Tempo Tours - Egypt
 

We are considering this Australian based tour group for our trip this coming September. This is about the only one I can find which fits into our 6 day time limit.
Has anyone used them??
I am a big dubious of booking a tour on the internet.

Don't know about Tempo Tours but we did use Abercrombie & Kent Australia for our Egypt tours. I think they can custom make a tour for any amount of days you want. Here's the link: http://www.abercrombiekent.com.au/

Beware that they are one of the most expensive tour company and you can probably find similar offerings much cheaper from the other companies.

Thanks Hanuman - I just checked out A&K but nothing there that fits our times... as you said expensive!!

DebM -

Why not check out MISR (an official Egyptian tour operator) or egyptontheweb. Do a search to locate their exact websites. Both are in-country operators who can design an itinerary for the number of days you have, at very competitive prices.

If you do a search on this board you will find a number of threads referring to these companies and the very happy travelers who have used them.

While A&K does a good job,you can travel independently staying in the same or better hotels and hiring private guides for less money.For years I have followed A&K itineraries without schlepping around on buses to their timetable.

mgmargate, schlepping around on an A & K bus is with only the small group you are in. My group in January was all of 14. It was a great schlepp! They will stop and go where the group wants to go. Their timetable is yours. They are the best and you definitely get what you pay for!

MauiMAUI: Our schlepping is done in a Benz or bmw sedan or luxury van With a driver/guide of our own.I have priced over a dozen trips we've taken against A&K itineraries & we spend less$ for a lot better experience,it's a no brainer.

I'm with you mgmargate. I don't understand why anyone would pay the high A&K prices. There are much better offerings out there.

Lori Glenn

In case anyone is interested we pay for a meet&assist at airport &car transfer to the hotel,we arrange for car&guide thru concierge&walking tour guides thru same.WE really go where we want not where 12 or 14 people & A&k decide.We stay in the same or better hotels than A&K and we eat ala carte where and when we choose.We do all this for less money than going on an A&K tour. If you don't believe me try it yourself,A&K is good for people who need structure but it does not make sense economically.

I have also booked tours that copied an A&K itinerary, for far less money and with a much more intimate group. I have posted this elsewhere, but will repeat my experience on our first safari in August 1999.

As we began planning our first safari, we ordered A&K's Africa brochure, but we laughed when we saw the prices (we had an idea what the lodges charged, and almost choked when we calculated A&K's markup). But we did like A&K's itinerary, which we emailed to a Nairobi-based operator who was recommended by friends.

The operator was able to match the itinerary for less than 50% of A&K's quote, and we traveled in our own private group, in a brand new Land Rover, we took the same flights as the A&K group, stayed at the same lodges and at the same food, but for far less, in fact more than 50% less. Our only sacrifice -- we didn't receive the A&K hat.

We have done the same since. The only tour we have taken was last December's trip to the Galapagos, because that seemed to be more difficult and expensive to visit by private yacht. We booked passage on a larger boat and traveled with a group of 14. So, for the Galapagos, a group was the only realistic option.

But for Africa, in my view, its much less expensive and flexible to plan and book your own trip.

One poster on this site had kind words to say about her A&K trip, and she wrote that A&K would stop where the GROUP wanted. Well, she was very lucky the group reached a consensus, because with 14 people, not all related or friends, its not always possible to reach a consensus, which is much easier to do when traveling with family and friends.

To each his own. Afterall, A&K stays in business and judging by their recent full page ads in the New York Times, they are making lots of money, so they are not experiencing any shortage of clients.

Thit cho:So i'm not the only one that laughs at A&K prices.I'm sure people who take A&K tours are happy with the experience,until they realize that people like me are funding their next vacation with the money I didn't pay A&K.We get personalised service not small (14people)guided tours.So take MauiMaui's advice with a grain of salt,He hasn't yet realized he's getting ripped.

I'll bet you all flew coach! And by the way mauimaui is a girl and I don't feel I'm being ripped off and I don't like structure, I just like first class travel at the best places not bargain stuff. I still say don't knock it if you haven't tried it! You may think you are getting the same trip for less money, but I know better.

