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P
Now our trip is coming to an end
I would like to congratulate everyone involved from Tour radar and Egypt Tours for a outstanding tour of Egypt
It is more than I expected with accomodation, tour g…Now our trip is coming to an end
I would like to congratulate everyone involved from Tour radar and Egypt Tours for a outstanding tour of Egypt
It is more than I expected with accomodation, tour guides , cruise boat (queen of Sheeba)staff, drivers
And all the magnificent history of Egypt
A special shout out to Mohammed Ibrahim for the Cairo leg our guide for the Cairo leg and Ahmed Ali who guided us from Aswin to Luxor for making the tour so much fun and informative and caring for everyone’s individual needs
Cheers
Patrick and Michelle
Australia
The guide Mohammad was very experienced with each site and had a complete understanding of the temples and hieroglyphics. However, I sometimes had trouble understanding along what he was talking about…The guide Mohammad was very experienced with each site and had a complete understanding of the temples and hieroglyphics. However, I sometimes had trouble understanding along what he was talking about due to his English.
It would have been nice to be sent a clearer itinerary of each day prior to the tour, and what was included. The extra fees are somewhat of a mystery and a detailed breakdown of 'entry fees' and 'tipping' would be nice. That and of course the optional extra tours, to anticipate how much extra, and which days they would be on. Perhaps the tour radar itinerary just needs a little bit of tweaking and some extra bits of information added in there to manage expectations.
The final thing I noticed were the many different whatsapp conversations I received during my time on the tour, it ended up being 5. In the future it would help everyone involved to just have 1. whatsapp group with the tourguide/ other guests 2. whatsapp group for operations and planning, and every transfer/ payment/ any business questions go in there.
It felt confusing and a little uncomfortable having so many people contact my personal number from a safety point of view.
Otherwise it was a good tour, I hope this feedback doesn't deter you too much, just wanted to share my honest opinion so you can continue to make the tour great.
Thanks again!
W
We had a very nice time on and off the boat. The boat is well taken care off, the staff is very friendly, the food is nice, the rooms are clean and they try to surprise you each day 😄
The visites are…We had a very nice time on and off the boat. The boat is well taken care off, the staff is very friendly, the food is nice, the rooms are clean and they try to surprise you each day 😄
The visites are also very well taken care off, mind you there are salesmen everywhere trying to clamp on to you to buy something. We had our tour guide Mohammed which is a very nice guy with a ton of knowledge and doesn't mind to do something extra to please you.
The most incredible trip I've been on!
I met my guide Mohamed in Cairo, he is the friendliest most genuine man and has amazing knowledge of Egypt and its history. The tour was incredible and we sa…The most incredible trip I've been on!
I met my guide Mohamed in Cairo, he is the friendliest most genuine man and has amazing knowledge of Egypt and its history. The tour was incredible and we saw many temples, the great sphinx, the pyramids etc. I was travelling solo and met some awesome people in my group and I think we connected really well. We shared many amazing experiences together that I'll cherish forever. The most fun part (for me only apparently!) was the overnight sleeper train. It was definitely an experience I'll never forget! I departed from my tour group and Mohamed escorted me to the bus terminal to make sure I was safe and looked after before my solo trip to Hurgharder. When checking in to my hotel I amazed to find it was actually an all inclusive 5 star resort! I was blown away. I decided to reach out to Holiday in Egypt to speak about my last day which was a 5 hour bus ride back to Cairo and a lengthy wait til my flight home. I wanted more time at the Giza Plateau. They were so accommodating and quickly organised a flight to replace my bus ride including a driver to pick me up and stay with me until I was ready to head to the airport. This was at minimal cost to me. Bob was my chauffer and I felt extremely safe with him. He even took me to a local shop as I needed a new shirt and helped me get a good price.
I have travelled quite a bit but this trip was special. I enjoyed the trip so much and was blown away by the professionalism of Holiday In Egypt, that I'm currently planning my next trip to Alexandria and Petra.
Lastly, if you get Mohamed as your guide you will have a blast!
Peter, Australian
Our first time in Egypt and we are very glad we booked with TourRadar & Holiday in Egypt.
* Accommodations - The vessel was the Blue Shadow II and it was in good condition. The rooms are spacious, …Our first time in Egypt and we are very glad we booked with TourRadar & Holiday in Egypt.
* Accommodations - The vessel was the Blue Shadow II and it was in good condition. The rooms are spacious, the buffet was good, the durvish/belly dancer show was fun, and the crew service was excellent. Two tips 1) if you're taller than 5'10" (1.78m) you will struggle in the low ceiling shower and 2) try to get a starboard (left, east facing cabin)so you have a view when docked.
* Tours - The tours were amazing. Starting with the Aswan Dam and finishing with the Valley of the Kings, all of them were quite spectacular. We opted out of the Abu Simbel excursion (will come back for that) and instead we had the opportunity to tour the Nile in a small motor boat and visit the home of a Nubian family in a Nubian village. What a wonderful and unforgettable experience.
