Intrepid and camel friends 
Cozy quarters with the Intrepid group on the felucca
But really there’s no question! Here are the pros and cons of booking a tour group when traveling in Egypt.
I wouldn’t consider myself a “tour person.” I enjoy the planning process, creating itineraries, and exploring on my own schedule. I don’t mind traveling solo and usually make friends at my accommodation or just out and about. That being said, I enjoy day tours or walking/food tours of a new city to acclimate to the area.
BUT I 100% think you should book a full service tour when visiting Egypt, whether you’re solo or traveling with someone.
Reasons to book a tour:
- The ease of traveling. Time is just a suggested concept in Egypt and there are lots of little logistics that could go awry. The traffic and protests can also derail itineraries. Guides anticipate this and plan accordingly.
- Things get done faster. Our guide was assertive with the locals, taxi drivers and ticket counter attendees. He would often seek out a specific person for tickets or knew which way was the most efficient. For example, when visiting the enormous pyramids site, we went to three different areas and our car drove us to each, making it easy and straightforward.
- You’ll feel more comfortable. Egyptian men can be aggressive. There’s a lot of haggling and harassing, especially if you are a woman. With a guide, vendors will still try to sell you things, but won’t persist or follow you once you say “no.”
- You’ll learn so much more with a guide. Visiting the pyramids, tombs or historical landmarks and seeing them IRL is one thing. Having someone who can explain the history, the story and other interesting tidbits is worth its weight in Egyptian gold. It would be ludicrous to travel all the way to Egypt without truly understanding the fascinating history behind these sites.
- It’s an easy way to meet people. My tour group had a max of 12 people. It’s a chance to make friendships with people from all over the world that could last well beyond the trip.
- You’re less likely to be fooled or mislead. There are products for sale everywhere and your guide will let you know whether they are real, and help you negotiate the price. Our guide also took us to authentic factories and shops so that we knew we were purchasing the real deal.
- Most tour guides are locals to the area. This leads to unique insight and real experiences you might not have found on your own. Our guide was from Cairo and told us all about Egyptian life. A couple of meals with local families were also included in the trip.
- You have free time most days to do your own thing, whether it’s chill in the hotel or go out and explore. Guides can also make arrangements for you if you decide to do something off the itinerary.
- An on-hand photographer! It’s best not to give your phone to Egyptians at the main sites, as they will force a tip before returning your phone. With a group it’s easy to take turns. Part of our tour guide’s hospitality degree included photography so he knew what he was doing!
- Tours often take extra steps to practice responsible tourism. This means being aware of injustices or finding ways to improve local communities by investing in human rights initiatives or environmental resources. For example, our guide sought out specific camel owners at the pyramids because not all animals are treated well.
To be fair, here are the reasons I wouldn’t book a tour:
- There’s less flexibility. The schedule may not be what you would have chosen.
- The restaurant recommendations are just so-so. Our guide suggested most lunch and dinner places and it was obvious that he was friends with the restaurant managers/owners and would be compensated or given a free meal for bringing us. Same could be said for some of the stores.
- Tours are expensive. If you traveled on your own you would likely save money.
- Forced mingling can be awkward. There’s no guarantee you’ll end up with lifelong friendships or interesting companions.
- With less freedom and personal time, it can sometimes feel a bit claustrophobic. This is especially the case if you are assigned a roommate during your journey.
Some of the tour groups I recommend: Intrepid, Flash Pack and G Adventures.
***Every once in awhile we came across a group with 50+ people, clambering out of big buses with headsets on, following a leader with an awkwardly tall flag. Avoid this and book a tour with a small group size!
If you want to hear all about my tour with Intrepid, click here!
