Osiris Tours Reviews 305

We just got back from our tour to Egypt with Osiris Tours. We had an incredible time. Everyone who was associated with our time in Cairo and Luxor was worked with accuracy and precision. Starting with the airport pick up and transfer, Mahmoud was fantastic. He was always on time, and knew exactly how to get things moving and done fast. It was great knowing he would be able to get whatever needed to be done as soon as possible. Then on to our tour guide in Cairo, Sultan, who was very kind, knowledgeable, and patient with us throughout the entire trip. Sultan was willing to answer any questions we had and was very detailed when it came to describing concepts, ideas, and history. He also showed us around town to share some of the locals spend time and that made for a very interesting experience. Our tour guide in Luxor, “Sam” had a great personality and found ways for us to get more out of our brief one day stay in Luxor. Sam’s touch made all the difference. He arranged for us take a boat over the Nile instead of driving back and forth saving us more than 2 hours of our day. We absolutely would travel with Osiris again, this made everything for our trip enjoyable and relaxing as we felt comfortable with the company that they would handle things with ease with all the professionals working together. If anyone asks about the best way to see Egypt, we will recommend Osiris Tours.

Christa and Kennth Rothman
New York, NY

If I were to be honest, when my daughter chose Egypt for her graduation trip I was more than a little hesitant. But as a mother does, I proceeded to investigate options and by the grace of God, I found Mahmoud with Osiris Tours. To say that trip planning was a breeze would be putting it mildly, I was even excited. But more than that our trip to Egypt was beyond words amazing and we are already discussing our next trip. Mahmoud's preparations, planning, advice, ideas made for a trip that was beyond our wildest expectations. He customized our experiences to our family perfectly. We were able to immerse ourselves in the customs, culture and feel truly welcome. The hospitality of everyone we met in Egypt was beautiful and our guides, were truly extraordinary.

I went to Egypt for 2 weeks in May with Osiris Tours, visiting Cairo/Giza, Luxor, and Aswan. I see lots of rave reviews on here, and I'd like to second all of the great comments. Mahmoud Gebril used to be a guide in Egypt, now based in the US. He has thorough knowledge of all the sites in Egypt, not just the famous ones you've heard of, but some spectacular less-known sites that you probably haven't heard of, but wouldn't want to miss. Specifically I'm thinking of the tombs of Seti I and Nefertari (Ramses II's wife) in the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens, respectively. These tombs require a special ticket and aren't included in the package tours because they are more expensive (in the case of Nefertari's tomb, much more expensive), but they are truly spectacular and absolutely worth it. The famous Tutankhamen tomb is actually quite small and simple compared to some of the others that Mahmoud recommended. Tutankhamen died young and unexpectedly, so his tomb was kind of a rushed job. The temples of Hathor and Horus are amazing as well, which I would also not have known to visit without Mahmoud's recommendation. They're a bit far from Luxor (which means they were largely empty when I visited), but absolutely worth the drive. The entire trip was one astonishing site after another. I didn't go to Sharm or Hurghada, but if you'd like some beach time in place of temples, you've got that option too. Mahmoud's organizing skills are impeccable and the whole complicated itinerary went off without any issues, including the COVID test in Luxor so I could return home. Mahmoud also has done a great job with his picking of local guides, who were uniformly highly knowledgable and very helpful. Special kudos to Hotep in Upper Egypt, who showed me around the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple. Anything you need while you're there, they will help you with.

As far as safety, I never felt unsafe from a crime/terrorism perspective. Egypt has a high degree of military/police presence at all the tourist sites and I think the travel warnings put out by Western governments mainly apply to wild border areas like north Sinai and the western desert near Libya. You would not have any reason to go to those places anyway. Along the Nile seemed perfectly secure. COVID protocols are a bit lax except at the tourist hotels, and I'm frankly shocked that Egypt hasn't been hit hard like Turkey was. Maybe the desert climate is somehow protective, I'm not sure. I would strongly advice any visitors to get the vaccine before going though.

