Archaeological Paths - Egypt Royal Tour With dr. Zahi Hawass, dr. Mostafa Waziri and a surprise VIP Guest.

Archaeological Paths

Video reviews

Welcome to our VIDEO BLOG from our tours!


Turkey Tour Reviews


Turkey Royal Tour - Day 1 - Arrivals





Turkey Royal Tour - Day 2 - Istanbul





Turkey Royal Tour - Day 3 - Troy/Canakkale





Turkey Royal Tour - Day 4 - Pergamon





Turkey Royal Tour - Day 5 - Ephesus/Dalyan





Turkey Royal Tour - Day 6 - Kekova/Demre





Turkey Royal Tour - Day 7 - Catalhoyuk/Konya





Turkey Royal Tour - Day 8 - Asikli Huyuk/Cappadocia





Turkey Royal Tour - Day 9 - Cappadocia





Turkey Royal Tour - Day 10 - Mount Nemrut





Turkey Royal Tour - Day 11 - Harran





Turkey Royal Tour - Day 12 - Gobekli Tepe





Turkey Royal Tour - Day 13 - Sanliurfa/Istanbul





November 15-28, 2020


Royal Egypt Tour Reviews - November, 2020





Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 2





Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 3





Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 4





Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 5





Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 6





Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 7





Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 8





Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 9





Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 10





Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 11





Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 12





Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 13





2019 Reviews


Royal Egypt Tour Review (February 2019)





Royal Egypt Tour Review (February 2019)





Royal Egypt Tour Review (February 2019)





Royal Egypt Tour Review (February 2019)





Royal Egypt Tour Review (February 2019)





Royal Egypt Tour Review (February 2019)





Royal Egypt Tour Review (February 2019)





Royal Egypt Tour Review (February 2019)





Royal Egypt Tour Review 2019





Royal Egypt Tour Review 2019





Royal Egypt Tour Review 2019





Royal Egypt Tour Review 2019





Royal Egypt Tour Review 2019





Archaeological Paths' Review





Archaeological Paths' Review





Archaeological Paths' Review





Archaeological Paths' Review





2019 Private Edition


Royal Egypt Tour Private Edition Video-Review (February 2019)





Royal Egypt Tour Private Edition Video-Review (February 2019)





Royal Egypt Tour Private Edition Video-Review (February 2019)





Royal Egypt Tour Private Edition Video-Review (February 2019)





2018 Reviews


Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





Royal Egypt Tour Video-Review





December 2-15, 2018


December 2, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





December 3, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





December 4, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





December 5, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





December 6, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





December 7, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





December 8, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





December 9, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





December 10, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





December 11, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





December 12, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





December 13, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





December 14, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





December 15, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





November 17-30, 2018


November 17, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





November 18, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





November 19, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





November 20, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





November 21, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





November 22, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





November 23, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





November 24, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





November 25, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





November 26, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





November 27, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





November 28, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





November 29, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





November 30, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 15-28, 2018


October 15, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 16, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 17, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 18, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 19, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 20, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 21, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 22, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 23, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 24, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 25, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 26, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 27, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 28, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 1-14, 2018


October 1, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 1





October 2, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 2





October 3, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 3





October 4, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 4





October 5, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 5





October 6, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 6





October 7, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 7





October 8, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 8





October 9, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 9





October 10, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 11, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 12, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 13, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 14, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour





Jordan Add-on 2018


Jordan add-on - Day 1





Jordan add-on - Day 2





Jordan add-on - Day 3





Jordan add-on - Day 4





Jordan add-on Review





Jordan add-on Review





Jordan add-on Review





Jordan add-on Review





Jordan add-on Review





April 15-28, 2018


April 15, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 1





April 16, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 2





April 17, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 3





April 18, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 4





April 19, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 5





April 20, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 6





April 21, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 7





April 22, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 8





April 23, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 9





April 24, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 10





April 25, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 11





April 26, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 12





April 27, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 13





April 28, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 14





April 1-14, 2018


April 1, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 1





April 2, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 2





April 3, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 3





April 4, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 4





April 5, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 5





April 6, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 6





April 7, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 7





April 8, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 8





April 9, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 9





April 10, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 10





April 11, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 11





April 12, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 12





April 13, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 13





April 14, 2018 - Royal Egypt Tour - DAY 14





March 18-31, 2018


March 19, 2018 - Archaeological Paths' Review





March 20, 2018 - Archaeological Paths' Egypt Tour





March 22, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 23, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 24, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 25, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 26, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 27, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 28, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 29, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 30, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 31, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 4-17, 2018


March 4, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Testimonial





March 5, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour - Day 1





March 6, 2018 - Giza plateau with Dr. Zahi Hawass





March 7, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Testimonial





March 8, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Testimonial





March 9, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 10, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 11, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 12, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 13, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 14, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 15, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





