Egypt Reviews

Review 1

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

I enjoyed everything - all of the important historical sites in Egypt but I especially enjoyed the night which we spent on the felucca and travelling to the Valley of the Kings on a donkey.

What did you think of your tour leader?

That said, I did learn alot and probably saw more of Egypt in a week than what I would have done under my own steam.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

To anybody contemplating this tour: it's educational and enjoyable but quite intense with lots of long journeys and early starts. I would not recommend visiting in the summer months - too hot! Remember to pack your sense of humour too. Egyptians are friendly and just as interested in us as we are in them for the most part but some of the men can be a little (towards ladies) "heavy" - especially in the souks. They don't mean any harm though so best to just laugh about it. At the tourist attractions you will be accosted by several people trying to sell you souveniors and as annoying as their persistance can get at times you need to keep your cool and politely and firmly say no as many times as you need to! Unless you want to buy of course then don't be afraid to haggle as they always ask tourists for extortionate prices initially. Get an idea from your tour guide as to how much he/she would pay for say an ice cream or a coke and be prepared to pay slighty more than that! Don't forget your mosquito repellant if you plan to sail on the Nile and especially if you plan to spend a night on the felucca.

Reviewed by Claire Ricaud who travelled in April 2012 on the Felucca Trails trip

Review 2

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Travelling on the Nile and visiting Abu Simbel.

What did you think of your tour leader?

Both tour leaders both in Egypt and Jordan( Khaled and Majdi ) were excellent and went the extra mile to make the holiday such a memorable one.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Be prepared for an hectic ,tiring schedule.If going to Jordan bring a warm jacket for the cold evenings.

Reviewed by David Nuttall who travelled in November 2011 on the Egypt & Jordan Caravan trip

Review 3

What did you think of your tour leader?

Very good, particularly Ahmed Badr in Egypt.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

The Egyptians in partincluar seemed happy to see tourists back after the lack of visitors due to the January Revolution.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

Not really, but the Nubian village visit at Aswan was an interesting experience and Ahmed gave us an insight into the Revolution from the perspective of someone who lived through it.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Have an open mind and enjoy yourself. Further comment - the tipping kitty in Jordan was 30USD which was twice the amount (3USD per day) mentioned in your trip notes, so this could do with updating.

Reviewed by Anna Hobbs who travelled in April 2011 on the Egypt & Jordan Caravan trip

Review 4

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Amazing sights and the enthusiasm of the people - for the return of the tourists and for the future of their country

What did you think of your tour leader?

Excellent

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

Yes, clearly.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Be prepared to wear long sleeves and trousers for most of the trip - whatever the heat. Be prepared for very unpleasant loos on the night train. Stay with the group when running the gauntlet of hawkers - especially at the pyramids. Several individuals were 'picked off' and had unwanted photos on camels, side trips around the back of the pyramids, etc.

Reviewed by Robert Murray-Smith who travelled in April 2011 on the Treasures of the Nile trip

Review 5

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Nile Cruise and Abu Simbel

What did you think of your tour leader?

excellent!

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

Yes - used lots of local companies/people to get around etc

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

Yes - we saw a lot in the 9 days we were on the tour!

What advice would you give to other travellers?

definitely go with imaginative!! Great tour you see a lot of the country without the hassle of organising it yourself! There is a good choice of tours so you should get to see everything you want!

Reviewed by Claire England who travelled in September 2010 on the Nile Escape trip

Review 6

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Undoubtedly seeing the pyramids for the first time as they loomed up unexpectedly above the streets of Cairo. I had no idea they were so close to the city and it truly was an awe-inspiring sight.

What did you think of your tour leader?

Ahmed was very thorough and conscientious but also fun and easy to talk to. A good combination of qualities for a tour leader and I enjoyed his company over the week.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

Yes - especially people like minibus drivers, felucca owners and local restauranteurs.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

To some extent - it was only a short trip but I certainly feel I got to see Egypt warts and all through experiences like the overnight trains!

