Enjoy 3 nights Sailing Nile Felucca,Luxor,Aswan&Abu Simbel with train from Cairo

We did not know what to expect from this tour, as when we booked on Viator, the tour had no reviews. The positives were many: the three guides were first rate, in terms of being great teachers to our two young boys, their English speaking ability, and their knowledge of Egyptian history. Clearly they were well-educated in this area and were not merely reciting a script. These were some of the most capable guides on our trip around the world. The felucca ride was amazing. We had the boat to ourselves, and Captain Ziggy made us lunch and dinner. He was a great host and we will contact him the next time we visit Egypt. We docked with other feluccas for dinner by a large sand dune at sunset with many goats nearby. Two nights on the felucca and more travel downriver would have been much better - and we didnt see a single mosquito. We looked at more expensive brand-name tour options which included overnight felucca, but did not choose them, because of their draconian cancellation and deposit policies. Then one of their feluccas pulled up next to ours - flashing LEDs, partying college students stuffed 8 onto a boat- and after that encounter we were really glad we didnt use them. We ate our dinner by candlelight in quiet. There are a few areas for improvement. First, it appears that we were working with an individual broker who arranged independent guides and transportation for us (he appears to know the right people). There should be a central point of contact who is always available (during normal working hours) to respond to our questions in a timely manner - some messages were left unanswered. Although everything went smoothly, at times we could have used a little more hand holding. Second, the felucca should dock with the other feluccas and support boat at night, and not closer to the train station. The location for the felucca docking was totally unacceptable for several reasons (including no toilet, a beach littered with toilet paper, feces, and garbage, a highway nearby, and people partying until late into the night). I would make sure you clarify that this has been corrected with the tour operator before you book. Third, we were booked on a 14 hour night train (seats, not sleeper) from Cairo to Aswan. It is our fault that we did not clarify that it was not a sleeper. We slept little that night, and it may be worth discussing with the tour operator other means of travelling to Aswan, which are not terribly more costly.