michele

Anyone have a tour group that they highy recommend? At the moment, I am looking at the first class ones as a starting point. What would be ideal is a tour that has flexible dates as I am locked into Easter vacation schedule ( week before and of) and allows for a fair amount of free time. Would also consider a private driver based in Egypt... <BR>Thanks, <BR>M.

elinor friedman

Hi- <BR>I am getting my trip together for Egypt and Jordan for November. If you are staying at a Hilton, or some similar hotel, you can e-mail, fax or telephone the concierge of the hotel, and they can make arrangements for a driver. I think it is more cost effective than dealing with a travel agent at home. That is how I am handling my trip to Jordan. Egypt will be with Abercrombie & Kent. If you do not care about socializing with other people, I think you can do much better with a knowledgable driver. Then you can do what you want, stay as long as you want at a site, etc. <BR>If you want more info, I have been researching this, and I will be more than happy to share my info. You can just e-mail me directly. <BR> <BR>If I do not hear from you, hope you enjoy. <BR> <BR>ellie <BR>

Carol

Dear Michele - <BR>Have you gotten any idea yet what a driver and guide will cost? I hear it's as important to have a knowledgeable guide as a driver? What have you found? <BR>Thanks, Carol <BR>

Louise

Michele - four of us have booked with Maupintour for Egypt in February. We have travelled twice with them before to Kenya/Tanzania and Greece/Turkey and found them excellent. In fact, a lot of the places we stayed A&K stayed also at least in Africa. They include a trip to Alexandria and also 6 nights on the Nile cruise with balcony cabins plus a lot of extras. Try their website www.maupintour.com.

kiersten

Another very luxurious agency to to try is Travcoa, and for less money but still first class(ie stay @ 4 seasons hotel) try Big Five. With these, as with A& K you can build your own private itinerary so that you do not have to be with a group. <BR> <BR>Enjoy! We will be in Egypt, Jordan, Jerusalem and TelAviv in Sept. doing the private car and driver.

Judy Ryan

Here is another to-notch group to consider: OAT which is Overseas Adventure Travel. The group size is not <BR>over 16. I went to Thailand with them <BR>last February, am going to Turkey with <BR>them in September, and Australia/New <BR>Zealand in March of 01. They have been <BR>bought by Grand Circle Tours, but still <BR>are keeping their group size small. <BR>I plan on going to Egypt with them in <BR>the fall of 01--possible with two couples that were on the Thailand trip. <BR>I am a single traveler and this was my <BR>first "tour" experience. <BR> <BR>

michele

Many thanks to all. <BR> <BR>Elinor..I will get in touch with you soon. <BR> <BR>Carol... we used a driver ONLY in Syria and it was fine. Guides were available , if you wanted one, at all the major sites. Sometimes I just don't want a guide or a guidebook will do. <BR> <BR>Louise..Maupintour has an excellent reputation and I have contacted them. I do have specific dates in mind and that might be a problem. <BR> <BR>Judy and Kiersten..I am definitely contacting Travcoa and OAT..sounds interesting. <BR> <BR>Michele

LEANNA

Louise......so I did a by hand spead sheet today comparing 7 diff companies..and now I'm more confused than ever. Do you know if you see the catacombs in Alexandria? This is the one major reason why I want to go there. Other than that I do like their tour....and have judged the other itineries accordingly. Also do you know ...are there optionals offered that will cost more..I tend to take them all....and are there special dinner optionals for the dinners not provided. Ok...think thats it for now. Just thought I'd ask you...as I"ll probably know more than my travel agent...so wont get much help there! Thank you very much for your patience!!!

Louise

Leanna - enjoy all your studying. If you are anything like me once you make your decision part of the fun is gone and then it's just a waiting game. I don't know about the catacombs but I do see on the full day in Alexandria there is time for a stroll along the shore and then dinner on your own. Maybe there would be time then if it is not included. Give Maupintour a call - they are very helpful. As for options, we never had much time on our tours for anything else that seemed important to see. Having a rest once in a while is nice especially if you get "mummy tummy". The meals that weren't included we were on our own which was nice for a change from being with the group. I did notice before deciding when I was going over all the tours that there is a big difference in price between the hotels and at the Mena House between the pyramid view rooms and other rooms. I really do think that you get what you pay for as all the tour companies get special rates. The only thing that I would wish for is a smaller group. I think Maupintour's limit is around 25 and I would like less but the couple we are going with enjoy that size group. It gets a little hard to hear your guide when there are a lot of people gathered around. I think Maupintour gives excellent value for the money with all they include. Hope I have been helpful.

