Michael W.
Date: 2026-04-26
From: USA
Tour: 14-day
My wife and I initially signed up for the 14-day group tour but due to unforeseen circumstances asked if we could change to a private tour. Tiffany Thomas, the excellent contact person at Inside Egypt, responded positively and worked to arrange the private tour that essentially ran in parallel with the group tour. It worked out to be a great move, thanks to Tiffany’s efforts, since we were able to also join the larger group at breakfasts and dinners to chat about the day’s events – and they were a wonderful group of fellow tourists. We chose Inside Egypt first and foremost for the extensive itineraries they provided and if you want to see the essential sites one must see in Egypt, they did not let us down. Since we were a private tour, we had wonderful guides in Eman, Atef, and Hany, all expert in Egyptology. They in turn were supported by a courteous and conscientious support staff of tour leaders, drivers, security personnel, and airport transfer specialists who together made the whole trip seamless and easy-going, allowing you to focus on the mysteries and beauty of the ancient temples, burial sites, and pyramids that you will visit along the way. (Note: security personnel are needed solely to comply with certain Egyptian government dictates for groups traveling throughout Egypt. Oddly enough, it all made for a more-the-merrier feeling for the long rides from site to site. Egypt is exceptionally safe, compared to the Middle East, and the people are very open and happy to engage with any and all foreign tourists). Speaking of rides, make an effort to keep your nose pressed to the van’s windows to see modern Egypt as you transit from site to site, and city to city. It is a diverse and interesting country which if you are a city-person (or even if you aren’t) you will find yourself drawn to. Cairo and Alexandria (this via a one-day tour extension -- very much worth it) are possibly two of the most interesting cities I’ve visited, nothing like the cities of Europe – more dynamic, energetic, and at greater than a thousand years old, a bit ragged at the edges. Between the amazing mosques, open-air bazaars, and with ancient buildings juxtaposed with modern ones, it is something to experience. And lest I forget, we had an amazing trip into the desert where we saw, believe it or not, whale skeletons (!), but with limbs (!) showing that they were once land mammals. This site was a fascinating evolutionary view back millions of years to when the Sahara was part of the Mediterranean with abundant sea life and yes, whales. Egypt is not just about pyramids, for sure. In sum, if you are thinking of touring Egypt, it would be in your best interest to consider going with Inside Egypt – we did and we think we made a great choice. Shukran Inside Egypt!
