Ancient Egypt & Nile Cruise

Susan Hope   -  Traveled, March 2024

AENA Nile Met expectations Most Inspirational Moment All inspiring Thoughts on Group Leader Fantastic Advice for Potential Travellers FebMarch are glorious so can really enjoy the experience.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 03/22/2024

June Orton   -  Traveled, June 2024

Amazing and full on trip Brilliant trip to see as much as possible in 7 full days. Tiring because of very full days and early and very early starts. Most Inspirational Moment Valley of the the Kings as the tombs were awe inspiring and... there were too many ! Thoughts on Group Leader Extremely informative, funny, caring, super efficient, got us everywhere at the best times. Advice for Potential Travellers There are many early and very early starts from 3.30am to 6.30am that means getting up very early then a day of 6 to 7 hours follows. There is a lot of walking on rough surfaces and in many places steps. On top of the walking the days get hot. This is not a relaxing holiday although there was time in the afternoons on the boat to rest.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 03/20/2024

Catherine Williams   -  Traveled, January 2024

Amazing adventure, you won't be disappointed but it is exhausting. This trip includes all the well know sites you could want. Egypt is absolutely amazing and you won’t be disappointed with what you see. Each attraction you visit is unique and an amazement. The accommodation is lovely and food good. Be prepared for early mornings, eg some were 2.30am! Also be prepared for lots of steps, and to fit in a lot in one day. It is exhausting but well worth it, perhaps just book a day or two to recover when you get home! Most Inspirational Moment Too hard to mention one. My highlights were: The pyramids, Valley of the kings, Driving through the Sahara desert on the Abu Simbel tour and cruising the Nile. Each temple was amazing in its own right, they all had something unique. Thoughts on Group Leader Brilliant. He was incredibly knowledgeable, funny and looked after us well. Sayed was best guide you could want. Advice for Potential Travellers Make sure you have lots of space on camera or phone as you will want to take lots of pictures. Be prepared for lots of steps and to be exhausted. Take rehydrate in your water as it gets hot. When you get there try and get some small (10 or 20) Egyptian pounds as you will need these to tip when going to the loo. Everything else can be paid for in Dollars. Don't drink their water, always use bottled water which is plentily available and provided on the coach. Say yes to all the additional trip that you can manage as each one is unique and is wonderful. The boat trip to the Nubian village is amazing, so relaxing and interesting.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 02/22/2024

Richard Dyason   -  Traveled, October 2023

Valley of the Kings I have been on a number of trips with Exodus over the years and this one in October 2023 was the most disappointing culminating in the visit to the Vallye of the Kings. Due to our guide we arrived probably an hour after most visitors to large queues at each tomb and were given 45 minutes for our visit! It is only after buying an illustrated guide that I realise how much we missed. I subsequently went to Turkey in December with On the Go tours which provided the sort of service Exodus used to provide Most Inspirational Moment Cairo museum Thoughts on Group Leader Poor, especially time management and organisation

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 02/04/2024

Kevin Burt   -  Traveled, January 2024

This tour packs a lot into 7 days. It does mean some very early starts, but they are necessary to get the most out of the available time and appreciate the scale, volume and age of Egyptian monuments and artefacts. The itinerary does still factor in downtime to enjoy the sundeck on the boat and at the hotel in Aswan. We did the optional tour to Abu Simbel, which was another early start, but worth it to see the scale of the monument and what happened to it after the Aswan Dam was built. All accommodation was comfortable and the range and quality of food on offer was far greater than expected. Most Inspirational Moment Staring in wonder at what the Egyptians were able to build 4,500 years ago. Thoughts on Group Leader Robert was an excellent group leader with a great sense of humour. He always found a way to give us the right amount of information without overwhelming us with names, facts and dates. For example, he would focus on particular points at one location and then link back to what he'd said when visiting somewhere else. This enabled us to gain a better understanding of what we were seeing and get the most out of our trip. He was also very good at giving us the heads-up about what to expect when encountering people who wanted to engage us in conversation or had something to sell. This meant we could make informed decisions when out and about. Advice for Potential Travellers We found it unnecessary to change money into Egyptian Pounds. We took US dollars which were accepted everywhere. Change was also given in US dollars, when required.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 02/10/2024

Dawn Ballard   -  Traveled, November 2023

Great trip! Early mornings & long days but we’ll worth the effort. Enthusiastic & knowledgeable guide. A great introduction to all Egypt has to offer – history, pyramids, temples and more. Beautiful scenery while cruising along the Nile. Highly recommend! Thoughts on Group Leader Galal was very knowledgable and eager to ensure we understood everything he had to tell us. Advice for Potential Travellers Be prepared for early mornings and some delayed lunches - keep some snacks available!

