Abu Simbel Cultural Custom Private Tours & Packages Tours & Trips

What travelers are saying

"I very rarely provide negative feedback due to my sympathy for companies and their need for business. However, on this occasion, I deem it extremely important to do so, mainly due to the horrendous experience one can easily incur with Look at Egypt Tours. I booked the ‘Egypt Christian Journey: Biblical Tour of Egypt’ tour through Tourradar, with Look at Egypt Tours being the local guide. This is what I experienced: - First of all, there was nothing remotely Christian about this tour, and my guides demonstrated no knowledge of Christianity or the Christian historicity of the places that I visited. The tour manager, Waled, even had the audacity to want to book me onto a Belly Dance Nile cruise the moment I landed in Cairo. He seemed to forget that I was on a Christian pilgrimage of sorts and that I wanted to focus on my faith. - The attempt to book extra events would become the norm on Waled’s part, despite my persistent refusal. It was apparent that, right from the start, his aim was to extort as much money as possible from me. - Waled had instructed me not to exchange my Pounds Stirling beforehand and that he would take care of it. Upon reaching my hotel after my arrival in Cairo, he exchanged my money into bills of 200 Egyptian Pounds only. This was inconvenient since I needed small change for tipping. I had told him this. But he shrugged and did not seem to care. He then proceeded to ask for a tip for both him and the driver. I had no option but to hand out a huge chunk of my money. I realised that he had cleverly set this up. - My guide for Cairo and Alexandria was Mohamed, who was one of the sleaziest people I’ve encountered. He gawked at every single attractive woman that walked by and would shout at the top of his lungs to show off his English-speaking skills. He was highly dismissive and failed to answer any questions I had about the sites. I always felt like I was being spoken at rather than to. Mohamed was also rude to other tourists in public and would often barge past them. It was embarrassing being with him. He constantly smoked and grunted his way through things like an animal. - Mohamed would pick me up at the hotel in the morning and rush through the day, always ensuring that we finished around 14.00 or 15.00. On one day, when we had finished at around 13.00 and the pyramids were around the corner, I asked him to stop our bus so that I could make most of the day. He laughed and ignored me. So, I always ended up in my hotel in the early afternoon with nothing to do. Thankfully, I was at the Hilton Hotel Pyramids Golf, which is such a beautiful and tranquil place. - I had prepaid for lunch for most of my days on this tour. However, both Waled and Mohamed did their best to avoid getting lunch, and there were some days when it was skipped. On one occasion, when I raised this concern with Mohamed, he stopped the bus, hopped out, bought a sandwich from a filthy vendor, and shoved it into my hand. It was disgusting. The lunch skipping was disgraceful and was only done so that both Waled and Mohamed could pocket my prepaid money. - Both Waled and Mohammed had the vain and bizarre request of wanting their photographs taken at every site, as though they were tourists themselves. They rarely conducted themselves in a professional manner and were often too busy posing rather than guiding. - My hotel in South Sinai, the St. Catherine Plaza Hotel, was hell on earth. It had been abandoned since COVID and is now being run by what seems to be local Bedouin. Although they were pleasant, the hotel is derelict and extremely filthy. Please be aware that none of the information online about this hotel has been updated, and all the photos are old. My hotel room floor was caked in urine, and I had to live with that nauseating smell for two days. Rather than being productive and searching for an alternative, Waled merely joked about the hotel. He had failed in his due diligence of the place. - Climbing Mount Sinai is certainly not for the faint of heart and is not worth the effort. There was no mention beforehand of how strenuous it can be. It had been planned that Waled would accompany me during the hike, but he was conveniently ill that morning and could not attend. A local Bedouin boy, sweet but not handy, was hired to escort me. The hike was dangerous, and a couple of tourists got lost on the way. After a total of 8 hours of a horrendous hike, I returned to find Waled miraculously recovered. He then had the audacity to ask me for money for the Bedouin boy, whom I had already tipped. - I finally confronted Waled about my bad time during the tour and came close to asking for a refund, especially for my missed lunches. He laughed and denied that I was owed lunch. But he was quickly silenced when I showed him my original itinerary from Tourradar, the very same itinerary he had. I then had the last laugh by forcing him to pay for my last hotel meal. - The only good thing about Look at Egypt Tours was the bus driver on this tour. Ebrahim was such a gentleman and did more than Waled and Mohamed could. He saw how tired and distressed I was at times and did his best to cheer me up, going so far as to buy me breakfast and water. I shamed Waled with this, but he only laughed and called Ebrahim nothing but a bus driver. It is clear that I will never use Look at Egypt Tours again. I have had an amazing experience with Tourradar in the past, so it was certainly not their fault. They should, however, do a thorough review of Look at Egypt Tours. It’s amazing how one tour company can have the power to put you off an entire country. They should be called ‘Never Look Back at Egypt’ Tours. Do not use this company."

