We are just back from a trip of a lifetime to Egypt planned for four couples by Jim, a WOW List planner. Our trip could not have been smoother—the choices of sights were perfect, and we were met at each destination by a planner, an Egyptologist, and a driver. We stayed at breathtaking hotels, and noticed that our rooms were always in the most choice spot. One of the best parts of the trip was four days spent on an Oberoi cruise ship on the Nile—totally luxurious and relaxing, but with exciting side trips each day. Egypt is a stunning but complex place to visit—we would not have been able to enjoy such an exciting trip without the expert planning that Jim and his team provided.

Traveler Katherine Hoyt steals a kiss from the Sphinx.

My trip to Egypt, after an initial conversation with James, was then coordinated by Arlene at his company. I am now 80 years old and it was the best trip of my life! I traveled with a friend who is 78, and we could never have seen and experienced so many wonderful things without Arlene’s planning and constant assistance, even while we were traveling. It is a tribute to both her and Jim that all our local coordinators love them! We were cared for and our needs were met as never before. When terrain was difficult or there were stairs without railings, our guides assisted us, one on each arm. The guides were excellent and highly respected by other guides we met, and our drivers were superb, especially Abraham, our expert driver in the chaotic traffic of Cairo.

We decided to skip the long car trip to Abydos and Arlene arranged an alternative program in the Valley of the Kings, including the workmen’s tombs which should not be missed. Sailing the Nile on a dahabiya is always going to be a cherished memory! Also a food tour in Cairo with a local company called Bellies en Route, escorted by Inas on one of the first days, who introduced us to a Cairo we would never have seen otherwise.

Small changes in our schedule were made smoothly and unobtrusively to suit our needs and changing conditions by Samy, our overall local coordinator and friend for life. And to cap it all off, our WOW Moment was a private yacht trip, including a delicious meal, on the Nile in Aswan. The trip was a highlight in my lifetime of travel!

My husband had dreamed of going to Egypt and Jordan ever since he saw Lawrence of Arabia as a kid and we finally made it for his 75th birthday! Seema and Jim put together an amazing trip that exceeded our expectations. Highlights included a street food tour in Cairo, seeing the sphinx and the pyramids in Giza in the early morning when we had it all to ourselves, and delving into the history with our very knowledgeable Egyptologist guides. Our 4-day cruise on the Nile gave us very unique experiences with the locals that we couldn’t have arranged on our own, like seeing the camel market, watching bread making, and seeing net fishing. And the boat crew arranged a special party complete with cake and dancing for my husband’s birthday!

And don’t skip Jordan! It was very different from Egypt, and walking through the slot canyons in Petra and sleeping in a tent in the desert were magical. We felt totally safe and cared for the entire time and had no trouble with the walking demands. Our guides were flexible and several times we changed the order or destination of what we were going to see that day. Thank you Seema and Jim for making our dream come true in this wonderful part of the world!

Travelers Stephanie and Craig ascending the 85-meter shaft to exit the Bent Pyramid.

Jim and his team put together a fabulous trip for us. Since it was our first time in Egypt, we didn’t have a lot of specific requests, but needed him to design an itinerary that hit the highlights of the pharaonic period. He was very good about telling us what our options are, and making recommendations about what is worth splurging on and what is not. (Paying extra for the VIP arrival services at the Cairo airport was definitely worth the money!)

He informed us about the possibility of sailing the Nile on a dahabiya rather than a large cruise ship. We had not known that this possibility existed, but once we heard about it, we were hooked on the idea. He recommended a day trip to Abu Simbel via flight rather than car in order to save precious time. Jim’s team provided valuable information such as tipping guidelines and the suggestion to bring a couple hundred dollars in US $1 and $5 bills for tipping. Egypt is a tipping culture, and it can get you access to various services at the sites.

Jim has a representative in each city, in addition to Egyptologist guides, to ensure that everything is going smoothly. Everyone is very professional and knowledgeable, and the logistics ran like clockwork.

The trip itself was wonderful! The itinerary started off with a bang at the Giza Plateau…seeing the Sphinx and Great Pyramid on the very first day whetted our appetite to learn about the long history of this country. This was followed by a visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum, which doesn’t officially have its grand opening until July.

The next morning, when we went to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, our guide Galel rushed us straight to the King Tut exhibit before the crowds, so that we got a chance to marvel at Tut’s treasures before there was a queue to get into the small gallery. There are so many items at the museum that you could get lost and spend entire days there. Galel kept us on track and showed us the highlights in the time we had available.

As we saw large tour groups struggling to stay with their guide and wearing headsets so that they have any hope of hearing what their guide is teaching them, we were so glad that we opted for a private tour! It was great for us to have our own guide to whom we could ask questions.

Dahshur and Saqqara were amazing; entering the Bent Pyramid was quite an adventure and a definite highlight. But beware if you are claustrophobic. The Step Pyramid is a good option for claustrophobic folks, as the tunnels are taller and wider and you can stand up straight.

Next we went to Luxor. We only had two nights to spend there due to the length of our trip, so it was a whirlwind. Our guide Bassem tweaked the schedule a bit to even out the days, taking us to Luxor Temple at sunset rather than on the long day when we already had the Valley of the Kings and the Karnak Temple Complex. This worked well. We visited three tombs in the Valley of the Kings, and they were three of the best. We highly recommend King Tut’s tomb as the mummy is still present in the tomb!