March 16, 2018 - Archaeological Paths Egypt Tour





September 17-30, 2016


September 17, 2016 - Royal Egypt Tour





September 18, 2016 - Royal Egypt Tour





September 19, 2016 - Royal Egypt Tour





September 20, 2016 - Royal Egypt Tour





September 21, 2016 - Royal Egypt Tour





September 22, 2016 - Royal Egypt Tour





September 23, 2016 - Royal Egypt Tour





September 24, 2016 - Royal Egypt Tour





September 25, 2016 - Royal Egypt Tour





September 26, 2016 - Royal Egypt Tour





September 27, 2016 - Royal Egypt Tour





September 28, 2016 - Royal Egypt Tour





September 29, 2016 - Royal Egypt Tour





2015 Reviews


February 2015 - Royal Egypt Tour





March 2015 - Royal Egypt Tour





October 2015 - Royal Egypt Tour





Written reviews

Egypt is Safe. Don?t Cancel that Tour! (Posted December 21, 2023) I just returned from the Royal Egypt Tour by Archaeological Paths (?AP?). The tour dates were Dec 3 ? 16, 2023. Like so many of you out there, I worried whether it would be safe going to Egypt during the current conflict in Israel. After spending two full weeks going all over Egypt and meeting the wonderful people there, and seeing the level of security everywhere I traveled, I am happy to report that Egypt is safe for tourists right now. If you are thinking about cancelling your tour to Egypt due to worries about the war in Israel and your personal safety while in Egypt, my advice is simple: Don?t cancel. Go to Egypt. The war has not affected Egypt. Our group of 19 travelers from America were welcomed warmly everywhere we went throughout Upper and Lower Egypt. We were treated like celebrities whenever our bus pulled in to the many magnificent tourist sights. Also, at every such site, without exception, armed Egyptian Tourist Police were there patrolling. Upon our arrival at each stop, loads of school children asked for ?selfies? with us. They welcome Americans warmly. According to our fantastic tour guide, Mohamed, they watch loads of American television and think that we are all millionaires. The Royal Egypt Tour is usually limited to 27 guests. I learned that the reason we only had 19 on the Tour was due to cancellations from people afraid of travelling to the Middle East due to the war in Israel. Folks, the war in Israel is literally hundreds of miles away from Cairo (215 miles to Gaza) and much further away from Luxor (395 miles) and Aswan (560 miles) where you will be travelling. During over two weeks in Egypt, I never had a concern about my safety. I never felt threatened or in danger. I am so glad that I did not listen to my fear and cancel my trip since this was, without a doubt, the greatest trip of my life! This review is going to be a long one. It is my intention for this to be an all-encompassing review. In reading this review, some might think that I am a plant from AP. I assure you, I am not. I am a lawyer based in Florida. I grew up in NYC. I am as blunt and direct as you can imagine. If I had a bad experience, I would say so in a New York minute. I am by no means a seasoned world traveler, but I have been to several other countries, including Canada, Mexico, Germany, Italy, Austria, England, Scotland and a number of Caribbean island nations. Before I went on this Tour, I read absolutely everything I could find about it, including every review on the AP web site and all the reviews on Trip Advisor and elsewhere. In this review, I want to address everything, including some things that others have not, and to respond to what some people have considered negative about the Tour, but which I now see as absolutely essential to deliver the exclusive experience promised by AP. These are just my personal experiences and opinions, nothing more. So get a big cup of your favorite beverage, sit back in your favorite easy chair, and come along to Egypt with me, and see this marvel through my eyes. Why The Royal Egypt Tour from AP? I am an ?Egypt Nut.? Since I was a small boy, I have been obsessed with everything Egypt. In 6th grade, we were told to write a paper on whatever we wanted. I wrote it on the dismantling and relocation of the temple of Ramses the Great in Abu Simbel in Upper Egypt due to the building of the giant dam in Aswan. I read about it in the National Geographic magazine at the time. Throughout my entire life, I watched every single TV show about ancient Egypt, over and over again. Something about ancient Egypt fascinates me. I cannot explain it. If you are taking the time to read this very long review, you are probably the same way and understand my obsession. I learned about Dr. Zahi Hawass, considered by many to be the world?s greatest archaeologist. I watched all of his shows and specials, including his latest one on Netflix titled ?Unearthed.? I watched with delight as he dug in Egypt for new discoveries. It also featured his great student, Dr. Mostafa Waziri, a very good-natured, warm and open man, beloved by his team members, who was trained by Dr. Hawass. He is now the Secretary General for Antiquities for all of Egypt. How do I know these things about him? Because I spent a couple of precious, magical hours with him in Luxor Temple which I will treasure forever. More about that later. Over the years, I often thought of how amazing it would be to go on a special tour to Egypt which included Dr. Hawass and Dr. Waziri, going to those magic places that are off limits to others, crawling through the pyramids, tombs and temples of Egypt. But that was all just a silly dream which could never happen in real life. At least that?s what I thought until the day I found out about AP and their Royal Egypt Tour. One day, I saw an ad on the Discovery Channel about AP and its Royal Egypt Tour, during which you would meet Dr. Hawass between the paws of the Sphinx at sunrise and learn from his encyclopedic knowledge of ancient Egypt. I went to their web site and read all about the Tour and its extensive itinerary up and down the Nile. When I saw that it also included time with Dr. Waziri in Luxor, that clinched the deal for me. I decided to book the Tour. The Cost. The Royal Egypt Tour is two weeks long, and it?s expensive as tours to Egypt go. However, ?expensive? is a relative term. The question to be asked is what do you get for your money? Having just completed the Tour, the answer is the trip of a lifetime, a completely unique experience and a great value. If you are thinking that this tour is too expensive, and are considering settling for lesser tours to Egypt, I encourage you to read on until the end of this review. There is nothing out there that can or will deliver the unique experience that the Royal Egypt Tour does, at least in my opinion. Time of Year to Go to Egypt. I booked this trip almost a full year in advance after researching the best times of the year to tour Egypt. I chose December due to the moderate temperatures in both Lower and Upper Egypt at that time of year. I got everything ready for the trip. When it was finally time to go, I was ready. I am very glad I waited to go until December since even in the high 70?s, that Egyptian sun is nothing to mess with. Mornings were cool, while early and late afternoons were usually warm. Some days it was downright hot, especially out on the Giza plateau, in Saqqara, and the Valley of the Kings. Arrival in Cairo After deplaning in Cairo International Airport, and after walking quite a distance on their ?moving sidewalk? conveyors, you will come to an escalator going down. At the foot of that escalator you will come upon a row of tour operators standing there with signs of their company and/or with the names of the passengers they are there to pick up. At that time, I met Ahmed from Archaeological Paths. He was our Tour Manager. Ahmed and I hit it off from the moment we met each other. He is a young professional who is already seasoned at his job. I had already secured my Egyptian travel visa online, so there was no need to go to one of the bank kiosks and wait in the lines with the required $25 in USD. Ahmed asked for my Passport and Visa and proceeded to walk me right through customs in a matter of seconds. We collected my checked bag at the luggage carousel and departed the airport in a very late model passenger van. It had air conditioning and was very comfortable. Driving in Egypt. It took approximately one hour to get from Cairo Airport to the Marriott Mena House Hotel in Giza. I got my first taste of driving in Egypt. I had read about it in prior reviews, but nothing prepared me for the absolute insanity of Egyptian drivers. Lanes are not even a suggestion to them. It is complete chaos. Rules of the road? Nope. Family of four on a tiny motorcycle built for one? Yep. Horse drawn carriages on highways? Yep. May God watch over and protect them! Yet somehow, our skilled driver managed to keep us safe the entire way to the hotel, and what a hotel it is. The Marriott Mena House Hotel. The Marriott Mena House is located on Pyramids Road in Giza. The name could not be more appropriate. As you near the Hotel, the last of the seven wonders of the world comes into view. There are no words to describe the feeling you get when you actually see the Great Pyramid for the first time. The word ?Awesome? does not begin to describe it. You think you know how tall it is, but you really don?t until you see it for yourself. Words fall short of its glory. How this almost 500-foot monument was erected 4,500 years ago is one of the great mysteries. It is nothing short of magnificent. The entryway to the Giza plateau is located about 100 feet from the front gate of Mena House. It could not be closer to the pyramids. The Marriott Mena House is a premiere property. It is stunning. I arrived after midnight, so I could not see it in all of its grandeur until the next morning. It is immaculate. The grounds are maintained to a standard you can only imagine. I actually saw the gardening staff going through their many rows of marigolds that line the pristine walkways, on their hands and knees, trimming the dead flowers off of each plant! Every night, the staff power blasts the walkways. I watched them doing it. I thought only Disney World in Orlando did that! My room was very nice. Super comfortable bed with very high-quality sheets. I received a room with a partial pyramid view. (Yes, you pay extra for that upgrade. If you have the money, I suggest you spring for it, since the view is to die for). I sat out there every night staring at the two largest pyramids in total awe and wonder. The photos of the pyramids attached to this review were taken from my balcony, which was equipped with two chairs and a small table. The bathroom was spacious and well-equipped. The towels were plush. The shower has a large rain-type shower head. There is a hair dryer, a small safe, and an ironing board and iron in the room. There is a small fridge in the room as well. They supply you with at least two bottles of water every day. However, you can get all the water you want when on the AP bus each day, and can take some extras with you when you are done for the day. Dining at Mena House. The main restaurant at Mena House is the 139 Pavilion down by the pool. It is a buffet style restaurant with a tremendous number of choices. You can also order from the Menu, if you wish. I have read prior reviews complaining that there were not enough selections for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Respectfully, that is nonsense. I?m a foodie. Some eat to live. I live to eat. The 139 has easily over 100 choices every day for the different meals. For breakfast, they have an egg station where they will make eggs any style you desire and omelets made fresh to order. They also had the most delicious homemade falafels at that egg station every single morning. I am hooked! They had breakfast sausages, chicken and beef. They had oatmeal, cereals, loads of different breads and rolls, yogurt, fresh fruit, and on and on. For dinner, they always had a carving station, with fresh roasts. One night, they had a large roasted turkey. If anyone tells you that there are too few choices at the 139 Restaurant, it is not based in reality. The only complaint I could possibly lodge would be that I found some of the dishes needed salt and could have used a bit more spice. However, that is my personal taste which was easily remedied with a salt shaker and a bit of hot sauce. Buffets must cater to the greatest number of people, so low salt and low spiciness are a must. I did not eat in the other restaurants there, namely Moghul (Indian) or Alfredo?s (Italian) since I was happy with the food at the 139. However, every night on the buffet, they had basmati rice and at least one kind of Indian dish, including chicken korma, butter chicken and a vegetarian offering. I tried them every time I saw them. Delicious. Finally, I must comment on the view from the 139. An unobstructed, breathtaking view of two of the pyramids, right there in front of you in all of their glory, while you enjoy your meal. Stunning. There was also entertainment during dinner. One night, they had a singer. The next night, a Whirling Dervish who was truly excellent. Another night, a performer on a guitar, playing to backing tracks of classics. Our Team from AP. We had three members of our Team every day on the bus, plus our ever-present security guard. Our Tour Guide was Egyptologist Mohamed Abdelatif. What can I say about Mohamed that has not already been said in countless other reviews? He must be, without a doubt, the greatest tour guide in Egypt. (At least that?s what Dr. Mostafa Waziri said about him to all of us when we met with him in Luxor, but more about that magical day later!). If you get Mohamed as your Tour Guide, count your lucky stars and prepare to learn a great deal from him. (There, I said it, Mohamed. I just didn?t want you to get a big head while I was there. I admit you are the best, Habibi! Thanks again for everything!!!). Mohamed has an encyclopedic knowledge of every place and everything you will see. The man is tireless. It?s a beautiful thing to see people doing the thing they were born to do and doing it so well. Mohamed is such a person. I learned so much listening to him during the two weeks I was there. He has tremendous patience and is always positive and willing to do anything it takes to make your trip a success. Just a phenomenal tour guide. Then, there is Mustafa, another one of the three Habibi?s (friends in Arabic). Mostafa is 6 ? feet tall. His great height comes in handy when you need to follow him through a crowded temple like Karnak in Luxor. He is the quintessential ?gentle giant.? He is a soft-spoken, extremely kind person, who handles all kinds of details to make certain that the tour goes off without a hitch. Wherever we went, Mustafa had the tickets. Whatever problem you have, just ask Mustafa. Need to break your US dollars into 10 EGP notes for the restroom attendants (you will), see Mustafa. He handles the money. Finally, there is my now good friend and Habibi, Ahmed. He is so young, yet so talented. He works behind the scenes to get everything set up. He is the details guy who manages the Team. Some are born with talent and appear to be aged beyond their years. That?s Ahmed. Truly a great guy. These three guys are a ?dream team.? Everything on this tour went like clockwork, and that?s no accident. It?s a tribute to all three of them. Great work, guys! The Bus. I have read many reviews, but I never found much said about the bus. The bus is a very late model Mercedes Benz. It is extremely comfortable and roomy. It is fully air conditioned and will quickly become your sanctuary and ?home away from home.? It has curtains on the windows that can be drawn shut and opened, depending on the position of the Sun. It has a bathroom by the back-door entrance. It also has 2 USB outlets to charge your phone located under and between each set of seats. It also has not one, but two small refrigerators in it to keep the water bottles cold, one in the very front and one by the back door. Rest assured that you will not go thirsty, as water bottles are available any time you desire. Just go to the fridge and grab one. They are also handed out every time you arrive at a stop on the Tour. Tip: You must stay hydrated in Egypt, or you will regret it. Drink, drink, drink! Tip: Do yourself a favor and bring along those ?Squincher? type electrolyte packs to pour into your water bottle and shake up. Those things really work and give you a real boost. They turn every bottle of water into a type of ?Gatorade.? How Much Cash to Bring, and What Kind. There is no hard or set rule on how much cash to bring. That?s up to you. However, I have some recommendations. Bring at LEAST $100 in $1 bills and $100 in $5 bills. Also, bring at least $100 in $10 bills. Believe me, you will be glad you did. The smaller currency is much better than $20?s, $50?s or $100?s in Egypt. The $1 bills go like water. You can use them everywhere. Everyone you meet loves the US dollars. Egypt recently devalued the Egyptian pound. From what I was told, they are about to devalue it again. Therefore, the US dollar is more valuable to the Egyptians than their own currency. There is an ATM machine in the lobby of the Marriott Mena House you can use which delivers currency in Egyptian Pounds. There is no ATM on the boat. I did not look for one at the Four Seasons in Cairo. However, if you want to break USD into EGP, just ask the ?moneyman? on your Tour, in my case, Mustafa. The vendors that approach you all accept $1 bills. They price everything they try to hawk in US dollars. You will be stunned at what you can buy there for just $1 or a few US dollars. How about 10 small change purses for $5? Not great quality, but they make for nice cheap souvenirs from Egypt. It became a daily joke that everything seemed to be priced for $1.00. If you want to buy cheap souvenirs, the $1 and $5 bills are your best friends. Bring plenty of them. You will be glad you did. The vendors in Eqypt are absolutely relentless. You have to learn how to deal with them. People in my group told me they were following closely behind me since I was getting rid of them so quickly. Here is the way to do it: ? Don?t make eye contact. ? Don?t engage them in any type of conversation. ? Don?t answer any question they ask you. ? Just say ?La Shukran? (pronounced Shook-ran?) and hold up your hand. That means ?No Thank You in Arabic? and keep walking. Don?t stop! ? If they continue following you, say nothing and keep walking at a brisk pace. ? Some of them will ask you to take their card, and will hand it to you. Don?t accept it. ? Some of them will ask if you will stop by on your way out. Don?t tell them that you will. If you say you will just to get rid of them, they will remember you and hound you on the way out. Tip: If you have a major commercial bank near you at which you can get Egyptian currency before your trip, I would definitely get a good supply of 10EGP notes. You will need one every time you use a restroom everywhere you go. They all have attendants and they all expect that 10EGP note. If you don?t have one, you can always give them $1, but that?s much more money than 10EGP which is currently just $0.32. If you don?t have such a bank, just ask your Tour Manager to change $5 or $10 into 10EGP notes for you. Always keep them in your pocket. You will be glad you did. Tip: While we?re on the subject of bathrooms, go on Amazon.com and order some rolls of travel sized toilet tissue. The attendants only give you two or three squares of toilet tissue that you could use to sand wood. That won?t be enough if you really have to go! Ignore this advice and suffer the consequences. Time with Dr. Zahi Hawass. Dr. Hawass is literally Indiana Jones. He came right out and said that he is the real Indiana Jones! He was wearing that hat before the Indiana Jones character was created! (By the way, you can purchase that hat online and the proceeds go to the Children?s Cancer Hospital Egypt. Just Google it). Also, he told us that he hates snakes! He is the greatest Egyptologist in Egypt. Certainly, he is the most famous. He is known widely by the Egyptian people. He has trained literally hundreds of Egyptologists. He is loved by many and not liked by some. He sees things in black and white, and is not afraid to voice his opinions to anyone and everyone at any time. He told us this himself. Don?t ask Dr. Hawass if the pyramids were built by aliens! Also, do not take a photo of him while he is speaking. Wait until after he is done, and only do so after you first ask for his permission. He is very strict about this rule. He can also be very kind, giving, warm and welcoming, especially when he is telling you about ancient Egypt and his many exploits. He takes his job very seriously and he is not a man to be trifled with. He reminds me of my Dad. He was exactly the same way. I get him. We had four lectures with Dr. Hawass. The first was at the Marriott Mena House the day we went to Saqqara very early on the Tour. He told us about his most recent digs and many great stories. He graciously signed our books after the lecture. The next time we met him was on the Giza plateau between the paws of the Great Sphinx. That morning was surreal, being allowed to walk past the iron gates that lead to the Sphinx enclosure which is off limits to all tourists, except us. There stood Dr. Hawass, leaning on a pillar between the paws of the stunning monument. This experience alone was worth the price of the Tour for me. It was nothing short of amazing and magical! He spent between 45 minutes and an hour with us, telling us the history of the Sphinx and how he had excavated under its paws, and in other areas. He insists that there is nothing under those paws despite what Edgar Cayce, the dreaming prophet, predicted. I stood under the Sphinx, in front of the Dream Stela of Tuthmose IV, and had my photo taken with Dr. Hawass. It was an honor. Absolutely a surreal experience. We next met him at the Tombs of the Pyramid Builders, one of his greatest discoveries, early one morning. He gave us yet another hour-long lecture about the site, how it was discovered, and put to rest the nonsense about the pyramids having been built by slaves. They were built by highly skilled Egyptian craftsmen, who were rewarded with tombs near the object of their work. Dr. Hawass is 76 years old, yet he has an encyclopedic knowledge of Egyptian history and can quote dynasties, dates, and events faster than the fastest computer. This man is formidable. Much respect. Finally, he flew with us on the same plane from Cairo to Luxor in the early morning since he was going to give us a lecture at the Luxor Temple after it closed that night. Yet again, this amazing opportunity to visit Luxor Temple at night, after it is closed to all tourists, lit up in its full majesty, sitting there listening to a lecture by Dr. Hawass, the greatest Egyptologist in Egypt, is only available with the Royal Egypt Tour by Archaeological Paths. Like I said, totally unique and worth every dime. Our quick-thinking Tour Guide, Mohamed, invited Dr. Hawass to dine with us that night aboard our Nile Cruise Ship, the Steigenberger Minerva, before our lecture at Luxor Temple. He accepted the invitation. That night, I came down to dinner 10 minutes early, as requested by Mohamed, so we could all greet Dr. Hawass. He arrived at the Lobby of the ship right on time and we all greeted him with applause. He asked if we were hungry. We said Yes. He said, ?I am hungry. Let?s eat!? We all followed him into the restaurant. For once, I hung back with the intention of letting others get near Dr. Hawass, as I made it a point to be right in front of him during his lectures at the Great Sphynx and elsewhere. I was just about the last person to enter the restaurant. I noticed that no one was sitting directly opposite Dr. Hawass at our rectangular table. I thought for a moment and then decided to go for it. I sat directly opposite Dr. Hawass during the entire meal in the ?hot seat.? I am so glad I did! I asked him several questions about Egypt, his current digs, and his opinion as to whether he thought that Khufu was still in the Great Pyramid. He answered Yes. He stated his belief that he would find Khufu in an undisturbed burial chamber soon. He continues to use the scanning x-rays and special drills and cameras within the pyramid to explore. I said that finding a great Pharaoh like Khufu in an undisturbed tomb would be the greatest find in the history of archaeology, and that Tut?s tomb should pale in comparison to Khufu?s. Without skipping a beat, he energetically answered, ?You are right!? I told him that I wished for him to make that fabulous discovery. That is exactly what he intends to do. Best of luck, Dr. Hawass! We all wait with anticipation for that great day. Thank You for sharing your valuable time and knowledge with us and for your lifetime of dedication to Egypt and archaeology! It was a great privilege and honor to meet you. This was a dream come true for me. This was something I could only have dreamed up in my imagination, but it happened, exactly the way I have relayed in this review. Our Flight to Luxor. Our flight to Luxor on the morning of the fifth day in Egypt was an early morning flight. It was absolutely necessary since we had an appointment to meet Dr. Mostafa Waziri, the current Minister of all Antiquities in Egypt, at the Luxor Temple at 9:30AM. I am proud to say that no one in our group complained about the early morning flight, as they understood the ?pot of gold? that lay at the end of our rainbow that morning. We had a great group of people and we all seemed to get along very well for being together for so long. It was a pleasure to be on the tour with them and they helped to make this a great experience. I thank them all. We were told to have our luggage outside of our hotel room door by a certain time that morning. It was picked up and transported to our bus. As usual, our bus was waiting for us, right on time, and whisked us to Cairo International Airport without delay. Upon arriving at Cairo International, we each identified our luggage and wheeled it up to the check in counter for Egypt Air. We were all assigned a seat in coach. (You can get an upgrade to first class if you want to pay for it, but why bother on a 1-hour flight?). It was a quick, smooth flight to Luxor. Upon arrival, we collected our luggage at the baggage claim carousel and proceeded to our bus, which was waiting just outside of the terminal. We drove directly to Luxor Temple to meet Dr. Waziri. Luxor Temple. Amazing and awe-inspiring are two words that come to mind. So many great Pharaohs of Egypt left their mark on this great temple complex. It?s huge and very impressive. After making our way through part of the Temple, and hearing our usual fantastic presentation by Mohamed, we came upon the area in which Dr. Waziri is currently working with his team. What happened next was, without a doubt, one of the greatest experiences of my 63 years on this Earth, at least for me. Pure magic! Dr. Waziri?s reputation precedes him. I always say that when one person says you?re a jerk, you may or may not be one. However, when everyone says you?re a jerk, you?re a jerk! Well, everyone says that Dr. Waziri is one of the most genuine, kind, friendly, gregarious, warm people you will ever meet. They?re absolutely right. He is all of these things, and much more. You instantly love this man! One of the first things we all noticed about Dr. Waziri is how he spoke about, and interacted with his team. He immediately introduced us to every member the moment they appeared and told us of their great contributions to the project at Khonsu Temple within Luxor. He truly embodies the expression, ?There is no ?I? in Team.? You could see the genuine affection that they all have for him. While we were waiting for Dr. Waziri to come out and speak with us, his right-hand man, Safa(sp?), came out in his White galabeya and turban. I instantly recognized him and told him he was becoming famous thanks to YouTube videos in which he appeared. We hit it off immediately. What a great guy he is! He made my visit there so special, there are no words. He grabbed me by the arm and was anxious to show me around. For some strange reason, he seemed to really like me. I consider it an honor and am proud to have him as my new friend! I only hope that one day, I can see him again in Egypt. Thank you, Safa, my new Habibi, for a great day, and for your warm Egyptian hospitality! Shortly thereafter, Dr. Waziri came out to great applause. He launched into a warm greeting and them started to tell us and show us his very latest discoveries there in the Temple. I will not give too much detail about what he will show you, other than to say you will be amazed. Khonsu Temple, which is being restored by his team, is nothing short of breathtaking. Dr. Waziri handed me the keys, and gave me the honor of opening up Khonsu Temple for our group. He is quite the showman! I played along and had a ball doing it. My God, the colors in there look like they were painted yesterday instead of thousands of years ago! Just amazing. There is much more he will show you, but I won?t ?steal his thunder.? My God, Dr. Waziri loves Mohamed, our Tour Guide! He literally hugged the stuffing out of him. He told our group that we should consider ourselves extremely lucky, as Mohamed was the best tour guide in Egypt, and that is coming from the Secretary General of the Supreme Counsel for Antiquities for all of Egypt! It was clear that the feeling is mutual and that they have a wonderful relationship. You cannot fake this level of kindness, genuine affection, and love for others. It is palpable. You could feel it in the room. Dr. Waziri is the Real Deal. I loved it. After his presentation was finished, Dr. Waziri turned to me and asked me if I would be willing to do him a favor. I responded, ?Are you kidding me? Just name it.? Our Video and Safety in Egypt. Dr. Waziri told us all how Egypt is suffering the financial effects of the war in Israel and how much of an impact this was having on the people in Egypt who rely so greatly upon tourism and the dollars it brings. He asked if we would be willing to cut a short video describing our personal experiences in Egypt. I asked him what he wanted me to say. He told me to speak from my heart and just tell people if I truly thought that Egypt was safe for tourists. My response was immediate. I told him to just point to the iPhone he wanted me to look into. He did so, and we all cut the video. Here is a link to it: https://fb.watch/p2QksPYzSr/ It appears on the Facebook page for AP, but will shortly appear on the web site for the Egyptian counsel for Antiquities according to Dr. Waziri. Our message is simple. Egypt is Safe. Don?t cancel your plans due to the war in Israel. The war in Israel is not currently affecting safety in Egypt, as far as any of us could see or tell. Of course, we do not have a crystal ball that can look into the future. I can only base my statement on the conditions on the ground now in Egypt and my personal experiences. Of course, you should continue to monitor the situation in the Middle East, and not ignore future developments. However, don?t let fear prevent you from living your life and seeing the amazing sights in Egypt. Don?t let the bad guys win. I can only tell you that our group felt entirely safe the whole time there. We were welcomed with open arms and had a great time. We traveled all over Upper and Lower Egypt for two weeks, visiting every major tourist attraction. Our entire group of 19 fellow travelers all felt the same. They can give you their opinions when they see this review. Everywhere we went, we saw the Egyptian Tourist Police, on guard and patrolling every tourist attraction. We saw the regular Egyptian Police everywhere we went. Their presence is far greater than here in the United States. I felt much safer there than walking the streets of any major city in America. They do not put up with the current insanity gripping our major cities. People are expected to obey the law there, and if they don?t, they get arrested and prosecuted for their crimes against others. Imagine that. Perhaps we should try that again in America? I already mentioned Luxor Temple at night and our lecture with Dr. Hawass. Just another amazing, unique experience that I will never forget. Our Ship on the Nile. I was concerned when I received the Final Tour Letter from AP, which informed us that we would not be cruising the Nile on the LeFayan cruise ship, but rather, on the Steigenberger Minerva. I am happy to report that my concerns were entirely unfounded. The Steigenberger Minerva is not a brand-new ship. It is a few years old, but it is very well maintained in an excellent manner. I was in a cabin on the third deck with a Juliette balcony. The sliding glass door opened, which was very nice at night when it got cool and the ship was underway. I could tell that the sheets were very new. Very high quality. My bed was comfortable for me. There were two twin beds in each cabin, as is common on cruise ships. My bathroom had clearly had work done recently. It had a new toilet, sink, faucet and fixtures. The shower had a rain-type shower head that was not plugged up and gave me plenty of pressure. The towels were in excellent shape and very comfy. The carpet was clean and the room was otherwise in excellent condition. I believe it had recently been painted. No complaints. The food on the ship was buffet style for every meal. Overall, it was very good. As I stated above, I have a taste for spicy food with salt. However, with a buffet, you must cook to please the most people. Again, I rectified the issue with salt and pepper shakers and a trusty bottle of hot sauce they had on hand. For breakfast, there was an egg station making eggs any style, as well as omelets to order. Every day, you could also find fresh falafel there, to which I became addicted. There were loads of items from which to choose. They had breakfast sausages, all kinds of fresh fruits, and loads of other dishes. They always had a selection of freshly baked breads, including rolls of many varieties and delicious, flaky croissants. Coffee and various juices were always provided. Lunch and dinner varied from night to night. They always had a carving station at the very start of the buffet, with a different meat every night, including roasted leg of lamb, beef, fresh fish, etc. By the egg station area, there was always another couple of items being made fresh to order, such as kebabs, and many other dishes. There was luncheon meat, a wide variety of cheeses, all kinds of vegetable dishes, etc. For those with a sweet tooth, there were many desserts from which to choose for lunch and dinner. One night was Egyptian night, and the cooking staff really outdid themselves, with all kinds of delicious Egyptian dishes. I tried every one of them and they were delicious! I would be remiss if I did not pay homage to our fantastic waiter every night, Mohamed. He is probably the best waiter I have ever been served by in my entire life. He got to know our every wish in a day or two and was waaay ahead of me. A piping cup of coffee the moment you entered the dining room? Done. That water glass starting to get a bit low? Refilled. Need butter for your rolls? Done. Finished with one plate and ready to hit the buffet again? That old dish was gone instantly. As we all said many times to him, ?Mohamed is Number One!? Why? Because he is. By the way, don?t even think about missing the Galabeya Party on the ship. I don?t care how tired you are. If you miss it, you will be missing a great time. Just take it from me and go to it. It?s great fun. The bottom line on the Steigenberger Minerva is that the ship is very well maintained, has good food, good cabins, and a great crew. I was certainly happy with it. Be sure to go up top to the pool deck and get coffee, tea or some other drink while cruising down the Nile. Just a wonderfully relaxing experience. The Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at the First Residence. When we flew back to Cairo from Luxor, we stayed at The Four Seasons Cairo at The First Residence, for two nights. As you would expect, the place is absolutely gorgeous. You will think that you died and went to Heaven. My room was huge. I had a King-sized bed, an easy chair, and a table with chair. The bathroom was also Heaven. Just perfection. The room is equipped with a safe, a small fridge, an iron and ironing board, and a wet bar. The first night, we dined at Aura on the 4th floor. The food was exceptional as was the service. We had breakfast the next morning at The Tea Lounge on the 3rd floor, a breathtakingly beautiful restaurant, complete with marble floors and giant stained glass window. They had a large breakfast buffet with an egg station. The food and service was excellent. On the second evening at The Four Seasons, we had our lecture with Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Egypt?s First Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, at 6PM. He gave a great talk about Egypt and its rich history. After this talk, we had our Farewell Dinner in a small banquet room across the hall. It was tough saying goodbye to all of our friends and the Three Habibis. Our transfer to Cairo Airport the next morning was right on time and uneventful, and came only after I grabbed yet another delicious breakfast in The Tea Room. Our AP Rep brought me right up to the line for Passport Control and we said goodbye. You Will See ?Wonderful Things? in Egypt. As Howard Carter said when he first peered into Tut?s tomb in the Valley of the Kings, you will see ?wonderful things? in Egypt. They are staggering in scale and boggle the mind. I told my family and friends that ancient Rome has nothing on Egypt, as I have been there too. Just awesome in every way. In an effort to shorten this ?War and Peace-Style? review, I will not go into detail on every astounding venue we visited, other than to summarize them briefly below: 1. The Cairo Museum at Tahrir Square. Disney World for the Egypt-Obsessed. Until the Grand Egyptian Museum fully opens, this is the best museum in the world on Egypt antiquities. Yes, King Tut?s mask, and his two solid gold caskets, are still there along with his throne chair, and may other artifacts from his tomb. Absolutely breathtaking to behold. 2. The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC). This was an add-on for which I flew in one day early. I am so glad I did. The NMEC holds The Royal Mummies in what is one of the finest exhibits I have ever seen in my life, and I grew up in NYC with the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History. I have also visited the British Museum and the Vatican Museum. These mummies are staggering to behold. They look like they could sit up and start talking at any moment. They are arranged in chronological order, with a brief history on each wall describing their greatest accomplishments and familial connections. I was astounded by how tall Ramses the Great really was. Just amazing. 3. Saqqara, the great Necropolis of Egypt. The Step Pyramid. The first real pyramid made out of stone instead of mud brick, constructed by the great genius, Imhotep, for Pharaoh Djoser. There are current digs going on in and around Saqqara every day, with more discoveries yet to find. 4. The Imhotep Museum. Just re-opened the day before we arrived there after major work. As I always say, there is no substitute for dumb luck! A very small museum, but extremely interesting and educational. 5. Memphis. The colossal statue of Ramses the Great laying on his back. Absolutely magnificent. 6. Luxor and Karnak Temple. The largest temple complex on Planet Earth, to this very day. Amazing. Marvel at the Hypostyle Hall and the giant columns. If you go with AP, be astounded by the Khonsu Temple and meet the great man himself, Dr. Mostafa Waziri. 7. Valley of the Kings. Of course, you will visit the tomb of King Tut. The moment you enter, look to your left. You will see the King himself lying there in state in his climate-controlled glass case. Forever always young. Your ticket from AP includes Tut?s tomb and three other tombs. Do your research before you choose which ones to visit. Take my advice and go see the tomb of King Seti I. It is absolutely huge and adorned with the most astounding paintings and carvings that look like they were done last week. It blows away Tut?s tiny tomb by a country mile. I asked Dr. Hawass which tomb to visit in the Valley of the Kings. He told me Seti I. When Dr. Hawass talks, you listen. 8. Valley of the Queens. One word: Nefertari. There aren?t enough superlatives to describe her tomb. Staggering, moving, huge, unmatched, astounding, etc. Not a surprise when you realize that she was married to Ramses the Great. By all accounts, he adored her. He built a second temple at Abu Simbel dedicated just to her. Now that?s love! Do not leave Egypt without seeing this tomb. It?s that great. It?s an add-on expense on the AP Tour. Just pay the extra money and see it. It?s worth every penny. 9. Deir El Medina. Learn from Dr. Hawass all about the workmen's village which was home to the artisans who worked on the tombs in the Valley of the Kings during the 18th to 20th Dynasties. A completely unique experience, hearing it all from the great man himself who discovered it. Yet another unreal and unique experience. 10. Edfu Temple. Remarkably well-preserved temple showcasing ancient Egypt. 11. Philae Temple. Take a motorboat ride out to this beautiful temple. Afterwards, eat at a local Nubian restaurant built into the hillside overlooking the water below. Take my advice and order one of their Tajines, either beef or chicken. We all loved it there. The view is absolutely stunning. 12. Hatshepsut Temple. According to Mohamed, an easy way to remember it and pronounce it is ?Hat-Cheap-Suit.? Built right into the side of a mountain and just about as beautiful as the day they finished it. She was a great woman who had a great reign in ancient Egypt. Unfortunately, some found it necessary to ?deface? her on the walls of her temple since she was not a man. Still, they did not do a thorough job. Absolutely beautiful temple. 13. The Unfinished Obelisk. When you see it, you will think it must be some kind of joke. How were they going to get it out of that quarry, send it up the Nile hundreds of miles to Luxor, and then place it upright without breaking it? If you ever doubted the abilities of the ancient Egyptians, this will change your mind. They were masters of moving massive objects that we still cannot lift with the largest cranes on Earth. Mind blowing! 14. Medinet Habu. This temple was an add on to the AP Tour, but I am so glad I went. This temple is so well preserved, it is absolutely amazing. The carvings on the walls are by far the deepest we saw in Egypt. We had a great time there with our small group that day. See the place where the King?s throne actually sat as well as his other ?throne room,? his private toilet. No mistaking it. 15. Salah El-Din Citadel. This giant mosque is amazing to behold. Constructed with a bronze roof, sandstone side walls, and then gorgeous alabaster, it is a true work of art. The inside of this mosque reminds me of St. Peter?s in Rome and the Sistine Chapel. It?s on that level and is that gorgeous. 16. Abu Simbel Temples. By now, you have probably guessed that my visit to the two temples at Abu Simbel was a highlight of the Tour for me. I have been waiting to see them since I was in 6th grade. They did not disappoint. Yet again, I am at a loss to describe it, and am totally out of superlatives. It was meant to be a projection of power by Ramses the Great to the Nubians in that area. If it was designed to intimidate the populace, he succeeded. OMG! These four statues of Ramses the Great, sitting there with their commanding view of the water, are beyond description. Also, the beautiful temple Ramses built there for his beloved Nefertari is just gorgeous. The paintings and carvings inside of it are breathtaking in their beauty. This man clearly loved this woman. Beautiful to behold for all ages. 17. The GEM aka The Grand Egyptian Museum. Yes, I went there. It is truly enormous. How big? So big, you just can?t imagine it. Sort of like the Great Pyramid is enormous. The GEM is now an add-on for the AP Tour. How much? Right now, $195, but I think we were the first group ever offered the opportunity to visit it on the AP Tour, probably due to my incessant badgering of poor Mohamed and Ahmed. I stress that the galleries are not yet open. The only things that are open are the enormous Lobby containing the giant statue of Ramses the Great, fully restored in all of his glory, a portion of the Grand Staircase containing many statutes throughout Egyptian history, the brand new, multi-media presentation titled ?Tutankhamun, The Immersive Experience,? and the various shops and official museum gift shop. Of course, I asked our tour guide at The GEM when it will fully open. She told us that they are shooting for May of 2024, but that date is not in stone, and the exact opening date is up to the President of Egypt. Is it worth visiting now, even though the galleries are not yet open? If you are asking this Egypt nut, ?Of course! Are you kidding me?? Just lock me in the GEM and throw away the key. Am I disappointed that we did not get to see the endless galleries of unmatched Egyptian treasures? Of course, I am. Hopefully, when you go to Egypt, the GEM will finally be fully open, and you can tour it in all of its endless glory. I?ll be with you in spirit. Some Final Issues and Thoughts. Please allow me to address some final issues and thoughts I have about some of the complaints voiced in other online reviews about the Royal Egypt Tour. I certainly understand that people are simply reporting their own experiences and their own opinions, as am I. However, there are some things I have read out there that are just beyond the pale and ridiculous. 1. Too Many Early Mornings. You have spent a great deal of time and money on this tour because of the incredible access and unique experiences it offers. You paid a lot of money to fly across the world to Egypt and back. You planned on taking this trip for many months, possibly your entire lifetime. You are finally in Egypt. Today is the day you get to go into the Great Pyramid with just your small group from AP. No crowds. No legions of tourists pushing against you inside the small passageways inside the pyramids. You?re there on the Giza plateau in the cool morning air, before the Sun comes up and it gets hot, very hot, in the pyramid. You?re going to meet the greatest Egyptologist in the world between the paws of the Sphinx right after going into the Great Pyramid. Instead of thanking God for your good fortune, for having the health to enter this last existing wonder of the world, and for having this once in a lifetime opportunity, are you really going to complain because you have to get up a couple of hours earlier than usual? You have got to be kidding me! Enough said. 2. Why Do We Have to Pay More for Additional Tours/Tombs/Temples? You don?t. These are additional options. The Tour is already loaded to the gills with pyramids, temples, tombs, museums, mosques, and mummies. Believe me, I was there. You could do none of the additional tours and be more than satisfied with the Royal Egypt Tour, as is. Dr. Hawass and Dr. Waziri explained that while the fees to some of these additional tombs are high, the money is used to help finance their restoration and preservation. They also want to limit the number of people visiting them since even our breath causes humidity in the tombs and degrades them. Finally, many of these tombs are not available to other tourists at any price, only to those on the AP Tour. If you feel the additional cost is too high for any additional attraction, don?t book them. It's entirely your choice. 3. What Kind of Shape Do You Have to be in to Do This Tour? You need to be in reasonably good physical condition to do this Tour. It is not for those with mobility challenges. That?s my personal opinion. No insult intended to anyone with such challenges. I'm just being honest. Don?t kid yourself. Egypt is not Epcot Center. If your idea of a Tour is seeing a couple of sites in air-conditioned comfort before lunch and sitting by the pool the rest of the day ordering frozen drinks, this is not the Tour for you. You will be going and going and going, unless you choose to bow out of certain visits and activities, which you can do if you ?hit the wall? along the way. That happened to some on our Tour, even to me. It's no big deal if you "sit one out." Even though the Egyptian authorities have gone to great pains to install wooden steps, handrails, etc., to make traversing difficult areas easier, make no mistake. You need to be in reasonably good shape to do this Tour. I got on a diet many months before the Tour and lost about 25 pounds. I did my treadmill religiously for over 6 months, including inclines (which are essential to prepare for the steps). I am so glad I did. Despite all of that preparation, I still found it challenging on some days, mainly due to all of the steps involved. My thanks to the makers of Advil! There is a lot of walking, standing and listening, followed by more walking. You will be climbing many steps down into the tombs in the Valley of the Kings/Queens and back up, if you choose to do it. You will be walking on uneven ground in many, many places. Being out in the field in Egypt, with the Egyptian sun beating down on you, walking around the stone debris that surrounds the pyramids and tombs, is not easy. Bring very comfortable sneakers or boots that you have previously ?broken in.? Egypt is not the place to be ?breaking in? new shoes. Tip: Get a bunch of those anti-blister athletic socks. I walked a tremendous amount in Egypt and never got a blister. They worked like a charm. Mine were from ?Wrightsock.com,? but there are many others. Don?t go on this Tour if you have trouble walking, standing or going up or down steps. Don?t go on this Tour if you can?t take prolonged time in the Sun. Also, be sure to bring sunscreen with a very high SPF and a wide brim hat. Dr. Hawass uses that hat for a reason! Conclusion. I loved this Tour. It was the best Tour I have ever been on in my life. It far exceeded my already unrealistic expectations. The promised exclusive experiences were delivered, and then some. Would I book it again had I known then what I know now? Yes. The exclusive access to the Giza Plateau, to Dr. Hawass, to Dr. Waziri, and to tombs and dig sites that are unavailable to other tour operators made the difference for me. Just amazing from start to finish. Was it worth the premium charged by AP? Yes. Did I feel safe in Egypt? Yes. Every day, everywhere we went. My safety was never a concern. Would I recommend it to a beloved member of my family at this time? Yes. Thanks for reading my version of ?War and Peace.? I hope this review has helped you in some way. I leave you with some final words of advice which I live by: ?No one promises you a tomorrow. Do it today!?

