Egypt Tours With Nile Cruise

A very enjoyable week experiencing Egypt and its wonders Overall------------------------Our experience started with the first interaction when we first contacted them online for planning a trip.Their response was fast, and with some initial questions, Maro came back with a plan which we then discussed and customized. Being our first time to Egypt, we have heard of many stories of cons and hustles that we were skeptical. However, with the initial discussions, and Q&A, we finally went with them.Planning------------------------The initial planning was smooth and there is ample communications and reminders as we near the dates. We are assured that there will be someone waiting for us at Cairo upon our arrival, even though we all arrive at different flights and times.Arrival------------------------Sure enough we were surprised with the coordination and teamwork of the team. We were greeted by Osama, a friendly and experienced personnel who got us through the airport immigration to the transport effortlessly. Then there was Mahmoud, the chatty and friendly frontline guy who helps us navigate the drivers, and hotel check-ins, and also coordinating the daily tours with the local guides. Both were amazing and sincere (We made this judgement after a whole week of interactions and problem solvings). Mahmoud really went out of his way working along with Maro to tend to our needs and requests, especially when the hotel chosen was not up to par. Due to the high season, we were not able to change the hotel, but every effort was made to make our stay more comfortable. He also helped book adhoc dinners and he was present along with the driver all througout the night waiting until we were done and ensuring that we are safe back in our hotel.Breakout each segment of the trip------------------------Overall the local guides at each location are highly qualified and most importantly passionate about their subject, each focusing on the region they are native from. We found out each guide need to take a 5 year course to qualify being a guide, with many going on to take their Masters in the field. And here the difference lies in the number of years they are guides. We interfaced with 3 local guides during our trip and all of them are highly passionate and knowlegeable. We got different aspects of the history and each guide helped fill in information that we did not get from other guides due to time constraints and the guide's particular specialty. The years of experience matter as a lot of dealings depends on the relationship that the guide has built over the years with other guides, local officials, and even the street vendors. We noticed a difference the way an exerienced guide handle jostling between the crowds (que when other guides congregate at same point of interest, an experienced guide will get more respect and leeway than a newer guide due to respect and experience), or negotiating access to locations that has limited access for instance, and the capacity for these guides to try to fulfill our requests. Of course, we need to communicate ahead of time for them to manage our expectations. In our case, we wanted to focus on the history and stories, rather than photo ops or shopping. This brings us to the 3 guides that we were assigned with:1. Giza Pyramids and GEM: Mina Wasfy- He was very experienced with over 20 years as a guide- Very structured and to the point. He was a good starter guide to the trip and we were able to work with him to maximize the day at Giza based on crowd and also closing times of the attractions.- However, as he should be in high demand, he might be quite distracted in between tours due to calls 2. Nile Cruise (stops at Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan): Amir Badawy- As we spent the most time with Amir, we formed a friendship with him- We learned much from him, both on the history and also culture. He was very passionate and accomodating, and as he is the younger of the 3 guides, is more flexible and agile planning for our daily excursions. We hope that he get assigned more frequent tours- He accompanied us throuhout the cruise and was clear and concise on each day's plans- Communicating with him is also smooth as we decide to visit a certain attraction or not and have some changes along the way- Kudos to him for helping to arrange the hot air balloon rides over the Valley of the Kings (which was not on our original itinerary)3. Alexandria : Mr. Haggag- Mr. Haggag is another guide with decades of experience. With his stories and unique way to ask questions on our knowledge of Egyptian history before giving us the answer with a small notepad and sketching, he was able to drive in the knowledge. The few hours we spent with him was well spent, as he was able to get us through the Alexendria library grounds even after entrance was closed for the day, and we were able to see the foundations of the great Alexendria lighthouse.- Unfortunately, in no fault to Mr. Haggag, this was the low point after a week of amazing sights, we got stuck in traffic the morning we travelled from Cairo due to either fog or government officials closing the highway. What should've taken 2.5 hours drive, became a 6 hour drive. We arrived Alexendria after 1:30pm tired and hungry, but knowing that all attractions close by 4, we had to wing it. We got to see the catacombs, the library, and also the Citadel of Qaitbay (site of the lighthouse) before settling down for a nice dinner.Improvements and recommendations------------------------------------------1. For comfort, either choose the 5 star option instead of any lower options, or research before hand and indicate the hotel that you prefer. Local 4-5 stars is different from international 4-5 stars. That will manage the expectations2. You do not need to agree to all after-tour suggestions (e.g. dinner etc) if you are not up to it. Rest is important3. Pace your visits and aim to spend more time in key locations instead of visiting as many as possible. For instance, spending a full day at GEM would've been better, and allocate another day for the pyramids + the old museum4. Where possible take flights for intra city commutes as the traffic conditions are unpredictable. Given a choice, we would do Cairo, then the cruise, and then perhaps spend a day flying to Abu Simbel from Aswan and then back to Alexendria, and finally back to Cairo to depart Egypt.5. Allocate lots of small changes. Get help from Egypt Planners to change ample local EGP for tips and small purchases. Everything runs on tips in Egypt. And it is a good way to appreciate and augment the income of those in service to us.6. Egypt is actually quite safe (no muggings, pickpockets that we observed). We just have to be mindful of the hustles (souvenir, rides, and kids swarming for food and cash) which makes it seem like an unsafe place. Buying and bargaining is really tiring. You will be surprised on how much you can save by having good haggling skills.When I am to return to Egypt again, I will definitely use Egypt Planners again and recommend them to my friends especially due to the friendships we forged over the trip

