Reviews

Not ‘Designed for children aged 9-12’

This review is based on being specifically ‘Designed for children aged 9-12’.

In summary, in our opinion, it is not.

It is simply the (excellent) adult trip with a few omissions and permitting children.

To give my review some context:

Our children are in the age bracket for whom this trip is designed.
I’ve been travelling with Exodus since 2006 and this was my seventh trip with one of those being the adult version of this trip.
Last year we travelled all over Vietnam on a family holiday with Intrepid.

All of these trips I’ve mentioned were outstanding experiences and no matter the price, excellent value for money. I continue to recommend those trips and Exodus at every opportunity to both the uninitiated and the many repeat trippers looking for something they haven’t yet tried.

But unfortunately this was the first where I felt my expectations weren’t met and I felt rather disappointed.

I would endorse the views expressed by previous reviewers Jon Browning and Stephen Dossett and encourage you to read them.

Memorable Egyptian Family Adventure

We recently embarked on the Egyptian Family Adventure with our two children, aged 10 and 13. Our guide, Sayeed, truly stood out – he was not only friendly but also exceptionally knowledgeable and impressively organized. From the moment we were picked up at the airport, Sayeed efficiently managed hotel check-ins and all our excursions, making the entire trip stress-free. The itinerary unfolded seamlessly, taking us from the bustling streets of Cairo to the awe-inspiring Great Pyramids and the enigmatic Sphinx, perched on the desert’s edge, creating a captivating contrast between ancient and modern Egypt. These pyramids, with a history spanning thousands of years, are a testament to the remarkable ingenuity of their builders. Remarkably, the Great Pyramid, the largest among them, stands as the sole surviving Wonder of the Ancient World. In the afternoons, we had leisure time to unwind at our hotel, explore Cairo, or delve into the treasures of the Egyptian Museum, home to the world’s most extensive collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, including the astonishing golden riches from Tutankhamun’s tomb. Sayeed’s advice to rise early for visits to the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple was spot on. We also explored the Aswan High Dam, Philae Temple, and were treated to an evening light show at Karnak Temple, which vividly retells the dramatic history of ancient Thebes. Our journey concluded in Hurghada, a lively coastal resort perfectly situated for sea-based and desert adventures. After a midday meal, we embarked on a semi-submersible vessel resembling a yellow submarine, offering us a glimpse into the captivating underwater world of the Red Sea’s coral area. Snorkeling was also on the agenda, allowing us to explore the underwater beauty before returning to solid ground. Overall, our trip was a remarkable experience, thanks to Sayeed’s expert guidance and the meticulously planned itinerary. The Highlights: Our exploration of Egypt was a remarkable opportunity to discover many of the country’s iconic attractions. With knowledgeable and responsible guides, the trip was impeccably organized, making it particularly family-friendly. Egypt’s rich history and culture left a profound impression on us, making our overall experience truly exceptional. Accommodations and Transportation: The quality of our accommodations was commendable. This charming destination, characterized by its captivating allure and privileged location, boasted impeccable service overseen by a capable management team. The highlight was undoubtedly the expansive swimming pool, perfect for relaxation. The culinary offerings were equally exceptional, providing a delightful dining experience. The hotels consistently maintained a high standard of quality and demonstrated a strong commitment to respect and courtesy. Optional Tours and Additional Costs: It’s important to note that most of the tours in the itinerary are optional, not mandatory. This means that to fully immerse yourself in the experience, you’ll need to budget extra funds. Regrettably, the cost of these optional trips can feel disproportionate to the face value of the entry tickets to the sites visited. While independent organization is possible, it may not always be straightforward. In conclusion, the Egyptian Family Adventure provides an incredible opportunity to explore Egypt’s treasures and immerse yourself in its history and culture. It’s well-organized and family-friendly. However, it’s crucial to set realistic expectations regarding budgeting for optional tours and additional costs. Despite these considerations, our overall experience in Egypt was unforgettable, and we are actively considering another Exodus family adventure holiday for 2024. We extend our gratitude to Exodus for facilitating this enriching journey through Egypt.

