Our Egypt Adventure with G Adventures – Start to Finish

We chose two of the optional extra Egypt tour add-ons, and they were awe-inspiring monuments which made any long drives well-worth it: Philae Temple and Abu Simbel. The first was Philae Temple on the Nile River which is accessed by small boat from the city of Aswan and offers classic Egyptian carvings and hieroglyphs, ancient Roman “graffiti” and defacement from the Greco-Roman period, and an insight into the Christian influence too.

Home of King Tutankhamen’s tomb (and his mummified body!), this remote desert valley is an absolute dream for ancient Egypt enthusiasts! The area spans two kilometres and the inclusive entrance ticket allows you to visit three tombs from a selection, giving you the option to pay for additional tomb visits such as King Tut’s which was small but a great bucket-list item to tick off.

Our CEO recommended seeing the Rameses tombs with our three inclusive entrance stamps, which were incredibly well-preserved boasting colourful hieroglyphs, stories of Egyptian gods and goddesses, and sarcophagi.

Our first of two “Local Living” moments on the tour saw us having a delicious meal in a Nubian village in Aswan overlooking the sunset over the west bank of the Nile River. The house belonged to a humble, quietly hilarious man named Mohammed, and his wife who was the cook (and the boss, according to him). We were treated to a traditional meal including lentil soup with pita to start, and spiced chicken, stewed vegetables such as eggplant and okra, rice and potatoes for mains. Mohammed told us of how G Adventures travellers enabled them to comfortably raise their children, as well as furnish more of the home to accommodate visitors, with plans for a new downstairs sitting room. They genuinely loved having guests over to showcase home-cooked local cuisine and in return help practice their English.

On Day 7, our group was fortunate enough to pay a visit to Funtasia - G Adventures local Planeterra location. This social enterprise focuses on child and teen development to assist them with learning long-term life skills. The visit was our “G for Good” moment, something many of their tours include around the world. And if you’re lucky enough to visit, it’s a beautiful showcase of a positive impact from tourism. The ripple effect is real, and Funtasia was a tangible manifestation of how we can turn travel into a force for good.

We met the older children who volunteered at the centre, and they led us on a bicycle ride around the area which included panoramic vistas of the Valley of the Kings and other temples, followed by a refreshing hibiscus tea afterwards as we learned about the initiative and its impact - thanks to G Adventures and their travellers.

Saving the best for last, one of the absolute highlights of our trip was our Chief Experience Officer – Iman. She wasn’t just a G Adventures tour guide giving us information about tipping, currency and taking us around, but a trained Egyptologist with decades of experience. Iman possessed as much knowledge of the ancient world as an Egyptian Museum, which she happily shared with our group of 16. She was also familiar with local cultures and traditions that helped us understand the Egyptian people and its society.

By the end of the week, there were teary goodbyes across the group, especially for Iman who brought our group together like no other guide I’ve had before. I’ll be forever grateful for her leadership on what was a dream trip of a lifetime.

• Is it safe to visit Egypt? There wasn’t a moment on our G Adventures Egypt tour where either my partner or I felt unsafe – no hint of political unrest, involvement in the war, or local crime. In fact, everyone was extremely welcoming and generally happy to see that tourism has bounced back post-pandemic, and travelling with a group also meant we were kept as safe as possible. As always, stay informed and follow advice on official government websites such as DFAT for Australians.
• What’s the best time of year for Egypt tours? Avoiding the summer months (Jun-Aug) is recommended for most parts of the Middle East, as it’s still relatively warm in the cooler seasons and you avoid the intense heat. Plus, during “shoulder seasons” like Mar-May and September, you can avoid the largest of the crowds that flock to the likes of the Great Pyramids, Abu Simbel and the Luxor temples.
• Do you have to tip in Egypt? Yes, it is customary to tip in Egypt (usually between 10-15%), and when on a G Adventures Egypt tour this is always taken care of as travellers contribute to a tipping kitty at the start of the tour, which removes a lot of the hassle! Be aware that at tourist attractions, locals will offer to take photographs for you and the expectation is that you will pay extra and tip them, sometimes coming across as quite pushy. If you don’t want to, politely decline and keep walking.
• Can I use card for payments in Egypt? Some vendors such as restaurants and tourist attractions accept card payments, however it is a cash-heavy society so ensure you have Egyptian Pounds (easily withdrawn from ATMs) ready to spend.
• Do you haggle in Egypt? Yes! When shopping in the markets and places such as Khan El Khalili Bazaar, remember to haggle as this is part of the culture and ensures you are less likely to be overcharged. Vendors can be pushy to get you to spend more, so it’s good to learn the phrase for “No, thank you” in Arabic to help if you know you don’t want to buy, or enter a shop. Bonus points if you travel with a tour group as your guide can also assist you.
• Can I drink the tap water in Egypt? It is highly recommended not to drink the tap water. You’ll see the locals have no issue with it, but travellers should always stick to bottled water which is cheap to buy throughout the country and is always available to purchase on the tour bus.
• Should I travel to Egypt myself or on a tour? I’m typically an independent traveller - however my partner and I are finding more often than not we prefer small group tours with companies like G Adventures. Why? Aside from having it all organised with free time built in, you get a local G Adventures guide – otherwise known as a Chief Experience Officer (CEO) – to truly immerse you in the culture and help understand the history and current state from a local’s perspective which in invaluable. At time of writing, we’ve now done three G Adventures tours each, and they continue to out-do themselves. It’s also fantastic to know that we’re making an impact, by using a reputable company which ensures a majority percentage of the G Adventures tour cost goes straight to the local community, and drives projects through Planeterra for sustainable positive impacts and growth.

If you’ve been wanting to visit Egypt, this 8-day itinerary with G Adventures is a dream trip that won’t underdeliver. We actually combined this tour with a visit to Jordan afterwards, so if you’re wanting to get Petra ticked off at the same time, why not consider the Egypt and Jordan Adventure?

Your Flight Centre Travel Expert will be able to help select the tour and itinerary that’s right for you making travel planning easy. All that’s left to do is get packing and start exploring!