Partly because of the pandemic, and partly because of the careful timing of Mahmoud and his guides, I frequently had the temples and tombs entirely to myself, which was an amazing experience. Being inside the Abu Simbel temples alone really makes them feel like spiritual places instead of tourist attractions. Mahmoud and his team try to time their visits to avoid the big package tours, but I doubt the sites are ever as empty as they were when I was there. You can really feel like Howard Carter walking through the tombs with no other people and no sounds except your footsteps. In normal times, I think they'll still get you there at less crowded times of the day, but it was probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity seeing them during the pandemic.

Hotel recommendations were on-point. Old Cataract in Aswan is dripping with Agatha Christie vibes (if you're a fan of Poirot), and the Winter Palace in Luxor is incredibly historic as well. Highly recommend both. Cairo doesn't have anything with comparable historical weight, but the Four Seasons was quite good as well.

In summary, if you're thinking of visiting Egypt, do it, and let Mahmoud organize your trip. You won't have to worry about any of the logistics, it will all be handled flawlessly. Even when the airlines schedules changed at the last minute, Mahmoud had it all figured out. Seeing Egypt is a trip of a lifetime, it is brimming with history, and right now it is three-quarters empty. I imagine they'll see the tourists return in a major way this autumn and winter though. Bring small bills to tip, bargain hard in the markets, and marvel and the ancient treasures.

I have to say that touring with Osiris was the best trip we’ve ever had. The guys were ever present and accommodating—helpful from beginning to end and very understanding of our needs. I traveled all the way from Atlanta Georgia while pregnant and these guys made every effort to ensure that I had great time and that my condition was always considered. At times, this even involved speaking to airport management so I didn’t have to go through X-ray machines for the baby’s protection.

Our Cairo “airport guide” (Yes, someone greets you each and every time you’re at the airport—even before you go through customs), Tarek was always amazing! He gave us food and drink recommendations and was so much more than the guy that helped us navigate the Cairo airport. We interfaced with him several times and he made is feel like family. Also, pretty sure he was behind the complimentary upgrade at the Four Seasons First Residence, which was absolutely plush! Mahmoud was our Cairo guide and he was amazing! Knowledgeable, friendly and patient with my pregnant bladder 😊. One thing we noticed right away was how willing everyone was to either stick to our designated plan or do something totally different and we appreciated the flexibility for sure.

In Luxor, we were greeted at the airport by Mohammed and escorted to the Hilton resort. Islam, our Luxor tour guide, showed us around Luxor and we enjoyed seeing and hearing all the beautiful history there. He went above and beyond with the Hilton staff to make the most of our time there.

We also visited the beautiful Rixos in Sharm El Sheik where Rabie picked us up from the airport and checked in on us daily. He also helped us coordinate our COVID tests necessary for returning to the states. We spent most of our time on the resort, which was total luxury.

Lastly, I could speak volumes of the man behind the scenes of our entire trip, Mahmoud Gebril. He was simply amazing! His responsiveness, patience and flexibility with our requested changes, upgrades, and last minute decisions pretty much secures him in our book as the best tour agent ever! We appreciate all he did to make our Egypt trip a once in a lifetime experience.

If you are having reservations about which company to chose for Egypt travel, look no further. It doesn’t get any better than this! The company’s professionalism is second to none, but they’re also cool and personable. Fun to be around and talk to. Full of laughs and funny stories!

Just got back from an Odyssey into the ancient country of Egypt. It was a true journey of exploration of lost civilization, wonderful tastes, and surprisingly luxurious relaxation.

Osiris Tours was recommended by a FB group I am part of and I was not disappointed. The whole trip went flawlessly because of the expert advise and planning by Mr. Mahmoud Gerbil. We were met at the gate as soon as we landed into Cairo and we were off for an adventure of a lifetime. All the hotels we stayed at were pure luxury and comfort. Our most favorite was the Old Cataract in Aswan. The 4 day cruise up the River Nile on Sonesta St. George was relaxing and a great change of pace. Food and accommodations were excellent. Many of the site had very few tourists which made it a unique and enjoyable experience.

All the guides and drivers were professional and knowledgeable. The only change I would have made is to add some evening tours/outings.

Especially enjoyed the time we spent in Cairo with our guide M Sultan. He was an excellent guide and a budding photographer. Took many great pictures of our family which we loved.

