That's all i say, it was one of the most beautiful holiday i have been on, it was gift from my children Dev and Riky for my 50th Birthday, and mu husband Dilip's birthday as well.
I contacted Memphis Tours to visit the Valley of the Kings, to see the Tutankhamun tomb, that's all i knew! Mohamed Sakr contacted me straightaway, and from that moment i was in good hands, he took all my details, made all the arrangements for all of us, it would have been our first time in Egypt, so had no idea, but Mohamed took over and organised the whole trip and best package deal, from being picked up by the very friendly guide and taken to the Sharm El Shiekh Airport and met at Luxor, the whole was just beautiful and charming, everything was planned nicely, lovely tour guide called Iman, and the driver taking us everywhere was so professional and friendly, we felt at home all day. We left Luxor with lovely memeories.
I would recommend Mohamed Sakr/Memphis tours, and we are already looking forward on plannin gour next trip back to Egypt, and visiting the other areas with Mephis Tours, i know Mohamed will look after our family.
Best wishes
Ameeta Chauhan
London
The Best of Egypt: Cairo, Nile Cruise & Sharm El Sheikh
Overview
Duration
12 Days
11 Nights
Countries
1 Country
7 Cities
Type
Private Tour
English Speaking Guide
Run:
Monday, Wednesday & Friday
Enjoy the perfect combination of Egyptian culture and relaxation. This trip is ideal for those who want to have a taste of Egypt’s wonderful sites, as well as a good time to relax in Sharm El Sheikh. Experience the best of Egypt and indulge yourself in a vacation to Egypt visiting Pyramids of Giza, Sakkara and the Egyptian Museum. Fly to Luxor afterwards to explore top sights cruising the Nile from Luxor to Aswan. Then, loose yourself and relax on the beach of the Red Sea in Sharm El Sheikh. Plenty of activities and tours into the desert and mountains of Sinai await you.
Included
- Meet and greet service by our representatives at airports
- Assistance of our guest relations during your stay
- All transfers by a private air-conditioned vehicle
- Domestic flight (Cairo/ Luxor – Aswan /Sharm - Cairo)
- Accommodation for 4 nights in Cairo including bed and breakfast
- Accommodation for 4 nights on a 5 star superior cruise on full board
- Accommodation for 3 nights in Sharm El Sheikh including bed & breakfast
- All sightseeing tours in Cairo (Private Guided Tours)
- All sightseeing tours on the cruise sharing Memphis Tours group
- Entrance fees to all sites as indicated on the itinerary
- Bottled water during outings outside of hotel or cruise ship
- Meals at hotels, Nile Cruise and during tours as mentioned in the itinerary
- Portage when needed
- All service charges and taxes
Excluded
- International Airfare
- Entry visa to Egypt
- Any optional tours
- Personal spendings
- Tipping
Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Land of Pharaohs
Your tour manager will meet and assist you at Cairo International Airport (arrival procedures) and then he will escort you to the hotel by exclusive air-conditioned deluxe vehicle. At the hotel, the tour manager will assist with a smooth check-in and review your holiday itinerary with you to establish and confirm pick-up times for each tour.
Overnight in Cairo.
Day 2: Visiting the Pyramids & Sakkara
After enjoying a delicious wholesome Egyptian breakfast, your personal guide will take you to the Giza Plateau to start your journey by marveling at one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramids of Giza. Take a walk around the Plateau and visit the iconic Sphinx and Valley Temple. Once you are done with your Pyramids visit, you’ll go for lunch at an authentic Egyptian restaurant and then head over to the Sakkara district where you will visit the Sakkara Complex and the first pyramid ever built, the Djoser Pyramid.
Overnight in Cairo.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Visits: Great Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx, Valley Temple, Sakkara, Djoser Pyramid.
Day 3: Visiting the GEM & the Egyptian Museum
After breakfast, the first stop will be The New Grand Egyptian Museum, also known as the Giza Museum, which is an archaeological museum in Giza, Egypt, about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the Giza pyramid complex. The GEM Complex is now offering limited access to test site readiness and the visitor experience ahead of the official opening. Admission is currently limited to the Main Galleries, Grand Hall, Grand Staircase, commercial area, and exterior gardens. After that, you’ll go for lunch at an authentic Egyptian restaurant. Then head over to the Egyptian Museum, in the heart of historic Downtown Cairo, overlooking the infamous Tahrir Square. After relishing over the magnificent ancient Egyptian artifacts and treasures, transfer for a quick visit to Khan El Khalili Bazaar if there is time. Then, you will go back to your hotel.
Overnight in Cairo.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Visits: Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Egyptian Museum.
Day 4: Fly to Luxor - East Bank Sightseeing
Today, you will be leaving Cairo and head out to the shining city of Luxor. You will meet your tour manager early in the morning at your hotel where he will accompany you to Cairo International Airport for your trip to Luxor. Upon landing in Luxor, you will be assisted and whisked away in an exclusive air-conditioned vehicle to board your luxurious Nile cruise, Salacia, that will offer you a unique experience cruising on the Nile with high-quality service, gastronomy, and accommodation during your stay. Enjoy a delicious lunch on board before heading out to your first stop in Upper Egypt which is visiting the famous Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple at the East Bank. Return back to your cruise and enjoy a warm and hand-crafted dinner.
Overnight aboard your cruise in Luxor.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Visits: Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple.
Day 5: Luxor West Bank Sightseeing
Enjoy your first breakfast on board your cruise surrounded by the calm waters of the Nile. After breakfast, head out to explore the West Bank of Luxor. Visit the Royal Cemetery for 62 Pharaohs, the Valley of the Kings, then head to the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, which was built by the architects of the New Kingdom during the 15th century BCE at Deir El-Bahari. Finish the day as you marvel at the towering Colossi of Memnon. After finishing your visits at the West Bank, return back to your cruise and start sailing to Edfu while enjoying a delicious lunch on board. Relax the rest of the day as you sail; take advantage of the amazing facilities of your cruise; enjoy some afternoon tea, get a massage, de-stress in the Jacuzzi. End the day with an appetizing dinner on board.
Overnight aboard your cruise in Edfu.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Visits: Royal Cemetery, the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon.
Day 6: Edfu and Kom Ombo
Enjoy a mouth-watering breakfast on board your cruise as you sail to Edfu. Upon arrival, head out and visit Edfu Temple, one of the best-preserved temples of the Greco Roman era, that of Horus at Edfu. Enjoy a magnificent experience as you take a horse-drawn carriage ride back and forth to the temple and marvel at Upper Egypt’s local life. Pass through the slow-paced, rural life of the local farmers and fishermen. Immerse yourself in the breathtaking lush, fertile landscapes dotted with banana and date palm trees. After your visit, head back to your cruise and start sailing to your second stop of the day, Kom Ombo.
Touch down on the shores of Kom Ombo and walk through the town of Kom Ombo among the locals of the town until you arrive at the unusual Kom Ombo temple with its two identical entrances, hypostyle halls, and sanctuaries. After your visit, head back to your cruise where you will enjoy an appetizing lunch while sailing to Aswan. As the day comes to an end, enjoy a warm, delicious dinner surrounded by the calm, serene water of the Nile River.
Overnight aboard your cruise in Aswan.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Visits: Temple of Edfu, Kom Ombo, Temple of Kom Ombo.
Day 7: Aswan Sightseeing
Enjoy yet another delicious breakfast on board as you sail to the colorful city of Aswan. Upon arrival, head out and enjoy a day of sightseeing in this beautiful city, meeting the kindest kind of locals. Start with a visit to the massive Unfinished Obelisk, still resting on its side in the stone quarries of ancient Egypt. After, you will go on to the beautiful Temple of Philae, devoted to the two goddesses Isis and Hathor. After your visits, you will head back to your cruise and enjoy an appetizing dinner in the middle of the Nile surrounded by its beautiful waters.
Overnight aboard your cruise in Aswan.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Visits: Unfinished Obelisk, Temple of Philae.
Day 8: Fly to Sharm El Sheikh
Enjoy your last morning on your cruise with one last scrumptious breakfast on board surrounded by the calm waters of the Nile. After breakfast, disembark your cruise and get transferred to Aswan Airport for flight to Sharm El Sheikh. Upon arrival at Sharm Airport, you will be transferred to your hotel in Sharm.
Overnight in Sharm El Sheikh.
Meals: Breakfast.
N.B.: Most flight from Aswan to Sharm is indirect flight via Cairo Airport.
Day 9: Sharm El Shiekh Optional Excursions
Free day in Sharm El Sheikh or join our optional tour Ras Mohamed park. The park contains some of the best snorkeling and diving locations in the world offering an unparalleled diversity of sea life. Explore several unique location within the park and spend the day snorkeling, swimming and relaxing on the boat. An open buffet lunch will be served on board.
Note:
Incase you would like to add Introductory Diving(1dive) supplement per person 20 US Dollars or you would like to add scuba diving 2 dives supplement per person 40 US Dollars .
Incase you would like to Relish snorkeling at the amazing Ras Mohamed National Park by Vehicle you can do it without extra fee
Overnight in Sharm El Sheikh.
Meals: Breakfast.
Visits: Free day, Optional tour to Ras Mohammed National Park.
Day 10: Sharm El Shiekh Optional Excursions
Free day in Sharm El Sheikh or join our optional tour to one of the natural wonders of the Sinai, the Colored Canyon is majestic. Take a walk among dramatic sandstone canyon walls streaked with melting yellows, purples, reds, magentas and gold. In certain places the canyon walls reach up to 40 meters. You feel as if you are enclosed in a spectacular coloring book.
Overnight in Sharm El Sheikh.
Meals: Breakfast.
Visits: Free day, Optional tour to the Colored Canyon.
Day 11: Back to Cairo
Breakfast at your hotel in Sharm El Sheikh and then you will be transferred to Sharm El Sheikh Airport for flight to Cairo.
Overnight in Cairo.
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 12: Cairo - Fly Back Home
Breakfast at your hotel, then transfer to Cairo Airport for your final departure.
Meals: Breakfast.
Prices & Accommodation
Diamond
Prices
MAY-SEP
Per Person in Single_room
US$
4909
Per Person in Double_room
US$
3185
Per Person in Triple_room
US$
3075
OCT-APR
Per Person in Single_room
US$
5097
Per Person in Double_room
US$
3277
Per Person in Triple_room
US$
3155
Golden
Prices
MAY-SEP
Per Person in Single_room
US$
3987
Per Person in Double_room
US$
2547
Per Person in Triple_room
US$
2429
OCT-APR
Per Person in Single_room
US$
4069
Per Person in Double_room
US$
2725
Per Person in Triple_room
US$
2605
Reviews
4.96
78 Reviews
5 Stars
77
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
1
1 Star
0
Amazing Trip
Anna Catmire, 12/13/22
We went to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and finished with Sharm Sheikh. Highly Recommend this tour if you want a mix of culture and history and amazing time at the sea.
Wonderful Time in Egypt
Elle Amberson, 12/10/22
This was our first time in Egypt and we are glad we did this trip. We has an amazing time.
Recommend this tour!
Alex, 12/10/22
Highly Recommend this tour! Had an amazing time at the Red Sea.
Good time but weater was hot
Erin Moonry, 12/5/22
We had a great time in Egypt but the weather was a bit hot. I think next time we would like to go in winter.
Egypt is a wonderful country
Ashley Hart, 12/3/22
Egypt is truly a wonderful country. We had an amazing time.
“See Egypt with the Experts”
Janie K, 2/25/14
From the first email it was clear that the Memphis staff member, Yosri, was not only willing but eager to plan the best possible trip for my husband and I. Our tour not only completely suited us but utterly thrilled us. And at a very reasonable price. From the moment we landed in Cairo a Memphis staff member was there making sure that we had a wonderful time. Each of the guides we had was extremely knowledgeable, imparting his knowledge in an informative and engaging manner, helping us to get a real sense of the wonder we were seeing. Unfortunately a death in the family at home forced us to cut our trip short, again Memphis showed their worth, their consideration and assistance in organising our rushed trip home was exceptional. We look forward to booking our return trip to Egypt through Memphis Tours, in fact I wouldn't use any other tour company.
“Thanks Memphis Tours!”
Renee W , 2/22/14
IA belated very big thank you to all at Memphis Tours who made our holiday to Egpyt ( 5- 18 Dec 2013) so memorable. From Cairo to Aswan, then down the Nile to Luxor, followed by our final stay in Sharm el Sheikh, we were superbly looked after. The only way to visit Egypt is with Memphis Tours! Regards from the 4 of us!
“Best Christmas EVER!!!”
mrandmrsmevy, 12/12/13
It is coming to that time of year again where everyone thinks of the Christmas holidays. I am reminded of my last Christmas in Egypt with Memphis Tours. I spent 2 weeks in Egypt starting in December of 2012 to Jan of 2013. Marwa Samir booked everything and it was flawless. Tarek was great as well as Mohamed, Heussain, and Ahmed. Christmas day was spent at the Valley of the Kings. I will cherish my time in Egypt and look forward to my next trip. Memphis Tours is a great company and live up to their promises and I would not even think of using anyone else there truly is a reason that you see so many 5 star comments here. See you soon!
Egypt tour from 4th Oct to 19th October
Seri, 11/5/13
My wife and I had a very memorable experience in Egypt on a private tour arranged by Memphis Tours. Memphis is a very well organised Tour company. They have extremely good Representatives and Tour Guides who were very professional and efficient, who made our tour very comfortable and safe. All our accommodations have been in good five star hotels. All transport has been in comfortable a/c vehicles. We will definitely recommend Memphis Tours.
Our tour included Cairo, Alexandria, (Nile Cruise), Aswan, Luxor and Sharm El Sheik. Due of the political unrest in Egypt there were very few tourists and so we could see all the attractions leisurely. At no time did we ever feel unsafe.
Our tour included Cairo, Alexandria, (Nile Cruise), Aswan, Luxor and Sharm El Sheik. Due of the political unrest in Egypt there were very few tourists and so we could see all the attractions leisurely. At no time did we ever feel unsafe.
“Egypt tour from 4th Oct to 19th October”
Seri , 11/5/13
My wife and I had a very memorable experience in Egypt on a private tour arranged by Memphis Tours. Memphis is a very well organised Tour company. They have extremely good Representatives and Tour Guides who were very professional and efficient, who made our tour very comfortable and safe. All our accommodations have been in good five star hotels. All transport has been in comfortable a/c vehicles. We will definitely recommend Memphis Tours.
Our tour included Cairo, Alexandria, (Nile Cruise), Aswan, Luxor and Sharm El Sheik. Due of the political unrest in Egypt there were very few tourists and so we could see all the attractions leisurely. At no time did we ever feel unsafe.
Our tour included Cairo, Alexandria, (Nile Cruise), Aswan, Luxor and Sharm El Sheik. Due of the political unrest in Egypt there were very few tourists and so we could see all the attractions leisurely. At no time did we ever feel unsafe.
Excellent Service
Vijay, 10/30/13
Egypt was amazing! Memphis Tours made it even more exciting. All the guides, namely Ahmed Farahat, Mohammed Imam, and Moustafa Wally El Dein, explained everything so well it felt like I felt like I was living in ancient Egypt myself. The transportation was also good. If you forget anything in the car, it's always there the next day, ready for you to take it back. I hope you enjoy Egypt!
“Cairo, Egypt, in interesting times....with Memphis Tours
Cathie, 8/27/13
IT WAS AWESOME! We booked Cairo in early Spring 2013 only to see the bad news by the beginning of summer. What to do? Us crazy Canadians kept our dates and went (August 17 - 20, 2013).
EGYPT IS 100% SAFE. Cairo is not burning down and it is a bustling metropolis. And this is the best time to go as tourism is very quiet,sadly, and you have most places to yourself, and very few crowds. We booked with Memphis because of their private tours -perfect with a child and you see what you want, for as long as you want, and how you want. Our main guide in Cairo, Ahmed, is a bright young man, upbeat and fun and very professional and zinged us through the airport with ease and all around Cairo with our driver (thank you Yessir!). Our other Cairo guide, Tarek, is an amazing historian, fun and very personable, with lots of laughs. He was able to customize our day so that we could do a little shopping at our request. This is what private tours and outstanding guides are there to do, and Memphis Tours in Cairo certainly delivered. Our day trip to Sharm El Sheik was also amazing. Our guide, Moustafa, was professional, excellent and a ton of fun. We had a great time on the boat with him (we went snorkeling in the Red Sea) and quadding in the desert. He is super personable and funny (lots of laughs), upbeat, and very accommodating.....yes, we asked to do a bit of shopping, and he delivered. Again, this is why we went with Memphis Tours -the customization and of course, the professionalism, the knowledgeable staff and the personal touch by Memphis that starts with staff who plan your itinerary all the way to the people on the ground with you. Memphis absolutely delivered in every aspect and I would not hesitate to recommend them and use them again.
