Tiring but worthwhile
The pick up was very early approx 4am. Everything was organised so well, pick ups from hotel to go to airport, collection at Cairo and everything in between and includes return. Best bits were the Pyramids, boat trip on the Nile and the museum. Lunch was average. We went to two shops one that made papyrus gifts and the perfume shop. I'm my opinion we could have done without these, just a way to get money out of the tourists. Even with these it was an amazing day.
153andyf · 2025年9月 · Tripadvisor より
Full honest review: good and bad - read on..
Here is a real review with the good and the bad. No filter.
1. Ahmed, the guide, was not only very knowledgeable but truly inspirational; a lovely kind man who’s passion is delivering a great experience. He did that in spades. The world needs more people like him 😀
2. Pyramid visit was amazing and he organised/negotiated a camel/carriage ride and no vendor took advantage because he was running the show. Breathtaking experience I will never forget. Facts along the way and insights into Egyptian culture, modern and past. Visit about 2 hrs.
3. Optional boat ride on the nile was OK, I had somehow imagined something less city based for that but it was OK. Not sure the local fixation with playing Arabic hip-hop 24/7 at full volume helped with the experience. 30 mins. Glad thats over.
4. Egyptian musem with Ahmed was special because he is a trained Egyptologist so there was no limit to his knowledge there. Museum has no A/C so be aware - it’s uncomfortable. New museum opening 2025 late I believe; should be a better venue. Amazing to see Tut Ankhamun’s grandparents mummies, hair in tact. Visit 1.5hrs
5. Visit to the essential oils was a well-trodden classic up-sell, for me of no real interest but the vendors were not pushy and were very accommodating. Lasted an hour I reckon.
6. Visit to papyrus shop and some insights by the owner on papyrus properties and manufacturing was - to me - fascinating but again no appetite for a purchase - very tourist focused products on sale. 30mins
7. Visit to street market, very enjoyable but one feels a bit like a goldfish in a bowl. Mostly respectful vendors who were only trying but not too pushy. I suspect it would be far worse without the guide present. I would live to visit there again and have more time. Event was about an hour
8. Lunch - great venue with good quality food selections; typically Arabic and nothing touristy. We had to Pay for drinks is all. 1Hr.
9. Viator themselves are very responsive but lack knowledge on details of visas etc and so when I was left with an issue about this I felt a little like it was out of their control.
10. In order to resolve the visa issue we had to “pay a man” who knew someone in the airport, small amount of money like 6 Euros each to “get the stamp changed” but clearly its the Egyptian way and this happens in plain sight. There was a man in plain clothes running about with probably 20 passportd in his hand, which he had gotten “fixed”.
11. To avoid all this - if you want to leave Sharm to go to Cairo make sure you get the visa online before you depart UK. I did this but you must show it on entry to Sharm to get the big stamp in your passport that allows onward travel. I could not see instructions in that aspect and so was not aware. Do this to get a smooth ride through in your way from Sharm to Cairo. There were many who had not done this. Quite a business for these men.
12. My biggest gripe with this trip was that the operator changes the departure time - thiugh when challenged - leans on a tenuous statement in the T&C about the “exact time can change”. This was moved from 6AM collection at hotel to 3:20! The justification being that this is dictated by flight times. Of course but then say that and offer the earliest worst case so folks can make an informed decision. Our flight was 6AM and we were collected promptly at 3:20AM. This honestly ruined it for us, I was delirious with little sleep and my wife had none. Too tired to enjoy it fully. We arrived back at hotel at 11PM same day. So for the “offered” 6AM pickup, that would mean a lot less time in Cairo. I feel this muddy communication is deliberate and takes advantage of tourist desire to see the pyramids - which was fantastic - but clearly over-selling the trip to look like the competition from other vendors is worse, when it is actually that they state a more accurate collection time.
13. The flight times is 1HR with 2Hr check-in, so thats 6hrs of your day just travelling by air but still half the bus equivalent.
