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Average Rating: stars 4 half
Total Number of reviews: 1,443

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Classic Egypt with Nile Cruise (EG)
Sunset Over The NileMore Photos
  • Comfort: Standard Tooltip
  • Tour Pace: Busy Tooltip
  • Classic Explore
  • Boat Journeys
10 days land only visiting Egypt
  • from AU$817 Land only *
  • * Prices based on 2013/14 Standard Itinerary.
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Reviews

What was the highlight or most memorable moment of your tour?

"To see these ancient Egyptian sites in real after having known them from pictures for a long time.
The Pyramids and the Sphinx in their setting are stunning, going into one of them was a bonus. Abu Simbel is well worth the long drive.  The vast temple at Edfu. The amazing carvings and reliefs in many places.
The whole experience of floating up the Nile on the MS Mirage - a 5* star hotel on water with excellent facilities and delicious food."

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How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Taso our leader was excellent in every way. He is a very enthusiastic Egyptologist and brings the past to life. He is always very positive and caring. His English is very good. He organised dinners in restaurants with local specialities. He briefed us well and never tired repeating instructions because we may have forgotten them. Thanks you Taso for making this holiday memorable.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

I travelled in February and the sun shone every day with bright blue skies. But in the evening and at night it got quite cold, be prepared. We generally wore trainers rather than sandals, because the ground around sites is often very uneven. Dress modestly, cover legs and shoulders. Go on the camel ride. Enjoy life on the boat, it's very relaxing.

 

Gertrud 07 Mar 2013 10

What was the highlight or most memorable moment of your tour?

Visiting tombs and temples

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How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Taso was excellent. Nothing was too much trouble, he was knowledgable and cheerful at all times in spite of our teasing him. He really made the trip trouble free and enjoyable.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Book it as soon as possible

 

Jerry 07 Mar 2013 10

What was the highlight or most memorable moment of your tour?

The view of the Nile from atop the Nile Hotel in Aswan was stunning. Sailing boats and cruisers stretched out across the river. The balloon ride over Luxor and the Valleys was also fantastic. The camel ride was enjoyable too. Not least all the amazing pyramids, temples and tombs.

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How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Very good. He was organised, flexible and sensitive to the varying demands of the group. He kept a close eye on the political protests around Egypt and we felt completely safe.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Do it! Our main bag arrived 2 days late. Pack a day or twos clothes in your hand luggage. Be prepared for traders being aggressive when wandering through shopping districts. Politely decline as much as possible. Haggle hard if interested. Be guided by your leader regarding approximate prices you should expect to pay.

Do you have anything else to add?

Have a great time. You will

Richard Michael Johnson 02 Jan 2013 10

I had a really brilliant time. I had feared that well-known sights such as The Pyramids may disappoint and not come up to expectations, but that was definitely not the case, they were stunning. The whole holiday experience was probably helped by the fact that our group was small, only 8 in number, and because Egypt is suffering so much from lack of tourists following the riots. There was some trouble while we were there, but our really excellent tour leader, Wael Wanas, simply altered the itinerary so we saw everything we were supposed to, just in a different order.

Lack of numbers meant we were upgraded and hotels, except for Cairo, had large swimming pools, a real bonus. There were some very early starts, but they were well worth it to be at sights in the relative cool and before the (very few) other tourists. Highlights were The Pyramids, Sphinx, Abu Simbel, and my favourites, Deir-el-Medina and Medinet Habu. If you are thinking of going but have doubts - do go - you will be made so welcome and will be helping the country to get back on its feet. (EG -9th March 2011)

