NILE CRUISE

10 days from GBP1,049 to GBP1,429 including flights
Tripcode: AEN

Countries Visited: Egypt

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Our Clients’ Reviews

Average Review Rating: from 41 reviews.

Brigid Hehir

NILE CRUISE

Written January 2012
I had high expectations that Egypt would deliver and it did. Exodus facilitated this.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There were so many:
The Cairo museum
Abu Simbel (That should be included in the trip. The whole group went there although it was optional (and a bit pricey).
The Pyramids, The Tombs
The Nile cruise, although not inspirational, was wonderful.
What did you think of your group leader?
George was one of the best I'd ever had the pleasure of being 'led' by. He's an Egyptologist from Egypt and speaks English fluently. He's well organised, knowledgeable, fair (but firm when he needs to be), witty and amusing. And a mine of information. We were in very good hands.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
The train is comfy but basic and the food served on it OK.
Be prepared for the lack of booze on the train however and difficulty in getting it outside of hotels/boats.
Booze is relatively expensive when you can get it. Bring some Duty Free!
Optional extras like Balloon rides/Abu Simbel flight/extra Tomb visits can add a considerable amount to holiday expenses. I think Exodus should make this more obvious in publicity.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The hotel in Giza offers a great view of the pyramids but it's too far outside the city to give tourists a feel for Cairo.
Egyptian food's pretty bland considering the variety of spices available in the bazaars. The food on the cruise ship is fantastic however, especially the curries.
I was hoping to find Egyptian cotton for sale but found it once only, in the airport, as we were leaving. The choice then was limited and pricey.
Robert Short

NILE CRUISE

Written December 2011
My 4th Exodus holiday and again, I was not dissappointed. Superb organisation and planning resulted in a thorough understanding of upper and lower Pharaonic Egypt.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
It sounds over the top........but every day was inspirational...Pyramids, Valley of the Kings, Luxor Temples, the luxurious Nile cruise going back in time, Abu Simbel, Aswan..........
What did you think of your group leader?
Tarek Tewfik is gentleman. Our holiday was a success due to his day to day organization and gentle manner. Tarek was always there, in the background, to answer questions and deal with the inevitable day to day problems, our tour of Egypt ran like clockwork. Most importanly, our holiday was enhanced by Tarek's indepth knowledge of Egypt, past and present, he added so much to our Egyption experience.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
The street traders are good natured but are very determined to sell, relax, have a fair price in mind and go with it, bartering is good fun.
Contary to popular opinion, I don't think any of the group had stomach problems.....we avoided the tap water (including toothbrushing) and peeled fruit but otherwise we ate everything on offer, which was generally well prepared and delicious.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
One of our best holidays. We were nervous before we left, due to the current troubles in Egypt, but Exodus phoned to reassure us that the demonstrations we confined to very small areas and so it transpired. Our holiday was completely trouble free, the people were friendly and welcoming, we left with a totally different, positive view of Egypt.
Mark Lawrence

NILE CRUISE

Written December 2011
A superb trip. The various temples and tombs are amazing in their age, and in the sheer mass of carvings and paintings and how well preserved they are, let alone the scale.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There are many incredible sights on this trip, from the huge columns of Karnak temple, the amazing wall paintings in the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the iconic pyramids and Sphinx, the charm of Aswan, the collossi at Abu Simbel. Carvings of everyday Egyptian life from thousands of years ago. Or the amazing throwing arm of the vendors in their small boats, tossing their wares up onto the deck of the cruise ship, 4 floors up.
What did you think of your group leader?
George was excellent, combining an in depth knowledge, with an entertaining presentational style, whilst also taking care of all the little details and ensuring everyone had an excellent holiday. Would strongly recommend Exodus to use him again.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Be prepared to put up with the vendors, particularly at the Valley of the Kings, where they can now get into the site (but not into the tombs themselves). The selling is persistent but always good natured. Remember the tourist numbers are way down and these guys need to make a living. Prices are very cheap, providing you haggle.
Our leader gave us some EGP1 coins to stop the hassle from the toilet "attendants". Take your own loo paper if you don't want to be rationed to a few sheets.
Money is easy to change at the airport on arrival and there are ATMs in all the cities. On the boat and in the hotels you can just sign for drinks etc and pay on leaving using your credit card.
The sleeper train cabins are comfortable, twin berth (not the more normal four berth) and have a wash basin in the cabin. The toilets though can leave something to be desired. Overall though this is a fun part of the experience. Our group took over the Club Car for New Year's Eve. Since the revolution, alcohol has not been for sale on the train, so take some with you (either buy spirits at duty free or you can buy beer and wine locally - your guide should be able to show you where).
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Go, and go now. Tourist numbers are down by 75%. This means the people really need tourists, so by going you are making a real contribution (many people thanked us for going with the troubles on) and you have the benefit that the sights are very comfortable to see - the room containing the iconic Tutankhamun mask was almost empty of people. We had been a little nervous before going from seeing the disturbances on TV, but all was quite when we were there (we even went through Tahir Square) and I get the impression that the tourist trail would be far from where any demonstrations are likely to be.
There are a lot of optional excursions and they are excellent. We found we wanted to do most of them and this does add quite a whack to the brochure trip cost, so be prepared for this.
Eli Dek