14. The driving in Cairo is, by any European standard, insane(except Positano perhaps) and there should be many deaths but somehow it seems to work for them. They seem proud if it. I had a front seat view from the minibus and throughly enjoyed the immense skill of our driver Mustafa. I even tipped him for keeping us all alive.
Tim_K · 2025年9月 · Viator より
Cairo
From start to finish it was such a great experience, from the driver that picked us up, to the driver that dropped us off. Everyone was helpful and friendly. We had been to the pyramids before but having a friendly and knowledgeable guide, made the whole experience fantastic. Ahmed our guide for the day felt like a friend you had known for years, and was the life and sole of the party. If any one is worried it may be difficult with domestic flights don't be it was made easy every step of the way. 10/10
Christopher_A · 2025年9月 · Viator より
Great trip but would give it 3.5 overall!
Summary review:
Overall I’d give this trip a 3.5 but rounded up to a 4. The booking process was a bit frustrating, with last-minute changes and an unexplained extra charge, but eventually we got flights that worked. The day itself was very long (closer to 20 hours than the 16–18 advertised) but well organised once it started. Our guide, Mr Fahme, was excellent—knowledgeable, engaging, and made sure we stayed safe and comfortable throughout.
Highlights were the Egyptian Museum (though hot and missing some artefacts due to the move to the new museum), the short Nile cruise, and of course the pyramids and Sphinx, which exceeded expectations. The camel rides and photo stops were well managed, and I appreciated the guidance on avoiding scams.
On the downside, there were a couple of pressured shopping stops towards the end when everyone was exhausted, which dragged the day out unnecessarily. The included lunch had a pyramid view, the food was ok, and drinks weren’t included.
It’s a long, tiring day, but if you’re prepared for the early start, the heat, and the extra stops, seeing the pyramids and having a knowledgeable guide like Mr Fahme make it worthwhile.
Detailed review:
I’ll explain my day with negative and positives throughout to give you an idea. Ultimately if I could give this a 3.5 I would but I bumped it up to a 4 cause of the options Viator present.
The booking process is slightly frustrating. Admittedly we did try booking late (for the next day) but the option was still available on the page so we tried anyway. Unfortunately that time was not available so the operator tried arranging a suitable time and date. There was a little frustration as they were suggesting flying into Cairo late at night, staying over and then returning on a late night fly the following date. I told them I did not want to stay in Cairo and would just get a refund but this option kept being offered. Eventually they suggested an alternative date with flights at 6am and coming back at 9pm which was much more convenient but I did have to pay an additional £40 charge. This wasn’t really explained why in much detail. It was hinted that the only available seats were business class but we ended up in economy. Perhaps this was the price for a different day than what I booked but I just wanted to get there so didn’t challenge it.
The day started at 4am which was our pick up time so the day actually started a little earlier. The pick up was on time and we made it to Sharm El Sheikh airport. The Tour Operator supported this but they were clear they were not responsible for what happened so make sure you have a visa to enter Cairo. If you get this from the airport it will cost €50 cash but I had to pay the tour operators contact €60. Again, considering how late I got this visa I wasn’t going to question €10 which is probably their fee for arranging. Commercial flights at Sharm El Sheikh airport are a breeze and security is a bit more relaxed. Egypt air flight was also good and provided free snacks and water.
Once we arrived our tour guide (Mr Fahme) met us outside with the rest of the participants who were thankfully all English. I have heard stories about the complexities of mixed nationalities as the guide has to explain multiple times and can sometimes favour one language but this wasn’t an issue. We headed to the Bazaar in the mini van (which does have air con but could certainly be a bit colder) which I wasn’t keen on cause I didn’t fancy being haggled but it was a Friday and we were told by Mr Fahme that a lot of Egyptians don’t work Friday so a lot of this was shut. It was still good to walk through but be prepared for haggling if attending on busy days, lots of stray dogs and many strange looks. Having said this, Mr Fahme was very knowledgeable and was very clear that his priority was keeping you safe and all staying together as a group.
