Kimkim Trip Reviews for Egypt

This was a trip of a lifetime. I connected with Mohammed and Armia through KimKim travel and they proposed a package that included everything we wanted to see and took us to Jordan to see Petra. It was under our budget and everything was included accept international airfare. Mohammed was easy to work with and communicated excellently. We flew to Cairo and Kariem met us. He was very helpful and just a great employee. We came to love him like a son. He took us to our hotel and met us many times on our trip. He even spent the day with us at the big bazaar in Cairo. Karom was our main guide in Cairo and was very knowledgeable. He took us to GEM, the pyramids and to some mosques and churches. Very easy to get along with and He met me everyday with Voke Zero to fill my needs. We had a driver in Cairo named Mohammed and we felt as safe as we could with the crazy Cairo drivers. Mohammed got us everywhere safely and was easy to get along with. We spent a few days in Cairo and then flew to Luxor to meet our cruise. Kareem took us to the airport and was on time with great communication. We were met in Luxor by Ahmed who was out guide on the cruise and on shore tours. He was fantastic and another highlight of our trip. He was super friendly and knowledgeable about everything. He took us to Karnak, Luxor Temple and Abu Simbel. It was a fantastic time and exceeded expectations. Ahmed took us to a local market and we stopped at a local Cafe and experienced Shisha. It was a greatcway to get to know him and meet some local people. We enjoyed every minute with him and the cruise was perfectly timed in our trip. After the cruise ended we flew back to Cairo. Kariem met us and drove us to our hotel. We met up with Karom and finished our Cairo portion of our trip. He suggested we add on the Civilization museum and that was fantastic. 62 mummies laid out gracefully. It was a highlight! Mohammed drove us around again and was exceptional. Kariem picked us up to fly to Jordan. We were met there by the airport assistant Hossam who handled our visas and got us through customs. We were picked up by our driver Tayseer and Freddie our guide and seeing some of the sights in Amman. We were off in the afternoon to Petra with Freddie and Tayseer. It was a long drive but we got to the hotel and got some sleep. I loved riding in Tayseers BVD hybrid car! We were off to Petra in the morning. It was amazing. Beautiful site and great experience. Freddie was fun to visit with and very knowledgeable. Afterwards we drive to Wadi Rum and went clamping in a tent. It was a beautiful ending yo a great trip. We flew from Amman to Cairo and surprisingly Kariem picked us up at 930. He took us to a hotel where we didn't have time to sleep but could shower and relax for an hour. We then caught the shuttle at 1am and started the long flight home. ✈️. It was a well planned trip with people that were kind and caring. We felt safe and secure and well cared for. I can't thank everybody enough! I hope i didn't leave anybody out!

Our trip to Egypt was incredible. Habiba did an amazing job planning. From the accommodations to the sites and activities to the fantastic guides she set us up with, all of it made for a truly unforgettable trip. We had the best time with our guides Sam, Mustafa, and Ahmed. All of them were very knowledgeable about the sites and were happy to answer any questions we had. I would absolutely recommend KimKim to friends and family and will certainly use it again for future trips.

Hotel Reviews

Fairmont Nile City Hotel

cairo

Beautiful hotel in a great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

M/S MAYFAIR Nile Cruise

Aswan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tour to High Dam, Philae Temple, and Obelisk

Aswan

I would skip the high dam but the rest of the day was great

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour to Egyptian Museum, Citadel, and Coptic Cairo

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Giza Pyramids Sakkara, and The Grand Egyptian Museum

Egypt

Riding camels in front of the pyramids was a once in a lifetime experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour to Alexandria from Cairo by Car

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

kom Ombo, and EdfuTemples

Aswan

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

check out to Luxor West Bank with Tomb of King Tutankhamun

Luxor

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Check out to Luxor East bank.

Luxor

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All guides and drivers were excellent and on time. Of note, Hassan was so good and helpful for Debbie and a fountain of Information. Please past that along to him. Osama and Besette (wrong spelling, 25 year old lady) were also very good. We so enjoyed being with all of them. The Great Royal Pyramid Inn was a very nice place to stay, clean, great service and wonderful view of the Pyramids. As Debbie said, the Alma ship on the Nile was a disappointment in the food and room/bathroom conditions. I would not recommend using this ship again until issues (sewer gas and diesel fuel odors) are fixed. Over all, we had a great time!

Your service and communications were wonderful as well. I’m sure we will go on another KimKim tour.
Norma.

Hotel Reviews

Royal Great Pyramid INN

Giza

Very nice rooms, bathrooms, restaurant and pyramid views. Would stay here again. Very close to the Giza pyramids and The New Egyptian Museum.

Authenticity & Character

Egyptian themed.

Location

So close to the Giza pyramids.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, spacious and comfy beds.

M/S Nile Treasure

luxor

Did not stay on this ship. Stayed on The Alma which I do NOT recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sewer and diesel smell on The Alma.

Activity Reviews

Giza Pyramids & the Grand Egyptian Museum

Cairo

Loved seeing the Giza pyramids and doing a camel ride. So awesome

Quality of Experience

Taking my granddaughter for a camel ride

Food

Not a fan of the food in Egypt.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All nice and helpful

Transport

Nice vans

Day Tour To Islamic Cairo

Cairo

Very interesting. Guide was knowledgeable. Trash everywhere. Do they not have trash service there?

Quality of Experience

Food

I am just not a fan of the food in Egypt.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All were nice. Some tourist vendors were high pressure to buy. Learn to say NO.

Transport

Nice vans.

Nile Crystal Dinner Cruise Cairo

Cairo

Fun, nice, would recommend.

Quality of Experience

All

Food

Ok

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All nice and on time.

Transport

Nice vans

This was our first time in Egypt. I worked with Kim Kim travel to organize and customize our trip. The service was outstanding. The original itinerary although well thought out wasn’t a 100% of what we wanted. We contact Aya with the changes, she was completely responsive and made all the changes so we could have a completely customized agenda. Kim Kim travel representative Aya did an outstanding job. Whenever I contacted her she got right back to me. It seems she works 24 hours a day.
During our time in Cairo, she was always available and checking in to make sure that things were going well. Any glitches she immediately corrected. I can’t say enough about her service and attention to detail.

Upon arriving in Cairo we were met by Osama, and we were fortunate enough to have Osama as our Tour Guide in Cairo towards the end of our trip as well. He has a genuine love for Egypt and an incredible knowledge regarding the history of Cairo and the history of Egypt in general. Aside from his sincere love for his country and ability to flawlessly instill his knowledge he is a most delightful individual and a joy to be around.
Sam, another one of our guides while we were in Cairo is a wealth of information and sincerely cares about his tour groups. We toured the GEM, the pyramids, Memphis, Sakkara and a full day trip in Alexandrea with him. Sam is another outstanding Tour Guide and Egyptologist, with a wealth acknowledge and a true love of his country He has a sincere respect for other cultures and is fun to be around. We purchased custom made rugs, which will take several months to manufacture. Sam has offered to stay in touch with us and the manufacturer until the job is completed to our satisfaction.

Mansour was our guide on the river, Nile cruise and in Luxor and Aswan. Mansour is a very special person and also an Egyptologist with a superior knowledge of Aswan and Luxor, not only from a historical perspective but seems to know all the hidden gems of the cities as well, not to mention he seems to know everyone in both cities. What a joy it was spending a few days with him, I cannot say enough about Mansour he such a wonderful person.

I don’t remember all our drivers names, but they were all terrific as well , respectful and accommodating.