EGYPT IS 100% SAFE. Cairo is not burning down and it is a bustling metropolis. And this is the best time to go as tourism is very quiet,sadly, and you have most places to yourself, and very few crowds. We booked with Memphis because of their private tours -perfect with a child and you see what you want, for as long as you want, and how you want. Our main guide in Cairo, Ahmed, is a bright young man, upbeat and fun and very professional and zinged us through the airport with ease and all around Cairo with our driver (thank you Yessir!). Our other Cairo guide, Tarek, is an amazing historian, fun and very personable, with lots of laughs. He was able to customize our day so that we could do a little shopping at our request. This is what private tours and outstanding guides are there to do, and Memphis Tours in Cairo certainly delivered. Our day trip to Sharm El Sheik was also amazing. Our guide, Moustafa, was professional, excellent and a ton of fun. We had a great time on the boat with him (we went snorkeling in the Red Sea) and quadding in the desert. He is super personable and funny (lots of laughs), upbeat, and very accommodating.....yes, we asked to do a bit of shopping, and he delivered. Again, this is why we went with Memphis Tours -the customization and of course, the professionalism, the knowledgeable staff and the personal touch by Memphis that starts with staff who plan your itinerary all the way to the people on the ground with you. Memphis absolutely delivered in every aspect and I would not hesitate to recommend them and use them again.
“Young talented team fully committed to make your visit memorable and problem free”
Ditorresm, 8/16/13
Aside from the very sad political reality been observed in the world, Egypt counts with MemphisTours that could be considered a special breed of young talented tour experts, with very professional guides, drivers and representatives. Among them, we could estimate an average age of less than 35 years old. Very flexible and creative to ensure that your experience is memorable. They understand the safety challenges and are well connected having first hand information of how to avoid and solve possible problems. We had three changes in our original schedule, although disturbing at first, they explained clearly that these were needed in order to avoid possible logistic problems in transportation or quality of the services previously hired. Egypt continues to offer an incredible array of touristic attractions, with very acceptable infrastructure, and Memphis Tours will ensure that you will enjoy your adventure.
“Memphis Tours was Great!”
Travel Ber , 8/12/13
We had an awesome time with Memphis Tours! We were in Egypt in February 2013. They were very professional and everything went very smoothly. We never felt in danger at anytime. You would not have known there was any political activity going on unless you were putting yourself in the midst of it. We highly recommend Memphis Tours!
“Memphis Great Team Spirit”
Diana Jm, 8/11/13
I am very pleased with Memphis service in Egypt. They are a very serious and professional company and more important they count with a great team. They made me feel safe and welcome in Egypt. I would definetely recomend Memphis Tour!!!
“Memphis Tours Shore Excursion to Luxor (with Nabil) - Fantastic Value and Service”
PetPeeves, 6/29/13
This review is not just about Memphis Tours and our fantastic guide Nabil, it is about Egypt itself. I recently enjoyed a cruise around the Middle East. We stopped three times in Egypt: Luxor, Cairo and Sharm el Shaik. People said we were mad, Egypt is not safe, etc. etc. Our experience was the complete opposite. Everywhere we went, including Cairo, people were welcoming and hospitable and there was no trace of hostility or trouble.
You cannot get better value than shore excursions with Memphis Tours when in Egypt. Arrangements are handled promptly, the cost for a small private tour with your own car or van is much lower than the cruise ships and the guides are just great.
In Luxor, our guide was Nabil. He and our driver were at the port to pick us up early, waiting with big smiles and bottles of cold water. Nabil is a qualified Egyptologist and has a wealth of fascinating knowledge about Ancient Egypt, as well as Egypt in general. He was attentive to our needs, made sure we saw all the best sights in Luxor (hard to do in just one day) and was great at snapping our group shots in front of various monuments. He has a great sense of humor and timing - kept getting us to the sights before the tour buses so we had a lot of places relatively unmobbed. Thanks for a great day Nabil.
I recommend Memphis Tours and Nabil most highly.
You cannot get better value than shore excursions with Memphis Tours when in Egypt. Arrangements are handled promptly, the cost for a small private tour with your own car or van is much lower than the cruise ships and the guides are just great.
In Luxor, our guide was Nabil. He and our driver were at the port to pick us up early, waiting with big smiles and bottles of cold water. Nabil is a qualified Egyptologist and has a wealth of fascinating knowledge about Ancient Egypt, as well as Egypt in general. He was attentive to our needs, made sure we saw all the best sights in Luxor (hard to do in just one day) and was great at snapping our group shots in front of various monuments. He has a great sense of humor and timing - kept getting us to the sights before the tour buses so we had a lot of places relatively unmobbed. Thanks for a great day Nabil.
I recommend Memphis Tours and Nabil most highly.
“Going to Egypt Memphis Tours is the way to go!!”
Delysamarie , 5/28/13
My husband and I decided to take a trip of a lifetime to Egypt. We did a lot of research in regards to travel companies and chose Memphis Tours because they came so highly recommended. They did not disappoint. From the very beginning they were very organized and reliable. Fatima assisted in creating our 12 day itinerary which included 2 nights in Cairo, 4 nights on the Nile River cruise, 3 nights in Sharm el Sheikh and then ended with 2 more nights in Cairo. She was very easy going and allowed us to customize the trip to meet all of our needs. We even took a hot air balloon ride that was fantastic!! We were picked up at the airport by Ahmed and our own driver who gave us a rundown of our trip. He was very personable, explained some of the issues that are currently happening in Egypt and even taught us some Arabic. He made us feel at ease and welcomed. Most of our friends thought we were crazy for wanting to go to Egypt given the political issues that are currently happening in the country. I want to address this because we were also concerned. It turns out that they were the crazy ones. The place couldn’t have been more safe. Never once did we feel that we were in any danger. Everyone was wonderful and very happy that we were there. I encourage you to take the trip, it is worth it
Our Egyptologist Maha and Alaa were fantastic! They were truly passionate about their countries history and we learned and saw a lot. We spent the most time with Alaa and were pleased with his performance. He was more than a guide, he became a friend. He took the extra time to educate us on the Egyptian history and went above and beyond our expectations. I also have to give a special shout out to the drivers, especially Chico. It truly takes talent to drive in Cairo!! The Mena House Hotel was extraordinary. Our rooms had a pyramid view off the balcony which took my breath away. The pyramid room is a must if you are staying there. I could have done without the sleeper train but then again I chose this option because I wanted the experience. Next time I will take a flight to Aswan. The Movenpick Royal Lotus was the cruise boat we stayed on and it was very nice. The staff was friendly and helpful. When we would come back from our day trip we always had a different animal (made up of towels) waiting for us on our bed. The first 7 days were packed with sightseeing..the temples were truly a work of art. The tombs were a sight to see, absolutely beautiful. We flew to Sharm el Sheikh for some much needed relaxation time at the Savoy hotel. This hotel was top notch and it had everything we were looking for. Very clean and elegant. We have already told most of our friends to visit this great country as their tourism has truly suffered. Overall, this trip was phenomenal and truly a trip of a lifetime. We could not have done it without Memphis Tours. They guided us each step of the way. All we needed to know was when and where was the pickup and they took care of the rest. Thank you for the excellent service Memphis Tours. Good job!!
Our Egyptologist Maha and Alaa were fantastic! They were truly passionate about their countries history and we learned and saw a lot. We spent the most time with Alaa and were pleased with his performance. He was more than a guide, he became a friend. He took the extra time to educate us on the Egyptian history and went above and beyond our expectations. I also have to give a special shout out to the drivers, especially Chico. It truly takes talent to drive in Cairo!! The Mena House Hotel was extraordinary. Our rooms had a pyramid view off the balcony which took my breath away. The pyramid room is a must if you are staying there. I could have done without the sleeper train but then again I chose this option because I wanted the experience. Next time I will take a flight to Aswan. The Movenpick Royal Lotus was the cruise boat we stayed on and it was very nice. The staff was friendly and helpful. When we would come back from our day trip we always had a different animal (made up of towels) waiting for us on our bed. The first 7 days were packed with sightseeing..the temples were truly a work of art. The tombs were a sight to see, absolutely beautiful. We flew to Sharm el Sheikh for some much needed relaxation time at the Savoy hotel. This hotel was top notch and it had everything we were looking for. Very clean and elegant. We have already told most of our friends to visit this great country as their tourism has truly suffered. Overall, this trip was phenomenal and truly a trip of a lifetime. We could not have done it without Memphis Tours. They guided us each step of the way. All we needed to know was when and where was the pickup and they took care of the rest. Thank you for the excellent service Memphis Tours. Good job!!
“Excellent tour operator”
Mauricio G, 5/20/13
I booked our Honeymoon with Memphis for a 16 day itinerary visiting Cairo, Aswan, Edfu, Luxor, Abu Simbel and Sharm-el-sheik. Everything was perfect, a representative waited and assisted us in every airport, gave us good pricing on extra excursions, booked very beautiful 5 star hotels for us, provided great spanish speaking guides, gave us a cel phone for us to use in Egypt and helped us change our itinerary every time we needed to. We had an amazing time.
Everyone at Memphis worked really hard to show a good time and we where specially treated by Mohammed Elomy (English-Spanish) guide in Luxor-Aswan. We bombarded him with every question possible about old and modern Egypt and he never withheld any knowledge from us.
Please do work with Memphis, and if you do visit Aswan-Luxor ask for Mohammed Elomy, amazing tour guide!!!
Everyone at Memphis worked really hard to show a good time and we where specially treated by Mohammed Elomy (English-Spanish) guide in Luxor-Aswan. We bombarded him with every question possible about old and modern Egypt and he never withheld any knowledge from us.
Please do work with Memphis, and if you do visit Aswan-Luxor ask for Mohammed Elomy, amazing tour guide!!!
“*~" Memphis Tours "~* The BEST company ever :)”
Mariam A , 5/17/13
Amazing Trip full scheduled incredible enjoyable exited variegated activities .. I was totally relaxed from busy hard work and had fantastic vacation in this beautiful country of beautiful nature, historical places, friendly people, especially when it is organized by Memphis Tour :D which was just excellent !
It was from 23rd Feb till 7th March 2013
4 days Movenpick Nile cruise 23-26 Feb
2 days Hurghada : 27,28 Feb Marriott Hotel (5 star)
2 days and half day Sharm Shaikh 1,2,3 March Sheraton Hotel (5 star)
4 days and half day Cairo 3 March (night), 4-7 March Flat Rent
At first, I enjoyed the company of my dear parents to travel 3 nights from Luxor to Aswan via Nile ship, the sight of the Nile sends comfort. Visit temples and a lot of knowledge of ancient Egyptian history made me feel that I am on a journey to explore what is of great effects in the world and that can not be seen but only in Egypt !
At the day time we were accompanied by tour guide Alaa ElSawy and I think we were fortunate that he does not stop talking, funny :D and helpful too .. I was so lucky to live the moment of the most exited wonderful experience in my life ever! Riding Balloon in Luxor before sunrise! Oh my God .. It was incredible !
At night I do not forget how much we enjoyed dinner, accompanied by different culture passengers on the ship with the lovely team that welcomes our presence, surprises us by entertaining activities and recreational competitions .. :D
I can describe Memphis as excellent service since the they welcome us at the Luxor airport, during the cruise, and until they get us to Aswan Airport.
Before transition to Hurghada, leader Alaa helped us to choose activities registered online by Memphis site to organize our stay schedule for 2 days, and also for our stay in Sharm.
Red Sea beyond description!
After reaching hotel by Memphis transport who met us in the airport of Hurghada exactly at time of landing.. Tour guide Mustafa helped having charging card for my mobile and so I was in contact with friends online all the time. He explained for us how to reach restaurants and shopping streets outside Hotel. I want to thank him again for the swimming tools and saving time instead of effort to search by myself to have it.
All tour guides were so friendly polite and helpful ^.^
At afternoon I enjoyed riding in Hurghada submarine, see the fish at the bottom of the Red Sea, and at evening Alf Leila Wa Leila. Next day we enjoyed swimming at beach of Hotel .. It was so clean and cool temperature. Relaxing sight :)
Last part of trip moving across the flight to Sharm el-Sheikh has been amazed by the magnitude of Hotel !! Tour guide Ahmad is the coolest one :D What we have done is a boat trip and Snorkeling at Ras Mohamed for a whole day time enjoying the transparent waters of the Red Sea and the scorching sun .. unforgettable day !
We did visit Mari Girgis Church and Mustafa Masged, the famous places in Sharm. And at night we enjoyed walking in Naama Bay.
They get us to the airport and that time was the end of Memphis tour company moving to Cairo to stay 4 days with our friends.
THANK YOU FOR WONDERFUL TIME EVER , LOVE & REGARDS ('',)
Ask about Memphis Tours Egypt
It was from 23rd Feb till 7th March 2013
4 days Movenpick Nile cruise 23-26 Feb
2 days Hurghada : 27,28 Feb Marriott Hotel (5 star)
2 days and half day Sharm Shaikh 1,2,3 March Sheraton Hotel (5 star)
4 days and half day Cairo 3 March (night), 4-7 March Flat Rent
At first, I enjoyed the company of my dear parents to travel 3 nights from Luxor to Aswan via Nile ship, the sight of the Nile sends comfort. Visit temples and a lot of knowledge of ancient Egyptian history made me feel that I am on a journey to explore what is of great effects in the world and that can not be seen but only in Egypt !
At the day time we were accompanied by tour guide Alaa ElSawy and I think we were fortunate that he does not stop talking, funny :D and helpful too .. I was so lucky to live the moment of the most exited wonderful experience in my life ever! Riding Balloon in Luxor before sunrise! Oh my God .. It was incredible !
At night I do not forget how much we enjoyed dinner, accompanied by different culture passengers on the ship with the lovely team that welcomes our presence, surprises us by entertaining activities and recreational competitions .. :D
I can describe Memphis as excellent service since the they welcome us at the Luxor airport, during the cruise, and until they get us to Aswan Airport.
Before transition to Hurghada, leader Alaa helped us to choose activities registered online by Memphis site to organize our stay schedule for 2 days, and also for our stay in Sharm.
Red Sea beyond description!
After reaching hotel by Memphis transport who met us in the airport of Hurghada exactly at time of landing.. Tour guide Mustafa helped having charging card for my mobile and so I was in contact with friends online all the time. He explained for us how to reach restaurants and shopping streets outside Hotel. I want to thank him again for the swimming tools and saving time instead of effort to search by myself to have it.
All tour guides were so friendly polite and helpful ^.^
At afternoon I enjoyed riding in Hurghada submarine, see the fish at the bottom of the Red Sea, and at evening Alf Leila Wa Leila. Next day we enjoyed swimming at beach of Hotel .. It was so clean and cool temperature. Relaxing sight :)
Last part of trip moving across the flight to Sharm el-Sheikh has been amazed by the magnitude of Hotel !! Tour guide Ahmad is the coolest one :D What we have done is a boat trip and Snorkeling at Ras Mohamed for a whole day time enjoying the transparent waters of the Red Sea and the scorching sun .. unforgettable day !
We did visit Mari Girgis Church and Mustafa Masged, the famous places in Sharm. And at night we enjoyed walking in Naama Bay.
They get us to the airport and that time was the end of Memphis tour company moving to Cairo to stay 4 days with our friends.
THANK YOU FOR WONDERFUL TIME EVER , LOVE & REGARDS ('',)
Ask about Memphis Tours Egypt
Trip in 2011
Nanabutt, 4/29/13
By far my favorite trip so far. We planned everything through Memphis. From Cairo to Aswan to Luxor to Dahab to Alexandria and a cruise on the Nile.
Our favorite guide was Karam Mostafa. He was AMAZING. kind hearted, spiritual, extremely knowledgable. It has been 2.5 yrs since our trip and I still remember every detail. We feel so lucky to have been able to see such a beautiful country.
Our favorite guide was Karam Mostafa. He was AMAZING. kind hearted, spiritual, extremely knowledgable. It has been 2.5 yrs since our trip and I still remember every detail. We feel so lucky to have been able to see such a beautiful country.
solid packaged tour w. guides
Sven Muenchen, 1/12/13
We booked from Munich, and thus got German speaking guides.
Efficient support on Cairo Airport and bus through inspiring traffic jams. Guide in Cairo spoke good German and presented the pyramids, the koptic town and Egyptian Museum at Tahir square with strong knowledge of ancient history as well as the recent historical events in Egypt, combined with a sense of humor. We never felt insecure, despite the referendum that day. There were some police and soldiers at some places, but the general feeling we got was very calm. The number of tourist seems to be low, which we could benefit from, as we did not have to stand in a queue to admire the artefacts from Tutanchamon.
Next day, Christmas Eve, we were in Assuan and had a new guide that followed us along the Nile down to Luxor during the coming days. He also showed a strong German language, even though he had never been there. With a good sense for how much we could digest of the historical sites, he never hurried along and took time to answer our questions at all sites.
In Luxor we opted for the early morning (before sunrise) hot air ballon and we did not regret the absence of sleep, as we sailed above Hatchepsuts temple and managed to cast an eye into the Valley of Kings. But we can admit that we did not have much desire to linger at the Kolossos, on the way back.
It was good to have the Nile ship as a place to contemplate, check the pictures, take a cup of tea, watch the river and read some books. The ship crew was friendly, the food was good, the entertainment on Christmas Eve was different and they actually had excellent Egyptian wines onboard. During the slow sailing it was rewarding to sit up on the top deck and merely watch the scenery, with the desert up close to the river, small villages, lots of birds and fishermen, sails and children on the banks.
The last long leg was a bus ride from Luxor to Hurgada across the desert at night, which appeared to be an adventure as such, with sudden traffic, some with lights, some at speed, some with slow lorries coming on the wrong side, but in all we trusted the driver to keep on the tarmac.