What travelers are saying

"I very rarely provide negative feedback due to my sympathy for companies and their need for business. However, on this occasion, I deem it extremely important to do so, mainly due to the horrendous experience one can easily incur with Look at Egypt Tours. I booked the ‘Egypt Christian Journey: Biblical Tour of Egypt’ tour through Tourradar, with Look at Egypt Tours being the local guide. This is what I experienced: - First of all, there was nothing remotely Christian about this tour, and my guides demonstrated no knowledge of Christianity or the Christian historicity of the places that I visited. The tour manager, Waled, even had the audacity to want to book me onto a Belly Dance Nile cruise the moment I landed in Cairo. He seemed to forget that I was on a Christian pilgrimage of sorts and that I wanted to focus on my faith. - The attempt to book extra events would become the norm on Waled’s part, despite my persistent refusal. It was apparent that, right from the start, his aim was to extort as much money as possible from me. - Waled had instructed me not to exchange my Pounds Stirling beforehand and that he would take care of it. Upon reaching my hotel after my arrival in Cairo, he exchanged my money into bills of 200 Egyptian Pounds only. This was inconvenient since I needed small change for tipping. I had told him this. But he shrugged and did not seem to care. He then proceeded to ask for a tip for both him and the driver. I had no option but to hand out a huge chunk of my money. I realised that he had cleverly set this up. - My guide for Cairo and Alexandria was Mohamed, who was one of the sleaziest people I’ve encountered. He gawked at every single attractive woman that walked by and would shout at the top of his lungs to show off his English-speaking skills. He was highly dismissive and failed to answer any questions I had about the sites. I always felt like I was being spoken at rather than to. Mohamed was also rude to other tourists in public and would often barge past them. It was embarrassing being with him. He constantly smoked and grunted his way through things like an animal. - Mohamed would pick me up at the hotel in the morning and rush through the day, always ensuring that we finished around 14.00 or 15.00. On one day, when we had finished at around 13.00 and the pyramids were around the corner, I asked him to stop our bus so that I could make most of the day. He laughed and ignored me. So, I always ended up in my hotel in the early afternoon with nothing to do. Thankfully, I was at the Hilton Hotel Pyramids Golf, which is such a beautiful and tranquil place. - I had prepaid for lunch for most of my days on this tour. However, both Waled and Mohamed did their best to avoid getting lunch, and there were some days when it was skipped. On one occasion, when I raised this concern with Mohamed, he stopped the bus, hopped out, bought a sandwich from a filthy vendor, and shoved it into my hand. It was disgusting. The lunch skipping was disgraceful and was only done so that both Waled and Mohamed could pocket my prepaid money. - Both Waled and Mohammed had the vain and bizarre request of wanting their photographs taken at every site, as though they were tourists themselves. They rarely conducted themselves in a professional manner and were often too busy posing rather than guiding. - My hotel in South Sinai, the St. Catherine Plaza Hotel, was hell on earth. It had been abandoned since COVID and is now being run by what seems to be local Bedouin. Although they were pleasant, the hotel is derelict and extremely filthy. Please be aware that none of the information online about this hotel has been updated, and all the photos are old. My hotel room floor was caked in urine, and I had to live with that nauseating smell for two days. Rather than being productive and searching for an alternative, Waled merely joked about the hotel. He had failed in his due diligence of the place. - Climbing Mount Sinai is certainly not for the faint of heart and is not worth the effort. There was no mention beforehand of how strenuous it can be. It had been planned that Waled would accompany me during the hike, but he was conveniently ill that morning and could not attend. A local Bedouin boy, sweet but not handy, was hired to escort me. The hike was dangerous, and a couple of tourists got lost on the way. After a total of 8 hours of a horrendous hike, I returned to find Waled miraculously recovered. He then had the audacity to ask me for money for the Bedouin boy, whom I had already tipped. - I finally confronted Waled about my bad time during the tour and came close to asking for a refund, especially for my missed lunches. He laughed and denied that I was owed lunch. But he was quickly silenced when I showed him my original itinerary from Tourradar, the very same itinerary he had. I then had the last laugh by forcing him to pay for my last hotel meal. - The only good thing about Look at Egypt Tours was the bus driver on this tour. Ebrahim was such a gentleman and did more than Waled and Mohamed could. He saw how tired and distressed I was at times and did his best to cheer me up, going so far as to buy me breakfast and water. I shamed Waled with this, but he only laughed and called Ebrahim nothing but a bus driver. It is clear that I will never use Look at Egypt Tours again. I have had an amazing experience with Tourradar in the past, so it was certainly not their fault. They should, however, do a thorough review of Look at Egypt Tours. It’s amazing how one tour company can have the power to put you off an entire country. They should be called ‘Never Look Back at Egypt’ Tours. Do not use this company."