In February, 2026 our family of six adults toured Egypt on an itinerary put together with Habiba.
kimkim has a set itinerary for each country for a set number of days, typically seven or fourteen days. The client then has the opportunity to modify the itinerary to suit their needs.
Habiba worked with us to develop the tour that satisfied our requests and desires. After the initial contact with each other she set about making up an itinerary. Once we received it we began the long process of giving ideas to her which lead to new itineraries. This process went on until we were happy with the itinerary. We then paid our deposit and waited. Habiba handled all of the paperwork at her end to make sure all the tickets and passes were ready for us. Even as the trip was almost ready to begin our daughter made a request to see another site not originally part of the itinerary and Habiba was able to find a time to work it into the new itinerary. We were happy with the final itinerary and with Habiba for how she was always pleasant and eager to come up with a memorable family vacation.
We had asked for a private tour for the six of us and while this option was more expensive than a group tour we were more comfortable having our own private 12 seater Toyota van accompanied by our driver and guide.
In Cairo our guide Osama and driver Ahmed picked us up at the airport and took us to our hotel. We had asked Habiba to select a hotel with more character than hotels favoured by Americans and she suggested Le Riad Hotel de Charme on El Moez Street. It was a terrific choice! Most tourists want to visit the historic sites which are fabulous but what really makes Egypt memorable is the chaos and that was on full display on El Moez. It is exciting and exhilarating and if you don't experience it then you haven't seen Egypt.
Our guide for the Pyramids and mosques and temples over the next three days was Mahmoud who was passionate about his country and history and caring about us in answering our questions.
We were driven to Alexandria by Ahmed to spend a night then boarded a sleeper train in the following evening to go to Aswan. The sleeper car had been recently refurbished and was quite comfortable. A dining car on the train would have made the experience even better but it was still quite good,
We had chosen a somewhat remote hotel across the river from Aswan but Habiba made sure to have a company representative meet us at the train station and escort us to and from the hotel which was an adventure in itself. The hotel was called Kato Dool Resort and it was terrific!
Aswan is the most scenic of the cities we visited although the Corniche in Alexandria is beautiful.
Eslam was our guide in Aswan and he was very knowledgeable about the various sites we explored. He helped us board our river boat for the cruise down the Nile and then met us Kom Ombo and Luxor for other temple tours. Kom Ombo was disappointing in that it was extremely busy with many cruise boats all arriving at the same time creating a crush of tourists all trying to see the wonderful temple but being pressured to hurry because so many other people were waiting.
We were told by Eslam the scheduling culprit is the government but it is unfortunate we felt so pressured and we didn't get to fully appreciate the temple.
Luxor has two wonderful temples but again I feel we weren't given enough time to get the full experience there.
The cruise boat was very nice with a good buffet for each meal and the cabin was comfortable.
One of the pleasant surprises of the tour was watching the boat vendors tie up to the cruise boat while underway and start selling their wares. That was quite fun to watch.
We were driven to Hurghada to stay in an all-inclusive resort which was very, very nice!
The next day was our snorkeling day, a terrific day out on the Red Sea with some beautiful coral and tropical fish to admire. We were very pleased with this activity however the next day was a big disappointment.
It was our safari day and it was not what was advertised. My advice to kimkim and any potential traveler is to skip this activity, it is a very obvious tourist trap and does nothing to enhance the Egyptian experience. kimkim, stop offering this activity!
With that bad taste still in our mouth the next day we boarded a plane to Cairo for our final two days. We lodged at the Steigenberger Hotel in El Tahrir, a departure from the character hotels but we wanted to be in a different part of the city this time.
We had booked a food tour which was advertised as an eight hour event but because of Ramadan it got shortened and then substituted with a city lights tour conducted by Osama. This tour was enjoyable enough but we had expected a full food tour for the foodies in our family so it was a bit disappointing we couldn't have it. My advice to kimkim and any agent working on itineraries is to not offer the food tour during Ramadan.
So then it was time to leave and once again Osama was our guide to the airport. With our goodbyes came the end of the trip.
Many thanks to Habiba and all the drivers and guides who helped us realize a very memorable vacation.

Hotel Reviews

Windsor Palace Hotel

alexandria

Windsor Palace Hotel in Alexandria was once a very nice hotel. However, the rooms are a bit tired, and the carpets and paint need updating. There was an issue with getting our scheduled ride to the train station, leading to some frustration. Still, the hotel itself was quite pleasant.

Kato Dool Wellness Resort

Aswan

Kato Dool Wellness Resort in Nubia is an excellent resort with fabulous views of the Nile and very nice facilities. It was an exceptional experience staying here.

M/S Concerto II Nile Cruise

Aswan

M/S Concerto II Nile Cruise was a great experience. The cabins were really nice, the buffet was good, and cruising on the Nile was a beautiful and relaxing experience. Watching sellers on their boats tie up to the boat was particularly fun.

Continental Hurghada

Hurghada

Continental Hurghada is a five-star resort and was excellent in every way. We had a great time staying here.

Steigenberger El Tahrir

Cairo

Steigenberger El Tahrir in Cairo was a very nice hotel. It was more quiet than our previous accommodations, and it offered an excellent breakfast, probably the best of the whole trip.

Le Riad Hotel de Charme

Cairo

Le Riad de Charme in Cairo is a very nice hotel with beautiful suites. However, it is situated in a noisy spot in the center of El Moez Street. If you choose to stay here, be prepared for the noise, but the location is exciting, and the restaurant serves good food with excellent service.

Activity Reviews

Trip to Pyramids, Memphis, and Sakkara with riding a camel

Egypt

An excellent day!

Snorkeling at Mahmya Island from Hurghada

Egypt

A wonderful day in the Sea!

Sunset Desert Safari Trip by Quad Bike

Hurghada

The only bad day of our tour. The quad and spider driving was okay but limited and the Bedouin village was not a village at all and to top it off was a ridiculous three minute camel ride. Just a very poor experience and not worth doing and for kimkim it should be removed from the optional activities list. Get rid of it!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cairo food and walking tour and khan elkhalili bazaar

Egypt

It didn't happen because of Ramadan.

Check out to Luxor West Bank

Luxor

A huge temple for one lady! Well worth the visit

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything went perfectly. I was picked up at the airport and then hardly had to worry about anything. Amir has a very good knowledge of history, which he conveyed in excellent English. The excursion to Alexandria then nicely expanded this knowledge with Greco-Roman history. The hotel in Cairo was very well located, clean, and had very polite staff. The breakfast was ample and varied.
The flight to Aswan and the pick-up there went smoothly. My guide's English wasn't great, but he more than made up for it with his attentiveness. The tours always started very early, which suited me perfectly as it allowed me to avoid the tourist crowds and the high sun. The hotel in Aswan was excellent.
The hotel in Luxor had a wonderful garden overlooking the Nile. Unfortunately, I only got a room facing the street, which meant I could never open the window. The street was simply too noisy. I must also mention Omar in Luxor, who took excellent care of all my needs and was always there to help and advise me.
The transfer to Hurghada was a bit odd. The seats were covered in plastic, but there were two exhaust pipes in the trunk without any protective coverings. As a result, my luggage was dirty after the journey. However, the resourceful cleaning staff at the hotel in Hurghada took care of it. The hotel itself was very quiet and relaxing. My only slight disappointment was that they only offered Italian cuisine. When I travel abroad, I like to experience the local dishes... But the staff was great, the hotel was clean, and it was right on the beach.
All in all, a fantastic trip. I would recommend it without hesitation. Many thanks to the whole team.