Good tour It is a very nice tour, Shamima was my tour guide and driver was Ahmed and she is such a sweet , attentive and nice person , always made sure that I was safe. Explains to me about the history and culture.This tour definitely very good if you have a long layover in Cairo or one of day trip.

Wonderful & memorable Egypt vacation, high recommend "Egypt Tours by Locals" ! We had a fabulous vacation in Egypt, mostly due to the great planning by Maro of "Egypt Tours by Local". He answered all our pre-trip questions, and planned our itinerary for an 8-day Egyptian private tour which included Cairo Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, and museum (we chose the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization to see the mummies) and a river cruise on the Nile. Our Cairo Egyptologist guide, Maii, was excellent -- she is very knowledgeable, friendly and professional, and really good at explaining history. And she took us to a famous lunch place for delicious koshari! A big shout-out to our Cairo drivers, especially the man who drove us to & from the airport -- he's an excellent driver in Cairo's crazy traffic! (DO NOT attempt to drive yourself in Cairo - they seem to have their own rules so leave it to a local driver). Our private guide during the Nile river cruise, Abdo, was also outstanding! Friendly, knowledgeable and very good with people. He took great care of us throughout the entire cruise and touring of Luxor, Edfu, Aswan, and the Nubian village. Mohamed, our dining room waiter on the cruise, was also delightful as was the rest of the staff on the Jaz Regent boat.We were very happy with the whole vacation, these memories will last a lifetime! Impressive that everything was so smooth -- it takes a lot of work & coordination behind the scenes to make it happen and we really appreciate it. Thanks again Maro, Mahmoud, our Cairo driver, Maii, Abdo and the rest of your team. We highly recommend Egypt Tours by Local!

Excellent booking experience with Egypt Tours by Locals I booked with Mr. Maro, a private 2 day tour, and I must say the booking experience was very positive, Maro answered all my questions and composed a tour according to my needs, I would therefore recommend it

Our best Guide 💯 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Tariq was absolutely wonderful! He had a special way of making us feel at home in Cairo. He shared stories, culture, and energy that truly made us feel part of this place, not just tourists passing by. Every little detail was taken care of with kindness and attention. Thanks to him, we didn’t just visit Egypt — we felt it. We’ll never forget this experience! � 💛

Piramids and Cairo We did a group tour with Tariq.He was very helpful with everything.We had him also for a tour in center of Cairo,he took us to the best spots that you can visit there.Thank you for the best experience.

Cairo experience with our guide Our tour guide, Tariq from Cairo was absolutely fantastic! He was knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about Egypt’s rich history. He explained everything clearly and made each site—from the Pyramids of Giza to the Egyptian Museum-come alive with stories and details. His organization and sense of humor made the whole experience enjoyable and stress-free. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Cairo!And if you also need more informations about anything from Egypt he can be very helpfull

The best ones in town Tariq was very nice with us, made all our wishes possible and showed us all the nice things in Giza. Big up for them. If you want a great guide you know where to find it

Best Egypt trip, thanks Maro & Mai I just come back from a 7 days trip with Egypt Planners and honestly it was amazing, like one of those trips you don’t forget. Big shout out to Maro, he’s the one who organize everything for us – this guy really know his stuff, super professional but also chill, he make sure every little detail was covered so we didn’t stress about nothing. Felt like he got years of experience, you can tell he love his job.And then our guide Mai – wow she’s a gem. She stayed with us the whole way, Cairo, Luxor, Aswan… everywhere. She explain history in a way that don’t feel boring like school, more like a friend telling you cool stories. She always had patience with us when we ask a million questions, and she make sure we felt safe and comfy. Plus she got that energy, always smiling, so the vibe of the group was super good.The hotels, the tours, the transport – all smooth. Not gonna lie, sometimes in Egypt things can get a little crazy but with them it was easy, we didn’t have to worry about scams or get lost. Everything on time, no drama.If u thinking about visiting Egypt, just do it with Egypt Planners. I swear it’s worth it, they take care of you like family. Big thanks again to Maro for organizing and Mai for guiding, you guys made our trip unforgettable.

World Class Planners We planned a 3 week trip to Egypt and Jordan with Maro's support. Maro provided professional guidance that was in-depth, punctual, informative and responsive to our many questions - and we had lots of them! Throughout a 1 month planning process Maro demonstrated deep knowledge of Egypt and Jordan and was fun to work with. Thanks Maro - you are amazing!