What travelers are saying

"I very rarely provide negative feedback due to my sympathy for companies and their need for business. However, on this occasion, I deem it extremely important to do so, mainly due to the horrendous experience one can easily incur with Look at Egypt Tours. I booked the ‘Egypt Christian Journey: Biblical Tour of Egypt’ tour through Tourradar, with Look at Egypt Tours being the local guide. This is what I experienced: - First of all, there was nothing remotely Christian about this tour, and my guides demonstrated no knowledge of Christianity or the Christian historicity of the places that I visited. The tour manager, Waled, even had the audacity to want to book me onto a Belly Dance Nile cruise the moment I landed in Cairo. He seemed to forget that I was on a Christian pilgrimage of sorts and that I wanted to focus on my faith. - The attempt to book extra events would become the norm on Waled’s part, despite my persistent refusal. It was apparent that, right from the start, his aim was to extort as much money as possible from me. - Waled had instructed me not to exchange my Pounds Stirling beforehand and that he would take care of it. Upon reaching my hotel after my arrival in Cairo, he exchanged my money into bills of 200 Egyptian Pounds only. This was inconvenient since I needed small change for tipping. I had told him this. But he shrugged and did not seem to care. He then proceeded to ask for a tip for both him and the driver. I had no option but to hand out a huge chunk of my money. I realised that he had cleverly set this up. - My guide for Cairo and Alexandria was Mohamed, who was one of the sleaziest people I’ve encountered. He gawked at every single attractive woman that walked by and would shout at the top of his lungs to show off his English-speaking skills. He was highly dismissive and failed to answer any questions I had about the sites. I always felt like I was being spoken at rather than to. Mohamed was also rude to other tourists in public and would often barge past them. It was embarrassing being with him. He constantly smoked and grunted his way through things like an animal. - Mohamed would pick me up at the hotel in the morning and rush through the day, always ensuring that we finished around 14.00 or 15.00. On one day, when we had finished at around 13.00 and the pyramids were around the corner, I asked him to stop our bus so that I could make most of the day. He laughed and ignored me. So, I always ended up in my hotel in the early afternoon with nothing to do. Thankfully, I was at the Hilton Hotel Pyramids Golf, which is such a beautiful and tranquil place. - I had prepaid for lunch for most of my days on this tour. However, both Waled and Mohamed did their best to avoid getting lunch, and there were some days when it was skipped. On one occasion, when I raised this concern with Mohamed, he stopped the bus, hopped out, bought a sandwich from a filthy vendor, and shoved it into my hand. It was disgusting. The lunch skipping was disgraceful and was only done so that both Waled and Mohamed could pocket my prepaid money. - Both Waled and Mohammed had the vain and bizarre request of wanting their photographs taken at every site, as though they were tourists themselves. They rarely conducted themselves in a professional manner and were often too busy posing rather than guiding. - My hotel in South Sinai, the St. Catherine Plaza Hotel, was hell on earth. It had been abandoned since COVID and is now being run by what seems to be local Bedouin. Although they were pleasant, the hotel is derelict and extremely filthy. Please be aware that none of the information online about this hotel has been updated, and all the photos are old. My hotel room floor was caked in urine, and I had to live with that nauseating smell for two days. Rather than being productive and searching for an alternative, Waled merely joked about the hotel. He had failed in his due diligence of the place. - Climbing Mount Sinai is certainly not for the faint of heart and is not worth the effort. There was no mention beforehand of how strenuous it can be. It had been planned that Waled would accompany me during the hike, but he was conveniently ill that morning and could not attend. A local Bedouin boy, sweet but not handy, was hired to escort me. The hike was dangerous, and a couple of tourists got lost on the way. After a total of 8 hours of a horrendous hike, I returned to find Waled miraculously recovered. He then had the audacity to ask me for money for the Bedouin boy, whom I had already tipped. - I finally confronted Waled about my bad time during the tour and came close to asking for a refund, especially for my missed lunches. He laughed and denied that I was owed lunch. But he was quickly silenced when I showed him my original itinerary from Tourradar, the very same itinerary he had. I then had the last laugh by forcing him to pay for my last hotel meal. - The only good thing about Look at Egypt Tours was the bus driver on this tour. Ebrahim was such a gentleman and did more than Waled and Mohamed could. He saw how tired and distressed I was at times and did his best to cheer me up, going so far as to buy me breakfast and water. I shamed Waled with this, but he only laughed and called Ebrahim nothing but a bus driver. It is clear that I will never use Look at Egypt Tours again. I have had an amazing experience with Tourradar in the past, so it was certainly not their fault. They should, however, do a thorough review of Look at Egypt Tours. It’s amazing how one tour company can have the power to put you off an entire country. They should be called ‘Never Look Back at Egypt’ Tours. Do not use this company."