Hotel Reviews

Royal Great Pyramid INN

Giza

Good location, clean, friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Basma Hotel Aswan

Aswan

quiet, clean, slightly outside the city, friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ibrotel Luxor

Luxor

A bit noisy, clean, the carpet in the room sometimes makes me a little nervous, friendly staff, wonderful garden with a view

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Iberotel Makadi Beach

Hurghada

Quiet, clean, friendly staff, very attentive cleaning staff, right on the water. I missed having local dishes at the full-board buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Giza Pyramids & the Grand Egyptian Museum

Cairo

Amir has a very good knowledge of history, which he presented in good English. There was a change in the order of the visits: first the museum, then the pyramids, which makes sense to avoid the crowds of tourists.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I have no idea how anyone can stand the traffic in Cairo. ;)

Full Day Tour to Alexandria from Cairo by Car

Cairo

The journey was a bit long, but Amir managed to make it feel shorter. He also has a very good knowledge of the Greco-Roman period in Egypt.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour to National Museum, Salah El Din Citadel and khan el khalil

Cairo

Lots of mummies, a flight through the history of Egypt, a beautiful view over Cairo, and coffee at the bazaar were great. Amir delivered a very good all-around performance.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour to High Dam, Philae Temple, and Obelisk

Aswan

I would have been interested in a guided tour of the inner workings of the High Dam. However, that's related to my engineering background... The temple is visited via a relaxing boat trip. And the unfinished obelisk offers a glimpse into the production process. My guide was very knowledgeable and answered many questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Abu Simbel Temple

Aswan

I at least learned what the Egyptian way is, and that it doesn't necessarily work :D - I find even information like that super interesting. Background: the road to Abu Simbel is closed until 5 a.m., and a long queue forms. That's something that could perhaps be improved. Otherwise, it was a beautiful drive through the desert. The field systems in the desert, fed by the Nile, are also fascinating. Abu Simbel was a bit crowded for my liking, but we made the best of it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Aswan to Luxor Via Kom Ombo and Edfu

Egypt

The boat trip through the green belt along the Nile was very refreshing after the tours through the desert. The temple complexes were beautiful and not crowded with tourists. My guide was very knowledgeable and happy to share his knowledge.

Habu Temple , and the Valley Of Workers , Queens ,Nobels

Luxor

The temple and the excavations in the workers' quarters are not heavily visited by tourists, which makes them truly relaxing, interesting, and worth seeing. My guide had a deep knowledge of the locations and was happy to share it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour To The West Bank In Luxor

Luxor

I know, of course, that I'm not the only tourist, but it's quite crowded here. I'm glad I saw it and I can recommend it to everyone. My guide provided me with all the information one could wish for.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Of The East Bank In Luxor

Luxor

My excellent guide always got me up early, which was great for enjoying the temples before the other tourists. Standing in the colonnades, you really do feel quite small.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My feedback regarding the Egypt tour from Jan. 16 to Jan. 23, 2026 (3 nights in Cairo + 4 nights on the Nile cruise) is as follows:

Egypt tour: Overall, we enjoyed our first trip to Egypt, organized by Nader Hussein, the local agent of KimKim Travel.
1. What I liked:
- As local agent, Nader was very helpful and responded quickly to my questions; I would recommend Nader to my friends in their future quest for travel to Egypt
- Omar was a top notch guide during our Nile cruise trip; he was very knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and effective coordinating our shore visits with the cruise ship; we felt very safe and comfortable traveling with Omar and I certainly would recommend Omar to my friends in their future travel to Egypt
- Our visits to the Giza Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, and the sites in Luxor, Edfu, Kem Ombo and Aswan, and the hot air balloon ride in Luxor
- Staff on board the Nile cruise ship, the Semiramis III, is friendly and helpful, and the meals are good and well prepared
2. What I wish can be improved:
- The travel rep who met with us at Cairo airport upon arrival showed up late; this created some apprehension
after a very long flight and arriving at night in an unfamiliar, crowded and seemingly chaotic airport
- On the second day in Cairo, a Sunday, the visit to Al-Muizz Street & Khan el Khalili bazaar took barely an hour and was not a good way to spend our time in Cairo, because Al-Muizz St. was closed, and empty on Sundays
- The travel rep who met with us at Luxor airport came in very late, and left us stranded at the empty airport, long after all passengers from the incoming flights to Luxor left with their tour buses
- The selected hot air balloon company (named Excellent Air Balloon, I believe) picked us at 4:15 AM in a big bus, which went around Luxor to many other hotels to gather many more riders, and made us wait in the cold and in the dark in the fields until one of their (apparently few) balloons was available and ready for us to board (we saw passengers picked up in smaller minivans by other operators, and loaded more quickly onto balloon gondolas because these operators seemed to have more balloons available)
- For a better experience travelling on the Nile, I would not choose the Semiramis III cruise ship again:
a. the docking (together with ships apparently belonging to the same company) was very noisy during the arrival at the very early hours in Edfu when staff responsible for the docking shouted loudly to each other and waking up passengers; also, this ship came in Edfu at the place where a large number of ships docked and where most of the horse drawn carriages assembled, at a very chaotic, dusty, dirty and smelly place (we saw a few other ships docking a little further away where the transfer to the horse drawn carriages was a more orderly and peaceful) and this left us a not so good impression of the landing in Efdu
b. this ship arrived in Kem Ombo very late in the evening, and forced our guide to rush us thru a very short visit to the temple visit before the closure time, thus taking away the enjoyment of this site visit, the last one on our itinerary

The Giza Pyramids, Valley of the Kings tombs, Abu Simbel Temple and the other historical sites were just phenomenal. Anyone who is remotely interested in history or archeology will be filled with wonder and awe at the size and beauty of these structures, and marvel at how an ancient civilization was able to build them. We came to see the splendor of these structures, and our high expectations were more than met. Egypt’s monuments are unlike anything else in the world. The only existing Ancient World Wonder lived up to its billing. If you have the opportunity to visit the Seti I tomb at the Valley of the Kings, do it! We also very much enjoyed our visit to Hurghada on the Red Sea. Hurghada is a small, beautiful and calm city which offered a nice 2-day respite from the hustle and bustle of Cairo and the packed itinerary of the Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor.

Unfortunately, the very positive experience of the splendors of the sites was diminished by suboptimal planning and communication. This is our third international trip through KimKim and we had come to enjoy and expect detailed itineraries and useful and timely communications. This trip did not meet those expectations. While always pleasant and appropriate, our planner often required repeated prompting to answer what should be straightforward questions and made multiple errors of omission and commission in the itinerary. We agreed upon a draft itinerary and booked over 2 months before trip. We asked for a detailed itinerary at the 1-month mark and was told we would get the itinerary 1 week before departure. We got the PDF “final” version one day before our flight, which had us getting picked up at 12:10 PM. Since our flight arrives at 12:10 AM, that prompted a frantic series of messages to the local planner. Important details of tours of the Nile cruise were frequently lacking, and we often found out the departure time of specific tours the day before the tour. This is especially challenging when there is a late night tour followed by an early morning (4:30 AM departure) tour. I specifically asked during the booking process to NOT book a hotel room for our last day in the country as we had a late evening departure flight. When we checked into our final hotel of the trip, we were informed that the booking was for 2 nights instead of the 1 night we requested. So, we paid for an extra hotel day that we specifically requested to not book. While we ultimately got the transportation we needed and saw the sites we agreed upon, the whole process should have been done more smoothly and efficiently without evoking a level of anxiety that persisted throughout the trip.

Our Egyptologist expert guides were by and large knowledgeable and professional, with one notable exception. Hamid was very kind and worked with our preferences very well. Despite the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan being a very minor site in our itinerary, I very much enjoyed the visit and Hamid’s explanations. We did have a guide who was not a good fit for our needs. My wife felt belittled by his comments and we did not appreciate being told to not take pictures of the monuments/temples until he finished his overly detailed presentation to lay the “proper foundation” for us. I recognize that he was knowledgeable and passionate about Egyptian history, but we are paying for the experience we want to have and we have a limited time frame to do so.

Our experiences with the guides were mixed. Youssef in Aswan was super attentive and helpful. He is warm, empathic and a very good listener. He worked hard with his Customer Service team to help arrange a new Egyptologist guide for us. He is an excellent communicator and helped “fill in the blanks” on the itinerary that we should have had all along. He very much allayed our anxieties in our time of need. He is a 5+ star guide, and we wish we could have had someone like him the entire trip.