Richard Catalano



I just got back from the 20 Day Long Nile and Lake Nasser Cruise, March 6-24, with Alexandria add-on day for March 25. I highly recommend this trip and company. It was a dream come true for me and I'll never forget it as long as I live! I picked this trip because it stopped at all of the sites I wanted to see, including the sites in middle Egypt, such as Amarna, Beni Hassan, and others. Additionally, it stopped at a lot of sites along Lake Nasser, which are usually passed up in favor of a flight or bus from Aswan to Abu Simbel. The tour was AMAZING! In particular, I'd call out our tour guide/Egyptologist, Walid Amar, and tour leader, Ahmed El Safty. WOW, these guys were so amazing! Walid was knowledgeable and invested in the group's learning. This trip is fast paced and goes to A LOT of sites, and Walid did a great job going through the history of each site, mythology, answering questions, etc. I've been to Egypt in the past with a couple other guides, and Walid has been my favorite. I really hope I get to see him again! What can I say about Ahmed? He's simply the nicest person I've ever met. He's also very efficient, knowledgeable, motivated, and mature for his age. He was always calm, collected and helpful. I'm so thankful that I got to become friends with Ahmed during this tour, which is unique I think when vacationing, given the length of this specific tour. He's a special guy, who made our trip SO special and unforgettable. I hope our paths cross again in the near future! To anyone on the fence about this trip, especially those who love archaeology and Ancient Egypt, go next year! You will NEVER regret it.

Marcus Bateman



When I enquired about reviews for the Turkey trip, I was suspicious to see that no negative or critical reviews were offered by Archaelogical Paths. I now know why. There probably were none. The tour and our guide Suat was absolutely wonderful. Suat was patient, knowledgeable, caring, and his personal stories and color commentary brought Turkey alive. On more than one occasion, we would be the only tour group in a location, such as Karahan Tepe (where I was totally awestruck by a community that had a social and spiritual life some 12,000 year ago) or where guards would come and unlock a section of an excavation that were off limits except to Suat who seemed to know everyone. (At Gobekli Tepe, he had the director of the dig talk with us.) Even at popular sites, we would find ourselves off on a side trail exploring some interesting details that Suat shared while other groups would quickly pass us by on the main path. His attention to detail at the sites was superb. I truly cannot imagine a better guide. Several of our accommodations were outstanding as at Cappadecio, the Aegean sea, and the hot springs. Otherwise, typical tour hotels. A few excellent meals were sprinkled among basic fare, a few too many kabobs for lunch, but nice breakfasts everywhere. With regard to the extras, the only comment I would have is that Turkey night was not to our taste. A basic tourist event with a few moments of faux folk dancing and a belly dancer sidling up to male patrons. But the alcohol flowed and most of our group seem to enjoy it. I hardly recommend this tour led by Suat. I hardly recommend Turkey. Suat said people come from all over the world to Turkey, but not Americans because of warning from our State Department. It would not be the first time our government got it wrong! (Picture on top of Mt. Nimrod)

Lou Furman and Nanette Katz



If you are looking for the trip of a lifetime, you are in luck because the Long Nile cruise and Lake Nasser is just that. The cruise ships are 5star and the staff is equally amazing .Beautiful staterooms and even better food. Special itineraries just for our group. Being alone on the Giza plateau and the Sphinx . Check that off your bucket list. We visited Dashur,Memphis, middle Egypt, Tell el-Amarna, Abydos, Dendera, Luxor, Karnak temple, Valley of the Kings and Queens. Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut, Edfu and Kom Ombo and on to Aswan. Two weeks sailing on the Nile. On to Lake Nasser and 5 days cruising and visiting lesser known but equally amazing sites. The Light and Sound show at Abu Simbel is a must see. The quality and expertise of the Archaeological Paths' guides is the absolute best! (even other tour guides say so) The entire time I felt very safe and well cared for. This company thinks of everything and I appreciate that. Four trips to Egypt so far... I can't wait to see what else they can up with I will be going back.

Janet Palmer - Washington, USA



CAN'T say ENOUGH about my Royal Tour of Egypt January 15th through January 29th. My best friend Jan and I were just "In Awe" of the professionalism and care we received from everyone involved. We felt like Archaeological Paths couldn't do enough for us especially when it came to safety and variety! Special shout outs for our Tour Leader, Artur, Our Tour Guide, Mohamed and Our Tour "do everything man", Ahmad who have the talent to give the consummate Customer Service for their clients. Mohamed has such a wonderful gift of educating while engaging us to visualize what Ancient Egypt was all about and teaching us of the current Egyptian Culture and it's People. Our trip was both educational, surprising and so much FUN all at the same time! We felt like Hatshepsut, Cleopatra and Nefertari rolled into one with all the VIP tours including Dr. Zahi Hawass and Dr. Mostafa Waziri. We visited local villages and local restaurants along with the beautiful Mosque of Muhammad Ali. Our itinerary seemed to be full every day, all the time, but was so enjoyable you couldn't help but be excited for what's next around the corner ! Our travel companions, 24 including us, some "world" travelers couldn't say enough about how "THIS WAS THE BEST TOUR THEY HAVE EVER BEEN ON" and we both agree with that statement. You can be sure if anyone is contemplating going to Egypt, I for one will always recommend Archeological Paths and Mohamed, Artur and Ahmad as their guides. Hope to re-visit Egypt when the Grand Museum opens . THANK YOU

Stephanie "Stevie" Sussman



Linda and Daniel H.

To describe an Archaeological Paths Tour of Egypt requires one to speak in superlatives.  My husband and I have traveled internationally for decades both as a part of tour groups and also on our own.  We can honestly state that the Archaeological Paths Royal Egypt Tour delivers a tour that goes above and beyond what anyone would expect.   Other tour agencies provide their guests with only partial days of activities and move them through the sites alongside throngs of other tour agencies.  This is not the way Archaeological Paths creates their tour experiences.  Their tours are limited in size and are in a class of their own!

 

Let us start with the accommodations.  While in Cairo, we feasted our eyes on the Great Pyramids of the Giza plateau daily as we ate breakfast and dinner at the Mena House…unbelievably amazing.  As you sit at your table along the serene reflecting pond, you gaze upon the ancient pyramids looming alongside the resort.  In addition to the historic significance of the Mena House, the facilities and staff are 5-Star Plus.  At the end of our tour and its return to Giza, we enjoyed the Four Seasons Hotel.  Again, service and accommodations above and beyond all expectations.  As for the Nile cruise part of the tour, the ship Le Fayan was spacious yet intimate…no throngs of hundreds of people.  Another important factor during the entire tour, the food was always fresh and outstanding.

 

As to the actual archeological sites that you will visit during your tour of Egypt, the company provides you with world-class experiences.  You visit the Great Pyramids of Giza as the sun rises and before the crowds arrive…so serene and awesome.  The same hassle-free experience happens with Saqqara, the pyramid builders’ tombs, Memphis, Dahshur, Valley of the Kings, and Valley of the Queens, etc.  Now add in exclusive night-time visits to the temples of Luxor and Kom Ombo.  This is only a sample of the amazing, “once in a lifetime” sites and experiences that you will encounter.  Honestly, no words can do justice to the grand experiences that Archaeological Paths provides each and every day of your tour.  From morning through evening, you will be entertained and amazed.  At the same time, one can opt out of a planned event if you just want to enjoy the amenities of the hotel and/or cruise ship during any particular part of the tour experience.  The thing is, though, that it is all so fascinating that you won’t want to miss anything!  It is one spectacular experience after another. 

 

Now let’s talk about the people.  During the planning phase of your trip, you will work with the most fabulous and hard-working staff of agents in their office.  No matter how many questions you may have or needs that you need met, they respond immediately, courteously, and with a sincerity to provide you with the best customer service ever.  Now add to this an amazing actual archaeologist that is assigned to each tour group.  We had Ahmed on our tour this past October, 2021.  Whether you joined the tour after doing your own in-depth or quick study of ancient Egypt, Ahmed always explained what we were experiencing in such a way that was entertaining, understandable, thorough, yet not causing one’s eyes to cross.  Artur, our tour coordinator, was amazing.  Everything flowed beautifully.  No matter the time of day, he was always available to handle anyone’s needs, special requests, etc., with a smile.  He became everyone’s friend since he was so sincere.  His assistant, Mohamed, was invaluable.  He was always ever present and there to lend a hand in scaling stairs, not getting lost, and a myriad of other things that might occur.  He took care of details that are too lengthy to even list.  For instance, my husband and I had booked an additional tour to the Giza Light Show.  Being so thorough and proactive, he noticed that the starting time of the show changed at the last minute.  He changed the transportation times and got us to the event so that we did not miss a minute of the show.  Now that is being conscientious.  Archaeological Paths also provides professional Security men at all times.  Everyone always felt perfectly safe during our entire tour. 

 

The above facts already demonstrate that Archaeological Paths outstrips any other tour package of Egypt.  However, there is more.  Add in the multiple occasions in which you meet the world’s most famous Egyptologist, Dr. Zahi Hawass-one of which is a private lecture by him between the paws of the Sphinx.  He IS EGYPT!  He is a remarkable archaeologist and lecturer and the one responsible for countless, magnificent discoveries and restorations of ancient Egyptian artifacts, temples, pyramids, etc.  You will also meet the very personable, and entertaining archaeologist, lecturer, Dr. Mostafa Waziri.  He is the current Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.  Both of these men were absolutely fabulous with which to interact-their energy and experiences were amazing-totally unforgettable.

 

Believe me, I have only touched on the wonderful experiences provided by Archaeological Paths.  For the cost of this tour, you will get double your money’s worth!  You will never forget the magnificent experiences that they will provide for you. Don’t settle for anything else.  These people bring Egypt alive!

Linda and Daniel H.



Rayman & Belinda R. and Betty H., NY, USA

The tour exceeded our expectations. The experience was quite amazing. We never visited Egypt before. We did some research and the program of Archaeological Paths really rose to the top and caught our eyes.

 

The cruise on the Nile was great but, most importantly, just hearing the history about different parts of Egypt, different areas we were passing, going to the Nubian tribe was extremely amazing experience.

 

We felt very safe during the tour. We paid attention to the security during the first day. On day two, day three, it kind of faded into the background.

 

Archaeological Paths staff was very helpful and cared about our special needs. That’s a major plus right there.

 

It was the best trip ever. Amazing. We are glad we were able to accomplish it.

Rayman & Belinda R. and Betty H., NY, USA



John P., IL, USA

I was reading, studying, watching and dreaming about Egypt and finally all the stars lined up and I arrived in Egypt.

 

For me, the highlight of the tour was the first impression with the pyramids in Saqqara on the first day. Just seeing those pyramids which I learned so much about. I could touch the stone and have some connection with the past.

 

I didn’t feel like I was in a group. I thought that this was my own private tour because 18 people is almost nothing. And the moment when Dr. Zahi Hawass is explaining something to you, looking right into your eyes, you don’t pay attention to those other 17 people, because this was very private and – as the name says – a Royal Tour. The tour was prepared not like for a group, but for me. It was superb.

 

I never even thought about safety. I felt very comfortable and safe no matter where I went.

 

Please, come to Egypt! Experience what I did. I waited way, way too long.

John P., IL, USA



Laura R., CA, USA

The tour was wonderful. There was no question that Archaeological Paths had the best access for sites and tombs. Anything else I looked at didn’t give the complete access to places that no one else can go. I wanted to see as much as I possibly could, so it really wasn’t a question of going with anyone else.

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass gave not only a true academic side to what we were looking at over there but also, clearly, helped us see things that we wouldn’t see if he was not associated. Meeting Dr. Mostafa Waziri was very special, too. He’s quite a showman and quite a character. That was a very special day.

 

As I’m a little bit of a nerd I loved the unfinished obelisk. There is something about seeing something in progress and how it was done. To me, that is very special. I have seen pictures but to stand there and see the size of it was very special.

 

I do not like travelling with large groups. When you’re with a smaller group first of all, you get to know each other pretty quickly and that become more comfortable. Also, the access to the guides, being able to ask questions, all of that is just enhanced. It is hard moving around with a lot of people, so it was worth every penny to be with a smaller group. It makes all the difference.

 

I didn’t see a single thing that concerned me. Everything was wonderful. Security never even crossed my mind. Come to Egypt, just come!

Laura R., CA, USA



We enjoyed this trip very much. I recommend it to everyone. My favorite trip was the Nubian village and holding a baby crocodile, learning about the people and the schools in the classroom. I also like Abu Simbel. The fact that it was moved and put back most exactly. That was very nice. You can still see the statues. It’s hard to imagine it’s so many years old. Amazing! Beautiful!

 

To be able to see inside the pyramids and see how they were built was also awesome. The whole thing was absolutely gorgeous.

 

I love Egypt. I think it’s a wonderful spot. It’s pretty, the weather is great at that time of the year. The people are very friendly and they want to help you and you to be happy. It’s an experience that you need to see. Go to Egypt! Everybody come to Egypt! It’s beautiful.

Pamela Ch., MD, USA



We’ve been watching Dr. Hawass and we saw the ads in the Smithsonian journal and that’s how we came across Archaeological Paths. Then, we started looking into it more and then we thought it was the trip for us.

 

It certainly wasn’t a disappointment. It was more than we’d expected actually. We’d never been to Egypt and that was something that we’d been wanting to do for a long time.

 

The highlight was the Valley of the Kings with all the different tombs, but it’s really hard to choose just one site. They all were spectacular, each with its own mystique. It was wonderful.

 

The trip on the Nile was wonderful, too. Just being able to relax and really see Egypt…

 

The tour was very safe. We saw all of the work Archaeological Paths did to make sure it is safe. They Egyptians were very welcoming. They were very glad to see us. I will let all of my friends know how wonderful this trip was.

Robert and Melissa C., PA, USA



The tour was great and Dr. Hawass was just fantastic. He is Egypt personified. What is unique about the man is his passion – it’s in his bloodstream and you can sense that. You could have had a professor with a bowtie standing there, telling you about Egypt but it would’ve been very boring. This trip was fifty years in the making for myself and he has fulfilled that dream.

 

I felt immensely safe. Not once did I feel threatened.

 

When it comes to the itinerary, I could have written it myself. They did everything I would have done and even more. The thoroughness of the tour was just fantastic. Phenomenal. You just have to do it!

 

Archaeological Paths are the ones that will give you the knowledge, the security. I felt immensely safe. Not once did I feel threatened. It’s an experience with them. They are the only tour I would ever take. You cannot go above the Royal Tour.

 

You must come to Egypt because it’s a place to visit!

Anthony G., VA, USA



Duane Madsen, UT, USA

This was the best trip we’ve ever been on. We travelled extensively through about six or seven countries and this was our best trip.

 

Every day was a highlight. I had no idea that there were so many treasures of knowledge and an adventure. Plus, the people who came on this trip were the highest quality. Most of them had advanced degrees and they’ve done significant studies preparing for the trip. There was a lot of intellectual stimulation.

 

Every single day gave us experiences I just had not expected. It was wonderful!

 

I felt very, very safe. I never harbored any feeling that it would be an unsafe place to be. I feel very glad I came. I’d recommend this tour to anyone.

Duane Madsen, UT, USA



William and Rhoda M., IL, USA

We wanted to go to Egypt for a long time and, truthfully, we were a little bit afraid to come but we have never felt so safe as in Egypt. It was safe whether we were with a guide or whether we were alone walking.

 

We knew about Dr. Zahi Hawass. We read his books. And he more than lived up to our expectations. He’s an amazing person. He was the reason why we wanted to come on this trip. He gave us so much time. He was fabulous.

 

And Dr. Waziri… Wasn’t he wonderful? He was such a nice guy. So funny and down to earth. He and Dr. Hawass are both very good explainers so you don’t have to know a ton of things. We did a lot of reading before coming but you don’t have to because they’re such good explainers that you feel you understand everything in a moment.

 

We were a little bit afraid about getting sick, but we ate everything and no-one in our group got sick.

 

There were 18 people in our group and, honestly, the other 16 people are all our friends now. 18 people in a group seemed to be a perfect number. It was very nice. Nobody ever held us up. There were some older couples and we never felt like we were waiting for them. Archaeological Paths did a great job. And we never thought we would make so many friends. It was beyond what we had been expecting.

 

Sailing down the Nile was beautiful. Going inside the pyramids was not too challenging. We are pushing 70 and we could do it. And if something was a little bit harder, there was always another option. We could go another way, but it wasn’t too hard at all. It was pretty magical meeting Dr. Hawass between the paws of the Sphinx. That was the highlight.

 

Everything was so well-planned out with times and wake-up calls. It was perfect.

 

We had police car leading us through Cairo but that was for traffic. Every site we went to there were guards but there were more like guys helping us. Even when we wandered all by ourselves, we never felt unsafe.

 

Come to Egypt! If you are afraid of safety, it is not a concern. If you are afraid of getting sick, it is not a concern. And if you are afraid it’s too hard to do, that’s not a concern. So, come! It’s once-in-a-lifetime and magical trip.

William and Rhoda M., IL, USA



Jay Scott M., TX, USA

The tour was great. I enjoyed it tremendously. It was a very worthwhile trip and I am glad we did it. Coming to Egypt is something everybody needs to do. The sites were outstanding, the people were very nice, hospitable, friendly and warm. All these things just made it a great experience.

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass is a character. To put in the simplest term I can, he is one-of-a-kind. I will also say this about Dr. Hawass – he is a real gem as far as Egypt is concerned. He will help attract tourists because he is knowledgeable, an expert and he’s dealt with many, many areas of archaeology.

 

My wife was the one that set this thing up. She did all the research. She asked me about a year ago about some of the places I would like to see, and I thought that one of the them would be probably Egypt. I dreamed, like a lot of people, to see the Great Pyramids and so forth and Archaeological Paths was the best way to go.

