scubascubagirl

From the moment we arrived in Egypt, Memphis Tours made us feel right at home. They were always prompt, patient, flexible and went above and beyond to ensure happiness during our stay. When we requested a king bed with a view of the pyramid, our airport rep, Mimo, made sure it happened. We were lucky enough to get an amazing Egyptologist in Cairo, Ayman Elshafie, who was incredibly knowledgeable, genuinely nice, and keen on making sure our needs were met at all times. He has a PhD in Egyptology, and could not have been a better person to guide us through the Egyptian antiquities museum. He knew the history about every single treasure found in King Tut's tomb. He was also brilliant to tour the Citadel, Hanging Church and Synagogue with. When we asked bout carpets, he didn't hesitate to veer from the itinerary and take us to Sakkara where they have carpet weaving schools, workshops and stores. When we asked for Egyptian cotton, papyrus and jewelry, he took us to a top-notch places, and we left with treasures that we'll have for a lifetime. He helped us navigate and negotiate prices at the Khan al Khalili market, after his shift was over, when he could've gone home hours before. He was totally refreshing at his job, and we wanted to bring him on our next stop, the Nile Cruise. Our driver in Cairo, Mohamed, was also fantastic. Navigating the streets of Cairo requires stunt-man skills, and he did it with grace. And when we wanted a cheap and fast meal, he recommended a fast food mom and pop owned chain where we had a schwarma combo meal, which ended up being our favorite meal in Cairo. When it was time to leave Cairo, Mimo met us again before getting on the sleeper train to Aswan, and saw us off. He also gave us the cell phone which was helpful, as I needed to call my bank, and coordinate times for pickups for the rest of the trip. The sleeper train was an experience. Cool to hear the call to prayer in some stops, so close as if it were right in the train with us. The Nile Cruise was amazing, and we got another great guide, Ahmed El Prince, who also loved his job. He gave us fun quizzes about the temples, was a fun character and also passionate about Egyptology. Our last stop was Hurghada, where we chilled out for a few days in the Red Sea, at leisure. Our Memphis guide was great - he took us to a supermarket so we could buy water and soda for cheap instead of at the hotel. We scheduled a snorkeling trip via Memphis, and they promptly picked us up and got us back to the hotel at the end of the day. Thank you Memphis for a wonderful journey that we'll never forget!