The counterbalance to Youssef was our guide on the trip to Hurghada. He clearly did not know our itinerary well, and needed me to tell him which hotel we were staying at. Another example is when a scheduled lunch was missed when the guide team was not aware.

A special acknowledgment of Amany at Sun Pyramids Customer Service is needed. Once we indicated our concerns about the guide, she stepped in and went above and beyond to try to maximize our trip experience. She checked in regularly with us throughout the remainder of our trip and likely intervened behind the scenes to make things as smooth as possible. She was able to get us an upgrade to our Nile Cruise cabin, and arranged a special romantic dinner at a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Giza Pyramids (spectacular view!!). She provided a level of service that showed competence, attention to detail and follow-through, and we very much appreciated her efforts in helping us.

We recognize that our tour guides are shaped by their culture and society. We came to sadly recognize that the tourism infrastructure in Egypt is below average compared to the rest of the world and that there are many systemic problems that make the job of the tour operators and tour guides difficult. Still, for the traveler looking for a great experience, the deficiencies in communication, attention to detail and interpersonal behavior (in a small but memorable select few) were disappointing.

In summary, we went to Egypt to be awed by its ancient past, and we were. We left with priceless memories. We just wished that the experience of getting to these amazing sites was more smooth and enjoyable.

Hotel Reviews

Hyatt Centric Cairo West

cairo

Great location if wanting to stay closer to the Pyramids and avoid the chaos of downtown Cairo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Located in Giza and closer to the Grand Egyptian Museum and Pyramids

Staff

There is no sign available to hang on the door for Do Not Disturb (stayed on two occasions during our trip and neither time had the sign...also never saw a sign on any of the other doors). We requested no service for our room only to come back and see the room serviced.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mövenpick Resort Aswan

Aswan

Beautiful property on an island on the Nile River in Aswan. Need a boat to get to. Expansive grounds with nice landscaping and multiple walkways to stroll. Very peaceful. 5-star amenities. Would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

JAZ Elite Casa Del Mar Beach

hurghada

Beautiful grounds on the beach in Hurghada. Attentive service. Well appointed room. Fabulous view of the beach. This is an all-inclusive resort and provided everything we needed. Food was fabulous (loved the lox, which was the high quality smooth and fatty version). We enjoyed the evening shows in the pool area from our balcony. 5-star resort. Definitely a pick me up after the Nile Cruise experience. Would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nile Style Nile cruise

Aswan

The ship is dated. Lobby is 1970s bland. We had to walk through other cruise ships to get to port, and if the lobbies are a reflection of the cabins and service, other ships are 4 or 5 stars while ours is a 3-star. We had an upgraded suite which had the advantage of more space but did not feel like the amenities one expects in a suite. We were also woken up on several occasions by the crew's robust shouting as the ship landed in ports. Showerhead did not work well. Carpets were not well cleaned, and the door keycard entry system needed multiple swipes to work. Food was average. A couple of the meals were excellent, but most of the meals were only passable to the extent that we went to eat for sustenance rather than pleasure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A ship sailing on the Nile River. What more to say?

Staff

Average service. For the dining services, when they saw that we were not ordering drinks (a la carte), they left us pretty much alone. The exception was when they wanted written feedback and kept interrupting our meal to ask if we completed the survey.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cairo food and walking tour 4 hours

Egypt

Got to experience the famous Khan El Khalili Bazaar and El Moez Street. Also saw how the local population lived.

Quality of Experience

Seeing Khan El Khali bazaar and El Moez Street, which are iconic parts of Old Cairo. Our guide took us to an authentic Egyptian restaurant and we tried and enjoyed several authentic local dishes. Food did take over 25 minutes to arrive and the guide had to keep reminding the restaurant staff. But once the food arrived, it was delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We appreciated Mostafa taking us to experience the "real" Egypt, as we mingled with the locals in addition to seeing some of the more touristy areas.

Transport

Trip to Pyramids, Memphis, and Sakkara with riding a camel

Egypt

It was an amazing feeling to see the Giza Pyramids, and experience the rush of being in the presence of the only standing Ancient World Wonder. The views were phenomenal. We took the camel ride and really enjoyed that experience. We were very specific that we would cancel the camel tour if we felt the animals were abused. We were heartened to see the camels being appropriately cared for and looking healthy and relaxed. Memphis and Sakkara were interesting sites to visit, but the Pyramids were the highlight of the day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Went to a lunch buffet, which was excellent.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver Mary was excellent. The traffic in Cairo can be best described as chaotic, and she navigated the traffic challenges efficiently and was entirely in control the whole time.

Aswan full day tour

Aswan

The Aswan Dam and Philae Temple were great sites to visit. The story of how the Nile River was "tamed" was fascinating. The story of how the Philae Temple was moved to avoid being submerged by dam water was interesting and inspiring. Unfortunately, our interactions with the guide very much detracted from the overall experience.

Quality of Experience

The Aswan Dam and Philae Temple were both interesting and impressive sites to visit. We would have given this a 5-star experience if not for the guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide to Aswan Dam and the Philae Temple was inpatient with the crowds and hurried our visit. While at the Dam, he jumped from exhibit to exhibit out of order in order to avoid crowds. While that sounds good in principle, that tactic made for a confusing and discombobulated narrative. He also told us to not take pictures of the monuments/temples until after he finished his overly detailed presentation to lay the “proper foundation” for us, which led to several missed photo opportunities as multiple tour groups inundated the locations shortly afterwards. My wife felt belittled by some of his comments, and he displayed a lack of cultural and gender sensitivity.

Transport

Abu Simbel Temple

Aswan

A phenomenal structure that is well worth the 6-hour drive to visit.

Quality of Experience

Phenomenal temple built by Ramses II to celebrate himself. This is a structure that exudes power and grandeur, with an unapologetic air of narcissism. Look past the personality traits of the pharaoh and enjoy the splendor. Well worth the 6-hour round trip drive.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We asked for a new guide after our Aswan Dam experience. Hamid filled in on short notice and was excellent. He gave us a nice presentation on Abu Simbel with the right balance of historical detail, palace intrigue and interesting factoids and then gave us the freedom to roam through the Temple.

Transport

It was a 3-hour each way drive from Aswan to Abu Simbel. We were not looking forward to spending 6 hours in a car. Our driver had a car that was comfortable and designed for long trips. He also knew the road very well and took care to avoid the major dips and potholes and gravel portions. It was obvious that he took pride in providing a comfortable experience for his passengers.

kom Ombo, and edfu Temples

Egypt

The temples were very interesting and likely had more to offer than what we experienced. Our experience was significantly diminished by the massive crowds at both places. This is the product of poor tourism infrastructure -- all boats arriving at the same time with multiple tour groups descending on relatively small temples all at once. There was a fair amount of pushing and jostling as people tried to cram into small areas to catch short glimpses of interesting structures or hieroglyphics. Not really enough time or space to make these an enjoyable experience, which is a shame as I suspect the Temples themselves would have been a 4 or 5-star visit. This is a systemic problem that the Egyptian tourism ministry should regulate better.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hamid was excellent at Kom Ombo, again. He did a great job to hitting the highlights of the Temple and navigating to avoid the most dense concentrations of tourists.

Transport

We were able to walk to Kom Ombo from the Nile cruise ship. We took a horse carriage ride from the cruise ship to Edfu, which was a new and interesting experience for us. The only down side was that given the large numbers of tourists needing transport from multiple boats to Edfu, the horses were worked pretty hard.