What an adventure!

We returned have from our Egyptian Family Adventure holiday and wanted to pass on our thanks and a few comments, we will, in due course write a formal review on your website but wished to get your feedback first. Our overall thoughts and feelings are very positive, we’ve had a really great adventure in Egypt and have left feeling like we’ve seen some of the most important aspects of the history and culture of this ancient civilisation. Our guide Sayeed Mansour was fabulous and deserves to be commended by your company, he is unfailingly knowledgeable, organised, patient and humorous. We felt that the balance of tours, activities and relaxation was good for both adults and children, both varied and accessible to all, so very well done to you. The accommodation was of a good quality with the hotel in Luxor being a highlight. We were disappointed to be given a smoking room in Hurghada (Beau Rivage) which needs noting, Sayeed did his best to change this but was unsuccessful. Our one criticism which we would like you to address is the optional tour to the Cairo Museum on day 3. We felt that this is such an important aspect to understand the context of the history Egypt (doubly so as it contains the relics of the tomb of Tut Ankh Amun) that it really shouldn’t be an optional tour costing 44$ USD per person. The face value of the entrance to the museum is only 300LE (approx. 9.5$USD). As a family of 3 we paid £104 GBP against a face value entrance of £22.50GBP. We understand that we would need to pay for our guide’s time and the bus/driver/bodyguard etc but on balance the consensus of the group was that the multiple of 4.6 was probably rather excessive. We would be interested to hear your calculations on how the tour price was determined. If you feel like reimbursing a portion of our money as a gesture of goodwill then please do get back in touch. Finally and although not within your remit I’m sure our flight experience with Egypt Air has unfortunately been less than ideal. We were left within the aircraft in >40C heat yesterday morning at Cairo airport for 1.5 hours and no AC and when arriving at LHR and waiting >2 hours for our luggage we find that many bags on the flight, including ours, are still in Cairo. We’ve filled in the forms at the airport and await their prompt return to our home, hopefully! We are most definitely actively considering another Exodus family adventure holiday for 2024!

Impressive Egypt

This trip gives you the opportunity to see many of the key sights of Egypt with the exception of Abu Simble and is well organised with responsible guides to help you navigate a new culture when travelling with children. Egypt itself is a fascinating country full of history and culture and we had a brilliant experience of Egypt. There are some things that you should consider to ensure that this is the right tour for you. The trip does promise a first class sleeper train and 4 or 5 star hotels throughout but that is a local distinction and most were more a European 2 or 3 star hotel at best. This isn’t a luxury tour. Many of the tours are optional rather than included and as such you need to allow plenty of extra dollars if you want to have the full experience. This makes you feel somewhat like you’re being exploited because the extra trips are significantly overpriced compared to the face value of the entry tickets to the sites visited, but you can’t easily then organise on your own. This trip gives you the opportunity to see many of the key sights of Egypt with the exception of Abu Simble and is well organised with responsible guides to help you navigate a new culture when travelling with children. Egypt itself is a fascinating country full of history and culture and we had a brilliant experience of Egypt. There are some things that you should consider to ensure that this is the right tour for you. The trip does promise a first class sleeper train and 4 or 5 star hotels throughout but that is a local distinction and most were more a European 2 or 3 star hotel at best. This isn’t a luxury tour. Many of the tours are optional rather than included and as such you need to allow plenty of extra dollars if you want to have the full experience. This makes you feel somewhat like you’re being chased for more money all the time and the extra trips are somewhat overpriced compared to the face value of the entry tickets to the sites visited, but you can’t easily then organise on your own. We noticed our 13 year old went in as a child ticket but we were charged a full adult price for the tour by exodus because he was over 12. The brochure said group tips paid in advance are optional but recommended but we were chased for the exact amount ‘recommended’ which I suspect is a profit source for the local tour provider. The coach journey was advised as 4 hours but actually took 7 hours due to using back roads rather than toll roads. There can be delays and you need to be prepared to sit for long periods.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting Saqqara (optional trip) was very special and we loved swimming with Dolphins ( optional trip). The temple at Philae was impressive and the whole holiday was a positive adventure and great fun, with lots of new memories made.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Responsible and accessible throughout the trip. He was well connected and although you suspect he only took you to restaurants and shops etc that were owned by friends, we went to some interesting places and felt safe.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring dollars as they don’t really want you spending Egyptian pounds for many trips etc. Be prepared to sit for long periods Don’t expect 1st class sleeper train or 4/5 star hotels. This is not a luxury trip. Buy a sim at the airport when you arrive. It’s inexpensive and wifi at hotels was unreliable or chargeable as an expensive extra. Be prepared to tip for everything, even things that you didn’t want someone to do for you. It’s customary and expected.

