03 Oct 2019
Firstly, we felt safe at all times which in Egypt is key. We had two drivers who were both very good and humble people. The minibus was comfortable and just for us two. We got to see abydos and dendara as well as luxor and the valley. The fact we got to the valley early meant we had the tombs to ourselves. There were however a couple of issues and a couple of things that could be done better.
Firstly, throughout the trip the main guide was trying to make money off us. This included stops at overpriced locations for coffee and tea and, trips to pointless handcraft places. This we resented the most - this is OUR time.
Secondly, on the first evening we were TOLD to tip the drivers - these are your staff, pay them! Why we had two I'm not sure either, as lovely as they were.
On the first day we were also marched from A to B without time for ourselves at all to explore. Yes we are on a schedule but ask us what we are interested in exploring, don't assume we want to see everything as much as the rest. Lots of time wasted on fairytale nonsense and not enough on what I was interested in, which was architecture. Second day we were given more choice and it was much better.
The main tour guide did point out some interesting parts, like the "helicopter" but his knowledge of archeology and history was quite basic and of course Egyptian which meant "Christians defaced Hathor" and yes everything was built by Egyptians despite things clearly being of very different time periods. A lot of the stuff is also clearly fake and modern, none of it was explained or questioned.
We had issues with the food too, the food in abydos was disgusting as was the dinner in Luxor where the main guide lied to us and told us it was too late to eat food in the hotel so that he could take us to some place in a side street he had commission ofg. The overnight stay was grotty, the hotel was a flea pit and the food was equally bad. Second day we insisted the lunch was western fast food which he actually paid for to my shock though I'd have paid myself.
The trip got good again when the main tour guide left us. I would suggest you simply ask him to shut up, take you from A to B, if you want to know anything ask, and insist on a lot of free time. The transport is excellent. If only he wasn't so greedy and didn't monopolise your time. Be wise, instruct him clearly. As to the guide - stop being greedy, it's obvious and distasteful.