We loved all the Egyptian people we met. Not once did we feel unwelcome, unsafe or threatened in anyway. Strongly encourage everyone make a trip out to Egypt ASAP and if you do go YOU HAVE TO USE OSIRIS Tours!!! It is the best!!

With out new Covid vaccines, we decided to take a trip to Egypt - a destination that had been on our bucket list for years. Based on the reviews of Osiris, we reached out to Mahmoud and knew instantly that we had found the right agency. He worked with us to develop an amazing itinerary and the next month we were on our way.

Mahmoud's people on the ground were excellent. From meeting us at the Cairo airport with our visa, to getting us around to sites and helping us understand the history and culture, it simply couldn't have been better.

We went in May 2021, which was the end of the normal tourist season and there were indeed very few tourists there. We saw all of six other people inside the great pyramid and had many of the tombs in the valley of the Kings completely to ourselves.

Things to note:
1. A new museum just opened in Cairo which now houses the mummies that were previously stored at the Egyptian museum. It is not to missed!
2. This summer (2021), another new museum will open in Cairo which will include the artifacts from King Tut's tomb (also previously stored at the Egyptian museum). The artifacts are incredible so I would recommend adding that museum to the list of places to visit as well.
3. It goes without saying: The sights are fantastic. Because it doesn't rain in Egypt, so much of the ancient architecture, carvings and hieroglyphs are intact.
4. People are exceedingly friendly and like Americans. Smiling faces greeted us everywhere!
5. The food is excellent!
6. Egypt is very safe. Tourists have to present a negative covid test to get into the country (the paperwork is checked repeatedly and thoroughly by the airlines), many places had temp checks (incl. our hotels and cruise ship), masks, gloves and hand sanitizers were readily available.
7. The security is impressive and the country is totally safe to travel in. Our guides had to submit our itinerary to the authorities (sights we were visiting and when, which car we were in, etc.) which were verified by security at the sights, hotels, check points, etc. There were metal detectors and bag x-ray machines at all hotels, museums and sights. We went for several walks by ourselves and felt 100% safe at all times.
8. It is a heavy tipping culture and USD are accepted. Bring lots of cash.
9. We dressed conservatively (long sleeves, long loose pants, hats) which helped protect against the sun. We did see plenty of tourists wearing shorts and tank tops.

If you are considering going to Egypt, I highly recommend going now. As soon as we got back home from out trip, my husband was talking about going back again. It was simply that amazing!

Wonderful time exploring Egypt! Osiris Tours took care of all the details and worry so we could just enjoy the experience. Being able to customize the trip and have a private tour without the large groups was exactly what we were looking for.

I would definitely recommend to use Osiris Tours if you are planning a trip to Egypt! Overall it was a trip of a lifetime. The whole Osiris Tours team is very professional, punctual, and will always provide the best experience . They were able to help my family and I with airport help, transportation, and just made the trip worry free. Would definitely use Osiris Tours again. Thank you!!

I've always wanted to go to Egypt, but this trip exceeded my expectations. Mahmoud answered my emails and calls the fastest I've ever seen and took care of everything. We got to see everything and didn't have to worry about the small details. They helped us through covid restrictions which was a huge help! I already want to go back because Egypt is so vast and beautiful.

My husband and I decided on Egypt for our 25th Anniversary trip. I chose Osiris Tours because the owner of the company, Mahmoud, took the time to listen to what our interests were and created a custom itinerary. We had a magical trip where Osiris Tours took care of everything! They even had each hotel give us a treat in celebration of our Anniversary. Of course all of the historical sites are incredible but the personal attention from our guide, Ahmed Fathy, and all the other Osiris staff is what really made the trip special. I know I would not hesitate to use Osiris Tours again.

