Magical 2 days in Luxor - We spent 2 days travelling with Marwa to Luxor, as part of a 4 day Aswan & Luxor trip. Marwa organised the private driver, the itinerary, and tickets. At Luxor we visited Hapshetsut temple, Valley of the Kings, Luxor temple and Karnak. As with our trip with her to Aswan (see my other review), she managed the timing of the temples and sites well. She knew that we like to take photos, and ensured that we were there before massive crowds (crowds are unavoidable at Karnak and Luxor, but we still went at a quieter time!). If you’re okay with a few early starts, you’ll be able to enjoy some of the sites at sunrise, before anyone arrives! We had the most magical experience at Hapshetsut temple. For Valley of the Kings, she recommended the best tombs to see, including which tombs to pay extra for, that are worth it (the main ticket only allows for 3 tombs, and some tombs have special prices as extra). On our last night, we sailed on a felucca down the Nile. This was organised last minute, and the cost was super fair. We also had 2 great local dinners, which was some of the best food we had in Egypt. It wasn’t fancy, but great home cooked, traditional food that has inspired me to look into Egyptian recipes once I’m home! For us, the 2 days were a perfect length of time and not rushed. We had enough time to learn, explore, and take photos. They are full days but for not intense for independent travellers.

Solo female traveler loved this tour!! - My tour with Marwa Hafez to Luxor was, beyond a doubt, the highlight of my time in Egypt: from the Karnak Temple to the Luxor Temple on the East Bank followed by my dream of sailing aboard a felucca at sunset on the Nile on day one to a tour of the West Bank’s incredible temple and tombs on day two - I was simply blown away. She made sure I saw all of my “must-see” sites (like Hatshepsut’s Temple (in the early morning to avoid the crowds) and Queen Nefertari’s Tomb to King Seti I, I left Luxor feeling changed by the experience. I felt safe and secure the entire time - and having a professional Egyptologist along to guide and educate me as I went was amazing. You absolutely must take a felucca ride at sunset along the Nile and, if possible, spend at least two nights in Luxor with Marwa - I only had one night and two days and, although I felt so happy, it was so amazing that I wish I extended my trip in Luxor. If you’re a solo, female traveler you will love working with Marwa. She handles everything and you can simply enjoy your trip. Cannot recommend highly enough!

