My husband and I are thinking of going to Egypt. The Gate 1 tour looks interesting and is relatively inexpensive. Does anyone know about Gate 1 and their tours to Egypt. I've heard they have good tours. Also, on these tours does one have to go around in buses with large groups of people or can you do something more private but guided.

Gate 1 is a reliable company where you can add tours to go with a group or arrange private guided tours. For more help, and a discount off the prices you are seeing for Gate 1, contact me privately. I'm not sure I'm allowed to post my website so you could do a search for me by name: Julie Roggow
I have contracts with Gate 1 that allow me to offer lower prices for the exact same trips.

I did not use Gate 1 for Egypt but I did use them for Israel and Turkey, and I am considering Gate 1 for another trip next year. They are indeed a great company and I think they will do a good job for you.

Thanks. I read one review that said that there were good and bad things about Gate 1 in Egypt. Good tour guides and dirty quarters, inedible food. If there's anyone else who has actually taken Gate 1 to Egypt, I'd love to hear from you.

I'm sorry to say this but I found most food in Egypt to be inedible. Some like it, but I just never warmed up to Egyptian food.

Gate 1 is reputable and we saw a few people on tour with them. It was a small group of maybe 7-8/people, so size of group can vary. I believe you can arrange for a private tour with Gate 1 and probably have better selection of hotels, but this will also add to your cost.

You might want to inquire of Isram Travel/Tours (located in NYC), where most of their tours offer both "standard" and "deluxe" choice of accommodations. Isram, like Gate 1 has been in business 30+/years with a similar price-point.

Unfortunately when the comment "inexpensive" comes into play, you have to be prepared that the accommodations might not be the best, nor the boat for the Nile Cruise portion.

If you do a search on this board - Egypt Tour Operators - you'll find threads where visitors have used "in-country" tour operators for a private tour, designed as they wish, staying a hotels or selecting Nile cruise boat as they feel fits their budget. Private will be somewhat more expensive than group, but you make the decisions. One recently mentioned with good reviews has been Lady Egypt. Check them out.

What do you consider reasonable? I was going to pay $4500 Aussie dollars per person for a 14 day group tour because I had no idea what other tour operators there are. In the end, I found an Egyptian co (Lady Egypt) who will give us a similar tour - mena house obero, cairo marriott and other 5 star hotels, entrance fees, 5 star nile cruise, our own personal Egyptoligist & driver, meals for $US2200 per person. A Huge saving if I hadn't shopped around. I love this website! Yeah for all the "Egypt lovers!!"