After Luxor, we drove to Esna to embark on our 4-night/5-day dahabiya sail up the river to Aswan. The dahabiya doesn’t have a motor, so to travel upstream it is pulled by its own little tug boat. The tug is far enough ahead of the boat that its noise isn’t bothersome. There are times when the wind is favorable that they will disconnect the tug and move via sail power.

The dahabiya staff were wonderful. We had a crew of 11 to serve 8 guests and two guides. The whole experience was so intimate; you got to know everyone. The dahabiya can moor at places that the larger ships can’t, so we got to have some excellent local encounters (two visits to local villages / homes to see how modern Egyptians live on the Nile). And our guide for the duration of the sail, Amr, was fantastic. He was professional yet fun and taught us so much!

All food and soft drinks are included on the dahabiya; the only thing that we wished we had known beforehand is that there is no alcohol available, but you can bring your own alcohol on board. We didn’t realize this until we were already in Esna, where there were no liquor stores. Had we known, we could have purchased some in Luxor to take with us.

I have multiple sclerosis, and one night we had a dance party with the crew on the shores of the Nile. They encouraged me to dance and we had a great time, but then my legs locked up. The crew were fantastic and helped me back onto the boat and to my cabin to bed. By the time we left the boat, we felt like one big family, passengers, crew, and guides. It was sad saying goodbye.

We splurged on a suite at the Old Cataract Hotel, and it was worth every penny. We happened to be there on Valentine’s Day, and the hotel gave out roses, had a huge display of Valentine chocolates, and had a special menu at the 1902 Restaurant. Jim’s staff had made us dinner reservations (make sure you bring attire suitable for their dress code), and dinner was phenomenal. The servers were amazing, the food was beautifully plated and delicious…it was a Valentine’s Day to remember.

We worked with our Aswan guide Ashraf to tweak the itinerary a bit so that we had a little more down time to enjoy the amenities of the hotel. We shifted Philae Temple and the Unfinished Obelisk to the morning of our departure day, and decided to skip the Aswan market.

Then it was back to Cairo where we were met by our rep Shady and our driver Abraham from the beginning of the trip. Jim had recommended getting a hotel room even though we would only be there for 5 hours (we had a 1:45 am flight home), and it was worth it to have a place to unwind, shower, and re-pack before the long journey home.

We loved everything we did, but it all left us wanting more! We could have spent more time in each destination had our schedule allowed.

We had two failed attempts at going to Egypt with other companies in the past that fell through for various reasons. We would like to thank Wendy Perrin and Jim and his team for making it happen; it was worth the wait!

Just returned from Egypt and Jordan. Experiencing the designated “Wonders of World”—the Pyramids and Petra—was breathtaking and deeply moving for me! To know these structures emerged from civilizations that had no machines is mind boggling! To view the hieroglyphics and know they are an expression of antiquity is simply awesome. Photos are only for my memory…

One must simply be there! The Nile Cruise was tranquil and an “up close” look into a different way of life. I read “Death on the Nile” by Agatha Christie which was a different touchstone to the sites. The New Cairo National Museum is now the largest Museum in the world! The Irish Architect and her Chinese husband did a magnificent job creating the space for the antiquities… flow and movement, lighting and gallery placement made for an easy journey amongst the artifacts! Abu Simbel another awesome site! Jordan so beautiful—one can feel the strength of this small country as “peace keeper/ negotiator” for the unsettled Middle East. The Moses Memorial among shows the religious connections as well as its challenges—Muslim, Christian and Judaism struggling to find common ground and a much-coveted PEACE!

At 82 I am filled with gratitude that I was able physically able to navigate this trip—a bit rigorous! Accommodations were all comfortable—5 star hotels, some former palaces of kings, Dahabiya with my girlfriend and I the only passengers cruising the Nile in our own private yacht! My trip was tailored to my interest in arts and culture! Saw contemporary art of many Middle Eastern countries—you can feel their sadness and hopes! The Tiraz Museum of Arab Dress, men and women focusing on the “Thaub” and its evolution was also extremely engaging visually and as fabric art! I recommend BUSINESS CLASS for both domestic and International air travel! I also recommend private driver and guide as well as travel agent representatives at each place to navigate the airports! Having private guide and driver is efficient and provides flexibility to the day’s agenda!

Beautiful trip! A definite WOW!

A trip highlight: Hot air balloon ride from Luxor over lush farming fields, the Nile, and the Valley of the Kings.

Egypt is a wonderful place to visit, with so many different things to see and do. The variety is incredible—it’s not just pyramids and temples, but camel markets, small villages along the Nile, and lovely handicrafts.

Seema arranged a magnificent trip. Excellent guides, amazing food, fabulous accommodation. And best of all, great pacing, so that we could take it all in.

Traveler Tina Hunt: “Standing in the shadow of these ancient wonders is an experience unlike any other.”

Egypt is a destination that truly takes one back to adventures of their favorite archeologist or treasure hunter. The fusion of ancient history, breathtaking landscapes, and warm hospitality made this journey unforgettable. We all three had an amazing time in Egypt with many thanks to our wonderful guides (special shout out to Sammy and George for going the extra mile) and overall trip organization through Jim’s very talented team. Here’s a few of the highlights:

The Pyramids of Giza & the Sphinx:
Standing in the shadow of these ancient wonders is an experience unlike any other. Their sheer size and timeless grandeur are staggering. Arrive early to beat the crowds, plus our guide took us counter clockwise through the site (i.e., started at the exit which made the experience even more engaging). We recommend going to the Museum of Antiquity the day before heading to the Great Pyramids when in Cairo. Otherwise, it’s sort of like seeing the grand finale of fireworks without the pre-show ;)

Abu Simbel:
This monumental site is awe-inspiring both for its size and the incredible feat of relocating it to save it from flooding. Catching it at sunrise can be unforgettable though any time of day you can get you will not be disappointed.

The Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan:
This historic gem is a masterpiece of elegance and luxury. Perched on the banks of the Nile, it offers stunning views, especially at sunset. Sipping cocktails or tea on the terrace while watching feluccas drift by felt like stepping back into an Agatha Christie novel. Even if you’re not staying there, a visit is a must for its ambiance and connection to Egypt’s golden age of travel. We enjoyed it so much that we added an extra day here. The formal dining is a completely different experience than the morning buffet and we found it very enjoyable.

Luxor & Karnak Temples:
These temples are unparalleled in scale and detail. Walking through the Hypostyle Hall in Karnak, with its forest of massive columns, was like stepping into a different world. We felt that the night light show made the Karnak temple come alive with wonder plus the much smaller crowd was an added bonus and would highly recommend doing the night light show before touring the site during the day.

Luxor Temple, especially when illuminated at night, we’ve heard can be pure magic. Though we decided that a daylight tour gave us enough of an overview, we wish we had done the night viewing of this temple after the impact that such a visit had on us from the Karnak.

Valley of the Kings:
Exploring the tombs of ancient pharaohs was a deeply humbling experience. The vibrancy of the wall paintings and the sense of history they evoke are unmatched. We were amazed by the range of artwork and color palette still visible after all this time.

Tomb of the Nobles (Aswan):
This was an unexpected delight. These lesser-known tombs, belonging to ancient officials and governors, are more intimate than the grandiose royal tombs. The beautifully preserved artwork, personal stories, and quiet atmosphere made it a truly memorable. Be sure to purchase a sculpture or two from the few folks that are working hard to make a living in this less traveled area.

Nile River Cruise on The Oberoi Zahra (Kom Ombo & Edfu Temples):
Cruising the Nile is both serene and fascinating, with each stop bringing new wonders. The Oberoi staff and setup on the Zahra were just wonderful. The meals were exceptional, along with the service. The well placed excursions added to the fun and sense of adventure for the cruise.

Kom Ombo Temple: A fascinating dual temple dedicated to Sobek (the crocodile god) and Horus. The mummified crocodiles in the onsite museum were a unique touch.

Edfu Temple: One of the most well-preserved temples in Egypt, dedicated to Horus. Its towering columns and hieroglyphics gave a vivid sense of ancient life and ritual.

Egypt exceeded every expectation and then some. It’s a journey that stays with you long after you leave.

Traveler Kristen MacLeod Kristen basks in a “spectacular, not to be missed” sunrise at Mt Sinai

Just back from an outstanding two week trip to Egypt (11/6-11/20/2024) through Jim Berkley and his colleague Seema. My husband and I explored all along the Nile River Valley from Cairo south to Aswan and Abu Simbel, including Edfu and Luxor. We even hopped over to Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea for diving and a spectacular, not to be missed, nighttime hike up Mt Sinai for sunrise. First of all, if you have considered Egypt, but are hesitant given the unsettled Middle East, we say, “Just go!” We felt 100% safe the entire time. The Egyptian people are wonderful hosts, and their sophisticated country has too many treasures to be explored in just 2 weeks.

Our trip was absolutely smooth from beginning to end. Jim and Seema’s hotel recommendations and the Nile cruise ship they booked were fantastic and gave us a nice mix of historical properties and a few days of just plain luxury. This turned out to be critical given how fast-paced our itinerary was after over 24 hours of travel to get to Egypt. We had 6 in-country flights in order to fit everything in, and that meant some early days and late evenings. The hotel comfort, quality, location and amenities were spot on. Jim advised us to pay a little extra to travel first class in-country as the large tourist crowds can be overwhelming. Normally, I wouldn’t do that for such short flights, but the few hundred dollars actually made a significant difference given the number of flights we had and how busy it is.

As we have found in previous Wendy trips, the biggest benefit is in how Jim and Seema connected us to spectacular local drivers, guides and Egyptologists through South Sinai Travel. You cannot underestimate how critical that is in a big, busy country where you don’t know the customs, don’t speak the language, and can’t even recognize the alphabet! They were always early to meet us, never late and they are with you all the way through the check in and out procedures at each flight and hotel, even checking you in the day before for your in-country flights.

The highlights of our trip include the midnight hike up Mt Sinai with our Bedouin guide to watch the sunrise in peace with people from all over the world and every religion. The fresh Bedouin bread hot off the griddle and dripping with local honey along with a cup of hot tea fueled through our hike and kept us warm. It’s freezing up at 4am at 6,700 feet! A half day spent in Coptic Cairo quarter was fascinating with incredible architecture and history and peaceful compared to the rest of Cairo. Cairo is crazy, but the energy is very positive and riding through those busy streets is an experience not to be missed! The three major museums are all worth seeing and will make your head ache from trying to process the sophistication of a culture well over 4,000 years old. We paid extra to have private time at the paws of the Sphinx in Giza. It’s hard to describe the awe we felt standing alone at its base. Our Egyptologist, Raymonda, was as excited about it as we were! For us this extra cost was well worth it.

