Egypt Tour 10 Days Cairo, Nile Cruise, Sharm

We actually did the Egypt Tour to Cairo and Luxor from USA 04 Days.

Egypt, land of awe and wonder. Ancient mysteries and 5,000 years of history.

My 22 year old son and I did the 04 Day Egypt Tour to Cairo and Luxor from USA.

Prior to the voyage, Heba was very responsive +9 hours from Los Angeles. Along with Mohammed they customized our 04 Day tour just right, my son and I are very athletic and like to run inside the pyramids and temples. Also do not use the frustrating Eqypt Visa online portal. You do not need a visa in advance. When we arrived, my son got his in 5 minutes without any questions except passport, cash or card.

On arrival I arranged our Cairo airport transportation and hotel because the tour started in the morning. Next time I will ask Egypt Guidelines handle that night also because the Viator transport I arranged sent a cryptic message “your hotel is below the minimum fare for our drivers”. I emailed them for clarification, no response. I emailed Egypt Guidelines two days before our arrival and Mohammed was there to meet us at the Cairo airport at 0130 am!! So we took him and he even treated us to swarma on the way to the hotel. Viator refused to refund me since their driver did in fact show up.

The hotel I chose Hayat Pyramid View had no rooms left so the changed our hotel to a different one down the street, So the next morning we had to walk back to the original one to meet our Egypt Guidelines tour guide Ahmed and driver Rida.

Once we got our Egypt Guidelines tour on the road, life was amazing! Guides were knowledgeable Egyptologists and the accommodations were First Class. They arranged a camel ride for us, visits to many local places for lunch and dinner breaks and explained a lot of modern Egyptian culture, such as men and women’s relations as well as the ancient history and culture.

Pharaoh after pharaoh had hieroglyphics of their conquests, looting and enslavement of other nations. Two even had their footrests carved with the peoples they subjugated.

After 3000 years of these stories, I was very impressed that in this testosterone dominated history, one woman, Hatshepsut, rose to be Pharaoh. She sent emissaries and established trade with far off Somalia which benefited both countries. Her funeral mausoleum is flanked with the remains of two Somalia trees she brought back. There are also theories that Neferatiti became Pharaoh after her husband died.

In the present day, although, we really appreciated the local Egyptian restaurants and locales, I got really sick of the vegetable and grain focused low-star Egyptian food. The beef is in short supply and not USDA Choice lol. So resist any hope that it will be plentiful or palatable and do not order it. Egypt Guidelines got us a beautiful hotel in Luxor, the Sonesta St. George, their 5 star restaurant was more like what I eat every day stateside: Sea bass and the price was only $40 US (exchange was 19 Egyptian to $1) for both my son and I and service was included (I tipped like $4 because they stayed open a little later for us).

This was our first time to Egypt and I didn’t know what to expect in the Muslim world. I carried the US Embassy’s number with me and reported nightly to my sister in the US. Frankly, Egypt is very safe. Each monument has strict control in and out. Our guide Mohammed was even verified at the Pyramid Light and Sound Spectacular and he has been doing this for over 6 years (the oldest trip advisor review for him I found).
Tipping. Can anything be more complex? Ok, since the exchange rate changes, my son and I settled on looking up how much an Egyptian tour guide makes in a day and tip based upon 15% of how much he would have cost you.

Bartering. The Egyptian Head dress and robe to beat the heat! Those souvenirs are so irresistable!! Start by resisting. Offer 50% of what the salesperson wants then move up from there. People like a challenge not a pushover.

Souvenirs. Wait for the Official Egypt Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities store in Karnak No barter and the highest quality. Nefertiti bust is most nearly like the original.

Everyone is in love with Egypt. That’s movies like “The Mummy” keep reappearing. If you take an Egypt Guidelines tour, you will make a memory to last several lifetimes!