MY EXPERIENCE TAKING A TOUR THROUGH EGYPT

There’s a saying in Egypt that if you drink from the Nile, you’ll return. Having unwillingly swallowed a fair amount of water while swimming in the river on my first visit in 2008, I found myself fulfilling the prophecy nine years later. Over eight nights I traveled down from Cairo to Aswan to Luxor with six strangers who quickly became friends on a group tour of Egypt.

In this guide, I share my experience on a tour in Egypt.

Cairo

The Pyramids Of Giza

Have you really been to Egypt if you don’t visit the Giza Pyramids? The Great Pyramid is one of the seven wonders of the world – the oldest and the only one still standing. The three pyramids located at Giza are still revealing their secrets. Tickets are required to enter the pyramid complex and I’d recommend purchasing an extra ticket to enter one of the pyramids.

The passages are steep, dim, and dusty and the resulting tombs are empty, having been robbed centuries before. But the experience makes you feel a bit like Indiana Jones in Disneyland as you enter the small hot entryway in the rock and explore the galleries, while surrounded by others doing the same. Keep in mind, entry is not recommended if you have asthma or claustrophobia.

Finally, pay your respects to the Great Spinx, the broken-nosed half-lion, half-pharaoh crouching sentinel in front of the pyramids. Before wandering the temple, walk up in front of the seats set up for a night-light show. Here, you’ll find the perfect spot away from the crowds to drink in the view and memorialize your visit.

The Egyptian Museum

After a morning at the pyramids, see what has been removed at the Egyptian museum. King Tutankhamun’s blue and gold mask is only one of the wonders retrieved from his tomb in the Valley of the Kings in 1922. The museum is crowded with artifacts from pharaoh’s funeral statues to the tools used by the populace. Don’t miss the mummified remains of a crocodile in the mummified animal’s room.

Shopping Near Bab Al Futuh Gates

The day isn’t complete without a visit to the Khan El Khalili markets. Easily reached by taxi, enter on foot through the historical Bab Al Futuh gates, completed in 1067. Walk down a road lined with centuries-old mosques and crowded with tourists and locals enjoying the cooler air. The markets themselves are busy and colourful.

You’ll have your first chance to perfect your haggling skills amongst stalls of scarves, alabaster sculptures, and antiques. Seek out El Fishawi café for a freshly made falafel sandwich and ice-cold, freshly pulped mango juice or Turkish tea.

Best Places To Stay In Cairo

Luxury Cairo Hotels

• Safir Hotel Cairo – Located just a 10-minute walk from the Nile River embankment, Safir Hotel in Cairo’s city centre offers luxurious rooms with balconies. The hotel features an outdoor pool, gym, and free Wi-Fi in public areas.
• Four Seasons Hotel Cairo – Located in Downtown Cairo, this hote l has five restaurants and some rooms have Nile views. This hotel also has two outdoor swimming pools and an indoor swimming pool, surrounded by cabanas and sun loungers.
• Marriott Mena House – Marriott Mena House, Cairo, is situated near the Great Pyramids of Giza. The hotel boasts 40 acres of lush gardens, a spa, a fitness centre, and a pool. The rooms feature handcrafted furnishings.

Mid-Range Cairo Hotels

• The Westin Cairo Golf Resort – This unique hotel is located in New Cairo in the Katameya Dunes business district. The hotel offers guest use of the 27 hole golf course, a garden, an outdoor and indoor swimming pool and an onsite spa.
• Fairmont Nile City – Located in the Nile City Towers by the River Nile, this 5-star hotel features a rooftop pool deck with spectacular views across Cairo to the Pyramids. It offers 7 food and beverage venues.
• InterContinental Cairo – This family-friendly hotel is located just a short walk from Tahrir Square and the Egyptian Museum.

Budget Cairo Hotels

• Sheraton Cairo Hotel and Casino – This hotel has a variety of different room types, including rooms with river views, presidential suites, balconies and pool view rooms.
• Ramses Hilton – Located in downtown Cairo this hotel is connected to a shopping center and has three restaurants, an outdoor swimming pool, a casino and a nightclub.
• Crowne Plaza West Cairo Arkan – Located in Sheikh Zayed City, this city is close to the Grand Egyptian Museum and Memphis Museum. There is also an 18-hole golf course and an outdoor swimming pool located within the hotel.

Best Tours To Take In Cairo

Cairo offers a variety of enjoyable tours for exploring the area, taking a cruise and visiting historic landmarks. Here are three great tour options:

Aswan

An overnight train took us to Aswan. Dinner was essentially what you’d be served on a plane, so if you’re a fussy eater (like me) seek out one of the small supermarkets in Cairo and stock up on bottled water, crackers, fresh fruit, and cheese. We stayed at the Hotel Isis Corniche which borders the Nile and is across the road from the market.