Overall, my husband and I both felt that paying for the private Egyptologists made our time at the very busy tourist sites way more meaningful. The Valley of the Kings and Luxor would not have been half as interesting without our Egyptologist, Mahmoud. Must-dos: The hike up Mt Sinai. Yes, you’ll be tired, but you will never regret it. Take a horse and carriage through the streets of Edfu to the Temple of Horus. It was the only time in my life when I have hit speed bumps while riding in a carriage with cars and motorcycles whizzing past me. You see a lot of Egyptian life when you move more slowly through the streets in an open carriage. Pay for the extra tombs at the Valley of the Kings. They are less crowded and beautifully preserved. Spend at least two nights in Aswan at The Old Cataract Hotel. We aren’t usually ones to rave about a hotel, but the setting and historical colonial elegance combined with the modern amenities make it very special. In fact, the slower pace and friendly, laidback Nubian feel of Aswan is a great addition to a busy trip. Wait to buy your spices and cotton/linen until you are in Aswan. This is where they come from.

Things to be prepared for: Tipping is ubiquitous and expected for everything. Seema advised me on amounts even going so far as to break it down by day and event so that we were ready ahead of time. The Egyptians have experienced 400% inflation since 2011. US dollars were very welcome for larger tips (guide, driver, Egyptologist). Cash is still king in Egypt although the nicer shops and hotels may take credit card. Bring more US cash than you think you will use, and bring some smaller bills. Be prepared for the onslaught of merchants trying to sell you souvenirs at the major tourist sites. It can be overwhelming. Outside of the areas right at the sites, we were not approached at all. Finally, I would like to say how safe I felt as a woman. I was not hassled at all, and I saw no younger tourist women getting hassled. The Egyptians are tolerant, respectful, and like to laugh.

We left feeling like we had made a deep connection to Egypt and its people. This is 100% attributable to the local connections provided by Jim and Seema. We can’t wait to go back and see the Siwa Oasis and Alexandria and journey to Petra. Jim and his crew will be our first call when we start to plan!

Traveler Julie Silbermann enjoys a four-legged visit to the Pyramids of Giza.

Egypt in October 2024 was our 3rd Wendy Perrin trip and once again we had THE BEST trip planner. Arlene and her team created the trip of a lifetime for us!

We were a group of 5 and from the minute we landed in Cairo until our last minute in Egypt, Arlene and her staff made sure we were always well cared for and kept very busy! We felt safe the entire trip and never worried about our activities. We started in Cairo and had Ahmed as our Egyptologist. There couldn’t have been a more passionate guide who brought ancient Egypt to life for us. He accompanied us to Alexandria and Sakkara as well as ferried us throughout Cairo. We then flew to Luxor and were met by Ramy, our new Egyptologist. Ramy knew absolutely everything about Egypt and was very happy to answer our endless questions. After touring Luxor, Ramy joined us on our 4-night Nile cruise on our private dahabiya from Luxor to Aswan and then flew with us to Abu Simbel and then back to Aswan.

Arlene and her team work with an Egyptian tour group, and they provided excellent representatives to help shepherd us through airports, hotels, etc. In fact, when we had a small hiccup with our Nile cruise, Jim and Arlene and their Egypt tour group solved our issue very quickly and efficiently. I highly recommend Arlene and Jim for your once-in-a-lifetime trip to Egypt!

Our itinerary was packed and we felt like we didn’t miss one tomb, artifact, or old Egyptian rock!

Traveler Jeff Westbrook planned a special ancient Egypt itinerary for his wife’s birthday.

I wanted a very special trip for my wife, who has always loved ancient Egypt and was having a big birthday in September. Jim and his team talked me through the trip, and gave me lots of great advice about what to see and do for a classic tour of the land. Seema then took over the precise scheduling and did a terrific job.

In Egypt, the local partners were fantastic, always prompt and attentive, and we had a couple of very experienced Egyptologists to guide us through the monuments and the ancient history. I chose to make my own reservations for air travel within Egypt, in order to save some money. I’m not sure I would do that again as it led to a certain amount of extra work dealing with the airlines and agents in Egypt.

Our recent trip to Egypt was outstanding. The planning was excellent with lots of activities, but not too much. We started with 3 wonderful days in Cairo visiting the pyramids, tombs, and the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). Eman our Egyptologist was outstanding. We also had visits to Abu Simbel and Aswan. Then onto the Oberoi Philae river boat which was really a great experience. Superior service and wonderful food. Spacious & comfy. Loved the sites in Luxor as well as visiting Sharm el Sheikh. The all inclusive Rixos Seagate was a great way to relax and end our vacation. Excellent job all around. Will definitely use them again for another future trip.

Tips:

*Be mindful not to take on too much each day due to the heat and amount of walking on some of the excursions.

*Loved my Lobster alfredo dinner at the Crimson Bar & Grill in Cairo.

*Having reps help with airport transfers very helpful.

*Old Cataract hotel amazing. Oberoi Phalea an outstanding river boat. High security presence throughout our stay made us feel safe.

*Bring lots of small bills ($1, $5 & $10) for tipping.

*The Rixos adult only (18+) hotel might have been a better option than the Seagate which allows kids.

*Late check out on last day at the Rixos was worth the $100 it cost (got another lunch and dinner).

*Many of the facilities are going to QR codes in lieu of paper. ATMs readily available for getting Egyptian money.

*AXUS app very helpful for tracking activities. All the reps, guides & drivers did a great job.

Jeff and Linda Stengel got time alone with the Sphinx.

