Published on Feb, 2025
In planing our vacation in Egypt, we quickly realized that to see all of the significant sites the trip needed to encompass two segments: the Lower Nile for Cairo, Giza, and Saqqara and the Upper Nile for Luxor (Valleys of the Kings and Queens, Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Karnak and Luxor Temples, and several other significant sites frequently overlooked) and Aswan, gateway to the famed Abu Simbel complex of Ramesses II three hours further south by car. Our experiences with Egypt Tailor Made Tours and our fabulous guide, Sabry, on the first leg have been described in another post. For the second leg, Abu Simbel was problematic due to the distance, which tempts many to pass on this amazing world treasure on a cliff overlooking the peaceful waters of Lake Nasser. However, Abu Simbel was the "box that needed to be checked" by this writer, dating to 1961 when I read in My Weekly Reader about the efforts to save the site from flooding by literally cutting it up and relocating it to a new site at the top of the cliff above the water. (Those interested in the history of Abu Simbel and its relocation should read Empress of the Nile by Lynne Olsen, a wonderful biography of Christiane Deroches-Nobelcourt the female Indiana Jones archeologist and former French resistance fighter who convinced Abdul Nasser and Jacqueline Kennedy among others that it was possible to save the site.
Many solve the logistical dilemma of the Upper Nile by taking one of the many Nile River cruises available; however, the option is expensive and many other sites of interest are incompartible with their schedule. A day trip by air from Aswan leaves only an hour at Abu Simbel, which proves to be inadequate. We chose Egypt Tailor Made to help us create a custom tour in which we flew to Aswan from Cairo, stayed the night in Aswan, then left the next morning early to be driven the three hours to Abu Simbel which allowed more than enough time thoroughly to enjoy the complex. Egypt Tailor Made provided two drivers, our guide Emil who would be with us for the whole second segment, and a comfortable van. In spite of the distance, driving through the Western Sahara for three hours was fascinating. We returned to Aswan by sunset and stayed the night. The next day Emil met us with the driver and van to travel north to Luxor, visiting the sites we would have otherwise missed on the way (the amazing Kom Ombu Temple and the separate Edfu and Esna Temples) and the exotic towns and villages along the way. We allowed five days to cover all the sites in the lovely river city of Luxor, although four would have been perfectly adequate to provide a leisurely tour. The Valley of the Kings and the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut must be seen, as is the Medinet Habu Temple of Amun and Ramesses III. We found three tomb tours in the Valley of the Kings was sufficient to give one a sense of "tomb exploring." We opted not to visit the Valley of the Queens since the best tombs were closed for renovation. Emil suggested we instead enjoy a visit to the cities of the artisans and nobles. This was very enriching since we had a chance to see separate intimate tombs that the most valued artisans and nobles were allowed to build for their burials. We ended our last day at the beautifully preserved Dendara Temple of Hathor, which is well worth the hour drive to this overlooked site. Of all the temples, this site had the best color and carvings. Do not miss a boat ride to the island temple of Philae or to end your day with a sunset ride on a felucca, the tradition sailboat of the Nile, as it glides among the rocks of the now tamed cataracts.
As I pointed out in an earlier review, it is essential to do your homework, have a plan, and get a good guide in Egypt. Emil proved a wonderful source of guidance and information. Every morning he reminded us he "had a plan." As he took us through temples he explain the logic of what we were seeing and pointed out details we might have missed. He also wove intricate stories relating the people, their motivations, and the sites that brought everything together and made it alive. Egypt Tailor Made was a excellent tour service that worked with us to create a unique experience at a remarkably reasonable price. We cannot praise them enough. One photo tip--the temples such as Karnak are immense and inspiring, as they were designed to be. To get the best sense of scale, use your video mode to pan across and up pillars to give a sense of the grandeur. Also do not forget to include the goddess Nut lurking in the ceiling. Have someone in frame to have a sense of the true scale as well.
Free Cancellation