What travelers are saying

"Hi, it was delight to deal with Yuksel Tasdemir from Ada Vegas Travel in Turkey, the guides were very well informed and also great tour company. We were very impressed with every thing that we saw and have done. There were many highlights that it is impossible to name any one in particular. Hotels picked were fantastic. Tours were well organised and transfers and vehicles used were fantastic. I was surprised to find out that Turkish Air was one of the top 10 airlines in the world, which was very very comfortable with our domestic flights. I would choose Ada Vegas Travel again in a heart beat! Great tour company in Turkey, great staff. Thanks for making our holiday memorable."

What travelers are saying

"An amazing Egypian Trip My mom and I had an amazing 10 day experience visiting the cities of Cairo, Luxor, Baharyia, and Aswan in Egypt. A friend recommended using Jakada Tours Egypt and connected me with Ahmed. As soon as I contacted Ahmed, I can see why he raved about him. He was professional, personable, responded to emails in a timely manner, provided a detailed itinerary, and helpful in every way possible from the beginning of the trip to taking us to the airport. We arrived in Cairo in the late evening, picked up visas, exchanged money, found Sherif our tour guide, and were on our way to the Cairo Pyramids Valley hotel where we stayed for 3 nights. The owner Ahmed checked us in, took us to the rooftop for Hibiscus tea, great conversation, and watched a light show projected on the pyramids. The hotel was nice, clean, had hot water, room was a decent size, served breakfast, had a great view of the pyramids, and was near lots of shops and restaurants. In Cairo, Sherif Khattab took us through the city explaining the culture, food, people, and the history of the Pyramids of Kings Cheops, Chephren, Menkaure, the Sphinx, Saqqara, the capital Memphis, Egyptian Museum, and a walking tour of the Khan el Khalili Bazaar. The open air museum and the pyramids were breathtaking. The process in which the pyramids were built and how it was structured was just unbelievable. Climbing the pyramid was a once in a lifetime experience. Learning how papyrus was made was an interesting process. Sherif introduced Falafel with eggplant in what we would call a pita bread and OMG it was delicious. As I tried it my mom gave me the side eye because she could never get me to try eggplant when she cooked it. Now I love it! We ate at local restaurants where they served different types of grilled meats and chicken, salad, falafel, and fresh fruit drinks. My favorite drink was the fresh mint lemonade. The food was delicious, hot, and filling. After a long day, we slept in an overnight sleeper train. I am so happy I Youtubed this experience so I would know what to expect. The bottom seat turns into a bed, the ladder for the top bunk is underneath, the trays to eat food hook into the sides of the train, the sink will be right at your stomach as soon as you stand up from sitting down, the radio doesn’t work, you will use a community bathroom, no showers, lighting is ok...just use your cell phone if you need to, no internet so don’t expect it, food was baked chicken, rice, vegetables, drinks, and desert. It was