Viator for sure - Viator had the best tour package for the best price. They kept in good contact throughout. Excellent team. Of course we had to reset a couple things along the the way but they continued to be supportive and accomodating. Their drivers were always prompt and cordial, best they could with the language barriers. The guides were knowledgeable and informative. We definitely enjoyed the small group over a large tour group. It's not Viator's job, but maybe they could remind travelers to upgrade their phone plans before they travel!! You all are welcome to do your research, but I will be using Viator again.

Read this for detailed itinerary - Dates travelled – 23rd September till 2nd October 3 people in total I am writing this review to not only give others a more detailed description of this tour, but also to provide an opportunity for the tour operator to include some more details in their own Viator description, as I feel this tour does undersell itself a little. I will give a day-by-day overview, followed by some general comments. DAY 1: We arrived in Cairo one day earlier than initially expected due to a flight change which was out of our control. We messaged the tour operator using WhatsApp so that they could arrange to pick us up a day earlier, and to also provide an extra night’s accommodation. There were no issues at all. A driver was waiting for us at Cairo airport, and he drove us to Giza, as this is where the hotel is. As per the hotel, it is not a luxury hotel by most standards, but considering the location we all felt that it was sufficient. We did not need pay the driver, as this is included in the tour costs. For the extra night in Cairo we did need to pay for another night at the hotel. DAY 2: For most the start of the tour, this day will be the Pyramids. We were met at the hotel by a guide called Caesar (Sayd). To begin with, he is absolutely excellent, and I really suggest to the tour organizers to ensure he runs as many tours as possible. He really was insanely knowledgeable – he is a former high school teacher, with excellent English. After picking us up, Sayd drove us to the Pyramids, were we bought our entrance tickets. He will explain the history and show you around. For an additional ticket, you may also enter the Great Pyramid. Here you will also see the Sphinx. You will spend a few hours here, and after that you will be returned to your hotel. DAY 3: During the day, this day is free. An important thing to remember with this tour is that there is not somebody always around holding your hand and guiding you. Besides the stipulated sub-tours, you have plenty of free time to do as you wish (and trust me, that is not a bad thing). So, on this day we went to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo to see the treasures of King Tutankhamen. Personally, this is a must. Order yourself a cheap Uber and head over. You can spend hours in the museum, it is huge. Alternatively, the tour agency can arrange everything for you: just ask. You really can see whatever you like. For example, old Muslim Cairo is fantastic and fascinating as well. In the afternoon, a driver will also pick you up and take you to the train station for the night train (you do not need to pay for this, but we did give him a small tip, as it does help a little). He will hand you your tickets and ensure you safely board the train – he does not board the train. The train will go to Luxor. We did not take the sleeper train, and although you won’t get the best sleep, I still found it bearable. If you are not used to this, take the sleeper for an extra cost. Food can be bought on the train for an extra small sum. DAY 4: After sleeping on the train, you will arrive in Luxor station, early in the morning. Now things really start going. You will be met at the station by a driver, and he will drive you to your Nile River cruise boat. Once again, driver fees are included in the price of the tour. The boat was fantastic in our opinion, and was much better than we expected. It has an insanely good buffet, has a roof top pool, the room is spacious and very clean and comfortable, there is on board entertainment as well, and the staff are lovely. As a huge side note: ALL meals are included. After reading the Viator description, we though only some meals were included, but really they all are: a buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner. And the food is honestly exceptional: you will not want to (and will be way too full) to eat outside the boat. The