Amazing 3 Day Tour in Luxor! - We spent three fantastic days in Luxor touring with Marwa, and I couldn’t be happier that we hired her as our guide. Marwa makes traveling in Egypt so easy, and you will get to see so much more than you would otherwise because all of Marwa’s knowledge and advance planning. I’ve included a description of each of our three days in Luxor with Marwa and how she made them great. Valley of the Kings, West Bank Mortuary Temples Marwa led us on a fantastic tour of Valley of the Kings on our first touring day in Egypt. With her extensive knowledge of the tombs, she was able to recommend three unique tombs for us to visit: Ramses III, Ramses IX, and Merenptah. Marwa also helped us get an additional ticket to enter the tomb of Tutankhamun, where we were able to see Tutankhamun’s mummy in its original location. Before entering the tombs, Marwa provided the necessary context and commentary to understand the paintings and reliefs we viewed in the tombs. Marwa also took us to Medinet Habu (the mortuary temple of Ramses III) and the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut. She pointed out many fascinating architectural features and painted a picture of how these temples were significant in their time. After touring, Marwa took us to an Alabaster Factory where we were able to purchase high quality, handmade souvenirs. Finally, we ended the day with a delicious, traditional Egyptian meal, enjoying Marwa’s great company. Marwa’s guidance helped us have a fantastic day discovering the West Bank in Luxor. She arranged safe, convenient transport from our hotel to the sites we visited. She was attentive to our interests throughout the day, and displayed her deep knowledge of Egyptology. The day before our first day touring with Marwa, we took the train from Cairo to Luxor. She arranged for a trusted driver to pick us up in Cairo and make sure we got on the train safely. When we made it to Luxor, she picked us up at the train stop and ensured we got safely to our hotel. Marwa’s guiding services really go above and beyond - she can help coordinate every detail of your time in Egypt. Our first day touring with Marwa was unforgettable, and we wholeheartedly recommend Marwa as a guide for your adventures in Luxor. Valley of the Queens, Valley of the Nobles, and Deir el Medina Our second day touring with Marwa was another exciting day on the Nile west bank. Marwa explained The Valley of the Queens is named for the tombs of two of Egypt's most famous Queens: Nefertari, the wife of Ramses the Great, and the (woman) King Hatshepsut. Despite the name, noble men were also buried in the valley. We saw three unique tombs in the Valley of the Queens and Marwa taught us about the ancient Egyptian concept of the soul with seven independent elements. Next, we visited the Valley of the Nobles, where Marwa showed us three more unique tombs. Each tomb Marwa led us to was unique and worthy of exploring. We really enjoyed seeing the different styles of the tombs in Valley of the Nobles, especially the tomb of Vizier Ramose with its grand columns. Finally, Marwa took us to Deir el Medina. This site features the ruins of the town where the workers that constructed the tombs lived. Also at the site are tombs of the workers. These are smaller and required us to squeeze through some tight passages, but were elaborately and beautifully painted. The site is named for the temple of Hathor which was later used by Copts as a monastery. After taking us to the tombs and discussing the significance of the site, Marwa gave us plenty of time to explore independently. We are so grateful that we got to experience this tour with Marwa. Marwa made our experience touring in Luxor easy, safe, and exciting. My partner and I wholeheartedly recommend Marwa as a guide for your adventures in Luxor. Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple, and Felucca Ride On our final day in Luxor with Marwa, we crossed to the East Bank of the Nile and visited the Temples of Luxor and Karnak. Marwa led us through the temples while painting a picture of the construction of these wonders through the millenia. Karnak Temple was crowded with big tour groups when we arrived, but Marwa expertly guided us to the back of the complex where we were able to independently explore and take photos in the Avenue of the Sphinxes with no one around. After the temples, Marwa arranged for us to take a felucca ride on the Nile. A felucca is a traditional Eastern Mediterranean sailboat that provided us a relaxing afternoon on the water. Marwa kindly brought us some snacks to enjoy while we took in the beautiful afternoon on the water. To end the day, we enjoyed a lovely meal in a great restaurant. Marwa made it easy to try many traditional dishes by ordering a fantastic spread for us. Experiencing this tour with Marwa was a great adventure. We highly recommend booking Marwa as your guide for exploring Luxor. You will have a fantastic time with the help of Marwa’s expertise and great company.

Magic in Luxor - Marwa had originally planned to have an associate guide us in Luxor. After an amazing experience touring Alexandria with Marwa, we didn't want anyone else. We asked her to fly to Luxor and meet us and she was able to accommodate us! We are so glad we did. On our first evening, we visited a modest restaurant that had to be at least 150 years old. She knew JUST where to take us. It was truly representative of a lost time. We had traditional food, eaten for hundreds of years and it could not have been better. When I go back to Luxor, I want to go here again. I wish I knew the name of the place. It was amazing. Marwa arranged for us to take a sunrise hot air balloon ride over Luxor. Everything was taken care of. A driver picked us up at the Hilton, took us to a boat to cross the Nile and to our awaiting Balloon. To describe this as magical would be unfair. The sunrise over the Luxor valley is simply indescribable and the pictures I included CANNOT do it justice. We followed the balloon ride with trips to the Valley of the Queens and then the Valley of the Kings. Marwa's knowledge of the Kings, and Queens of Egypt is spectacular. Her attention to detail and the experience of her clients are second to none. You can spend a lot more on a tour guide but you cannot do better than to have her guide you through the endless sights in Luxor. We were in Luxor over a 3 day period. We could have spent 3 months and not seen it all. Marwa was willing to take her queues from us and provided us with the experience best suited for us. We saw far too much to describe in this review. I am literally going through hundreds of pictures and they are taking me back. Seriously, this is the guide that you want. Thank you, Marwa!

Trip of a lifetime - I never expected to travel halfway around the world and meet a kindred spirit like Marwa. I have traveled many times and booked many tour guides but none have ever had such an impact on my life. Everyone should book their tours with Marwa. Not only does she possess an encyclopedic knowledge of the tombs and temples, but she also shares her life and culture. She knew exactly the right times to go to which locations so it wasn't too busy or too hot. She knew which tombs were worth the extra cost and which to skip. We started with a sunrise balloon ride (extra but so very worth it), went to hatshepsut's temple and to phenomenal tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Queens. This trip she showed me a whole new world in ancient Egypt and I found a wonderful friend.