relaxing, clean, fun, and served its purpose. I repeat this is not a luxury train, it is only to get you to your next destination. In Luxor we met our new tour guide Ahmed and we hit the ground running. Ahmed was detail oriented, friendly, knowledgeable, professional, and personable. We visited the Valley of the Kings which comprised of: Rameses III & IV Merenptah, and the Tomb of Tut Ankh Amun which was one of my favorites. To see the original skull and feet...WOW! We were in awe of the colorful and creative artwork that told a story on the walls of every tomb and how well it’s preserved. The tombs are built underground into mountains which was shocking. The Temple of Hatshepsut displayed huge statues of Kings and Queens with the walls full of art work. The time and energy spent to sculpt these kings and queens is unimaginable. We began Christmas morning with a short boat ride with tea and snacks to take a ride on a hot air balloon. To see how the balloon inflates, to flying high in the sky, the breathless views, waving at the kids chasing the balloon as we passed through different areas, landing in patch of sugarcane, greeted by armed security, watching the process of how the balloon deflates and transported until our ride arrived. Visited the Karnak Temple Complex and ended the day with a relaxing boat ride in the Nile. The hotel was clean, had hot water, accessible to shops and restaurants on the street, and had a beautiful view of the Nile River. In Aswan we had the same tour guide and visited other temples such as King Ramses II and Queen Nefertari, Nubian monuments, and a Felucca ride around the islands of Aswan. To be in the land of the original Nubian people and learning the history was incredible eye-opening. Train ride back to Cairo. Our final attraction was the Bahariya Oasis White Desert and Black & White Desert Oasis which was picturesque with Sherif Khattab our first tour guide. The drive was relaxing and we ate lunch at the home of our desert tour guide. His wife prepared a delicious spread of chicken and vegetables. He was friendly and hospitable even though we spoke different languages we still understood each other. We did not do the overnight stay in the desert and glad we didn’t because the temperature dropped that night. Instead, we stayed at a hotel not too far away. The hotel was clean, had hot water, and the food was once again delicious. Overall, this trip was once in a lifetime. The tour exceeded my expectations, the information was invaluable, and Ahmad took great care of us. Other tidbits - the weather is cool in the morning but warms up by 11 and can get cold at night so make sure you layer up - if you sleep in the desert, just remember there is no bathrooms and it can get COLD - bring a bucket hat for the sun - bring tissues, wipes, hand sanitizer, snacks for the road/train trips - bring toilet paper (2 rolls) some bathrooms do not have toilet paper or people will try to charge you for it - do not allow anyone to do anything for you (ex: take pictures, ask directions, carry your bags through the train station, or assist you in any way) since a tip will be expected - do not feel pressured by store owners to buy anything - don’t be afraid to bargain and negotiate prices up front"

