Egypt has been on my...
Egypt has been on my bucket list for a while and I had been really looking forward to this trip. The tour left us with a bad taste in our mouth.
Pros: The pyramids were great as well as the Sphinx. The camel ride was interesting, although a bit scary at first. The guide Sam was insightful and provided lots of details along the trip. The museum had plenty of cool artifacts.
Cons: The upsells and detours. We were taken to a perfume factory, which was not on the tour where the seller kept pressuring us to make a purchase. We finally decided to buy the smallest bottle of perfume just so we can get out of there. We were charged $75 for that tiny bottle. This seems to be a very common practice for all tour guides so they can get a commission from the shops. This happened on our very first day in Egypt. Not a good way to start a trip.
jashwant_p · mrt 2025 · via Viator
Great private tour with Farrag
We really enjoyed our tour with Mahmoud Farrag. He is very knowledgeable and shares interesting insights in a way that keeps the experience engaging. He was attentive to our requests, adjusting the tour to make it as comfortable as possible.
At the museum he skillfully guided us through the exhibits, allowing us to explore without feeling rushed or caught in the crowds. His thoughtful approach made the day smooth and enjoyable.
A well-organized tour with a guide who genuinely cares about his guests.
uliana94 · mrt 2025 · via Tripadvisor
This is the tour you want to take!
Our family had a really special time taking a tour with Farrag. He was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. He was also very kind and took a lot of great pictures of us along the tour. Ahmed was our driver and he played great music for us in the car. We highly recommend both - they were very welcoming.
Jason_P · mrt 2025 · via Viator
Brilliant tour!
Highly recommend Simon as a tour guide, she gave us just the perfect amount of detail in English about the sights, and was super helpful and energetic!
Relax08171196235 · mrt 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Showed me everything I wanted to see for about $150.
tour hit pretty much everything I was looking for with the Pyramids.
Started off at the Egyptian antiquities museum after picking us up from the airport hotel(there is a $10 dollar charge per person for airport pickups) The guide met us at the museum. The line to get into the museum is quite long, but it moves fairly quick. Took about 15 minutes to go through security and then actual entry. Our tour guide Farrag was very knowledgeable about the artifacts and took us through the different areas of the museum. the museum tour is roughly 2 hours long and though the Tutankhamun exhibit is still there you are not allowed to take pictures of that section.
After the museum we were taken to a papyrus shop where we were shown how papyrus was made and shown various papyrus scrolls for sale( to help appreciate Egypt's history). Most of the items on the wall are for sale in multiple sizes and listed for much higher than they actually sell for. one of my companions bought a scroll for 150 USD but it was listed for around 450 USD. Like every where in Egypt haggling is a thing. I got 2 listed at 80 for 40 each.
After the papyrus shop we were taken to the perfume/spices shop( supposedly you wear good scents before you enter the pyramid historically). This place touts well known perfumes/colognes made without the cutting alcohol to reduce the harshness. Personally I don't wear cologne so I have no real opinion on this part, but one of my traveling companions seemed very impressed by this portion and bought several bottles. They sell sizes from 75ml 100ml and 2 larger sizes i didnt pay attention too. My companion bought 3 100ml bottles and got a 4th free for what amounted to around 110 USD. He gave me one of the bottles filled with Amon Ra(Dior Homme). I had no issues bringing this through security in my carry on. After the perfume pitch, they did the same thing with spices, but we did not get any.
After the perfume shop we were finally taken to the pyramids. Its an additional 30 USD to actually go inside the main pyramid. What they dont tell you is that the tunnel to the burial room is quite small and not suitable for older folks or less fit people. you will spend a good 15- 20 minutes just crouched down trying to climb up the steep tunnels. Children should be fine as the primary issue is just being crouched down for so long, being short is a pro here(I am not). you physically climb up the first pyramid a bit but the other 2 are just visual observations. You can book a camel ride for an extra 20 USD for about 30 minutes to get closer to the other 2. I very much enjoyed the camel ride and the better views you get from the other side, but it may not be for everyone.
After you have your fill of the pyramids, the guide takes you up to the panoramic view area to get better photos of the area. There are many shops around this area. The stock is pretty much the same as everywhere else.
The next part is the sphinx. Surprisingly small from what I thought. Still big, but miniscule next to the pyramids.
After this we went to get lunch at a Local fast food place. They gave us some riders(like pita calzones). they were pretty good. no complaints.