Once in a lifetime experience with a fantastic guide. - Marwa Tours is the best for Luxor. Professional. Friendly. Extremely knowledgeable. My four friends and I explored the valley of the Queens and the “workers village/tombs” and WOW!!! Truly a once in a lifetime experience. The Nefretiri tomb is otherworldly. Please please go see it! She arranged our covid test and another local guide named Azza who helped us a ton too. A great team.

Visit Luxor with Marwa Tours - Marwa coordinated our tour in Luxor - she booked a driver and guide to take us from Aswan to Luxor - this overland route allowed us the flexibility of seeing more sites along the way and seeing more of the countryside while staying with our guide. We considered the cruise but decided the lack of flexibility wasn't worth the tradeoff. Marwa helped us plan the trip of a lifetime in Egypt. Her local guide was simply amazing. We can't say enough great things about Marwa and her staff. If you go to Egypt, don't miss Luxor and don't go with any other tour company. We had a custom experience that allowed flexibility, met our needs, and even allowed us to make changes en route. My husband decided last minute he wanted to book the balloon ride over Luxor and she was able to arrange that on 2 days notice. It was certainly the highlight of a trip full of highlights. We traveled with Marwa in December 2019.

Cairo, Aswan , Abu Simbel and Luxor 6 day trip!!! - Marwa was amazing! We had her for 6 days (+she organized our airport transfers for us). We started planning our trip around October and one of my requests was that I hear Sunday mass in a catholic church. She arranged for us to do that but we were brought to the coptic church so we told her that we didn’t need to hear mass anymore. When she realized that we were looking for a Roman Catholic church, she quickly changed the itinerary for us (she didn’t have to but we deeply appreciated this gesture). Coming up with a full itinerary was a delight bec she was very easy going and quick to respond to changes. Another thing that we requested is that as much as possible to stick with what the locals eat and she did not disappoint (no fancy restaurants, just authentic local food) We started in Cairo (day 1) — Aswan (day 2) —- Abu Simbel (day 3) —- Luxor (day 4&5) —- last minute addition Saqqara, Dashur and Memphis (day 6). She provided us with the transportation for all days and gave us recommendations for accommodations (you don’t have to take it but good to know if the hotel has good reviews by a local). Transportation was a huge deal for us because we opted not to go on a river cruise in order to maximize our time in each town and she managed the logistics perfectly. This was one of our best decisions bec my husband enjoyed the road trip from Aswan to Luxor immensely as he was able to see what real life in the countryside was (away from the touristic spots) Cairo- egyptian museum and the Giza pyramids Aswan- we did the usual high dam, philae temple, etc itinerary. But what amazed me the most was the Tombs of the Nobles where there weren’t many explorers like us. (It was a bit of a hike but worth it) Abu Simbel is a must see but we were dreading the temples being packed with other tourists. But my advice is to trust Marwa’s timeline. If she thinks a late start is better, just roll with it. And because of this we arrived right after all of the tour buses left. And the result is having the 2 temples all to ourselves. After that we just took time to take the views of the Nile River in because she likes to meditate. Luxor- All her explanations of the temples were really good (might be a good idea to brush up a little bit on ancient history bec its easy to get mixed up). The night before our road trip from Aswan to Luxor, she told us about things we didn’t include in our original itinerary that we think we might like to add (totally no pressure). She was good at giving her honest opinions on which additions were worth the money and which ones she would skip if it were up to her. So at the last minute, we added a few spots we didn’t do extensive research on (bec they cost extra to go in to) that she suggested like the tombs of king Tut, Rameses VI ( THE BEST!!!!!) in the valley of the kings and Nefertari (the aesthetic of this tomb is very different from the rest) in valley of the queens. When we were chatting with her, my husband asked what was her favorite pyramid. And when she told us about Saqqara and Dashur, we immediately asked her if she could take us there after we had landed in Cairo (from luxor). She gladly obliged. And the gamble paid off. Forget going inside the Giza pyramid (which she actually told us so we didn’t bother wasting our money here). Go inside the Red Pyramid and you’ll be awed! Its also amazing to see the first attempts of making a pyramid. All in all, she made our trip to Egypt care and worry-free, educational and fun!

I learned a lot about Egypt and its history - Day 2 & Day 3 with Marwa: Very nice days :) Marwa is an egyptologist, and you can see her knowledge. I learned a lot from her about Egypt and its history. We went to the King's Valley, Medinet Habu, Hatshepsut temple, Luxor, and Karnak temple (and even to the light show at night.) Always felt safe and had a lot of laughs together! Very recommended!