What travelers are saying

"I very rarely provide negative feedback due to my sympathy for companies and their need for business. However, on this occasion, I deem it extremely important to do so, mainly due to the horrendous experience one can easily incur with Look at Egypt Tours. I booked the ‘Egypt Christian Journey: Biblical Tour of Egypt’ tour through Tourradar, with Look at Egypt Tours being the local guide. This is what I experienced: - First of all, there was nothing remotely Christian about this tour, and my guides demonstrated no knowledge of Christianity or the Christian historicity of the places that I visited. The tour manager, Waled, even had the audacity to want to book me onto a Belly Dance Nile cruise the moment I landed in Cairo. He seemed to forget that I was on a Christian pilgrimage of sorts and that I wanted to focus on my faith. - The attempt to book extra events would become the norm on Waled’s part, despite my persistent refusal. It was apparent that, right from the start, his aim was to extort as much money as possible from me. - Waled had instructed me not to exchange my Pounds Stirling beforehand and that he would take care of it. Upon reaching my hotel after my arrival in Cairo, he exchanged my money into bills of 200 Egyptian Pounds only. This was inconvenient since I needed small change for tipping. I had told him this. But he shrugged and did not seem to care. He then proceeded to ask for a tip for both him and the driver. I had no option but to hand out a huge chunk of my money. I realised that he had cleverly set this up. - My guide for Cairo and Alexandria was Mohamed, who was one of the sleaziest people I’ve encountered. He gawked at every single attractive woman that walked by and would shout at the top of his lungs to show off his English-speaking skills. He was highly dismissive and failed to answer any questions I had about the sites. I always felt like I was being spoken at rather than to. Mohamed was also rude to other tourists in public and would often barge past them. It was embarrassing being with him. He constantly smoked and grunted his way through things like an animal. - Mohamed would pick me up at the hotel in the morning and rush through the day, always ensuring that we finished around 14.00 or 15.00. On one day, when we had finished at around 13.00 and the pyramids were around the corner, I asked him to stop our bus so that I could make most of the day. He laughed and ignored me. So, I always ended up in my hotel in the early afternoon with nothing to do. Thankfully, I was at the Hilton Hotel Pyramids Golf, which is such a beautiful and tranquil place. - I had prepaid for lunch for most of my days on this tour. However, both Waled and Mohamed did their best to avoid getting lunch, and there were some days when it was skipped. On one occasion, when I raised this concern with Mohamed, he stopped the bus, hopped out, bought a sandwich from a filthy vendor, and shoved it into my hand. It was disgusting. The lunch skipping was disgraceful and was only done so that both Waled and Mohamed could pocket my prepaid money. - Both Waled and Mohammed had the vain and bizarre request of wanting their photographs taken at every site, as though they were tourists themselves. They rarely conducted themselves in a professional manner and were often too busy posing rather than guiding. - My hotel in South Sinai, the St. Catherine Plaza Hotel, was hell on earth. It had been abandoned since COVID and is now being run by what seems to be local Bedouin. Although they were pleasant, the hotel is derelict and extremely filthy. Please be aware that none of the information online about this hotel has been updated, and all the photos are old. My hotel room floor was caked in urine, and I had to live with that nauseating smell for two days. Rather than being productive and searching for an alternative, Waled merely joked about the hotel. He had failed in his due diligence of the place. - Climbing Mount Sinai is certainly not for the faint of heart and is not worth the effort. There was no mention beforehand of how strenuous it can be. It had been planned that Waled would accompany me during the hike, but he was conveniently ill that morning and could not attend. A local Bedouin boy, sweet but not handy, was hired to escort me. The hike was dangerous, and a couple of tourists got lost on the way. After a total of 8 hours of a horrendous hike, I returned to find Waled miraculously recovered. He then had the audacity to ask me for money for the Bedouin boy, whom I had already tipped. - I finally confronted Waled about my bad time during the tour and came close to asking for a refund, especially for my missed lunches. He laughed and denied that I was owed lunch. But he was quickly silenced when I showed him my original itinerary from Tourradar, the very same itinerary he had. I then had the last laugh by forcing him to pay for my last hotel meal. - The only good thing about Look at Egypt Tours was the bus driver on this tour. Ebrahim was such a gentleman and did more than Waled and Mohamed could. He saw how tired and distressed I was at times and did his best to cheer me up, going so far as to buy me breakfast and water. I shamed Waled with this, but he only laughed and called Ebrahim nothing but a bus driver. It is clear that I will never use Look at Egypt Tours again. I have had an amazing experience with Tourradar in the past, so it was certainly not their fault. They should, however, do a thorough review of Look at Egypt Tours. It’s amazing how one tour company can have the power to put you off an entire country. They should be called ‘Never Look Back at Egypt’ Tours. Do not use this company."