Barbara Barrow 27 Oct 2011
Variety of tour, bird life on the Nile, eating at local restaurants, temples far more impressive than anticipated. Be sure to have a comfortable pair of trainers to walk over rough ground and sand. (EG - 15th January 2011)
Gill Hunter 11 Feb 2011
I loved every second of this trip; the main sights - the Pyramids and the Sphinx, Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple etc were all fantastic, but some of my favourite experiences were at the less visited sites, and optional excursions.    Visiting Habu temple and the Valley of the Workers was fascinating, and Habu temple was very unique in the fact that many of the vibrant colours still remain. It was the first temple I visited in Luxor, and was my personal favourite. I also loved the visit to the Nubian village, travelling through the backwaters of the Nile showed a different side to Egypt - it was quiet, saw some beautiful scenery, lots of wildlife, and families and children playing on the banks of the Nile. And that was before we had even reached the village! It was fascinating to learn about the Nubian culture and their way of life; their hibiscus tea was also rather good! I went on to do the Western Desert extension after the tour, and the night camping out in the White Desert was simply breath taking. The whole experience was amazing, but my most memorable bit was camping out in the White Desert. The scenery was stunning, and the group and I sat on top of a rock and watched the sunset before sitting around the fire and chatting with our tour leader, Wael. My favourite bit was sleeping under the stars, amazing experience and recommend it to anyone! (EG - 8th May 2010)
Sarah Yates (Explore Staff) 31 Dec 2010
A fabulous way to travel and relax. Seeing all the main sights and experiences, but having a comfortable boat to retreat to, is definitely the ideal way to travel, but feel like you have had a bit of a 'holiday' as well. This was a truly diverse trip and highlights for me were dinner at the Nubian Village and the camel trek across the desert. Things that you siumply couldn't replicate anywhere else, and when you were doing them you absolutely knew you were in Egypt.  Having done a little bit of travel in the past, it would be wrong for me to not recognise and appreciate Wael Wanas. He is, in my view, an absolutely brilliant tour guide and really made the trip. His passion for his country really came through, and I think we had more insight into the Egyptian way of life as a result.  A word of warning -- don't go to Egypt in September if you don't like the heat! Luckily I do, and the boat with the sunlounger was the perfect way to rest in the sun for a few hours in the afternoon. The only surprise I had on this tour was the group size - much larger than I have typically experienced on tours of this nature, probably driven by the proximity to the UK. In some ways this was good in that it offered opportunity to meet a broad range of people. However, on the flip side, I did feel it inevitably took a bit longer to get to know people and in some cases this happened too late in the day. And let's face it, larger groups need everyone to do as they're asked and turn up on time. Unfortunately this wasn't always the case. (EG - 18th September 2010)
KRISTY HALPIN 31 Dec 2010
This 10 day adventure which took in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan (by bus, train, cruiseboat, calesh, air balloon, camel and donkey)  was full of more amazing things than was listed in the Explore itinerary.   From the moment we travelled through Cairo at midnight to our hotel until the very early coach journey to Luxor airport, every hour spent awake was filled with seeing and learning new facts about this amazingly beautiful country, Egypt.  The two days in Cairo were jam packed with activities. One can only stand and wonder at the majestic beauty of the Pyramids. It might come as a shock to many to see how close the city has crept up on these ancient momuments. But their presence still dominates the cityscape. One memory that will stay with me is eating (or trying to eat) lunch on the coach as it hurtled its way through the streets of Giza and Cairo. How none of us arrived at the musuem without falafal or coke down our shirts still amazes me! The Egyptian Musuem was worth the long wait in blistering  afternoon heat but so much to see in so short a time. Yet, being able to absorb the beauty of King Tut's death mask was worth the tussle through the masses.   Two days is too short a time in this enthralling Capital. It is worth a return trip undoubtedly!  Then came the sleeper train experience! Wow ! I found that the trains are driven in the same way as the cars. Very fast then a sudden, halt! Definitely no slowing down as we found out several times during that journey. Not many of us slept that night and there will be no need to mention the toilet facilities!  We had been told previously that MS Doma was unavaliable and we were upgraded to the MS Soliel. Our group shared this lovely cruise boat with a Polish party to Aswan and a Spanish party back to Luxor. The Soliel was excellent. The cabins were large with full landscape windows to take in the stunning Nile landscapes. Although we were docked most of the time and the curtains were drawn!   Whilst sailing we did spend the time up on the sundeck just lazing back watching the scenery pass by; drinking; reading and for some, taking a dip in the pool. A few of the group did take up the challenge of trying to beat our tour leader, Wael, at table tennis. But as a junior champion there was no way he was going to lose!   And there was no way we could fault the food. The chefs did an amazing job of serving up a varierty of tempting dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The soups deserve a special mention. My friend and I always had seconds!  The temples at Edfu and Kom Ombo were breath taking and we had an excellent guide. We were able to walk through Edfu back to the boat which gave us time to experience 'every day' Egypt and learn some social aspects about the people from the tour leader.  The three days in Aswan were full of various trips. My hi-light of the whole holiday being the camel trek to St. Simeon's Monastery. Absolutely loved it! It was like being in another world sat atop this camel which plodded its way over the desert landscape. Then it felt very special investigating the Monastery without the hords of other tour parties jostling to see specific details.   Another excursion worth mentioning was our dinner at the Nubian village. We had the honour of being invited into a home to hear a lecture about  Nubian culture. It was totally fasinating. And as one tour member stated, one of the best meals of the whole adventure.   It was also amazing travelling back over the Nile at night and seeing the whirlpools and eddies form as the gates opened in the dam to bring fresh water down.  Our last day back in Luxor was a little hectic to say the least! Hot air balloon rides, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and donkey trek all before lunch...Phew!   Memorable moment of that day? My friend and I being only visitors in King Tut's tomb and the guide shining his torch down the Boy Pharoah's body to show how his body had been broken when they removed all the gold. A sharp in-take of breath moment to always be remembered.  It was with a very sad heart that we had to pack up and come home but this trip will always stay fresh in the memory. Explore need to be commended for this excellent adventure. And even bigger commendation goes to our tour leader, Wael. His organistion skills were outstanding and he had the patience of a Saint (how he managed to always smile and answer question after question, I do not know!) The whole adventure was much more than I ever dreamed it would be which I am sure the rest of the group would agree on. I achieved some personal goals on this trip which I owe to Wael Wanas and the extraordinarily lovely people that made up our tour group. I  cannot recommend this trip highly enough.   Book and go now! (EG -18th September 2010)
Cherrie Waltho 16 Nov 2010