Suggestions

Egypt is a fascinating country and the trip is very well organised and we felt safe throughout. Do some research in advance so you know what trips might be of interest to you. Enjoy and discover!

Reply from Exodus

We are very pleased to hear that Stephen had a brilliant experience of Egypt and want to thank him for travelling with Exodus. It is great to read that he found the trip to be well organised, and that the guides helped his family to make the most of their time in the country. We are sorry to hear, though, that Stephen was a little disappointed by the standard of accommodation. We use a first class sleeper train and the properties our groups stay at throughout the tour are 4 and 5 star, though we recognise that these ratings are based on Egyptian classifications and may not quite match up with the standards of similarly rated European hotels. However, we are very confident that they are of a good quality for a family trip.

We have purposely included optional tours so that families can choose how much they do, and how much relaxation time they want to build into their itinerary. The cost of these is based not just on entry ticket prices, but also the transport needed to get to the sites. Based on Stephen’s feedback, however, we will be doing a full review of the optional excursions offered on this tour and especially will investigate his comment regarding the prices of tickets for children.

The tipping kitty is a set amount which is managed by the leader to ensure all those assisting the tour, for example hotel porters, are recognised for their assistance. The leader is accountable to the group for this expenditure, and our customers should in no way feel ‘chased’ for the amount. We would apologise for Stephen’s experience of being asked to contribute to the kitty, as it should make things easier for families, rather than raise concerns.

Once again, we would like to thank Stephen for his review of the Egyptian Family Adventure and for sharing his experiences. We are very pleased that, for the most part, Egypt lived up to his expectations.

– Kashka Lantis, Exodus Product Manager

Egypt Wonderful, Exodus less so.