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Be prepared for quite a punishing itinerary with some very early starts and not much sleep. Those seeking home comforts will not enjoy the overnight trains or the felucca and visiting Egypt also requires a fair amount of patience as you will be confronted by people trying to sell you things and rip you off at every turn.

Reviewed by Christopher White who travelled in November 2010 on the Felucca Trails trip

Review 7

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

apart from the amazing natural and manmade landscapes that were unfolding before us, for me it was the group dynamic that made the tour so memorable. It was small but everyone was friendly, considerate and sociable and we really felt looked after by the tour leader and egyptology experts supplied.

What did you think of your tour leader?

He was professional but added the necessary personal touch to make our group feel special, despite the fact that he must have seen those sights and answered the same questions many times.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

The only sense of benefitting local people was being taken to shops and market stalls recommended by the tour leader and an indication as to the culture of tipping. Help on a wider scale wasn't touched on as an issue. If, for example, a local charity endorsed by the Imagnative traveller, was offered for pre-departure donations, I would have happily donated some leftover cash. I didn't expect to see kids raking through rubbish as we went through cairo.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

It was a whirlwind tour, which I felt touched on the surface of a very interesting culture but, the nature of the constant location changes and speed at which we experienced so many things, made it naturally difficult to trully immerse yourself in it. This didn't bother me so much as I had deliberately chosen a tour that would encompass many things in a short space of time.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Stock up on sleep before you go, to cope with all those early wake up calls!

Reviewed by Sarah Higgs who travelled in November 2010 on the River & reef january 1st trip

Review 8

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

I would have to say cruising the calm blue waters of the Nile, in a Felukka and on the "Melodie" Nile boat. I could do that for weeks and weeks, I think.

What did you think of your tour leader?

Just simply wonderfully excellent! Kind, funny, well-organised and very concerned with the well-being of every group member. Mido is the best!

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

Only as in that we spend our money in local restaurants and bazaars. In my view, the direct contact with the locals could be improved, f.e. by visiting a school or orphanage.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

Yes, very much. Mido taught us some very useful words and told us many things about the local life-style and ideas. Waking up at home this morning I actually missed the calling from the mosque at 4:30 in the morning! :-)

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Dive in, eat local foods, go explore the streets on your own, talk to the locals, don't be "scared" by the hustling and bustling and the chaos (even not as a woman, they are more respectful than I ever thought!), take it with lightness and you will see the charming side of it.

Reviewed by Claire Brenn who travelled in October 2010 on the River & reef january 1st trip

Review 9

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

The whole experience of egypt was amazing but seeing abu simbel was probably the highlight. Seeing something so massive and detailed that is so old and still in amazing detail even after being moved.

What did you think of your tour leader?

I would like to make a special mention of our tour leader Ahmed Badr. He was well organised, made everyone feel welcome and sorted out any problems we had with the hotels (which we're only minor and a couple). He made the trip very enjoyable and is a credit to your company.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

yes, we visited local restaurants and used local transport.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

yes, going to the local bazzars and visiting the local restaurants and being among the locals was a very important and enjoyable part of the trip

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Do this trip, it is a must and is amazing

Reviewed by Christopher Campbell who travelled in September 2010 on the Felucca Trails trip

Review 10

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Riding donkeys through the countryside to the valley of the kings, it was the best fun i'd had in ages.

What did you think of your tour leader?

Excellent, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, always cheerful and friendly.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

We used a lot of local guides and businesses so yes I think it did.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

definately, we met a lot of local people, ate local food when possible and used public transport.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Consider your money carefully, visa was not widely used in Egypt and many of the cash machines don't accept it, also a number of people could only get a small daily amount out which meant a lot of trips to cash machines each day. So take cash and just keep it safe.

Reviewed by Catherine Lax who travelled in October 2009 on the Nile Rover - Aug 28th trip

Review 11

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Riding donkeys through the countryside to the valley of the kings, it was the best fun i'd had in ages.

What did you think of your tour leader?

