Golden Nubia & the Majestic Nile 14 days Egypt Tour

Private 16-day tour. Magical, captivating, amazing. Highly recommended.
My husband and I had a fantastic time in Egypt, exploring the pyramids and temples and learning more about the ancient Egyptian beliefs and customs. From the time I first contacted Egypt Fun Tours to plan our trip, Hamada responded promptly to our questions. After explaining to him that we preferred visiting ancient ruins and learning about Egyptian mythology, he adapted the ‘Golden Nubia’ tour package and created a customized itinerary for us.

We were greeted at Cairo airport by Mohammed who helped us through customs. We then met Hamada and the driver. Our first item on the agenda was the Cairo city tour. However, after a long flight from Australia, we were very tired and preferred to rest. Hamada had no problems re-arranging the itinerary.
Over the next 2 weeks, we saw the pyramids in Giza and Saqqara; the temples in Abu Simbel, Aswan, Luxor; cruised the Nile; visited a Nubian village; camped overnight in the White Desert; spent the day at Alexandria; explored the Egyptian Museum, Old Cairo and Islamic Cairo. The tour really captured the best of Egypt.
Review of: Pyramids, Sphinx, Saqqara, & Memphis Full-Day Tour:
We started the day with a visit to Memphis, followed by Saqqara and then Giza. Our guide Yousef was excellent. He explained how the first pyramids were built, took us through the king’s ceremony and gave a good summary of the displays in the Museum of Imhotep.

At Giza we paid an additional entrance fee to go into the Great Pyramid. As no cameras were allowed, Yousef looked after our things while we went inside the King’s Chamber. He never once rushed us and told us to take our time while inside.
After seeing the Sphinx we visited a papyrus workshop. It was interesting to see how papyrus was made; we now know how to tell the difference between real and fake papyrus.
We had a great time with Yousef. He is knowledgeable, spoke very well and took great pictures for us.
Review of: Abu Simbel, Aswan sightseeing, Luxor temples (7 days):
It was an early morning flight out of Cairo to Aswan, then a long drive to Abu Simbel, but when we finally arrived, it was worth it. Our guide Hamada explained the 19th dynasty, specifically the reign of Ramses II, who left a legacy of magnificent temples and majestic statues. We later attended the Sound & Light Show at the Abu Simbel temples. This is a must-see!

Over the next couple of days, we drove back towards Aswan, where we saw the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk on the way. We also visited the Temple of Philae, which is now located at Agilkia island, so we took the motorboat to get there. We then visited the Botanical Gardens and strolled through the Aswan market. It was refreshing to have a glass of fresh sugar cane drink to end the day!

As we sailed from Aswan back to Luxor on the Nile, we spent 3 nights on a cruise ship. During the stopovers, we visited the Temple of Khnum on Elephantine Island, the Temple of Kom Ombo, the Temple of Edfu and strolled through a Nubian village. When we finally arrived at Luxor, we visited the magnificent Luxor Temple.
After checking out of the cruise ship, we had a big day exploring the Valley of Kings, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Medinet Habu (mortuary temple of Ramses III), the colossi of Memnon and the massive complex of the Karnak temples. All throughout the tour, Hamada remained enthusiastic and responsive to our questions about the Egyptian gods, pharaohs and temples. For me, it was one of the best history lessons I have ever had.
On our last day in Luxor, we visited the temples in Abydos and Dendara. Our guide for the day, Karma (Ekram Hagag) met us at our hotel. On the way there, she gave us some information on the temples, which gave us a good preview of what we would be seeing when we got there.

These temples have the best-preserved hieroglyphics that we have seen. The walls, columns and ceilings are filled with such interesting stories, which Karma was able to relay to us. She was knowledgeable, spoke very well and offered to take pictures of us.

Review of: White Desert tour and overnight camping:
After a long drive from Cairo, we arrived at the Bahariya Oasis for lunch. We met Abdul, our Bedouin guide, who would be taking us around the White Desert and set up our tent for the night.
The desert landscape is breathtaking and out of this world. Be prepared for some rough off-road driving on a 4×4. We saw the Black Desert, Crystal Mountain and the unusual rock formations at Akaba. We then stopped by a sand dune and did some amateur sandboarding, which was a lot of fun.

With the full moon casting shadows over the huge rocks, we had the best dinner under the stars in the White Desert. Sipping strong (and sweet) Bedouin tea in front of a campfire was truly a memorable experience.
We returned to Bahariya Oasis the next day, and then to Cairo. I had hoped to see the Temple of Alexander of the Great, and the tombs of the nobles at the valley of the golden mummies on the way back, as it was in the original itinerary but we were not able to (as we had reduced the desert tour to an overnight stay).
Bedouin food and hospitality were unbelievable. Abdul is a skilled 4×4 driver, spoke well, and is an amazing cook!

Review of: Alexandria sightseeing day trip:
The drive to Alexandria took about 2.5 hours from Cairo. Our guide Hamada took us first to the Catacombs under the ground. It was fascinating to see the mix of Egyptian, Grecian and Roman art on the walls of the Tegran tomb. Next, we saw Pompey’s Pillar which towered 25m high, and the ruins of the Serapeum nearby. We then saw the Roman amphitheater before stopping for a delicious seafood lunch.

We saw the Citadel of Qaitbay from the outside (said to be built on the site of the ancient lighthouse) and then the oldest mosque in Alexandria (Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi mosque). Unfortunately, I had hoped to visit the Alexandria Library, but we only managed to take some photos from the outside.

It was a great day of sightseeing on a lovely seaside city. Hamada explained the history of the place really well, which gave me a sense of what Alexandria would have been like during ancient times.
Review of: Cairo day tour – Egyptian museum, Khan Bazaar, Islamic & Coptic Cairo:
We started the day exploring the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. As there are not many signs in the museum, our guide Hamada explained to us the key artifacts. For instance, an important artifact is the Narmer Palette, which depicts the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. Hamada explained the engravings very well, which gave me a richer understanding of the significance of the palette.

There are so many artifacts to see and with the crowds in the museum, Hamada was able to guide us to the main ones so that we would not miss out.

After spending about 3 hours in the museum, we went to Coptic Cairo and visited the Abu Serga church (Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church) and the Ben Ezra synagogue. We then visited the first mosque built in Cairo (Amr ibn al-As mosque), before heading to Islamic Cairo. Unfortunately, we didn’t get time to see the Coptic Museum and the Hanging Church.
Walking within the massive enclosure of Islamic Cairo was amazing. Hamada skillfully guided us through the busy Khan El-Khalili bazaar and explained various aspects of the ancient streets and complexes. He then took us for some great coffee at El Fishawy, which is a very popular spot for locals and tourists to meet for shisha and coffee/tea.
This was our last day of our 16-day customized tour. It was the perfect ending as it summarised all we had seen before in the pyramids and temples.

Overall, the service and professionalism provided by Egypt Fun Tours is outstanding. The drivers, guides and representatives were friendly and welcoming and have made our visit to Egypt memorable. Everything was arranged for us and it has been one of the stress-free travels I have ever had. Hamada was our main guide. He is entertaining, very experienced and spoke very well. If you want an unforgettable time in Egypt, I highly recommend Egypt Fun Tours.