 

I never felt threatened. I never felt like I was under any danger or any element of discomfort. When I got in contact with Archaeological Paths and other tourists, everybody reassured me that Egypt is safe. Dr. Hawass said it is safe, so I felt good about it.

Jay Scott M., TX, USA



Peter and Young K., Oregon, USA

It was a trip of a lifetime for both of us and we would do It again with Archaeological Paths because it was just fantastic. The company did a fantastic job. We didn’t know what to expect when we got there. The main selling points were not only visiting the historic sites but getting the history behind it. We had very knowledgeable guides. In fact, our guide, Jihan, has a PhD in Egyptology. She just had a wealth of knowledge and energy.

 

Dr. Mostafa Waziri and Dr. Zahi Hawass that we met during the tour are experts in their fields. They gave their testimonial lectures, which made the experience much richer and fulfilling.

Peter and Young K., Oregon, USA



Suzanna M., London, UK

The tour was very enjoyable and met my expectations. Meeting Dr. Hawass at the base of the Sphinx and listening to his lectures, going into Giza plateau and inside the pyramid, inside the subterranean chamber, with no-one else there, was pretty amazing.

 

I also thought Nefertari’s tomb was amazing, absolutely stunning. I wish we could’ve spent more than 10 minutes in there, but it was really good.

Suzanna M., London, UK



I chose Archaeological Paths for two reason: I had an interest in archaeology and I wanted an archaeology-focused tour, not a regular tourist trip. Also, I’ve been familiar with Dr. Hawass’ work for many years and I wanted to go to his lectures.

 

Dr. Hawass was wonderful. He is such an interesting speaker. To have him leaning against the Sphinx and telling us about all the discoveries was really one-of-a-kind experience.

 

The tour was very safe. I think most Americans aren’t used to seeing police officers with their weapons in the streets but that’s very common there, in the Middle East. They never pointed them at anybody, though. It was very safe.

 

The itinerary was very good and very complete. If you really want to come to Egypt and see all the highlights, this is definitely the trip to take!

Elizabeth C., NY, USA



What attracted us to this tour was the idea of having Dr. Zahi Hawass talk to us about something he’s devoted his entire life to. Also, the unprecedented access we got - when you go through the list of things you’d want to see in Egypt, it hit every single one and more. We read the reviews; we saw some of the testimonials talking about how the guides were and Ahmed surpassed every expectation we had had. He was phenomenal, very passionate.

 

It was amazing to walk through the tombs, look at the scenes at the walls and be able to not just see how pretty and impressive it is but understand the meaning of what you were looking at and why it was put there. It just made it such a richer experience. I think we chose well and the testimonials that we saw certainly helped us in choosing this tour.

 

I felt completely safe in all of the areas. When we had stops and police checkpoints it was well explained to us. It helped to ease our minds, but I felt completely safe regardless. I think everybody should come there. It makes me sad that people are missing the opportunity to see those amazing sites. Come now, seriously! It’s amazing. It’s completely safe. The food is awesome. The guides are unbelievable, and they will bring the passion you may not even know you have for that amazing place.

Linda P., VT, USA



We had friends that didn’t make the trip because they were concerned with safety and I think they all will be forever sad that they missed the experience. You can tell that the country has gone to great pains to try to make sure that people understood they were taking care of safety.

 

For me, meeting with Dr. Hawass was a remarkable opportunity. He was telling us what he was doing on that day and the day before and last week. The opportunity to meet Ms. Sadat and being able to be in Anwar el Sadat’s home were one of those very rare opportunities that I really appreciated.

 

I found the people everywhere to be really friendly and gentle, really. From my perspective, with Dr. Hawass and Madam Sadat giving us as much of themselves as they did… that’s not something that can last forever. People need to do it while they can because it’s a remarkable opportunity.

Maria L., MI, USA



The tour far exceeded my expectations. It was really well done in the sense that we wanted to take our time and didn’t want to be rushed. Most of the times when you take tours, they give you five minutes here, ten minutes there, they hurry you up to the bus and you don’t have time for pictures. My husband and I like to take pictures and we take time to take pictures because you have to get the right view and composition. It takes time and with Archaeological Paths we always had time.

 

The sites that we saw were really beyond our expectations. We didn’t know about 90 percent of the places we went to. We’ve been to Egypt before but that was a rushed job. We rushed from place to place and we didn’t really get to see the pyramids because they rushed us through that. We went down into the pyramid with thousands of people, inching down, and when we got to the bottom there was nothing. Then, we had to climb back up and it seemed like such a waste of time, whereas with Archaeological Paths, the places we saw were valuable and beautiful. Places that you can only see in books.

 

Dr. Hawass was really nice to come out and lead us. He had so much information to give. We knew about him and that attracted us to Archaeological Paths. He’s just a wealth of information.

 

Egypt is safe. It’s a wonderful country. The Egyptians that we met were so pleasant. They were smiling, they were welcoming. There was never any question about safety.

Sheena D., UT, USA



Patricia Welsh, CA, USA

The tour was wonderful. I could never see all those sites on my own. Archaeological Paths just does it all for you effortlessly. They take you to the places most people cannot go to. We woke up one morning, went to the Great Pyramid and went down to the King’s chamber. It was fabulous.

 

You see pictures of Egypt all the time, but it is nothing like being there and experiencing it. Pictures can’t even describe it. It was fabulous.

 

Dr. Hawass is like a God, an Egyptian God. He has done more for Egyptian archaeology than any person on this planet. He’s done a wealth of work. He promotes and preserves. He’s done wonderful work.

 

Dr. Mostafa Waziri was great. I am so glad that the person who will take Dr. Hawass’ place is going to be young and have that energy. He’s very personable and you can tell he is very, very dedicated. It is good to know that Egyptian archaeology will be in good hands in the future.

Brenda O., ME, USA



This tour was so much more than I’d expected. Egypt was on our bucket list and the tour lived up to our expectations and more. The tour leaders and guides were fabulous. We got into the tombs and places nobody else goes. We got there before anybody else. It was a fabulous trip.

 

I felt totally safe in Archaeological Paths’ hands and never felt I was in danger.

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass is the face and voice of Egyptology and to have an opportunity to see him in person, right between the paws of the Sphinx was just incredible.

 

I saw other groups go their own way and their tour was so much more limited. Ours was so rich and deep. We learned so much from our guide, Yasser. He could have a PhD and be a professor. You cannot get that anywhere else.

 

I’ve been on many tours around the world – China, Europe, Africa – and this was the most thorough, complete and warm-hearted reception I’ve ever had.

Thomas W., NJ, USA



The tour was wonderful. Archaeological Paths did a great job at giving us what we needed and showing us many, many monuments. I don’t think there is any other way you can come to Egypt for two weeks and see as many things as we saw, as in depth, and with the professionalism of Dr. Zahi Hawass.

 

The weather was great. Security was awesome. Egyptians are the most fabulous and happy people and I am really proud to have been there.

 

At the beginning I wasn’t really sure what to expect but the experience was awesome. All the people that we had the chance to meet there were very nice. We had the chance to shop and sightsee. Everything that I had imagined was going to happen actually happened. I am just grateful to have been there.

 

Jihan, our tour leader, has the perfect combination of being awesomely educated with all the information she shared with us, even more so than we were looking for. She also has the right temperament and personality because that job is not easy to do. The combination of the team doing this tour has to be right people at the right moment and time. And this company has this combination.

James and Donna R., IN, USA



This was the best tour I’ve ever been on! Nefertari’s tomb was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. It was like a Hollywood set. The tour guide was the best I’ve ever had. We had thought the tour may be a little bit expensive, but it was worth everything. We fell in love with everything. I recommend everybody to come to Egypt with Archaeological Paths.

Harry P., IL, USA



The trip was fantastic. My father-in-law who is 92 is the one that was instrumental in wanting to go. And it was my husband, my brother, my father-in-law and I that came. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime. I do honestly believe that the price we paid for what you get back – the accommodation, the sightseeing, the organizational part of the trip – is a great value.

 

Our friends and family were not happy we were coming there but there was really no problem with safety. There were a lot of police around. But even if you take the police away, it felt very safe walking in the streets, at the hotel, and touring around.

 

It was interesting meeting Dr. Hawass. He acts and looks just like does on TV and videos. I watched a lot of videos previously, so I knew what to expect. He is so passionate about his life’s work. You can’t help it but pick up all this positive energy and excitement. He is very detailed, willing to answer anyone’s question in the group. You’d think he is speaking to you personally. I really enjoyed meeting him.

 

The Mena House was wonderful and intricate. We were able to see Churchill’s room, his balcony, his bedroom, his bathroom, places where he put his cloths and signed his documents. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was beautiful. Every morning you see the pyramids. It’s unbelievable.

 

Our boat was delightful. I had never been on a boat to do a cruise. It was so comfortable. The rooms were spacious, I did not expect the room that big. I thought it would be half a size. The food, the service…. Everybody was so happy to help.

Linda F., MT, USA



We travelled many, many times and this was probably the best tour we’ve ever had. We were looking at some other tours and, believe me, it makes a real difference coming to Egypt with a real, extraordinary tour. It makes all the difference in the world.

 

To be honest, at first, I was worried about safety, but I had zero fear once I arrived. I found Egyptian people to be so friendly and warm. That was a really pleasant thing for me.

 

This was the tour of a lifetime for us.

Lisa B., NJ, USA



The tour greatly exceeded our expectations. The opportunity to meet Dr. Zahi Hawass, Madam Sadat and to go to venues that are not open to the public was thrilling.

 

I felt very safe in Egypt. I didn’t have any issues. I wasn’t approached by people in the streets. It felt very comfortable. We’ve travelled quite a bit, and this was the safest you could possibly imagine.

Nancy and Peter R., AZ, USA



I enjoyed the tour. I’d been looking forward to coming to Egypt since I was in high school which was a long time ago.

 

Having a tour guide who can explain, read the hieroglyphics for you, gives you the details and is very patient with the questions was quite amazing.

 

The other thing that was fantastic was having access to things that ordinary tourists do not get. Instead of 15 minutes here or an hour there, we had two or three hours and lots of options.

 

I’ve been watching Dr. Hawass on television, on Discovery channels for years. And that was what attracted me when I saw the ad in a magazine. I was familiar with his history as the director of antiquities and his work as an active archaeologist. Having him tell us about active excavations and upcoming things was invaluable. The access that we got to Dr. Hawass and through Dr. Hawass was another highlight. Absolutely amazing.

 

I felt safe in Egypt. I knew I wasn’t going to come there by myself but with a tour. We were protected. We had escort at times. The tour leader knew what was going on and was very aware of our safety.

 

I really do recommend this as a tour to go to because of this special access that you get, the special sites that you see, the way you’re taken care of.

Deborah S., NY, USA



The tour in almost every respect exceeded the expectations that we had. Visiting the Luxor Temple privately at night was one of the luckiest days of our lives.

 

Egyptians were really friendly. We had extremely positive contacts with the Egyptians we run into. We felt completely safe and never felt threatened in any way.

 

Jihan has such an amazing store of knowledge and she loves to share it. She was an amazing tour guide.

Alan and Patricia S., VA, USA



The tour met and even exceeded my expectations. I felt very comfortable with Archaeological Paths all the time. I was more than warmly welcomed. I will recommend Archaeological Paths to my friends.

 

The staff on the cruise ship and Archaeological Paths’ were just fabulous. They were very personal and very, very fun. Everyone was so helpful. It was more than I expected it to be. I wish I had done it sooner. This was really a fabulous adventure.

Robert C., FL, USA



My main reason for joining this tour was Dr. Hawass. I’ve seen him on television and followed him for many years. When I saw he was behind this tour, I thought that it was something that I’d like to participate in.

 

The food on the boat was like at a super-restaurant, first class. The cruise ship was really up-to-date and brand new. Everything was 5-star quality.

 

The sites and monuments were much more overwhelming that when you just see the picture of it. It is so large, so much decoration and so much history. It’s overwhelming. I didn’t see anything that would lead me to believe there was a problem with safety.

 

The tour was magnificent. I was really impressed.

Bryan F., MD, USA



We started in Cairo and then did Saqqara and we went all over the place from there. We went to Luxor, Abu Simbel, the Great Pyramid, Nefertari’s temple. We visited million places. I have tickets from everywhere. I can’t believe I went to all these places – the Coptic temple, the Coptic churches, a temple where they believe Moses was found on a river Nile, and the Egyptian library.

 

I think the organization by Archaeological Paths was very well done. The staff was incredible and very knowledgeable, very hands-on, always there when we needed them. They really took great care of us.

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass was fantastic. He’s just like he is on one of his programs and specials he has. He is very knowledgeable, and It was a lot of fun.

 

I didn’t have a problem with safety a lot. We had police with us at all times. We had security on our bus and behind us, but I didn’t feel like we needed it.

Leslie M., NY, USA



The whole trip was a highlight. We went all over. We went to Abu Simbel, Luxor, the Great Pyramids…. Egypt was magnificent. The people were wonderful, friendly, helpful. The staff was unbeatable.

 

I studied the Egyptian history and now I got to see it.

 

There was a lot of police around. They were very protective. The security was tight but not restrictive in the sense that it doesn’t make you feel like you are being watched or harassed. I didn’t feel any anxiety going through Egypt at all.

Sarah G., KS, USA



Dr. Hawass was leading the tour and with his knowledge and personality it was a fun trip. As Omar Sharif said: “He is the most famous actor in Egypt.”

 

Egyptians were very friendly. We saw no signs of any problems. It was very safe and the people were very helpful and welcoming. They all tried to speak English.

 

Our Egyptian, female tour guide was very knowledgeable, very helpful and answered all the questions. The Archaeological Paths’ staff was solving any little problem that had arisen. We were very pleased.

 

It is very different to see the wonders of Egypt in real life than on the photograph. It’s almost impossible to describe the difference between looking at the flat photograph and seeing the actual places.

Virginia and Lawrence B., MI, USA



The tour definitely far exceeded my expectations. I could not have imagined how much we have seen. I had expected to see a lot, but this tour exceeded my expectations. We saw so much and so many unbelievable things. I was speechless so many times. I would highly recommend the tour to anybody because the things you get to see with Archaeological Paths are amazing and wonderful.

 

I felt very, very safe in Egypt. Even when we went to the Cairo market and there were thousands of people it felt very safe.

Mary P., KY, USA



The tour was wonderful. Everything was easy and good. No problem getting around. The sites were just wonderful. Fantastic. You just can’t imagine…

 

The tour itinerary was wonderful and it also offered an opportunity to meet Dr. Hawass. He is very knowledgeable. He’s spent a lot of time trying to bring information to the public that normally wouldn’t have gotten to them.

 

I felt safe in Egypt and didn’t feel threatened in any way. The people were very nice; they were nothing but polite. I didn’t feel like my safety was at risk. The company does very good job of making sure that everything is in line and getting everybody where they need to go as well as making it safe and comfortable. I don’t really see a reason why people should be worried about coming to the Nile area. It’s a tourists corridor and this country relies on its tourism. They are modern and have all the modern conveniences. It’s like being in any other country anywhere, except they speak a different language. It’s a very interesting place.

Marry Ann L., MS, USA



I found an advertisement of this tour in the Discovery magazine and then I went to the website. I saw there all the things we would get to do – go into the Pyramids, stand between the paws of the Sphinx, get personal tours from Dr. Hawass. It seemed like the chance of a lifetime, so I signed up early.

 

I think Dr. Hawass has done a fantastic job for archaeology in Egypt. I don’t think that tourism or the state of preservation of the sites would be nearly as good or impressive without the effort he’s put in over the past decades.

 

Egypt is a beautiful place. The people are incredibly friendly. I was welcomed everywhere I went. I didn’t feel unsafe anywhere we went. I really enjoyed my time there.

 

One of my favorite days was when we went into the pyramids and up to the Sphinx. I was looking forward to that the entire year I’d been planning this trip. That was a dream of a lifetime for me. I loved going into the Great Pyramid.

 

Archaeological Paths took a great care of us. I had to stop eating because they fed me three meals a day, held our hands and took us everywhere. I didn’t even have a schedule with me because I knew they were going to give ma a wake-up call, take me somewhere really cool, bring me back and feed me, take me somewhere else interesting and we were going to enjoy the evening. Archaeological Paths did a fantastic job.

Anthony G., LA, USA



I loved the tour, its itinerary and getting to see some of the tombs that are closed to the public. I’ve followed Dr. Zahi Hawass for years on his TV shows and read his books. The opportunity to learn from him was too compelling not to do it. The lectures with him were wonderful. We had more contact with him, more ability to ask questions and have interaction than we’d expected. He is an amazing guy and I give him a lot of credit for rebuilding his life really because he had had some tough times. I loved his passion about the history of Egypt. After reading his books and seeing him on television, it was great to actually get to talk to him.

 

The Nile cruise was wonderful. The countryside of Egypt is so beautiful. It gives you the feeling what Egypt looked like centuries ago. I found that aspect very interesting, seeing how people lived near the river and how the used the water.

 

Archaeological Paths did an excellent job at providing safety. My children were worried about it, but I told them not to worry. I had no concerns. The company’s staff was extremely helpful and they answered all our questions and made the trip very easy.

Gayle B., KY, USA



Going to Egypt was always something that I wanted to do, and I never thought I would actualy do. Being in there with Archaeological Paths was so awesome; a dream come true.

 

Coming to Egypt, I didn’t really know much about Dr. Zahi Hawass, but I enjoyed his talks very much. I learned a lot about politics in another country as we Americans, have a very narrow view about the world. He was wonderful because he tells stories in a way that engage you and make you want to know more. And he gives you the stories in a very natural way as opposed to us sitting in a classroom and having to learn something to pass a test. It was very enjoyable.

 

I didn’t know what to expect but I felt very welcomed by the Egyptian people. It’s interesting that they all wanted to take selfies with us. If I was charging a dollar for every picture someone took of me, I’d pay for the trip. I didn’t find the hostility I was expecting, and I was very happy to see that. It gave me a whole different outlook on this part of the world.

 

The trip was perfect and I can’t think of anything that wasn’t wonderful – the food, the room, the staff were wonderful. It was just amazing.

Dorothy T., NY, USA



The tour exceeded my expectations. It was absolutely wonderful. Archaeological Paths did exceptionally wonderful job in terms of organizing this trip and giving us an opportunity to meet with Dr. Hawass as well as to visit sites that we would otherwise never have been able to see if we hadn’t been on this particular trip with this particular company. I can’t say enough as to this extraordinary experience we had. I can honestly tell you we’ve been all over the world and experience of going into the Great Pyramid and going to Nefertari’s tomb are probably two coolest things I’ve ever done in my life.

 

Dr. Hawass comes across as being very well-trained and exceedingly experienced. He is perhaps the world’s greatest Egyptologist today. He’s gracious, very pleasant and he was imparting an exceptional knowledge throughout this trip to us. I think that was a marvelous experience to be with Archaeological Paths and to be with Dr. Hawass. Egypt is a marvelous country. The people are very friendly. Egypt is safe. It’s a place people should come visit.

Mark H., OR, USA



The thing about this tour that sold us was that Archaeological Paths exposes you more to ancient Egypt than any of the other tours we were able to find. Once we found out that Dr. Zahi Hawass was part of the tour, that sealed the deal. We were sold. We booked it on the next day.

 

All the rumors, because that’s what they are, of an unrest in the country… We didn’t see any evidence of that. People in Cairo, Luxor, everywhere were very, very kind and friendly. It was very safe.

 

It’s amazing how much we were offered to eat – we could choose between beef, chicken, fish, vegetables, fruits, desserts. You name it, you have it. It was very good.

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass is the most interesting character. There is probably no one like him in Egyptian archaeology. With the person, reputation and status of Dr. Hawass, I am sure he will only associate himself with a company that is first class.

 

Mohamed, our tour guide, was a breath of fresh air. He is extremely knowledgeable, very enthusiastic about ancient Egypt and the country in general. We thoroughly enjoyed having him as our guide.

 

Come to Egypt through Archaeological Paths! You won’t regret it. It’s wonderful!

Frank and Stacey L., KS, USA



We heard the lecture by Dr. Hawass in San Diego and we thought we had to do the Royal Egypt Tour. He would have so much knowledge to pass on to us that we couldn’t resist it. He is so knowledgeable. He gives you information about things you don’t get from other people – things he’s done, places he’s been. It was just amazing.

 

We felt no problems at all. It was perfectly safe and I felt comfortable all the time. Everywhere you looked people were smiling and talking to us, more so than I’d been expecting. You sit on the bus and they wave at you. It was like they were saying: ‘Welcome, we are glad you came.’

 

I noticed one of the other tours and I was reading what they were doing compared to us and much of what we did as a routine was an optional thing for them, so they could’ve easily missed those wonderful places. Our trip was so well-planned out in every little detail. I think we were given as much as we possibly could be.

 

One word of advice: lose weight before you come to Egypt because you are going to eat a lot. The food is excellent.

Sandra and Judith B., WA, USA



My husband and I saw an advertisement of this tour in a magazine. My husband has watched Dr. Hawass on the History and Discovery channels for years and as soon as we found out that he was on the tour it was a no-brainer.

 

The tour was more than we could have ever expected. Standing in front of the Sphinx and just being there was totally awesome.

 

Our tour guide and tour leader were the best. Jihan is very informative and Suat is great at picking up things. They were both great. I was given more information about Egypt that I could ever possibly sink in.

 

As for safety, I didn’t feel threatened. There were police everywhere, so it was safe.

Elizabeth C., CO, USA



I enjoyed every bit of the tour. Highlights? So many things that is hard to narrow it down. But if I’d have to say it would free time with no other tourists at the Great Pyramid, Luxor at night all by ourselves and the tomb of Nefertari at the Valley of the Queens…

Floating down the Nile and taking in the scenery from the shore is a highlight for anybody.