Our family of four went on this tour in February half term 2023. The places you visit are amazing, Pyramids and Valley of the Kings especially. 19 of us on the tour, really good bunch of people and the kids all got on well. We were first time travellers with Exodus and we really expected more effort to have gone in to their planning and attention to detail in making this a family adventure as billed. In reality it’s a tour Exodus seem to resell from an Egyptian tour operator and felt like an adult tour with kids on. e.g. after the 15hour overnight train journey when clearly the group were exhausted, the guide announced that the hotel rooms weren’t ready and we were going to do the next day’s itinerary then. This completely misread the group. Often the plan for the day didn’t factor in meals or breaks at a reasonable time, e.g. on the first day we at left at 0730 but lunch stop wasn’t till 1400, lots of very hungry children. For the overnight train to Aswan they don’t use the main station in Cairo but a small suburban one. They got us to the station 3 hours before the train departure and there was only a small café that served drinks. With a bit of thought they could have easily sorted out a family friendly restaurant with toilets etc, the food on the train is pretty poor so a meal before departure would have been welcome. With some planning all of this could be fixed easily. We didn’t expect someone from Exodus to be with us, but I did expect one of their team to have built the itinerary and worked with the operator to match the vision they sell. This just didn’t seem to be the case. Exodus say they have at some point visited the hotels etc but not been on this particular tour. The Cairo hotel (Cairo Pyramids – Steigenberger) was terrible, you don’t stay in the main part which is on the website but are in old bungalows that were like a 1* motel from the 1980s. I can’t believe that anyone from Exodus has stayed in that part of the hotel and they still let people stay there. At each hotel the group were met by a local representative from the tour operator, but never managed to once get the hotel rooms sorted to match the group, e.g. those that needed three beds seemed to always get two. I realise this seems petty but at 2030 after a 7 hour coach drive you don’t want to be spending another 45mins trying to sort out hotel rooms. It would have really helped if they’d got this type of detail right. The tour operator runs a tipping kitty which Exodus say is optional. In reality it isn’t. You are summoned to pay ($45 or $25 for kids) on the first day, also children age 12 or older are adults for this and the optional tours. The tour operator was literally chasing some people around hotels to collect any missing tip kitty. Exodus have said they are going to make sure the operator knows it is optional, but I think if it’s needed they should simply add to the cost of the holiday. The tipping kitty doesn’t cover the tip for the guide which is recommended at $4/day per person. We really enjoyed Egypt but think Exodus need to step up their game on this tour to make it close to experience they say they offer.

Most Inspirational Moment

Valley of the Kings and King Tut's tomb. The latter was an option not encouraged by the guide but I would definitely do it. You just gt a ticket at the entrance to the Valley of the Kings.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The guide was good, but we felt he didn’t grasp that this tour had children on it. At times he lost his audience a bit with his descriptions at the various sites. I think, particularly in Cairo, he over sold the optional tours. I’m not sure how the tour would operate if only some of the group opted for the one of the optional tours. Overall though he worked hard.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don’t use the tip kitty just tip the drivers, hotel staff etc yourself. Bring $100 to $150 cash per person for optional tours etc. e.g. the Cairo Museum is optional and costs $40. You can pay on a card but they add a commission and then convert to EGP at not a great rate. Buy a Egyptian SIM card at the airport on arrival. When booking we were told family / interconnecting rooms weren’t guaranteed, in reality we never got one. As there were four of us we would have packed differently if we had known our rooms weren’t going to be close to each other. The exchange rate for EGP is much better in Egypt than the UK. All the hotels had ATMs with no commission. Make sure you take plenty of snacks each day, often there is a long time between meals. It was pretty cold in February at night, so bring warm clothes.

Reply from Exodus

We want to thank Jon for taking the time to review our Egyptian Family Adventure. This tour was developed by Exodus and the logistics are delivered by our local ground operators, though we are so sorry to read that it did not live up to Jon’s expectations of a family tour.

We include the overnight train as it is the quickest way to travel through Egypt, though we appreciate it is still a long journey and sleeping on a train is not always easy. However, the timings and organisation of this particular departure sound as though they were not in line with the needs of children, which is of course a cause for concern for us. Jon can be assured that we have discussed this with his tour leader and our local manager, as we know a family tour needs to be run differently from adult tours and this especially includes the timing of breaks. We are very confident that this has been greatly improved on subsequent departures, in line with Exodus and our clients’ expectations, though we regret that Jon’s experience was not as positive.

We were concerned to read Jon’s description of the Cairo Pyramids Hotel; unfortunately, there are currently limited choices for accommodation in Cairo for hotels due to the boom that Egypt is experiencing, but our staff visited the Cairo Pyramids Hotel in December 2022 and found the location to be excellent, and the cleanliness of the bungalow accommodation and facilities provided to be of a good standard. We are very sorry to read of Jon’s assessment of the property, however, and while we haven’t received similar feedback from other clients, we will continue to monitor comments we get about the Cairo Pyramids Hotel, and will also continue to explore alternative hotels in the area, should we feel the accommodation in Cairo could be improved on this trip.