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 11/26/2023

Alison Bone   -  Traveled, November 2023

Amazing sights, worth the early starts Just returned from the Nile Cruise trip. And what a trip, visited some amazing sites, with my highlight being the tomb of Tutankhamun. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable, full of historic stories but his ‘people’ skills could have been better. The trip is full on with many early starts but worth the lack of sleep for the breath taking sites. Would recommend booking an extra day/s at the end to chill and relax in Aswan. Overall I would recommend this trip. Most Inspirational Moment tomb of Tutankhamun Thoughts on Group Leader Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable, full of historic stories but his 'people' skills could have been better. He was often quick to dismiss questions/observations which didn't fit his narrative. He messed up the booking of optional trips, failing to let us know what days the trips were on and advised the wrong opening times of the Nuburian museum at Aswan which meant some missed going. Clearly he loved sharing his knowledge but needs to member it's own holiday and not just everyone shares his passion and take on the history. Advice for Potential Travellers Book an extra day or 2 at the end to chill in Aswan and it's a busy full on trip

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 11/24/2023

Philip Jappu   -  Traveled, October 2023

Nile Cruise? (not sure what this field means) Really great trip, Galal was a fantastic guide. Lots of early mornings so I felt like I needed another holiday when I got home but we covered and saw so much over the course of a week Most Inspirational Moment Seeing the Tomb of Seti I in the Valley of the Kings (note: this wasn't included in the tour and I paid extra for this, but it was worth it) Also, Abu Simbel was breathtaking Thoughts on Group Leader Really good. Galal had amazing historical and archeological knowledge which really bought the things we saw to life and made them fascinating. He fully explained all aspects of life in both Ancient and Modern Egypt. Leading a big group around Egypt must be quite a stressful task, but Galal handled this brilliantly. Advice for Potential Travellers Beware of people in Luxor telling you they are from your hotel and trying to take you to a shop or a spice market. This happened to a few of us in the group.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 11/15/2023

Anita Goraya   -  Traveled, September 2023

fantastic trip! Our guide Naiel was amazing – kind, patient, very well-informed and keen to impart his knowledge and enthusiasm. The sights were of course, spectacular and the cruise boat was well appointed and spacious, with excellent choice and quality of food. The additional trip to Abu Simbel was well worthwhile. Most Inspirational Moment watching life unfold cruising down the river! Thoughts on Group Leader brilliant - couldn't have been better! Advice for Potential Travellers perhaps ensure the flight into Cairo lands during the daytime as the first two days start early and are fast paced and we were all sleep deprived. Also, the additional trip to Abu Simbel is a must, but it adds cost plus 7 hours coach travel time, so factor this in. Show less

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 10/08/2023

Chris and Gill George   -  Traveled, September 2023

Incredible civilisation, well worth seeing A great trip to see and begin to understand the incredible sophistication of such an ancient civilisation. From the chaos of Cairo through a series of temples along the Nile to the amazing reconstruction of Abu Simbel, the scale of the buildings and decorations was stunning. The limited time and poor advice when visiting the Valley of the Kings was a huge disappointment, however. Most Inspirational Moment The succession of temples along the Nile was amazing, each distinct and telling elements of the incredible civilisation that lived so many years ago. Karnak, Edfu and Kim-Ombo were particularly interesting, and the facilities and service on our boat were exceptionally good. Thoughts on Group Leader Faten was an enthusiastic Egyptologist, who gave incredibly comprehensive introductions to the many amazing sites. She is a very proud Egyptian. However, as tour leader, she was not very clear at explaining the immediate arrangements and options, her English and clarity of speaking did not work well through the coach PA systems. Her timekeeping and engagement with the group was not of the standard we would expect from previous tours. We feel particularly let down by our visit to the Valley of the Kings, where our time was limited due to an unnecessarily late start, and we could have avoided the exceptional queues at the ‘free’ tombs to see more interesting ones, if we had been properly advised. There are also a number of other issues, which we will advise separately. Advice for Potential Travellers When visiting the Valley of the Kings, make sure you start early, and buy tickets to see tombs other than the ‘free’ ones included in the general admission. It’s so hot and humid, be prepared to change clothes at least twice a day! Be prepared to have your mind completely blown! Arrive a day early - most flights seemed to arrive early in the morning but were delayed, which meant the 8:30 start of the Tour was particularly gruelling.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 10/04/2023

