Reviewed 29 Dec 2008 by Patricia Moore
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Actually seeing the pyramids, the tombs, the Cairo Museum and the solar boat. Also seeing the countrysides and the villages in between towns. I enjoyed it all.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Study up on the practice of "baksheesh" so you know how to act appropriately with locals. We struggled with that a bit.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Local people who worked in tourism benefited. But they had a tendency to steer us toward hand-picked tourist places and we wanted to get more off the beaten path so we could interact more with(and be more of a benefit to) the local people. With a tour package, that was not easy to do. We try to be good environmental stewards where we go - my husband picked up sea trash while snorkeling - but the society there does not appear to make it a high priority themselves, sadly.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
We had a really good time, with some rough patches that are great learning experiences but overall a great vacation. Our tour arrangement was seamlessly efficient - a great help.
Reviewed 03 Jul 2007 by Sophie Yates
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The pyramids.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
It looks cheap but once you add all the baksheesh (tips) and site entrance fees, it turns out to be a lot more expensive than you budgeted for. Keep that in mind.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Taking the train rather than the plane to Luxor definitely was better for the environment.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Well, both my friend and I got pretty sick but the staff took good care of us (even took my friend to hospital) so overall the tour was very good.
Reviewed 27 Jun 2007 by Hiley Lewis
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Entering the Pyramids and the train journey from Cairo to Luxor
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Take a wide brimmed hat and lots of sunscreen. Be prepared to be hassled by street sellers
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Definitely benefited the local people I am not sure about the environmental impact
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
The company was very prompt and attentive and as a single woman traveler ensured that I felt safe at all times.
Reviewed 22 Mar 2007 by Beverley Erdis
We had a wonderful time. I would like to thank the operator's manager Shadi Saad and his agents, tour guides and drivers for their respect, friendliness, and general know how during our stay in Cairo, Luxor and Alexandria. From our arrival at Cairo airport until final departure at the end of our stay, the efforts made to make us feel safe and comfortable, were unparalleled.
There was however one blight on our otherwise perfect trip, involving the Zayed hotel in Cairo which was discussed and resolved by Shadi.
On the whole, our trip was fantastic, and other than honing up on your patience and bargaining skills, I have no advice to offer prospective travelers to Egypt.
Reviewed 11 Jun 2007 by Virginia da Costa
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The pyramids, tombs and temples in Luxor, Egyptian Museum (I teach art history so I guided my friends around), and entertainment on the dinner cruise in Cairo. Our guide, Halim in Luxor was the bright spot in the trip - he was excellent, patient, informative, and very forthright. Mr. Saad provided a driver and separate guide for my group of four people when I asked for this.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Do not eat at the local holes in the wall where the guides want to take you. Many people suffered intestinal illnesses. One has to be very careful about eating and drinking in Egypt - no salads, only bottled water even when brushing teeth. Yes, there is information about eating and drinking on the web site but still, this needs to be reemphasized to tourists coming to Egypt.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
My shopping helped local businesses but am rather horrified about "helping" children learn a trade by labor in the carpet shops when they should be given assistance in attending school. The alabaster shop in Luxor was good. Camel owners in Giza kind of shady, I fell off my camel on my head as the saddle was not stable. I have ridden camels on many occasions in Egypt (two previous trips) and Tunisia so I'm not a novice at getting on and off a camel.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
What was promised by the operator and what was delivered were two different things. Egyptian time of 5 minutes means one hour usually. Surly staff at the Hotel Zayed, rooms not ready when we arrived when they knew we would be there. When we returned on the last night of our trip, the room had just been cleaned at 4:30 pm and smelled terrible. Several guests accused of consuming things in the minibar when they didn't. Hotel in Alexandria terrible - brown water in the bath after running for twenty minutes, air conditioning didn't work. Guides that kept repeating information about Egyptian history over and over again. Higher cost than quoted for admissions. Restaurant in Cairo visited by myself and three other women neglected to serve us after one hour when others after us (men and Egyptians) were eating dinner. We were only given our drinks and appetizer. No explanation when we complained, the waiters laughed.
Read the operator's response here:
First I would like to thank Dr. Da Costa for her kind words about Halim, one of our tour guides in Luxor. Halim always receives positive reviews and he is a true credit to our organization.
Second, we totally agree that when traveling to areas where food is not homogenized, pasteurized, preserved, and so on as it is in most Western countries that one needs to be careful. The water in most areas is not potable. In addition to the posting on our website that addresses this, it is also addressed in all government-sponsored websites about travel, all medical sites that address travel, and in most if not all guidebooks. In addition to this, we talk to our guests about this in the orientation we have when groups and individuals arrive.
P.S./ All necessary vaccinations were advised to guests in advance.
Third, please allow me to address the specifics related to Dr. Da Costa’s tour with us (as I cannot address those things outside of the tour itself over which we have no control like ill-fitted saddles on camels and restaurants we didn’t take our guests to).
Checking in at the Zayed hotel – Dr. Da Costa arrived around 07:00 am. Check out time for most hotels around the world are noon plus time for cleaning. However, please note that Dr. Da Costa was given another room in order to relax and freshen up after her travels and before her room was ready. I was not made aware of the issue with the odor in the room occupied by Dr. Da Costa upon her arrival back in Cairo. If we had been informed, we would have addressed this promptly.
I met with Dr. Da Costa right before her departure on the following day, and nothing of these complains was mentioned although that I kept asking her about every single detail of the included services. It is very difficult to help any guest who does not inform us that something has gone negatively. With the case of the hotel in Alexandria, it was a 4-star hotel (an upgrade from the 3-star in the itinerary at no additional charge) which we have used for years with no guest complaints. However, things can go wrong anywhere at any time and we would have been happy to work with the hotel to get a room with working AC and no plumbing issues (or a different hotel) had we known there was a problem.
As about the entry fees, we only notify our guests about the total amount to expect for the fees of all the sites included in the tour program, but not all of the available sites in every city they get to visit while on the tour. For example, the amount due for the entry fees that we advise to the guests prior to arrival does not include the entry ticket to the inside of the pyramid of Cheops, while they have the choice to do it while on the tour, as an optional thing.