To tit cho, If I said A & K stopped where the group wanted, I said it incorrectly. One example of one day, out of the 14, 5 of us wanted to go to the Winter Palace for drinks, 5 wanted to go shopping and the other 4 wanted to go back to the hotel. We all got to do what we wanted.

MM: If you want the truth go on the net,price the hotel,air,allow $200.00 a day for food,make allowance for car/guide,limo to&from the airport,total it all up and deduct it from what you paid. Start planning your next vacation with the difference.Your denial of what savvy travellers know rings hollow here.

MM:you also don't seem to read too well,I copy A&K itineraries,but some of their hotels are not quite upto our standards and in those cases we substitute the better hotel.When I was at the pool of 4 seasons cairo I struck up a conversation with a BRIT at the pool he was going next day on tour with his group while my family in a benz with private guide were going to be doing the same.then we both were going south for nile cruise.When we compared costs he almost through up on his pool shoes.Don't knock it until you've tried it.

One other thing the Brit's room was no where near as nice as our Nile view 1 bedroom suite.

Wow, I feel like a scmuck for booking an A&k tour. My husband and I travel frequently on our own (no tours), most recently 3 weeks to Peru and 3 weeks to Turkey. We decided to do a tour for the first time in Egypt because, due to time constraints (work), I don't have the luxury this time to do all the leg work required to plan a 3 week trip.

It doesn't require much work at all.Hand any A&K brochure to your T/A and they can book it for you independetely.When you get to your hotel see the concierge and arrange for your PRIVATE car and guide and your off.As long as you don't make the same mistake again chalk it up to a learning experience.Don't worry about MauiMaui's rants it's obvious she inherited her money because it's not probable someone whose reading comprehension is so demonstrably poor could have earned her money,she's just angry that we have pointed out how dumb it is(unless you enjoy wasting money)to book through A&K or Tauck etc. Who do they think are paying all those salaries,building mortages,etc.etc.She claims she goes first class and assumes we don't HA,my family and I have travelled extensively over 20 countries with 7&9 year olds,most recently over easter to Dubai& stayed at The BURJ AL ARAB hotel adjacent to WILD WADI WATER PARK,the smallest suite you can book in this all suite hotel is approx 1700 square feet.It's entirely possible MauiMaui is actually an A&K employee,probably lower level if you take into account her lame counter arguments.

oforparis - don't feel bad. Some people, depending on the country, feel more comfortable with an organized tour. I have done both and enjoyed both. You will not have to touch your pocketbook as everything will be included - meals, tips, entrance fees and all the bottled water you want. You will not have to touch your luggage. Enjoy your trip.

Louise:We don't touch our luggage either etc.etc.The difference is we travel better than these tours for at least 3o% less.IT'S A NO BRAINER FOLKS!!!IT's easy to prove, price it,the facts don't lie.

Forgot to add that all flights within Egypt are most likely included plus transportation to and from airports. Although I did not traveled with A&K or Tauck, the tour I just took included 4 flights.

Oops - meant travel not traveled.

Louise:You don't seem to be grasping that my comparison is totalling ALL DOLLARS SPENT door-door including stretch limo to and from the airport.Trying to spin that you are getting something that we are not is nonsense, the facts are that we are getting a more luxurious vacation for less money!!!

Sorry, I guess I misread your post "when you get to your hotel see the concierge and arrange for private car and guide".

mgmargate, FYI I haven't inherited any money, I own my own business, know how to spell "through up" properly, and never wasted money traveling to exotic places on 7 and 9 years olds that won't appreciate or remember the trip! I have one consulation, I will never be on a trip with you and your condescending attitude. It was not my intention to insult or be insulted by anyone's choice of travel, only my opinion of mine and mine only travels. In the USA we are free to travel when, where and how we please.

Louise:It's starting to get ridiculous,this process with the concierge is about as hard as finding out where the best restaurants really are not the ones A&K has special deals with.

MM: I don't concern myself with grammar and spelling,after all i'm only a high school graduate C average who owns 2 businesses,that I started from scratch with no help from anyone.I make enough money to do almost anything I please including "waste exotic vacations on the kids I love"My kids (both honor students are better people for their travels and if you don't see the value in that then I can't help it.If you really believe taking kids on these trips is a waste then that reinforces my previous thoughts about you.