Carol Smith   -  Traveled, September 2023

Nile Cruise This initially was a challenging trip with many early mornings and long days. It would have demanded some commitment. But I feel privileged to have witnessed the tombs and temples of Egypt with a very experienced guide who demonstrated her love for her historical past Most Inspirational Moment The sunsets on the Nile were truly beautiful Witnessing the tombs and temples thousands of years ago was really quiet, mind blowing, and this makes the trip worthwhile Even though it is like scrumhalf at a football match to see these things it’s worthwhile, and I am happy to have invested to do so Thoughts on Group Leader Our group leader was a very experienced Egyptologist. She was very tired from a proceeding trip and had to stand in for a regular Exodus leader. She was tired and not engaged. We were tired and expected more. However, she was in love with her subject, and gave her Egyptology information with passion, the only criticism for me was it took her days to relax and I would like her to have shared more of an every day experience with us of Egyptian life, marriage, children, government etcetera and this was very sadly missing. Also she was not good at maximising moments or delivering moments. Advice for Potential Travellers If if you want to see the best of Egypt tombs and temples with an experienced guide, then this is the tour for you. If you want to have a relaxing time on a boat on the Nile, then this is perhaps not the tour for you if you want to see the tombs and temples There are a lot of visitors it’s very busy you have to maximise the time and move fast, but if you can do all that and stay awake it is a fabulous trip And do all the optional extras for the extra cost because that makes the trip amazing.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 10/04/2023

Derekv Attridge   -  Traveled, February 2023

Wonderful Trip This was an excellent trip, full of extraordinary sights. We were able to see many of the most impressive sites in Cairo and the Upper Nile. Hotel accommodation was of a high standard and the cruise ship was good. We had an outstanding guide and a friendly and interesting group of people. When I had an accident in the temple at Edfu the response from our guide, from Exodus, and from the personnel on the cruise ship was incredibly supportive. The guide’s knowledge of first aid was much appreciated. We have a few reservations: we found the early starts made sight-seeing rather tiring after very little sleep. The 7am briefing on the first morning seemed unnecessary, for example, after a late arrival the night before and the two hour time difference. We didn’t think the trip should be described as ‘leisurely’: there was a lot of standing in queues at both airports and sites and this was especially exhausting in conjunction with the early starts. Also, while we realise that Exodus doesn’t control the entertainment on the cruise ship, we would have preferred informational talks and preparation for the following day’s events to the party games and belly dancer. We would also have liked to have had more Egyptian food. Most Inspirational Moment The excursion to Abu Simbel was optional but was the highlight of our trip. We were incredibly lucky to be there without crowds and were overwhelmed by the magnificence of the temples and deeply impressed by the feats of engineering (both ancient and modern). Thoughts on Group Leader Our group leader was outstanding. She was knowledgeable, clear, patient and good humoured. We were particularly impressed that she handled all of the tipping so expeditiously. When I had my accident she was calm and extremely efficient at getting me the help that I needed (in quite difficult circumstances). She was also very supportive of my wife and responsive to the needs of the whole group. She was unflappable and gracious: we felt in very good hands. Advice for Potential Travellers This was not a leisurely trip, but it was brilliant. Be prepared for queues, very crowded temples and quite a lot of standing around. Take a good medical kit with you

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 03/15/2003

Jane Watson   -  Traveled, March 2023

What a trip! I loved this trip overall. It was pretty full on from the start in Cairo and I wondered whether I would last the pace. It was more relaxed although still busy once on the cruise, and was great having some downtime on the deck between trips. The trips were really interesting and we learned a lot about ancient up to modern Egypt ….. still getting my head around all the Gods! It surprised me just how many tourists were around when we visited. Our group plus Rania our group leader got on really well which was lovely, although we had 19 which is higher than my previous Exodus trips. Most Inspirational Moment Difficult to pinpoint. It was just jaw dropping to see and experience how ancient Egyptians created such amazing buildings, structures, art and stories. I was also impressed by the High Dam and implications of that for the success of modern Egypt. Thoughts on Group Leader Rania was a ball of energy, always helpful, knowledgeable and well organised. Even more impressive given she is a woman in a man’s world. Advice for Potential Travellers It’s a fantastic experience so go for it. Be ready for early starts, a busy schedule and high temperatures in Aswan but all worth it for an amazing adventure. Personally I found the optional trip to Abu Simbel was not good value for money as travel took up most of the time, over 8 hours, and we only got 1.5 hours at the temple. Take English pounds/ US dollars where you can as works best in terms of getting best prices. We were told Dec/ January is a good time to do the trip as temperatures and crowds are more manageable.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 03/28/2023