LEANNA

Louise...ok so let me get this straight..basically except for a few extra meals, and my souveniers...EVERYTHING IS PAID FOR. No other tours costing extra will be offered. Gee I"m not use to this ...can you tell!!?? I"ve only used Insight and Grand European which were swell but I did have about $400 extra in dinners and tours I wanted to take. Also the room you had at the Mena house is with a pyramid view....even for singles huh? Neat!!! Gad...sorry to be such a pain..and I will call M and talk to them about those drafty dratted catacombs!! As for the waiting game...ahhh....thats when I read and take notes for months. By the time I get home, type up my obsessively long journal, and fill my albums....I've been on the trip for an entire year!! Infact on the way home ..to beat the blues... I start thinking of where to next!! Sigh..is this a passion w/ me or what? Guess its MY mid life affair!!!Thank you very much indeed again for all your help!!

Kris

to Kiersten, have you had experience with Big Five in Egypt? I very much like their itinerary but have not heard any input about them. To Judy, how do you contact OAT? Thank you.

michele

Elinor, <BR>I can't seem to contact you ( the mail keeps coming back), so if you encounter any guides or companies in Egypt that impress you, please let me know. I've looked into several tours and none of them are the dates I can travel. They also seem HIGHLY regimented. <BR> <BR>Thanks for any additional information, <BR>Michele

elinor friedman

Michele- <BR> <BR>For whatever reason, my e-mail to you keeps coming back. I am sending it to Michele([email protected]). <BR>I will try again to forward my message to you. For my e-mail address are you putting a . between "elinor" and "friedman"? <BR>Hope you hear from you. <BR> <BR>ellie

jodi

My only thought on A&K is, when in the temples @Abu Simbel the guide did not have a flashlight! This town is 1000 or so k from Aswan and its electricity is generated by diesel(I think) and notoriously erratic. Candles and matches are evident in each hotel room. Clue enough? Now, would you not think that the guide would have portable lighting @ that price and reputation. I was in Abu for the morning of Feb.22 for the temple light @ sunrise and not one of the A@K group got up for it, even though that is quite clearly why they were there for that twice yearly event. I immediately thought, what a bunch of dullards, glad I'm not with them. In all fairness, they all were charming when I loaned them by 5 battery MAG light, invited me to join them for dinner and a later walk to the lit temple. But still!

LEANNA

Oh Jodi...I am having such a good laugh here!! Why dooo people travel??? To go all that distance and then miss stuff...makes noooo sense to me either!! I take it ...a flashlite would be a good idea to tuck into the bag huh? NO one has mentioned this so thanks!! Goood idea!! But you're right A&K is a pretty swanky outfit...you would think a flashlite for the guide would be an necessary assesory!!!!!!

jodi

I am now home and have my info in front of me. I went with Gate One. They were more than fine. In Cairo I was @ the Marriot and it was perfect..and the view of my balcony? Right! the pyramids, far off but there and nothing else was far, as it would have been if I had been across the river. I ended up being a tour of one and was a tad freaked as I started out but it turned out fine! They treated me like a queen and I got to do what ever I wanted...whereas in a group there would have been compromises. Clearly on the Nile cruise part I was surrounded and that was just fine. Michele, I can almost assure this will be one of the best vacations of your life. It is SO exotic! And, truly fabulous. A friend, a travel agent, likes INSIGHT, a British company. Jodi

Vici McKeown

It depend on what you want. Do you want to be part of a group or would you liek something totally tailored to you - you choose where, when and how you go, etc? <BR> <BR>I live in Cairo and someone I know offers completely tailored tours for Egypt. His email is [email protected] and his name is Sherif El Husseini. He can do sort out eveything you require, including cruises, but you won't be part of a "tour group" or "packaged tour". <BR> <BR>Good Luck in whatever you choose!