A Crash Course in Egyptian History. Excellent Guide!
Highly recommend the company and in particular the guide - Said (see photo). He is extremely patient, knows his history and you get to experience the city like a local. Pick-up was on time and we saw the Karnak Temple, Valley of the Kings and Tomb of Queen Hatshepsut. For a tenner per person, you get a short cruise of the Nile too after lunch. We were the only family in the van and on the boat trip. if you meet Said, tell him Ali highly recommended him. Things to consider: A day in Luxor is really cramming the trip, it's a 4 hour drive each way to expect some fast driving. I'd recommend skipping the boat tour as there isn't much to see. Tip is expected by both the guide and the drivers. Do not ask anyone working on-site to take photos else you'd need to pay them. Take water and at the buffet pay for your drinks (food is included) in local Egyptian pounds as its one-third the price compared to what is charged in dollars or euros. Finally, I won't recommend buying anything on the trip as prices are crazy. if you do take a fancy at something then negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. Overall, a great day and an opportunity to marvel at what the Egyptians built by hand, see the hieroglyphics up close and take some beautiful photos.
alikhanyz · dec 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Exceptional trip to Luxor
Our driver Ahmed was exceptional. He contacted us a day in advance and understood our address properly, and contacted the hotel as well so that there is no confusion left. He picked us up at the exact given time and made sure that we arrived early before all the crowds so we could admire Karnak Temple in peace. We were the first group to reach Karnak Temple. Drinks and snacks were available throughout the trip at no extra cost. He also explained to us the history of various places. We were back to our hotel in time for dinner. We felt completely safe. Book a tour with Ahmed without a doubt.
Apoorv_G · dec 2023 · via Viator
Le trajet en vaut la peine
Belle excursion dommage que la distance soit aussi longue... Plus de 5h30 de route depuis Hurghada mais la vallée des rois, le temple d'hatchepsout très beau et Louxor avec sa croisière déjeuner très agréable
Enamourado · dec 2023 · via Tripadvisor
To avoid queues and for a safe, friendly and small group trip use Ramaksha
Booking and discussion was through WhatsApp, which made things easy for us. Pickup was from our resort at Makadi bay sharp at 5am. We were with just another family in the van. Ahmed was the 1st vehicle everywhere to toilet breaks and Karnak temple etc. This is blessing as the toilets are still clean and usable and great for Luxor photos and gives us time to see the temples.
Tip: All the toilets everywhere ask for 10 LE per person, so have LE for this trip. Toilet tissues were available everywhere though.
Said, our English guide from Karnak temple was very informative, helpful and knows exactly which places to go and when at what times. With just 2 families, this trip is great Said becomes our personal guide to ask questions, takes photos etc.
Karnak temple is amazing, has an awe inspiring presence with lots of history. The lunch was ok. Nile boat trip was ok, which shows Luxor temple from far. It is additional expense, which can be avoided.
There will be small vendors trying to sell items on the way from Karnak temple, Valley of kings etc. The longer you say no and keep walking, the price keeps reducing from 400LE to 100LE. I bought a set, which seems good quality enough for the money, compared to the ones from shops paying 10-20 times higher. We were taking to a Alabaster shop, again very expensive but they finally sell for less than half price once you start to leave.
We reached home by 7:30, thanks to safe and fast driving by Ahmed, who provides all snacks, juices, water and WiFi.
mrcoolkrish · dec 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Another Exceptional Journey with Ramashka Tour – Luxor Edition!
Having had an outstanding experience on a previous trip to Cairo with Ramashka Tour, I decided to embark on another adventure, this time to Luxor. The consistency in providing the best service was evident from the beginning.
Nermin, our guide for the Luxor tour, was both competent and kind, ensuring an enriching exploration of this historical city. Ahmed, the driver, once again proved to be trustworthy and friendly, making the journey from Makadi Bay seamless.
This being my second tour with Ramashka Tour, I was pleased to find the same level of excellence in service. The 5 o'clock pickup from my hotel in Makadi Bay was punctual, and the 18:30 return was equally smooth. The air-conditioned bus, equipped with stable WiFi, cold drinks, and snacks, made the journey comfortable and enjoyable.
Exploring Luxor was a captivating experience, from the Valley of the Kings to the Temple of Karnak. The day was enriched with a delightful lunch by the River Nile and visits to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon, an alabaster factory, and a papyrus bazaar.