Alison Scott   -  Traveled, February 2023

Nile Cruise I very much enjoyed the trip but the word “leisurely” is completely misleading. Fortunately I’d read the reviews first. A couple of things that could have been improved: (1) the Abu Simbel trip. We left the boat at 4am, drove 4.5 hrs (not 3.5), spent 2 hrs at the temples and then drove 4.5 hrs back for “lunch” at 3pm. We had no free time at the temples. It would have been much nicer to have time for a coffee, a walk by the lake or a look at the souvenir stalls, then got back for dinnertime. The breakfast boxes were enormous and would have lasted all day. (2) Day 7: we left the hotel at 7am, visited Philae Temple, Aswan Dam, the stone quarry and a perfume shop, again returning to the hotel for a very late lunch. It would have been much better to have lunch after the dam visit, either at the hotel or from boxes. We felt in a permanent state of hunger and exhaustion! Most Inspirational Moment I don't know that there was one. There were many enjoyable and "wow" moments. Thoughts on Group Leader Abdul was very knowledgeable, always organised and did his best for us. Advice for Potential Travellers Don't imagine you'll have either the Nile or the historic sites to yourselves. You will always be part of a cavalcade of coaches, a flotilla of boats or a throng of tourists. The interiors of some of the temples are so crowded that many of us didn't go into the sanctuaries because of people pushing and shoving. Once you accept this however, just stand back and enjoy the magnificent sites and river views. On the last day we asked our guide if a visit to the botanical garden on Kitchener's Island could be included in the felucca trip. Everyone enjoyed this.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 03/02/2023

David Bennett   -  Traveled, March 2023

Nile cruise Fantastic holiday with an outstanding guide, although the booking process left a lot to be desired. Most Inspirational Moment Going inside one of the pyramids. Thoughts on Group Leader Fantastic. Encyclopaedic amount of knowledge. Imparted to us in an enthusiastic way that was easy to understand. He got us to the front of the queues and managed to keep us all together. Advice for Potential Travellers Can be cold at night.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 03/29/2023

Jo Moore   -  Traveled, December 2022

Amazing! This was a fantastic introduction to Egypt – in just 8 days we saw a huge amount and learnt a lot about the country, particularly the history. It was amazing to visit places I’d read about for year. There were a lot of early starts but the payoff was some amazing sites, and then more relaxed afternoons. I loved the four nights we spent on the Nile cruise – the boat was fantastic with great food and loads of space on the sundeck to relax after busy mornings. The other two hotels were fine: we didn’t spend much time in the Cairo hotel due to late arrival and early departures, and the Aswan hotel had a great pool area and lots of places to sit and relax, although the rooms felt quite basic. Most Inspirational Moment Visiting the pyramids on Christmas Day was a pretty amazing way to start the trip! Karnak temple was wonderful, huge and impressive, and although busy I found a quiet spot to sit and take it all in. The Valley of the Kings was great - being able to go inside tombs which almost look freshly painted was just awe-inspiring. And after all that, sitting on the sundeck of the boat cruising along the Nile and watching the world go by was a pretty good way to spend a couple of restful afternoons. Thoughts on Group Leader Ahmed was amazing and made us feel so welcome in Egypt! He gave us lots of information in a really engaging way, using the group as characters to tell us the complicated history of the pharaohs. He managed a good balance of guiding and free time for us in the places we visited, and always made sure we had coffee time at the end of a visit. He gave us good advice on how to deal with vendors and was clear about where was (and wasn't) good to shop. Ahmed was always smiling and cheerful, even at 3am! And he was great at dealing with any problems (when I had an issue with a hotel room, he fixed it straight away). A brilliant guide! Advice for Potential Travellers The one thing I would change is when I arrived - the group flight arrives late in Cairo (and later for us as we had a two hour delay at Heathrow) so we didn't reach the hotel til gone midnight and left at 7.30 the next morning for the pyramids (and then the following day is a very early start for the flight to Luxor). I'd highly recommend coming in a day early to avoid that first morning exhaustion, but also to see more of Cairo, as there is a lot to see that I didn't get to (the Coptic cathedral, the Citadel). I'd also say do as many of the optional excursions as you can - Philae Temple in Aswan was wonderful and Abu Simbel, while an early start (and a pricey trip) was well worth it.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 01/22/2023