 

Dr. Hawass has an incredible amount of knowledge. As for the Archaeological Paths’ staff, I don’t have words superlative enough for them. I learned so much. We had a wonderful experience with our group.

 

I felt totally safe during the tour. I didn’t have one apprehension. The security was great. Egyptian people are the most welcoming of any country I’ve visited. Nothing disappointed me. The tour was far beyond my expectations.

Emma A., OH, USA



The tour was unbelievable. Every day was packed with things we were going to see and do and there was never a dull moment. Archaeological Paths always took us somewhere remarkable and there were those extra places that ordinary tourists cannot go and see. We were able to do that and that’s what made this tour remarkable.

 

Dr. Hawass was so generous with his time. My husband was so surprised how much he gave to us – getting up so early in the morning, or late in the evening to meet us at the monuments, and to give incredible discussion and description of what we were seeing. It was very surprising. We hadn’t expected it and it was really fantastic.

 

We felt completely safe in Egypt. The security was wonderful. There were guards everywhere. They were checking everywhere to make sure nothing happens and keep tourists very safe. We didn’t feel any problems at all.

 

I really recommend this tour. It was really unbelievable. Come to Egypt! This is really the tour of a lifetime. Come with Archaeological Paths because you’re not going to believe what you’re going to see! Every day is a WOW. Amazing!

Mary A., KS, USA



When I think about the difference between the Royal Egypt Tour and a trip I did in 1984, with Archaeological Paths it was so much more in depth. We actually learned about the places we visited. We went inside tombs and had personal contact with people who have done the discoveries. It was a totally different experience.

 

The meetings with Dr. Zahi Hawass were fascinating. To think that he has done all this research personally… Being able to hear from him directly was certainly a wonderful advantage.

Elene H., CO, USA



Howard P., AZ, USA

This was my second trip to Egypt. This one, however, was much, much informative, with the presence of Dr. Zahi Hawass and Ms. Jehan Sadat. I’ve seen Dr. Hawass so many times on TV. To see him in person was complementary to my experience. Having the exclusive opportunity to visit what we did was just exceptional, too.

 

I have a friend at the university in Detroit, who is from Egypt. I consulted with him before I decided to sign up for the tour and he made it very clear, just like Archaeological Paths did, that Egypt is safe and they go out of their way to make sure it’s safe. And that’s exactly what I saw.

Howard P., AZ, USA



Jimmy M., AZ, USA

We found out about the tour from a friend of mine who had read about it in Scientific American. Egypt is a really safe country, full of kind, warm, beautiful people. Food was great. It’s a place that everybody interested in the ancient world has to visit.

 

Safety was not an issue. The meetings and lectures with Dr. Hawass were certainly one of the highlights of the trip. We learned a lot. He spoke for about 30 minutes straight. You can pick up a lot of valuable information that you could never hear at the university.

Jimmy M., AZ, USA



The tour was simply amazing. Seeing all the temples and the pyramids was amazing experience.

 

Archaeological Paths made the tour so safe and so comfortable for us. The people were so nice. I had no issue with safety in Egypt. We just couldn’t be treated better or nicer. It was outstanding.

 

Our tour guide, Jihan, is a fountain of knowledge. It just rolls out of her. To be at the Sphinx by ourselves listening to Dr. Zahi Hawass talk was just outstanding. One hell of a trip!

Nancy M., AL, USA



The Royal Egypt Tour was a trip of a lifetime and I recommend it to everyone. I really appreciate that Dr. Hawass made himself available to us. He is very knowledgeable. Meeting with him was a great opportunity.

 

I learned a lot about Egypt. The artifacts they left… Everything is bigger and heavier than I thought it was going to be. How this was all done is just shocking to me.

 

Egypt is safe. The alarm going off in the United States is very overstated. We tend to take one or two incidents and blow them up into something that’s happening country wide. If we were just a little bit introspective, we’d see that the same thing is happening in our country.

 

The guides were excellent. I also believe that the choice of location the company has picked pretty much represented the Egyptian history the way it should be represented.

 

I would recommend this trip to anyone. I was so pleased with it as it pretty much covered everything that I wanted to see.

Mark M., NY, USA



Rod H., IL, USA

I’ve always been a fan of archeology of Egypt and I subscribe to couple different magazines. There are millions of ads in there, so I came across the one with Dr. Zahi Hawass. It instantly stood out. I’ve seen him million times on TV. He is the most famous archaeologist in the world. I read the advertisement and figured that if he was associated with this tour it was something that I would want to experience.

 

I felt safe in Egypt everywhere I went. I would come back there in a heartbeat based on this experience that I had.

 

Jihan, out tour guide, was spectacular. I had lots of tour guides in lots of different countries, but her knowledge is phenomenal. She made exciting every little intricacy of every little temple, every little drawing, every little mound of dirt or every little rock I saw on the ground. I learned so much. I really look forward to part II and part III – once Archaeological Paths offer those, I’d like to come back and get even more information on Egypt.

Rod H., IL, USA



I loved the tour. You can go and walk at nighttime and it’s OK, nothing is going to happen to you. I was really happy with everything. I cannot complain about anything. It was perfect. The tour was incredible. The food was incredible. The tour guides were awesome; you will learn a lot.

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass was perfect. He knows everything and it’s incredible to have the opportunity to be with him and get to know him as well as see the research they’re doing. For me, that is incredible. We went to some sites that one just can’t go to. Incredible!

 

I enjoyed everything. I encourage everyone to go and see Egypt. It’s awesome!

Louise T., CA, USA



Ralph M., MA, USA

I saw an advertisement of this tour in a magazine. Lots of people advertise the tours to Egypt but when I saw Dr. Hawass, I thought that was the tour I wanted to go on.

 

The food was pretty good, the hotel we stayed in was nice and, the bus was comfortable. Everywhere we went to, we had guards with us. We had someone in the bus or in the hotel, so we were always watched and protected. We were never approached by anybody who we would have to worry about either.

 

Dr. Mostafa Waziri took us on his own personal tour and we got to see things no one had seen and that haven’t been announced yet, so it was a wonderful opportunity.

Ralph M., MA, USA



I had wanted to come to Egypt most of my life, so I researched many trips online to see which ones went where. I wanted to go and this one just outshone all of them as far as what was available and what you saw. It wasn’t flying to just two or three major sites. It had all that I wanted to see so I was very pleased with it.

 

I felt completely safe the whole time. I felt we had wonderful security watching out for us. I think that, because they want tourists to come and see their country, that’s why it is so safe. I did not feel one bit unsafe the whole time I was there.

 

The tour guides were wonderful, and we had several of them at any given time with us. They were all so helpful, very informed and well-read.

Barbara A., TX, USA



I’d wanted to go to Egypt my whole life and when I found out about the tour in a magazine, I thought that was it. I’ve been big fan of Dr. Zahi Hawass, so when he put on the tour, I thought I had to do it. It’s once-in-a-lifetime.

 

I’m a single woman, 70-year-old, and I felt very safe. The country seems to be very safe, they’re very protective. Every time I stepped down a step, I tripped once and now, one of the tour guides would have his arm up for me to help me. They took very good care of us. I never thought about any problems with safety there.

 

I had bought Dr. Hawass’ book and he signed it. Then, he invited me to sit next to him at dinner, which was very exciting. I didn’t realize he was still finding things. He was telling us what he was doing now and what they were finding yesterday. It was really exciting.

Elizabeth M., UT, USA



The tour was great. The safety in Egypt was excellent. We had guards and people around and we felt very safe and everyone was really friendly. We felt wanted there. The places that we went to and the hotels were wonderful.

Tracey G., KY, USA



Judith W., NY, USA

I found out about the tour because I subscribe to National Geographic History. On the back cover, there was the trip to Egypt, and it was on the top of my bucket list.

 

I am 70 years old I was enjoying my time in Egypt as a 70-year-old. I learned so much about Egypt. The weather was fantastic, the people were kind and the sites were amazing. I learned about the obelisks, the pyramids, the pharaohs. I saw beautiful, colored paintings. There was just so much but, mostly, the people were wonderful.

 

The most wonderful people were tour guides. Suat was wonderful. I lost my wallet in one place and he run like crazy to go and get it for me. Jihan is so informed, so brilliant and full of all sorts of information about Egypt. I don’t know how she does it. She’s awesome. Lucas is great, too, as a photographer.

 

Safety in Egypt? We were very, very safe. Archaeological Paths made sure we were safe. We always had police escort and police around. I didn’t feel threatened in any way. I was not afraid at all.

 

I will tell you, Dr. Hawass is a man that lives and dies for Egypt. He’s trying to promote it because it’s a beautiful country that he loves. He’s made many discoveries. He shared all his enthusiasm with us, and I appreciate so much that he took the time out to see us.

Judith W., NY, USA



Sonia C., CA, USA

Archaeological Paths’ tour was a dream come true. We never ever do tours, never. But to come to Egypt I just felt that it was important to be guided, especially when it comes to pyramids. Our tour guide, Ahmed, was amazing. When I saw that Dr. Hawass would be leading some of the tours, I signed up straight away. I said that I would do the tour and I would get on the bus with strangers! And many of them have become my friends.

 

My thoughts about safety before the tour was that it was not safe. I was very worried as was my family. Now I am completely surprised and amazed because it is very, very safe. I felt very comfortable in Egypt all the time.

Sonia C., CA, USA



This was my third trip to Egypt, but honestly, coming with Archaeological Paths was like my first time because I saw Egypt through different eyes than I did before. The tour was just amazing and very safe. Egypt is probably safer than where we live and I would advise anyone to come to Egypt.

 

Jihan, our tour guide, was amazing. She is full of knowledge and history. She answered every question we had. She was accessible 24/7. She is an amazing woman and archaeologist. I feel privileged that we had her as our guide.

 

The highlight of this trip was to be a part of Egypt through Dr. Hawass. His lectures, meetings with us, special archaeological places were top of the list as far as travel goes. I was really impressed.

Charles and Stacey F., NY, USA



John E., MN, USA

I found out about the tour from a magazine. It looked very interesting. It’d always been a dream of a lifetime for me to go to Egypt and the tour seemed to have everything that I wanted to be able to see.

 

I studied a fair amount about Egypt before. What I also learned on this tour didn’t concern only the pharaohs and the nobles but also how the common people lived, what it took to actually create some of the work that’s been done in terms of the statues, paintings and even how the pyramids were built.

 

Jihan, our tour leader, was fantastic. She is so knowledgeable. If you ask her any question, she knows all about it. She is like a walking encyclopedia.

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass met my expectations. I know he is very famous archaeologist, if not the most famous one in the world today. He is incredibly knowledgeable, and I really enjoyed listening to his talks.

John E., MN, USA



I found information about the Royal Egypt Tour in a travel magazine I get. The picture of Dr. Zahi Hawass was there so I immediately started looking at it and said to my husband that it was the time to go to Egypt. And we are glad we did.

 

Jihan, our tour guide, was phenomenal. We called her ‘a little angel’ because she is so tiny, but her knowledge is just spectacular. It’s beyond everything we could’ve imagined. She was just really wonderful. She is a professional person. She is the best, she really is.

 

We never had any problems regarding safety. We were warned a little bit, but I was not concerned.

 

Dr. Hawass’ passion is right there and his knowledge is spectacular. It was interesting. We enjoyed being with him.

Philip and Riley P., WY, USA



Sharlie B., CA, USA

I found out about Archaeological Paths online. A co-worker and I wanted to see Egypt. I found this tour, saw Dr. Hawass and it was the one we had to do.

 

Safety was definitely one of the questions I had before I came because I didn’t think I’d ever be able to see Egypt in my lifetime. You hear all the stereotypes and how it’s not safe. I am so glad I came, though. There wasn’t one time when I didn’t feel safe or felt like anything was going to happen to me. The tour staff took a care of us but even when I went out without them I didn’t feel like at was at danger at all. In fact, people in Egypt were so nice and hospitable. They are a lot nicer than the ones in the United States.

 

Yasser, the tour guide, gave us a lot of information, similarly to Dr. Hawass. I wish I could retain it all. He’s definitely very knowledgeable and always had a good attitude. He also makes you excited to learn about everything. He was great.

 

Dr. Hawass is definitely a character, very charismatic. He’s got a lot of knowledge. He’s obviously very well-respected and definitely a sight to behold in person. He’s great.

Sharlie B., CA, USA



I found out about the tour through my friend and when she told me about, I did my research, watched the Discovery channel, went on the internet and followed Dr. Zahi Hawass. I was so impressed that I told her I would love to come on this tour with her.

 

I felt very comfortable during the tour. I will tell you; I’ve been throughout Europe and many countries and I had never been to this side of the world so I was a little anxious. But once I got there, a calm came over me and I was just excited. It was beautiful. I never thought I would go inside the pyramid and experience what I experienced. I was very impressed by all of the lithographs and beautiful colors that we were seeing in the tombs.

 

I loved Jihan, our tour guide. She is very easy to talk to. No matter what you ask her, she knows how to come back with a beautiful answer. Plus, if she doesn’t know something, she will tell you about it a little bit later on after she’s done her research. She also shared a little bit about her life in Egypt.

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass is funny and very knowledgeable. The artifacts we saw and which he excavated were amazing. I was so impressed.

Pamela R., NY, USA



David S., London, UK

The tour was great. I was really struck just by the beauty of the archaeology. The pyramids were amazing, but for me, the Valley of the Kings was stunning; just the artwork and the scale of it.

 

Our tour guide was Jihan and she was amazing. She is very knowledgeable and never stopped talking. She was happy to go off script and answer questions we had and she is just so enthusiastic it’s infectious.

 

I wasn’t aware about any issues around safety. I wasn’t nervous that we constantly had the police and security guards with us. If anyone thinks of coming, don’t worry about it.

 

I was very impressed with Dr. Zahi Hawass. He is a brilliant speaker, very charismatic. He always starts with a funny opening line about aliens. He spoke for an hour and we didn’t notice the time. It was great.

David S., London, UK



It was a very, very special tour. We found out about it on the Internet and then we had to do a lot of research to make sure that Archaeological Paths was really a great company and they were indeed. Safety was our big concern, but the company took extra precautions to make sure that everybody felt very safe. We did not have a minute we could feel unsafe. We felt welcomed by all the Egyptian people. They were warm and friendly, and we never felt threatened.

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass was really interesting and made the Ancient Egypt really come to life. He was really special, and we are so happy we came because we really got to see not only the famous old Egyptian people like the pharaohs but also the everyday people.

 

I have been to Egypt many, many times. I think it was my fifth trip. I have never seen so much or done so much. It is the best trip ever, ever, ever, so you should all come now because later it can be crowded.

Gloria and Richard S., NC, USA



Roger T. and Carie G., UT, USA

We were searching for a way to come back to Egypt for three or four years. We had a friend that brought us a magazine that advertised Archaeological Paths. When we read it, we decided that it was the tour we wanted. We checked other tours, they’re great, no argument, but this is the tour that had the access to sites closed to the public, the timing, everything. It was just perfect for us.

 

I felt perfectly safe during the tour. There were no problems and no issues whatsoever. There’s no argument that some of the younger generations get nervous around weaponry. I am ex-military and I couldn’t have been more comfortable knowing that the good guys are armed.

 

Yasser, our tour leader, was very knowledgeable. I was getting holes of my information filled in by him. He was answering questions I had wondered about. We were having wonderful conversations. He is very scholarly and you’re getting correct information. I even found something in one of the magazines about Egypt that I thought was a discrepancy and I took to him and he said we would straight this out. He told me exactly what it was. To have somebody that knowledgeable is just a gift and he was a gift.

Roger T. and Carie G., UT, USA



Sylvie Marie C., TX, USA

It was the time of my life. I felt safer in Egypt than I feel at home in the United States. I learned a whole lot and it was wonderful, I think everybody was wonderful. If we had any kind of problem, they fixed it for us. Archaeological Paths’ staff were extremely nice. They took care about everybody.

 

Actually, I am thinking about signing up for the Egypt 2 Undiscover tour because of how amazingly well the tour was organized.

Sylvie Marie C., TX, USA



John G., KY, USA

We heard about the Royal Egypt Tour in a travel agency where we live, in Kentucky. We read a little bit about it and decided to come to Egypt.

 

I think safety was the one of the most important things. We never felt in danger in any way as we had someone at hand at all time and we felt perfectly safe.

 

Our tour guide was excellent, very cooperative and Archaeological Paths did everything they could to make this trip as nice and comfortable as possible.

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass is very knowledgeable. He knows what he’s talking about and evidently, he has done so many great things for Egypt and for archaeology around the world.

John G., KY, USA



Lisa Ch., OH, USA

We watched everything with Dr. Zahi Hawass what appeared in the States. We do not answer phones when he is on TV. During the tour, he was larger than life and he was so accommodating, smiling and answering every question. He was just charming and to meet him in person was just unbelievable.

 

There were no problems in regard to safety. I know, people were worried when they heard that I was coming by myself. I wasn’t worried and my husband wasn’t worried. Archaeological Paths made sure that your safety is No. 1. There may be places where they wanted to send a security person with you but I think it was to put us at ease than anything else because we were walking through the bazaars and we were walking through the streets, we were getting on boats, there was never anything. I never felt unsafe. It never crossed my mind for the entire time during the tour so. As far as I am concerned, Egypt is much safer.

 

My tour guide was Mohamed. He gave so much more information that there was in the books. He gave us this little bits and pieces that many authors do not bother to write about in articles or put in a program about Egypt. You really got in-depth information and lots of stuff you cannot get anything else. Having on the tour a knowledgeable Egyptologist was really good as I found out at least a dozen more facts I did not know about before about each site we visited. I also liked question and answer sessions because they were not all just about questions, answers and sited we visited. A lot of questions that we had were just about every day Egyptian life, schooling, knowledge and religion, just everything about a daily life. Mohamed shared with us all the information especially on how the family unit worked, how children cared about older family members and others. That is how you cannot see any homeless people in Egypt unlike in America. We got to know more about Egypt present day as well as Egyptian past. It was all encompassing.

Lisa Ch., OH, USA



Diana Lynn D., NM, USA

I was searching for Egypt trips and saw the Archaeological Paths website. I looked into it a little bit and visited the Facebook page, got really excited and signed up. I loved our tour guide Sherif. He is full of information. He told us how Egypt created everything what we have in civilization. He was an amazing, amazing person.

 

I felt extremely safe during the entire time in Egypt. I did not see anything what could give me any cause for concern to not come to Egypt. There is no reason to not come. I learnt that people were extremely nice.

 

I am the one who loves Dr. Hawass and it was an immense pleasure to meet him and having lectures with him was simply amazing.

Diana Lynn D., NM, USA



Neil T., VIC, Australia

The tour was extremely interesting, and I am glad we decided to go. It was more complicated and dedicated than I ever thought as Egyptians were more inventive and more ingenious than I ever thought.

 

It was not our first time in Egypt. It was our third. Each time we have seen the change and each time we have learned more. However, last time and thanks to our tour guide, Sherif, boy have we learnt! He was extremely instructive and extremely caring.

 

With the protection we had at all time not only on the bus we couldn’t be more secure.

 

The tour was something what I always dreamt about for a long time. It was very special.

Neil T., VIC, Australia



James & Jeanne B., AL, USA

We found out about the tour through an airline magazine on American Airlines flight to New Jersey and one of the reasons why we were interested in was that the dates coordinated very well with another trip we were taking. One of my highlights was seeing the pyramids. I studied them at college, when I was at university. The development of the Step Pyramid and the Great Pyramid as a structure engineering is very, very fascinating to me. When I took up my phone in one of the pyramids to check the level of the wall and it was perfect, perfectly vertical. The precision in which these buildings were constructed was just amazing especially when considering the tools that they had at that time.

 

I felt perfectly safe the entire time we were in Egypt. I came on a tour with a friend of mine who wondered why we had chosen to come to Egypt. I said that sometime with the way the things were in the world right now I was more worried that something could happen to me in the US than overseas.

 

I think the most dangerous part of our trip was driving from Alabama to Michigan to catch the flight. We noticed that anytime we were on the bus during the tour we had a security guard. He was very discreet, but he was well armed and there were several times when I noticed police cars around our bus. I did not know exactly what the security arrangements were, however, there were significant police presence and I felt very happy with the security arrangements.

 

Probably living in the United States with as much gun violence as we have, we probably have much more chance of getting sprayed with bullets in our own country.

 

Another thing even thought when the tour ended, we had one extra day to stay in Cairo and one of Dr. Hawass’ assistants recommended to take Uber and go to some places. That wouldn’t be recommended if there were any safety issues for us, so we felt very good.

 

We definitely will convince our friends to come. The fact that the tourism is down it’s actually been a great advantage, but the Egyptians people really need more Americans to come.

 

The tour was fascinating, and part of the reason is because despite the fact that so many people came on this trip is because of Dr. Zahi Hawass’ reputation and it was a highlight to have someone who has done so much research, archaeology and discovery in the country. All of that made this tour even more fascinating. Obviously, Dr. Hawass has very strong opinion about Egypt, Egypt’s right to its own antiquities and certainly the same opinion as we share. He has a real passion which is infectious. His lectures were very good, very informative featuring good photographs that explained the points. It did add the excitement when you realized that the discoveries are still going on even today.

James & Jeanne B., AL, USA



Ariel S., FL, USA

I saw the tour in the advertisement for the National Geographic. I studied a lot before I came to Egypt. It’s incredible that I could see everything in person. When you are in the Valley of the Kings, the detail and the colors are just amazing when you see them in person. That’s something that you don’t see in a book.

