Egypt Nile Jewel - 9 Days

41 Reviews

Excellent

56%

Good

39%

Average

2%

Rather Poor

2%

Bad

0%

• AL

  Alan
  Written on April 3, 2018

  3.5 - Good

  We thought the itinerary was too rushed. One extra day on the Nile cruise ship would have made a big difference, to have less attractions crammed into each day and reduce the number of early starts. The guide was pleasant enough but she did not have a strong voice and also had a very strong accent, which made her very difficult to understand. I spoke to some others in our group, who made the same comment and, like me (and my partner), pretty much gave up after the first couple of days. We overheard several other tour guides during our trip and they all spoke clearly, gave precise instructions and were easy to understand. Her time keeping was also extremely poor. At the first site, Sakkara, a few people in the group were confused about where we were to meet. The guide proceeded to read the riot act to the whole group, saying we must be sure we know where and when to meet and to fail to do so was to not show her the appropriate level of respect. I thought this was inappropriate because only a few people from the group were involved, they had made a mistake not wilfully disregarded her instructions and they had already apologized to her and assured her it would not happen again. For the rest of the tour, the main offender in not being at the time and place arranged after site visits was - our guide! Twenty minute stops were routinely 30-40 minutes. At the Sphinx, we were told we could have 15 minutes at the site. When this was met with a stony silence from the group, it was extended to 20 minutes, still an absurdly short period of time to appreciate one of the world's most iconic structures. We then spent 1 HOUR and 20 minutes at a shop selling oils! The guide was the last person back on the bus, saying she was sorry she was so late but she seemed to think it was rather funny! On the way back from Abu Simbel we were running late returning to the boat - and our guide had the bus stop on the way so she could meet her sister and get something from her! We had arrived in Aswan early the previous afternoon, so she could have met her sister that afternoon or evening, rather than use the tour bus as her taxi. Speaking to several others in the group, they agreed our guide's behaviour was unprofessional.

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• TW

  Terence
  Written on March 20, 2018

  4.5 - Excellent

  We packed a lot into 8 days.

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• 

  Brianna
  Written on February 25, 2018

  5.0 - Excellent

  Egypt was everything I expected and more. My friend and I went on Egypt Nile Jewel- 9 days. Our tour guides, were Mariam TawFiq & Ramez. Most of the tour was guided by Mariam, however, Ramez was outstanding as well. Mariam is very knowledgeable about Ancient Egypt History and was very accommodating to our needs, there was never a dull moment on our trip. Everything on the itinerary was covered along with a few extra suprizes. This tour is highly recommended!

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• JL

  Jae
  Written on February 22, 2018

  3.5 - Good

  My dream trip Egypt was beyond imagination but guide need do better time management.

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• AM

  Adele
  Written on January 7, 2018

  4.5 - Excellent

  Just returned from the Egypt Nile Jewel tour, and I must say it was the experience of a lifetime. The tour was run by Timeless Tours and they did an excellent job. We were collected at the airport by one of the company representatives, and whisked through the formalities and driven to the hotel. At the end of the tour we were once again driven to the airport. We were 89 travellers divided into 3 groups according to the various travelling methods booked (cuise or feluca) and each had their own bus and guide. Our guide was SemSem, and you couldn't hope to find a better guide. He is extremely knowledgeable, is well spoken and and a great organiser. The hotels where we stayed were good, the hotel in Hurghada being the nicest as well as all inclusive, and with a heated pool for the winter months. The Nile cruise was a highlight of the tour. At all times we felt extremely safe, there are security checkpoints, and armed security at many of the sites, and occasionally a security guard will accompany the bus on part of its journey. This is not because of any danger, but precautions taken by the government to ensure the safety of tourists. Some of the mornings had really early starts (going to the airport for flight to Aswan, and also for Abul Simbel trip) but were totally worth it. Egypt has so much to see, and 9 days is just barely enough for you to cover the most popular attractions. If I had the opportunity, I would do another Egypt tour in a hearbeat! If you are lucky enough to get SemSem for your guide, you will be very lucky and have the trip of a lifetime.

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• 

  Anissa
  Written on January 4, 2018

  4.5 - Excellent

  I went on the 9 day Jewel Nile throughout Egypt. My guide, SemSem, really us what made this tour amazing. I highly recommend asking for SemSem to be your guide. The other guides are great as well, but SemSem is a cut above the rest. His knowledge and passion for his home country really shown through. I have been on 3 expat tours so far and this one was the best by far.

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• 

  RITA
  Written on December 18, 2017

  5.0 - Excellent

  Amazing experience and can thoroughly recommend this tour. SemSem the Tour Guide was amazing and an assett to the Egyptian Travel Industry.