We took a weeklong trip in early February 2021 to Egypt with Osiris Tours. Mahmoud the owner was outstanding throughout the entire process. We had planned this trip before COVID hit as a group trip for a milestone birthday for my wife. Mahmoud worked with us to craft a trip and timeline that worked for the group, and believe me that was a lot of communication….but not once was he ever anything other than cordial, informative, and understanding. As the pandemic raged on it came down to just my wife and I making the trip and he was just as informative and helpful as ever, even as we freaked out with the continued speculation of additional country closures. As we got closer to the departure date it was required that we take a COVID test before we boarded to arrive in Egypt and before we boarded to leave Egypt, Mahmoud provided a business so that we could schedule and pay for a local test so that it wouldn’t be a concern.
We ended up taking the trip and was it an experience of a lifetime. We were met in the airports by our local representative and then taken to our private vehicle with our driver and security. From there we went to our hotel and later met our private tour guide, security, and driver to start our adventures. Each tour guide was friendly and very knowledgeable. They were attentive to what peaked our interest and were always ready to ensure we captured great pictures for memories. From all of the tourist attractions, to the local customs, to the current state of things due to COVID, to local cuisine, they were top notch and gave us a great understanding of what we were seeing and experiencing. With them we never felt out of place, or lost, or concerned about anything…..well except when we go to experience Cairo traffic for the first time. Cairo driving behaviors aren’t like those in the US and it took a little getting used to, however the drivers were top notch and we never had any issues or concerns. As far as COVID goes, everyone in the team wore masks and hand sanitizer was always available. They also made sure we had water if needed.
We could go into detail about the pyramids, tombs, etc. however, it is just something that you must see for yourself to really appreciate the experience. I’ve always been intrigued with them ever since being a young kid in school and learning about them or watching the history channel or watching movies that included them, but it’s nothing like seeing them for yourself and understanding the engineering feat that you are able to witness 1000s of year later. In addition, to the tours we were given great recommendations for local restaurants where we ate and had a wonderful experience. We were also able to shop with wonderful local shops and bring back authentic items. As our trip was winding down, they also assisted us with our COVID test, by ensuring the test was completed at the hotel (which we hadn’t originally scheduled) and making sure we had our results on time before our flight.
Osiris Tours and their employees are top notch, the experience was exceptional, and the only thing we were disappointed with was that we had elected not to see Aswan to accommodate the potential group. We forgot to mention that our flights were changed numerous times due to COVID, our originating flight had changed the week before and because our connecting flight to Cairo was the same we didn’t think to mention it…..well when we arrived in Amsterdam I had a voice mail from Osiris Tours making sure that our arrival hadn’t changed because they checked and saw that our flight time wasn’t listed anymore. They wanted to ensure that someone was there to meet us at whatever time we were arriving. I could go on and on, however they truly enjoy what they do and are class acts. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to go to Egypt, you will not be disappointed! Thanks Mahmoud and team, you truly made this a memorable experience!

Thank you, Mahmoud and team, for the most wonderful family trip. Accommodations were beautiful. The guides and drivers were all terrific and knowledgeable. Everything went perfectly. I traveled with my husband and three boys (ages 16, 14, and 11). Some things to consider if traveling with a family: (1) Be careful how much you try to accomplish in one day. Our domestic flights were booked early. My youngest got tired and had some trouble keeping up. (2) Do not worry about your safety. We felt very comfortable and safe the entire trip. (3) Driving in Egypt is like nothing we have ever experienced. Between no traffic lights, an apparent lack of "rules" of the road and police checkpoints, I was so happy we decided to use Osiris. (4) The guides will cater to your every wish and change the itinerary if you need to. Making unplanned stops is not a problem. One day, my boys were exhausted, so we canceled our afternoon plans and lounged by the pool. And finally, do not let COVID hold you back. Our guide helped us take care of our required COVID test for our flight home. The tourist attractions are almost empty. If you are planning a trip to Egypt, do yourself a favor and use Osiris Tours!

Wow! This trip far exceeded our expectations! Osiris Tours did a magnificent job planning and ensuring our trip went off without a hitch. Mahmoud and his crew were professional, personable, and knowledgeable. We are so glad we chose to go to Egypt now, despite Covid concerns. Everyone from our guides and drivers to hotel staff respected Covid guidelines. There were too many highlights to mention here, though I will say we especially enjoyed the early morning hot air balloon ride. Yes, we could take a balloon ride anywhere, but the view over the Nile at sunrise was spectacular. We opted to drive between Aswan and Luxor which gave us the chance to see more of the local countryside. If you are looking for an unique travel experience you'll never forget, I highly recommend an Osiris Tour of Egypt.

