7 Day Pyramids & Nile Cruise By Air

Wow! Dream come true, and I have John (our private guide) to thank. When booking with Journey to Egypt, I appreciated the great communication. When we arrived in Luxor we were greeted by John and our transportation to our boat. He helped settle us and explained what our tours & schedule would look like over the next week. He was very knowledgeable about each of the temples we visited. Even arranging for us to stop at a pharmacy as one of our travel companions felt ill. He helped communicate with the pharmacist to get the right meds. Ended up needing to stop at the pharmacy 2 more times over the next few days as the bug spread. He also arranged a special lunch for us out on the economy. Our trip was made so easy and care free knowing he was handling all the details for us. Would not hesitate to book with Journey to Egypt again but would definitely request John‼️

We had 3 couples in our group and that was a great size. Our experience from start to finish with our guide John was beyond expectations! He took care of us step by step and we never had to guess what was gone to happen. Journey to Egypt was a gem😎!

We chose Journey to Egypt for our 7 day Cairo and Nile cruise tour and couldn’t have been happier! As two female travellers going to Egypt for the first time, we wanted to make sure that everything was well planned and that we had a seamless trip throughout our time in Egypt. In the lead up to our trip Marina answered every email promptly and answered all our questions. Once we arrived, we were collected at every stage of our tour on time, a with clear communication meaning we never had to worry about a thing. Our first guide in Saqqara and Giza was Mayer. He was outstanding and shared his great knowledge and love of Egypt with us. He made us feel like family. John was our guide throughout the Nile cruise journey. He shared thorough and detailed knowledge and his passion and enthusiasm at every temple and site we visited. John’s attention to detail also meant that everything ran like clockwork. We couldn’t speak more highly Marina, Mayer and John who all helped to make our trip a once in a lifetime experience! We highly recommend Journey To Egypt

We had a great time with Journey to Egypt. Everything was well organised and everyone was lovely, helpful and knowledgeable. We travelled as two female friends and always felt safe going with the tour. Special thanks to John and Mayer as our guides!

My friend and I had a really lovely experience with Journey to Egypt. Our guide John was amazing - he was thorough with his explanation of all the sites and history, and was very thoughtful of us the whole time we were together. Communication across the board with other guides, drivers and the cruise staff was excellent! We felt very safe and welcomed in Egypt :)

Journey to Egypt helped us to complete our bucket list trip to see the sights of Egypt. Their amazing guides John R., & Mazen shared their great knowledge and expertise with us. Everything from making sure we had water and bathroom breaks, to helping us buy some special items to take home. Osama the managing director was always quick to answer any questions while we were in the planning stages. I especially appreciated his patience when we had some difficulties with our banks blocking our transfers to Egypt to complete payment for the trip. In the end we used a new "Wise" card which also worked extremely well while travelling through Africa. We were met at the airport and taken to a private coach for travel to the hotels and again assisted to all airports which was very helpful. The assistant who met us at Cairo airport on arrival quickly completed some paperwork for the Visa which we weren't able to complete online prior. Our airport hotel, Le Meridien, was amazing and convenient since we were flying to Luxor the next day for the cruise. We booked the M.S. Hamees after much comparison shopping. The boat isn't new but well kept. The staff (all male) which is unusual for us to see, was extremely well trained. Their fun but professional attitudes and assistance really made our trip a great experience. The chef Mamed helped to accommodate my gluten free dietary requirements and overfed us at every meal. The entertainment was great with the exception of the belly dancer. I have seen a few in other countries and appreciated their expertise but this one was just a bit on the wrong side of the line. However...the bartenders and wait staff took up a dance behind the scenes and were having a lot of fun, they were pretty good dancers! Food safety note: We checked with the chef and staff who noted the M.S. Hamees washes all their produce in filtered water. We ate everyday from their salads and fresh vegetables and no one was compromised by stomach upset even though one person in our group almost always has issues while travelling. This was great as our travel pharmacist told us 90% of people will get some stomach issues, and we didnt have any while in Egypt. We made the trip to Abu Simbel, leaving around 4 am, it took approximately 3.5- 4 hours each way. It made for a long day but if you're doing the 4 night cruise you will have time to relax afterward. Note, if there were more than 4 of us in the vehicle it would be uncomfortable as the seats weren't very deep for people with longer legs and the 2 drivers required sit up front with your guide in the next seat. Our only complaint would be the hotel we booked in Luxor after the cruise for 3 nights. We arrived late to the Hilton Zamalek Residences and after we got through the gates and guards, were asked by some kid in jeans and t-shirt for our passports. I said no, he kept bothering us even with the hotel staff present. I went inside the hotel and told them he was asking for them but they didn't seem concerned and he kept hanging around. The hotel staff had our rooms but were asking for payment which had already been paid by Journey to Egypt. I texted Mazen, our guide in Cairo and he immediately took care of the issue, we also heard from Osama to check that all was good. We very much appreciated their quick response as we were tired from travel and had an early start the next day. Once in the rooms my sister-in-laws room had what appeared to be a 2 foot area of blood stain which had been somewhat cleaned up right by the head of the bed on the carpet. They ended up changing rooms that night. Again, Mazen spoke with the hotel staff and when we returned that next day the guest relations tried to say it was a hair colour spilled in the bedroom. I don't believe her at all and the overall cleanliness of our rooms was very poor. This hotel needs to be taken out of the options for Journey to Egypt as the only clean areas were the foyer and restaurant/pool area. There was vomit in the women's main bathroom sink on our last day that wasn't getting any attention either. Pillows didnt have pillowcase coverings and stains were present on some of the pillows. On a positive note, one waiter"Mina" was so positive and friendly and we really appreciated his effort to connect with us and to welcome us. We booked this hotel as the GEM was opening the days we were in Cairo, so the Steigenberger which we had selected and thought we had booked, changed their prices and didn't honour their quoted price. Security: We felt safe overall, with the exception of the check in experience at the Hilton Zamalek and the fact we couldn't walk on the nice walkway along the Nile directly behind the hotel as with the GEM opening there was heightened security for the nearby embassies and the path was closed and guarded. I would highly recommend Journey to Egypt for booking your trip of a lifetime and would also highly recommend John R, and Mazen as guides. Both were so knowledgeable and helpful and really made our trip a success. Thank you !!!