boat was really amazing. After checking into our room and having lunch and having some time to relax by the pool, we were met by our second tour guide, Ofi. Ofi would be our guide for the next few days, and we would stay on the boat as we continued our journey. Ofi was a lovely person, and we really did appreciate his attentiveness during those few days. On this day, our guide firstly took us to Karnak Temple, and then Luxor Temple. You will need to purchase tickets at the ticketing office for both. Simply put, amazing places – once in a lifetime stuff. You will visit in the afternoon, as this is the best time to avoid the sun and you can also appreciate the golden hour of sunset. The boat will spend the evening moored in Luxor. DAY 5: Another insane and full-on day of site seeing. We had an early start, as on this day we had a hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings. This is included in the tour price, and you do not need to pay a cent more. Of course, incredible. After the hot ait ballon, our guide collected us by van. We made a stop to the Colossi of Memnon. After a quick stop, we made our way to the Valley of the Kings. You will need to buy a ticket based on the tombs you want to see. I really suggest paying a little extra and going into the tomb of Ramses V & VI. Amazing. Tomb of Tutankhamen is not the best, but is famous. After that we were taken to the Temple of Hatshepsut. After a full day of site seeing, we went back to our boat to take in the sunset and enjoy the buffet dinner. Really an unforgettable day. The boat will start making its way down to Edfu. DAY 6: We woke up in Edfu. Our guide met us in the lobby, and he then took us to the local horse and carriage that would take us to Edfu Temple. You are expected to pay a little tip at the end of the 2-way horse ride, but I guess the driver really does rely on tips to sustain himself. The temple is really magnificent. After returning to the boat, we started sailing toward Kom Ombo Temple. We moored very close to the temple, and the views were spectacular. At around 5pm, our guide escorted us to the Kom Ombo Temple, which is small but very picturesque. Dinner on the boat as usual. The boat also set sail for an overnight cruise to Aswan. DAY 7: Wake in Aswan, at 4am to take the mini-van to Abu Simbul. The journey took around 3 hours each way, but absolutely worth it. We visited the Abu Simbel Temple and also the Temple of Nefertari. It is a long journey, but one not to be missed. In the evening we took the optional Nubian village tour, and this was a pleasant change of pace. It is not a must-do, but whilst in Egypt, why not I guess? Dinner back on the boat, as well as some local Nubian entertainment on board. DAY 8: This day was less intense, and in the morning our guide collected us to take a motor boat to Philae Temple. You will need to pay for the boat ride which is a little annoying, but the temple is beautiful and quintessential Egypt by the Nile. After the temple visit, we returned back to the boat for lunch, and spent the rest of the free time chilling by and in the pool. In the evening we took the overnight train back to Cairo, which was well organized by our tour guide. It was a reluctant end of our Nile cruise. We slept on the train this night. DAY 9: Wake in Cairo, and we spent the last day at leisure. One of us decided to take the Alexandria tour (which he enjoyed), whilst I opted to stay at the hotel to simply marvel at the Pyramids from atop of the hotel roof. Basically, you can spend the day as you wish. Food is not included on this day, so you might need to either eat at the hotel or walk around 20 minutes each way to the closest restaurants (I am also sure that if you ask reception, they could organise a food delivery or taxi). You can also do laundry at the hotel for a reasonable price. DAY 10. Wake for an included breakfast, and our driver then collected us and drove us to the airport. Very smooth and no issues at all. SOOOOO… If you have read all this, just go with these guys!! You really won’t regret it. To be honest, I wrote this review because I feel that the tour company is actually underselling itself: they itinerary has so much on offer that is missed in the description. I have been to over 70 countries and have extensive travel experience, but this tour really was something else. I took literally thousands of photos… We really thank everyone we met on the trip, and we extend our thanks to Mohamed and his team. Thanks again, from Paul, Ali & Fatime.