Well, I for one appreciated MauiMaui's trip report. I have never heard one bad thing from anyone who has actually taken an A&K tour. And, by the way, you can do any of the A&K tours with only your own group (or family)for a very slight increase in price. I think, however, that for people with kids, doing their own tour is best. Most of the people on an A&K type tour don't really want to deal with someone else's seven year old, no matter how well behaved. So, to each their own!!

My point is that yes A&K provides a first class service,but many have discovered that you can get more for less.And speaking for my kids only they are better behaved than most adults I know.

MY kids are also smarter than most adults I know! Terra Nova score 99. That's as good as it gets folks.

mgmargate: I too prefer to book my own arrangements. I discovered long ago on Fodors that there are two groups of people who enjoy travel. I don't like any sort of tours, but have come to understand that not everyone feels the same way.

Having said that, MauiMaui: What on earth were you thinking when you said: "I never wasted money traveling to exotic places on 7 and 9 years olds"?

I do hope you will reconsider if you ever have children. My own daughter has been all over the world with me. Her 3rd grade teacher actually said to me once "she is wise beyond her years" I acredit this to her travel experiences. Not only that, but my daughter at 18 has many "cultural skills" that most adults I know do not.

As for remembering: Children remember things differently. Our first trip to Zimbabwe my daughter was 7 and remembers how big the bathtubs were (they also are used to do the family laundry), the morning tea and bicuits brought to us on silver trays, the prehistoric cave paintings, seeing giraffes without cages and the lizards on the wall of "Gramma Doti's" hut while we drank tea from china cups sitting on a straw mat. Simple things to you and I? Yes! But worth every penny to have enjoyed them with the person I love more than anyone else in the world.

Hello lilylace: I to was astounded by Maui"s position. My kids travel everywhere with us,Egypt&jordan,dubai, and 5 week European excursion 2 summers ago along with several other European and south american trips.They talk about these trips a lot and also do show and tells at school where they are a hit with other kids and more importantly their teachers. Maui's position in the discussion was untenable so she attacked with obvious nonsense.

mgmargate,
I've convinced my husband that Egypt is a must do! Please give me some advice on planning our own tour! I've planned lots of trips myself, but am always happy for advice and tips, especially for somewhere we've not been before. We will plan for next year, the heat doesn't scare us as much as the crowds of tourists do! When is best to go?

Lilylace: I went on line and found a boat that was cruising in our time frame Oberoi boats are very nice, then determine flight availability,then book hotels. You can have any good T/a help you.We flew ewr- cairo(egypt air),3 nighte 4 seasons cairo, flew E/a to Aswan 4 night Nile cruise, then stayed 2 nights Luxor (Old winter palace. Flew to Amman via cairo had Petra Movenpick send car to pick us up 3 hour drive 2 or 3 days in Petra and Wadi Rum area,Flew E/a Amman -ewr via Cairo. My wife and I and at the time 5&7 year olds went on this trip. We arranged meet and assist at airport from hotel with transport and in minutes arranged driver/private guide with the conceirge.

Sounds great! Thanks mgmargate, I can hardly wait to get my Europe trip out of the way next month and then I'll concentrate on Egypt! I really love the thrill of planning all this!

LL: We went in April and it was starting to get pretty hot 85-90, I don't think I would go in May or the summer.In a perfect world I would go in March.

March has a tendency to have sand storms.
We traveled end-October/beg-November and it was wonderful. The weather in Cairo was delightful, with cool to chilly evenings.
At Abu Simbel it was hot, but we were only there for the morning, so it as tolerable - the further South you go the hotter it gets. Then along the cruise, the days were warm, maybe in the 80s, with cool nights. But once we arrived in Luxor, the morning we went over to the Valley of the Kings/Queens - this was an early start 6am, because by 9am it was close to 90 degrees if not higher and the evenings did not cool down much.
May will be hot!

I forgot about the sand storms.While we were waiting for our bags at JFK on our return I spoke to a couple who had gone to pyramids a few days after us and a sandstorm ruined the only day they had set aside for the pyramids.