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• DG

  Darryl
  Written on November 12, 2017

  4.0 - Good

  This one of the best holidays we have had, this was the first time we have holidayed with a tour group such as this, we met some amazing people from all around the world, our tour guide Semsem was a wealth of knowledge, friendly, fun and organised, he was nothing short of outstanding. After arriving at the airport we were met and assisted through customs which made things quick and easy, then taken to the hotel and again assisted to check in. We went to our room and it was nice, clean and tidy, we were very happy with it, the hotel facilities very good and the service was sometimes slow but overall very good. The food at the hotel was average to good a little disappointed in the buffet (but this could have been just our taste in food). Our tour guide arranged a meet and greet meeting the first night for all of us on the tour and the gave us a heads up on what was going to happen we found this a great help and got to meet some of the others. The tour started the next day and what an experience the pyramid's, sphinx, camel ride etc. above and beyond my expectations. This gave us high expectations for the rest of the tour and we weren't disappointed the tour got better and better each day. The accommodation we stayed in, at the different destinations was all above average, the cruise was great could not fault it, rooms, food, service, and the staff were the best on the tour by far at any of the accommodation. The stay at Hurgarda was also amazing, just a bit of time to relax. Aswan, Luxor all the locations are a must see our advice is do all the extra activities Adu Sembel, the balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings etc. as you won't be disappointed in any of them. There is some early starts to the days so be prepared for those, there is a lot of walking but that was to be expected, the tour can be hectic at times as there is a lot to fit in and a couple of bus trips between destinations were long, our advise is miss these bus trips and fly as the option is available. The question is would we go back and do it again? - YES most definitely. Would I recommend the tour to anyone else? - YES most definitely in fact we already have Value for money? - Excellent Did we feel safe? - At no time throughout the time we spent in Egypt did we feel unsafe When we go back we will requesting that our tour guide Semsem be our tour guide again. We can't speak highly enough of him and his passion for his country and professionalism for the entire tour. Enjoy your trip to Egypt Darryl and Anita

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• K

  Kerry
  Written on September 15, 2017

  4.0 - Good

  Excellent value the local agents Tineless tours did a fantastic job re security sticking to schedule and keeping us cobtent

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• R

  Reece
  Written on February 24, 2017

  4.5 - Excellent

  In recent years Egypt has gained a reputation for being a dangerous place to travel and as such tourism has declined significantly. But having done the 9 day Nile Jewel Tour in mid February I don’t think that should discourage anyone from heading there. At no point on the tour did I feel unsafe or in danger and it truly is a mind blowing experience. For a (pretty much) turnkey 9 day experience the Tour offers exceptional value for money including accommodation, transport and (most) food. Access to the sites are additional but generally they’re no more than USD6-8 per site. Additionally you can expect to pay for a few lunches, drinks, souvenirs and tips. The Tour also offers a wide range of optional excursions – dinners with locals, historical sites, snorkelling etc. - ranging in price between USD20 – 130. Starting and finishing in Cairo the Tour includes Airport pick up and drop off. From the time you’re picked up you’re under the care of the organisers and they do a great job of exhibiting the best of Egypt while sheltering you from the worst because truth be known, Egypt can be an assault on the senses at times (think India, as a comparison). The streets are dirty, animals roam free, English is scarce and the locals can be pushy. While it can be challenging, it pays to remind yourself that they’re just trying to make a living in a country where a living often isn’t easy to come by. Our tour comprised about thirty people from a wide range of countries. Most were aged between 25 and 35 but there were also a few people younger and older. Our leader, Peter (Botrous), was an Egyptian local with 13 years experience tour guiding, fluent English and an infectious enthusiasm for his home country. He possessed an incredible knowledge of Egypt and an obvious desire to keep people satisfied and safe while under his watch. Transport through the Tour was predominantly by bus, most notably a 12 hour overnight trip (Cairo to Aswan) and another 6 hour overnight trip (Hurghada to Cairo). While that may sound daunting the bus is fairly comfortable and has a toilet on board too. In lieu of the felucca we opted for the 3 day Nile cruise which starts in Aswan and finishes in Luxor. The boat is probably best described as Egyptian luxury, comprising four storeys, spacious two bed en suite rooms and an upper sun deck with buffet breakfasts and dinners. When we weren’t moored or on side excursions, days were typically spent on the sun deck admiring the Nile and it’s beautiful surroundings while sipping away on Luxor, the local beer. Meals were largely accounted for on the Tour and typically comprised an array of buffet breads, salads, hot vegetables and meat. The food was usually fresh and the options diverse enough to suit the more discerning taste buds. While alcohol isn’t displayed or consumed publicly by the locals; beer, wine and cocktails were normally available throughout the trip. No trip to Egypt would be complete without a visit to the Pyramids of Giza which are known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, for good reason! Situated on the outskirts of Cairo they’re an incredibly mind blowing site that’ll leave you in awe of our 3,000 year old ancestors. While at the pyramids you can choose to ride camels before moving onto the Sphinx. We also went to the evening Light & Sound show and while the lights were impressive we left a little disappointed by the show itself which is probably about twenty years out of date. Outside Cairo we visited a number of influential and awe-inspiring temples, a dam (not so awe-inspiring), a couple of museums and the Red Sea. When you think Egypt you think desert and for the most part that holds true, miles and miles of sand. But we were surprised to see large swathes of lush green plantation, presumably assisted by the fertile flood plains around the Nile. Within the cities it was interesting to see a landscape of unfinished concrete frame buildings with steel reinforcing protruding above. While not overly aesthetic, it’s supposedly a common method of avoid a ‘finished building’ tax. As a travelling destination Egypt isn’t necessarily easy. It has a dangerous reputation, an often unattractive landscape and a population of people reliant on income from tourism. But despite the challenges it offers a rich education, a unique history and an insight into life 3,000 years ago. With such an offering I don’t think there’s any real substitute for Egypt and I’d highly encourage anyone to give it a go.

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