Amazing Experience - The overall experience has been amazing. Both tour guides (Faruk and Hatem) have a passion for Egypt and history. We felt safe throughout our entire trip. Both guides accommadated the needs of the group. A recommendation is to bypass the train. It is an "experience", but isn't condusive to a great night of sleep. Highly recommend adding the night tour of Luxor.

Amazing experience! - Our trip to Egypt was amazing thanks to the organization and care of Mona. She took care of all the details. We arrived in Cairo, and our driver Sayed was ready to pick us up to take us to our hotel. Our hotel in Giza had views on the pyramids. Our trip to the pyramids was amazing, too, with a very knowledgeable guide, Ceasar. Then the cruise was amazing. Mohammed El Kady, our guide at the cruise from Luxor to Aswan, took us to several sites and was amazing. He made sure to support us in every aspect possible. Eslam Mohamed was beyond helpful with coordinating pick-ups and hotel suggestions for an additional night in Cairo. We can not be more grateful, especially with Mona. For organizing this trip since about 3 months ago, when we decided for the first time to have a tour company arrange our trip. Egypt can be hectic when you don't know the language or dynamics of how society works. With the help of this tour company, we were able to enjoy the immeasurable amount of history, culture, and magic this country offers to the world. Shukran

Experience of a lifetime!!!! - So, before I get to the tour breakdown, I wanted to summarize some key points in case you don’t feel like reading everything… Most people speak at least some English but it’s just common courtesy to learn some Egyptian Arabic, even if it’s just the very basics. We felt very safe at all times in every area we visited. Everyone was super nice and friendly and accommodating. On this tour, you will have to leave your luggage in the driver’s car – don’t worry, it’s safe! Be prepared to haggle for everything or expect to be taken advantage of. If you hit your limit, just walk away and chances are they will follow you. TIP TIP TIP TIP!!!! Egypt is a tourist destination, and everything is a service. Please consider that the average wage of most Egyptians is far below the minimum wage of your country and tipping is a way to show your appreciation for the services you receive. UPGRADE whenever you get the opportunity – highly recommend upgrading the hotel and night train reservations with this tour. Take advantage of the add-on options, you might as well cram as much into your time as possible – and you might learn something! See at least one sound & light show during your time. Try the food but be careful when you try it – consult with your tour guide as they can steer you in the right direction. Day 1-2 we began our Egypt adventure with the Viator tour. We had only been in the country for a day, so we were still very overwhelmed by it all. Our driver (Sayed) picked us up right from the hotel and took us to meet our tour guide at our first stop of the day (Citadel of Saladin). Traffic in Cairo is nuts, you need to have a good driver and Sayed was amazing. Hagar met us at the Citadel, and she was immediately likeable. Her English was very good and didn’t make fun of my limited Egyptian Arabic. She explained everything very well and was patient with all our questions. She is very sweet and fun to be around. Then it was off to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. She walked us through the museum pointing out the majority of the exhibits and giving us additional information about many of the pieces. You could tell she was very proud of her country and history, and it translated into an extremely enjoyable experience. And mummies!!! Lots and lots of mummies… She ate with us at the restaurant and then off to the Hanging Church for some amazing relics and background. Then, they dropped us at our hotel for the night. Hotel Pyramisa was beautiful and had multiple restaurants to choose from so we didn’t have to go venture out for dinner. The following day we went to Saqqara to see the step pyramids and tombs (add-on) and then to Giza for the Great Pyramids and Sphinx. They have options to camel/horseback here, but we stayed with the driver to save some time. We did go back before we left Egypt and did the camel tour option – this is a MUST do! It’s very cheap and the pictures and experience is well worth the extra time. After that we went to the train station to catch our night train to Aswan (it goes to either Luxor or Aswan first). We got to the train station about 6 hours early, and that was a mistake... Hagar and Sayed found us a small coffee shop to drop our bags off and set up a post, in addition they arranged for a policeman to look out for us while we waited and make sure that we got on the right train. However, the station is very small and not meant for waiting long amounts of time. The policeman came to get us about 20 minutes before the train arrived and got us safely situated in the right place. This was my first train ride ever, so I have no reference as to what normal is, but it was very old, and the bathrooms are not great. Again – highly recommend the upgrade to sleeping quarters… they are small but private and secure. Day 3-7 began our time aboard the Nile Crown III with our tour guide Mr. Tarek. He picked us up from the train station without delay. While we missed Hagar and Sayed, we immediately knew we had found a jewel with Mr. Tarek. Over the