My wife and I just returned from a great trip to Dubai and Egypt. Jim Berkeley and his team did a wonderful job of planning a trip that met our preferences for the right amount of history with modern comforts. We spent the first two days at the Address Dubai Mall. It is an excellent hotel attached to the Dubai mall with a view of the Burj Khalifa from the balcony of our room. Jim arranged a tour of the city that gave us a great overview and better understanding of old and new Dubai.

From there we were on to Cairo. We spent two days touring the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC), Khan el Khalili Bazaar, Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Giza, Valley Temple and Sakkara. Our Egyptologist and guide did an amazing job of showing us all the sights while avoiding large crowds. At the impressive GEM, which is undergoing a soft opening, we were the first visitors in the complex prior to its opening time and seemed to have the entire place to ourselves for over 30 min.

The best part of Cairo for us was the morning we toured Giza. We entered through the back gate to the Pyramid complex when it was just opening and the vendors were arriving, including a group of at least 50 camels and their handlers. What a spectacular sight to see all these huge animals entering the historic Giza plateau. Later in the morning we would ride two of those camels with the Pyramids in the background. As we continued inside the gate we were the only people in the area of the Sphinx. Our guide was able to explain the history of the pyramids and the plateau to us in the shadow of the Sphinx with no tourists to be seen. Later that day at Sakkara our guide arranged for us to enter several tombs that were closed to the public that day. Again, no other tourists.

From Cairo we flew to Aswan, enroute stopping to visit Abu Simbel. That night we stayed at the Old Cataract Hotel with a room that had an astounding view of the Nile and the Nubian archeological dig across the river. The hotel is a treasure trove of history and its 1902 Restaurant is a wonderful nod to the area’s nostalgia. The next day we boarded the Oberoi Zahara for a Nile cruise. Jim had told us this was the nicest small cruise ship on the Nile. He was certainly correct. The boat was very comfortable, the food very good and the crew outstanding. We cruised for a couple of days down the Nile, touring several temples along the way and enjoying the view of the small ribbon of civilization that the river supports along its banks.

Our last stop was Luxor. In Luxor we visited Medinat Habu, the Valley of the Kings (including the tomb of King Tut and Seti I), Karnak Temple, the Temple of Luxor, and the Luxor Museum. During our time in Luxor, the temperature had become unusually high, about 20 degrees above normal, with the high approaching 115 degrees. Thanks to Jim we had a private guide the entire time who made sure we avoided the hottest part of the day and took well-spaced breaks when we explored all the important sites. We noticed another tour group that was also traveling on the Oberoi Zahara who was out for an extensive time touring and returned to the boat very hot and tired at the end of the day.

During all of our travels, we felt completely safe. The arrangements made by Jim and his team of operations people, guides and drivers were spot-on and flexible enough to meet any changing conditions.

I recently planned a trip with a friend to Egypt and Jordan from April 21 through May 5, 2024 with the help of Arlene. Given the recent events in the Middle East, we had many concerns about our trip, but with Arlene’s and her team’s help, we embarked on our journey with a high degree of confidence that we would have good support during our trip and were prepared with options if the conflict widened.

Everyone we interacted with in both countries were well trained and experienced professionals. We were greeted by members of the local management teams when we arrived in the airports to guide us through security and to our hotels. All of our guides were highly educated and fluent in English and each of the three guides we worked with gave us deep insight into the history, culture, and people from past civilizations. They are all among the best guides I’ve had the pleasure of working with and would highly recommend all three of them. The drivers were experienced and very pleasant to travel with and we always felt safe driving with them. We felt safe throughout our journey and would highly recommend traveling to Egypt and Jordan now.

We traveled to Cairo for a short, 5-day trip February 29-March 5 since we were going to be in the region after an event. We had a great trip orchestrated by James Berkeley’s team. We were able to see all the highlights of Cairo and the surrounding environment—the pyramids and various museums—in just a few days. Despite the unrest in Israel and Gaza, we felt no tension in Cairo. Our team on the ground in Cairo were helpful, smart, and attentive. We couldn’t have done the trip without a guide and driver to get around. We stayed at the Kempinski Nile, where the team was able to get us a room facing the Nile with a small balcony. The hotel felt safe due to the security staff checking all bags as well as all cars dropping off and picking up passengers. The rooms were comfortable with good service at the restaurants, and we loved the pool on the rooftop where we could have a drink and a meal and enjoy the view of the Nile.

A highlight of the trip was the visit to the Great Egyptian Museum (GEM) outside Cairo near the Giza Pyramids. It was not yet fully open, but even so it was spectacular to see and to spend a couple of hours in it. It’s a beautiful building—open air, multi-story inside featuring a 35 ft tall statue of Rames II in the lobby area, and a large staircase full of statues that leads to a huge picture window with the Great Pyramid in the distance. When the museum is fully opened there will be many individual rooms to investigate, but they aren’t yet accessible.

We visited the pyramids in Giza and the Sphinx nearby, and in the next few days visited the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities where we were able to see King Tut’s mask up close, and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization where we were able to see many mummies of Pharaohs—including their faces—because their heads were unwrapped. It was really interesting to see these larger-than-life characters as people, including their hair styles, all intact due to mummification.

Another highlight was visiting a couple of tombs of high-ranking officials in Sakkara. The colors and detail on the tomb walls were breath-taking. We were the only people in one of the tombs which was truly special compared to the large number of visitors we saw in Giza at the pyramids.

