From pyramids to ornate temples, the mysteries of ancient Egypt have long fascinated travelers and historians alike. There are several ways you can tour Egypt ranging from an organized tour to a self-guided one. An organized tour of Egypt is a popular way to see its ancient history and culture. This post covers what to expect on an organized tour to Egypt.
What is an Organized Tour?
First let’s define an organized tour. I’m talking about the tours where you join a group of other tourists and travel to various places on a pre-planned itinerary determined by a company. Organized tours are a popular way to visit Egypt because they are safe, they are convenient and they can be cheap compared to some other alternatives.
Do you Need an Organized Tour?
No, not necessarily, however, I 100% recommend that you get a private guide if you are not joining an organized tour. Several reasons for this:
- Egypt is a country so rich in history, you need a guide to help tell that story
- Security is tight in Egypt. A guide can help you navigate through various check points and security measures
- A guide has local knowledge of the country and can act as a translator
What to Expect on an Organized Tour to Egypt
I have a detailed post on must knows for visiting Egypt that I highly recommend reading along with this post below. In this post, I’ve tried to specifically callout some of the things you can expect on an organized tour to Egypt. I have also included some questions that you should ask any prospective tour company that you are hoping to tour with. Some of these are questions I asked and some are questions I wished I asked.
The tour company I used is called Timeless Tours. They are a top rated tour company for Egypt! This is not a sponsored post but I am recommending them because they genuinely were great!
They Will Take Care of All the Planning
From hotels, a Nile cruise to internal flights and transportation, the tour company will sort everything out. This is great in my view because you don’t have to navigate through planning a complicated trip. Mine even had a person waiting for me before immigration, as soon as I deplaned and did all the immigration for me.
When picking a tour company, make a list of all the places you definitely want to see or visit and make sure the tour you select has those included. For me, Abu Simbel was a must, so I picked a tour and tour company that included Abu Simbel in their itinerary.
Check out this post for must visit sites in Egypt.
Questions to Ask Tour Operator
- Will someone pick me up at the airport?
- Will they sort out my visa? (only select countries can obtain a visa on arrival. If you are not from one of these countries, you will have to apply for a visa prior to your arrival to Egypt)
- What places will be visited on the tour?
- How much time will be spent in each place?
- What does transportation look like?
- Is there an option to fly vs. ground transportation?
Expect Lots of Early Mornings
Egypt is hot! And depending on the time of year, there can be a lot of tourists. For these reasons, tours will start super early in the morning. This is something to consider if you are not a morning person. But, these are so worth it as the sites are beyond amazing! Also, don’t worry, as you should get plenty of rest time to compensate for the early mornings.
Questions to Ask Tour Operator
- How many early mornings can I expect on the tour?
- Will there be down time?
You Will Need Cash
Egypt is still a cash economy. You will need cash for tips and items (like meals, attractions) not covered by your tour.
Questions to Ask Tour Operator
- What meals are covered?
- Are all attraction entry tickets covered? If not which ones are not and how much money should I have for these?
- What else is not covered?
- How much cash do you think I need to have for the tour? (they will be able to give you a rough estimate)
Expect to Add Activities
There are activities that you can add-on to tours. In my tour Abu Simbel was actually an add-on. I then got sold on to add a hot air ballooning tour and a snorkeling tour in the Red Sea. You will need to budget for these. Even if you think you won’t do something, you may change your mind when you see that others on the tour are also going. This happened to several people in our tour group!
Questions to Ask Tour Operator
- What activities do you offer on the tour?
- How can I pay for these?
- Will it be more expensive to add these on during the tour or is it cheaper to pre-pay?
- Can you guarantee the add-on will still operate even if I am the only one who booked it? (Especially if you really want to do it! I asked this about Abu Simbel because I was scared I would be the only one who wanted to go and they may cancel due to low numbers. However, our entire tour group added it on!)
You May be Taken to Co-Ops to Buy Things
From perfume to spices and Egyptian art, chances are that you may be taken to a co-op to buy various souvenirs and things to take home. You do not have to buy any of it but know that there will probably be time built in your tour to visit these co-ops.
Did you find this post useful? Please let me know by liking/commenting below or sharing this post on social media! Thank you!!
Pin this post for later!
2 comments
I have visited Egypt twice, the first trip on an organized tour, (led by a friend who is an Egyptologist, along with an Egyptian guide. The second a private guide and driver. Both trips were fabulous, but the private guide trip provides greater flexibility. I much prefer the private guide and driver, but it is a good deal more expensive. Your guide is excellent – spot on with the questions that a traveller should ask.
Thank you so much!! I would love to go again with a private guide!