This was an excellent trip in April 2022 - great itinerary, so much culture, fantastic guide (Tarek) and such delicious food on the Nile boat. I loved every minute of it, and so glad I went. Particular highlights for me were the temples at Karnack, Valley of the Kings, the food on the Nile boat and the yellowness of the sandstorm that engulfed us on our way back from Abu Simbel! It is however, not a trip for the faint-hearted. There are LOTS of early starts. Almost every day was a start before 7am and on a couple of days, it was up at 3am. There is LOTS of walking, I think I did about 27 miles in the 9 days - to/from temples, round museums, in/out of airports, to/from local markets etc. Personally, I am not sure I would label this as 'leisurely' - yes, there were no hills to climb, but it was often uneven, sandy ground we walking on and when I went, Egypt was also going through a heatwave, so it was 43 or 44 degrees every day. I ignored some of the optional extras so I could have some down time on the boat. I would also add that in additional to the 'essentials' listed on the what to take, you also need: sunhat, scarf to cover your shoulders and women need to wear a long skirt for the day they are going into the mosque in Cairo. Refillable water bottle and light/comfortable walking shoes - very essential! Also, take US dollars as your main currency (small denominations and not ripped notes). You will need some Egyptian pounds for some of the attractions, but everywhere they just want hard currency - even at the local markets. Final word of advice - don't bother with the extra walk INSIDE the pyramid in Cairo. It is near vertical, baking hot and nothing to see at the end of it. My legs were wobbly for hours afterwards. Overall, this was a totally amazing trip though and hope you enjoy it.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Ship Cabin, Hotel, Resort
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Cairo, Aswan, Pyramids Of Giza
Cairo, Aswan, Pyramids Of Giza, Karnak Temple, Edfu, Nile Felucca
I saw places I have only dreamed about. We sailed the Nile like kings & queens. I met people & would love to invite to dinner. I have been to a Mosque and learned about the practices. The people are lovely & their babies adorable. Egypt is in my heart. Thank you.
Explorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
The tour takes you to the highlights of Morocco. My favorite memories are the Medina in Fes and the Sunset excursion to the Sahara Desert.
Our guide was very informative.
One downside of trip was all the traveling although there were breaks. There really was no time to enjoy the hotel amenities.
Food was plentiful.Moroccan wine lacks complexity.
Have enough small change coins for bathroom breaks
Excellent overall experience. Would definitely recommend this trip of Morocco to friends and family. Morocco is a beautiful country with beautiful, kind and welcoming people. We felt safe and secure and didn't have to think about anything except enjoying ourselves.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
6-100 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Marrakech, Moroccan Sahara Deser
Marrakech, Moroccan Sahara Desert, Ouarzazate, Merzouga, Dades Gorge, Ait Ben Haddou
The “second day” the flight is SUPER early and you have to leave the hotel at 4 am.
That was not communicated anywhere and we didn’t arrive at the hotel u til after 11 pm the night before. It made the morning very difficult!
Also, it would be helpful if there was a place by the day noting if women needed to cover shoulders/knees or men knees. When I was packing and googling, it said that at Kom Ombo (and most of the temples) it was recommended to have shoulder and knees covered, but when we got there I was told we didn’t need it. I had a lot more pants packed then I needed and that would have been helpful to know when I actually needed to wear more conservative clothing or having my hair covered.
Overall the itinerary was good. We saw a lot and had a great guide!
We were on the Steinberger cruise ship - I would not recommend that one again. Very limited. We were on Thai ship with another group from Trafalgar that paid less for the tour and we had no extras. We allowed one drink at dinner and one bottle of water.. anything more we had to pay for. They didn’t have coffee/tea available throughout the day for free. It seemed like they were nickel and diming the guests. I have been on other River cruises and unlimited water, beverages at dinner, and feee coffee/tea throughout the day in the lounge was accessible.