Luxor East Bank

Luxor

The East Bank tour consisted of the Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple. Both of these temples were from the Greco-Roman period of Egyptian history and showed the interplay of the Greek and Roman influences with Egyptian architecture. Both Temples were magnificent in their unique ways - we marveled at the huge columns with colorful and intricate designs. Because the grounds of these temples were much larger than the ones at Kom Ombo and Edfu, the negative effect of crowd sizes on the tour experience was minimized. 5-stars for the beauty of the temples. As with other aspects of this trip, the logistics of visiting these sites lessened the overall experience.

Quality of Experience

Amazing monuments which we thoroughly enjoyed seeing! We cannot help but admire the grandeur that this ancient civilization built.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were supposed to visit both temples in one afternoon. However, the ship arrived late in Luxor port as Karnak Temple was closing, so we had to see it the following day. This made for a very long and tiring day after. I believe the delay was due to prolonged wait time to transit a lock system on the Nile. Of course, this was not the fault of the ship or crew. As we watched ships transiting through the lock, we could not help but wonder if the process we saw on the Nile was equally inefficient through something like the Panama Canal (TBD for another trip!).

Trip Hot Air Balloon Ride in Luxor, Egypt

Luxor

A hot air balloon ride with fabulous views of temples below and the sun rising in the horizon! We loved it! We had a perfect morning, with a clear cloudless sky and not too cold and not too windy. Just spectacular views! The highlight was seeing the sun rise over the horizon, which even left our rather expressive and chatty group watching in silent awe for a few minutes. The balloon captain was outstanding. He was clearly experienced and exuded an air of confidence that helped settle any fears or trepidations in the group. The ascent and descent were both smooth. He expertly slowly rotated the balloon so everyone in the group (over 30 people) could get the same view without having to look over or around other passengers. He pointed out landmarks in the distance, threw out a few interesting factoids, and threw in a few jokes to keep the atmosphere festive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Check out to Luxor West Bank

Luxor

The visit to the Valley of the Kings rivaled the Giza Pyramids as our two most favorite sites to visit. You get to visit 3 tombs as part of the regular entrance ticket. We also wanted to see King Tut's tomb and the Seti I tomb, which required separate tickets. IMO, it was well worth the extra cost (700LE for Tut and 2000LE for Seti I). If I had to pick my favorite activity for the entire trip, it would visiting the Seti I tomb. The variety and intricacy of the wall carvings, the surprisingly preserved vibrant colors and the multitude of chambers to explore made me frequently just pause and stand still to enjoy that warm feeling you get from sheer happiness.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling at Mahmya Island from Hurghada

Egypt

Loved the city of Hurghada. It's a small and quaint city on the Red Sea with a European feel. After the hustle and bustle of downtown Cairo, and the undisciplined feel of the Nile Cruise, Hurghada was a welcome respite. We took the snorkeling trip out to Mahmya Island, which is part of the Giftun Island complex. The snorkeling was fabulous from even the shore. We saw many colorful fish in protected reefs located within 40-50 feet of the beach and often at depths of 4-5 feet. I also took a short boat ride from Mahmya to the Sabena Reef, and the coral formations there were amongst the most colorful that I've ever seen.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food (buffet-style) at the Jaz Hotel was top notch. We just immensely enjoyed every meal there. The lunch on Mahmya Island was ok; standard BBQ type of food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We took a 3.5-hour drive from Luxor to get to Hurghada. The driver had to stop midway for a smoke, and I understand 3 hours is a long time to go without a smoke for certain people. However, we had to smell the smoke from his clothes for the remainder of the drive and we are not fans of cigarette smoke. In addition, the guide for this drive did not know which hotel we were staying at in Hurghada, and I had to tell him the name and address. For the following morning, the driver who picked us up from the hotel to take us to the boat to Mahmya Island was late because he went to the wrong Jaz Hotel first. Not sure that it was his fault; he intimated that his dispatch gave him the address for the wrong Jaz Hotel. We appreciated him getting us to the boat in time for departure, but the ride was a little hair-raising.

Transport

Day Tour To The Grand Egyptian Museum “GEM”

Egypt

Loved the GEM. Smaller than the British Museum or Louvre or Hermitage, but the GEM only exhibits Egyptian artifacts so I suspect this is the most comprehensive and complete collection in the entire world. The GEM houses the King Tut exhibit, which actually has over 5000 artifacts and is really a small museum in and of itself. The GEM contains a remarkably well preserved 40-foot statue of Ramses II and an ancient cedarwood ship un-earthed near the Khufu Pyramid. If you are a fan of museums, this should be on your short list of ones to visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mostly good with a few rough spots

Planning our itinerary took quite a bit of back and forth, but we eventually got more or less what we wanted. With hindsight I would have planned a slightly different itinerary. We could have seen more within the allocated time, as we figured this out we added a few things and paid for it.

The tour company booked two of the hotels for us. One was excellent, one was substandard (this was changed after we paid for the trip, and our agent mentioned it without clearly stating that our hotel had changed).

We spent 5 nights on the boat. The boat staff were pleasant and service was very nice. The boat itself was a bit dated.

All our guides were good to excellent.

Thank you so much for organizing such a wonderful and memorable trip to Cairo. The experience was truly exceptional from start to finish.

A special thank you to our driver, Mohammed Ragab, who was outstanding throughout the trip. His professionalism, punctuality, safe driving, and warm attitude made all our transportation smooth and stress-free. He was always attentive to our needs and ensured everyone was comfortable at all times.

I would also like to commend our tour guide, Karam, who was absolutely fantastic. His knowledge, enthusiasm, and engaging storytelling brought every site to life. He was informative, patient, and genuinely passionate about sharing Egypt’s history and culture, which made the experience even more enriching for everyone.

Ahmed Madani was also amazing, he gave us the city tour on our first day.

Overall, the trip was extremely well-organized, informative, and enjoyable. We truly felt well taken care of, and the whole experience exceeded our expectations.

Hotel Review

Fairmont Nile City Hotel

cairo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Coptic Cairo - Salah El Deen Citadel - Mohamed Ali Mosque

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pyramids, Sphinx, Sakkara, Memphis and camel ride

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Grand Egyptian Museum tour

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Cruise

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

After a lot of back and forth with Amr , we got the trip we wanted and it was good. The guides were amazing : Hesham with his knowledge was very thorough in Cairo and Mohammed in Upper Egypt was very very flexible . We changed our itinerary daily to avoid the crowds ( especially on the cruise part ) and he was always accommodating and ready to suggest alternatives and we managed to have some temples ( Karnak and Abu Simbel ) almost devoid of crowds . I wouldn’t do the cruise again because all the tourists from the boats go to the sights at the same time so maybe with a car and driver you can change the timings.
The problem was at Fayoum , where the driver that took us into the desert had a very rundown 4x4 and was driving like a madman . We didn’t feel safe with his driving and thinking that the car would stop in the middle of the desert where there was no cell reception and no one in sight for miles .

Hotel Reviews

Fairmont Nile City Hotel

cairo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa

Luxor, Luxor Governorate

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dahabiya IRIS

Luxor

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Tour to Pyramids, Sphinx & Sakkara and Dahshour

Cairo

The tour to the Pyramids, Sphinx, Sakkara, and Dahshour was incredible. Sakkara in particular stood out for me. There was no one else around when we visited in the morning, and it's set beautifully in the desert, unlike the Giza pyramids which are in the city. It provided a wonderfully intimate introduction to the area's history. We were even able to enter one of the pyramids without the usual crowd. Truly a fantastic experience!

Visit Luxor temple

Egypt

Visiting Luxor Temple at night was a unique and beautiful experience. Seeing everything lit up offers a distinct and surreal ambiance. Our guide recommended visiting at night, and I'm glad we did because it was indeed a sight to behold.