Excellent, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, always cheerful and friendly.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

We used a lot of local guides and businesses so yes I think it did.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

definately, we met a lot of local people, ate local food when possible and used public transport.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Reviewed by Catherine Lax who travelled in October 2009 on the Nile Rover trip

Review 12

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

The 4 days cruising the Nile on the MS Melodie! It was so relaxing and informal and the staff on the cruise ship were amazing. All the sights we saw along the way were brilliant as well.

What did you think of your tour leader?

We had a great Egyptian tour leader called Mohammed who was so informative and proud of his country, but in a really interesting way. He was excellent!

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

Only in the fact that we were spending money in local bazaars and restaurants.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

By meeting locals and visiting local restaurants, I got to understand a little more about what makes Egypt tick and what the Egyptian people are all about.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Take a little time before the tour to read up a little bit about Egypt - and make sure you sample the Shisha!

Reviewed by Russell Morling who travelled in March 2009 on the River & reef january 1st trip

Review 13

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

There were too many to single one out. Spotting the pyramids for the first time, Valley of the Kings. breakfast after climbing Mount Sinai. Dune jumping with the 12 year old jeep driver in Wadi Rum (well he only looked 12). Tutankamen's mask, Mummies in the museum, Abu Simbel, Soldiers tombs at Petra.... and so on

What did you think of your tour leader?

Siobhan Neverling was great.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

Probably.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

As much as can be expected and more than would expect on large company tours

What advice would you give to other travellers?

book now. take food, drink and warm clothes to Mt Sinai. Ignore any locals who tell you to do something you don't want to do e.g get off the hydrofoil to Jordan even though we had tickets....

Reviewed by Anne Mayho who travelled in March 2008 on the Hazem trip

Review 14

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings. You have to see them to believe them.

What did you think of your tour leader?

Very good. Full of enthusiasm. Always happy to help organise other trips etc.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

We used local guides and visited the local bazaars. We often eat in local restaurants.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

As a tourist it is very difficult to get under the skin of any country, but by staying in the more 'local' areas you do get some flavour of what their life can be like.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Do it. Dont be afraid of haggling of being firm and saying no if you really dont want the item. Relax and enjoy meeting the people. The boat is an ideal size to meet people and get to know new friends.

Reviewed by Barrie Greenhalgh who travelled in September 2008 on the Jewels of Egypt Dec 7/08 trip

Review 15

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings. You have to see them to believe them.

What did you think of your tour leader?

Very good. Full of enthusiasm. Always happy to help organise other trips etc.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

We used local guides and visited the local bazaars. We often eat in local restaurants.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

As a tourist it is very difficult to get under the skin of any country, but by staying in the more 'local' areas you do get some flavour of what their life can be like.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Reviewed by Barrie Greenhalgh who travelled in September 2008 on the Jewels of Egypt - Guaranteed Depart trip

Review 16

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings. You have to see them to believe them.

What did you think of your tour leader?

Very good. Full of enthusiasm. Always happy to help organise other trips etc.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

We used local guides and visited the local bazaars. We often eat in local restaurants.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

As a tourist it is very difficult to get under the skin of any country, but by staying in the more 'local' areas you do get some flavour of what their life can be like.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Reviewed by Barrie Greenhalgh who travelled in September 2008 on the Jewels of Egypt - Dep 15th March trip

Review 17

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

The Nile Cruise... somehow it zipped by.

What did you think of your tour leader?

excellent - professinoal, flexible, fun and easy to talk with.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

No - but it was a 10 day excursion... what would I expect?

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Pack less seriously... the Melodie is quite comfortable and they even had laundry service, etc. It's not a roughing it holiday at all.

Reviewed by April Fain who travelled in November 2007 on the Nile Rover - Aug 28th trip

Review 18

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

The Nile Cruise... somehow it zipped by.

What did you think of your tour leader?

excellent - professinoal, flexible, fun and easy to talk with.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

No - but it was a 10 day excursion... what would I expect?