Thank you Jouney to Egypt for a trip of a life time! We did a private tour and it was organised organised to perfection. Everything was seamless and so easy from our perspective, from my first email to Mr Osama who was always so responsive to my questions, to being meet at the airport by the lovely and efficient Abrahim, to the transfers and great drivers, the tours and being assisted again with airport check in. From the moment we were meet we felt safe and well taken care of. We were very fortunate to have John guide us throughout Aswan and Luxor and his ability to impart his knowledge really enhanced our experience. He was a wonderful communicator and always made sure the plan for the day was very clear, he was also very thoughtful and always had cold water for us and offered comfort stops. The cruise was wonderfully relaxing whilst sailing and the staff were delightful. Our felucca boat ride was a highlight and our skippers Mr Mohammad and Mr Nasser were truly lovely. We had a lovely time exploring Cairo with Mazin who was a great storyteller and really gave the history some life. Would absolutely recommend Jouney to Egypt to anyone wanting to explore Egypt.

Our trip to Egypt can be described in one word- EPIC. My husband and I booked our trip through Journey to Egypt based on amazing reviews and we quickly realized we made the best decision. From the moment we arrived to the Cairo airport, everything moved seamlessly and I cannot stress enough how safe we felt from beginning to end. We had someone waiting for us at baggage claim, and then another to transfer us to our hotel/get us checked it. No worries about a language barrier - our handler Muhammed, did everything for us! On our first full day in Cairo we were met by Alfred our tour guide. Right away, we felt completely comfortable with him. We loved his friendly demeanor and humor! Our first stop was the pyramids! Alfred’s historical knowledge was apparent and he answered any and every question we asked. He knew how to navigate through the crowds and exactly where to go to take the most epic photographs. After a stop at the Sphinx, we then made our way to lunch. One of our favorite parts of travel is trying all the authentic foods in each country. After telling Alfred this, he said he knew exactly where to take us (GAD) & helped order for us. After our meal my husband’s exact words were “best food we’ve ever eaten”. Alfred ordered an incredible spread of many different local dishes (including pigeon). Amazing! We ended the day with the Egyptian Museum and this made my history-buff heart so happy. Alfred highlighted some of the most important artifacts, as well as gave us ample time to wander. The next day we were off to Aswan to start our Nile cruise. Again, we were picked up from our hotel/dropped at the airport by Muhammed. Upon arriving at the airport we were picked up by another journey to Egypt handler. He took us to our Nile cruise ship (Princess Sarah) where we could check in and meet with our tour guide for the next 4 days, John. We really hit the jackpot with tour guides, like Alfred, John was equally amazing. Prompt, knowledgeable, and friendly. You could tell that John really cared about tailoring each day of tours to our interests. He was very communicative by explaining what to expect at difference sites. 10-15 minutes before each day’s tour we would meet to go over the layout of the day. We really appreciated this! With John we visited Aswan Dam & Philae Temple, a Nubian Village, Temple of Kom Ombo, Al Karnak, Luxor Temple, The Valley of the Kings & Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Each site was stunning, but without John’s commentary and historical knowledge, it wouldn’t have been nearly as meaningful. We were left in awe of each different site and filled with the knowledge of its importance. After spending 4 days with John, it was like saying goodbye to a good friend. It’s also important to mention the 4 nights we spent on Nile Cruise ship Princess Sarah were fantastic. Housekeeping, dinning, bar, customer service - amazing! Upon returning to Cairo we had two more days of tours. We were so happy to find that Alfred would be our guide for those last two days. We spent time in Alexandria one day- which included The Library of Alexandria, catacombs & the most amazing seafood lunch. The second day we explored Cairo to the fullest - citadel, old Cairo, Saqqarah & another delicious lunch at a local restaurant. Again, Alfred was fantastic, and so was our driver! If you plan on visiting this spectacular country, there’s only one way to do it -> with Journey to Egypt. Their team made every part of our trip flow smoothly. We felt safe, comfortable and cared for at all times. And I cannot recommend our tour guides enough. Alfred and John made our trip the most memorable. Be sure to request them, if possible!