Having been inspired by a work colleague's trip to India with Explore, I decided to take a leaf out of her book and experience a solo adventure of my very own. The Nile Cruise stood out by far as I have always been fascinated with the ancient history of Egypt ever since learning about the mysterious legend of Tutankhamun at school.

I felt a mixture of fear and excitement upon arrival at Cairo airport, frantically looking out for my Tour Leader holding the Explore sign, but from the moment I got on the bus to our hotel I began chatting with the friendly people in my group and instantly felt at ease.    

From day one we were given the taste for adventure, taking in the magestic views of the Giza pyramids and magnificent Sphinx. Coming face to face with the treasure of Tutankhamun and visiting his tomb was an incredible highlight of mine, but there were so many other exciting experiences throughout the trip it became extremely difficult to choose a favourite.       

I will never forget the busy souks, loud noise and bright lights of Cairo where I had my very first Shisha (something I never expected to try but when in Cairo...) and visiting the beautiful Citadel mosque of Salah Al-Din was an honour.       

Travelling on the overnight sleeper train from Cairo to Luxor was a unique experience, not one I would necessarily want to repeat in the near future but it certainly was character building! However it was all worth it once we reached our lovely cruise boat on the Nile, which in my opinion is THE best way to see Egypt in all it's glory.       

This trip really did turn me into an adrenaline junkie much to my surprise, and by the end of the trip I had enjoyed an amazing hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings, camel and donkey trek, calesh ride, steering a Felucca and swimming in the Nile. These were all things I had only dreamt of doing beforehand so to actually experience them was the most fantastic feeling in the world.       

And this was all possible thanks to our fantastic Tour Leader Wael. I recommend this trip to everyone for the time of your life - you won't regret it! (EG -18th September 2010)

Carla Webb 16 Nov 2010
An excellent trip, the sights of Egypt are justifiably famous, and combined with the coziness of having your own Nile boat, leads to an enjoyable experience. The Abu Simbel excursion is well worth it, flying down enables you to arrive REALLY early, watching the sun come up over Lake Nasser and Abu Simbel was a highlight. On the second 'free' day in Cairo, everyone joined the optional excursions, which were worth it, especially as the Cairo hotel is far from the centre. Expect a lot of hassle as a tourist in Luxor, I much preferred Aswan as a place, as you got left alone there much more! (EG -27th March 2010)
Michael Conway 12 Nov 2010
I was suspicious when I heard the name of the hotel was the 'Pyramid View'. It sounded like typical over-selling. We arrived late at night, so imagine my thrilled surprise to wake up the next morning to discover I actually could see the Pyramids from my hotel balcony! From that moment, the trip moved from one amazing sight to another. The Pyramids, the Sphinx, Saqqara, Luxor, cruising on the Nile, Abu Simbel....the list of unforgettable sights is too long. It's a long, tiring holiday without much chance to relax, but there's simply too much to fit in to spend it by the pool! The trip to Abu Simbel might have meant getting up at 3 in the morning, but it was one of the absolute highlights of the trip and a totally unmissable experience. Tariq, our guide, was full of information and kept us all in line - despite a few cases of traveller's tummy/heatstroke! Advice for travelling in Egypt: pack a lot of sunscreen (and a nice hat!), drink water until you think you might burst, and make sure you explore every site properly. Even on the Pyramids, packed with tourists, camel tours and hawkers, we found some secluded ruins with amazing hieroglyphs with no one else around. Egypt is full of amazing history and you won't want to miss any of it. (EG - 24th April 2010)
Sarah Forrester 19 Oct 2010

The best part for me was the small friendly boat taking us down the Nile. What a lovely surprise to be able to visit the Nubian Village and being given hibiscus tea and biscuits and meeting a friendly extended Nubian family, and learning about their customs. What great cooks the crew on the boat were, and of course our tour leader Mohamad was always full of enthusiasm and was always extremely polite. (EG- 10th April 2010)

Lorraine Haines 21 Sep 2010
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