We are so pleased that we used Osiris Tours for our trip to Egypt. Mahmoud and his team exceeded expectations and made this a completely fantastic experience. This was by far one of the most well-run and special tours we have ever been on.
From the beginning, Mahmoud helped us create a perfect itinerary that suited our needs, and he was wonderful about accommodating any changes or last minute requests. We absolutely loved our guides Ahmed and Faten. They had so much knowledge of ancient culture, great personalities, and interesting stories that really made the sights come alive. In fact, the entire team that assisted us with every aspect of the trip from airport transportation to driving to security was top notch, and it’s clear that Osiris Tours only employs the very best to take care of their guests.
We went in January 2021 and felt incredibly safe and well taken care of 100% of the time. I would highly recommend Osiris Tours and Egypt for a trip of a lifetime! We can’t wait to go back and see more of this fascinating country with this exceptional tour company.

Before I begin, I want to thank Mahmoud Gebril, the founder and president of Osiris Tours, for arranging a spectacular trip for our family. From the beginning, I knew we chose the perfect travel company to arrange our family vacation to Egypt. When I first spoke to Mahmoud, I felt like he knew exactly what we were looking for our trip. He asked about our interest, and came up with an itinerary that was perfect for our family of four. Our tour of Egypt included travel to Cairo and Luxor. I traveled with my wife and two boys, ages 15 and 9, to Egypt at the beginning of January 2021.

Upon arrival, our airport representative greeted us shortly after landing in Cairo. He guided us through the entry process into Egypt, which made it incredible easy and stress free for us during every arrival and departure of our trip. The hotels were amazing and luxurious. We stayed at the Four Seasons, which was awesome! We spent our first two days in Cairo with our guide Sultan. Sultan is incredibly knowledgeable with Egyptian history. He took us to the Great Pyramids, The Sphinx, on a food tour through Cairo, and we spent the end of our day drinking Turkish coffee sitting outdoors on the streets of Cairo.

On Day 3 we took a short flight from Cairo to Luxor. Our first evening in Luxor, we met with our guide for the next few days, Sam. Sam is just a happy person. He loves what he does and enjoys sharing his knowledge of ancient Egyptian history with others. We had so much fun in Luxor! He took us to the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Abydos, The Dendera Temple, and the Karnak and Luxor Temples just to name a few. We enjoyed an amazing lunch at a local restaurant where we ate chicken shawarma and stuffed pigeon (yes it is delicious)! We visited several local shops, where you have the option of purchasing various items, such as hieroglyphs and paintings on papyrus paper, Egyptian clothing made from Egyptian cotton, essential oils and perfumes, jewelry, and local pottery made from alabaster and other items.

On the day before departure back to the US, we flew back to Cairo to enjoy our last day at the Egyptian Museum and an afternoon shopping at the famous Khan el-Khalili Bazaar. My family enjoyed the Museum. The exhibits are impressive, and there are many ancient statues, mummies, and many other antiquities to be seen. The Bazaar was fun. It is a great place to find deals from local vendors and souvenirs to bring home.

In summary, our trip was perfectly planned. Everything is as advertised. Everything Mahmoud said would happen, happened and Osiris Tours delivered. My wife loved it, my kids loved it, and I loved this trip! Words just cannot describe the experience of what it is to visit in person and witness the incredible structures, art, hieroglyphs, scenery, and hearing about ancient Egyptian history from an Egyptologist. The entire Osiris Tours staff was amazing, and the people of Egypt are amazing. This was a trip to remember, a trip that my family and I will never forget. Thank you Mahmoud and thank you Osiris Tours for providing my family and I the opportunity to experience Egypt this way.

WOW WOW WOW. We had the trip of a lifetime, arranged by Mahmoud Gebril of Osiris tours. We just returned two days ago from our 8-day trip to Cairo, Aswan, and Luxor.

First, let me sing the praises of Osiris tours. I am generally not a fan of arranged tours, but I wanted a private tour for my kids and me of Egypt's highlights as we had only one week to travel. Mahmoud Gebril (owner of Osiris) was so responsive to my requests and my wishlist (nice hotels, private transportation, private tour guides). He made the process SO EASY. From my initial phone call to being fully booked took less than 24 hours. Then I threw a curve ball and we decided to add a friend to the group, which was also a seamless process. She was added and booked within a couple of hours.