The snorkling trip to a small island: "Paradise" was fine, but I had expected more corals. Water was very clear and it was warmer (24 C) than the air (21), so we had a pleasant swim.
Generally, we can recommend the company. They adapted the trip to fit to what we wished to see and provided the guides for our 5-people group.
Wonderful vacation
itan, 1/4/13
he booking process with Memphis was swift and easy. When arriving in Cairo, Hamada the Memphis representative greeted us and took well care of us in Cairo. Our guide Hend and our driver Walid were very professional. Hend did an excellent job in guiding us through Cairo, Giza, Sakkara and Memphis.
We also did a cruise from Aswan to Luxor. There was no guide for us on the first day of the cruise as promised by Memphis Tours.
A different guide than initially assigned to came on the 2nd day of the cruise. It wasn't the guide's fault, Memphis Tours was to blame.
The guide Sayed Selim was great! Explanations were good and thorough and took us where we wanted to go to without any problems.
Except for some inconveniences, Memphis did a good job in organizing our trip.
Optional tours tend to be pricey.
Felt like royalty all the way
Milu, 12/17/12
Memphis Tours take care of you before you come to Egypt until you are at the airport. Our experience was more than great. I booked the trip with Abdo Shawky, he was very efficient in replying to my emails. We were in Egypt from 8th-15th December. I booked a Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor on the Alyssa Ship and went from Cairo to Aswan and from Luxor to Cairo on the sleeper train. At the airport I found Mohammed Abdo which informed us of eveything we need to know and gave me a mobile phone to keep in touch. In Aswan I found a Memphis Rep waiting for us at the station, sorry I forgot his name and then we spent 4 days enjoying the sun and the temples with Egyptologist Ahmed El-Prince. He was awesome and couldnt have been a better guide, Very cool guy with a nice sense of humor. His English was good and a very friendly guide which made all the group very comfortable. Our experience of Egypt was great, although the news portrayed Cairo to be like a war, we never felt anything bad. Back to Cairo from Luxor we were always escorted with Memphis Reps and drivers Nader if i remeber well and others whom I forgot their name. We also had a guide in Cairo who showed us the Giza Pyramids and the Musuem, his name was Hassan if I remember well. I would of course suggest Memphis Tours to anyone who would like to go to Egypt.
Awesome Experience
Thajudeen A, 11/16/12
It was a decision made all of a sudden to visit Egypt, cancelling a trip to Thailand because of the floods.But, we will never regret the change of plans.Everything was done in 24 hours,before the flight time, and Memphis Tours saw to it perfectly well.We enjoyed each segment of the tour, from the cruise down the Nile, visiting th temples and pyramids, to the most modern Sharm al Sheik, which was a world too different from the culture and ancient civilization we saw in other parts of Egypt. The huge tips we had to pay everywhere but spoiled our mood occasionally.
“Spectacular 12 day trip to Egypt!!”
Sandy H, 10/14/12
Arriving in Cairo, we were met immediately by Tamer(friendly and spoke English) at the airport and driven in a private vehicle to our hotel, Le Meridien Pyramids. We stayed here the first and last two days of our trip. Great accomodations and wonderful view of the pyramids! During our tours in Cairo, we were very lucky to have had Mohamed Abdel Salam as our tour guide. He spoke English very well, great personality, and well versed on ancient history. I would certainly recommend him to anyone going to Cairo.....ask for Mohamed!! Besides our fantastic guide, our driver, Mohamed "Kentucky" was an unbelieveable driver. We arrived at our destinations on time and safely....he was funny, great personality and took great care of us. We did take the sleeper train to Aswan....great experience. Tamer met us at the train station and put us in our train compartment. After arriving in Aswan, we were immediately met by our guide Eid.....spoke good English and was a very good guide during our touring off the Nile cruise boat. The Sonesta Star Goddess was a great Nile River cruise boat. We enjoyed floating down the Nile and the evening entertainment each night was good. After our 3 day Nile River cruise, we flew to Sharm El Shiekh. We were met promptly at the airport and transported to the Sheraton Sharm.....fabulous resort!!! Great beach on the Red Sea on the tip of the Sinai. After 4 nights in Sharm, we flew back to Cairo. We were met immediately at the airport and continued our tour of Cairo with Mohamed. Memphis Tours was a very professional company that provided us with a great opportunity to learn and enjoy Egypt!! Everyone was very friendly, spoke good English and made our travels super easy!!! We felt safe on our tours and our guides were excellent!!! I would highly recommend Memphis Tours if you are planning a visit. Thanks for a great time!!
Amazing experience
candice, 10/8/12
we went to Egypt quite recently and found the whole experience to be super. The attention to detail that everyone pays to make sure that we are happy and have everything we need was amazing and so much more than what i have experienced in any of my other travels. Yes, its hot and beware of the water but if you come prepared you will have an awesome time. Even though we all got a bit sick our guide Alaa Elsawy came to our rooms to check on us. He was so knowledgable and patient with us. He really made the whole experience for us. Even when Eurico dropped his seeing glasses in the water, he was on the ball and helped get a new perscription pair in only a few hours. We had a wonderful time and will definatley go back.
Alaa was the best guide I have had and i have travelled quite a bit. we were safe, happy and totally spoiled.
Alaa was the best guide I have had and i have travelled quite a bit. we were safe, happy and totally spoiled.
Amazing Experience
Dawn, 7/26/12
What can I say - beyond all expectation - amazing experience!
We had the best tour guides ever with Osama and Ahmed. We love you! They were so, so kind, caring, welcoming, and such fun. No matter how tired they may have felt at times meeting our many and varied demands, they never failed us once. Adjectives cannot describe how wonderful they were.
I fell in love with the Egyptian people because of them.
Memphis tours gave us everything, anyone could have wished for - they couldn`t have done more! There is no other way to travel - bring it on Memphis!!!
I cannot wait to re-visit your wonderful country and people again very soon.
God bless you all.
Amazing Experience
POrde, 7/9/12
We had an absolutely fabulous trip to Egypt with the help of Memphis Tours. Fatima was great with helping us plan the trip--she was would always answer my questions quickly and was easy to work with as we changed our itinerary numerous times. She also arranged for Maha (Mahmoud El Halwagy) to be our guide in Cairo. Maha was absolutely fantastic. She was energetic, informative, fun, professional, and a great photographer:) Our driver Ahmid (Mohsin) also did a great job.
Our 8 day trip consisted of the following: 1) Pyramids Tour, 2) Fly to Luxor for 4 night Nile cruise, 3) Abu Simbel & Fly back to Cairo from Aswan, 4) Alexandria Tour, and 5) Islamic & Coptic Cairo Tour.
We were so excited that Memphis upgraded us to not only a nicer ship, but a suite for our cruise. I also appreciated that they arranged for us to stay at a hotel after we came back from Abu Simbel until it was time to catch our flight back to Cairo.
We were in Egypt while everyone was waiting for the election results (June 16th-24th), and we felt completely safe. There were so few tourists there which was very sad for the locals, but gave us such an amazing opportunity to see such incredible sites without any crowds or lines. Out of all of the countries I have travelled to, Egypt tops the list.
We are so thankful that we went with Memphis Tours!
Our 8 day trip consisted of the following: 1) Pyramids Tour, 2) Fly to Luxor for 4 night Nile cruise, 3) Abu Simbel & Fly back to Cairo from Aswan, 4) Alexandria Tour, and 5) Islamic & Coptic Cairo Tour.
We were so excited that Memphis upgraded us to not only a nicer ship, but a suite for our cruise. I also appreciated that they arranged for us to stay at a hotel after we came back from Abu Simbel until it was time to catch our flight back to Cairo.
We were in Egypt while everyone was waiting for the election results (June 16th-24th), and we felt completely safe. There were so few tourists there which was very sad for the locals, but gave us such an amazing opportunity to see such incredible sites without any crowds or lines. Out of all of the countries I have travelled to, Egypt tops the list.
We are so thankful that we went with Memphis Tours!
The awesome Egypt trip
Gayathri, 6/23/12
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Eman Rashad and the whole of Memphis tour company for organizing such an amazing tour for us in Egypt. We are Sri Lankans and they made us so welcoming. They are tours are very reasonably priced and the 10 days we spent there it was worth the money.
Our tour originally had 2 free days but they were very flexible in terms of adding new places. Of course they took us to red sea and sightseeing in Cairo city for a reasonable price.
All the tour guides are very erudite. We got to know ample amount of information about Egyptian History. I would like to thank Ahmed Said, Ahmed and Alaa for their efforts in explaining everything.
We really enjoyed the cuise from Luxor to Aswan. The Cruise we went on was Alyssa. I would highly recommend that cruise solely because there's absolutely nothing to complain about the service we received. The staff, food accommodation were amazing.
The tour guides made us ware of tipping which important there and made us feel very safe. So we were not paranoid at all also and gave us great advice about what to buy what not to buy.
We enjoyed the GIza pyramids, Egyptian museum, Alexandia, red sea, Valley of temples, Luxor, Aswan, citadel.
I highly recommend this tour company for anybody.
Thank you very much
Gayathri
Our tour originally had 2 free days but they were very flexible in terms of adding new places. Of course they took us to red sea and sightseeing in Cairo city for a reasonable price.
All the tour guides are very erudite. We got to know ample amount of information about Egyptian History. I would like to thank Ahmed Said, Ahmed and Alaa for their efforts in explaining everything.
We really enjoyed the cuise from Luxor to Aswan. The Cruise we went on was Alyssa. I would highly recommend that cruise solely because there's absolutely nothing to complain about the service we received. The staff, food accommodation were amazing.
The tour guides made us ware of tipping which important there and made us feel very safe. So we were not paranoid at all also and gave us great advice about what to buy what not to buy.
We enjoyed the GIza pyramids, Egyptian museum, Alexandia, red sea, Valley of temples, Luxor, Aswan, citadel.
I highly recommend this tour company for anybody.
Thank you very much
Gayathri
Memphis Tours exceeding expectations
Ursula, 6/21/12
I have done a pre holiday review for Memphis Tour but now feel compelled to do another one seeing that I have returned from my holiday and had such an exceptional time . We were a family of six people who bought our ticket privately and then decided to visit Egypt . Due to our lack of knowledge of the country and also our fear of the political unrest I decided to research on the Internet and came across Memphis Tours . I was ver skeptical at first because I had never done an online tour before even though I have travelled quite extensively . I was firstly introduced to Abdo Shawky and explained him my situation ( having my ticket and not knowing how to go any further) He was so professional and assuring and planned my whole ten day vacation within minutes thereafter with 2 days in Cairo with tours , then to Aswan for a Nile cruise to Luxor visiting all the temple with a guide and then Sharmal El Sheik for the rest of the days . I was absolutely amazed at his efficientcy and cannot commend him enough for his excellent choices of hotels ,guides ,transfers ,internal flights. He is so good at his jobs that I was sorted so quickly
With the best choices at the most affordable prices . Every aspect of my holiday was taken care of without the usual stress that goes into planning a holiday . Thank you Abdo Shawky you definitely are the best consultant I have ever dealt with and are definite asset to your company and I am not easy to please so well done .
We arrived in Cairo and were greeted by a very friendly and proffessional tour manager named Abdelfatah Mohameed. We were immediately given a cell phone to contact him at anytime during our tour if we were not happy with anything or just needed him which I have never had in any other country . We were then transported to our hotel LeMeridian (you can actually see the pyramids from the hotel pool area and some rooms ) and checked in and briefed about the next day touring. Ahmed Abdelhamid was our tour guide for the next day and I have to commend him on his knowledge about Egypt and the museum . The was not a thing that he did not know about our day tour in Cairo shock included going to the Pyramids ,the Sphinx and the Museum - he was so knowledgeable and friendly at the same time ( this tour should be a must if you go to Cairo)
The next day we were taken again by fully air-conditioned comfortable bus to the airport and checked in for our flight to Aswan. Here we were met by Alaa Elsawy who proved to be more than and guide for the next couple of days .He took us to various interesting parts of Aswan for sight seeing and then to board our ship the Sonesta Moon Goddess .The staff on the ship were so helpful and friendly and were prepared to do whatever it takes to make this a happy and memorable experience ( they really went out of their way to please and all suites are come with balconies which is so nice ) The rooms are spacious and very clean. Alaa Elsawy guided us on all out tour and all the stops we made along the way - he really went beyond the call of duty - he knew every bit of Egyptian history and was such a warm and friendly person - he even changed things to suit us and took us shopping for 3 hours while he waited - he actually became family by the end of our stay on the ship and we were very sad to leave him - I definitely recommend him if you do the cruise .The hot air balloon was also an awesome experience.
We were then again taken by a Memphis agent to the airport in Luxor to fly to Sharmal El Sheik. We were met here by another friendly and learned guide Ahmed Gomma who received us and took us to our beautiful resort Savoy Shamal El Sheik which is about ten minutes fro the airport.The hotel was beautiful in everyway and we were checked in by Gomma . We decided to go for a visit to St Cathrines Monasery in the Sinnai mountains the next day with Gomma which was a beautiful full day experience with lunch overlooking the sea ( it was definitely worth the day since we are Catholics and this was where Moses was given the ten commandments by God) We also went for quad bike riding in the dessert stopping over for tea at the Bedwin village and camel ride ,fire and belly dancing ,watching the sunset in the dessert and finishing with a braai for all to share at the end of the evening . Gomma then transported us safely back to our hotel and I must say that Gomma was also one of the nicest and humblest person I have met where just nothing is too much for him to do to please you .His knowledge of the country is also so vast that ibhave to give all the guides their credit for the work they do to make ones stay so pleasant.
Nama Bay is also fair close to Sharm and the hotel does also provide a shuttle service to there and back ( but beware there will be people constantly bugging you to buy stuff so don't go if you don't want to be bothered ( also happens in the rest of Egypt so be prepared but a polite no thank you is enough when you don't want anything ) You must also be aware that they have a culture of tipping so you must be prepared to tip for virtually everything which is not common to other countries so please expect this .
I found Egypt to be very safe and secure unlike what I thought before I went there obviously you have to be vigilant wherever you go s Egypt is the same . I actually found it to be far safer than other countries I have been that don't have any political problems so book with the right agents and you will have a safe and awesome holiday .
Thank you once again Abdo Shawky of Memphis Tours ,you and your team were great - will tell everyone about your exellent service
Egypt with Memphis Tours
Joseph, 6/15/12
This the first time I have written a review before, but felt I should after the wonderful service I received from Memphis Tours, especially Maged Al Gohary who was my tour consultant. He replied quickly and politely to all my questions and reassured me of any issues I might have had. We ended up booking 3 activities including a day tour to Cairo and we just can't wait to go!
What a professional team!
What a professional team!
Memorable family trip thanks to Memphis
Katherine, 6/10/12
My brother and I decided to treat my parents to a 30th anniversary family vacation in Egypt this June and we had an amazing time, largely thanks to Memphis Tours. Not only did Memphis respond promptly to pre-travel arrangements with their 24/7 on-line service, they were very accommodating to any changes we'd like to make to customize our trip, even during the trip itself. Hamada, our tour coordinator was wonderful and professional, making our trip flow seamlessly. All of our tour guides were great, but we have to extend a special thank you to Mohamed Emam, our tour guide for the Nile cruise, whose passion, knowledge, and love of Egypt culture, country, and teaching really transported us back to the ancient times. He was also extremely helpful with recommendations and helping to coordinate additional trips and address any other concerns that arose to make our trip as special as possible. I would highly recommend him for any tours in Egypt.
This was a trip of a lifetime and our family would like to extend a HUGE THANK YOU to Memphis Tours for making it so memorable. We will never forget this experience!
This was a trip of a lifetime and our family would like to extend a HUGE THANK YOU to Memphis Tours for making it so memorable. We will never forget this experience!
Truly excellent
Cheapthrills, 5/18/12
From the moment I was met by Ahmed, impeccably dressed in his wrinkle free suit at 1am by the luggage carousel at Cairo airport, I knew this was going to be a good experience.
I have just returned from a 14 day Egypt & Red Sea tour and can only praise Memphis Tours for a very interesting, hassle free, professional tour where everything went according to plan and nothing was left to chance. The guides were knowledgeable, the drivers professional, the transport clean, the hotels excellent and the cruise very relaxing. To clarify the review below where there was criticism at being put together with other tourists on the Nile cruise - yes this does appear to happen if there are other people travelling with Memphis on the same day. A guide joins the ship with you in Aswan and takes you ashore at the various places as a Memphis group. You travel to the sites together (variously by van, horse and cart and small boat) and hear his commentary then you are free to wander around on your own. I personally did not find this too onerous. I ended up being with 3 others for a couple of hours in total out of 14 days and cannot really see what the fuss is about. Each to his own I guess.
In any event, I seriously urge anyone thinking of coming to Egypt to do so. There were so few tourists around that I felt as though each of the sites was being kept open just for me to visit - it really did feel like a 'private guided tour' in every sense of the word. Book now before the masses decide its time to go back to Egypt - you won't regret it!