This was a great time of year to go weather-wise. One word of caution is to check the timing of Ramadan. It was about ten days away when we were there. As a result, we got stuck in a few traffic jams and had to scrap a plan to visit a market and restaurant since so many residents were out shopping for their Ramadan supplies, we just wouldn’t be able to get in and out easily.

There is so much to absorb in Egypt. The immense history over the millennia is hard to grasp. We’re already thinking about the potential of a future trip where we would be able to visit Luxor and the Valley of the Kings.

From the very beginning, Arlene Santos on Jim’s team was available to clear all questions and doubts until we finally agreed on a final itinerary for myself and a good friend who I was traveling with. Information on initially proposed hotels, to flight schedules in Egypt (particularly very early ones) were discussed at length in order to shape the itinerary to our needs and expectations.

Once we arrived in Egypt, the local company used by Jim, South Sinai, again met our expectations. The tour coordinators to the guides at every point of the itinerary were excellent. The Egyptologists in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor as well as during the cruise were clearly knowledgeable and helped us enjoy through historical information much more this wonderful trip. As well, the captain and crew on the dahabiya were wonderful. The cruise was not only an experience of history but also of the pleasures of Egyptian cuisine.

The friend I was traveling with did not receive her luggage upon arrival in Cairo from Madrid. The tour coordinator in Cairo, Mohammed, followed up every single day with Egypt Air until the luggage was retrieved, albeit the last day of the trip. In any case, Mohammed went well beyond his responsibilities to obtain this result.

Jim’s is a company I have no hesitation to recommend highly.

Trip was planned by Jim’s office. Seema was our main contact. First of all, everything was planned and executed seamlessly. Having a handler greet us at every stop was great. The drivers were all exceptional. The Egyptologists were all very good, but our favorite was Andrew in Cairo. We really enjoyed our time in Luxor and on the dahabiya.

Trip highlights:
Cairo: National Museum of Egyptian civilization
Luxor: Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple at twilight, Valley of the Kings with special entry to Queen Nefertari’s tomb (SPECTACULAR!), Valley of the Queens.
Esna: Dahabiya Loulia. The crew was great, bed was comfortable, food was excellent. Very relaxing after Cairo and Luxor.
Temple of Kom Ombo
Picnic dinner off the Dahabiya
Aswan: Elephantine Island
Abu Simbel tour

Hotels:
Cairo Four Seasons: Beautiful hotel with impeccable service. Our room was lovely and overlooked the Nile. I would suggest asking clients what they prefer: A view of the Nile which is VERY noisy at night until about 4 a.m., or a quiet room on the other side of the hotel overlooking the pool. Because you cannot have a quiet room overlooking the Nile.
Luxor: Sofitel Old Winter Palace: It’s a beautiful old hotel with stunning grounds, beautiful pool, great service, and good food. The hotel is quite dated, however, and could use a little freshen up, especially with regard to electrical outlets. There’s no place to charge devices without unplugging lamps, etc. Also, the beds are very hard and feel like you’re sleeping on a concrete slab.
Aswan: Sofitel Legend Old Cataract: Perfection. This hotel is absolutely stunning with beautiful, quiet rooms and wonderful beds. My only complaint is having to leave after only 2 nights!
Cairo: Waldorf Astoria: Lovely hotel, beautiful, quiet, comfortable rooms and beds. Excellent rooms and good food after a very long travel day. Convenient to Cairo Airport for an early morning flight.

Restaurants:
Cairo: Khufus: Excellent food, good service, fantastic views.
Naguib Mahfouz at Khan el Khalili Bazaar: Terrible. Food was awful. Restaurant was so smoky (cigarettes), we could hardly breathe, let alone eat. Tourist trap.
Blue Lotus: Cute little family-run place with good food. Like eating at your mom’s.
Luxor: Aisha: Great little restaurant. We were scheduled to go to a cat restaurant, having over 100 cats! Glad we told our guide that I am extremely allergic to cats beforehand. He changed the reservation to Aisha. Excellent food, lovely atmosphere.
Aswan, Old Cataract hotel: 1902. Really nice breakfast. Dinner here requires men to wear sportcoats. The food was fine and the service excellent, but I don’t think it was worth schlepping a sportcoat all over Egypt.

Guides:
Cairo: Andrew was excellent.
Aswan: Samir: Very knowledgeable.

Suggestions:
Perhaps Cairo could be shortened by a day, and more time spent at the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan.
The day excursion to Dendera & Abydos is far too long. If clients are not avid Egyptophiles, this is a skip. Although the temples are pristine, at this point in the trip, it was 9 hours too many.
Perhaps add a day trip to Alexandria to the library instead.

Those are our thoughts. We had an exceptional experience and appreciate the detailed planning and execution. Thank you so very much for a wonderful, memorable trip!

Laura Chaverri and her son had the Sphinx almost to themselves.

I traveled to Egypt from November 24 to December 7, with my adult son.

First of all, let your travelers know it is extremely safe there and the lovely Egyptians need to have the tourists back. They have lost 30% of their business. There were no demonstrations at all and everything appeared status quo. I was more afraid of getting into a car accident in Cairo than anything else!

Still coming down from the excitement of our fabulous trip. It’s hard to pick our favorite part of the trip, we enjoyed every minute. Perhaps the Giza pyramids were the best, they are indeed magnificent. But so was the Valley of the Kings and the Karnak Temple.

At all times we were well taken care of. Everyone was prompt and very professional. We never had to wait for anyone at any time. I guess there was a last-minute change for the guide and we ran into him at the Cairo hotel and he knew us by name, as he had prepared for being our guide.