Philae Temple

The Philae temple is one of the unmissable highlights of Aswan. You approach Agilkia Island by boat and the ruins come into sight, sandstone columns and large carved walls. We spent at least an hour exploring the ruins before meeting at the café for a coffee. From Aswan, you can take a day trip to Abu Simbel Temple, although it is a 3.5 hour drive each way with an early start to try to beat the heat at the exposed site.

Guides aren’t allowed into the temples so we stood with our Intrepid guide Waleed in the shadow of four huge statues of Ramses and he told us the history of the temple and what to look for inside. The walls are covered with hieroglyphs and carved scenes of offerings and the afterlife.

Waleed’s recommendation was to walk through the two temples before taking photos and by the time we’d seen both temples, most of the other groups had started walking back and we had the site to ourselves.

Best Places To Stay In Aswan

Luxury Aswan Hotels

• Mövenpick Resort Aswan – This luxury hotel is connected to the convention center in Aswan. The eco-certified hotel has two poolside bars, a terrace and two coffee shops.
• Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Aswan – Located in Aswan city center close to the Western Quarry and Unfinished Obelisk. The hotel has both indoor and outdoor pools, a poolside bar, a shopping centre and an onsite spa.
• Sonesta Nouba Hotel Aswan – This Art Deco hotel has two room options, one with two twin beds, a terrace and a river view; there is also a queen bedroom with a terrace and river view.

Mid-Range Aswan Hotels

• Benben By Dhara Hotels – Located on Philae Island this hotel has numerous river view room options, sleeping between two and four people.
• Tolip Aswan Hotel – This hotel is centrally located and within walking distance of Feryal Garden, Western Quarry and Aswan Bazaar. The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool, a bowling alley and a poolside bar.
• Obelisk Nile Hotel Aswan – With several room configurations, this hotel has one-bedroom suites, double rooms, premium rooms, pool view rooms and garden views.

Budget Aswan Hotels

• Basma Executive Club – Located just a short walk from the Nubian Museum, Fatimid Cemetery Main Entrance and Unfinished Obelisk.
• Citymax Hotel Aswan – This hotel is located in Aswan, connected to a shopping center. The hotel also has a rooftop terrace, a coffee shop, an indoor and outdoor swimming pool. There is also free self-parking and an onsite restaurant.

Best Tours To Take In Aswan

Aswan offers a variety of enjoyable tours for exploring the area, taking a cruise and visiting historic landmarks. Here are two great tour options:

• Take the opportunity to visit the Great Temple of Abu Simbel on a day trip. Discover one of the most magnificent monuments in Egypt with included hotel pickup from Aswan.
• Enjoy a leisurely group tour of Philae Temple during your stay in Aswan. Learn the secrets of Philae Temple, take a short boat ride on the Nile, and hear the history of the temple from your guide.

Nile River In A Traditional Felucca

We travelled by felucca, a traditional boat, to Luxor tacking South against the current of the Nile River until we banked at a tall dune of sand. Changing into swimsuits we waded into the clear river water until it was deep enough to swim, minding the strong current.

Clambering back on board, we jumped together from the canopy before drying ourselves off by sitting up top and ducking under the sail as we continued on. Feluccas can’t sail at night so we again banked and enjoyed dinner cooked by the felucca chef. Later, those who weren’t too tired out sat around a campfire to sing and talk with the crew, who had boundless energy.

Luxor

Karnak Temple

Temples are Luxor’s main drawcard but are also the place to pick up authentic porcelain scarabs and alabaster statues. The first stop on the itinerary was Karnak Temple, a sprawling complex where you’ll find obelisks, a sacred lake, sphinxes and an incredible open-air hall of columns with traces of colour still visible.

We went later in the day and watched the sunset in the temple, leaving just as the gates were shutting. You’re not allowed to take photos at the Valley of the Kings and once again, guides don’t accompany you inside the tombs. Instead, we sat on benches under open shades and listened as Waleed explained the history of the Valley of the Kings.

The Valley Of The Kings

Extra tickets were purchased for certain tombs. I skipped Tutankhamun’s tomb but purchased a ticket for Ramses the ninth. The hieroglyphs in the tombs are incredible, the colours are vibrant and look like they were painted on a few years ago not a couple of thousand years ago – not to be missed.

The Valley of the Kings, the Pyramids and Tutankhamun’s mask is the Egypt you’ll recognize from films, books and television and they’re worth the hype. Still, Egypt is a country of generous, friendly people with a variety of amazing temples to explore. It’s hard to narrow it down, but jumping off the felucca with new friends or perhaps a tie with the Giza Pyramids was probably the highlight of the trip for me.