Visited May 2012
Australians in Egypt
TeresaPaul, 5/14/12
Egypt Travel - Memphis Tours is Your Best Choice for a PERFECT Trip
MRI-Sleep, 4/9/12
We just returned from the trip of a lifetime to Egypt. There were 6 of us on a privately arranged trip to Egypt via Memphis Tours. Pre-trip service was outstanding (via our personal pre-trip tour organizer, Yousri Abdallah <[email protected]>) and our arrangements closely tailored to our personal tastes (Yosri called me twice at my California phone number to confirm specific and time-sensitive aspects of our trip). Once we arrived, our Memphis Tours organizer (Abdul El Fattah Elewa) met us as soon as we got off the plane in Cairo and guided us through the bureaucratic maze of customs and entry into Egypt. Abdul kept in close communication with us and all of our tour guides in Egypt via cell phone (a nifty part of Memphis Tours is that they give you a cell phone to use in Egypt - all of the tour guides for each section of the tour put in their cell phone numbers and the main phone number for Memphis Tours and your tour organizer - you can reach them INSTANTLY via this method and get your tour modified/things added, etc. immediately). Abdul was GREAT and his careful coordination and rapid response to all of our requests (we called him at all hours of the day/night for questions, requests for changes/additions to our trip itinerary, etc.) made this the most stress-free and relaxing trip that I have ever experienced.
We traveled over much of Pharonic Egypt. Our favorite guides were Mohamed Eman (fantastic guide to both pharonic sites and history, as well as a wonderful resource for more daily life questions, such as what is a good price for scarves, the amount of tip to bellmen for carrying luggage around, and the best place in Luxor to get stuffed pigeons to eat - trust me, they are absolutely delicious!) and Ahmed Gomaa (great guide for Sharm as well as St. Catherine's - I could not have survived that climb without him). If you go to Petra, Jordan, be prepared for a bit less pampering from the non-Memphis Tour guides, but do try to get Khaled Hamadeen (Petra Nights Tours driver), as he was great about helping us to get through Jordanian customs and on to our return boat to Egypt.
As for Egypt itself, I can only reiterate what other reviewers have said: This is the time to go to Egypt. I could never have imagined that I could spend as much time as I wanted in the tombs of the Valley of the Kings (and without having to wait in any lines), to closely and leisurely view all of the tomb treasures of Tutankamun in the Egyptian Museum, stand alone in the main burial chamber of the Great Pyramid at Giza, and see all of the major temples and mortuary tombs (Abydos, Edfu, Dendara, Medinet Habu, Karnak, etc.) with almost no other tourists around. It was fabulous.
All of the negative press that has been said about Egypt (food/water is bad, Egyptians hate Americans, etc.) never occurred to us during out trip. The food was fantastic (the fruit and vegetables are great) and none of our party was ever sick. Every Egyptian we met was extremely happy to see Americans and were very anxious to point out to us that they like Americans. The only time I had an insect bite on this trip was during my change of planes in Paris.
In summary - GO TO EGYPT. It is a fantastic country and it is SAFE. Also, I can only say that Memphis Tours is absolutely the BEST group you can get to arrange your personalized trip to Egypt.
We traveled over much of Pharonic Egypt. Our favorite guides were Mohamed Eman (fantastic guide to both pharonic sites and history, as well as a wonderful resource for more daily life questions, such as what is a good price for scarves, the amount of tip to bellmen for carrying luggage around, and the best place in Luxor to get stuffed pigeons to eat - trust me, they are absolutely delicious!) and Ahmed Gomaa (great guide for Sharm as well as St. Catherine's - I could not have survived that climb without him). If you go to Petra, Jordan, be prepared for a bit less pampering from the non-Memphis Tour guides, but do try to get Khaled Hamadeen (Petra Nights Tours driver), as he was great about helping us to get through Jordanian customs and on to our return boat to Egypt.
As for Egypt itself, I can only reiterate what other reviewers have said: This is the time to go to Egypt. I could never have imagined that I could spend as much time as I wanted in the tombs of the Valley of the Kings (and without having to wait in any lines), to closely and leisurely view all of the tomb treasures of Tutankamun in the Egyptian Museum, stand alone in the main burial chamber of the Great Pyramid at Giza, and see all of the major temples and mortuary tombs (Abydos, Edfu, Dendara, Medinet Habu, Karnak, etc.) with almost no other tourists around. It was fabulous.
All of the negative press that has been said about Egypt (food/water is bad, Egyptians hate Americans, etc.) never occurred to us during out trip. The food was fantastic (the fruit and vegetables are great) and none of our party was ever sick. Every Egyptian we met was extremely happy to see Americans and were very anxious to point out to us that they like Americans. The only time I had an insect bite on this trip was during my change of planes in Paris.
In summary - GO TO EGYPT. It is a fantastic country and it is SAFE. Also, I can only say that Memphis Tours is absolutely the BEST group you can get to arrange your personalized trip to Egypt.
Marvellous Memphis Tour Egypt
Goinat, 3/18/12
First of all I and my friends would like to say thank you to you and Memphis Tour for the amazing trip that you organised for us.
Thank you very much for lovely tour guides such as Hamada,Maha,Mustafa,and Eid for warm welcome and excellent look after us until the end of trip:)
Kind Regards,
Natty
Thank you very much for lovely tour guides such as Hamada,Maha,Mustafa,and Eid for warm welcome and excellent look after us until the end of trip:)
Kind Regards,
Natty
Pre-travel arrangements
Rebekah P, 3/10/12
We are soon heading over to Egypt and are very excited! Our pre-travel arrangements with Memphis Tours has been very good and easy to negotiate. We also got a free hotel upgrade in Hurghada which is nice. Our tour operator Mohamed Sakr has been very helpful in answering questions and giving us the right itinerary to suit our needs and budget.
Thanks - looking forward to it!
Thanks - looking forward to it!
Extraordinary Tour
Anthony Mesina, 3/9/12
One of the things I like in Magnificent Travel is its accommodating tour guide. Mohamed Sakr has been answering all my queries.
Though I have visited Egypt last year, my contact with the Magnificent Travel has helped me more in knowing the diverse culture of Egypt. I had discovered more of it's wonder and our visit in Egypt has helped me gain so much insight becsuse of the extraordinary tour provided by the Magnificent Travel. Thanks to Mohamed Sakr.
Though I have visited Egypt last year, my contact with the Magnificent Travel has helped me more in knowing the diverse culture of Egypt. I had discovered more of it's wonder and our visit in Egypt has helped me gain so much insight becsuse of the extraordinary tour provided by the Magnificent Travel. Thanks to Mohamed Sakr.
Memphis Tours Egypt ensured that we had the trip of a lifetime
liveyodream, 3/6/12
We were a bit of nervous prior visiting Egypt, but our tensions were quickly eased with the first meeting with our Memphis Tour Representative, Hamada Roshdi. He met us at the airport, helped us get settled in at our hotel, discussed our itinerary and even advocated for us at the Egypt Air when our flights had been unexpectedly changed. Hamada suggested additional tours and called to check in with us as we moved a crossed the country. He was our rock.
Our time in Cairo was pretty good. Our guide was very knowledgeable about all of the history and sites that she took up to. She engage my nephew's interest in Egyptian Mythology and was very patient with 4 year old niece. I was very disappointed that we were not taken to Khan el-Khalli- the largest souk/market in the country. This concerned me because she took up to 2 demonstration shops and not the but ran out of time for the market. When we mentioned this to Hamada, he was displeased and ensured that we would visit the following day.
I have mixed feelings about Alexandria. It seemed as though the suggested places that we asked to visit were ignored by her... as if there was a lack of understanding but we did learn a lot and enjoyed talking to her.
Our time in the Nile region was excellent! We loved being on the Alyssa Floating Hotel! Everything was great... the food, the crew, the rooms, the other passengers! I would recommend this craft to all other Memphis Tour travelers. The 3 day cruise was my favorite part of my 10 days in Egypt.
It helped that we had a great Egyptologist! Alaa Elsawy was AWESOME! As smart as he is cool! He was able to manage an older American couple, a scarf-a-holic Nubian queen, a 20 year old Egyptian Mythology enthusiast, the mother and an energetic 4 year old! He help us all to have a better understanding of the mind boggling 4000+ years of Egyptian history... from temple to temple and valley to valley-- taking time to just stop and hang out in the Nubian Village or a tea house while we shopped for more treasures! What I really appreciated is the dedication to scholarship. Simply Superb!
I have come back to the states telling all of my friend/family- that if you plan on going to Egypt go with Memphis Tours!
Our time in Cairo was pretty good. Our guide was very knowledgeable about all of the history and sites that she took up to. She engage my nephew's interest in Egyptian Mythology and was very patient with 4 year old niece. I was very disappointed that we were not taken to Khan el-Khalli- the largest souk/market in the country. This concerned me because she took up to 2 demonstration shops and not the but ran out of time for the market. When we mentioned this to Hamada, he was displeased and ensured that we would visit the following day.
I have mixed feelings about Alexandria. It seemed as though the suggested places that we asked to visit were ignored by her... as if there was a lack of understanding but we did learn a lot and enjoyed talking to her.
Our time in the Nile region was excellent! We loved being on the Alyssa Floating Hotel! Everything was great... the food, the crew, the rooms, the other passengers! I would recommend this craft to all other Memphis Tour travelers. The 3 day cruise was my favorite part of my 10 days in Egypt.
It helped that we had a great Egyptologist! Alaa Elsawy was AWESOME! As smart as he is cool! He was able to manage an older American couple, a scarf-a-holic Nubian queen, a 20 year old Egyptian Mythology enthusiast, the mother and an energetic 4 year old! He help us all to have a better understanding of the mind boggling 4000+ years of Egyptian history... from temple to temple and valley to valley-- taking time to just stop and hang out in the Nubian Village or a tea house while we shopped for more treasures! What I really appreciated is the dedication to scholarship. Simply Superb!
I have come back to the states telling all of my friend/family- that if you plan on going to Egypt go with Memphis Tours!
Worry free with Memphis tours
Duckconsultant, 3/1/12
I started working with Memphis about 2 1/2 years ago to arrange this trip. They have continued to work with me through a revolution, riots and strikes. Through all of this Abdo Younis and the rest of the staff have done a supreme job to cater to all our wants and to make sure that this trip is worry free and completely enjoyable. From the moment we touched down in cairo Hussein was walking up the runway to get our bags and to get us through customs. From Musty in Aswam,Emad in Luxor, Ahmed in Sharm they have been superb. I don't know how they could have done more. Every tour they plan, hotel and guide has been excellent. Their motto should be, "No problem."
Pre-travel arrangements-Mr Mohamed Sakr is the best
nitkaLondonOntario, 2/23/12
I have always wanted to go to Egypt. Few years back we looked at some trips and the prices were simply out of our reach. On one gloomy November day I was serfing the internet looking for ideas for our winter vacations and by chance I found Memphis tours. I could not believe the prices and I sent an e-mail with an inquiry. With in an hour we had our dream itinerary emailed to us followed by a phone call from Mr Sakr, and so it began....
We were set to go, we were just looking for the best flight to get to Egyp, and then the protests started in Tahir Square again. The media reporting violence and many deaths and injuries. We got "cold feet" I emailed Mr Sakr with my concerns. He very quickly responded, advised us of the situation, explained that all the violence is confined to this one spo,t and assured us that we will be safe. He also advised us that we can take our time deciding. He never pushed for us to committ. We waited til the elections were over and decided we were going to go. I emailed Mr Sakr again changed the dates and he very quickly changed the itinerary to accomodate us. While searching for the best way to get there I found a stop over in Jordan , figured why not see Petra while we are there, emailed Mr Sakr to see if it could be arranged , sure enough it could be, we got the itinerary for this extra excursion right away. Then we decided to fly Air France instead. We booked our trip finally. You would think that that was it, well we found out about the Mena House , we wanted to stay there , once again, all it took was an email to Mr Sakr and it was done.
The reason I went into details like that is to show how professional, patient, knowlegable Memphis Tours is, and Mr Sakr deserves a medal. I wasn't the easiest customer, I would have given up on me long time ago. Even my husband finally said to leave the "poor guy alone" We are very excited to visit Egypt and if the tour just as good as the pre travel arrangements, it looks like it is going to be a trip of a life time. Trip that I don't think would have happened if it wasn't for our wonderful tour coordinator, who put our fears to rest and was very patient during this long process. (I don't think the guy ever sleeps, with the time difference between Egypt and Canada most of our communications happened at 3 am Egypt time) And so we are off.
We were set to go, we were just looking for the best flight to get to Egyp, and then the protests started in Tahir Square again. The media reporting violence and many deaths and injuries. We got "cold feet" I emailed Mr Sakr with my concerns. He very quickly responded, advised us of the situation, explained that all the violence is confined to this one spo,t and assured us that we will be safe. He also advised us that we can take our time deciding. He never pushed for us to committ. We waited til the elections were over and decided we were going to go. I emailed Mr Sakr again changed the dates and he very quickly changed the itinerary to accomodate us. While searching for the best way to get there I found a stop over in Jordan , figured why not see Petra while we are there, emailed Mr Sakr to see if it could be arranged , sure enough it could be, we got the itinerary for this extra excursion right away. Then we decided to fly Air France instead. We booked our trip finally. You would think that that was it, well we found out about the Mena House , we wanted to stay there , once again, all it took was an email to Mr Sakr and it was done.
The reason I went into details like that is to show how professional, patient, knowlegable Memphis Tours is, and Mr Sakr deserves a medal. I wasn't the easiest customer, I would have given up on me long time ago. Even my husband finally said to leave the "poor guy alone" We are very excited to visit Egypt and if the tour just as good as the pre travel arrangements, it looks like it is going to be a trip of a life time. Trip that I don't think would have happened if it wasn't for our wonderful tour coordinator, who put our fears to rest and was very patient during this long process. (I don't think the guy ever sleeps, with the time difference between Egypt and Canada most of our communications happened at 3 am Egypt time) And so we are off.
Memphis Tours surpassed high expectations
TKeine, 2/20/12
I read dozens of reviews and decided on Memphis Tours. I was really excited about my choice and to be honest, it was several times better than I even expected. We decided to arrive a day early to adjust for the eight hour time shift. This was only $50 more so I would suggest this as the days are full and intense. We also chose the 5-star hotel. I cannot say if this was worth it without seeing the other hotel but I can tell you that the Le Meridien Pyramid hotel was exceptionally nice and after one nervous expeditions, I would have to say that we felt comfortable walking down the street at three in the morning. This is quite possible, since the entire city seems to operate 24 hours a day. Unfortunately, the social scenes were quite empty because of the drop in tourism due to the revolution.
From the time we were picked up from the airport, Osama made us feel like great friends and made sure that every expectation of our trip was fulfilled. He works so hard and gets very little sleep because he loves his job so much and it really shows with how much you feel at home. Speaking to him during the hour and a half crazy ride to the hotel we realized that we were in for the trip of a lifetime.
On the second night we decided to try the "sound and light show" on our free day. This seemed very dated and dull but it was not regrettable so I will leave you to decide on this excursion for yourself.
On the first day of our tour in Giza the Egyptian Museum was closed for the anniversary of the revolution. This was something we wanted to see so we were able to reschedule this for the last day with no problems. On this morning we met Mahtii (sp?). So, it was us, Mahtti and our driver Osama (a different Osama). They both were so friendly and we danced and sang to Osama's music while driving around the pyramids. This made it to Facebook. Anyway, Mahtti, an Egyptologist, took us all around Giza, the pyramids, the Sphinx, Memphis and another city with a local lunch. For an entire day he personally taught us about every aspect of what we were looking at and walking through. It was an unbelievable experience.
The following day Osama the director, took us to the airport and walked us in to assure we made it without problems for our flight to Luxor. We had bottles of liquor in our suitcases which someone X-raying said was a problem but let us keep it anyway. More on this later. We flew to Luxor and were met conveniently at the airport and were taken to our cruise ship, the Jaz Minerva. Here we met Alaa, our private Egyptologist that had his own room on the ship and he was just there to guide us and teach us and only us. The first thing we discussed was the optional excursions that cost money. If you have been on a cruise out of the U.S. you know that these are expensive and generally make the trip suck because you feel that they are constantly just trying to get money out of you, this proved nothing like that. Let me tell you, we went on an amazing hot air balloon ride for just $95! There were several other balloons and we seemed to have the best pilot so I am not sure if your experience would be as great as ours but we went way up and then way low to graze the grasses in between trees. My friend and I are both professional pilots so flying is nothing to us but this was possibly the highlight of the trip. Definitely do this! Before the cruise we went out with Alaa to the Temple of Luxor / Karnak. This is such an amazing place and they are still digging up parts of it. Alaa made this even more interesting than it was naturally, if that is possible. Our cruise ship for the next several days had amazing service and food. Over the following six days we became very good friends with everyone working on the boat. When we got to Aswan we decided to take a three hour police convoy down near the border of Sudan to see the amazing Abu Simbel temple. This is such an amazing place and so difficult to describe that you should just Wikipedia it and then do it. The highlights were: the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Abu Simbel and the Unfinished Obelisk. The last one may bore some people but we really wish we had more time at it. We both really appreciated seeing how all of this stuff we had been looking at was made. I bought an expensive statue at a store we stopped at that was supposed to be made out of a really strong stone. This statue was wrapped up very well and kept very safe until I got home but when I unwrapped it, part of it was fractured and the entire thing was ruined and I was very sad. If I had to pick a highlight of the trip it would definitely be getting to spend the week with our now good friend Alaa who taught us so much and hung out with us every night. We hope he will come visit one of us in the U.S. some time.
