wldtravels

We selected Memphis Tours to run our trip. We started and ended in Cairo, but chose to add Nile River and Lake Nasser cruise packages also. We saw many reviews about Memphis tours day excursions, but nothing about whole trips to Egypt. Since all the day excursion reviews were very positive, we decided to try their whole tour package. Memphis Tours was wonderful!!! No detail missed. From pickup to dropoff we were always with a guide an/or tour manager (which is a must if you want to see it all and understand its importance). Our research started with Memphis Tours because their price was the best we found for what we wanted. The accomodations they made for us were better than those found in our European encounters (for a far greater price), and the attention to detail was amazing. The tour guides they sent with us (Ahmed Farahat in Cairo, Ahmed El Prince during the Nile River Cruise in Upper Egypt/Luxor, and Ahmed Omar in Aswan) were well informed and helpful, and made sure we had anything we needed. The tour managers and drivers (Hussein and Ziko, Osama and Hamada) who transferred us between tour segments were also wonderful. Always on time, helpful and informative. I am certain the Memphis Tours staff are all excellent, so if you don't get our reps, any would be equally wonderful. I thought ours were so good I wanted to highlight them. A few tidbits for every traveler to Egypt: - tipping is expected for everything (airport bag handlers, restroom attendants, locals who offer to help you take a picture together, etc) ALWAYS carry spare change and keep small bills handy. It is also customary to tip your drivers and guides after tours as a sign of appreciation for a job well done. Their tips should be better since they spent the day with you. - public restrooms nearly always have an attendant at the door...more small tips (also, they tend to keep the toilet paper and hand it out as you tip them....so carry some extra in your pocket if you think you will need more). - take only clean new money to exchange (no tears, excessive wrinkles or fold lines, etc). They sometimes refuse it when exchanging or purchasing items. - don't let the excessive and sometimes pushy market vendors get you down. It can get old, but once you learn to stare straight ahead when passing them, they are better about moving on to the next person. - When packing, be sure to add a box or two of pepto bismol tablets (and keep some in your touring pack each day), and some loperamide (Immodium-type meds) capsules. We were there for 10 days and 5 of 6 people had limited problems. If you stay ahead of it at the first signs of issues, then you can enjoy your vacation without much hassle (slight loss of appetite and limited pit-stops if any). DONT get dehydrated and think not drinking is the answer. - Finally, bottled water is a must, but it is readily available. At the tourist sites it is quite a bit more expensive (so purchase your own from a market vendor (be sure to check the seal is in tact)) and take it with you. Always have water with you. We absolutely loved our trip and Memphis Tours for everything they organized.