next 4 days we saw some of the most amazing temples and structures from Aswan to Luxor. The cruise was wonderful (cruising on the Nile!!! Can you believe it??). The cabins were more spacious than on the larger ocean cruise ships and while no balcony, we could open the large sliding-glass window and prop our feet on the railing as we watched Egypt roll by. The staff on the ship were all very friendly and most spoke English (and German!). We jam packed our time on the ship and had tours beginning early in the morning almost every day. Mr. Tarek was always prompt and respectful of our time. He is extremely knowledgeable; it is like having a professor for a tour guide. He had the answer to every question we asked and gave us background information peppered with tons of interesting tidbits that can only be cultivated with a lifetime of research and experience. He not only provided us with a never-ending supply of information, but he also welcomed our questions, often thanking us for asking things and taking time to make sure that we understood the answers. I’m a little ashamed to say that he talked himself almost hoarse answering all our questions, but he never once hesitated at the opportunity to teach us about his country’s unbelievable history. He knew exactly where to go to see things not shown on the standard tours and the perfect places to stop and get pictures. We saw other tour guides, and while I’m sure they were very good, we felt like VIPs with insider access to every single place we visited. Not only was he an amazing tour guide, but we also quickly felt like family as he checked on us every step of the way (even making sure we made it back to America safely). He was very efficient, providing a game plan for the following day each night so we knew where to be at what time and what to expect. He was never in a rush and encouraged us to take our time and really experience the special places we visited. On the one day we had a sub tour guide for an experience, he checked in often to make sure we were enjoying our time and were being taken care of. We felt like we had a constant lifeline in a country far from home and it gave us peace of mind so we could fully immerse ourselves in the experiences Egypt had to offer. Mr. Tarek was so accommodating that we only had to mention a thing that we wanted to do or see, and he would arrange it like magic. Many of his suggestions for our free time were things that even the locals enjoy doing (Banana Island for example). This provided some authentic Egyptian experiences along with the touristy things and it made us feel closer to the people and we learned some of the culture instead of just seeing the sights. This was a 10-star experience, and we are already planning our return trip as soon as possible. We enjoyed every single minute of the time we spent in Aswan and Luxor and feel like we have made lifelong friends in Mr. Tarek. Mr. Tarek arranged for his driver to wait with us for the night train from Luxor to Giza. This train ride was better than the first. We had a sink and luggage storage in this cabin, which was awesome. Day 8-9 Sayed (!!) came to meet us at the train station and brought us back to Hotel Pyramisa. We arrived about 7am. Unfortunately, they had no available rooms for early check in and we ended up waiting until 1:30pm in the lobby and various restaurants. There were many people in the same situation as us, so I’m unsure if this was because of a special event or if the hotel is normally booked to capacity. If I could do it again, I’d have booked the night before so that I could have checked in right when we arrived from the train station. The rooms are cheap compared to the US and it would have been well worth it instead of bouncing from the lobby to restaurants trying to find a place to get comfortable. As it was, we were so tired that when we finally made it to the room, we showered and slept the day away. Fortunately, the beds were comfortable, and the restaurants were open late, so it was a nice reset day. Day 9 is typically the day that they bring you to the airport, but we stayed over, so we arranged to go to the Egyptian Museum of Cairo (there’s a few museums in Cairo…). I had always wanted to go to this one, there are over 60,000 items in their inventory including the King Tutankhamun exhibit. It’s really a must see if you are into museums. Our tour guide was Farouk and again we lucked out with Sayed as our driver. We didn’t get to know Farouk as well as our other guides, but he was very knowledgeable and patient when explaining exhibits. He gave us plenty of time (we took two hours, but it wasn’t enough…I could have spent all day there!) to experience the museum on our own and then met us at the exit. We then went to the Bazaar to get the remainder of our souvenir gifts. This is a great place to get cheaper gifts, don’t expect to find super great quality. There are streets and alleys full of stores with interesting gifts for friends and family. We spent about an hour walking through the streets and maybe saw 1/8 of the available stores. After that, they dropped us at our new hotel in Giza and we said a sad goodbye to Sayed and continued our Egypt experience. Big big thank yous to Mohamed and Bassant for overseeing our whole experience and making sure we were having a great time! Hands down this was the best trip we’ve ever taken. The value for the money is outstanding and we have memories to last a lifetime…although we plan to go back to make some more!