After flying back to Cairo, we me up again with Mahtti to go to the Egyptian Museum that was now opened. The King Tut exhibit is amazing and especially so after learning so much about him for the whole vacation. Speaking of that, the entire ten days with the Egyptologists, the theme of everything was that of Ramses II being the greatest and most influential ancient king. In the museum you have the opportunity to pay a bit to see the mummies of the Kings. Definitely do this, he is in there along with Hatshepsut! She was lost until recently identified.
Overall, I cannot say how happy we were with our decision to try out Egypt, even in these times. I have traveled quite extensively around the world and I can honestly say that the Egyptians are the friendliest people I have come across. If I could give any advice, other than to go with Memphis Tours, would be to specifically request Osama, Mahtti and Alaa. They are the reason you should choose this tour company.
From the time we were picked up from the airport, Osama made us feel like great friends and made sure that every expectation of our trip was fulfilled. He works so hard and gets very little sleep because he loves his job so much and it really shows with how much you feel at home. Speaking to him during the hour and a half crazy ride to the hotel we realized that we were in for the trip of a lifetime.
On the second night we decided to try the "sound and light show" on our free day. This seemed very dated and dull but it was not regrettable so I will leave you to decide on this excursion for yourself.
On the first day of our tour in Giza the Egyptian Museum was closed for the anniversary of the revolution. This was something we wanted to see so we were able to reschedule this for the last day with no problems. On this morning we met Mahtii (sp?). So, it was us, Mahtti and our driver Osama (a different Osama). They both were so friendly and we danced and sang to Osama's music while driving around the pyramids. This made it to Facebook. Anyway, Mahtti, an Egyptologist, took us all around Giza, the pyramids, the Sphinx, Memphis and another city with a local lunch. For an entire day he personally taught us about every aspect of what we were looking at and walking through. It was an unbelievable experience.
The following day Osama the director, took us to the airport and walked us in to assure we made it without problems for our flight to Luxor. We had bottles of liquor in our suitcases which someone X-raying said was a problem but let us keep it anyway. More on this later. We flew to Luxor and were met conveniently at the airport and were taken to our cruise ship, the Jaz Minerva. Here we met Alaa, our private Egyptologist that had his own room on the ship and he was just there to guide us and teach us and only us. The first thing we discussed was the optional excursions that cost money. If you have been on a cruise out of the U.S. you know that these are expensive and generally make the trip suck because you feel that they are constantly just trying to get money out of you, this proved nothing like that. Let me tell you, we went on an amazing hot air balloon ride for just $95! There were several other balloons and we seemed to have the best pilot so I am not sure if your experience would be as great as ours but we went way up and then way low to graze the grasses in between trees. My friend and I are both professional pilots so flying is nothing to us but this was possibly the highlight of the trip. Definitely do this! Before the cruise we went out with Alaa to the Temple of Luxor / Karnak. This is such an amazing place and they are still digging up parts of it. Alaa made this even more interesting than it was naturally, if that is possible. Our cruise ship for the next several days had amazing service and food. Over the following six days we became very good friends with everyone working on the boat. When we got to Aswan we decided to take a three hour police convoy down near the border of Sudan to see the amazing Abu Simbel temple. This is such an amazing place and so difficult to describe that you should just Wikipedia it and then do it. The highlights were: the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Abu Simbel and the Unfinished Obelisk. The last one may bore some people but we really wish we had more time at it. We both really appreciated seeing how all of this stuff we had been looking at was made. I bought an expensive statue at a store we stopped at that was supposed to be made out of a really strong stone. This statue was wrapped up very well and kept very safe until I got home but when I unwrapped it, part of it was fractured and the entire thing was ruined and I was very sad. If I had to pick a highlight of the trip it would definitely be getting to spend the week with our now good friend Alaa who taught us so much and hung out with us every night. We hope he will come visit one of us in the U.S. some time.
After flying back to Cairo, we me up again with Mahtti to go to the Egyptian Museum that was now opened. The King Tut exhibit is amazing and especially so after learning so much about him for the whole vacation. Speaking of that, the entire ten days with the Egyptologists, the theme of everything was that of Ramses II being the greatest and most influential ancient king. In the museum you have the opportunity to pay a bit to see the mummies of the Kings. Definitely do this, he is in there along with Hatshepsut! She was lost until recently identified.
Overall, I cannot say how happy we were with our decision to try out Egypt, even in these times. I have traveled quite extensively around the world and I can honestly say that the Egyptians are the friendliest people I have come across. If I could give any advice, other than to go with Memphis Tours, would be to specifically request Osama, Mahtti and Alaa. They are the reason you should choose this tour company.
Very pleasant, educational trip
solotraveler86, 2/20/12
I spent two days in Cairo, one night in Aswan and 3 days aboard a Nile cruise ship (My Alyssa). In addition I opted for the 6 hour round trip drive from Aswan to Abu SImbel, which i would recommend. I like driving through a country seeing the landscape, and this gave me a chance to do that. Abu Simble, Karnak, and Luxor were my most memorable stops. An excursion to a Nubian village was also worthwhile as much for the boat ride as for the actual village. We visited the Pyramids and the Cairo museum while in Cairo.
Memphis Tours was very professional. Met us on time, delivered what they promised. The guides were more than knowledgeable and patient. You won't go wrong with any of them. Their love for their county and its history is genuine. You would do well to familiarize yourself with Egyptian gods, and the different ruling dynasties before you go. Accommodations aboard ship were clean and the food was fine. I'd never been on a river cruise.....it is truly "smooth" sailing.
We had been warned about the hawkers trying to sell you everything. Be persistent and you will get through the crowd. Your guide is a huge help with this. But they can be very persistent and at times annoying. Just don't make eye contact. Take lots of $1 USD bills or exchange for a lot of 5 pound notes used for tipping everyone.
Memphis Tours was very professional. Met us on time, delivered what they promised. The guides were more than knowledgeable and patient. You won't go wrong with any of them. Their love for their county and its history is genuine. You would do well to familiarize yourself with Egyptian gods, and the different ruling dynasties before you go. Accommodations aboard ship were clean and the food was fine. I'd never been on a river cruise.....it is truly "smooth" sailing.
We had been warned about the hawkers trying to sell you everything. Be persistent and you will get through the crowd. Your guide is a huge help with this. But they can be very persistent and at times annoying. Just don't make eye contact. Take lots of $1 USD bills or exchange for a lot of 5 pound notes used for tipping everyone.
Most reliable tour reps and guides!
Lailalogy, 2/16/12
I would like to express my gratitude to the staffs of Memphis Tours who had handled our tour itinerary with diligent care.
Special thanks to Mr Maged Al Gohary who planned our itinerary according to our request.
Our tour rep, Mr Tamer Ghullab who ensured we have the safest and most enjoyable journey possible.
Our guide Rania Yahia who filled our tour visits to the pyramids and the museum with so much fun!
Our guide to Luxor and Aswan, Mr Alaa ElSawy. He provided us with great information on ancient Egyptian history and handled our queries effectively. We enjoyed our temple and tombs visits with him. All the queries that I have with regards to ancient egyptian ruins were answered in this trip. We had great fun and will definitely engage the services of Memphis tour in our next visit to Egypt!.
Special thanks to Mr Maged Al Gohary who planned our itinerary according to our request.
Our tour rep, Mr Tamer Ghullab who ensured we have the safest and most enjoyable journey possible.
Our guide Rania Yahia who filled our tour visits to the pyramids and the museum with so much fun!
Our guide to Luxor and Aswan, Mr Alaa ElSawy. He provided us with great information on ancient Egyptian history and handled our queries effectively. We enjoyed our temple and tombs visits with him. All the queries that I have with regards to ancient egyptian ruins were answered in this trip. We had great fun and will definitely engage the services of Memphis tour in our next visit to Egypt!.
Superb !!!
ShreekantAmin, 2/16/12
We had a fantastic holiday far ahead of our expectations, thanks to this
real quality conscious tour operator. We wanted to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary and so booked a 8 day whirlwind private tour to absorb as much as we can of this great country with stopovers in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor. The tour guides Amany in Cairo (whom we particularly recommend) and Nasser in Aswan/Luxor were walking Egyptian history encyclopaedias’ making for a very lively interactive experience. Our overall tour guide Hussien also was very meticulous and particular in ensuring our comfort every step of the way. The vehicles and hotels selected for us (Mena House Oberoi both times) and cruise boat (Sabena, Jamila) too were top notch. The shopping arranged for us – perfume, papyrus and carpets was also quality. In all cannot recommend Memphis tours high enough. Lastly do not miss the hot air balooning option in Luxor – getting up at 5:00 a.m. was worth it many times over for the breathtaking sunrise over the Arabian desert.
real quality conscious tour operator. We wanted to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary and so booked a 8 day whirlwind private tour to absorb as much as we can of this great country with stopovers in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor. The tour guides Amany in Cairo (whom we particularly recommend) and Nasser in Aswan/Luxor were walking Egyptian history encyclopaedias’ making for a very lively interactive experience. Our overall tour guide Hussien also was very meticulous and particular in ensuring our comfort every step of the way. The vehicles and hotels selected for us (Mena House Oberoi both times) and cruise boat (Sabena, Jamila) too were top notch. The shopping arranged for us – perfume, papyrus and carpets was also quality. In all cannot recommend Memphis tours high enough. Lastly do not miss the hot air balooning option in Luxor – getting up at 5:00 a.m. was worth it many times over for the breathtaking sunrise over the Arabian desert.
A wonderful and memorable trip...all thanks to Memphis Tours
reetzy, 2/13/12
I visited Egypt from 3rd Feb 2012 to 12 Feb 2012 . I am a sort of person who hated guided tours and have till date always traveled with my family planning trips on our own and setting our own pace. But considering the present situation in Egypt and the fact that this time I was traveling solo, I decided to go through a tour company. I had read some reviews about Memphis tours on this site and decided to get in touch with them. From the first time I contacted them, I was made to feel comfortable. Mr Maged Al Gohary was an excellent tour advisor who was prompt to answer my queries and make the itinerary according to my interests. He tailor made my holiday and was wonderfully reassuring.
The trip was wonderful from the word go. I was met at the Cairo airport by Mohammad Abdo who was assigned to me as my guest relations person. I was transferred to the hotel and explained in detail about my trip starting the next day. I was given a mobile phone that was charged enough to make 30 mins worth of local calls. This helped me to keep in touch with Mohammed whenever required. The hotels and the boat I was put up in through out the trip were good std...the food was good..the guides were excellent...here I must mention Ahmed during the cruise and another Ahmed in Cairo and Alexandria. Both were extremely knowledgeable and were ready to answer all my queries untiringly. Imad at Luxor was also great company. Through out the trip I was well looked after and felt really safe. Everything was planned to the last detail and I did not have to worry about anything...made my trip relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable!!!! Thank you memphis tours, Maged, Mohamed, Ahmed and Imad!!!!!!
The trip was wonderful from the word go. I was met at the Cairo airport by Mohammad Abdo who was assigned to me as my guest relations person. I was transferred to the hotel and explained in detail about my trip starting the next day. I was given a mobile phone that was charged enough to make 30 mins worth of local calls. This helped me to keep in touch with Mohammed whenever required. The hotels and the boat I was put up in through out the trip were good std...the food was good..the guides were excellent...here I must mention Ahmed during the cruise and another Ahmed in Cairo and Alexandria. Both were extremely knowledgeable and were ready to answer all my queries untiringly. Imad at Luxor was also great company. Through out the trip I was well looked after and felt really safe. Everything was planned to the last detail and I did not have to worry about anything...made my trip relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable!!!! Thank you memphis tours, Maged, Mohamed, Ahmed and Imad!!!!!!
Amazing trip to Egypt
pchris737, 2/10/12
This was my first time to Egypt. I highly recommend Memphis Tours. We were greeted by Osama 1, as he called himself, because the driver's name was also Osama, haha. So we had 1 and 2. Osama 1 was extremely friendly and he was basically our trip manager. He explained to us everything that we needed to know and he even covered some of the culture for us on our amazing 1 hour drive from the airport to the hotel. And the traffic was bad, but don't let that deter you, because experiencing them drive in heavy traffic is something they could easily make a ride out of at disney world. Words simply cannot explain it! There are apparently no rules for driving there. And they are amazing drivers, too. I would not attempt to drive through there if you paid me! Ok so then we were treated like gold by everyone who interacted with us on the tour and throughout the hotels and cruise ships. We had two personal tour guides; one for Cairo and one for Aswan and the cruise up the Nile. Not sure the spelling, but Mahtti was our Cairo guide. He was very friendly and kept us save. He even got me out of a bind with one of the locals when I snapped a photo that I wasn't supposed to take. Then we had Alaa Elsawy as our guide for the cruise and the stops we made along the way. We spent the most time with Alaa. He was extremely friendly and very passionate about his work; he definitely made the trip worth while. Thanks Alaa!
Memphis Tours is Awesome!
Mark G, 2/5/12
We contacted Memphis Tours after seeing the good reviews on
Tripadvisor. We arranged our 10 day/9 night trip via email with our
personal tour consultant, Abdo Younis. This process went very
smoothly, even with our changes and questions, and we were
provided a detailed day by day itinerary.
We were greeted at the airport by our Cairo coordinator, Hamada Amir.
Hamada escorted us to our hotel , got us checked in, gave us a cell
phone for the duration of our trip, and went over the next day’s
itinerary. Hamada or his counterparts, Mustafa in Aswan, and Ahmed in Luxor were always there to greet us and make sure we made it to our next destination.
Memphis had everything covered, we were always met by a trip coordinator, a guide, or both. It was always a Memphis Tours van and driver that took us from place to place when needed. This company really has it’s stuff together.
Also, a word on the guides who actually escort you and explain the history and context of the sites. Our favorite was a young Egyptologist named Mohamed Emam who was our guide for the Aswan to Luxor cruise portion of our trip. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable about these temples and tombs, he has a genuine passion for the subject. He was also a lot of fun.
We had a female tour guide in Alexandria and for the Cairo Museum named Rania Yahia who was also very friendly and knowledgeable.
We rode camels and horses beside the Giza pyramids at dawn, toured the
pyramids inside and out, the sphinx, the step pyramid, Ramses II
statue at Memphis, Abu Simbel, Aswan High Dam, Philae temple, the
Unfinished Obelisk, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Queen Hatshepsut,
Karnak & Luxor temples, Hot Air Balloon Ride in Luxor, Tombs of the Nobles, Alexandria, Qaitbay Citadel, Catacombs, Cairo Museum. We stayed at Le Meridien Pyramids Resort, Movenpick Aswan Hotel, Jaz Minerva Cruise.
If you go to Egypt, make sure you see Abu Simbel. It is worth the 3 1/2 hour ride or you could fly.
Despite the concern of pretty much everyone that we told we were going to Egypt, we never felt the slightest bit insecure the entire time we were there.
The trip exceeded our expectations and I would like to thank Hamada, Mustafa, and Ahmed, along with our drivers (Osama, Saeed, etc) for taking such good care of us.
Tripadvisor. We arranged our 10 day/9 night trip via email with our
personal tour consultant, Abdo Younis. This process went very
smoothly, even with our changes and questions, and we were
provided a detailed day by day itinerary.
We were greeted at the airport by our Cairo coordinator, Hamada Amir.
Hamada escorted us to our hotel , got us checked in, gave us a cell
phone for the duration of our trip, and went over the next day’s
itinerary. Hamada or his counterparts, Mustafa in Aswan, and Ahmed in Luxor were always there to greet us and make sure we made it to our next destination.
Memphis had everything covered, we were always met by a trip coordinator, a guide, or both. It was always a Memphis Tours van and driver that took us from place to place when needed. This company really has it’s stuff together.
Also, a word on the guides who actually escort you and explain the history and context of the sites. Our favorite was a young Egyptologist named Mohamed Emam who was our guide for the Aswan to Luxor cruise portion of our trip. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable about these temples and tombs, he has a genuine passion for the subject. He was also a lot of fun.
We had a female tour guide in Alexandria and for the Cairo Museum named Rania Yahia who was also very friendly and knowledgeable.
We rode camels and horses beside the Giza pyramids at dawn, toured the
pyramids inside and out, the sphinx, the step pyramid, Ramses II
statue at Memphis, Abu Simbel, Aswan High Dam, Philae temple, the
Unfinished Obelisk, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Queen Hatshepsut,
Karnak & Luxor temples, Hot Air Balloon Ride in Luxor, Tombs of the Nobles, Alexandria, Qaitbay Citadel, Catacombs, Cairo Museum. We stayed at Le Meridien Pyramids Resort, Movenpick Aswan Hotel, Jaz Minerva Cruise.
If you go to Egypt, make sure you see Abu Simbel. It is worth the 3 1/2 hour ride or you could fly.
Despite the concern of pretty much everyone that we told we were going to Egypt, we never felt the slightest bit insecure the entire time we were there.
The trip exceeded our expectations and I would like to thank Hamada, Mustafa, and Ahmed, along with our drivers (Osama, Saeed, etc) for taking such good care of us.