Finally we went to what they called the cotton factory(this was actually like a department store) souvenirs, clothes, luggage, stuff like that. Bought a few things.
$99 for tour
$10 for airport pickup
$30 for pyramid
$20 for camel ride
Honestly it was annoying that we got funneled to the shops but, I saw everything I wanted to and the guide seemed to know what he was talking about and cared a lot for the history of Egypt. $150 to see all the big things in a place I'm probably never going to see again was worth the trade off to me. Overall i'm totally satisfied with the experience, but I can see other people having some misgivings about the lack of info on the additional expenses and shop stops
scottlA9776FH · mrt 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Perfect Day in Giza
Our trip to Giza was perfect! We were picked up at our hotel and our guide, Ahmed, took care of everything for us. We also visited the Sphinx, a perfumery, spice merchant and a bazaar. Ahmed was very knowledgeable and engaging. He knew all of the right people to talk to in order to make our day unforgettable. Ahmed is the best!!
Reina P · mrt 2025 · via Tripadvisor
A seamless tour around the most hectic locations
Overall an amazing experience only made better by Marco our tour guide and Abdul our Driver but certainly ways to improve. The cost of a private tour was definitely worth it and made it a more personal experience.
Marco was very knowledgeable and had amazing communication skills. His experience made the day, knowing every museum staff member, security staff or police. He was able to skip all the queues and get us places other tourists didn’t go through generous “tips” to people (didn’t cost us at all).
He was always checking if we wanted more food or water and was always on hand to take photos of us. Every question we had was expertly answered, not only about the venues but Egypt as a whole.
Abdul took immense pride in the cleanliness of the vehicle and was always on hand ready to pick us up when we were ready to move onto the next venue. His driving was one of the safest journeys we’ve had so far in Egypt.
Now for the critiques, whilst I still rate the whole experience as a 5 star trip there was aspects that detracted. We went to two extra venues, a perfume store (King Soliman) and a papyrus store. In both they performed an educational demonstration before leading into a sales pitch. It felt slightly disingenuous and very much like a targeted tourist trap. Both were not pushy but still unnecessary extra for an otherwise brilliant day. Whilst I’m fully aware these businesses probably pay for the addition to the itinerary, it left a slightly bitter taste.
Overall though through the help of Marco and Abdul, our experience of visiting the typical touristy locations was made seamless and I would gladly book again for other tours of Cairo.
KyleL1210 · mrt 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Excellent day out with Nevin
Nevin was outstanding . Excellent communication before we arrived and very flexible with what we wanted to see and visit.
She’s very knowledgeable, knows all the good spots for the best photos and gets you where you need to be without any hassle or queues.
She kept her positive energy throughout the whole day and having her as our guide definitely made the day so much more enjoyable.
Excursion439428 · mrt 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Het perfecte avontuur met kennis van zaken.
Ik had een prachtige gids genaamd Mohammed. Bracht de dag een twee musea en hij liet me alle belangrijke punten en de geschiedenis van de musea. Ook was zeer goed geïnformeerd alle van de artefacten die de musea hadden. Zou hem zeker vragen aan mijn vrienden en familie op zoek naar een geweldige gids. Eten was heerlijk en Marco de chauffeur was erg goed in het krijgen van ons van plaats tot plaats. Zeer beleefd en beleefd. Dus als je op zoek bent naar een goed geïnformeerde tijd. Vraag ze zeker aan.
Bill W · mrt 2025 · via Tripadvisor · Vertaald
Bekijk de piramides met de beste gids.
Als u een deskundige, leuke authentieke gids wilt dan zult u niet teleurgesteld worden. Vanaf het moment dat ik werd opgehaald bij het hotel tot het moment dat ik weer werd afgezet in de vroege namiddag was er nooit een saai moment. Van het nemen van foto's, het rijden op een kameel leren over de geschiedenis van de piramides en waarom ze werden gebouwd - een volledig volledige ochtend - zonder betrokken lijnen - deze gids zal je vooraan in elke rij krijgen en geloof me, het is de moeite waard om bij deze gids te boeken. Kan NEVIN niet genoeg aanbevelen, je zult niet teleurgesteld worden - ik heb nu een nieuwe vriend in Egypte 🙌🏼. - Ook vergat te vermelden dat we tijd hadden en ik een solotournee was, we bezochten ook een parfumwinkel, wat een ander niveau van entertainment was. Niets is teveel moeite en al met al een fantastische leerervaring.
640merielj · mrt 2025 · via Tripadvisor · Vertaald