EVERY SINGLE DETAIL was taken care of. Upon our arrival in Cairo, we were greeted by an airport rep, who helped us through the visa process and assisted with our luggage and transport to our first hotel (The Four Seasons on the Nile). In Cairo, our guide was Mahmoud (aka Sultan). He was so so knowledgeable and patient with us (I have 3 moody teenagers). He MADE OUR DAYS IN CAIRO AMAZING. We learned so much. All of Osiris' guides are trained and educated Egyptologists and I was so so impressed by their breadth of knowledge. In Cairo, the pyramids/sphinx were breathtaking. We have amazing pics. We also arranged a camel ride (While in Egypt, this is a must-do). We also visited the Citadel/Mosque of Muhammad Ali), the Egyptian Museum (AMAZING) and the Khan Bazaar. I just took it all in and we had the perfect amount of time in EVERY PLACE.

We then flew on EgyptAir to Aswan. Once again, we had an airport rep help us through the entire process. As a solo parent traveling with my kids, this made the process so easy. We were greeted by Sam, our tour guide in Aswan and Luxor. We visited multiple temples in addition to the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens. Sam MADE OUR TRIP and was so so knowledgeable about the temples and the tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens and Hatshepsut's Temple. He told wonderful stories that drew us in and he engaged my kids, which is not always easy to do. He loves to laugh and so do we, so we were a perfect match.

In Luxor, we stayed at the Hilton, where the food was amazing, the service was amazing, and we LOVED our downtime relaxing at the pool beside the Nile.

Please add a hot air balloon ride in Luxor and a Felucca sailboat ride - two extras that we requested and they were breathtaking.

IT IS THE PERFECT TIME TO VISIT EGYPT. We had negative COVID tests (PCR) required by the country within 96 hours of our visit. We had the historical sites to ourselves. Filae temple was EMPTY. Sam (our guide) told us many times that pre-COVID, the temples were wall to wall people. We could spread our wings and explore at our leisure. We felt extremely safe and felt safer in Egypt (COVID) than here in the USA.

USE OSIRIS TOURS to make your trip to Egypt a memorable trip of a lifetime. EVERY DETAIL was PERFECT and I can't say that about ANY of our other trips. Mahmoud gave me his personal cell phone number in the event that we had any questions or concerns and this was such a nice personal touch.

FIVE STARS FIVE STARS FIVE STARS. I can't speak highly enough.

Now is an excellent time to visit Egypt, and Osiris Tours will make the trip memorable. We had originally scheduled to visit in March 2020, but COVID-19 restrictions forced us to reschedule to early December. Mahmoud Gebril worked closely with us to rearrange the travel for when we could move our airline reservations, and suggested alternatives when our side trip to Jordan (Petra) was not possible due to travel restrictions.

What you will find in Egypt right now is truly a once in a lifetime experience. We literally had all of Abu Simbel to ourselves, rather than crowds of thousands. This experience was repeated at all of the major sites: Philae, Edfu, and Kom Ombo temples were all free of other tourists. Sam, our excellent guide in Aswan and Luxor, repeatedly commented on how he would normally have to queue for 30 minutes just to enter a site, while we were fortunate to have the site all to ourselves. In Cairo, we climbed into the Great Pyramid alone, and had all of Tutankhamen’s treasures to view without the crowds.

We strongly suggest you listen to Mahmoud’s advice and add on the special options. The tombs of Seti I and Nefartari are amazing. The color and depth of the carvings is well beyond that of other tombs, although everything is worth seeing. The drive to Abydos and Dendera Temples was a bit out of the way, but the color and detail of the decoration showed how powerful Seti was by the design of his temple.

So what is the downside of travel now? We had to test for Covid-19 before leaving the US in a narrow time window, and again in Luxor before leaving Egypt to satisfy our airline (Emirates). The hotels (Four Seasons in Cairo, Movenpick in Aswan, and Hilton in Luxor) all had robust cleaning and masking, so those hotels felt safe. Your guide, driver and security person (the latter required by the US embassy) will all be masked as well. You will find that most Egyptians do not mask. It still felt safe given the low Covid-19 numbers in Egypt and that most activities are outdoors.