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Pack less seriously... the Melodie is quite comfortable and they even had laundry service, etc. It's not a roughing it holiday at all.

Reviewed by April Fain who travelled in November 2007 on the Nile Rover trip

Review 19

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Seeing all the sites was incredible, we packed so much in. I found making the connection between the mummy of Rameses II in Cairo and Abu Simbel and the other temples on the Nile that he actually built was amazing. But in the end it was the smaller things that really made the holiday - the fantastic group we had, our excellent leader, the people we met along the way. Non-cultural highlights included the fun of shopping for outfits for the party night on the Melodie, the donkey ride to (and even better, back from) the Valley of the Kings, just cruising along the Nile watching the world go by, the felucca/boat trip to the Nile beach and having coffee in the little shop/cafe there, wandering around the back-streets of Cairo on the last day, seeing the day to day life of the ordinary people.

What did you think of your tour leader?

Jaime was excellent. She was happy for us to do things as a group or separately, gave us plenty of local information to make the most of our time in the different places, organised us exceptionally well when required, and generally was great fun to be with.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

It certainly seemed that staff on the Melodie and the guides we used were well looked after and happy to work for ImTrav. It was good to use local hotels, restaurants, guides, etc, so I do feel our money did go to local people.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

Very difficult in 10 days, but I think we certainly got a glimpse of the real Egypt. Another time I would like to get away from the Nile Valley and see the desert oases, etc.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Relax, have fun, go with the flow. Do everything that is offered as far as possible, take all the opportunities to explore the back streets and markets.

Reviewed by Joanna Boraston who travelled in March 2008 on the River & reef january 1st trip

Review 20

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Very hard to pick just one, but riding donkeys to the Valley of the Kings was just wonderful, for adults and children alike. Also relaxing on the felucca whilst meandering down the Nile was something I know none of us will forget.

What did you think of your tour leader?

Hatem our Tour Leader was wonderful. The children all loved him, and he kept their interest throughout the holiday which made it all the more easy for the adults to relax and enjoy themselves.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

Yes, the visit to the nubian village particularly seemed to be respectful of their traditions.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

Yes, I was particularly worried about touring around Egypt, from a safety point of view, but almost from the word go I felt we were welcomed and would love to go back.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Don't hesitate to book with Imaginative Traveller, as a family we all agree that it was our best holiday ever, and we are considering booking again next year.

Reviewed by Nicola Underwood who travelled in April 2007 on the Hazem trip

Review 21

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

The entire tour was fantastic, arriving in Cairo and seeing the pyramids, museum, sphinx and being in the hustle and bustle of the city. I still cannot believe how people get to work on time or how people dont get squashed in the traffic with the amount of cars. The sound of Cairo to me is car horns considering most of the time this is the only part that works on the car!! The memories I have of Cairo are too numerous to count but here goes: My first ever Camel ride at the pyramids, my first taste of an apple shisha, the peace and quiet of the Mosque, being squashed in the amount of people going in the pyramid, a sunset horse ride with the pyramids as a backdrop and almost being sold by my husband to a small child who wanted to buy me at the bazaar!! It was also bizarre getting used to placing used toilet roll in a bin rather than down the toilet itself. The sleeper train was another great experience and I must admit the different modes of transport used was partly what convinced me to go on this tour and I was not disappointed. The best part of the tour was crusing the nile on the awesome Melodie with the friendliest crew imaginable. The boat was so comfortable, warm and inviting that if I could buy it I would. Seeing all the temples on the nile was awe inspiring and I wore out my camera trying to capture the beauty of egypt. I must admit that the donkey ride to the valley of the kings sticks most in my mind especially as they are so comical and do not care that you are on their back - if they can fit through a gap you best lift your legs!!

What did you think of your tour leader?

