George L.
Amazing 2 weeks in Egypt
I went to Egypt for 2 weeks in May with Osiris Tours, visiting Cairo/Giza, Luxor, and Aswan. I see lots of rave reviews on here, and I'd like to second all of the great comments. Mahmoud Gebril used to be a guide in Egypt, now based in the US. He has thorough knowledge of all the sites in Egypt, not just the famous ones you've heard of, but some spectacular less-known sites that you probably haven't heard of, but wouldn't want to miss. Specifically I'm thinking of the tombs of Seti I and Nefertari (Ramses II's wife) in the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens, respectively. These tombs require a special ticket and aren't included in the package tours because they are more expensive (in the case of Nefertari's tomb, much more expensive), but they are truly spectacular and absolutely worth it. The famous Tutankhamen tomb is actually quite small and simple compared to some of the others that Mahmoud recommended. Tutankhamen died young and unexpectedly, so his tomb was kind of a rushed job. The temples of Hathor and Horus are amazing as well, which I would also not have known to visit without Mahmoud's recommendation. They're a bit far from Luxor (which means they were largely empty when I visited), but absolutely worth the drive. The entire trip was one astonishing site after another. I didn't go to Sharm or Hurghada, but if you'd like some beach time in place of temples, you've got that option too. Mahmoud's organizing skills are impeccable and the whole complicated itinerary went off without any issues, including the COVID test in Luxor so I could return home. Mahmoud also has done a great job with his picking of local guides, who were uniformly highly knowledgable and very helpful. Special kudos to Hotep in Upper Egypt, who showed me around the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple. Anything you need while you're there, they will help you with. As far as safety, I never felt unsafe from a crime/terrorism perspective. Egypt has a high degree of military/police presence at all the tourist sites and I think the travel warnings put out by Western governments mainly apply to wild border areas like north Sinai and the western desert near Libya. You would not have any reason to go to those places anyway. Along the Nile seemed perfectly secure. COVID protocols are a bit lax except at the tourist hotels, and I'm frankly shocked that Egypt hasn't been hit hard like Turkey was. Maybe the desert climate is somehow protective, I'm not sure. I would strongly advice any visitors to get the vaccine before going though. Partly because of the pandemic, and partly because of the careful timing of Mahmoud and his guides, I frequently had the temples and tombs entirely to myself, which was an amazing experience. Being inside the Abu Simbel temples alone really makes them feel like spiritual places instead of tourist attractions. Mahmoud and his team try to time their visits to avoid the big package tours, but I doubt the sites are ever as empty as they were when I was there. You can really feel like Howard Carter walking through the tombs with no other people and no sounds except your footsteps. In normal times, I think they'll still get you there at less crowded times of the day, but it was probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity seeing them during the pandemic. Hotel recommendations were on-point. Old Cataract in Aswan is dripping with Agatha Christie vibes (if you're a fan of Poirot), and the Winter Palace in Luxor is incredibly historic as well. Highly recommend both. Cairo doesn't have anything with comparable historical weight, but the Four Seasons was quite good as well. In summary, if you're thinking of visiting Egypt, do it, and let Mahmoud organize your trip. You won't have to worry about any of the logistics, it will all be handled flawlessly. Even when the airlines schedules changed at the last minute, Mahmoud had it all figured out. Seeing Egypt is a trip of a lifetime, it is brimming with history, and right now it is three-quarters empty. I imagine they'll see the tourists return in a major way this autumn and winter though. Bring small bills to tip, bargain hard in the markets, and marvel and the ancient treasures.