 

I felt very safe in Egypt. Obviously, there were various concerns given past history and revolutionary events. However, I have never felt unsafe during the entire tour. It was really nice. Our tour guide was Mohamed. He was great, telling us about history in a very interesting way. He was a great storyteller and very knowledgeable. In fact, he used to be a professor of the Cairo University.

 

The tour organization was great. You just float along, and they take care of everything for you, that was wonderful.

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass is incredibly charismatic man and had a lot of enthusiasm for Egypt. Everything what he said kind of sucked you in and you wanted to hear more stories about antient Egypt which was great.

Ariel S., FL, USA



Bonnie K., VT, USA

Seven years ago, I saw the National Geographic magazine. I saw the face of Dr. Zahi Hawass on the advertisement’s background. It sucked me in and I always wanted to go since then.

 

I felt safe. From the moment I was picked up at the airport, Archaeological Paths did the good job. They kept helping us with everything like going to the merchants and things like that and it felt safe.

 

Mohamed, our tour guide, was great. He was so funny, so interesting when he talked. He really tried to hit on things we asked him about. He felt out the group to see what our interests were.

 

I grew up watching Dr. Zahi Hawass on TV. He is so inspirational as he’s always been about the artefacts, conservation, preservation of the Egyptian heritage. He really reflects that when he talks to you because he wants you to understand how the history evolved and what you can do to help him out to preserve it.

Bonnie K., VT, USA



Paula B. & Karin F., LA, USA

I have been reading the Archaeology magazine for many years. I have seen many advertisements for trips to Egypt in it and all looked wonderful. However, the Royal Egypt Tour stood up. It was unusually well designed with scholars as well as wonderful places to go, so this one was the very first I took, and it was perfect.

 

The tour was a dream come true. When we saw a description of it there was simply no turning back. It was too marvelous on so many levels. Our tour guide was top notch, absolutely fabulous. He was not only funny and charming, but he also had a great knowledge on so many subjects, not only archaeology – the sociology, psychology, the religion, everything. I learnt an immense amount in just a couple of weeks.

 

We were so well taken care off. Accommodation was beautiful and food was fabulous, and we felt very, very well provided for and taken care off in everywhere. I am absolutely in love with Egypt and the Egyptians. We were treated with so much friendliness. Paula and I we were travelling on our own while we were there. Everybody was very helpful. We exchanged language courses with each other. They taught us Arabic, we taught English. It was charming. We felt completely wonderful in Egypt.

 

I felt completely safe. It was very, very safe. As I said, we traveled on our own, just two women. We met people who gave us directions, all of them were very helpful and it was extremely comfortable.  

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass is an incredibly wonderful educator. He is experienced in working in Egypt. He is a strong personality and that makes him a compelling figure and a delight to listen to.

Paula B. & Karin F., LA, USA



The tour was wonderful We met with Ms. Sadat in her presidential residence which was spectacular. She was a very gracious and charming lady. Other big highlights were meetings with Dr. Zahi Hawass and visits to the Pyramids at Giza and the Sphinx.

 

Also, it is just unbelievable what a source of information our tour guide, Ahmed is. I tell everybody: you definitely want to have Ahmed as your tour guide! If there is something he doesn’t know, you don’t need to know it. He is very knowledgeable and easy to understand. He keeps explaining something until you understand it.

 

Safety was fantastic. We had security everywhere we went. We never felt threatened in any way. We probably felt safer there than in many places in the States.

 

To sum up, everything was taken care of for us by Archaeological Paths. With them you don’t have to worry about anything.

Elizabeth and Mark N., IN, USA



The entire trip was unforgettable. Archaeological Paths did a marvelous job of coordinating everything, making sure that everything was on time and no time was wasted.

 

The sites we visited were just gorgeous – something that I thought I would only see in my dreams. It was fantastic.

 

Egypt has its own unique specialness about it. I cannot pick one site that is greater than another because they’re all unbelievable.

 

Ahmed, our tour leader, was like a walking encyclopedia. I even asked him when he’d realized he has a special gift of a photographic memory. The guy can rattle of the facts and figures literally for hours. It was unbelievable. This was as good as it could get.

 

There were absolutely no safety issues. It’s absolutely laughable when people are scared of going to Egypt. The safety there is as good as it gets. If you have any desire to see Egypt, do it!

Barbara and Robert B., FL, USA



The tour was a wonderful experience. The meetings with Dr. Zahi Hawass were very exciting. It’s like meeting someone that you have watched for years. I dreamt about an ideal vacation like this. This adventure was like a dream, where I could meet the Great Dr. Zahi Hawass and to experience Egypt through his eyes.

 

One of the greatest highlights of the tour had to be sitting at the Mena House, having a glass of wine and looking at the Great Pyramid and realizing that I was actually there. I still cannot believe that I was there witnessing this huge, beautiful monument that’s been standing for almost four thousand years. It was incredible.

Linda M., NC, USA



Margie Copeland O & John Robert O., CO, USA

I was in my dentist’s office in December last year reading the Archeology magazine when I discovered an ad for Archaeological Paths’ tour to Egypt. I became immediately interested and took it home to show it to my wife.

 

Our tour guide, Sheriff, was a model for tour guides anywhere. He had extensive background and was well spoken.

 

We felt very safe in Egypt, no concerns at all.

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass was an important part of our decision to visit Egypt with Archaeological Paths. I was privileged and honored as well as impressed with Dr. Hawass. It was a rare opportunity in one’s lifetime to meet a man of this status.

 

What I learnt was unbelievable. I can’t put it into words how amazing and fabulous this tour was.

Margie Copeland O & John Robert O., CO, USA



The tour was absolutely fantastic in every aspect, not only Egypt, but also in the way it was presented by Archaeological Paths.

 

Dr. Hawass was a deciding factor in our decision to come to Egypt. His enthusiasm, his persona and his presentation are just wonderful. He presents everything with a certain amount of humor and a lot of passion. It really comes through when he speaks about Egypt.

 

I felt extremely safe in Egypt. It’s safer than in many places in the US, that’s for sure. The warmth of the people we met, the staff at the hotels and restaurants, and Archaeological Paths’ staff makes you feel so welcomed, so wanted, appreciated and safe. I think the average Egyptian person would protect us under any circumstances. I would recommend this tour to everyone.

Louise and Philip G., TX, USA



Our tour guide was just outstanding. We had a Q&A session, we were there for three hours and the man was just unbelievable when it comes to the knowledge, the understanding of the country and the history. He was able to provide us with so much information. He was just terrific.

 

We saw Dr. Hawass and the man was unbelievable. He has so much knowledge and information. The things that he has accomplished are just outstanding.

 

The highlight was being able to go and see some of the restoration that was being done in the Luxor Temple. We had the opportunity to go and climb around on a scaffolding as well as take pictures. Because we were part of this tour, we were able to go to an area that the public probably won’t see for two or three more years.

 

We were totally pleased with the safety. We were out walking around in the bazaar and it was a lot of fun. People were welcoming us, asking us where we were from. We bought some souvenirs, too. All the areas we went to were great. I have to say they are working to protect – there are policemen that have weapons, but that’s for the protection of those particular tombs or temples. We weren’t uncomfortable at all.

Larry R., IN, USA



Chris R., CA, USA

The tour exceeded my expectations more than I could have ever thought. It was long two weeks and I feel like I know ancient Egypt more than I ever could’ve dreamed of. I’m blown away. It was beyond words.

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass was absolutely incredible. We had a chance to meet and talk with him. Getting into some of the private sites that are not open to the public was another highlight. The tour guides were incredible, so knowledgeable. Everything was so incredibly amazing and intense.

 

Everybody, my friends and my family, were warning me not to go to Egypt because it was unsafe. I cannot get over how incredibly wrong they were. It’s a wonderful country. The people were wonderful, kind and incredible. I never felt at ease in the slightest. It was incredibly safe and wonderful.

 

I loved the tour.

Chris R., CA, USA



Destry R., CA, USA

I decided to go to Egypt not knowing how incredible the Royal Egypt Tour would be. Having an opportunity to meet Dr. Hawass, the former First Lady of Egypt, Ms. Sadat was amazing. Every visit to the ancient sites was special, too.

 

Ahmed, who has 23-year experience of working as a tour guide, was very knowledgeable and warm. You could ask him anything. He was very patient with us, too. I want everyone to enjoy Egypt as I did. I honestly never thought I would ever do all the adventures I did in my life.

 

I never felt unsafe. I loved the Egyptian people. They were warm and kind. The children are absolutely beautiful. The people there just opened their arms and hearts to us. I never felt any threat from any man, any woman, or anyone whatsoever. Egypt is safe. Go to Egypt! Please, go to Egypt! Believe me, you will love the experience.

 

I will recommend this tour to every one of my friends. They travel a lot and I know they would love and recognize that this is the best trip they probably have ever taken in their life.

Destry R., CA, USA



I‘ve first heard about Archaeological Paths through my sister-in-law. She told me she had been looking at this tour and she had been fascinated with that fact that Dr. Zahi Hawass would be a part of it. We then decided to book the tour.

 

The knowledge base they staff of Archaeological Paths has is incredible but they’re also very kind, very reassuring and they take a lot of time to be with the travelers. It’s been a really pleasant experience.

 

Almost every day was a highlight. For me, though, meeting Dr. Hawass between the paws of the Sphinx was like a dream.

 

I felt very safe and comfortable during the entire tour. Egyptians are just really good people. Mena House was as good hotel as I’d stayed in. It was very accommodating. And being able to see the Pyramids from the hotel was really nice, too. The staff at the hotel were very personable. We also enjoyed the cruise ship very much. It was a real joy to be on the river on Le Fayan. It was a lot of fun.

Timothy A. and Ellen G., IN, USA



The tour was excellent. I was thrilled to meet Dr. Hawass. It’s like meeting a celebrity, somebody that you’ve seen on TV.

 

When it comes to highlights of the trip, I loved seeing the Great Pyramids and the Giza plateau. That was really exciting. Obviously, the other thing that was extremely beautiful was going inside the tombs, particularly Seti’s, Ramses’ and Nefertari’s.

 

I was never concerned about my safety. I felt very safe during the entire trip. I’d highly recommend the tour to other people. It’s a safe place to come to.

 

We have travelled a lot and we compared the other Egyptians tours to the Royal Egypt Tour. What makes this tour so unique are the excursions and the meetings and lectures with Dr. Zahi Hawass.

 

To sum up, the tour was perfectly planned. We were thrilled with everything that was done. Our tour guide was outstanding. The thing I really enjoyed wasn’t just his lectures but him teaching us things. We were learning as we had to participate and answer questions.

Christine O., IN, USA



It was the best tour ever. If you don’t go with Archaeological Paths, you are going to miss a lot. It was just amazing from top to bottom. Egypt is as safe as it can be. There was no problem at all.

 

The tour was wonderful.

William S., LA, USA



The tour with Dr. Hawass was just fascinating, probably the best one we have ever taken. I’ve seen the monuments and sites of ancient Egypt thousand times in documentaries, movies and pictures but that cannot be compared when you see them personally.

 

Our tour guide, Jihan, and her knowledge is just unbelievable. The detail that she goes into while describing all the different things is just beyond belief. There’s nothing I’ve seen or read that actually compares to what it really is.

 

The tour was just unbelievable!

Karen and Michael T., LA, USA



The tour was very unique. There weren’t many tourists in Egypt while we were there with Archaeological Paths, so we had Egypt pretty much all to ourselves, which was very nice. The access that we got with Archaeological Paths allowed us to visit tombs that are not usually visited by others. It was a special experience.

 

Egypt is a safe country. I felt safe the whole time with Archaeological Paths. I would recommend everybody to come now and come with Archaeological Paths!

Matthew and Sandra F., WI, USA



There are cheaper tours and it doesn’t take long to figure that out, but I would say that with Archaeological Paths you get what you pay for. The quality of guides in particular is the best I’ve ever seen.

 

When it comes to sightseeing, Karnak Temple was amazing. I didn’t know much about it before. We had an honor to meet with Dr. Mostafa Waziri there. He showed us some things that are available to Archaeological Paths’ clients only. I would have to say that, in my case, that one experience made the whole trip worthwhile. Getting to see things that had not been seen for 4500 years is something you don’t want to miss!

 

As for safety, we were extremely safe. We had people with us guiding our steps. I didn’t fear for my wife’s or my safety once. Egyptians were welcoming. They’re very warm and outgoing. There were no security issues at all. As far as what we were shown and what were led through and what we saw, Egypt is safe.

 

My impression of Archaeological Paths is that they were very professional. I could not have imagined anybody doing anything better from a logistical standpoint. Everything went just like they had said it would, like in a clockwork. The people that handled us over the phone and there in the country were very professional, very knowledgeable.

 

The tour with Archaeological Paths has exceeded my expectations.

Larry B., UT, USA



Meeting Dr. Hawass was overwhelming – that’s one word that comes to my mind. I watched him on his TV specials on Discovery and read some of his books. The opportunity to hear his lectures and actually meet him personally was was something I couldn’t put a price on.

 

When I was 10-year-old I promised myself to go to Egypt and see those beautiful sites. The fact that Dr. Hawass was going to be part of the tour, giving us the private lectures was special. And opportunity to meet Madam Sadat was an added bonus.

Anthony D., TX, USA



Danica S., IN, USA

The tour was beyond what I expected. We got immersed in the regular culture, which I loved. The tour was safe the whole time. Not once was I worried. The food was amazing, too. The staff at the hotels and restaurants was amazing.

 

One of the highlights of the tour was the Nubian village. I thought we would hit just all the main sites and I didn’t have an idea that we would be going to someone’s home and they would welcome us. We got to ask questions, touch things, drink tea with locals. It was really neat. I really liked it.

 

As for safety, we always had security with us. They always double-checked everything. Never once did I feel alone or scared.

 

I have to say that the food was amazing. The staff at the hotels and restaurants was very accommodating. Private entrances before all other tourists came were beyond imagination. You see all the pictures from a particular site and there is always a ton of visitors. I can’t think of anything better to ask for.

 

It was way beyond what I had been expecting.

Danica S., IN, USA



It was a wonderful tour. Our guide, Ahmed, was wonderful. He was so knowledgeable, very easy to understand and full of information.

 

I felt very safe in Egypt. I noticed that monuments and every site we visited were protected. There were guards everywhere. We had our own guard on the bus, too, and police followed us on occasion, so it was very safe.

Marcia N., TX, USA



With all the other tours to Egypt that you may take you will only spend one, two or maybe three days around the area, not necessarily in Cairo or Luxor. With this tour, however, we had two intensive weeks of Egypt. The service was wonderful, the accommodation was lovely, the food was wonderful, and the staff were very warm and friendly.

 

Egypt is very safe. I haven’t felt uncomfortable or unsafe once. We were really comfortable walking on our own, even leaving the ship at night and walking around in town. The people were incredibly honest, very nice and friendly. They all seem to be very happy and smiling all the time. They greet you with their hands open. It’s a nice place to be.

Richard and Martha C., FL, USA



The tour was top-notch, and Egypt is a beautiful country. I felt very safe. We went to the big bazaar downtown by ourselves and everyone was very nice and polite. People smiled, talked to us and gave us directions.

 

It was a privilege to meet Dr. Zahi Hawass in person and for him to share a little of his expertise with us. That’s a real plus for the tour. It makes it a 10-star tour.

Donn and Jane K., FL, USA



We loved the tour with Dr. Hawass. The food was fantastic. The accommodation was great. People should not be afraid to come to Egypt. We didn’t have one single concern regarding safety during the tour.

Mark and Cynthia L., WI, USA



We were looking at the testimonials online and this tour seemed the most extensive and probably the safest of all. That’s why my mom and I made the choice to come to Egypt with Archaeological Paths. The tour is action-packed. The tour guides are amazing. Their depth of knowledge is incredible. I learned so much.

 

Egyptians are very kind. I felt safer in Egypt than I do in Cleveland. I did feel very, very safe. I was a little worried about coming there but there was no reason to be.

 

The cruise ship was lovely, very high-class and the staff was brilliant.

Patricia D., NE, USA



Egypt is a safe country. We live in Paris and in Paris you can get killed while drinking a coffee or buying a bread in the morning. In Egypt everybody walks on the streets. In Paris, there is much more panic, and everybody is afraid. Nobody is afraid in Egypt. You really feel safe.

 

I’ve been watching Dr. Hawass since I was 10. I’ve been following him on Facebook and on Archaeological Paths. And that’s when I saw the testimonials from previous tours to Egypt. It was really important for me to hear that people had felt safe and that they had gotten to meet Dr. Hawass and had used private entrances.

Corina C. and George Daniel M., Romania



The tour was incredible. It was our dream to come to Egypt. My favorite day was when we visited Valley of the Kings. Amazing, totally amazing.

 

The people were incredibly nice and Archaeological Paths made us feel so safe. We loved the fact that we had our own private escort during the tour.

Corey, Crystal, Jessica N., UT, USA



Helena Elisa P., Florianópolis S.C., Brazil

For me, this tour was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It’s really true. I used to travel all around the world, and I have a lot of experience travelling but this trip made me feel like I was living in a dream. That was the sensation. This was an amazing experience.

 

Let me say that Ms. Sadat is a real lady. She’s so kind, so elegant and – at the same time – very friendly. She talked about many aspects of her own life and her experience as the First Lady of Egypt. We enjoyed the stay with her very much.

 

As for Dr. Zahi Hawass, he is such a big character. When you come to Egypt to do this kind of tour, you are waiting for information, knowledge and education and he provided us with that all. It was amazing.

 

Sailing on the Nile on the cruise ship was also very good. They had good food, clean spaces. It was very comfortable. And the Nile was a living dream. The overall experience was amazing.

Helena Elisa P., Florianópolis S.C., Brazil



The tour with Dr. Hawass was very in-depth. We saw everything that you are supposed to see and even more special sites. Our guide, Jihan, was so knowledgeable and we learned so much. I had never thought I would be able to do this. This was sort of a dream come true. I’ve studied Egypt for many years and even taught children on how to read hieroglyphics but to actually be in those places was wonderful.

 

Meeting Dr. Zahi Hawass was very special. We’ve seen him on TV many, many times. You can tell he wants to bring more tourists to Egypt to show them all the antiquities. He wants to help his country economically, too.

 

With Archaeological Paths you realize you are on a very special trip. You are treated very well, and this experience is something I can brag about at home now.

Stacey B., NE, USA



It was a fantastic tour. I am very glad I came. It was really remarkable. There is nothing like this anywhere else in the world. I am very keen on history and if you look at ancient monuments, nothing can match what you can find in Egypt. This was my third time in Egypt but the opportunity to visit sites that are normally closed to the public is what piqued my interest. The difference between my previous two visits and this tour was the depth of this tour and being able to see more things.

 

Egypt is completely safe. This was my third time in this country. The government takes security very, very seriously. You will have military checkpoints, undercover officers on buses and armed guards. They check and know who you are, so there is no problem there. It is so interesting that Americans are so concerned with safety in Egypt. They’d better read their own newspapers to see what’s happening in the United States.

Wayne M., NC, USA



The tour was packed full of wonderful sites and it was a joy to be on it. Our guide’s knowledge, Jihan, is mind-blowing and her experience is invaluable.

 

Archaeological Paths’ staff were wonderful. Everything was on time and there were no hitches. Everything ran very smoothly.

 

For us, the main attraction for the Archaeological Paths’ tour was Dr. Zahi Hawass. He’s unique and individual. In addition, we were seeing things that are not open to the public and very rare. The antiquities we saw and the lectures we participated in were superb. The work Dr. Hawass is doing in Egypt is amazing, uncovering and restoring monuments.

 

Overall, the tour was magnificent and really special.

Elizabeth E., FL, USA



We had a wonderful time on the Royal Egypt Tour! We enjoyed meetings with Dr. Hawass very much. That was one of the principal reasons we decided on taking this tour. We’ve watched him on American television for quite some time, most of my adult life. We wanted to meet him in person, and we did! It was fantastic.

 

I appreciate that there was one day during the tour, when we were sailing on the Nile, mostly for relaxation. It was just breathtaking to feel the cool breeze coming off the Nile waters while we were looking at the landscapes with the villages and some ruins along the way.

 

We could never have done this entirely on our own. Archaeological Paths took us to so many places and sites. Thank you very much for that!

Martin T., LA, USA



I planned to visit Egypt for a long time, and it was on my bucket list for a long time. People should not be afraid of safety in Egypt, because it is very safe. The people were wonderful. The places were fabulous. Yasser, our tour guide, was wonderful. His knowledge is phenomenal. There is so much to learn from him.

 

Overall, the tour was wonderful, and I was having a fabulous time in Egypt.

Stacey H., WI, USA



Ann B., WI, USA

The tour with Dr. Zahi Hawass was more than I had expected. It was very interesting, and I enjoyed it completely. A lot of our friends asked me why I was going to Egypt and said it would be dangerous. But we had to go now because we are reaching the age where we have to travel. We decided to do it and I am very glad we did. I felt very, very safe. I was more scared in New York than in Egypt. I enjoyed everything.

 

Our tour guide was magnificent. I did ask other tour guides about what they say or do and it was not nearly as good as what we got. The outside experiences were wonderful. Fantastic. It was absolutely amazing to think that those ruins are that old and yet you can still see the paint on them.

 

When we saw Dr. Zahi Hawass we were like ‘Oh my gosh’. I didn’t want to go to Madam Sadat’s at the beginning because I thought she would be a fake and it would be a waste of our time. And yet, when we got there, she was very gracious and genuine. When I was shaking her hand, she noticed that we had brought a cartouche. She was warm and friendly. It was great experience.

Ann B., WI, USA



Debra and Richard G., TX, USA

The Royal Egypt Tour was wonderful. It was absolutely spectacular. The trip was very informative, very well put together, everything was taken care of for us. It was really enjoyable experience.