Tracey Lawrence   -  Traveled, January 2023

Just WOW This trip is a full on adventure through Egyptian history. Expect many early starts to visit some inspiring and amazing places. From pyramids, temples, Pharaohs, God’s, obelisks, sphinx, nile cruise, tombs, stories, food and fun, this trip is definitely a highlight of my travels to date. Most Inspirational Moment The story telling by are guide using the group to take on roles in history truly brought the ancient Egyptian timeliness to life. Every day was inspirational. Thoughts on Group Leader Ahmed was one of the best leaders I have ever had on a trip. He was well organised, knew his history, told stories in such away the history came to life and he was respectful of the group, other tourists and the monuments we visited. Could not of asked for anything more. Advice for Potential Travellers Do take USD to pay for the option trips as by card they add 3%. Do arrive a day earlier to Cairo. The local guide arranged for 7 early arrivals a day out to Memphis, Citidel and Sakkara. We also stayed extra nights in Aswan. This meant we dropped out of optional trip to Abu Simbel and spent a day chilling on the cruise boat docked at Aswan. We then made our own arrangements after the cruises left and arriving at 10.30am had the place near to ourselves whereas the group left at 4am and were queuing. Note we were disappointed with cruise room view as assumed we would have a nile view. Unfortunately as the boats dock adjacent to each other we spent the entire trip docked against another boat looking straight into another room. No natural light or air. Not what we expected but all boats the same.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 02/21/2023

Paul Aceto   -  Traveled, November 2022

Nile Cruise Our guide was excellent. He was extremely knowledgeable, professional, kind and accommodating. The sites and organization of the trip was excellent. Accommodations were Very Good. Food was Very Good. The only objection or criticism is to build in an opportunity for lunch after 4 to 5 hours of site seeing. Thoughts on Group Leader He was incredibly professional, knowledgeable and accommodating to all guests. 5 Stars. Advice for Potential Travellers Bring Snacks. The itinerary provided prior to the trip is very limited/general. You will be advised of each start time, the afternoon prior. Most meeting times will be from 430 AM (Flight to Luxor) to 6 AM when visiting sites. You should pack food for every day of site seeing because lunch will not be available on most days until approx. 1 PM or 2 PM.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 12/19/2022

John Coppock   -  Traveled, November 2022

We had a Pharoah time! A superb holiday that packs in the highlights of Egypt in a week, with four nights on a Nile riverboat. It starts with the Pyramids and takes in the Cairo Museum and other sights before a short flight to the riverboat at Luxor. For those who haven’t sailes down the Nile, this is an adventure in itself. There are stops to visit the valley of the Kings to see the amazing hyieroglyphics in the pharaonic tombs and Tutankhamun’s resting place, plus the famous temples at Karnak, Edfu and Kom Ombo, and an optional trip to Abu Simbel. It ends at the amazing Aswan Dam and includes a fun felucca ride. The food and company were great and Andrew the guide was amazing. Highly recommended! Most Inspirational Moment Seeing the Pyramids and going inside the main one up to the burial chamber. A long-time bucket list must-do. Thoughts on Group Leader Andrew was brilliant - an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Egyptian gods, pharoahs, temples and history and extremely good at advising us of what to do (and not do) at the various sights. Friendly, helpful and efficient - a real star. Advice for Potential Travellers The persistent hawkers can become a bit wearisome after a while - just keep your cool. You're better off shopping at the organised stands where you can browse and they don't hassle you.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 12/07/2022

Stephen Williams   -  Traveled, September 2024

So much to see. The trip has so much to see that it is a full on week but very worthwhile. The extent of Egyptian history can only really be understood by going on a trip like this but it only scratches the surface. Most Inspirational Moment Having seen the Valley of the Kings before I knew what to expect but it was still awe inspiring. Thoughts on Group Leader The tour leader was excellent. He took good care of all of us and had a bag like Mary Poppins - everything needed was in it. The history of Egypt is too much to take in in one go but he did an excellent job in explaining the key elements. Advice for Potential Travellers Be prepared for early starts to avoid the worst of the heat and the crowds.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 11/21/2022