Egypt : Pre-Travel Arrangements for Nile Cruise
Jayesh_Nayyar, 2/4/12
I and my family will shortly be travelling to Egypt on the famous Nile Cruise and the pre-travel arrangements for the same have been done by me from Memphis Tours. The interaction till date has been very fast and crispy clear to all my queries which mind you were quite a few so guess I can say this that I was helped and guided at all steps for my booking arrangements and I think that I have got an excellent deal.
To all those looking for a similar kind or an exhaustive trip in Egypt I would recommend just go ahead and book yourselves with Memphis Tours.
Wait and watch for my further review once I return from the trip.
To all those looking for a similar kind or an exhaustive trip in Egypt I would recommend just go ahead and book yourselves with Memphis Tours.
Wait and watch for my further review once I return from the trip.
Memphis Tours and Sayed Selim made our vacation outstanding!!!!!!
colton8camree5, 1/30/12
WOW!!! What an amazing vacation. Thank you Memphis Tours for exceeding our expectations and making our trip exceptional. From start to finish, every detail was meticulously outlined. Even though our arrival time was later than planned, a representative from MT was there to make sure we arrived at the boat safely. In fact, Memphis Tours rearranged our tour schedule so we were able to tour the Luxor and Karnack Temple that night. Special thanks to Sayed Selim. God blessed us when the company assigned such a knowledgeable and professional Egyptologist. He had the task of babysitting three free-spirited females with assertive personalities; one a little more challenging than the others. His expertise in Egyptian history as well as his street smarts aided in dealing with the daily hustle and bustle of trying to see as much as we could.
Pro’s
Magnificent temples and structures. History! History! You’re walking in the same areas as the great queens and kings. King Tut’s Tomb…. The Egyptians do their best to welcome visitors to their land. The accommodations might not be as extravagant as you are used too but they are doing the best they can.
Con’s
Hassling by the merchants. Horrible at times. Listen to your guide and don’t let it spoil your trip. A kind “no” and keep walking is the best advice. Our guide let us know of the best places to buy where you could stop and look without the pressure.
Again special thanks to Memphis Tours and the boat crew. Thank you Abdo Yunnis for responding to my emails in a timely manner and making me feel like I was your only client. Thank you to the ship’s crew. Food was great and so was the service. Sayed Selim, our new Egyptian brother, You ROCK! Everyone keep up the great work and I hope to visit Egypt again very soon.
Pro’s
Magnificent temples and structures. History! History! You’re walking in the same areas as the great queens and kings. King Tut’s Tomb…. The Egyptians do their best to welcome visitors to their land. The accommodations might not be as extravagant as you are used too but they are doing the best they can.
Con’s
Hassling by the merchants. Horrible at times. Listen to your guide and don’t let it spoil your trip. A kind “no” and keep walking is the best advice. Our guide let us know of the best places to buy where you could stop and look without the pressure.
Again special thanks to Memphis Tours and the boat crew. Thank you Abdo Yunnis for responding to my emails in a timely manner and making me feel like I was your only client. Thank you to the ship’s crew. Food was great and so was the service. Sayed Selim, our new Egyptian brother, You ROCK! Everyone keep up the great work and I hope to visit Egypt again very soon.
egypt travel safe & easy thanks to eman, nesri, ayman, eid & ahmed of memphis tours!
angelimaye, 1/16/12
We were in Egypt over Christmas & New Year's, and it was safe, convenient & the most memorable family trip ever, thanks to Memphis Tours.
Booking & planning was a breeze thanks to Ms. Eman Rashad. Less than 24 hours after I sent an inquiry thru tripadvisor, she got back to me with a detailed itinerary recommendation. Adjusting the itinerary was also very easy as she accommodated every request that we had. They are a big company, and very flexible with itineraries, accommodation types, meals included/excluded etc... I gave our budget & she helped to adjust here & there to make it work for us. Was nervous about payments as I've heard some horror stories about fake tour companies, but we paid the deposit on their website and had within minutes Ms. Rashad had already sent me a confirmation that they received the payment and that everything was gonna be ready in time.
When we got to Cairo, the Memphis Tours representative (in their signature pink shirt & tie) met us inside the airport, even before we got through immigration. We were tired & jetlagged from traveling almost 1.5 days and it was just nice to have someone to meet us, hand us the immigration forms & even show us where the baggage carts were. This type of service lasted all throughout the trip, till the check-in counter of the flight leaving Cairo. Every single minute we knew that the Memphis staff were just one call away. Our tour guides Nesri (Cairo/Alexandria), Eid Mohammed (Aswan to Luxor) and Ahmed Hussein (Sharm/Sinai) were well versed in both Egyptian history and current events in Egypt, and even went out of their way to help us buy dinner or snacks which were not part of the tour. Having experienced some tour companies who do not help you out on things they don’t get any profit from, it was refreshing when our driver Ayman bought us some roadside sandwiches (we saw the Alexandrians queue up for it & got interested), and refused to let us pay him back! All of the staff, drivers & guides were very professional, yet had a personal touch – they would constantly ask us how we were feeling and adjust the day’s activities accordingly, which was perfect, as the first few days our eating & sleeping times were completely out of whack given the 6-hour time difference.
Overall we were very happy with Memphis Tours and would recommend to anyone. When booking, be very specific on what you want your tour to be like – what you want to see & do and what you want to avoid, the type of accommodation (remember Egyptian rating system is very different from American/European standards, so 4 stars isn’t really 4 stars), which meals you want included and what kind of meals, etc. They can accommodate almost any request!
Great Experience with Memphis Tours
Alexruizv, 1/15/12
We have such a wonderfull time , everything was super organized, our guide in our trip in the Nile (Agmet Le Prince) was always asking us of what do we wanted to do , and always taking care of us.
But nothing could be possible without the help of our tour operator Mohamed Sakr from
Memphis tours who was always giving us recomendations before making our 2 weeks trip in Egypt... THANKS FOR your advices and Help Mr. SAKR.!!! Hope to have the opportunity to make a new trip to Egypt soon!
and the best for this 2012 .
Alejandra Arellano Arellano
Memphis Tours was fantastic!
MelHes, 1/13/12
My mother and I just got back from a two and a half week trip to Egypt, and I am soooooo glad we went with Memphis tours! I really did my research on companies--looked at endless TripAdvisor reviews, and they were dead on. =) We really wanted an in-depth tour of the country, so we pretty much did everything--Cairo, Sakkara and Memphis, Abu Simbel, Aswan, Luxor, Sharm el Sheikh, St. Catherine's monestary, Mount Moses, Alexandria..ahh soo much! We NEVER felt unsafe, and they truly took care of everything for us. From day one, our booking representative, Abdo Shawky, was truly helpful. He really tailored our trip for us and helped us do exactly everything we wanted to do in such a short time. Thanks Abdo!
Once we got to Cairo, our rep Abdul was great, and especially our guide Ayman. Ok seriously... if you are truly interested in the history, PLEASE request Ayman!! He has a PhD in Archeology and speaks excellent English because he lived in the UK for a number of years. He is absolutely fantastic!! (And if you're starting in Cairo, he will be the best to help give you the history before the rest of your trip.)
When we got to Aswan, we had a one-day guide, Fatima, for Abu Simbel. (And note.. Sabry, our representative, was always on time and very professional. Call him "Michael Jackson" and he will know what it means. Haha!) Maybe it's wrong because we had such an excellent time with Ayman, but I felt like Fatima didn't really enjoy her job. She told us the basics and was very nice, but in the end, she just showed us pictures and left us on our own to figure things out. Anyways.. on our Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor we had Alaa, and he was much better. He's very professional and really wants to explain everything to you and still give you plenty of time to explore and get some great pictures. Please note: during the cruise was the only time we were in a group, and there was also another Memphis Tour group. Their guide was Eid, and according to the friends I made in the other group, Eid was excellent as well. (And a great dancer! Hahaha)
After Luxor we flew to Sharm, and Gomaa (our rep) was such a sweet man. He was extremely punctual and polite, and spoke great English as well. We chose not to do the extra Memphis tours there and instead I booked a private diving course--if you've always wanted to dive and never got the chance.. the Red Sea is truly the place to go! We wanted to see Colored Canyon, but because we had such an aggressive tour the first week, we chose to just have a day to relax on the beach. =)
Then we went to the mountains in Sinai. Gomaa and a driver took us to St Catherine's monestary, and let me tell you.. it's absolutely beautiful! We did go up Moses mountain to see the sunrise, and it was a once in a lifetime experience. Our Beduoin guide, Mohammed (wonderful recommendation by Gomaa) was truly a life saver, and his self-taught English was one of the best-speaking guides we had. I didn't realize even after all my research just how crazy the hike was, and my 63-year-old mother really needed Mohammed. He was there for her every step of the way. =)
Okay I know this is a really long review, but I have to mention some things Memphis didn't tell us that I feel would be helpful to someone planning a trip:
1.) Tipping! Plan on paying your driver each day about $10 if he is good, and more for the guide (since they are college educated and are required to pass a test to obtain their guide license).
2.) TAKE TOILET PAPER OR WIPES WITH YOU EVERYWHERE. In Egypt, literally everywhere (even Cairo airport) relies on tipping. This means, in order for you to get toilet paper, you have to pay 1 Egyptian pound to get it if you don't bring your own. We always brought wipes and antibacterial gel too because soap is hardly ever offered.
3.) The better you are to your guides, the more you will get to see. We heard many stories of people being rude to the guides, and they obviously didn't get the same experience we did. It's the same with anything really because tipping is so huge there.. in the Valley of the Kings, we went into King Tut's tomb and paid the man at the bottom a couple pounds. He took his flashlight and pointed out special things for us to see. (just something for you to think about.)
4.) DO NOT take the overnight train from Cairo to Aswan if you have something planned the next day. Please take my advice (and the advice of other travellers I met along the trip) and pay extra for a flight. It's awful.. you will not sleep without the use of medication. Haha! We barely slept all night and then had 6 hours of driving (total) for Abu Simbel the next day. The others in the group part came right from the train to the Nile Cruise and said the same thing. Ugh.. exhausting.
5.) The food is fine, so do not worry about that. We never got sick once, and they provide water to you everyday. =) Many of our meals were not provided, but we never had a problem even when we ate meals outside the hotel.
6.) Certain attractions cost extra, so check with your booking representative to help you plan for those expenses. For example, your ticket into the Valley of the Kings is included. You will get to go into 3 tombs of your choice, except King Tut and Ramses VI are separate tickets. (I think they're like $10-15 each or something. You have to buy those tickets right when you get there, so don't start walking and forget to. A couple people in our group weren't paying attention and missed out.
7.) Dress attire: Honestly we never really needed scarves because Egyptians are so used to tourists, but we wore them anyway. However, some mosques will require women to cover their hair (none of the ones we went to did, but just keep that in mind). Just dress casually but please be respectful to their culture and wear modest clothing. I heard one guide talking about how some Russian women wore really provacative clothing one time, and it really wasn't necessary. You're going to a Muslim country.. be respectful to their customs.
8.) If you want to see sunrise atop Mount Moses, I'll say this... be careful. Apparently the day before we went a woman had a heart attack and died on her ascent. This is not an easy hike, and it's very cold and exposed to the wind. Take my advice if you are unsure if you will make it--pay the $20 and take camels up as far as they will go. Once you get to the top you will be happy you took them.
9.) Take as many of the optional tours on the Nile Cruise as you can. They are a little expensive $30-90 depending on the tour, but totally worth it. We did all of them. The Nubian village was a fun experience. The city tour in Luxor was fun for me because we took a horse carriage ride through the market then had some sheesha. Mom really enjoyed the Karnak sound and light show--according to Ayman it's the best in Egypt. And we both loved the hot air balloon ride at sunrise over Luxor. It's absolutely breath-taking!
Ok sorry for the long review.. just trying to be helpful. =) If you end up using Memphis Tours, I promise you will not regret it. They were truly fantastic for the price!
Mephis is a great tour operator - especially Fatima Sayed is very helpful
EuropeTravel123, 1/12/12
Me and my wife visited Egypt in December with my mother in law. We booked the trip to Abu Simbel and the three days Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor with Memphis. Before boking it Fatima patiently understood our requirement and then offered us various options which were fitting in our date, Once we were on board the Memphips people took our good care till the time of drop to the airport. The guide (Mohammed) was very professional and never cut corners. You can depend on them fully. Have a great time in Egypt, it is very safe to go there.
“Memphis Tours - The Best of Egypt”
laura_mccullough, 1/9/12
My Mum and I have just returned from an 11 night ‘Best of Egypt’ tour with Memphis. We had a wonderful trip, made possible by the excellent staff of Memphis tours and characterised by the kindness and hospitality of the Egyptian people. We found Cairo, and Egypt as a whole to be safe, friendly and fascinating. We were obviously aware of the political changes underway at the moment, and even visited Tahrir square to take a look at the ongoing (peaceful) protest camp. Sadly, the uncertainly has badly affected the tourist industry – the bonus for visitors at the moment being the privilege of visiting temples, pyramids and tombs with no queues, and the incredible opportunity of photographing some of Egypt’s top tourist sites with only locals, camels and donkeys in the foreground.
I had never travelled with a private tour guide – normally I organise my own travel and activities – and this was a real taste of luxury. I now know what the queen must feel like to be chauffeured from place to place and treated like royalty! Given the different culture and language (we didn’t find English to be widely spoken), having a guide was invaluable to enjoying our trip. The guides were all friendly, engaging and enormously knowledgeable – the role of tour guide is respected and regulated in Egypt; all our guides had studied Egyptology at university for 4 years. They will fill you in not only on the lives of the Pharaohs, but also ordinary Egyptians today, and were more than happy to talk politics, culture and religion.
In terms of the trip itself, Cairo was huge, frenetic and gridlocked – but the Egyptian Museum was unmissable. The night train to Aswan is by no means the Orient Express – there are no washing facilities (only a tiny basin in your room) and only one toilet per carriage. It was however safe (an armed guard per carriage) and an adventure (and a surprisingly good night’s sleep!) I would recommend taking wash wipes, and possibly your own sleeping bag – the blankets have seen better days. Also, try to eat your evening meal beforehand – dinner on the train is late and not great.
The Nile cruise was graceful and wonderfully relaxing, though we both ate something which disagreed with us – take appropriate medication just in case. Sharm was warmer, and the snorkelling was beautiful, but neither of us felt we would return – it is after all a resort in the desert, lacking the personality and cultural depth we found elsewhere. Our tip to Saint Catherine’s Monastery was however, absolutely wonderful.
Hotel ratings in Egypt need to be taken with a pinch of salt. The Mena House in Cairo was stunning – old school glamour and attentive service in beautiful surroundings. The Nile cruise boat was comfortable, but make sure you pick a cabin on the top floor, to get away from the engine noise and crew accommodation. Our original hotel in Sharm wasn’t what we were looking for – a sparsely landscaped resort with ‘bungalow’ style rooms and no central hub or atmosphere. Memphis were very helpful in accommodating a paid upgrade to a nearby hotel which we enjoyed. In general I would recommend studying your itinerary and checking out the hotels on Trip Advisor to see if they are likely to suit your preferences – Memphis are more than happy to tailor your itinerary accordingly. One of the best ideas Memphis have is the mobile phone given to you on your arrival. We rarely used it to make any calls, but it was great to know we were in touch with a guide 24 hours a day if required. (And also for “can we have 10 minutes more over breakfast before our tour pick-up?” type requests!)
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Memphis for its attentive, experienced and very welcoming service. Special mention must go to our guides – Sahl in Cairo, Ahmed (Mido) on the Nile cruise and Gomaa in Sharm; they made our stay extra special.
I had never travelled with a private tour guide – normally I organise my own travel and activities – and this was a real taste of luxury. I now know what the queen must feel like to be chauffeured from place to place and treated like royalty! Given the different culture and language (we didn’t find English to be widely spoken), having a guide was invaluable to enjoying our trip. The guides were all friendly, engaging and enormously knowledgeable – the role of tour guide is respected and regulated in Egypt; all our guides had studied Egyptology at university for 4 years. They will fill you in not only on the lives of the Pharaohs, but also ordinary Egyptians today, and were more than happy to talk politics, culture and religion.
In terms of the trip itself, Cairo was huge, frenetic and gridlocked – but the Egyptian Museum was unmissable. The night train to Aswan is by no means the Orient Express – there are no washing facilities (only a tiny basin in your room) and only one toilet per carriage. It was however safe (an armed guard per carriage) and an adventure (and a surprisingly good night’s sleep!) I would recommend taking wash wipes, and possibly your own sleeping bag – the blankets have seen better days. Also, try to eat your evening meal beforehand – dinner on the train is late and not great.
The Nile cruise was graceful and wonderfully relaxing, though we both ate something which disagreed with us – take appropriate medication just in case. Sharm was warmer, and the snorkelling was beautiful, but neither of us felt we would return – it is after all a resort in the desert, lacking the personality and cultural depth we found elsewhere. Our tip to Saint Catherine’s Monastery was however, absolutely wonderful.