Trip of a lifetime! - Awesome trip! Thank you Mona, travel agent, and tour guides: Farouk and Hatum for an amazing adventure! We climbed the inside the great pyramid. Rode camels, traveled through time at Karnak and Luxor temple. Walked into King Tut's tomb and three other. We adored Hatshepsut's temple. So many highlights!!! Aswan and Abu Simbel were amazing!

Once in a lifetime - The whole trip was amazing. The travel company is very responsive, and always there to help with options and questions. Our guide in Cairo, Farouk was great with everything expected from the trip, and even helped find a good local place to eat at. Our guide in Aswan and Luxor, Tarek was super friendly, experienced and always on time and providing the day schedule details in advance. We highly appreciated the detailed knowledge he had on every place we visited. I also appreciated the spice shop stop as well as the Nubian village trip. I highly recommend the trip.

Immerse yourself in history - The tour in general was a great experience. The sights, the history, the culture is absolutely fantastic. We had a truly memorable time. Our feedback for this packaged tour is mixed. The cruise was fantastic and it fully deserves a 5/5 on its own. The guide (Ahmed) was excellent and very knowledgeable. We felt we were among friends. The cruise staff was very kind and the food was top notch. The balloon trip over the Valley of the Kings was very special. The way the Cairo tour was managed was good but not as impressive. The guide in Cairo (Hagar) was excellent and very professional. She helped us sort out some issues we had regarding the strong cultural differences (driving in Cairo, constant push for tips, unexpected "offers", etc). Do not hesitate to speak with your contact person if you have any issue. In our case, Muhammed and Salwa replied very quickly and effectively. The transfers to/from airport were OK, and for instance, Farouk, one of our drivers was very patiently waiting for our delayed arrival. There was a hiccups with the air transfer from the cruise to Cairo, with a 5 and a half hour delay of the 1 hour Luxor-Cairo flight without any notification from EgyptAir (not the fault of the tour operator), that made us lose half a day. As a customer, be prepared for last minute changes in the programme, etc as the operators will not (possibly cannot) offer a fixed schedule, depending on how to arrange different customers within the same package. Overall, we would highly recommend this tour.

Awesomeness 👌 - From start to finish, our tour was excellent, despite some minor issues beyond the tour operator's control. The arrangements were well-handled by Bassant, who promptly answered questions, made changes, and provided updates throughout. Our airport pickup and hotel transfer went smoothly, and although the Paradise Oasis hotel wasn't luxurious, its friendly staff, good breakfast, and great restaurant view made up for it. Our guides were punctual, accommodating, and knowledgeable, particularly Ahmed in Aswan, who made a great impression. The only disappointment was the sleeper train, which was cramped, uncomfortable, and had poor food and bathroom facilities. We thoroughly enjoyed our Nile river cruise, which offered exceptional accommodations, outstanding service, and delicious food. The breathtaking sights were truly awe-inspiring, although the temperatures were consistently high, never dipping below 98 degrees. We're delighted to have chosen this tour with this company and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in visiting Egypt.

Interesting trip with a lot of history. - Booked a tour with Voyage Prive for eight days first two days went to view the Pyramids and museums then had a four day trip on the Nile visted many temples. It was worth the experience good food at the Hotel which was fine also good service on the river barge/boat but not sure how one could get away from the very crowded river and constant exhaust fumes from the string of accompanying boats , the trip along the river was interesting pleasant apart from the fumes. It may be possible to avoid some of the crowd on the river if you went on the trip as an individual. that way you would hire your own boat and arrange your departure to avoid some of the crowd.