Mina was waiting for us as the escalator came down at the Cairo airport. He had done his homework, he recognized us before we even saw his sign. As the local staff person he helped us negotiate the airport and logistics of getting through all the immigration stuff and on the way home he even filled out the passport control paperwork for us and stayed at the luggage check until he made sure we were ok. For some reason there was something that was causing concern in my carry-on (it was the placement of my camera) and they kept yelling at me in Arabic. He was very sweet and very professional and we made him share stories about his little girl.

Titto, the guide in Cairo, was excellent, as was the driver Mohammed. He kept us from being killed in that crazy traffic. It was so nice to be in a private group. Before I left for the trip, I injured my knee (turns out I tore the meniscus) and although I felt a bit better by the time we left I needed a walking stick and patience getting in and out of the van and a little more time managing the ramps in the tombs. They were flexible with the schedule if we wanted to stay somewhere longer or cut time down on something else.

The lunch at the Pyramids Lounge was one of the highlights! We took photos there and they all looked like they were green screened. The food tour was great and it was nice to get an idea of what life is like for a Cairo native from the perspective of a young person. However, I would recommend not scheduling the food tour the same day as the lunch in the city (by the Bazaar) because we were not hungry. Luckily the food tour company has an agreement with the restaurants and they package it to go and add a little extra and it was handed out to someone on the street who could use it (usually a woman with a child). Maybe on the day of the museum?

The cruise on the Farah was beautiful; thanks for letting them know it was my birthday month! They had a little gift for me and a birthday cake with an Egyptian happy birthday. The food on the ship was the best. They had a wide variety and their staff took good care of us. From Cairo we got into the habit of having strawberry and mango juices and they had them waiting for us at breakfast daily. Andy (my son) is the same age as most of the crew so he got along with them all. I asked the executive chef how he made the rice and with a translator he sat down and told me step-by-step how to make it. Then we started talking about cooking, etc. Then he later came out with a tray of containers with all the 7 spices for me to take home! That was so sweet. Then that evening for dinner, he made a special dinner with about 6 different typical Egyptian dishes just for us. That was extremely nice of him, he was very proud to show off his cuisine.

We did have a little more dead time at the beginning of the cruise, the day after we boarded when we were still docked, that I wish we would have known about so we could have scheduled an excursion. Some other passengers went to Abu Simbel and although I wouldn’t have wanted to go all the way down there I wish we would have known and perhaps have gone elsewhere. By the way, I don’t regret not going down to Abu Simbel, we saw so much already!

And of course, the Old Cataract Hotel was divine! My friend who recommended we stay there was right, you never want to leave! Little kittens playing at the restaurant during dinner. What could be better? And they have the softest, fluffiest beds I have ever slept in. I was so tired when I laid down that I didn’t even want to get up to put on my pajamas. Chocolates and macaroons waiting in the room along with sweets and fruit! A huge wide balcony facing the well manicured gardens that were lit waiting for Christmas. We had dinner overlooking the Nile close to sunset. It was like Moses was going to pop out amongst the rocks any minute. Everything looked like a well-composed photo. Teak and walnut floors. Ornate doors and entry hardware. Moorish architecture. The lighting fixtures! The waiters dressed in typical dress appropriate for the period in Egypt, wearing fezzes. I never got tired of that perfect view of the Nile and the sailboats. So gorgeous!

This was a bucket-list trip for me and I am happy I extended my proposed budget and opted for private guides. It was soooo nice to bypass the large groups with guides with little flags. We were able to go around everyone and scoot around them. It was a much more efficient use of our time and we could ask all the questions we wanted and really ask about how life is for a typical Egyptian, politics, daily life, customs, education, etc.

Thanks to all for a memorable trip!

This was our second trip back to Egypt. We had honeymooned in Egypt 17 years ago but were anxious to take our teenagers back this year. We hesitated just a moment due to the regional conflicts, but we were so glad we went. We never felt unsafe for a moment, and the country and all its treasures did not disappoint. There were no crowds anywhere!

We booked a trip with Jim Berkeley, the recommended travel agent on this site. Here is our feedback:

1) Arlene did a great job with the itinerary and was wonderfully flexible about moving things around when we had an emergency and had to return to the US sooner than expected.

2)The logistics of movement were terrific. We were escorted every step of the way and never had to wait anywhere.

3)The Four Seasons is a solid choice, the Chinese restaurant and the Italian restaurants at the hotel are exceptional and a welcome break. We stopped in at the Ritz. It is also worth consideration.

4) The Winter Palace in Aswan is a laughable relic but the service is good, the rooms are comfortable, the breakfast is great and the service is on point.

5) Arlene set up exceptional experiences for us. We had the Egyptian Museum to ourselves one night, and the entire Luxor temple complex another night. We also had special access to several tombs in the Valley of the Kings.

6) Restaurants to recommend: in Cairo, Pyramids restaurant and Nagib Mafouz in Khan el Khalili. For the best Koshari then it is Abou Tarek in Cairo. In Luxor, we loved Thai and Italian food at Steigenberger. After a long day in the Valley, lunch at Marsam is unmissable.

7) Our kids loved climbing through the pyramid in Giza. We thought Sakkara was wonderful as well.

8) If you are looking for an alternate activity consider dune-buggy riding in Luxor.

9) The guides accompanying us were well-versed in Egyptian history, and we had a particularly delightful experience with Ramy, who exhibited remarkable flexibility and made extra efforts to grant us access to an off-the-beaten-path tomb in the Kings Valley. While we greatly appreciated their expertise in ancient history, we did wish for more in-depth conversations regarding modern Egypt, current events, and contemporary life, especially Islam. However, they seemed less equipped to engage with us on these topics.