What travelers are saying

"An amazing Egypian Trip My mom and I had an amazing 10 day experience visiting the cities of Cairo, Luxor, Baharyia, and Aswan in Egypt. A friend recommended using Jakada Tours Egypt and connected me with Ahmed. As soon as I contacted Ahmed, I can see why he raved about him. He was professional, personable, responded to emails in a timely manner, provided a detailed itinerary, and helpful in every way possible from the beginning of the trip to taking us to the airport. We arrived in Cairo in the late evening, picked up visas, exchanged money, found Sherif our tour guide, and were on our way to the Cairo Pyramids Valley hotel where we stayed for 3 nights. The owner Ahmed checked us in, took us to the rooftop for Hibiscus tea, great conversation, and watched a light show projected on the pyramids. The hotel was nice, clean, had hot water, room was a decent size, served breakfast, had a great view of the pyramids, and was near lots of shops and restaurants. In Cairo, Sherif Khattab took us through the city explaining the culture, food, people, and the history of the Pyramids of Kings Cheops, Chephren, Menkaure, the Sphinx, Saqqara, the capital Memphis, Egyptian Museum, and a walking tour of the Khan el Khalili Bazaar. The open air museum and the pyramids were breathtaking. The process in which the pyramids were built and how it was structured was just unbelievable. Climbing the pyramid was a once in a lifetime experience. Learning how papyrus was made was an interesting process. Sherif introduced Falafel with eggplant in what we would call a pita bread and OMG it was delicious. As I tried it my mom gave me the side eye because she could never get me to try eggplant when she cooked it. Now I love it! We ate at local restaurants where they served different types of grilled meats and chicken, salad, falafel, and fresh fruit drinks. My favorite drink was the fresh mint lemonade. The food was delicious, hot, and filling. After a long day, we slept in an overnight sleeper train. I am so happy I Youtubed this experience so I would know what to expect. The bottom seat turns into a bed, the ladder for the top bunk is underneath, the trays to eat food hook into the sides of the train, the sink will be right at your stomach as soon as you stand up from sitting down, the radio doesn’t work, you will use a community bathroom, no showers, lighting is ok...just use your cell phone if you need to, no internet so don’t expect it, food was baked chicken, rice, vegetables, drinks, and desert. It was relaxing, clean, fun, and served its purpose. I repeat this is not a luxury train, it is only to get you to your next destination. In Luxor we met our new tour guide Ahmed and we hit the ground running. Ahmed was detail oriented, friendly, knowledgeable, professional, and personable. We visited the Valley of the Kings which comprised of: Rameses III & IV Merenptah, and the Tomb of Tut Ankh Amun which was one of my favorites. To see the original skull and feet...WOW! We were in awe of the colorful and creative artwork that told a story on the walls of every tomb and how well it’s preserved. The tombs are built underground into mountains which was shocking. The Temple of Hatshepsut displayed huge statues of Kings and Queens with the walls full of art work. The time and energy spent to sculpt these kings and queens is unimaginable. We began Christmas morning with a short boat ride with tea and snacks to take a ride on a hot air balloon. To see how the balloon inflates, to flying high in the sky, the breathless views, waving at the kids chasing the balloon as we passed through different areas, landing in patch of sugarcane, greeted by armed security, watching the process of how the balloon deflates and transported until our ride arrived. Visited the Karnak Temple Complex and ended the day with a relaxing boat ride in the Nile. The hotel was clean, had hot water, accessible to shops and restaurants on the street, and had a beautiful view of the Nile River. In Aswan we had the same tour guide and visited other temples such as King Ramses II and Queen Nefertari, Nubian monuments, and a Felucca ride around the islands of Aswan. To be in the land of the original Nubian people and learning the history was incredible eye-opening. Train ride back to Cairo. Our final attraction was the Bahariya Oasis White Desert and Black & White Desert Oasis which was picturesque with Sherif Khattab our first tour guide. The drive was relaxing and we ate lunch at the home of our desert tour guide. His wife prepared a delicious spread of chicken and vegetables. He was friendly and hospitable even though we spoke different languages we still understood each other. We did not do the overnight stay in the desert and glad we didn’t because the temperature dropped that night. Instead, we stayed at a hotel not too far away. The hotel was clean, had hot water, and the food was once again delicious. Overall, this trip was once in a lifetime. The tour exceeded my expectations, the information was invaluable, and Ahmad took great care of us. Other tidbits - the weather is cool in the morning but warms up by 11 and can get cold at night so make sure you layer up - if you sleep in the desert, just remember there is no bathrooms and it can get COLD - bring a bucket hat for the sun - bring tissues, wipes, hand sanitizer, snacks for the road/train trips - bring toilet paper (2 rolls) some bathrooms do not have toilet paper or people will try to charge you for it - do not allow anyone to do anything for you (ex: take pictures, ask directions, carry your bags through the train station, or assist you in any way) since a tip will be expected - do not feel pressured by store owners to buy anything - don’t be afraid to bargain and negotiate prices up front"