Visit Valley of the Kings & Hatshepsut temple

Luxor

The Valley of the Kings was impressive, particularly since we opted for the additional tickets to explore the lesser-known tombs, which weren’t crowded at all. While the main tombs were quite busy, paying extra for those additional tomb visits was well worth it for a more calm and relaxed exploration.

Hot air balloon

Luxor

The hot air balloon experience was just okay for me, possibly because it wasn't my first time. Our friends, for whom it was a first, thoroughly enjoyed it. You don't see much of Luxor city since the balloons operate over the tombs on the West Bank. If you're new to hot air balloons, it's worth it and cheaper compared to other locations.

Cairo Walking Food Tour

Cairo

The Cairo Walking Food Tour was delightful. Conducted by Samara, who was also responsible for our airport pickups, it felt personal and enjoyable. He took us to a famous restaurant in Cairo, and the whole experience was wonderful.

My husband and I worked with Egypt Promotion Travel to plan a week's worth of sightseeing across various cities in Egypt. To keep this review concise, I will highlight what they did well and where they fell short.

On the positive side, we had one exceptional guide and another who was satisfactory, which made our overall experience more enjoyable. However, beyond this, I cannot share any positive feedback about Egypt Promotion Travel, Ibrahim, or his team.

The communication after we made our payment was nearly non-existent, often taking several days for a response. When changes occurred in the itinerary—such as our hot air balloon ride in Luxor being canceled twice due to weather—we did not receive any communication from the team, nor were we offered reimbursement. We had to initiate inquiries ourselves, and to this day, we have not received the promised reimbursement for our remaining balance, despite documenting everything in our kimkim portal.

Additionally, they repeatedly mishandled our hotel reservations. When we asked for assistance, they demanded more money, despite clear documentation in the kimkim portal indicating they would cover these expenses.

In summary, once they received our payment, the service provided was minimal and the quality upon arrival was disappointing. Having previously used kimkim for our trip to Morocco, where the service was exceptional, I have a solid basis for comparison. Unfortunately, the experience with Egypt Promotion Travel was nothing short of deplorable.

Kimkim, please consider finding a new travel agency to represent your brand as this tarnishes your reputation.

Our guide for the cruise part of the trip, Mohamed Kamal, was truly a wonder. His depth of knowledge of history and language was remarkable. It was so interesting having him read the hyroglyphics.

Generally: Amazing!
Some minor hick-ups:
1- HESHAM, the guide in Cairo was knowledgeable but not professional. He flirted and harassed my wife, saying to her such as "You are delicious, can I taste you". She had to push him away. I was not present, she only reported to me afterward. This kind of behavior is not acceptable. Imagine what may happen to a solo female traveler.

2- On the way to Cairo airport I discovered not having my flight tickets Cairo to Luxor. SAMARA was extraordinary to arrange everything so that we can get on board on time. He helped us go through custom at Cairo airport smoothly. I give him 6 stars over five!

3- OMAR deserved 6 stars over five. He was very knowledgeable, very professional and very nice person.

4- Services on the boat were very good. No complain whatsoever.

I was with KimKim in 2025 in Morocco, in Egypt in 2026 and will use KimKim again for my future travel.

Samara was a welcoming face when we arrived! He ushered us from place to place with ease and although he’s led a lot of tours including tours simultaneous with ours, he treated us like we were top priority when he was with us. Khaled did a wonderful job showing us Cairo by night and getting us into a VERY popular restaurant in a timely manner for a delicious Egyptian meal add a wonderful dining experience. Lastly, Michael was top notch - experienced, personable, and efficient. We visited EVERYTHING we wanted to visit which was a feat given the time allowed. Highly recommend!

My family said that this trip was a fantastic experience.

The planning started out well with Gehad, but then there were long breaks between responses (over 1 week at times), and there was also confusion on how we preferred the payments to be provided. We were then put in contact with Khaled. He was much more prompt and assisted in every way possible. The only part that was a challenge was a seeming communication issue between Khaled and the KimKim corporate office. We asked for a detailed pick up times and flight info which the KimKim site says would be provided before departure and he seemed confused and only provided the general itinerary.

The rep that picked us up at the airport, Mohammed, was friendly, however we felt rushed and he advised he would return at 10am to go over our trip details and he never showed up. We attempted to contact him multiple times on Whatsapp but got no response. Later that day, our driver for the show was 45 minutes late, and then got lost in Cairo (semi understandable getting lost), which made us arrive exactly at the start time of the show only after we got out of the car and walked the remaining blocks.

The tours with Mohammed Samir and the driver Rafat were amazing and flawless. Best part of the trip without a doubt. The only other glitch in Cairo was that we requested a dune buggy ride which was confirmed by Gehad, but then we were told they only had a 4*4 for fayum. But that driver in the safari and sand board was also amazing.

The arrival and start to Aswan went well. We were very disappointed that the Nubian Village "cultural" experience was little more than a market/tourist trap and not cultural almost at all. There was another communication gap where the itinerary showed Luxor and Karnak on one day with Valley of Kings, Hatshepsut , and Valley of the Nobles on the next day. Due to the Nile cruise timing with the lock, we had to do it in one day. This turned out fine but there was no advanced notice that this could happen which would have reassured us that timing wouldn't be an issue. Ahmed did a great job adjusting and making the experience enjoyable. We the. Were transferred to Hurgada. They booked a small sedan, which was fine aside from not anticipating us having two large suitcases that barely fit (had to have two men forcefully push them into the trunk). The driver was very kind but definitely not a professional driver. The 4 hr drive had several times where it felt like he may have drifted to sleep and jerked the car back to the middle of the road or made very abrupt adjustments, including very late and hard stopping/slowing. This is partially just how Egypt driving is but certainly not what we experienced with our other drivers.

Hotel Review

Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo

Cairo

Great hotel, great room, great food.

Authenticity & Character

Na

Location

Perfect location for most Cairo and Giza sites. Quieter than staying in Cairo proper.

Staff

Very kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Activity Reviews

Arrival Cairo

Cairo

Great pick up experience, but felt rushed. Advised we would see our point of contact at 10 Am but he never showed up or answered on Whatsapp. (See main comment)

Quality of Experience

10 am follow up for trip details was a no show

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Make things feel less rushed. Follow through with timing and what is said will happen.

Transport

Great arrival transport vehicle.

Al Tannoura Egyptian Dance Heritage Show at Wekalet El Ghouri

Cairo

Driver was 45 minutes late and almost made us miss the show. He also seemed to drive like he was drunk or lost. Driving very slow on the far right of the highway, missed turns several times. Even the guide didn't like the driver.

Quality of Experience

Advise guides to be slightly less focused on going to stores that were not asked to go to. If the client wants to just go back to the hotel or go get food, just accept it and go.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Have drivers that will be close to on time (within 5 minutes of planned time)

Transport

Be on time and have better quality drivers

Over day Fayoum & 4*4

Cairo

We were told by Gehad we would have a dune buggy but they only had a 4*4. However, that guide did a great job.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Al-Muizz Street & Khan el Khalili bazaar

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pyramids, Sphinx, Sakkara

Cairo

Mohammed and Rafat were incredible

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Grand Egyptian Museum tour

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Philae Temple, Unfinished Obelisk & Nubian Village

Aswan

Nubian Village is advertised as a cultural experience but was little more than a shopping trip to a tourist trap. The boat ride was OK, and the guide did give some info about nubians. No time really provided to walk any of the shops that were in the village. He may have been trying to protect us from haggling, not sure.

Quality of Experience

Be more transparent with what will be experienced

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Abu Simbel temple and Kom Ombo temple

Aswan

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Edfu temple & Luxor temple and Karnak temple

Egypt

Lack of clear communication between the Egypt Promotions company, KimKim, and us about how the potential timing would work due to the locks and time for the boat would have made it much less stressful than it ended up being.