Best Places To Stay In Luxor

I wish we could have stayed for more than a day in Luxor, so if we do come back someday we will definitely choose one of the below places to stay:

Luxury Luxor Hotels

• Al Moudira Hotel – Located at the gateway to Luxor and is the only palace located on the west bank of the Nile. The oriental décor of the hotel is characterized by beautifully ornate domes and patios with arabesque designs. The hotel features an outdoor pool and a spacious terrace, perfect for relaxing and taking in the stunning surroundings.
• Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa – Nestled on the banks of the Nile, Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa offers stylish rooms with uninterrupted views from the water’s edge, luxurious spa facilities and stunning infinity pools.
• Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor – The hotel is a perfect place to enjoy a calm and peaceful atmosphere. It’s a gateway to the ancient splendours of Egypt. The hotel offers luxurious rooms and suites, beautiful gardens, a pool, as well as fine dining restaurants and bars.

Mid-Range Luxor Hotels

• Sonesta St George Hotel Luxor – Located just a short drive from Luxor Market, Luxor Temple and the Mummification Museum. The hotel features 322 rooms and has premium comforts, including unique decorations and incredible views.
• Steigenberger Nile Palace – This hotel has 304 rooms in a range of configurations, sleeping between two and four people. The hotel also has two swimming pools and five onsite restaurants.
• Steigenberger Resort Achti – With 281 rooms, this hotel has a room configuration to fit everyone’s requirements. The hotel also has two outdoor swimming pools, free self-parking, two poolside bars, and on-site shopping.

Budget Luxor Hotels

• Pyramisa Hotel Luxor – This hotel is located close to the Luxor Temple and the Tombs of Ankhtifi and Sobekhotep at El-Moalla. There is also a poolside bar, a terrace and onsite shopping.
• Pavillion Winter Luxor – With 102 rooms, this hotel offers classic two twin rooms and king rooms with balconies. The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool for guests to use, in addition to a swim-up bar and three restaurants.
• Aracan Eatabe Luxor Hotel – This budget-friendly hotel has a small price tag but is filled with great features, including an outdoor swimming pool, a buffet breakfast, a terrace, and four onsite restaurants.

Best Tours To Take In Luxor

Luxor offers a variety of enjoyable tours for exploring the area, taking a cruise and visiting historic landmarks. Here are four great tour options:

• Explore Luxor’s magnificent temples on a full-day tour led by an Egyptologist guide. Visit both the west and east banks of Luxor.
• Fly over Luxor’s West Bank on an early morning hot air balloon ride. See ancient landmarks like the Colossi of Memnon, Valley of the Kings, and Hatshepsut Temple from above the Nile.
• Explore the West Bank on a full-day Luxor tour. Visit the Valley of the Kings tombs and the impressive Hatshepsut Temple at Deir el-Bahari with a guide.
• Embark on a 3-night cruise from Aswan to Luxor along the Nile River. Enjoy full board and a private guide.

Useful Tips For Egypt

• Keep an eye on your relevant government advisories on visiting Egypt. I had concerns about safety as a single female, so I chose to go with a travel company. I spoke in detail with my agent prior to booking and kept in touch with my family with a daily short update via email where possible. I felt entirely safe while there and didn’t find myself hassled any more than the men in the group.
• You can change money at the airport and there are plenty of ATMs and Bureau de Change offices in Cairo. At the airport, prior to immigration, you’ll need to purchase an Egyptian visa for $25 USD.
• Haggling in the markets is normal even when you’re an Egyptian. When you walk through the markets, vendors will call you constantly. It can get exhausting, and it’s okay to ignore them or to say no thank you. 
• The essentials are sunscreen, tissues, insect repellent, Imodium, electrolytes, hand sanitizer, a hat, and a scarf. Make sure you always have change for the toilets and some tissues.
• Learn some phrases, particularly hello, thank you and no thank you.
• Don’t drink unbottled water unless you really can’t help it, or you might find yourself still in Egypt with a tummy bug before you’ve seen the other half of the world.

---

We hope that this article has inspired you to visit Egypt. If you have any questions about the destination or have your own travel tips to share, please leave them in the comments below.

Do you want to share your own travel tips by guest writing for We Are Travel Girls? Please visit our Contribute page for guidelines and to submit your article.

---

Pay Less, Travel More

Subscribe to get access to our FREE eBook with tips for saving money when you travel!

---

Read More About Egypt

• Is Solo Female Travel Safe In Cairo?
• 8 Reasons Why You Should Visit Egypt
• How To See The Highlights Of Egypt In Two Days

---

Author

We Are Travel Girls Contributor Sarah Mashman

---

Pin For Later

This article may contain affiliate links, if you purchase something using one of our links we may receive a commission. Please see our Disclosures for more information.