Ramashka Tour continues to be the best agency, delivering flawless and memorable experiences. Highly recommended for a second, or even third, unforgettable journey!
FenB_1907 · dec 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Not a brilliant experience
My wife, myself and our 10 year old daughter went on this tour and although we weren’t particularly disappointed we weren’t particularly impressed either. The tour comprises two very different elements, the return journey from Hurghada to Karnak and the tour of Karnak and the Valley of The Kings. We were the only people on this tour and the hotel pick up was faultless. Ahmed the driver speaks very little English and drives very fast. The upside was that we arrived in Karnak before the hordes of other tourists, the downside was that the drive was very fast, I don’t think we were overtaken once in our 12 seater van….
The ‘on site’ guide, Said introduced himself and whisked us off on our whistle-stop tour. He seems to be very fluent in his prepared history lessons but not quite so confident when asked questions which are not included in his prepared script, for instance, I asked him about porphyry and he didn’t know what it is/was… also, even the keenest collector of dates and figures would be sated by the amount of these quoted at every stop. Also, every statistic and fact was repeated 3 or 4 times like we were cramming for an exam. Said also took the opportunity to try and ‘upsell’ with the offer of some very tacky ‘personalised’ bracelets while we were if the temple complex at Karnak. Said made no attempt to ‘engage’ with us which is a significant failing for any tour guide on a 1-2-1 basis. There was the feeling that ‘options’ like the Nile boat ride and the visit to the alabaster factory were not really options at all and we had to be quite forceful to get out of these. Because we didn’t choose the two aforementioned elements there was a degree of guilt tripping about leaving for Hurghada earlier than planned and our last words with Said were him continuously haranguing us to leave 5 star reviews on Tripadvisor IMMEDIATELY…
The return drive was at breakneck speed although the driver did stop to pick up woman and her young child en route. On arriving back at our hotel the driver would not even look at us and said nothing before driving away which did leave a rather unpleasant taste in our mouths.
I think the most important things for a guide to remember are punctuality, building a rapport, asking questions about the tour guests and remembering that no two tours will ever be exactly the same, nor should they be. Also, politeness costs nothing and friendliness will be remembered after the facts and dates are forgotten.
So, the tour was okay but nothing more and a slightly different attitude by Ahmed and Said would elevate this tour from passable to good but a lot more understanding of the uniqueness of each tour group and far better interpersonal skills are required to make this tour excellent.
FairComment · dec 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Amazing Experience!
We had a wonderful experience with Ahmed, who picked us up promptly at 4:30 AM from our hotel in Hurghada. This early start allowed us to visit various sites without the usual crowds, making the experience more enjoyable and personal. Our German tour guide, Nermina, was exceptional, providing insightful explanations and guiding us to the best spots. Overall, this tour is highly recommended for its excellent organization and the unique opportunity to explore with fewer tourists around.
Hannes G · dec 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Great day in Luxor
Great tour. The driver made sure we arrived first in Luxor, and avoided the crowds. And the guide was informative.
Luxor is a fantastic destination!
Trek59227761483 · dec 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Worth it!
Ahmed picked us up at 5AM in the morning on time and dropped off us one and half hours before the scheduled arrival time. We avoid bigger crowds and came back early which is great. Said is very thorough with the explanations of the ancient histories. Overall it was great highly recommend!
kk331332295 · nov 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Excellent adventure day out from start to finish 10/10!
We were picked up outside our hotel bang on the proposed time. We were then driven in a spacious, air conditioned van to Luxor where we beat the rest of the buses and tourists. An in depth tour around the Karnak temple led by Said was excellent. He was full of information and made sure we saw everything while trying to avoid the tourist/very busy areas. We then stopped by and saw how true Papyrus’ were made and made a cheeky purchase. Lunch on the Nile was a bonus and we hopped on a boat for around 45 mins and on the other side explored the valley of the kings which was a personal favourite. We were then taken to the valley of the queens which was seriously impressive and there was plenty of time for photo opportunities. The driver Ahamed picked us up throughout the day and made our walking distance minimal and made great time on the way home! Overall it was an excellent day and i thank both Said and Ahamed and I would recommend this trip to anyone and everyone!
Ben M · nov 2023 · via Tripadvisor