What travelers are saying

"An amazing Egypian Trip My mom and I had an amazing 10 day experience visiting the cities of Cairo, Luxor, Baharyia, and Aswan in Egypt. A friend recommended using Jakada Tours Egypt and connected me with Ahmed. As soon as I contacted Ahmed, I can see why he raved about him. He was professional, personable, responded to emails in a timely manner, provided a detailed itinerary, and helpful in every way possible from the beginning of the trip to taking us to the airport. We arrived in Cairo in the late evening, picked up visas, exchanged money, found Sherif our tour guide, and were on our way to the Cairo Pyramids Valley hotel where we stayed for 3 nights. The owner Ahmed checked us in, took us to the rooftop for Hibiscus tea, great conversation, and watched a light show projected on the pyramids. The hotel was nice, clean, had hot water, room was a decent size, served breakfast, had a great view of the pyramids, and was near lots of shops and restaurants. In Cairo, Sherif Khattab took us through the city explaining the culture, food, people, and the history of the Pyramids of Kings Cheops, Chephren, Menkaure, the Sphinx, Saqqara, the capital Memphis, Egyptian Museum, and a walking tour of the Khan el Khalili Bazaar. The open air museum and the pyramids were breathtaking. The process in which the pyramids were built and how it was structured was just unbelievable. Climbing the pyramid was a once in a lifetime experience. Learning how papyrus was made was an interesting process. Sherif introduced Falafel with eggplant in what we would call a pita bread and OMG it was delicious. As I tried it my mom gave me the side eye because she could never get me to try eggplant when she cooked it. Now I love it! We ate at local restaurants where they served different types of grilled meats and chicken, salad, falafel, and fresh fruit drinks. My favorite drink was the fresh mint lemonade. The food was delicious, hot, and filling. After a long day, we slept in an overnight sleeper train. I am so happy I Youtubed this experience so I would know what to expect. The bottom seat turns into a bed, the ladder for the top bunk is underneath, the trays to eat food hook into the sides of the train, the sink will be right at your stomach as soon as you stand up from sitting down, the radio doesn’t work, you will use a community bathroom, no showers, lighting is ok...just use your cell phone if you need to, no internet so don’t expect it, food was baked chicken, rice, vegetables, drinks, and desert. It was relaxing, clean, fun, and served its purpose. I repeat this is not a luxury train, it is only to get you to your next destination. In Luxor we met our new tour guide Ahmed and we hit the ground running. Ahmed was detail oriented, friendly, knowledgeable, professional, and personable. We visited the Valley of the Kings which comprised of: Rameses III & IV Merenptah, and the Tomb of Tut Ankh Amun which was one of my favorites. To see the original skull and feet...WOW! We were in awe of the colorful and creative artwork that told a story on the walls of every tomb and how well it’s preserved. The tombs are built underground into mountains which was shocking. The Temple of Hatshepsut displayed huge statues of Kings and Queens with the walls full of art work. The time and energy spent to sculpt these kings and queens is unimaginable. We began Christmas morning with a short boat ride with tea and snacks to take a ride on a hot air balloon. To see how the balloon inflates, to flying high in the sky, the breathless views, waving at the kids chasing the balloon as we passed through different areas, landing in patch of sugarcane, greeted by armed security, watching the process of how the balloon deflates and transported until our ride arrived. Visited the Karnak Temple Complex and ended the day with a relaxing boat ride in the Nile. The hotel was clean, had hot water, accessible to shops and restaurants on the street, and had a beautiful view of the Nile River. In Aswan we had the same tour guide and visited other temples such as King Ramses II and Queen Nefertari, Nubian monuments, and a Felucca ride around the islands of Aswan. To be in the land of the original Nubian people and learning the history was incredible eye-opening. Train ride back to Cairo. Our final attraction was the Bahariya Oasis White Desert and Black & White Desert Oasis which was picturesque with Sherif Khattab our first tour guide. The drive was relaxing and we ate lunch at the home of our desert tour guide. His wife prepared a delicious spread of chicken and vegetables. He was friendly and hospitable even though we spoke different languages we still understood each other. We did not do the overnight stay in the desert and glad we didn’t because the temperature dropped that night. Instead, we stayed at a hotel not too far away. The hotel was clean, had hot water, and the food was once again delicious. Overall, this trip was once in a lifetime. The tour exceeded my expectations, the information was invaluable, and Ahmad took great care of us. Other tidbits - the weather is cool in the morning but warms up by 11 and can get cold at night so make sure you layer up - if you sleep in the desert, just remember there is no bathrooms and it can get COLD - bring a bucket hat for the sun - bring tissues, wipes, hand sanitizer, snacks for the road/train trips - bring toilet paper (2 rolls) some bathrooms do not have toilet paper or people will try to charge you for it - do not allow anyone to do anything for you (ex: take pictures, ask directions, carry your bags through the train station, or assist you in any way) since a tip will be expected - do not feel pressured by store owners to buy anything - don’t be afraid to bargain and negotiate prices up front"