit notes | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Accessibility reports per site | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seasonal timing data | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Email update notifications | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Direct researcher queries | — | — | 3 per month |
| Guide recommendations by region | — | — | ✓ |
| Source bibliography access | — | — | ✓ |
| Early access to new guides | — | — | ✓ |
How It Works
From Payment to First Guide in Under 10 Minutes
We keep the membership process as simple as possible because we are researchers, not a subscription platform. There are no accounts to create, no apps to install, and no auto-renewal surprises.
Submit your plan request
Use the contact form, select your plan, and include your travel dates in the message. We will respond with a payment link within 4 business hours on weekdays.
Receive your access details
On payment confirmation you receive a personalised access link by email. No password to remember; the link is valid for your full membership period and can be bookmarked on any device.
Read, download, and plan
Explorer and Scholar members can download PDF versions of any guide for offline use. All members can contact us with follow-up questions via the email address on their access confirmation.
Renewal is optional, not automatic
When your period expires, you receive a reminder email. Nothing renews automatically. If you want to continue, you choose your next plan and pay. If not, your access simply lapses.
Payment Methods
We Accept All Major Options
Payments are processed through a PCI-DSS compliant processor. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and bank transfer. No PayPal or cryptocurrency.
For institutional purchases (universities, tour operators, cultural organisations), we can issue a proforma invoice in USD. Contact us with your institution's full name, registered address, and VAT number where applicable.
Refund Policy
We offer a full refund within 7 days of payment if you have not accessed any guide. If you have accessed guides and find a factual error that materially affects your trip planning, we address the error and discuss a partial credit on a case-by-case basis. We do not offer refunds for change of travel plans.
Common Questions
Membership FAQ
All prices are quoted and billed in US dollars (USD). Payment is processed in a single charge covering your selected period. We do not operate recurring subscription billing, so there are no automatic charges after your period expires. If you are paying from a non-USD bank account, your bank's prevailing exchange rate applies; we have no control over currency conversion fees charged by your financial institution.
Explorer and Scholar plan members receive downloadable PDF editions of every guide. These are formatted for comfortable reading on tablet and phone screens, include all floor plans and route maps, and do not require an internet connection after download. Discover plan guides are accessible via your personalised web link and require an internet connection. We recommend Explorer or Scholar for travellers who expect connectivity gaps — common at some Upper Egypt and Sinai sites.
Yes. Any guide updated during your active membership period is automatically accessible to you. Explorer and Scholar members receive an email notification whenever a guide they have previously accessed is substantially revised — for example, when a new gallery opens, a section is closed for restoration, or ticket prices change. We typically revise 4–8 guides per month across the full catalogue, reflecting the pace of change at Egyptian heritage sites.
Scholar members may email our research team with up to three specific questions per calendar month that go beyond what is covered in our published guides. Examples of valid queries include: asking for the name and contact details of a currently active licensed guide specialising in Predynastic sites in Naqada; requesting clarification on whether a specific recently excavated tomb section near Thebes is accessible to the public; or asking for a reading list on the architectural phases of Medinet Habu. We aim to respond within two working days. Questions that require a new on-site visit are beyond the scope of this service.
The 30-day Discover plan at USD 9 is functionally equivalent to a trial. It gives you full access to every published guide for one month at a price that reflects the genuine cost of our research rather than a discounted hook. We do not offer free access because our guides require continuous funded fieldwork to maintain. We believe the Discover plan is priced fairly relative to the cost savings it generates in avoided scam admissions, wasted taxi journeys, and unsuitable purchases at tourist kiosks.
Yes. Universities, cultural institutions, tour operators, and travel agencies with groups of ten or more can contact us for a custom institutional rate. We currently have standing arrangements with departments at four European universities, two North American tour operators specialising in educational travel, and one international cultural heritage NGO. Institutional plans typically run for 12 months and provide access for a defined number of staff or students. Please use the contact form and include the name and nature of your organisation, the number of users, and your preferred start date.