NILE CRUISE

Written December 2011
I ALWAYS wanted to see Egypt and I am so happy that I went now. Ignore CNN. We were perfectly safe and you will be too!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
It is impossible to pick one stand out thing in a country with 5,000 years of history. I am very well travelled, but this qualifies as the best trip ever! Inspirational moments... Matching faces to names I have heard all my life in the Mummy Rooms of the Egyptian Museum. Seeing Tut's treasures and lingering without elbowing other tourists. Listening to the wind at the Bent Pyramid. Passing by on-going archeological digs. Egyptian food- YUM! Taking a hot air balloon over the Valley of the Kings. Seeing the Valley of the Workers. Being alone in Tut's Tomb. Spending Christmas Day at the Great Pyramids. Making small talk with camel drivers. Finding the artists hand on everything and anything. Finding enough good books on Egypt to fill a second suitcase. Nubian Museum. Buying indigo powder at one of the markets. Relaxing on the boat watching the country side go by. Laughing it up with Sayed and my travel companions on the over night train.
What did you think of your group leader?
Sayed Mansour was a fantastic tour leader. Sayed was endlessly patient, humorous and extremely kind. Sayed kept us entertained while being very informative at the same time. He is truly gifted and very professional. Sayed is extremely personable and it was a joy to spend ten days with him.
If you really want to learn about Egypt, he is definitely who you want to guide you through the country. Sayed has a wealth of knowledge that he will happily share. He was also kind enough to make sure I always found what I was looking for and many of my best books were actually found by him. He made the trip!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If you have ever wanted to go to Egypt-GO NOW! Their economy needs tourists and you will have the very rare privilege of a quiet visit while giving some much needed dollars. I was alone in King Tut's tomb (normally impossible) which will most likely be one of the highlights of my life. I will be forever grateful that I chose to go when I did. It was a special trip!
If you are worried about your safety, please be assured that Exodus and their staff are well informed. At no point during my 10 day trip did I feel the need to look over my shoulder. Sayed always kept an eye on us and even checked on me several times when I was no longer touring with the group. I felt very safe throughout the trip. I would not hesitate to visit again and plan on going for a second round of my beloved Egypt soon.
There are several opportunities to take additional sightseeing trips as well as a few additional entrances to things like the Mummy Rooms in the Egyptian Museum. I did them all! If you are only going to go once, get the most out of your stay. Having regrets when you get home will spoil your memories.
Some of the small souvenirs the touts try to sell you make lovely gifts for friends. Keep your bargaining friendly and if you don't want their item politely say, "No thank you" and keep walking. Anyone who persisted left after a few meters if I was not interested. With that said, the item you do buy maybe assisting a family that has endured economic hardship for the last year. There are very few tourists in Egypt right now and your token gift to a friend may be putting food on someone's table.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
If you are a female traveling alone, Exodus is a good choice. Dress appropriately for Muslim culture, keep an open mind and you will have a great time.
Thank you Sayed. Again and again!
Sharmini Brookes