Journey to Egypt have been amazing! We actually booked a 9 day Cairo, Luxor and Aswan tour with Journey to Egypt, but had some specific additions which they were happy to weave into the itinerary. The package they offered was exceptional in every way. We are 2 female friends in their mid 60s who left their husbands at home and came on an adventure! All our concerns were groundless. We were met at the airport and chaperoned through customs! Transferred to the hotel with a guide and driver, even though it was 11.30 at night! Our hotel, the Zamalek residences was great, in a neighbourhoud where we felt very safe. Communications about pick up times etc were always clear and everyone was very punctual. The drivers were incredible... they need to be in Cairo traffic! Our guide in Cairo was Mayer and he was really excellent. An egyptologist, he had so much information to share with us and kept both days interesting and fun. The included lunches were in super local restaurants. Then, a flight to Luxor and 4 days on a Nile Cruise to Aswan. John, our second fantastic guide, met us at the airport and was with us for the 4 days. He was superb as well. Again, so much information, explained in a clear way. All our interests and questions were accommodated, and we felt both guides, and the company were genuinely wanting us to have a great experience in Egypt. They certainly succeeded. We absolutely loved every place we visited and experience we had. Most importantly, we felt completely safe, and we also knew there was somebody on hand who could sort out any problems. Egypt is not directly impacted by the situation in the Middle East at the moment. We would 100% recommend it as a holiday destination, and if you have any concerns, then we would recommend Journey to Egypt as a way to discover this wonderful place. From my first email, Osama the owner was so helpful, and helped us tailor make our own package. Our excursions were just us and the guide, and when we saw the big tour groups we knew we were getting so much more out of the trip. Also, using a local company means the money goes directly to people in the country we are visiting. Local prices were very reasonable, and yes there is a tipping culture, but even being generous they are a small percentage of the cost of your holiday, and many people depend on the tips. We were sad to leave Egypt and the many friendly people we met.. Thank you so much for making our Egypt dream a reality.

We had the most amazing trip with Journey to Egypt!! Even before booking, I had exceptional customer service from Osama who helped tailor the standard 7 day tour to add an extra day in Cairo at our request - he was very responsive and the booking process was super easy - thank you Osama for putting this incredible trip together for us! From the moment we arrived in Cairo we were looked after, and every step of our journey had been meticulously organised. We didn’t have to worry about anything and it felt extremely safe. Our tour guides Mayer and John were so knowledgable and brought the temples and tombs and history to life with their stories and passion. They were very considerate of what we wanted to see and weren’t ever pushy. John also always made sure we had enough water and snacks which is always appreciated! The Nile Cruise on the Movenpick Royal Lily was bliss, clean, and comfortable. We loved the tour of the boat to see behind the scenes where we met the captain and had a cooking demo in the kitchen! The buffet meals were always varied, with themed nights, something for everyone - we piled our plates high every night! We really couldn’t fault our experience with Journey to Egypt and would recommend to anyone :)