Egypt: Alexandria to Aswan

We normally organise our own visits but for a destination such as Egypt we felt it important to put our trust in professionals ... and our faith In Exodus was well-rewarded. The itinerary was full-on but packed with such variety and richness that it left us quite overwhelmed. By the end we felt we had not only visited a huge number of outstanding sites of world importance but also come to know and understand a country that has played and continues to play a major role within the world.

Alexandria to Abuu Simbel.: Egypt from top to bottom! This trip packed so much into 11 days, yet it never felt rushed. The archaeological sites are awe-inspiring, in terms of their size, antiquity and elaborate carvings and wall paintings. No amount of looking at photos will prepare you for what you see in person.

A very well planned and operated trip, one of the best I've been on with Exodus. We were a capacity group of 20 and were provided with a superb 40 plus seater luxury coach throughout which greatly enhanced the long often slow travel journeys, particularly in Cairo where our elevated viewing position above the traffic mayhem was a delight. The hotels used and the cruise ship were all of a very high standard throughout the tour. I found the staff welcoming and helpful, particularly on our cruise ship MS Style. The cuisine on the cruise ship was exceptional, and breakfast buffets in the hotels were all very good. My one criticism is that where packed breakfasts were provided these were singularly unimaginative, being heavily bread based, with excessive non recyclable plastic packaging. The Hotel Metropole in Alexandria is an Art Nuveaux time capsule and a real experience to stay in. The Luxor Iberotel Hotel is superbly sited with beautiful gardens and a swimming pool overlooking the Nile; great for winding down at the end of your holiday.

My first trip to Africa was a revelation! The history and archeological monuments of Egypt greatly exceeded my expectations. The culture is very different from North America and took a bit to get use to. Fortunately our Guide, Andrew N. , did a superb job of bridging the gap between our reality and theirs. Andrew was so much more than a guide , he is academic Egyptologist. We learned so much. Thank you Andrew. We visited over twenty major attractions in the 14 days, each one special and unique. We felt safe every step of the way and I have no problem recommending this trip to those who revel in ancient Egyptian and are not afraid to experience African culture .

I and my wife visited Egypt in this tour with Exodus during Christmas holiday 2021. We have been travelling quite a lot with Exodus and other tour companies. All I have to say, Egypt: Alexandria to Aswan is one of the best tour we had so far. Egypt is a fascinating country which you have to see and to learn. The tour we had worth every penny we paid for. Our guide, Andrew was absolutely helpful and knowledgeable. Very effective and efficient. I have learned a lot from him about ancient Egyptian culture. He opened my eye. Thanks Andrew. The only thing not satisfactory may be the overnight sleeper train from Cairo to Aswan. Our cabin was so cold and the heater was not working. They, the train staff certainly can do it better but they seems just don't care. Overall the tour is good and again very knowledgeable for everyone who has a passion to learn. If you travel in winter and use the overnight train, my advice is to take some warm covering with you.

A fascinating, informative, and very enjoyable tour with the chance to dress up thrown in for good measure! As with all Exodus trips we had some early starts and long days with now wasted time in between. If you want to see a lot of Egypt and experience its history from ancient times through to the modern day then this is the trip to take.

The trip was varied, and stimulated all the senses. It introduced us to many sides of Egyptian life, modern and ancient. The variety of transport allowed us to experience a variety of views from the bustling markets in the side streets and traffic jams of cities, to the beautiful costal front of Alexandria and its nearby crystal blue sea, the green farmland near the Nile, the epic pyramids and temples, whether it be by bumpy ride on a camel, a rickety ride on the overnight train or a slowly-bobbing felucca.

Brilliant glimpses into the ancient world with access to many fantastic sights. As with most Exodus trips it is often full on with some early starts, but these do pay dividends. The tour party, at 20. was probably too big as you travel as fast as the slowest person on the trip. Accommodation was mostly good with a couple of more modest places, but locations were always excellent. I personally could have done without the trip to Alexandria which didn't compare to having had more time in the amazing Cairo museum.

A great introduction to Egypt, with a fantastic guide who really brought it to life. Always on the move, and two or three really early morning starts. Perhaps a day to long in Cairo and the food tour in Cairo was a bit disorganised/rushed. Stops on the way to Alexandria were underwhelming.

The trip is really interesting and we definitely learnt a great deal about Egypt's history. Starting in Cairo my disappoint came from the choice of hotel. We stayed right on the outskirts opposite the new museum (not open yet) with a great view of a Pyramid opposite. The hotel was of an acceptable standard, but overall, the lowest of our trip, but so far from the city it was difficult to venture out for sightseeing or dinner. The group all agreed that our trip to the museum was too short and as we arrived back at our hotel quite early, we could have stayed longer as there is so much to see. We travelled to Alexandria from Cairo via El Alamein and visited the war museum which is not particularly good. The old colonial hotel in Alexandria is a great spot with a superb rooftop terrace & restaurant. The local fish restaurant was poor quality although it had a great view, so a different venue would have been better. The following morning, we visited the castle which was good, but then on the road again to Cairo for our sleeper train. The round trip took over 9 hours by bus for a one-night stay and although I wanted to visit Alexandria 2 nights would have made the round trip more worthwhile. The sleeper train to Aswan went without hitch and better than I expected for a developing country. Aswan was great and the activities were good with one small issue in that we had a really great meal on our Felucca trip and in the evening a Barbeque on a Nile Island which was much too soon after. The cruise to Luxor was very good quality and my only comment would be lack of language training of the waiters which I think may be due to Covid disruption, although our guide ate with us and was always there to help. The temples were incredible and certainly lived up to or were better than their reputation. The engineering fete of moving 22 ancient monuments is almost as incredible as the original build and Abu Simbel really shows this. A word to would be travellers, this trip is full on and with many early starts to beat the crowds or comply with the Tourist polices schedules. The tourist police are very apparent throughout the trip and in fact on our trip to Alexandria with had an armed guard on the bus who was I have to say was pleasant guy. All in All, the trip was well organised and ran smoothly.