We provide a local representative at each hotel, who is there to ensure a smooth check-in and that the right rooms are allocated based on family sizes. We are not sure why this did not go as we plan on this occasion, and are very sorry for any inconvenience caused to Jon and his family, though he can be assured that this has been followed up with our local team.
With regards to the tipping kitty, this is most definitely optional, which has been reiterated to our leaders. Egypt has a tipping culture and it is occasionally hard to know when to tip, who to tip, and how much to tip, so the kitty is intended to alleviate this confusion. The leader manages the kitty and tips where good service has been given, and he is accountable to the group for this expenditure.

Once again, we would like to thank Jon for leaving a review. We are sorry that there were aspects of the trip which left him disappointed, and we have worked on these with our local manager in order to improve this trip and match what Exodus are offering with what we are delivering. We are very confident that going forward this will be the case.

– Kashka Lantis, Exodus Product Manager

Egypt Wonderful, Exodus less so.

Our family of four went on this tour in February half term 2023. The places you visit are amazing, Pyramids and Valley of the Kings especially. 19 of us on the tour, really good bunch of people and the kids all got on well. We were first time travellers with Exodus and we really expected more effort to have gone in to their planning and attention to detail in making this a family adventure as billed. In reality it’s a tour Exodus seem to resell from an Egyptian tour operator and felt like an adult tour with kids on. e.g. after the 15hour overnight train journey when clearly the group were exhausted, the guide announced that the hotel rooms weren’t ready and we were going to do the next day’s itinerary then. This completely misread the group. Often the plan for the day didn’t factor in meals or breaks at a reasonable time, e.g. on the first day we at left at 0730 but lunch stop wasn’t till 1400, lots of very hungry children. For the overnight train to Aswan they don’t use the main station in Cairo but a small suburban one. They got us to the station 3 hours before the train departure and there was only a small café that served drinks. With a bit of thought they could have easily sorted out a family friendly restaurant with toilets etc, the food on the train is pretty poor so a meal before departure would have been welcome. With some planning all of this could be fixed easily. We didn’t expect someone from Exodus to be with us, but I did expect one of their team to have built the itinerary and worked with the operator to match the vision they sell. This just didn’t seem to be the case. Exodus say they have at some point visited the hotels etc but not been on this particular tour. The Cairo hotel (Cairo Pyramids – Steigenberger) was terrible, you don’t stay in the main part which is on the website but are in old bungalows that were like a 1* motel from the 1980s. I can’t believe that anyone from Exodus has stayed in that part of the hotel and they still let people stay there. At each hotel the group were met by a local representative from the tour operator, but never managed to once get the hotel rooms sorted to match the group, e.g. those that needed three beds seemed to always get two. I realise this seems petty but at 2030 after a 7 hour coach drive you don’t want to be spending another 45mins trying to sort out hotel rooms. It would have really helped if they’d got this type of detail right. The tour operator runs a tipping kitty which Exodus say is optional. In reality it isn’t. You are summoned to pay ($45 or $25 for kids) on the first day, also children age 12 or older are adults for this and the optional tours. The tour operator was literally chasing some people around hotels to collect any missing tip kitty. Exodus have said they are going to make sure the operator knows it is optional, but I think if it’s needed they should simply add to the cost of the holiday. The tipping kitty doesn’t cover the tip for the guide which is recommended at $4/day per person. We really enjoyed Egypt but think Exodus need to step up their game on this tour to make it close to experience they say they offer.

Fantastic Family Egyptian Adventure

We really enjoyed this trip which took in the highlights, culture, sights, history and more. The Excellent, tour guide made the brilliant trip itinerary come alive. He really knew his stuff and went the extra mile to make sure the adults and kids were totally taken care of, entertained and all administration was seamless. He helped the group of 15 to bond allowing the parents some relaxation as the kids got to know each other. Great memories and looking forward to our next Exodus trip!