Incredible Sights, Well organized trip, GREAT!!! Viking River Cruise - Dear Friends, This review is intended to be helpful in providing some detail and some questions answered. First off we traveled August 28th thru Sept. 10th. We booked 8 day land/river cruise through Viking. This is our 2nd Viking river cruise. We took a short flight from Cairo to Luxor where we embarked the ship. Viking Nile River Cruise: We booked Viking because we had a great experience with them in Europe on the Rhine. They didn't disappoint. Their representatives were at the Airport (at 1:30 AM) to meet us and escort us through the airport to their airport shuttle. Due to a schedule issue we had to wait to check into our hotel room but our Viking rep George negotiated with the hotel staff to get us in at 7AM. Thanks! The list of included Tours was very comprehensive and can be challenging. You don't need to do something every day but that's what we did. Michael (our guide) was a trained Egyptologist and a really nice & helpful guy. He's a 10 in our book. The tours included nearly everything you could want. There are extra charges for the tour of King Tut's tomb in the Valley of the Kings but it was provided for by Viking as an inclusion on the shore excursion tour. We chose to fly to Abu Simbel to see the monuments to Ramsee's the 2nd. Pretty expensive but worth the money. A lot of fellow passengers did a hot air balloon ride. The ship was nicely appointed, had a pool and a spa, plenty of upper deck space, spacious guest rooms and dining rooms. A+++ Lots of little touches - pool towels, cookies and coffee 24/7. The ship (the "RA") was small with room for around 50 guests. I believe our head count stopped a 42. We split into two groups and toured using nice comfortable, secure air conditioned, well marked buses. Our room on the Viking river ship "RA" was laid out with a front room, separate bedroom w/a queen bed, good sized bathroom with a separate toilet stall, sink and shower with a rain head, and a small balcony with two chairs. We were at the front of the ship in #201. You can really hear the anchor when they drop. That was the only time we were bothered by noise. The room was generally facing the river vs. the river bank side as we traveled. I will review the sights in separate posts. The staff was great and saw to our every need. They handed out water as you got off and had a cool towel and something to drink or a sweet treat as you got back aboard. Our room was kept clean and supplied - no issues. A+++ Bottom line - We will go again on another Viking trip. Highly recommended. Things to keep in mind; It's hot so bring lots of light cotton or linen clothes. You will need a change of clothes daily. Take advantage of their laundry service. A wide brim hat like a Tilley, Sunglasses, Sunscreen. We found it helpful to bring a sling to carry a bottle of water in while visiting the sights. Also a small compact umbrella can be nice. Viking provided a full size umbrella and so this isn't necessary. We wanted a small one. We used a sturdy walking shoe and that was good for the uneven terrain you will encounter. For some a walking stick might be helpful. Bring a small towel to wipe off with once you get back to the bus. Weather: Hot - people I mean hot. We recorded a couple of temps during the day well above 100 degrees or 38 Celsius. If you are sensitive to heat and moderate walking then you may want to consider this. We were literally on the very start of the Nile cruising season. December, January, February are not as hot. Money/Currency: Take lots of $1 and a few $5 US bills. You will need small bills for tipping and purchasing. We brought $100 in Ones and $50 in Fives. We purchased about $50 in Egyptian pounds which equates to about $2,400 Egypt. We used the instant cash machine at the Sheraton Cairo. Plan on paying $1 to use restrooms so keep some in your pocket. Tipping is expected and is how many locals earn a living. They will gladly take your photo but expect to pay $1 or $2. We were generally happy with this photos taken by the locals and they know some great vantage points and other tricks for your enjoyment. Don't be afraid to be generous. When in the airport men and women are sent to different screening areas/machines and when you go through you will be patted down by a man for men and a women for the ladies. You will need to remove your shoes and belts. It's not unusual to go through more than one security check point. Your bags/carry on's will be scanned each time. Do yourself a favor and take any pointed items out - ie. nail file. Feel free to write if you have questions. Thanks for taking so long to read this.

Fabulous Trip - What a wonderful trip, It was a beautiful experience and I hope to repeat  it again ,It was one of the most beautiful days of my life. Everything was well organized and this made me feel more relaxed and more enjoyable. The boat was fantastic and the service excellent. I can't deny the effort of our helpful guide to explain all the archaeological sites to us in a simplified way. we enjoyed a lot with the balloon trip. my child enjoyed a lot with the quad bike and want to make it again. with this trip I made every thing I want to do on Egypt. We highly recommended it