You will also find some amenities are limited. Most hotels are empty, so there is typically only one restaurant open. And despite there being just one restaurant option at the Hilton, even after 6 nights we still found new things to try. And eating along the edge of the Nile never gets old. We opted to not take a Nile cruise even when we initially planned the trip as we wanted to control our schedule rather than be at the mercy of the ship (Mahmoud’s suggestion) and it turns out that decision was fortunate. There are virtually no ships cruising the Nile, and we would not want to take a chance on Covid risk that would come with a cruise. As a bonus, traveling down the backroads of Egypt gave us an opportunity to see more of the lives of the people there, and get some freshly picked bananas and oranges as a snack!

Given the limited number of tourists, you will find the vendors to be a bit more aggressive than when there are many people for them to sell to. They aren’t too pushy, but we found the constant pressure to be a bit unnerving at times. We also suggest you either bring a large quantity of one dollar bills or lots of small Egyptian bills. We visited virtually every tomb available, and given that your guide will not be allowed inside the actual tomb with you, the local ‘tomb guardian’ will take you through and want a tip at the end. This is a very tip-centric culture, and given that you are one of a very limited number of visitors, be prepared for more tipping than you might otherwise expect.

Overall, we believe we just had a once in a lifetime experience. Not just to see the riches of Egyptian culture as history, but to do so at a time when we had what felt like a private tour of these world famous sites was unprecedented. You may not have the Great Pyramid to yourself as we did, but if you go with Osiris, you will have the best possible tour of Egypt. Trust Mahmoud Gebril to design an itinerary and provide guides like Mahmoud in Cairo and Sam in Aswan and Luxor. Their depth of knowledge and humor really bring Egypt to life.

My husband arranged the trip with Mahmoud G, who designed it for us since my husband was going to initially be in Alexandria for business. Someone met us at every airport and accompanied us to our hotels. We had the same guide for our entire trip: Mahmoud Farah, and he was amazing. He has his Master's in Egyptology and is starting his PhD, so of course he is incredibly knowledgeable, but he is also just the nicest person! Our driver while we were in Luxor was Hani, who was also wonderful. The hotel in Luxor was so lovely and relaxing. Depending on the day we often had some time to relax by the pool, but some days were busier than others. We saw so much, and it was incredibly relaxing to not have to worry about driving, logistics, etc. We highly recommend Osiris tours!

I can not recommend Osiris Tours highly enough. From beginning to end the trip was planned to provide the best service, best experience and best PEOPLE in the form of airport guides, tour guides, drivers... the PEOPLE made the experience remarkable! Two women traveling alone could have had some difficulties or been uncomfortable but not with the attention to detail that Osiris provided. And the itinerary was tailored to exactly what we had dreamed of ... and more! Our guides Mahmoud Sultan Fathy in Cairo and Mhmoud Farah who was with us from Luxor to Aswan were absolutely top notch. Great guides with deep, deep knowledge of their culture and history and just as important fine, fun people!

Osiris did an excellent job of planning our trip. As a lifelong fan of ancient Egyptian history, I had specific requirements and Mahmoud worked with me to see that they were met.

The guides Said and Mohammed were both highly competent, accommodating and professional. The drivers were highly skilled driving the chaos of Cairo traffic, courteous and very professional.

Unfortunately do to the current Corona Virus our trip was cut short by a few days, but fortunately it was at the end of our trip. Osiris accommodated the revised schedule and allowed us to complete our itinerary. They also rebooked our domestic flights to allow us to exit the country before the country’s self-imposed deadline. I commend them for the proactive and quick response.

Never once did we feel unsafe or uncomfortable in the country. On the contrary, everyone we met was friendly and accommodating. I hope this crisis blows over quickly so that the people of Egypt don't have to suffer.

I would not hesitate to use Osiris again, and highly recommend them to anyone considering a trip to Egypt. We plan on using them again when the Grand Egyptian Museum is finally opened.