Quality of Experience

Food

The staff on the Dahbiya boat was incredible.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

West Bank of Luxor (Valley of the Kings, Queens - Hatshepsut Temple - Colossi of Memnon)

Luxor

We thought there would be a little more time to walk the full fally of the kings, but it didn't feel overly rushed. See main comment and Luxor comment for more details.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ahmed was great. The driver was very nice but not the best at driving (see main comment)

Transport

Quality of driving. Driver was otherwise very nice and timely.

Hurghada

Hurghada

We booked a room with a single king bed over 6 months in advance and were told on site they only had a room with two single beds available. The drive there was also a little scary even though the driver was friendly and timely.

Quality of Experience

Driver quality and booking the room type requested.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quality of driving skill.

Hurghada

Hurghada

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driver was friendly but the trip from Luxor to Hurgada felt very unsafe.

My 18-year-old daughter and I planned a long-awaited bucket-list trip to Egypt over winter break. The ancient history lived up to every hope: standing beneath the pyramids, visiting the Valley of the Kings, sailing the Nile, and seeing temples thousands of years old was genuinely awe-inspiring. Egypt’s monuments are unlike anything else in the world.

Unfortunately, much of the experience outside the sites themselves was uncomfortable. With the notable exception of our Cairo guide, Mary—who was warm, knowledgeable, and consistently professional—we experienced repeated boundary-crossing behavior from multiple male guides. Two different guides showed us shirtless photos of themselves without prompting. Another explained women’s dress codes by comparing women to uncovered chocolate bars melting in the sun, then laughed when asked about men. These moments were jarring and far from isolated.

There was also frequent miscommunication and poor planning: very early wake-ups followed by long waits, delayed flights and ships, missed evening tours, and vague or misleading information about schedules and amenities. Aggressive sales tactics were constant, from shops to boats pulling alongside our cabin windows on the Nile. Even while dressed conservatively, we experienced intense staring and persistent discomfort in public spaces. My daughter summed it up as “belittling vibes and patronizing energy.”

We understand that our guides are shaped by their own society and circumstances, and we recognize that tourism is complicated in a country facing economic and political strain. Still, the lack of professionalism, cultural sensitivity, and care—particularly toward female travelers—was disappointing. We came to Egypt to stand in awe of its ancient past, and we did. I would strongly recommend that KimKim reconsider its local tour partner and invest in clearer communication and more rigorous guide training, especially around professionalism and respectful conduct.

Hotel Reviews

Royal Great Pyramid INN

Giza

The Great Pyramids Inn is a clean, basic hotel with an unbeatable rooftop view of the pyramids—but otherwise, it fell short for us. Our room was simple and comfortable enough, with very comfortable beds, but several things were broken, including the bathroom door and the shower waterproofing. Breakfast was disappointing and limited. The rooftop restaurant offered a stunning view and good food, but it was noticeably overpriced for what it was. The hotel’s location is also a drawback. It’s not in a walkable neighborhood, and there isn’t much to explore nearby on foot. It’s also very far from the airport, which made late-night and early-morning transfers especially tiring. Overall, it was fine for a short stay focused on pyramid views, but given the condition of the room, food quality, and location, I would likely choose a different hotel next time.

Authenticity & Character

It's just basic. Nothing wrong.

Location

There is no walkability. It's on a highway. However, it is across the street from the GEM and has a (polluted) view of the pyramids.

Staff

The staff of the rooftop restaurant ignored us; it was hard to get their attention.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean. Just broken doors and flooding shower.

M/S Semiramis III

Aswan

The Semiramis III is an older Nile cruise ship that shows its age, but it was generally clean and comfortable. Our cabin was surprisingly spacious and one of the nicer aspects of the experience. The food was consistently good, and the housekeeping staff was kind and attentive—creating lovely towel sculptures each day that genuinely made us smile. That said, there were several drawbacks. The ship smelled strongly of cigarette smoke in many common areas. Wifi was repeatedly promised but never worked. While docked in Aswan and Luxor, dozens of ships were packed together, so our “river view” was directly into another cabin window. Once underway, the experience improved, but scheduling was unreliable. We were told departure and arrival times that turned out to be hours off, which caused us to miss anticipated evening temple visits. While sailing, vendors in small boats approached the ship and shouted into cabin windows—even while we were sleeping—which was jarring and disruptive. The sundeck itself was lovely, but swimming and sunbathing felt uncomfortable, as very few passengers used the pool and there was intense staring from men on staff, even while dressed conservatively. Despite these issues, cruising the Nile itself was genuinely special, and traveling together along the river was a highlight of our trip. With better communication, stricter policies around vendors, and improvements to onboard amenities, the experience could be much stronger.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It's on the Nile! However, the ships are all packed together.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pyramids Resort by Jaz

Cairo

We spent very little time here but it was beautiful, comfortable and clean with delicious breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Far from everything!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Giza Pyramids with a camel ride & the Grand Egyptian Museum

Cairo

This was an outstanding first day in Egypt, largely due to our guide, Mary. She was warm, knowledgeable, and consistently professional. She navigated the massive Giza complex smoothly, chose engaging stories that brought the pyramids and Sphinx to life, and never rushed us. The camel ride was touristy but fun, and Mary helped us avoid unnecessary hassle. The Grand Egyptian Museum was a highlight. Mary guided us through about 20 pristine galleries, helping us make sense of the scale and significance without overwhelming us. She also brought us to a papyrus “museum” where sales pressure was noticeably lower than elsewhere. This day set a very high bar and showed what excellent guiding in Egypt can be.

Quality of Experience

The incredible sites and the excellent guide, Mary

Food

Lunch was at a touristy buffet with only other travelers. A more local restaurant would have been much better.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mary was open-minded, chatty, knowledgeable and sweet

Transport

Cairo has some serious traffic but our driver navigated it well

Tour to High Dam, Philae Temple, and Obelisk

Aswan

Philae Temple was truly spectacular and one of the most beautiful sites we visited. Learning about its relocation and seeing it by boat was fascinating, and Ahmed provided helpful historical context once we were on-site. However, the overall day felt disengaged. After arriving in Aswan during a sandstorm, Ahmed was reluctant to help us plan alternative afternoon activities and instead lingered in the souk smoking. We were taken to a spice shop with extreme overpricing and very pushy sales tactics. While the sites themselves were impressive, the guiding felt uneven and lacked initiative.

Quality of Experience

Visiting Philae Temple itself was spectacular and seeing the High Dam by boat (on day 2 because it was obscured on day 1 by a sandstorm) was cool.

Food

There was no food on this tour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ahmed was rushed and grumpy. His English was unclear, and he didn't make the sites more interesting than, say, reading the plaques at each place would have been. I'm a history teacher and I didn't learn much that I didn't already know.

Transport

The Nubian boatman who took us to Philae was iconic.

Travel from Aswan to Luxor via kombo and Edfu

Egypt

The concept of traveling the Nile between Aswan and Luxor was magical and a highlight of the trip. However, communication around timing was consistently inaccurate. We were told specific departure and arrival times that were hours off, which resulted in missed evening temple visits we had been looking forward to and super early wake up times. The promised "gym" did not exist, and sunbathing or swimming on deck was not appropriate or comfortable for women. While sailing, vendors in small boats pulled alongside the ship and shouted into cabin windows, even while we were sleeping. Despite the logistical frustrations, being on the Nile together was genuinely special and memorable.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food aboard the Semiramis III was delicious but the beverages were insanely overpriced.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luxor East Bank

Luxor

Karnak and Luxor temples were breathtaking in scale and preservation. Walking through these massive complexes gave a real sense of ancient grandeur. Unfortunately, we arrived much later than expected—after 8 p.m.—and missed the anticipated evening experience and light show because of delays earlier in the day. The sites themselves were extraordinary, but poor timing and communication diminished what could have been an even more memorable visit.