Hotel ratings in Egypt need to be taken with a pinch of salt. The Mena House in Cairo was stunning – old school glamour and attentive service in beautiful surroundings. The Nile cruise boat was comfortable, but make sure you pick a cabin on the top floor, to get away from the engine noise and crew accommodation. Our original hotel in Sharm wasn’t what we were looking for – a sparsely landscaped resort with ‘bungalow’ style rooms and no central hub or atmosphere. Memphis were very helpful in accommodating a paid upgrade to a nearby hotel which we enjoyed. In general I would recommend studying your itinerary and checking out the hotels on Trip Advisor to see if they are likely to suit your preferences – Memphis are more than happy to tailor your itinerary accordingly. One of the best ideas Memphis have is the mobile phone given to you on your arrival. We rarely used it to make any calls, but it was great to know we were in touch with a guide 24 hours a day if required. (And also for “can we have 10 minutes more over breakfast before our tour pick-up?” type requests!)
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Memphis for its attentive, experienced and very welcoming service. Special mention must go to our guides – Sahl in Cairo, Ahmed (Mido) on the Nile cruise and Gomaa in Sharm; they made our stay extra special.
“Great tour company”
Michele, 1/6/12
We are currently on a world tour with our kids. I had always hoped that we would be able to see Egypt but wasn't sure how safe it was. We decided to book a tour for added safety. I don't regret it one iota. It was well worth the money we spent. We loved Memphis tours. The staff were extremely professional. We enjoyed Hamada very much. He went out of his way to ensure that all of our needs were taken care of. He even helped arrange a ride from the airport in Sharm el Sheikh when we decided to go over there at the end of our Egypt tour. Thanks Hamada!
Our guide in Cairo overwhelmed us a little. His name was Nabil. He was very knowledgeable. Just hard to wrap your head around all of the massive history.
We then flew down to Aswan. Had a couple of days down there (saw Abu Simbel, Philae temple and such). Then took a cruise down the Nile for several days. Since the tourists aren't really coming to Egypt right now we had almost an entire boat for a handful of us. Was great. The food was average but everything else was fun.
Our tour guide from Aswan up to Luxor was absolutely amazing. His name was Eid. Our kids absolutely loved him. He would start off some of the temple tours by doing a little skit with us. Thar really helped make sense of the stories. He also made sure to repeat information at each temple. He didn't assume that you remembered things. It was very helpful. By the end of the tour I felt like I was learning the history of Egypt (there is a lot to know!).
Anyhow, enough said. From the get-go they picked us up and took care of us each step of the way. I felt very safe. We were at the Egyptian museum (near Tahrir square) on voting day and it was absolutely safe.
The only negative were the absolutely unending number of people trying to sell you stuff. They are very persistent and don't give up. We tried to tell them that they weren't going to make sales that way but they don't seem to understand. Just be prepared to be harassed (especially right now while tourism is down - they are all desperate for money. It is very hard times for many of them).
Our guide in Cairo overwhelmed us a little. His name was Nabil. He was very knowledgeable. Just hard to wrap your head around all of the massive history.
We then flew down to Aswan. Had a couple of days down there (saw Abu Simbel, Philae temple and such). Then took a cruise down the Nile for several days. Since the tourists aren't really coming to Egypt right now we had almost an entire boat for a handful of us. Was great. The food was average but everything else was fun.
Our tour guide from Aswan up to Luxor was absolutely amazing. His name was Eid. Our kids absolutely loved him. He would start off some of the temple tours by doing a little skit with us. Thar really helped make sense of the stories. He also made sure to repeat information at each temple. He didn't assume that you remembered things. It was very helpful. By the end of the tour I felt like I was learning the history of Egypt (there is a lot to know!).
Anyhow, enough said. From the get-go they picked us up and took care of us each step of the way. I felt very safe. We were at the Egyptian museum (near Tahrir square) on voting day and it was absolutely safe.
The only negative were the absolutely unending number of people trying to sell you stuff. They are very persistent and don't give up. We tried to tell them that they weren't going to make sales that way but they don't seem to understand. Just be prepared to be harassed (especially right now while tourism is down - they are all desperate for money. It is very hard times for many of them).
Pre trip planning is AWESOME
dalbert, 8/24/11
I have not gone on my trip yet but I have just completed ironing out the details of a custom built 17 day 16 night tour for 2 people. The associate that I dealt with, Ahmed F was ABSOLUTELY AWESOME! He knew what he was doing and we were able to iron out the details all via email. I never expected this quick a turnaround with my requests and suggestions GENUINELY taken into consideration. I am also very happy that I did not feel any pressure whatsoever to avail (or not avail) of any of the services offered at each step. It was a very enjoyable experience to book the details with these guys and make modifications as needed. He actually listened and tried to fill in real honest and helpful suggestions when necessary. Great customer service.
The trip is planned for April 2012 and I am sure that if the tour is as pleasant as planning it that I will be another person posting a great review for these guys. If the tour itself is as enjoyable as fixing the details, I am sure that there will be nothing bad I can say.
The trip is planned for April 2012 and I am sure that if the tour is as pleasant as planning it that I will be another person posting a great review for these guys. If the tour itself is as enjoyable as fixing the details, I am sure that there will be nothing bad I can say.
excellent and well organized tour
Yasmin, 8/10/11
we booked the sunset desert safari with Memphis tours. Our tour consultant Abdo Shawky, was very professional and helpful, and very quick to respond at our e-mails. Our guide on the tour was incredibly funny, and he did everything to make sure that we had a good time.
We had a really good experience with Memphis, it was easy and fun, and we will highly recommend the services of Memphis tours to other travellers in Egypt.
We had a really good experience with Memphis, it was easy and fun, and we will highly recommend the services of Memphis tours to other travellers in Egypt.
Very Professional, excellent service, excellent guides
Nevert00ld, 6/22/11
My friend and I were in Egypt for 3 days, Memphis Tours organised everything from picking us up at the airport to domestic flights and shopping expeditions. I dealt with a lady called Fattoush who arranged all our tours and flights, she was both professional and very experienced, to our tour guide in Luxor (Ammed-wealth of knowledge), our guide around Cairo was Ayman Elshafie, he was brilliant. I flew to Sham El Shek where Gomaa met me at the airport and arranged everything, he was both knowledgeable and very professional. By the way all of the tour leaders spoke very good English. Which made things so much easier.
The gentleman that arranged pick ups and drop off at the airport in Cairo (and all the little details) was Abd El Fatah Mohamed, he was excellent, punctual, professional and covered every detail, he was assisted by the driver Adel who was courteous and offered top class service. The staff of Memphis tours made our stay in Egypt one to remember. I recommend them to anyone wanting a well organised, professionally run, holiday.
Visited May 2011
Memphis Tours are amazing
Sydney951, 4/11/11
Memphis Tours are the absolute best! In Dec 2010 we planned a cruise down the Nile as part of our vacation in Egypt for late March 2011. I cannot say enough kind things about our tour organizer Abdo Shawky. What a kind and patient man he is! He answered every question I had and assured me many times by email and phone that our cruise had not been cancelled due to the Revolution.
Our decision to go was based on Abdo’s recommendations as well as my son who is living in Egypt on the Red Sea, even though our own government advised travel to Egypt! I am not the least bit adventurous, but in my opinion, the media blew the revolution way out of proportion, to me it sounded as if the whole of Egypt was involved rather than just a few small specific areas. THE REST OF EGYPT IS FINE!!!!!!!!
Abdo was always either a phone call or email away, he actually gave me his cell number!!!! For instance, our flight with Egyptair from Sharm el Sheik to Aswan was changed, which meant we needed to get a hotel in Aswan for the night and reschedule our pickup from Memphis tours. Not knowing hotels in Aswan I emailed Abdo. Within an hour he had booked our hotel and arranged for Memphis tours to pick us up at the airport, take us to the hotel, as well as picked us up the next morning and take us to the boat!!! Amazing service!!!! At one point during our cruise he called to make sure things were okay!!
Our tour up the Nile was incredible…the boat, “The Allysa” was beautiful. The accommodations were first class, the meals were excellent and the service on the boat was superb. Egyptian people are incredibly friendly, happy, kind people. Our Egyptologist for the excursions was a young man name Mohammed. I think he worked freelance and Memphis Tours had hired him for our excursions, amazing wealth of knowledge. Our tour bus was comfortable, air conditioned and they supplied all the tickets to get into the sites. It was incredibly so well organized!
One last thing, we flew from Luxor to Cairo and spent a day there before coming home. We had a guide for the day and at our request took us to Tahrir Square. We walked around, took lots of pictures, let ourselves just absorb what had happened here just 2 months previous. Our guide Arafa, said at one point, we probably needed to hurry a bit because we need to visit the Egyptian Antiquities Museum right at Tahrir Square, before 11:30 because there was another planned demonstration after noon prayer and he didn’t want us to get stuck in traffic!!!!!!!!!
Egypt needs our tourism and they need it now!!!
Visited March 2011
Above and beyond; very satisfied and appreciative
tonyteach, 4/7/11
Ms. Eman Rashad was my tour plan representative. She made excellent recommendations and planned a great holiday. There were several emails back and forth, and she always promptly replied. There were also a couple of live chats. The only "criticism" I have is that after I paid my deposit, there was a lag between the time I paid the deposit and the time I received confirmation of hotels. However, I should not have been concerned. Everything was taken care of.
My tour guide in Cairo, for the first day of my trip, was fantastic. She was very knowledgeable and accommodating. From the beginning, I felt as though I had received a very good value for the money. She arranged for a VERY good lunch of traditional foods. I was only with her for the first day and was supposed to be with her again at the tour's conclusion (see below).
My guide for tours of the East and West Banks and Luxor was equally knowledgeable and hospitable. He was a former high school teacher and it showed in his presentations and lectures about the sites we visited.
Unfortunately, I was in Egypt, on the boat during a 4-night Nile cruise, when the uprising began. I did not have internet on the boat. Since I did not know about the uprising, I just assumed the lack of internet was because of being on the boat. After I left the boat and checked into my hotel in Luxor, I saw the news and learned of the uprising.
I decided to spend 1 night at the hotel in Luxor and took a "wait and see" position regarding the uprising. Later that evening, governments started advising citizens to evacuate. The next morning, I checked out of the hotel. When I got down to the front desk, there was a representative from Memphis Tours. He was about to come to my room. (Remember, there were no cell phones or internet in operation.) He was there to take me to the airport and help me decide what to do.
We went to the airport in Luxor, but there were no departing flights. So, he took me back to the hotel where I stayed one more night. He was there again the next morning to take me back to the airport. When I got to the airport, there were about 300 people trying to get tickets and change their flights. It was nothing compared to the airport in Cairo, but it was not a fully functioning airport. The Memphis Tours representative stayed with me until I got my ticket changed and went through security to the departure gates.
I did not request a refund from Memphis Tours. I assumed they had insurance to miscellaneous problems that may arise, but I doubted their insurance would cover political uprising and overthrow of governments. However, without a request, I received an email from Ms. Rashad informing me that Memphis Tours was refunding a portion of my fees. I was supposed to go to Sharm El Sheikh for 5 nights, then return to Cairo to finish my tour. I was not able to go to Sharm or return to Cairo. They refunded about 1/3 the cost of the tour and I am very appreciative to them for that gesture.
The bottom line is that I will definitely return to Egypt in the future. I still want to enjoy the beaches and diving in Sharm El Sheikh and I want to see the museum in Cairo. When I decide to return, I will DEFINITELY book my tour through Memphis Tours. I know everyone has a different experience, but I can say enough good things about Memphis Tours.
Visited January 2011
Memphis Tours are #1”
KUBES70, 2/12/11
Great people to have show you their country
Made us feel welcomed and secure
We enjoyed the history lessons and the great sense of humour of your people
Even the little detours that we took,like sitting at the sidewalk cafe in Giza prior to going to the night show at the pyramids was a great experience.
Hope to re-visit Egypt again,and will call Memphis Tours for all our needs.
The Pyramids,are truly magical,hard to describe the feeling
thanks again
Patrick & Sharon,
Excellent tour with reliable, professional company
homegal, 2/10/11
I visited Egypt with a friend for 2 weeks in Jan/Feb, which culminated in our being caught up in the difficulties that currently face that country. At all times, the staff/guides were helpful, polite and professional. Any (minor) problems that arose were handled with calm, confidence and rectified quickly. Specific thanks to -
Ahmed Fayez - tour planner over internet. This efficient, patient man managed any queries or changes of tour itinerary without complaining.
Abdol in Cairo who coordinated our tours there. Especially at the end of our trip, when Cairo become a concern, our safety and comfort was his primary concern.
Maha - Cairo tour guide extraordinaire! A dynamic font of knowledge. Fun, generous, kind. A real asset to the company and to her country.
Mustafa - Aswan. Can-do kind of guy, wicked sense of humour!
Ahmed - on the Nile. Experienced knowledgeable, friendly.
Adam - in Hurghada. Gentle, kind, caring person. Coped with the job of getting us back to Cairo during the protests with patience, humour, kindness and concern. Outstanding service at a particularly difficult time.
We thank you for an unforgettable holiday and wish the people of Egypt strength and courage as the future unfolds.
Excellent company
annikins90, 2/9/11
Last year I travelled to Egypt by myself and as I am a single female i didnt want to have to go to all the major sites by myself and was looking for a company that i could make a custom tour with so i could see what i wanted to see. I came across Memphis Tours and with the help of Yosri we arranged a custom tour which was exactly what i was looking for.
When it was time to start my tour i had met up with another couple form Australia and they were wanting to see the same sites as me so i asked my tour guide Mohamad if it was possible for them to tag along. With no trouble at all there were now three of us going on an unforgettable day. Mohamad was very knowledgable and he even chose the best place for our lunch break (the best meal i had my entire time in Egypt).
Thankyou to all the team at Memphis Tours for making our time in Cairo an unfogettable expirence.
My fantasic time in Egypt
DaphneM8, 2/9/11
Fist off our trip was fantastic Egypt was everything and more that we expected.
A big thanks to Hamada, he picked us up from airport with wonderful big smile and nothing was ever to much trouble to organise or change. Also a big thank you to our guide Emad Seleem wow!! the knowledge this man has about his history is amazing. We are two nurses from new Zealand now working in Saudi Arabia, the team from Memphis tours kept us safe, organised daily sightseeing tours with an amazing Egyptologist, used air-conditioned vehicles, Hotels fantastic . Would love to return think one week not enough time.
Next time I would make sure I have tip money, tipping is a concept that is new to me and found I never had enough change, so make sure you have smaller note changed at airport like 20 and 50.
Thanks Menphis
Great Tour Company, trip of a life time!
Gant710688, 2/1/11
Ok, when booking with this company you HAVE to have Mr. Ahmed Farahat as your tour guide. He speaks Arabic, English and Italian. He was the best tour guide we have ever had. We had him the first day in Cario and he was so great, we changed our trip around when we arrived back in Cario to have him again. First class guy!
The tour company was great. Very professional, reliable and polite. Its a great deal as well! We where treated like gold.
I know there is a lot of political issues going on over there right now but once that clears up and things get better, check this amazing country out with Memphis Tours. Its so worth it!
Greg Anthony
Egypt with MEMPHIS Tours
danielmo, 1/27/11
Jan 2011
We recently travelled to Egypt with MEMPHIS TOURS (12 day private tour 4 people)
There are no words to describe the fantastic experience with Memphis Tours.
Being avid travellers we can honestly say they are the best we
have ever encountered. The whole trip was smooth sailing right from the reservation
process to the actual land tour. The reservation staff as well as their tour reps, drivers
and local guides were all 1st class.
We were 4 days in Cairo/Alexandria, flew to Luxor, boarded a 4 day Nile cruise on
Radamis I up to Aswan.Spent one day in Abu Simbel and back 2 days in Aswan.
Flew back to Cairo, overnighted at airport hotel then next morning flight back to Canada.
Memphis tours and their representatives were always there with us at all times.
They were punctual and extremely professional always felt very safe.
Thank you for our BEST vacation ever !!!!
Booking agent Mohamed Moktar very very efficient
Tour reps: Cairo: Mohammed Omran(Mimmo) always there for us.
in Aswan: Mustafa Osman never met such a pleasant and competent young man.
In Abu Simbel : Hany totally dedicated to his clients.
WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND MEMPHIS TOURS as you can see by all
the positive reviews on Tripadvisor we are not the only satisfied customers.
Another Fabulous Adventure With Memphis Tours!
kmyUSA, 1/23/11
I have just returned from my second trip to Egypt, and I loved it just as much as the first time! On our initial visit, we chose Memphis Tours based on their numerous positive reviews and competitive prices. This time we chose them based on our exceptional and unforgettable experience with them the first time around.
Ahmed Shalpy, our tour consultant, was on top of everything, from start to finish. He quickly responded to all of our questions, and readily accommodated any changes we wished to make along the way. He was also more than willing to grant our request to have the same group of representatives as last year - at least for the Cairo and Alexandria portion of our trip. During the Nile cruise, we had different drivers and guides, provided through the cruise ship.
Our tour leader was Hamada Roshdi. Our tour guide was Amany Salem. And our driver was Sayed Anwer.
Hamada was wonderful, greeting us at the airport with his huge, cheerful smile and a bouquet of flowers. He even served as mediator when the airline misplaced the luggage of one member of our group. Throughout our entire stay, Hamada was always VERY friendly, accommodating, charming, and eager to please! I love that no matter what the time of day, or how long his day had been, he always had a great big, adorable smile and wonderful sense of humor! He is very personable, professional, and an enormous asset to Memphis Tours.