After the bazaar we headed to the Egyptian museum just in time for opening. Unfortunately we headed there at a time when they have slowly started transferring items to the great Egyptian museum which is opening in October. That was unfortunate timing but there was still much to see in the museum and Mr Fahme once again was very knowledgeable and engaging throughout this tour which certainly helped forget about the heat. It was 35 degrees on the day and this museum only has fans placed in corners, no aircon, so be prepared to be hot if you still go to visit this one. I didn’t see a restaurant in here either so be sure to take water in with you.
Once the museum was finished, we headed to a River Nile cruise which was a welcoming breeze and Mr Fahme made an effort to capture individual photos for everyone at the front of the boat which was nice! This was a Nile Cruise in the city though so don’t expect to see greenery on the river line followed by deserts in the horizon. Still worth doing for the additional €10 though so say you have been on the Nile.
After this we headed to a spot for lunch which was included in the tour and was a buffet style food. The food was ok but nothing to rave about and drinks are not included but cheap enough to buy. The restaurant also promised a view of the pyramids and Mr Fahme made sure we had a good seat in the restaurant to see them. Make no mistake you’re still some distance away cause if you go out to the balcony and face the other direction you’re still very much amongst the worn concrete jungle of the city. We stayed here for about an hour and then left to go to the pyramids which we arrived to about 1pm.
At the pyramids we were told we would spend 3 hours here and this is where we got one of our complimentary waters. I’d actually recommend asking for more cause Mr Fahme was only able to carry a few extras and there were quickly taken. Don’t sweat though as you can buy some around the pyramids. If say the pyramids are actually better than what some videos and tourists let on. Mr Fahme was very clear not to engage in buying stuff from locals and to not let them hold your phone and take a picture. He also organised the camel rides to the 9 pyramids view so you don’t get scammed. Besides 2 or 3 people asking me if I wanted to buy something or to take my photo for free there wasn’t much haggling but I also don’t mind saying no and moving on. Just don’t engag beyond a no thank you. We actually didnt go on a camel cause I got a bad back but a group who a group did go so the rest of us were instructed to wait by a good photo spot to take some photos whilst we waited for them to return which took about 30 minutes. There are shops and toilets dotted throughout, as well as a hop on hop off bus which we used as a group to get around cause the place is massive. Again Mr Fahme was very knowledgeable of these pyramids and the Sphinx which we got to a little later in the day. He was also mindful to try and find spots of shade when he was talking to us which I thought was good. It’s a long day, and it’s hot, so this was definitely appreciated. He did inform us that you can go in some of the pyramids and advised us on which ones were actually worth going in. We were happy to remain outside as again I have heard how narrow some of the passages can be and my back wouldn’t tolerate it.
This is perhaps where I start knocking stars off the overall experience as we were then taken to a shop to learn about how oils and perfumes are made. At this point you’ve already been going for 12 hours and you know you still have more travel time ahead. The person running this demonstration was very personable and made it very clear that you don’t have to buy anything but then once he is finished talking 3 or 4 staff members come out and start opening boxes in front of you and offering to try other things. You’re quite boxed in here but if you got the stamina and you’re interested to engage but I had very little interest at this point as I was exhausted so it was a quick no from me that I was not interested. This didn’t really speed things up as you then have to wait for those who are buying things which is fair enough, the groups interests matter, not just my own.
After we left this place, we were offered our second bottle of water back in the minibus. The third never came but never mind. I thought now we were heading back to the airport but we were then dragged to another store to learn about how certain canvases were made for Egyptians to write on. Again, if you have the stamina then this is fair enough and could be interesting but I was exhausted at this point. No one actually bought anything here so it was short visit and we were finally heading back to the airport (with a detour through the dead city and not having to leave the van) and Mr Fahme once again delivered by providing ice creams for the final trip which was a nice touch.
Back at the airport by 7pm we were the waiting for our flight at 9pm. Short flight back to Sharm el sheikh and our transfer was waiting to take us back to the hotel which we arrived to around 11pm and back in our room by 11:15.
As you can see this is close to a 20hr trip all in, not like the 16-18 advertised so be prepared for a long day, dress well, stay hydrated and try to have fun! The pyramids and our tour guide certainly made the day worthwhile.