Quality of Experience

Food

Ahmed took us to Oriental House, where we paid for our own lunch. It was really good!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

kom Ombo, and edfu Temples

Egypt

Kom Ombo Temple was interesting and lovely to see in the dark. We especially enjoyed the crocodile mummy museum. Again, the visit felt rushed. Our guide, Ahmed, seemed frustrated by crowds and eager to finish quickly. On the walk back, vendors aggressively accosted us, throwing items at us as we said no. Edfu Temple was visually stunning and historically rich, but the experience was dampened by logistics. We were required to wake at 4:30 a.m. for a carriage ride, only to arrive with thousands of other visitors already present. Our guide again seemed impatient and disengaged. We stayed positive and enjoyed the site, but the guiding did little to elevate the experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

There was no food on this tour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ahmed was rushed and grumpy. His English was unclear, and he didn't make the sites more interesting than, say, reading the plaques at each place would have been. I'm a history teacher and I didn't learn much that I didn't already know.

Transport

Trip Hot Air Balloon Ride in Luxor, Egypt cruise

Luxor

This was absolutely worth it. Despite the very early wake-up, the hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings was flawlessly organized. The crew and pilot were professional, calm, and safety-focused, and we felt secure throughout. Floating above the temples and farmland at sunrise was breathtaking and one of the most awe-inspiring moments of the entire trip. This experience exceeded expectations and was a clear standout.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

There was no communication about what to expect.

Transport

There was no communication about what to expect.

Check out to Luxor West Bank

Luxor

The West Bank tour was incredible in terms of content. The Colossi of Memnon were striking, and the Valley of the Kings was unforgettable. The tomb artwork was astonishingly well preserved. Guides are not allowed inside the tombs, but Ahmed explained the history beforehand, which helped us appreciate what we were seeing. Seeing King Tut’s tomb—his mummy still inside—was a powerful experience, and we appreciated that the ticket was included. Lunch afterward at Oriental House was excellent and easily the best meal we had in Egypt. While the sites themselves carried the day, the guiding was competent but not especially engaging.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cairo food and walking tour and khan elkhalili bazaar

Egypt

The food itself was delicious. Koshary Abu Tarek was a highlight, and wandering through the streets and Khan el-Khalili was colorful and lively. However, the tour was uncomfortable in several ways. The guide, Hani, made inappropriate and misogynistic comments, including comparing women to uncovered chocolate bars melting in the sun when explaining why women should cover themselves. When asked how men fit into this analogy, he laughed and refused to answer. He also showed us shirtless photos of himself and bragged about working out. He offered little explanation about the food or its cultural context. Aggressive sales tactics in the bazaar were relentless, and the overall experience felt more awkward than enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Food

The Koshary and the juice at Fishaway were highlights

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traffic made this tour soooooo long. I would say to make it a walking tour all centered in one spot.

Tour to Citadel, and Coptic Cairo

Cairo

This was another excellent experience thanks to Mary. The Citadel offered fascinating insight into medieval Cairo, and learning about the Mamluk massacre was chilling and memorable. Touring Coptic Cairo—the churches and synagogue—was deeply interesting and meaningful. As an AP World History teacher, I especially appreciated Mary’s ability to connect these sites to broader historical themes. She handled sensitive topics with care and clarity. This tour felt thoughtful, educational, and well paced.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My family of six had an amazing trip to Egypt and Jordan. It was two nights in Cairo, 4 cruising up the Nile, 2 back in Cairo and the last 3 nights in Jordan to visit Petra and the Dead Sea. We are repeat customers of Kimkim, and on the last 15 months have spent almost $60,000 with them.

Overall we were very pleased with the trip. To improve our experience the communication during the planning process could have been better. I was surprised by the difficulty on this trip because the year before we used Kimkim for a family trip to Spain and we didn’t have the same problems.

For the Spain trip our specialist was in Colorado at the Kimkim headquarters and communication was excellent. For the Egypt and Jordan trip our specialist, Aya was in Egypt. Aya, was very good, but communication was difficult due to four factors: 1) the time difference, 2) some language barriers, 3) some technical glitches which resulted in scheduled calls not going through, and 4) Kimkim subcontracted all of its Egypt work to Sun Pyramids, who subcontracted the Jordan portion to a third company. As a result, the Jordan information was slow in coming, and the Egypt information seemed forced into the Kimkim framework.

A few times there were gaps/delays in communication and I reached out to Kimkim corporate twice. The first time they were helpful (your advisor has been sick and will be in touch shortly), the second time they were not helpful at all (please write all your comments in the trip chat and you will get a response - I did and but they didn't). Overall, I expected more from Kimkim, and I felt they were not actively supervising the people with whom they contracted/ delegated.

Guides and Drivers:
The guide in Cairo (Mahmoud Imam), was very good. The Jordan guide (Mohammad Al Najjar) and Jordan driver (Mohammad Masoud) in Jordan were excellent. We had one bad experience with a vehicle in Luxor that was substandard. We complained to Aya and Sun Pyramids was very responsive and positively resolved the issue very quickly, compensating us with upgraded tickets in the Valley of the Kings.

Hotels / Cruise:
The MS Nile Premium Cruise was rated 5 Star, but was on the very low end of that The personnel and service were excellent, the cabins were tired, and the food was mediocre. The Sofitel in Cairo was excellent. The Petra Canyon Hotel in Wadi Musa was very good, although the dinner fare was so-so. The Holiday Inn Dead Sea was excellent (rooms, food, service).

Tips for working with Kimkim:

Responsiveness - Be aware that you have their full attention and they are very eager to work with you before the deposit is placed. Once the deposit is placed, responsiveness drops off noticeably. (This was true of our Spain trip and the Egypt/Jordan trip). I was happy to give a deposit to secure hotels during a busy season, but their assumption was that the trip had been finalized, and we were still working on it. To Aya's credit, she worked with us on changes throughout the planning for the trip.
Trip Details - Kimkim is a little slow on some information. For example, we repeatedly asked how much driving was planned for each day. We we wanted to minimize our time in the vehicle. The information was not readily available. I had to plot the stops myself, to figure out which days were too long and request adjustments accordingly. After the first one or two adjustments, it would have been great if a thorough analysis had been undertaken to help us.
Confirmations - in Spain, confirmations and contacts for all hotels, transfers and guides were sent one week in advance. In Egypt this was not the case. Sun Pyramids did not provide confirmation numbers and telephone numbers in advance for transfers and guides, and no confirmations for hotels in Jordan.
Service - We were always picked-up on-time, and never left hanging, but it was more comforting in Spain to have all the telephone numbers and names in advance. It was disconcerting to have no contact information when landing at an airport, or when expecting to be picked up at the hotel at 2 am for a 6 am flight. Again, everything went well, but not having a telephone number or contact beforehand was not comfortable. This appears to be a Sun Pyramids policy.
Laundry - A very small thing, but important. Our trips tend to be long and midway, we usually need laundry. Hotel laundry for a family is usually ridiculously expensive. I asked for some recommendations/suggestions for local laundry, and help here would have been amazing.
Tipping - When I requested information about tipping I received general information that was not always useful. Since Kimkim (Sun Pyramids) paid the guides and the drivers, I didn't have a reference (for example, an extra 10% or 15% of what?). We resorted to AI several times. More direct guidance from Kimkim would have been valuable.

Overall, I highly recommend this trip with Kimkim with the above caveats.

We just returned from our magical 13 day trip to Egypt. Aya planned us an amazing trip and knew all of the best things to do and see. She was super responsive and was open to any input we had for this trip. We typically don’t love a trip either a tour guide, but for Egypt it is necessary. Aya found the best tour guides in all the various spots in Egypt. We loved our tour guide Anna and would recommend her to anyone who travels to Cairo. Overall great experience!!