 

Dr. Hawass is just wonderful.

 

The best part was when he signed my book! Egypt is safe, so come and visit it!

Debra and Richard G., TX, USA



The Royal Egypt Tour was wonderful. Thanks to Archaeological Paths, our tour guides, Yasser and Mohamed, and all the other wonderful people, my dream came true. I didn’t think I could see Egypt and see all those tombs, because I have limited physical abilities. I managed to do so, however, thanks to Archaeological Paths. When I saw my dream tomb of Nefertari, it was just wonderful.

 

The people in Egypt are so incredibly warm and welcoming. That in itself was a wonderful experience, so I recommend going to Egypt to everyone.

 

I knew that Dr. Zahi Hawass was very well-known Egyptian archaeologist, but his depth of knowledge was just fascinating. Even though Egypt is a country with a rich history, there are constantly new developments and Dr. Hawass brought us up to date on what was happening.

 

Everywhere we went there were police to guard our safety. I am so glad that they are there to also guard the treasures of the world. Egypt is safe and they’re working very hard to keep it safe.

 

Come with Archaeological Paths to Egypt and make your dream come true!

Nancy S., FL, USA



Dave P., CA, USA

The tour with Dr. Zahi Hawass was fantastic. When I was a child, one of great pleasures for me was Egyptology and I always wanted to visit Egypt. This was my first opportunity. Having watched Dr. Hawass on the Discovery channels all my life, almost weekly, an opportunity to meet him in person at the Great Sphinx and listen to him giving his lecture on the Sphinx was a highlight of my career and my travel experiences. Also, it was excellent to be there at the Sphinx, early in the morning, before there were any crowds. Once again, to be one-on-one with Dr. Hawass was a fantastic experience.

Dave P., CA, USA



The tour was wonderful. It was a trip of a lifetime. I have nothing but good things to say about Archaeological Paths. They gave us a first-class treatment the whole way. The seminars with Dr. Zahi Hawass and the tours were good. Meeting personally with Dr. Hawass, five times, was special. I felt like we were treated like royalty. I enjoyed it.

  

What can I say more about Dr. Zahi Hawass? He’s pretty much known all over the world. He’s probably the most well-known Egyptologist in the last 20 years. He is very knowledgeable and very dedicated to his home country of Egypt. He’s trying his best to bring tourists back to Egypt and let them see all the marvelous things that are there. He’s quite a character.

  

Safety in Egypt was very good. As far as security goes, there was no time at all when we felt unsafe in Egypt. The security there makes itself known. You see them everywhere, but it wasn’t overbearing. We felt very safe.

 

If someone asked me if I would recommend the Royal Egypt Tour, I would highly recommend it. This was my first time in Egypt, so naturally I can’t compare it to any other travel companies, but – of the tours that we’d looked at - this was really a big one. This was the Cadillac of tours. I would highly recommend it.

Mark A., LA, USA



“Outstanding!” is the first word that comes to mind to describe our trip, Egypt Undiscovered, under the aegis of Archaeological Paths.  It was extremely well managed so that all we had to concentrate on was experiencing the sights. Even unforeseeable glitches like traffic jams were efficiently dealt with.

Anyway, we got to Cairo after around 16 hours of flying, making connections, etc.  As promised, we were met at the airport by two of the people from Archaeological Paths, and brought to the hotel, which was quite swank overall.  After settling in to our suite we went to a meeting with our three guides, Amr, Mo and Max and the rest of the group of 15.  Seven were from Hong Kong,   and one from Belgium who had already been to Egypt a dozen or so times; the rest were Americans.  We quickly bonded.

I kept a journal to record each day’s activities, which all went like clockwork thanks to the work of the guides who were extremely attentive.  Our lead guide, Amr, had a great sense of humor plus a degree in Egyptology and did a fantastic job shepherding us along, pointing out the more interesting features of each place and explaining what it all meant.  We saw so much it’s all kind of a blur of tombs, temples, pyramids, museums, etc. and I’d be typing all day to do it justice, so I’ll just go into a few of the highlights.

Karnack and Luxor were spectacular, and apart from the ravages of time and vandalism by religious fanatics in the fourth through seventh centuries, largely intact.  It was amazing that people, without cranes or even wheels, could do it all, such as carving and then raising a 250 ton granite obelisk.  The underground tombs were surprisingly hot and humid because of all the heat absorbed by the stone they were carved out of.  We had special permission to visit two active excavation sites which are otherwise off limits to the public.  We first met Dr. Zahi Hawass  at the one he was doing in the Valley of the Monkeys, so named because of the tomb decorations in one burial there.  A small row of houses that were for the workers was uncovered, and he said they were on the verge of finding an unopened tomb.  He did two more later lectures for us and we got to have photos with him.  He is as friendly and pleasant as he is on TV.

The other site was serendipitously timed.  Dr. Mostafa Waziry, a rising star in archaeology, said they had uncovered an unopened tomb and invited us to accompany him for the unsealing.  It involved sitting in a metal chair and being lowered by hand down a shaft.  The ceiling in the cave that led to the tomb was only around four feet high, so we had to crouch to get to the spot, which has sealed by 3000 year old mud bricks.  We were asked to pray along with them and then they removed a half-dozen or so of them and the doctor peered in; something  was there and they all excitedly congratulated themselves.  One by one we crawled over to get a look; since we all promised not to reveal what we saw, I’ll refrain from giving the details; suffice it to say it was an archaeological rush!

I could go on, but you get the idea.  As for modern Egypt, the people are very friendly and it was common for groups of kids to shout, “Welcome to Egypt!”  When we said we were Americans they were even more enthusiastic and rushed up to high-five and take selfies with us.  In the cities most people, including women, dress in western clothes; hajibs were few and far between, and while most wore head scarves, some didn’t; most of the younger ones wore make-up.  They practice a tolerant and moderate form of Islam, and we even saw a Christian church next to a mosque; we visited one of the latter during mid-day prayers, which was interesting.

The government seems to be investing in infrastructure such as adequate housing (Cairo and Alexandria are chock full of high-rise apartment buildings), providing affordable food, universal education and family planning; the country is overpopulated and there is a lot of migration to the cities; Cairo has approximately  23 million people. 

Traffic is an absolute nightmare, with every conceivable type of vehicle plus donkey carts and  pedestrians all crowding the roadways in a state of anarchy; for example, it is common for vehicles to drive between the traffic lines on two lane roads, making them into three lanes that way.  Somehow the bus driver was able to maneuver through it all, including narrow side streets. 

Egypt is much safer than the USA when it comes to terrorist attacks; while we were there we heard the news about another school shooting in California, and when we got home there were two others.  Security is  very good and we felt quite secure.  All the sites are well guarded; there is a lot of police presence, and you have to walk through a metal detector to get into hotels.  In addition, while traveling through a relatively desolate stretch of desert we were accompanied front and rear by both the police and the army, and there was an armed guard on the bus.  They are doing everything possible to protect tourists and leaving nothing to chance.  The tourism industry was their largest and employed 12% of the workforce; it’s slowly coming back, but has a long way to go; I hope it picks up.

As mentioned above the hotels were, for the most part, quite nice in the larger cities, whereas the ones in the smaller and more out of the way places, while the best in town, were not as posh and more reminiscent of older hotel chains in the USA.

Keeping in mind that Egypt is a developing country, the toilet facilities in the remoter spots were somewhat challenging by western standards and it’s advisable to carry some toilet paper and hand sanitizer.  Where there are attendants, a small tip of say 10 Egyptian pounds or a US dollar is a nice good will gesture; the same applies to bellhops, otherwise all other tipping is handled by Archaeological Paths.

Miscellaneous: 
While we changed around $200, US dollars are accepted as a de facto second currency.
Be sure to wear a broad-brimmed hat.
Carry a small pocket flashlight.
Enjoy!

Peter and Narda Tafuri, USA



There is no way to provide a sense of the awesomeness and beauty of the Royal Egypt Tour. Having your tour guide being a Cairo native who did his college studies in Egyptology makes the experience personalized, educational, thorough and presented from the heart of one who loves Egypt - ancient and modern. I assume most tours will get you to the historical sites adequately, but to have the entire Giza Plateau to yourself for 2 hours with a world renowned archeologist explaining things to you in-between the paws of the Sphinx is not an experience you will get else where. It was an experience of a life time! To be able to converse with the likes of Drs. Hawass and Waziri asking questions about archelogy and antiquities, and to chat with Jehan Sadat, as she served us snacks in her home, about history and her view of the future of Egypt makes this not a "tour" of Egypt, but rather an immersion experience of Egypt. I doubt any other tour of Egypt can come close to providing such amazing opportunities. The food and the accommodations exceeded expectations, the 5 stars were earned. And yes, it was incredibly safe!

Bill Mills New York, USA



Archaeological Paths made a 40-year-long dream come true for me. Their special King Tut Tour exceeded my every expectation. The experiences, accommodations, and education were superb and sublime. From 3 visits with Dr. Hawass, to private tours of Meidum and Hawara pyramids, pre-opening access to the Cairo Museum and Valley of the Kings, and a tour of the GEM's labs and grand entryway, it is impossible to put into words the full impact of the trip. Every moment was memorable, and our guides were professional, knowledgable, helpful, kind, funny, engaging, and fabulous. If you are considering or planning to visit Egypt, the only way to do it is with Archaeological Paths. I've toured other countries, and this experience was by far the most amazing.

Stacey Collins



My wife, Kristi, and I recently returned from THE most incredible journey of our lives! We saw an ad for "The Royal Tour of Egypt with Dr. Zahi Hawass" over a year and half ago and knew IMMEDIATELY that THIS WAS THE TRIP FOR US!!!! We thought: "If this trip is HALF of what it proports to be, it will be WONDERFUL!" HOWEVER, it was NOT that at ALL! It was TWICE the trip we hoped it would be! EVERYTHING about this trip was SPLENDID! The accomodations - First rate PLUS! The Mena House is MAGICAL! The food - Exceptional! The busses - Excellent! Dr. Hawass' lectures - Inspiring, Informative, Mind-expanding! To have an Egyptologist /Archeologist/Administrator/Scholar with his knowledge, expertise, experience, and PASSION is MIND-BLOWING! His great talent of taking the "stuff of history" and making it into a spell-binding narrative that brings the whole of Egyptian history and culture to light and life is almost supernatural in its scope and impact!! (In addition, while we were in the Temple of Luxor -AT NIGHT - with all the statues and rooms of the temple illuminated with spotlights, Dr. Hawass told us he is putting together an opera based on the life of King Tut-Ankh-Amun, for the 100th anniversary of the discovery of his tomb in 2022. I asked for information about the composer and as soon as we returned to Houston, the email answer was there waiting for me! THAT was impressive! Luxor, the Workmen's Village, the lectures in Giza, the lesson between the paws of the Sphinx (where NO one is allowed to go!!) are all once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that will live in our memories FOREVER! Those experiences were only possible by traveling with Dr. Hawass and Archaeological Pathways! The guides - highly knowledgeable, informative, friendly and FUN! Ahmed Hussein was TREMENDOUS and the ever-present Suat was indispensable in all of the minute logistical detail! The visit to the Sadat home was AMAZING! The granddaughters filled in for their ailing grandmother and were charming, gracious , and FUN! TOO many highlights to list! Suffice it to say, sell your house, cash in your 401K, tell your children "sorry about that inheritance you THOUGHT you were getting!" and join up with Dr. Hawass and Archaeological Pathways for the RIDE OF YOUR LIFE!!!!

Gary and Kristi Moore

Gary and Kristi Moore



We've just returned from the latest Royal Egypt Tour, and were completely thrilled by the trip. Archeological Paths delivered everything they promised! We really did have private access to several sites, including the Great Pyramid, the Sphinx and Luxor temple. In addition, we had a private lecture by Dr. Waziri, and several private lectures by Dr. Zahi Hawass. There were three opportunities for tour members to have dinner with Dr. Hawass. Both the Mena House in Cairo and the Le Fayan Nile cruiser were first class. We went with the private edition tour, which was a group of 17. If it is possible for one to go on the private edition tour, I recommend it. It seemed to be the perfect size. The Egyptian staff of Archeological Paths are amazing. We had to change the tour itinerary when President Sisi was in the same town. It was done seamlessly. Everything was well coordinated. Archeological Paths exceeded our expectations!

Cynthia Rodriguez



Egypt Jan 2019 -WOW. So pleased we chose this comprehensive, intense, special tour of Egypt's antiquities. Our guide, Ahmed was a sweet heart, supplying facts and information non-stop, always looking after our needs. To meet with the eminent archeologists, Dr Hawass and Dr Waziri and enter some sites with no other tourists was the icing on the cake. A police escort with our bus, as well as an armed guide, calmed the uneasiness of those concerned about safety. Although not the cheapest Egyptian tour, we are very happy with what was covered and will recommend it to anyone who wants to visit the sights of ancient Egypt. This was a trip of a lifetime. Awesome.

Pareese Young



This was absolutely the trip of a life time! Every evening I would say to myself "today was the best day ever, no way they're going to top this". And you know what, the next day THEY DID! Everyone from Archeological Paths went above and beyond their duties. It was an experience I'll never forget.

Sharon Williams



We had a wonderful time on our Royal Egyptian tour with archeological path. Dr. Zahi Hawass and Dr Mustafa Vaziri spent good amount of time with us and shared their knowledge of egyptology. They were amazing. And so was our guide Dr. Yasser Kamel. He let us spent enough time to see the things. He explained the tombs and told us to look for important things to see before we entered the tombs that made it more interesting about each Tom which was unique in it's own way as we were allowed to enter in certain places like pyramids and Luxor temple before people came in we could see the things peacefully and in a special way. That made it interesting. We never felt unsafe anywhere in Egypt at all. People were very nice. Visit to the Nubian village was also a unique experience. The trip is very expensive but your every penny is worth for it. I will recommend the trip to any Egyptology lover.

Mina Parekh



The trip to Egypt with Dr Zahi Hawass was the trip of a lifetime. European based "Archaeological Paths" company is totally above board and they delivered everything they said they would in their power. The trip was jam packed with the most amazing tours and knowledgeable guides.  The hotel was five star gorgeous. The riverboat was great and the food was fabulous. Our guide Mustafa (which we all loved) showed us the key points ,not to be missed ,then we had free time to wander alone with our thoughts in the grand museum. The time with Dr. Hawass were informative, entertaining  and felt very special his knowledge and sense of humor kept our rapt attention. To be photographed at the feet of the sphinx with Dr. Hawass and hear his stories was something so special that I will never forget it .I thank the Egyptian government for the special permission we were granted, and to Archaeological Paths for arranging this for us! To say I had a great time is an understatement. My thanks again to all who worked so hard. I will tour with you again in the future.  And recommend them wholeheartedly. Thanks Gregory, Sonja, Jack and Mustafa.

Nadya Troche - Miami Florida, USA



It is hard to state just one thing that Ann and I enjoyed the most about the trip.  Certainly, the time that Dr. Hawass spent with the group was beyond our expectations.  The multiple lectures and his field comments were certainly a highlight. Our going inside of Kufu's pyramid was another highlight. The early morning wake up was certainly worth our being the ONLY group at Giza from 6-8 am!! We thought that our tour guide was excellent.  He knew his history well and his English was excellent.

Ken and Ann Brown - Massachusetts, USA



I enjoyed every moment of our tour. The time with Dr Hawass was exceptional. The opportunities we were given will stay with me forever. I have already referred your company to many of my friends.

Shirley Williamson - California, USA



I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Egypt and would not hesitate to go again. Everybody I talked to before this trip asked about security. There was never even a single moment during which I felt the least bit uneasy for my safety. Everyone welcomed us wherever we went. The overwhelming reactions to our presence were smiles, waving, and people flashing the peace sign.

The Mena House, our hotel in Cairo, has a fascinating history of it's own. In addition to being a world class hotel with staff to match, to be practically in the shadow of The Great Pyramid was otherworldly. Our ship for the Nile cruise and her crew were top notch, too.

Having been a tour guide for 24 years I am a tough critic, but I was very impressed by the patience and professionalism our guides displayed working with our group. Mohammed and Mustafa described the training they went through to become guides, and I suspect they each graduated near the top of their class. Their knowledge of Egyptian history and the details of the sites we visited was amazing. I especially appreciated their willingness to present differing theories, even when controversial. Together with the support staff, their attention to detail and the needs of the group was remarkable.

Like many of the group I signed up for this particular tour because of the chance to meet and talk to Dr. Hawass. Although Dr. Hawass is a rock star to anyone interested in Egyptology, there were plenty of one-on-one opportunities to talk to him and ask questions. His lectures at Mena House and his talks at sites during the tour were exclamations points in an all-star itinerary. Archaeological Paths put together an outstanding tour and I would recommend them in a heartbeat! This trip was everything a "bucket list" trip should be.

Bill Thomas - California, USA



I would like to thank you all at Archaeological Paths for organising such a wonderful trip to Egypt. Meeting Dr Hawass was a dream come true for me.  His knowledge and passion for Egypt is contagious. Having special permission to enter certain sites was amazing and the experiences will be with us forever in our memories. Egypt is such a treasure trove of ancient sites and for those who want to go, this is the trip to be on.

Karen and Barry Thomas - Australia



I wanted to take a moment to thank you for a most wonderful tour. It was the first I have ever done, and it was beyond my expectations. It was an adventure to treasure for a lifetime.  I think your group went above and beyond to provide us with a look at Egypt’s past. One member of our group, who I happen to sit next to on the bus a few times, had been a tour guide.  He said that this was far better than any tour he has taken.  So I think that says a lot right there. Thank you so much and I hope you continue to offer great tours in the future.

Jo Ann Knight - California, USA



This was my second time in Egypt and it was the best trip of my life. Having the opportunity to meet Dr. Hawass and having some quality time with and all the autographs we got is something priceless for me. Thanks to this trip I will be able to sponsor the studies in Poland of one of Dr. Hawass' right hand person, Mr Amr El-Tebie.  As such, this trip was the passport for me to enter in the distinguished world of Archaeology and Egyptology that I was dreamed about. I hope in the future to become an Archaeologist/Egyptologist myself and this trip will always be the first opened door in this field for me, which is something that I will never forget. I look forward to traveling with all of you again in the future! Thank you so much!

Bruno Pascon - Sao Paulo, Brazil



Egypt was an absolutely magical experience. I had always wanted to go to Egypt from the time I was a kid. In college, I did a project on Egyptian obelisks, and I had the opportunity to see a lecture by Dr. Hawass when he was traveling with the King Tut exhibit through the United States. Little did I know that only a few years later, I would have the opportunity to tour Egypt with featured tours and lectures from Zahi Hawass.  When I learned about the Archaeological Paths tour, I couldn't believe that a trip with such an amazing lineup of activities, private entrances into so many high profile sites, and accompaniment by Dr. Zahi Hawass himself would be so reasonably priced.

Private entrance to the Giza Plateau was likely the most the most awe-inspiring piece of the trip for me personally. Seeing the Great Pyramids and Sphinx, some of the oldest antiquities in the world, was beyond inspiring., Archaeological Paths' private entrance to the plateau made the experience over the top. First we went to the Great Sphinx enclosure (between the paws of the Sphinx) for a private tour with Dr. Hawass with no one else around.  Following the Sphinx, our group received private entrance to the Great Pyramid of Khufu.  I had the opportunity to traverse the entire pyramid, exploring all three chambers, with the privacy of my fellow tour participants.

Around half of our trip was spent at the Mena House hotel, literally adjacent the Giza Pyramids (you can see the Great Pyramid of Khufu from the hotel).  The other half was spent on the most fabulous Nile Cruise.  Food was outstanding, sites were delightful, and most importantly, the people were wonderful.  Greg and his staff at Archaeological paths were all friendly, helpful, and I feel I will stay in touch with them for many years to come.  I also great appreciated our tour guide, Mohammed.  He was fun to be around, an incredibly knowledgeable Egyptologist, and helpful to a fault.

Egypt has received such a bad reputation as of late, with political instability and such.  But in my experience, the people of Egypt are some of the most warm and friendly people I have ever met in my life. A friend and I had the opportunity to walk through the souq in Luxor, where we met a young Egyptian man obliged to practice his English with us.  He literally took us around, introduced us to the locals, walked us to some of the souvenir markets, and the escorted us back to our cruise ship.  I would return to Egypt in a heartbeat to experience more of the intriguing history and beautiful culture.  If you have always wanted to travel to Egypt and are looking for an opportunity, traveling with Archaeological Paths is the only  way to go.  They will ensure that your experience will be one that you will never forget.

Michael DeJager - Oklahoma, USA



I already published some of my most amazing photographs on my Facebook page before, but I want to share my experience with others, so that they know it is a tour totally worth their time and money! The two weeks with Archaeological Paths were intense and it was amazing to meet so many people who love history as much as I do. Dr. Zahi Hawass certainly was the big star of the event, we could talk to him, ask questions, take photos, we had this amazing walk around the Sphinx with him. It was something I always wanted to do, but I never thought I'll have the chance. I loved the privacy of sightseeing the Luxor temple at night and it was the moment when I could take the best pictures with the new friends I made on the tour. The view of the temple was awe-inspiring.

The food was great, both in the Mena House and on the ship and the Egyptians - our guides and hotel staff were all so helpful, they wanted to assist us whenever they could. I've been to Egypt once before in 2008, also on an organized tour, because there is no better option to travel in Egypt, but it seems now that back then I didn’t see Egypt at all. Before finding Archaeological Paths tour I've never heard about the options of private entries to the Pyramids or to the temples. Besides the itinerary, we had plenty of additional places to visit and activities and I did most of them. I loved the sunrise over the Pyramids on our camel ride, it was spectacular!

