Travel Agency: Travel Central Vacations
Tour Operator: Alexander & Roberts
Nile River Cruise: Oberoi Resorts
Travel Central planned this entire trip for us. The choices the agency team made based on our discussions together yielded an amazing journey to Egypt to satisfy a lifelong dream to see the pyramids! Since this is not a quick or low-cost trip, having a trusted travel advisor was invaluable!
We have so many positive things about Alexander & Roberts as a tour operator. Their Egyptian in-country manager, Heba Daadouche, was always a WhatsApp text message away to coordinate our every change request.
Alcohol Consumption Planning Notes
If you are a regular cocktail drinker, shop at Duty-free on the way into Egypt, Egypt has a high duty / tariff on alcohol. We drank Egyptian wine and beer quite a bit but my husband brought in Irish whiskey from our stop in Heathrow which added to his evening relaxation while the ship was sailing and we enjoyed the views. We wrapped the open bottle in our checked bags when moving between cities via plane in Egypt. The manager onboard our boat explained Egypt’s 3X tariff on alcohol on day one.
The city - with some 22 million people - is chaotic, crowded and loud. It comes at you in waves. But you’re here to see the pyramids, and it’s ALL worthwhile. With a great guide company, you are always with an Egyptologist and a solid driver who gets you from place to place efficiently. We got all the photos, knowledge and were in comfort throughout. Bottles of water were always accessible, WC breaks were planned in. Alexander & Roberts provided the Egyptologist for this leg of our trip and he was quite good.
In Cairo, remember that what you see out the window of your van should remind you how much good you have in your life at home!
Cairo area things we loved:
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We did not love the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. It had poor displays and too many people for our preference; we had seen King Tut in the U.S. on tour which was the main draw to this museum.
The Oberoi Zahra is pure luxury. The crew is professionally trained and friendly. The staterooms were lovely and spacious. The food was varied. We had live entertainment for a few nights and enjoyed it.
Our Egyptologist was with us for this entire river journey via the Oberoi, Wael Saadan. He was extremely knowledgeable and kind. He answered all of our questions; he also knew when our brains were full and to let our eyes and brains wander.
When we landed in Egypt, we realized that one of our traveling companions was going to have knee challenges that prevented her from walking some of the distances. We alerted Alexander & Roberts who coordinated with the Oberoi Zahra team; we fully expected that we would be pushing the wheelchair if we could get one. We were stunned to have a wheelchair and a porter daily. Our porter was the kindest man! When she did have to walk, he took wonderful care at every set of steps and rough patch. Egypt is not wheelchair-friendly; this was above and beyond. This Oberoi-provided porter made this trip so much more relaxing.
Luxor is a bustling city in the middle of Egypt along the Nile formerly known as Thebes - the center of Egyptian government and culture, and home to some of the country’s most important landmarks and monuments.
![]() | Take the Balloon Ride!We did this on Day 1 in the early morning and it was a great overview of the Valley of the Kings. Chilly start to a January morning but worth it for the views. We felt very safe and they accommodated my sister-in-law with steps inside and outside the balloon basket. Many thanks to Hatem Elazab of General Tours Luxor and Alexander & Roberts for encouraging us to take this journey. |
Valley of the Kings: We saw King Tut’s mummy and tomb! My husband saw the original King Tut exhibit in England in the 1970s. Seeing the mummy and the tomb was fabulous for him! The Tomb of Memnon had the most dramatic and colorful interiors we saw.
Karnak Temple Complex: This area comprises a vast mix of temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings about 2 miles north of Luxor. After the pyramids, probably the most impressive thing we saw.
Luxor Temple: Complex in the middle of town constructed mainly under Amenhotep III & Ramesses II, added to by Tutankhamun & others.
Alabaster Gifts and Souvenirs: This was not in our plans but I flew home with an alabaster sculpture. We toured a family-run factory and I could not help myself.
Aswan is smaller and much more laid-back than Luxor, with a natural harbor fortified by two famous dams.
Kom Ombo Temple about 30 miles north of Aswan is unique because it's a double temple, dedicated to Sobek the crocodile god, and Horus the falcon-headed god. Crocodiles were (and still are) common household pets, and the Egyptians even mummified them out of reverence.
Temple of Isis at Philae is a short car and boat ride away and enjoys a unique setting surrounded by water.
For our last evening on the cruise, the Oberoi Zahra team took us to a private island, where we were entertained by Nubian musicians and dancers, wowed with hors d'oeuvres and drinks, and tempted into trying local shisha from massive water pipes!.
if it is important to you to see this Temple, book the 35 minute flight from Aswan to Abu Simbel as the drive across the desert is 3.5 hours. The people who took the flight found that process smooth.
We chose to take a motorboat ride to the Nubian Village as we were “templed out” and enjoyed seeing what a “modern” African village looks like. We toured a family home and visited with the family’s pet crocodiles. I was able to purchase a Nubian duffle bag that was much needed as our souvenir bags overflowed. Our guide Eman was delightful and she took us to a spice shop in Aswan so we could get teas and herbs.
Oberoi did a wonderful job touring us on the Nile. We saw many other known river cruise lines here and likely most have excellent service based on our experience with Egyptians. Travel Central can help you choose the river tour operator that suits your needs!