Our tour leader - Andy was so enthusiastic that he made you smile even in the very early mornings. All the tour leaders I met had vast amounts of knowledge of the history and current events of Egypt and seemed to thoroughly enjoy their jobs. They tried to make sure you saw all of the different sides of the country and looked after the welfare of all those on the tour. I cannot find fault with them.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

I think the holiday did benefit local people as their businesses were used by the imaginative traveller. Tourism is a huge earner for a lot of people.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

I cannot believe how much of the country I saw and i dont just mean the temples. Hiring bikes was a fabulous way of touring the 'back streets' and getting a feel of the area and at no time did I feel in danger.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Take plenty of toilet roll!! seriously as most places will only give you one piece if you are lucky. Also take the antibacterial hand gel which dries almost instantly as the toilets dont provide soap. Basically dont expect the sanitation to be like at home.

Reviewed by Barbara McKenna who travelled in May 2006 on the Nile Valley and Red Sea Sept 28th trip

Review 22

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

The Nile cruise...being on a small boat (at one point there was just our group on board) made it a real personal experience. The crew work SO hard to make life enjoyable whilst you're there. Just brilliant....especially the soft furnighing sculptures!!!

What did you think of your tour leader?

Our tour guide Jona was absolutely brilliant.....a walking encyclopedia about Egypt, organised, friendly...just what you hope your tour guide will be.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

A little...it's amazing though how few people get off their cruise boats and experience local life.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

As much as you can on such an established tourist route as the one we did. It certainly got under mine!!!

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Just go, you can't fail to love it!!!

Reviewed by Nicola Hardy who travelled in March 2008 on the Jewels of Egypt Dec 7/08 trip

Review 23

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

What did you think of your tour leader?

Our tour guide Jona was absolutely brilliant.....a walking encyclopedia about Egypt, organised, friendly...just what you hope your tour guide will be.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

A little...it's amazing though how few people get off their cruise boats and experience local life.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

As much as you can on such an established tourist route as the one we did. It certainly got under mine!!!

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Just go, you can't fail to love it!!!

Reviewed by Nicola Hardy who travelled in March 2008 on the Jewels of Egypt - Guaranteed Depart trip

Review 24

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

What did you think of your tour leader?

Our tour guide Jona was absolutely brilliant.....a walking encyclopedia about Egypt, organised, friendly...just what you hope your tour guide will be.

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

A little...it's amazing though how few people get off their cruise boats and experience local life.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

As much as you can on such an established tourist route as the one we did. It certainly got under mine!!!

What advice would you give to other travellers?

Just go, you can't fail to love it!!!

Reviewed by Nicola Hardy who travelled in March 2008 on the Jewels of Egypt - Dep 15th March trip

Egypt Forum Feedback

jewel of Egypt on may 17th

Submitted by melv on Wed, 15/04/2009 - 20:25

Hi, Here we go! I reserved for the trip JEWEL OF EGYPT on may 17th.I'm from Montréal, (Québec) and I was wondering if anybody will travel on this trip, it will be nice to talk with an other traveller before the departure because I will travel alone on this tour. I would like to know if somebody has information about the apropriate way to dress in Egypt? Thanks Mélanie

Egypt Jordan Caravan March-April 2009

Submitted by janandsteve on Fri, 06/03/2009 - 10:34

Hi, We are going on this trip from 29th March to 13th April. We were wondering how cold the weather might get when climbing Mt Sinai - just want to make sure we have the right clothing. Many thanks

Jewels of Egypt - Dep 15th March

Submitted by kiwikaileigh on Fri, 27/02/2009 - 21:12

Hiya Everyone... My partner & I have booked this tour that commences 15th March (ironically we'll be departing NZ on Friday 13th & returning April Fools...) Anyways we were just interested in getting to know some of our potential travellers before hand... P.S Our condolences go out to those injured in the recent unforeseen attack in Cairo xxoo Kaileigh & Patrick Auckland, New Zealand

egypt unveiled / alex and siwa oasis

Submitted by manda on Mon, 23/02/2009 - 05:27

hi im booked on the egypt unveiled tour leaving sat 23 may and was wondering if it is guaranteed. im also booked on the alexandria and siwa oasis tour starting 6 june also?