Over all, this was the best time I had in Egypt so far, everything was well planned and I felt taken care of throughout. Egypt has this specific charm, it is so different from the US and on this tour I truly experienced it. I recommend Archaeological Paths to archeology fans and people who want to travel in comfort, but at the same time they want to get to know the country. I hope to call them soon to learn if they have more tours like this to offer.

Barbara D. - Massachusetts, USA



Dear Gregory and everyone at "Archaeological Paths" company. What I enjoyed MOST was the time at the Egyptian Museum.  The second special thing was time with Dr. Hawass and our guide, Mostafa. They seemed to appreciate my interest and prior knowledge. The staff at the hotel and on the boat seemed to appreciate my speaking Arabic, however limited my attempts: good morning, good evening, please, thank you.  I look forward to visiting Egypt again.

Joan Sugg - North Carolina, USA



Thanks again for organizing such an amaizing trip, and I am sure that I will be joining you again!

Maja Brkovic, Serbia



I am writing to thank you for the extraordinary experience you provided with the tour of Egypt. I had a wonderful time and I learned a lot thanks to you, Artur, Jack and all your associates. I still find myself recreating in my mind the imposing temples, pyramids , statues, tombs, obelisks, the view from the ship and the kindness of the people. Of course meeting Dr. Hawas was the acme of the tour. I would like to be informed of other tours you provide! Once again, thank you!

Silvia Theodorescu - California, USA



I had the best time ever.  From the moment I arrived at the airport until the day I left, I had so much fun. It was difficult to come home & back to reality after all that excitement and learning something new & seeing something extraordinary everyday. Mostafa was such a lovely and patient & well informed tour guide - we could not have hoped for anyone better. Jack was so much fun as well. I haven't laughed or enjoyed myself so much for a long while since the arabian party and watching him entertain the crowd. I will never forget it :) And lastly - meeting Dr. Hawass was incredible.  So thank you very much for everything ! Someone on FB suggested a reunion tour for our group and I think that is a wonderful idea. Bye for now, until my next trip with you.

Karen Woods - Canada



This was a trip of a lifetime.  I am very glad to have participated.  The archeology sites were magnificent.  The cruise ship and Men a House Hotel were awesome.  Meeting with Dr. Hawass added immensely to the spectacular nature of the tour.  Enjoyed meeting and traveling with the other participants.  Archaeological Paths tour leaders were great.  I would highly recommend the tour to anyone.  I would like to go return to Egypt again! Thanks again for a great tour of this ancient land.

Dan Courtney - Virginia, USA



Thank you for the opportunity to go back to Egypt.  I enjoyed the time with Dr Hawass as he is so passionate about Egypt and his profession as well as charming. This is my second visit to Egypt and it was as exciting as the first time. The sights were wonderful and presented very well by your tour guides. I felt perfectly safe the entire time on the tour, the cruise ship was something else.  Kudos to the staff of Archaelogical Path Tour company. Special thanks go to Artur, Jack, Mohammed and Mostafa they made the tour the best.  Thank you again.

Louise Stein - Washington, USA



Your tour of Egypt far exceeded my expectations. I was a tour guide for 10 years and never had such an educational and thorough course in any country's history as I did with you. It all started at Cairo's airport. Once I saw Artur holding up the Archeological Paths sign, I knew I was in for something really special. Others holding up signs looked tired and unhappy to be up so early in the morning. But Artur had a big smile on his face and was eager to greet all of us. He was really easy to talk with on the tour and we all benefited from the organization and planning that he did.

Our guide was more than a dispenser of information. He showed a passion for the culture and ancient history like no other tour guide I've ever met. We especially appreciated him reading the hieroglyphics for us. He is a walking encyclopedia of Egypt's past and did a thorough job of educating us. Only being a naive and very amateurish lover of archaeology, I was motivated to sign up for your tour because you were including the participation of Dr. Hawass. This was like a dream coming true!!  I couldn't believe how lucky I was to not only meet, but to shake the hand of such a famous celebrity and Egyptologist. Dr. Hawass is known all over the world. And my most treasured souvenir of the trip is his autographed copy of the book he wrote: Secrets From the Sand.

There was a Cairo newspaper written in Arabic that mentioned our tour with you and Dr. Hawass. The paper gave you good publicity! Each one of us felt completely safe and I loved everything, honestly. The pyramids, the temples, the Mena House, the cruise ship, your very professional staff, the food, the history, in short: EVERYTHING!! I'll always remember my adventure with Archaeological Paths with the fondest of memories.

Gene Moulton - Massachusetts, USA



First, having Dr. Hawass present was definitely the highlight for me. His knowledge, determination, and enthusiasm were not only outstanding but inspiring. I will continue to try to follow his on-going work, which should encourage other archaeologists to perservere in their discoveries.

Next to Dr. Hawass, Abu Simbel was a highlight, not only the scale of it but the amazing relocation project. I now appreciate even more the complexity of the passages inside the pyramids, having had a chance to navigate the ones in the Great Pyramid.  Aswan is awesome, a real credit to Nassar's forward-looking program. I loved the Nile cruise (always a favorite mode of transport) as a change of pace for us, as well as a look at present-day Egypt in parallel and in contrast with ancient Egypt. So many highlights! Thank you for your work make this tour happen. Thank you!

Margaret Bickford - New Hampshire, USA



We should be thanking you.  This truly was a trip of a lifetime.  I am having a hard time believing that I was actually in Egypt, in spite of the 1200+ pictures I took. It may not have shown on my face, but I was thrilled with everything Archaeological Paths did both in the planning and on the day to day details.  No one could have asked for better accommodations.  I really had a hard time leaving Mena House and coming back to North Dakota.

Your staff on site was exceptional. Our guides were fun, entertaining and, most of all, they gave us an enormous education on each of the sites we visited.  I can't imagine any better guides. Having Dr Hawass available to just talk to in a relaxing atmosphere was unprecedented.  I was too star-struck by this archaeological 'rock star' to do much more that ask for his autograph. His lectures were amazing.  When I got back home I found out that my grandniece was studying Egypt and I gave her some pictures of Dr Hawass.  She was thrilled.  Maybe ones of the reasons Dr. Hawass enjoyed joining our group was because we were all there for the archaeology and history of Egypt, not just photo ops to say 'Look at me.  I was in Egypt'.  Most of us knew exactly what he was talking about and could ask informed pertinent questions.

The staff at Mena House and on our cruise ship were friendly and helpful.  The food, the wait staff, everyone was so friendly.  At no time did I feel afraid while I was in Egypt.  While I am not a very adventurous person, the few times I was alone at a site or walking down the street by myself there was less fear than if I had been in London or New York.  The people on the street were friendly. You could read their lips and they were saying thank you for coming to Egypt, we love tourists. My daughter had a woman come up to her and give her a hug.  ' thank you for come to Egypt. Please tell others when you go home that we want tourists and not to be afraid.'  We had children coming up to us, 'Please can we practice our English with you." These personal experiences put to shame what the world media puts out.

I cannot pick any one specific moment that was the best, each day brought something more than the day before. Please keep me on your email list.  I would love to travel with you again. Again thank you so much.

Dolores Stevens - Iowa, USA



I wanted to share my impressions on the tour with Archeological Paths. It was my 3rd time in Egypt - and it was definitely the best. I had a great time, because this time I really got to see A LOT. Before, when I was in Egypt in 2009, it was impossible to go to such amazing places that normally are closed for public. A couple of other things:

1) GUIDES: The choice of guides was inspired as well - they really knew what they were talking about and this was a truly in-depth sightseeing experience.

2) DR. ZAHI HAWASS: I have been to one lecture by Dr. Hawass in the US before and no one could even get near him, so having time to ask him questions personally and listen to what he has to say about current excavations was really something! He spent lots of time with us!

3) Archaeological Paths company: AP handled things so well, they did everything as promised and we saw so many sites NEVER open to tourist. e organizational point of view it was just perfect, the timing, the sightseeing lineup, the accommodation. When I had some questions, they always were ready to give me the info I needed, so I didn't have any problems with communication. They also answered all my questions before the tour and gave us all organizational information before we left. I think their time management skills should be appreciated before everything else, because they really offered so many attractions in just two weeks.

4) The PRICE: I consider the tour totally worth the price, because when I compare it with my previous experiences of other companies and tours and there was nothing like it before, I was amazed at how much we managed to see in two weeks and still we had one or two more relaxing days in the middle on the Nile. And the price included not only all this sightseeing, but also the best hotel you can get in Egypt and the nice cruise ship with delicious food and helpful crew. Thank you so much, Archaeological Paths. And I will be recommending you to all of my friends. Keep me posted about all the next tours.

Joan W. - Virginia, USA



I joined your Egypt tour - one of the most amazing journeys ever, well organized, and wonderful people, I can highly recommend these tours. If I could, I'd join every one of them!

Allyn McCray, Canada



It was a wonderful trip, encompassing 12 thousand years of human history. We started in Istanbul and went through major sites, experienced history of hundreds of years. We also drove down to Troy, we had lunch on the Dardanelles where Odysseus, Jason and the Argonauts travelled. It was something special. I had spent my life reading the Iliad and the Odyssey. To come here and to have the discussion that goes on not only with the leader but with everybody was just great. They have put together a wonderful tour and program. They really know what they are doing and we saw amazing stuff. Absolutely splendid. I recommend it to anybody. Please come to Turkey. It’s wonderful, safe, clean, amazing!

James Crawford, Canada



The program was amazing and every day it got better and better. Pergamon was unbelievable and the feeling of being there was wonderful. The tour guide was great, he did as much detail as he could in the short time that we were there and the way they organized the trip was fabulous. Ephesus – I had no words, all I could say was: amazing! I absolutely loved this place and your tour.

Diana Taylor, USA



Every place was actually quite special. The weather had been beautiful, so it was a great time of the year to be there. It was pretty safe. What was particularly interesting about Pergamon and Ephesus – you could put biblical figures into context, it wasn’t just a theory or a story you read. It was actually quite interesting to look at a historical thing in perspective. The most interesting feature about the trip was the history and you covered it quite extensively, which was great. We weren’t just zoomed in and out, so it was fantastic! I highly recommend it to anybody.

Edith Fortune, South Africa



The trip was wonderful, I can’t even tell you my favorite part. It opened up whole new worlds for me. Every minute was packed with something better. We were standing somewhere from 10,000 years ago. It was incredible to feel that you were at that particular point, wondering who they were, what they thought. It was just a wonderful experience and I was so lucky to be there. You get a real sense of the history, the sense of travelling back and you feel as if you were walking in their steps. It changed the way I feel about the history of the world forever. The people were wonderful. When some of us had issues they picked right up and were incredibly well organized. They were thinking about things before we even knew that they were there. I’m so very grateful.

Karla Mahoney, USA



My focus on the trip was coming to Catalhoyuk and Derinkuyu. This was probably the most magical place I could think of on Earth. This was a true cradle of what we know of civilization and where it began, everything you know about your culture, everybody on Earth is related to people who came from there. To me this was one of probably the most holy sites on Earth for the human race, regardless of your religion – this is where it began and it was like making a pilgrimage to the beginning of time. The people were nice and the weather was perfect. I loved the food. The scenery, the culture and the history were just unbelievable. It was wonderful. It’s something you have to do! I recommend it to anybody and I’ve been to a lot of places in the world. This is one at the top of my list. Please, everybody, come and enjoy this.

Michel Workman, USA



The people and the atmosphere were amazing. The weather was beautiful. I loved learning from other people on the trip. I went to Egypt with your company and you guys did a great job, so I went back again a month later.

Mathew Runge, USA



This was my first time in Turkey and I always wanted to see it. What was fascinating about this country – the antiquities, all of the ruins and the landscape. It was just gorgeous up there in Cappadocia. The trip was comprehensive because we went to many places and saw so much that I’m very glad I joined this group. I think that anyone who is interested in this part of the world will have such a great time here.

Ang Hang, China



We had been so packed full. It was a wonderful trip. We had seen so much I don’t think we could have done anymore in the time that we had.

Margery Zeller, USA



My husband and I have been to Istanbul twice before and this last tour was the best we’ve ever had. It was the most informative, everywhere we went things were explained to us and we went to more places than we’ve ever been. We didn’t even know that some of these places were there, so it’s been great. I have to say we had never even been upstairs at the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia before – and having our guide explain everything to us so well, it was very informative, we loved that. We were told this tour company was very good and I have to agree, the tour guides had been very patient, nice and efficient, we appreciate it very much.

Julie Darnell, USA



I really liked Istanbul, I was there 50 years ago as a young teacher and a student, so it was really nice to go back and to go on a tour, as I could see all the places I didn’t really know about fifty years ago. And I could bring my wife too, she’s never been to Turkey. We really liked the buildings and the people were always really fun to talk to, because they were all interested in history and archaeology. I knew that we’d only have a fairly small number of people like 20, so it was great because you get to know people as it’s not too crowded. We saw the advertisement last fall, so we just said: Let’s do it! And we had a great time. People were very friendly and helpful. I speak a little bit of Turkish, so I started talking in it and then immediately I got a very warm and friendly “How are you?” and I just love it in the Grand Bazaar and other places. It’s safer than back home, if you go to the city like Providence and New Bedford. I didn’t feel unsafe at all and I didn’t fifty years ago.

Victor Zeller, USA



We came for riding back in time, first to Pergamon and Ephesus on the road to Cappadocia. It was an amazing tour, my first tour I’ve ever taken. I’ve worked with archaeologists and anthropologists in the field for a number of years. That was my way of being able to travel to amazing places. I teach photography in Philadelphia in the United States and I’ve always wanted to come to Turkey. I finally got a chance to see a lot in a very short time – this was a remarkable way to do it. I highly recommend it. It was a great way to see a lot and actually to understand quite a bit about it. The whole idea of going back in time from what I consider to be ancient times in history was amazing. And I didn’t even realize such places as Göbekli Tepe existed. It was so moving for me. When we came back to the site in the morning, my heart was pounding so hard I could barely breathe. Then we went to the museum at the end of the day. We walked back in time from Göbekli Tepe all the way up to Hellenistic time. You could see how there was once something really sophisticated and amazing and then suddenly 12,000 years ago, it disappeared and it’s a complete mystery why. It was replaced by a Dark Age and it took 8,000 years for something as sophisticated to come back, but without any of the abstract thinking visible in Göbekli Tepe. This trip was a revelation for me. The travel was great, the people who ran the tour did a wonderful job. They’ve made us comfortable and made sure we have a lot to happen in a very short period of time. It makes me want to come back to Turkey and learn more. I thank you very much, it was terrific.

Stuart Rome, Australia



This tour was not only about historical, but also ancient research. I love to paint, so everything has switched over in my style now, my method of painting changed from renaissance and medieval to ancient. After this tour everything has just influenced my imagination. It was really magnificent. Everything was so different when we went to all the regions and the climate was diverse too. When we drove through the regions, I was able to see unique landscapes and they were changing within the soul and the rock and with the topography, it was just really beautiful. I took the camera everywhere I went. The best experience on the tour was the work of the travel group, because it was so well organized and it made me feel safe. My husband and I travel alone, this is the first group we’ve joined, so this was a really great experience for me. Both my husband and I – we just loved it. It’s been a personal journey for us. In addition to just researching it, indefinitely write about it, to paint it, nothing can compare with the experience of being in Turkey in person. I would do this again! Everyone was so nice and kind. Everything came from their heart, they were genuine. It’s unlike what I’ve experienced in other countries.

Audra McLendon, USA



Turkey is a wonderful place and I was so fortunate to go there. I’ve travelled around the world and I have been to over eighty countries and this is a really special place. The people who put on this tour are special and they’ve done a great job putting the itinerary together. It had a pretty good pace, but not too tiring and it’s been just great all around. There’s so much archaeology there, it was fantastic. Everywhere you looked, you picked up a rock from the ground, there was just so much history there. We’ve done so much, starting in Istanbul with the Blue Mosque – it was phenomenal. There were so many beautiful places, it’s very difficult for me to pinpoint which place I loved the most. You just can’t compare all this beauty. In Turkey, although it’s an Islamic country, people were so friendly and nice that I felt completely safe. They are open-minded, open to other religions – the Christians were there before. There were all different types of denomination travelling in our group. It’s just a beautiful and safe place – both in the city and in the countryside. I always think you should travel with a purpose, it’s very important. I think this tour group really has a fantastic purpose of discovering ancient archeology, changing what we’ve been taught about history in school – there is just so much more to explore, you have to get into the field and really participate and see things for yourself. You can’t just read a book. You have to take this emotionally, physically and spiritually. When we were in Urfa, in a beautiful old section of the town, I was sorry it was the last day. It was such a wonderful trip and the people were friendly and accommodating.

Douglas Nason, USA



Istanbul was brilliant, the history there goes back thousands of years. The program of this tour takes you straight into the culture which I believe is the important thing. The people were amazing everywhere we’ve been on this trip, it didn’t really matter where we went, the Turkish people were so cosmopolitan. This tour has a lot to offer - huge history and fantastic program. The cooperation that we experienced everywhere, wherever we went – the hotels, the coach drivers, everything was just ace.

Robin Turner, Great Britain



It was amazing to see these ancient sites, we crawled into a cave where people lived in for probably a thousand years, unbelievable work – it must have taken over a hundred years to carve it. We felt very safe in Turkey, it was safe to go everywhere. The food was delicious, everything is natural. Ephesus is a huge city with theatres, monuments and statues, it makes you want to go back in time to see what it looked like when people actually lived there. It was an amazing tour, because you go places other tourists don’t visit.

Carol Schuler, USA



It was interesting to see places where civilization goes back to about 12,000 years like in Göbekli Tepe and with wide influence of cultures: the Hittites, the Jews, Christians, Mongols in certain parts and Turks, who eventually took over. Coming to Turkey is safe, I haven’t seen any problems or evidence that there are any problems going on there, so I recommend that people come and visit.

Adam Tuchman, USA



The entire tour was just spectacular to me. I had anticipated certain things and I was looking forward to some things, but every place we’ve been was just awesome and far beyond expectations. And as for of the quality of the tour, it could not be better. The quality and the service – everything was wonderful, all of you people associated with the tour, Suat, Thomas – everyone has been wonderful. And if I could take another tour with you, I would do it immediately.

Richard Eklund, USA



Thomas Lemberg, USA

Your last tour to India in March of 2014 was a splendid experience. It was very well run and very well organized. This is no mean feat in India. Gregory Poplawski and his staff were superb and our local guides were excellent. There were so many highlights of the trip.  I expect to travel again with You. I certainly hope to join your trip to Egypt in 2015!

Thomas Lemberg, USA



I am writing to thank you for taking part in our amazing journey to India and for the warm and friendly atmosphere that we created together during this extraordinary journey of discovery and adventure to this mysterious country! We have all come back home enriched with new experiences and valuable knowledge!

Linda Hubback - Califonia, USA



Thanks for another great trip.  The first was Turkey and now India.  Both were mind expand adventures.

Dr. Carl Good Ph.D, USA



Thank you for a fantastic time. I look forward to hearing more about the other trips.

Miles Seiden, Los Angeles, USA



Thank you so much for an amazing trip. I have been on a lot of tours throughout the world with a variety of different tour groups and I have to say that your trip to India was the most organized trip I have ever been on. Visiting third world countries can be a little nerve wrecking and you must always be prepared for the unexpected. However, this trip was so well organized with thoughtful details like personally picking every person up from the airport when they flew into India and tour guides that genuinely cared about our needs helped create a harmonious, stress free experience for us all.

The hotels were nice, we were overfed with lavish buffets, boxed lunches and fresh fruit while we were traveling to a variety of different destinations on buses. The itinerary was outstanding with amazing places for our us to explore and experience without us having to plan anything. Overall, I left this trip feeling like I got my money's worth, in fact I got way more than I expected. I will definitely be joining you on another trip in the future.

Sabrina Reber - Florida, USA



The trip to India was an incredible experience. So many amazing sites in such a short space of time using many different methods of travel. Incredibly well organised and any questions answered clearly. Felt as though our group were always in good hands even factoring in the chaos of India. A beautiful charming colorful and charismatic place and the tour as a whole will live long in my memory.

Aiden Turner - Great Britain



The best bit of the trip was coming home with friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. I am and we all are so grateful to you for organizing and facilitating such a wondrous holiday. I’m dying to see the photos and please give us first choice on the dates for next year and can we please have a reunion in 2016? Tons of love and hugs to you and Artur.

Sheelagh Donelly - Great Britain



I was on your June 2012 Turkey tour and had the time of my life!  The trip was well planned and brilliantly executed, and the guides that accompanied us from beginning throughout the end were knowledgeable, personable and all-round wonderful people.  This trip opened my eyes to new (old) worlds as we traveled through the country’s breath-taking ancient sites, lovingly maintained and preserved.  You did a wonderful job choosing and making advance reservations for these site visits...the hotels and eating establishments chosen were first-rate.  This care continued during the actual trip.  For example, when a main road was closed for repairs and we had to take an alternate, slower route... you called ahead to make sure the hotel would have hot, fresh meals waiting for us well past the usual dinner hour.  Now, that’s superior service!

Margie Vawter, USA



Your tour to Turkey was the best journey in my life! Your two-week itinerary took us to the absolutely most stunning places in Turkey which is a country abundant in monuments and breathtaking natural sights. The food, the hotels and the guides were all great, really made us savor the experience. I think we loved Istanbul the most with its exquisite gardens and mosques and other architectural works of art. The other region that I will never forget is Cappadocia which was one of the most awe-inspiring places I have ever seen, with its magical underground cities and the dreamy bare-rock landscape. Thank you so much for this tunning experience. I am sure to recommend your tours to others and I hope I will travel with you again soon!

Ann Thomson - Montana, USA



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