* Tour Guide - We cannot say enough good things about our guide Mohamed. It was just the three of us for three days. He picked us up at the airport. He had umbrellas for us to cover us from the tremendous heat (45C/113F) and he always had water for us in his backpack and he helped us get to an ATM on more than one occasion. His knowledge and love of his native Egypt made for a fantastic experience. We will look for him when we return.
The pre-tour communication with Holiday In Egypt via the TourRadar app was easy and effective. In fact we had expressed our concerns about the extreme heat and they made sure to accommodate us with the water and umbrellas.
I would highly recommend booking with TourRadar/Holiday In Egypt for your Nile excursion.
T
’Holiday in Egypt’ touring agency helped make our trip to the Motherland very special and one to remember. They provided us a well-designed, 8-day adventure with a good mix of famous sights and local …’Holiday in Egypt’ touring agency helped make our trip to the Motherland very special and one to remember. They provided us a well-designed, 8-day adventure with a good mix of famous sights and local culture. The communication (mostly via WhatsApp) in preparing for the trip and discussing details while in Egypt, was frequent and effective and gave me a sense of security which I really appreciated as a first-time visitor. Here’s a thorough rundown:
Bob was the driver who greeted us from the airport. He made a great first impression, was warm, welcoming, & provided great conversation with some humor sprinkled in, all while navigating the chaotic roads of Cairo during rush hour! A real pro.
Taher greeted us the first night and was also very friendly and warm. He helped prepare us for what to expect on the tour. The only downside was our giving him $125 for tips that was to be distributed later to service workers We found this was not realistic, since most service workers expected tips on the spot, so I think the pre-tip thing should be reconsidered.
The first guide was Nur, who accompanied us to the big sites in Cairo/ Giza: the pyramids, Sphinx, etc. She was kind and very knowledgeable, answered questions and helped arrange a camel ride, which was great. This part of the tour is when we really came to understand that it requires a lot of physical endurance: there’s a lot of walking in high heat (upwards 118 degrees Fahrenheit in June). Nur also took us to a popular local one-dish vegetarian restaurant which was surprisingly good. I appreciated that local experience.
One thing of note: we were later asked by the company to pay an entrance fee for the city of Cairo. We never really understood what that meant since we paid for everything we entered. Recommend the company itemize exactly what should be paid out of pocket versus what’s included in the tour price. This also reminds me that the agency told us before the trip that we would need visas. We purchased them ($109 each vs the $39 fee we were told), but we were never asked to show them. So this seemed like a waste of money. But I digress, just something to consider.
We then took a 12-hour train ride to Aswan. I can’t give this part of the tour high praise. The train is not modern, it’s very primitive, and had no running water, which was unsanitary to say the least. My recommendation is that the company clearly explain the conditions of the train in the itinerary and if there are no better train options than what we experienced, scrap the train ride altogether. Just add in the price for a private car or plane ride. Anyway, we survived but it was not ideal.
Next up was Mohamed who accompanied us to Aswan and Luxor. He was a delight. He greeted us every time we saw him with a wide smile and high enthusiasm for the history and archaeology of the region, always ready to answer our questions and explain details. He was also accommodating, adjusting the temple visits to fit our physical limitations when necessary. During this part of the tour, we also enjoyed a couple of nice horse carriage rides through the local community courtesy of the travel agency, which was exciting and educational.
The highlight of our tour with Mohamed was visiting the Nubian village. The ferryboat ride there was so relaxing as the conductor played music of famous Egyptian artists and pointed out one of their impressive homes. We ended up at the home of a local family, a father and his two young girls. They were such great hosts, offering us hibiscus tea, cheese, & other delicatessens, showed us their pet crocodiles and turtle, and let us tour their home. It was such an eye-opening experience!
We ended this leg of the tour with a hot air balloon ride, which was amazing. The only drawback was the photographer taking our money and promising to send photos and videos via email which we never received. The touring agency reached him & he sent a file via WhatsApp (not email) that was too big to download. Just a warning.
We were then transported by private van—a courtesy extended by the company after we complained about the train ride—to Hurghada. A great way to cap off the trip! The hotel resort, Casa del Mar, was lovely and the staff at reception and in the hotel restaurant were very accommodating. The only real downside was the poor internet connection. But overall, it was a relaxing hotel stay.
It’s important here to differentiate between the tour guides and the laypeople of Egypt. We found the tour guides very friendly; the citizens not so much. They view tourists like ATMs and don’t do any small kindnesses without expecting a tip. We were even charged to use public restrooms a couple of times. This was a culture shock for us, so just keep it in mind if you’re also a first-time visitor. Luckily, our tour guides helped stave off a lot of the harassment from the loiters.
All in all though, we had a fantastic trip and were really happy with Holiday in Egypt travel agency. They pack a lot in the trip & you don’t get a lot of time to shower & refresh in between after long days in high heat, but all of the tours are voluntary so just go at your own pace, don’t feel pressured to do it all, and you should have an enjoyable experience.
Enjoyed the trip. The optional tour, you can find cheaper local tour. Very freindly and informative tour guide though