Amany, our fabulous tour guide, was very knowledgeable and had a lot of information to impart regarding the numerous places we visited. Even as we drove, she described the various buildings we passed, and pointed out sites of interest. She also allowed plenty of time for taking pictures, which was very important to me! And, knowing that we didn't really desire buffet lunches, she offered up various options for our meals (all of which were excellent choices!). She too was very friendly and open, and always had something positive to say.
Sayed, our driver, also greeted us with a great, big, cheerful smile and a bouquet of flowers! And obviously there are many drivers who can maneuver in, out, and through Cairo's crazy maze of traffic, but both this year and last, there were many times when I was absolutely amazed at his ability to expertly manipulate our van through the hectic streets and "parking lots" of Cairo with ease! I also appreciate that he stopped a few times (without me asking!) so that I could take pictures! And, like Hamada, no matter how long our day had been, he was always smiling and cheerful.
We also had security, provided by the tourism police, Ahmed Alsayed Ahmed. He too was very friendly. I do think, however, we caused him concern when we spread out or lagged behind to take pictures, but he was always very patient!
From the moment we inquired about our trip till the time we passed through airport security to go home, Memphis tours was there to support us and to ensure we had a memorable experience. Hamada, Amany, and Sayed were constantly going out of their way to ensure we were happy and comfortable. They readily adjusted our itinerary to fit in SEVERAL last minute sites, including a visit to Alexandria. They stopped many times to get us snacks (sometimes from places they knew and liked, sometimes from places we had read about and were interest in trying). We had a couple of VERY long days, lasting 12 hours and more; they stayed with us, always smiling and always cheerful!
Memphis Tours even surprised us, providing us with hotel rooms in Aswan so that we could rest between our early morning trip to Abu Simbel and our late night return flight to Cairo!
There is talk of a return trip to Egypt in 2012, at which time we will definitely be contacting Memphis Tours! And, of course, we will once again request the same amazing group of representatives! I miss all of you, and hope to see you again next year!
“Excellent Planning Assistance for 14 Day Travel Package”
Kirby, 1/18/11
I have spent the last month researching our trip to Egypt. I have contacted multiple internet based tour providers along with visits to our local travel agents.
Memphis Tours has provided the best and most flexible service so far with a very reasonable price.
Abdo Shawky has been the Memphis Tours agent assisting me with our travel plans for a 14 day trip throughout Egypt. He has been excellent, timely and a ton of help. The pre-planned tours suggested by Memphis tours are great because they are flexible. Abdo was able to provide us with an amazing itinerary covering all of the major sites that still offers some down time at the beach!
I am very much looking forward to this vacation and trust that if the service we have received so far is any indication of the trip – we are going to have a great time.
Memphis Tours has provided the best and most flexible service so far with a very reasonable price.
Abdo Shawky has been the Memphis Tours agent assisting me with our travel plans for a 14 day trip throughout Egypt. He has been excellent, timely and a ton of help. The pre-planned tours suggested by Memphis tours are great because they are flexible. Abdo was able to provide us with an amazing itinerary covering all of the major sites that still offers some down time at the beach!
I am very much looking forward to this vacation and trust that if the service we have received so far is any indication of the trip – we are going to have a great time.
“A wonderful and well planned trip”
MarinaTaylor, 12/28/10
Having arranged our own flights into and out of Cairo, I asked Memphis tours to put together a 17 day trip around Egypt including a stay in Cairo, a stay in Aswan, a Nile Cruise and a stay in Sharm. Having forwarded them the things we wanted to do, Memphis Tours put together a fabulous trip at a reasonable price which met and exceeded all our requirements. All of the transfers (planes and bus) were on time, the reps were super, very well presented and very knowledgeable of all things Egypt. The accommodation they choose was excellent and they delivered on everything they promised including the use of a mobile phone while we were there for ease of contact. Even when we needed to change part of the itinerary while we were there, that was no problem and this was done without any fuss or bother. Their personal guides were excellent and kept us entertained and informed about all of the attractions we went to see. On those excursions where lunch was included, this was always of a high standard and in very nice, traditional places. The standards in Egyptian hotels is second to none so there were no problems in this regard at all. We thouroughly enjoyed our trip to Egypt and the help of Memphis Tours played a big part in this. I would highly recommend this organisation to anyone thinking of travelling to Egypt. Our main contact throughout was Mohammed Amer who was exccellent and extremely professional. A special word of thanks also to Mohsen, our rep while we were there for his friendliness and help at all times. Would definitely go back with Memphis Tours again.
“Memphis Tours Was Fantastic!”
LilacWaterloo, 12/19/10
My husband and I booked a 3 week trip to Egypt and chose Memphis Tours to co-ordinate our visit. We have travelled extensively all over the world and do not take group tours. Memphis helped us put together our trip, with excellent input from Marwa. She graciously answered our many questions and we were even able to talk with her on Skype. Whenever we wanted to alter our program, she was available and willing to provide suggestions.
Memmo was our contact person throughout the 3 weeks and we cannot praise him highly enough for his cheerful demeanour, willingness to help, always available by cell phone (which Memphis provided for us) and all in all, a fun guy to be with. As our trip involved three different dates into and out of Cairo, Meemo was always there to greet us (along with our Cairo driver Mohammed), no matter what the time of day, the four of us had lots of laughs and it felt like we were travelling with old friends. We were sad to say goodbye to them at the airport.
Besides Cairo, we visited Aswan, Abu Simbel, spent 3 nights on the Nile Dolphin cruise ship, Luxor and the Siwa Oasis. Our trip was amongst the best we have ever taken, and Memphis Tours made everything run like clockwork.
The other guides we used (through Memphis) were also excellent and extremely knowledgeable about the history of Egypt. In particular, we would like to thank Ahmed El Prince who was our guide on the Nile cruise and he was absolutely fantastic, lots of fun and made the stories of the temples come to life. He really knew his stuff.
We highly recommend Memphis and would use them again in an instant.
Memmo was our contact person throughout the 3 weeks and we cannot praise him highly enough for his cheerful demeanour, willingness to help, always available by cell phone (which Memphis provided for us) and all in all, a fun guy to be with. As our trip involved three different dates into and out of Cairo, Meemo was always there to greet us (along with our Cairo driver Mohammed), no matter what the time of day, the four of us had lots of laughs and it felt like we were travelling with old friends. We were sad to say goodbye to them at the airport.
Besides Cairo, we visited Aswan, Abu Simbel, spent 3 nights on the Nile Dolphin cruise ship, Luxor and the Siwa Oasis. Our trip was amongst the best we have ever taken, and Memphis Tours made everything run like clockwork.
The other guides we used (through Memphis) were also excellent and extremely knowledgeable about the history of Egypt. In particular, we would like to thank Ahmed El Prince who was our guide on the Nile cruise and he was absolutely fantastic, lots of fun and made the stories of the temples come to life. He really knew his stuff.
We highly recommend Memphis and would use them again in an instant.
“I'd say, lovely. And the country is a dream.”
PrettyDavid, 12/18/10
First and foremost, we had a great time!
We stayed in Sharm el Sheikh. In Maritima Penesula hotel. Had to say that! Great hotel..nice and clean, good service and very pretty.. We went camel riding and we went on a boat trip were we dived and snorkled and had a great time there!! And great people. We travled around in Sharm el Sheikh and got known. And we went west to the Ras Mohammed national park, and went swimming on a beach there...and drove around on the west coast and went around.
We also went to Cairo and saw the pyramids and went to Sphinx and went to the Egyption museum, peaceful little boat trip on the NILE and we went to the Khal el-Khalili market in Cairo..
And me, Maria, sitting here writing the review went horse backriding in the desert with the pyramids as background. That is an odd feeling, but a good one;) That ment alot to me...a dream came tru! And our guide in Cairo was Nesreen. And she was utterly AMAZING! What an amazing woman...we felt warmly welcomed and that ment alot to us. In the end of the day we were exhausted! But that day was the day we TRULY felt we were in Egypt. It was well worth it...and we'd like to do it again.
We want to give a special thanks to NESREEN our tour guide in Cairo. Thank you, thank you, thank you for makeing our day complete!
You are truly a wounderful woman, and we want you to know it. We love you!!:) And with that said, Hamada was the tour guide that fixed everything!!:P "Our main one". He recomended a bunch of stuff....picked us up at the airports dropt us at the airports drow with us to the things we did in Sharm el Sheikh and if we wanted help with something what ever it was, he'd help us. He was such a good spirit! Happy...laughing and kind, and THAT is a good thing...and it says alot when a guide gives everything in his power to make us have a comfortable stay and a nice vacation. We want to give a special thank you to you Hamada...you are such a warm hearted man. And we love you too:) Thank you, thank you, thank you Hamada, we felt we were in safe hands. Thanks to you.
We also went to Newiba. We had our own car, so we drove up there through the desert area and stayed there for one night. Nice hotel...and GREAT people, to have that said....this particular trip was something we'd planed to do and we're glad we did it.
SO! Vacation was successfully "vacationed"!:P
We stayed in Sharm el Sheikh. In Maritima Penesula hotel. Had to say that! Great hotel..nice and clean, good service and very pretty.. We went camel riding and we went on a boat trip were we dived and snorkled and had a great time there!! And great people. We travled around in Sharm el Sheikh and got known. And we went west to the Ras Mohammed national park, and went swimming on a beach there...and drove around on the west coast and went around.
We also went to Cairo and saw the pyramids and went to Sphinx and went to the Egyption museum, peaceful little boat trip on the NILE and we went to the Khal el-Khalili market in Cairo..
And me, Maria, sitting here writing the review went horse backriding in the desert with the pyramids as background. That is an odd feeling, but a good one;) That ment alot to me...a dream came tru! And our guide in Cairo was Nesreen. And she was utterly AMAZING! What an amazing woman...we felt warmly welcomed and that ment alot to us. In the end of the day we were exhausted! But that day was the day we TRULY felt we were in Egypt. It was well worth it...and we'd like to do it again.
We want to give a special thanks to NESREEN our tour guide in Cairo. Thank you, thank you, thank you for makeing our day complete!
You are truly a wounderful woman, and we want you to know it. We love you!!:) And with that said, Hamada was the tour guide that fixed everything!!:P "Our main one". He recomended a bunch of stuff....picked us up at the airports dropt us at the airports drow with us to the things we did in Sharm el Sheikh and if we wanted help with something what ever it was, he'd help us. He was such a good spirit! Happy...laughing and kind, and THAT is a good thing...and it says alot when a guide gives everything in his power to make us have a comfortable stay and a nice vacation. We want to give a special thank you to you Hamada...you are such a warm hearted man. And we love you too:) Thank you, thank you, thank you Hamada, we felt we were in safe hands. Thanks to you.
We also went to Newiba. We had our own car, so we drove up there through the desert area and stayed there for one night. Nice hotel...and GREAT people, to have that said....this particular trip was something we'd planed to do and we're glad we did it.
SO! Vacation was successfully "vacationed"!:P
“best tour and guide with Memphis tours”
wise_2006, 10/17/10
My wife and I used Memphis Tours for our trip to Egypt in November. We booked the Best of Egypt tour and the service we received was exceptional. Everything was arranged as outlined in our itinerary and booking from UK .
Our guides were very knowledgable and passionate about Egyptian history, and answered any questions that we had. Having the same guide in Cairo and then from Aswan to Luxor was nice as you were able to get to know them and there was always someone to help you out. Our guide from Aswan to Luxor, was excellent and made sure we were always taken care of and had input into the day's plans.
Overall a great experience, I would definitely reccomend this tour company and to anyone looking to go to Egypt. A great deal and makes traveling Egypt simple and you're able to enjoy without working about logistics.
Our guides were very knowledgable and passionate about Egyptian history, and answered any questions that we had. Having the same guide in Cairo and then from Aswan to Luxor was nice as you were able to get to know them and there was always someone to help you out. Our guide from Aswan to Luxor, was excellent and made sure we were always taken care of and had input into the day's plans.
Overall a great experience, I would definitely reccomend this tour company and to anyone looking to go to Egypt. A great deal and makes traveling Egypt simple and you're able to enjoy without working about logistics.
“Magical Egypt”
amitac33, 7/28/10
“Fanstatic, Fabulous, Incredible service”
Little54, 7/6/10
We had been to Egypt with our parents. We booked our trip through Marwa Samir and she had made the most incredible arrangements. She even treated us with her own personal tea and waterpipe treat. We have never had such gr8 hospitality in the 6 countries that we have visited so far. I strongly reccomend Marwa to book your tour and Memphis Tours for your visit to Egypt. It is my Dream Country and the tour people made it truly worth being their for my BDay. I thank them and would love for everyone to experience what we did. Truly professional, punctual, caring and incredibly considerate people. Thanks Marwa ands Mephis Tours. We shall be back.
“Egypt with Mephis tours”
edenbbb, 6/6/10
We did a 12 day tour "Best of Egypt" tour with Mephis tours. Our contact person mimmo was great at organising everything while we were there. Cost of the tour was 995 euros / person (in June 2010). It was good value for money and we had a guide with us (Salem) for all attractions and sites.
Great job by Memphis Tours Egypt
mylittlerascal, 5/25/10
I have just came back for Egypt and the tour arranged by Memphis was seamless. Mr. Mohammed Amer has been wonderful and bending over backward to make sure all my request has been met. After many changes on dates, places, cruise boats and hotels we finally have our itinerary completed. Two people in our group of six have problem with the air on transit and have to change route and arrival time to Cairo. Mr. Amer arranged new pick up time at the airport without any problem after I e-mailed him at the last minute. The transfers for hotel and airport were always on time. Hamdy Emiry in the Cairo office was also extremely helpful in planning our trip. He even came meet me at the hotel and brought me roses. What a wonderful young man. During our land tour in Giza, Memphis, Sakkara, Cairo, Alexandria and St. Catherine, we have a most wonderful guide named Yasser. He is knowledgeable, charming, and speaks very good English. We learn a lot of history from Yasser and everyone felt in love with him. Our driver, Osama, was funny and entertaining which make our long drive to Alexandria and St. Catherine seem short. We have a lot of fun and laughs during our trip. The cruises arranged by Memphis tours were very good. Ahmed met us at Aswan after our Lake Nasser cruise. I told him there is no time left on the cell phone Memphis provided, he immediate charged the time to the phone so we can call home and communicate with Memphis and the guides. He took us to the hotel for an overnight stay before the Nile cruise. He got us upgraded to all suite rooms. Wow! He also arranged an optional tour to the Nubian Village at a very reasonable price. We have Sayed as our guide on our Nile Cruise. He is a fun guy and we have a good time with him also. I highly recommended Memphis Tours to anyone who wants a trouble free and affordable price vacation in Egypt.
took the organisational hassle out of touring Egypt - really friendly and efficient service
vickyse16, 5/13/10
just got back from a 2 week trip in Egypt organised by \memphis. First of all it was a really good trip.
We had wanted to see as many of the sites as possible whilst also have a reasonably relaxed timetable over the 2 weeks. Memphis suggested a few days in Cairo, an overnight train to Luxor, a 7 day cruise down the Nile to Aswan and back again and then a few days in Sharm to work on the tan.
Mimmo was our assigned Memphis organiser who met us at Cairo airport and he ensured that we had our own driver and guide at all the different stages of the holiday and provided us a mobile phone for the duration of the trip.
Cairo:
Maha our guide in Cairo was excelent, she was very knowledgable and happy to answer all our questions and to protect us from the hawkers which are everywhere in Egypt.
The Nile Cruise:
This was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. The crew of the M/S Nile Style provided truly excellent and friendly service. it was a relaxed tempo, generally sightseeing in the morning and then relaxing on the sun deck by the pool in the afternoon.
Special mention for our guide for the weeklong cruise - Sayed who was excellent, friendly, enthusiastic and very patient with all our questions!
Sharm El Sheikh: Please see review of Maritim Royal Peninsula Sharm
To sum up, Memphis provided a very efficient and friendly service at a really good value rate. It was particularly lovely to have our own guides instead of being in a massive group as this allowed for greater flexibility. If you're thinking of going to Egypt you should consider using Memphis!
We had wanted to see as many of the sites as possible whilst also have a reasonably relaxed timetable over the 2 weeks. Memphis suggested a few days in Cairo, an overnight train to Luxor, a 7 day cruise down the Nile to Aswan and back again and then a few days in Sharm to work on the tan.
Mimmo was our assigned Memphis organiser who met us at Cairo airport and he ensured that we had our own driver and guide at all the different stages of the holiday and provided us a mobile phone for the duration of the trip.
Cairo:
Maha our guide in Cairo was excelent, she was very knowledgable and happy to answer all our questions and to protect us from the hawkers which are everywhere in Egypt.
The Nile Cruise:
This was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. The crew of the M/S Nile Style provided truly excellent and friendly service. it was a relaxed tempo, generally sightseeing in the morning and then relaxing on the sun deck by the pool in the afternoon.
Special mention for our guide for the weeklong cruise - Sayed who was excellent, friendly, enthusiastic and very patient with all our questions!
Sharm El Sheikh: Please see review of Maritim Royal Peninsula Sharm
To sum up, Memphis provided a very efficient and friendly service at a really good value rate. It was particularly lovely to have our own guides instead of being in a massive group as this allowed for greater flexibility. If you're thinking of going to Egypt you should consider using Memphis!
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