NILE CRUISE

Written December 2011
I have always wanted to see the pyramids in Egypt and the Exodus Nile Cruise offered this and a lot more in a very well organized trip with an excellent tour leader and a fantastically sociable group.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The Pyramids and Karnak Temple are stupendous examples of human achievement and were pretty awe-inspiring. Though not so good for the local Egyptians, we were lucky enough to see these sites during a period when tourism has dropped from 120,000 to 12,000 so I was able to get one of the 300 per day allocation of tickets to go inside the Great Pyramid of Kufu. Although there is not a great deal to see, it's great to have the opportunity to go inside and climb the steep incline up the narrow ramp to the huge burial chamber at the top. Karnak temple at dusk has a mystical charm enhanced by the evening chants of the muezzim that reverberates around the enormous collonaded space. Our time there was almost too short.
What did you think of your group leader?
Our group leader George was a Coptic Egyptian who was immensely proud of his ancestors achievements and passionately imparted his considerable knowledge to us. Of course, even George could not know everything but he always had two theories for consideration that were very plausible. He was super-efficient and immensely sociable with a great sense of humour and a good command of the English language. He also taught us a few useful phrases in the local dialect to deal with persistent street hawkers. I woukld highly recommend his services to anyone.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Visit Egypt now while the crowds are away. They need the tourism and you will get a great experience. They are grateful rather than hostile to tourists and the internal politics is seen as their business rather than ours.
Street traders can be both charming and annoyingly persistent. If you have no intention of buying anything then learn the local phrases to say no or go away politely and do not engage in any further conversation. If you do want something then be firm about what your top price is going to be and be prepared to haggle. Being dramatic is appreciated.
Be vigilant about only drinking bottled water. I was somewhat lax in the hotel spa just before leaving and drank a glass of water proffered by the attendant believing it to be bottled but came down with severe stomach cramps on my return home; luckily it didn't spoil my holiday.
Carry toilet paper with you everywhere to avoid occasions where there is none or avoid paying for sheets from attendants at tourist sites.
Always carry wet wipes or antiseptic spray and use frequently after handling money and before eating.
Take your own food on the sleeper train and waive the food trays offered. The food is pretty inedible and cold and it will be more enjoyable to eat your own.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I loved the cruise boat along the Nile. Here is one delightful experience:
We had a free afternoon on the boat as it sailed onto Aswan through Esna lock. This was one of the highlights of my trip. All along we'd been pursued by sellers and been admiring their persistence but never more so than this afternoon. When one of the guests on deck hit the ping pong ball into the river, I jokingly said to Alex that I was surprised no Egyptian youngster had rowed over in the boat to return it for a tip. Just then a small rowing boat with 2 youngsters glided over alongside, one standing up holding up a kaftan and starting to tout for business. A couple of local Egyptian girls on board started haggling over the side. Next a plastic wrapped bundle came flying overboard. This was so the girls could try the on the kaftan. Lots of frenetic bargaining was going on drawing all the other passengers to watch and next to no time a couple of other boats joined and everybody was at it. If you liked something they would throw another bag overboard and you would put your money in it and throw it bag into the boat below. If it missed and went into the water, the boat behind would pick up with their oars. Throws and towels were flying up and down. They wouldn't take no for an answer so even if you threw it back they would throw it back shouting 'Ladee, ladee, what price you want?' Once they offered Diane LE70 for a throw and now a dab hand at this game she screwed her fingers on each side of her temples in dramatic fashion and shouted 'LE70! You crazee!' The young seller was so impressed he bowed and said 'sank you'. Brid was stoical and kept to her lowest figure getting them for LE40. It was enormous fun and everyone was happy with their bargains.
Sue Bonnington

NILE CRUISE

Written November 2011
This trip was everything I expected and more. I had the time of my life and would recommend this trip to anyone wanting to experience the sites and sounds of ancient Egypt whilst enjoying the leisurely cruise down the Nile and stepping back in time.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Where do I start! There was so much of the wow factor it's hard to decide what the highlights were. I guess seeing Tutenkhamun's treasure in Cairo museum was special moment for me. The sunrise hot air balloon flight in Luxor was fantastic and I would recommend doing that if you get the opportunity. The temple at Abu Simbel is a must to see even though it's over a 3 hour bus trip to get to it it's well worth it when you get there. The cruise ship is comfortable and a great place to sit and relax on the sun deck and watch the world go by, perfect at the end of a busy day visiting the temples and bazaar.
What did you think of your group leader?
Sayed was the best! He was so knowledgeable and brought ancient Egypt alive for us. He had a great sense of humour as well and kept us entertained throughout the trip. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he made sure we always had the best possible experience at each of the places we visited.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
The overnight train from Cairo to Luxor is pretty basic and the food is not that good so try and take some extra snacks to have instead and don't expect to get much sleep as the train is pretty rickety!!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Dont be put off by the political situation in Egypt, this is a great time to travel to Egypt, there are very few tourists so there's no queuing to get into the tombs or temples. if you love Egyptian history this is the trip to go on, it is extremely well organised and you feel safe in the more than capable hands of your local tour leader.
Stuart Norris

NILE CRUISE

Written November 2011
The perfect holiday to learn about Egypt, its history, religions, politics and, of course, to witness the staggering achievements of the Pharoahs in building their temples and pyramids so many thousands of years ago. The tour was conducted at a leisurely pace and had many early departures, but the latter helped to beat the crowds and the heat of the day.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The beauty of the temples far surpassed our expectations, even outdoing the staggering achievements of building the pyramids.
What did you think of your group leader?
Sayed Mansour was without a doubt the best tour leader we've ever had. Nothing was too much trouble, his knowledge was inexhaustible, he led the tour with authority and calmness and became a true friend of everyone on the trip.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
1. Buy your currency in Egypt where the exchange rate is far superior than can be obtained in the UK and also take some US Dollars with you as the trips are priced in this currency.
2. Either buy food and drink in advance of the night train to/from Aswan or order the vegetarian meal. The meat served up for dinner is inedible and far worse than you can imagine! I do not exaggerate!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
This trip is the perfect way to experience the sights, sounds and smells of Egypt. The monuments are truly awesome and with a tour guide like the one who led our trip you'll want for nothing. The various trips are not cheap, but they are worth paying for. Make sure you take the dawn hot air balloon flight in the area around the Valley of the Kings - a magical start to the day.