Jamie_J · 2025年9月 · Viator より
Cairo in a day. History, Wonder & pure Vibes.
Our day trip to Cairo was beyond amazing—an experience I’ll never forget. Book Tour Egypt made everything seamless. All we had to do was buy our visas at the airport; they arranged the flights, hotel transfers, and a full guided tour.
Seeing the Pyramids of Giza in person was breathtaking. Standing before these ancient wonders felt surreal—it’s something I’ve only ever dreamed about, and the scale is even more incredible in real life. At the Egyptian Museum, walking through the halls surrounded by thousands of years of history gave me goosebumps. And ending the day with a peaceful boat ride on the Nile was the perfect balance to the excitement.
Our guide, Mr Fahi, truly made the day special. He filled the journey with knowledge, laughter, and stories that brought Egypt’s history to life for our small group.
Be prepared—it’s a very long day (we started at 3am and got back around 10:30pm), but every moment was worth it. If Cairo is on your bucket list, this is the way to do it. Highly, highly recommended!
browneyewanderer · 2025年9月 · Tripadvisor より
A well organised rich experience
We loved the trip, it was well organised and we felt good from early morning pickup at our hotel, right until drop off at the end of the day. Driver who picked us up at the hotel was nice and very punctual both times he drove us. Ahmed was a superb guide, telling us loads of intersting facts about the sites we saw and Cairo itself and even gave us good pointers to avoid scammers. We also have to give big respect to the driver who was driving us all around Cairo, as he has the nerves of steel in that chaotic Cairo traffic 😂 the only thing we missed was Ahmed teeling us more about the city while we took a ride in a boat down the river Nile, but it was still ok just to relax on the ride. Overall a superb and well organised experience that i would recommend to anyone who wants to see Cairo in one day, thank you.
Grega_G · 2025年9月 · Viator より
Sharm to Cairo
Day trip to Cairo organized by the tour operator. The experience was fantastic. Our tour guide Zizi was exceptional.
45 min plane ride to and from Cairo.
The airport staff is very unorganized. Check-in did not go smoothly for us as the person who received us at check in literally forgot about us and left with another group. He took our passports at the check in counter and then saw him walking back and forth, from another area of the airport, which seemed like he was getting an approval or something. Then asked us to sit down and wait . We waited until we noticed we were the last ones not checked in and proceeded to ask staff at the checkin counter , all to find out that the person who took our passports left them at the check in counter and forgot about us. Completely irresponsible person. Luckily we managed to locate or passports and board at the last minute. Wish I knew his name .
angiesciascia1968 · 2025年9月 · Tripadvisor より
Fantastic day at the pyramids
This was a long tiring day but so worthwhile. Our guide mr Farmy was great, informative and attentive. Pick up from hotel straight to airport and then a driver all day from airport pick up. Everything taken care off. Lunch too was very nice. However I would take out the Gallery and the perfume shops. Tourists don’t like the hard sell and for me this put a bad taste on the day. Other than that fantastic trip
Dawn_p · 2025年9月 · Viator より
Tour guide very friendly...
Tour guide very friendly knowledgeable great sightseeing Mr Hafi took us all over pyramids sphinx nile cruise
John_H · 2025年9月 · Viator より
Fantastic day in Cairo from Sharm el Sheik
Very long excursion but worth it. The pyramids were every bit as good as we had hoped. Definitely do the camel ride to get a great view of the pyramids.
Food was like belt and had options for all and quality was good.
The museum was enjoyable however in a couple of months it’s moving to the new site near the pyramids at Giza.
The communication from the team and transport team was superb. We were informed about the trip at every stage. Even a WhatsApp group n the morning for the pick up.
Very informative guide who was with us all day made the excursion better.
Going through the airport was made easier with the guidance of the team but either buy your visa at the airport on arrival(strongly recommend) or from the driver in the morning which we did. Advise against getting on arrival at the airport on the morning of the trip. The driver organised it all as when we arrived at the airport from England we didn’t fully know if it was needed but it definitely was.
nptitford · 2025年9月 · Viator より