10) Unfortunately, our Nile cruise was a low point. The Dahabiya (Merit) left much to be desired in terms of quality. Despite not having anticipated a luxurious “cruise” experience, what we encountered felt closer to a 2- to 3-star hotel, at best. While the rooms were fortunately clean and comfortable, the overall amenities left a lot to be desired. Some aspects were even so comically subpar that they became a source of camaraderie among the 13 passengers on board. Thankfully, our group included three teenagers, and we had the foresight to stop at a local supermarket to stock up on snacks. These snacks proved invaluable during the extended intervals between meals (sometimes 8 hours while sailing the whole day), and we shared them with our fellow passengers. Unfortunately, there was only one crew member who interacted with the guests, and his presence was primarily limited to meal times. We humorously referred to it as a “phantom cruise” due to the scarce visibility of the crew throughout the journey. On Christmas Eve, the promised 9 pm entertainment did not materialize until midnight, and as the cruise neared its end, it became evident that the food was being visibly recycled.

9) A special shout-out to Mahmoud, who tried to help us when all our luggage was lost during our flight from Aswan to Abu Simbal to Cairo and onward to Zurich. We had been advised to do this by the local representative who was with us in Aswan and even by Egypt Air at the airport. However, when I was finally able to track down the airport manager at Cairo Airport, he told me that travelers should never check their bags from a regional airport onward to an international flight. They should always reclaim them in Cairo and recheck them.

Despite a few low points, the overall trip to Egypt was fantastic and we highly recommend it as a family vacation destination.

We would like to express our appreciation and personally thank Arlene and her team for orchestrating a smooth trip to Egypt and Jordan. Despite the situation happening in the region, Egypt and Jordan are safe and it turned out to be a great trip for us, very nice weather and not too crowded for a peak season.

CAIRO
Cairo is amazing. There were many highlights during our trip. From the moment we arrived, the VIP arrival service was fantastic. They picked us up right in front of the plane and drove us to the lounge without passing the terminal. They took care of everything from the immigration process and luggages. Arlene also sent the best team for us, from the representative to the driver and the guide. We loved our Cairo team!

Shoutout to the representative, Mina, who did an excellent job to make sure everything went well. And it went very well. He was not just working, he did everything sincerely.
The driver Mahmoud is super friendly and professional.
The guide and egyptologist, Ahmed, is a passionate guide and knowledgeable.
When we left Cairo, we knew it would be hard to beat Cairo’s team.

Highlights:
— Mina, Mahmoud, Ahmed. They provided exceptional service.
— Special access to Sphinx Paws definitely takes the win.
— Four Seasons Nile Plaza was the right choice for us, they have great restaurants as well.
— 9 Pyramids Lounge and Khan El Khalili Restaurants were perfect choices for us for lunch

LUXOR
Rep Yasser and driver, Milad, did a good job.
The guide, Michael, very knowledgeable and he arranged good timing to visit the places.

Highlights:
— the visit to a special Nefertari tomb and Karnak Temple were amazing.
— Thank you for the WOW Moment so that we could experience sailing the Nile River on a private felucca for sunset, with food and beverages provided. The sunset was amazing.
— Moudira Hotel, the best choice. They upgraded our suite as well. Wven though the location is not in downtown, we loved this hotel very much. It is like an oasis. Great food as well.

SHARM EL SHEIKH
Representative Islam was as good as Cairo. His hospitality is at a high level and he made sure everything went well. He did a simple brief to the boat team to make sure they provided good service.

Highlights:
— Rep Islam.
— Rixos Sharm El Sheikh is a great choice for spending New Year’s Eve. Great daily parties, and we had fun at the NYE party. The suite was fantastic, clean and spacious. The service is on and off, the buggy drivers are all great, but the service at the restaurants is inconsistent.
— Private Boat Tour. This is what we loved most during our stay in Sharm el Sheikh. Islam told us that we were going to have the dive instructor with us on the boat, so we decided to dive instead of snorkeling. We did the introductory dive as we are not certified divers. The underwater was beautiful and super fun. The crew provided the best service to make sure we were comfortable. The captain, chef, server, dive instructor, photographer, everyone did great.

PETRA and AMMAN (JORDAN)
The driver Jacob is very friendly, professional and helpful. The guide Eyas is a very intelligent, passionate guide and he knows everything.

Highlights:
— Driver Jacob and guide Eyas
— Petra by night is something different, we enjoyed it during the day too. This has been on our bucket list for a long time.
— Jacob and Eyas offered to drive us past the Dead Sea on the way to Amman, which gave us the opportunity to see the Dead Sea for our trip.
— The lunch at Food Basket Hikayet Sitti in Madaba was a fantastic choice. The owners are very friendly and we loved the food here.

After all, we had a great, hassle-free, memorable and safe trip in Egypt and Jordan.

We’re aware that this trip was just an introduction to Egypt and Jordan. There are many places we are interested to explore in both countries. We do hope we can go back to Egypt and Jordan in the future.

Thank you Arlene and team.

Ashley Point and her family on a camel ride near the Pyramids of Giza.

Wow! What an amazing trip. We just returned from Egypt. Jim, Glenda and their team did an extraordinary job planning our 2-week trip. Our family of 5, including 3 kids aged 6-11 years old, started in Cairo with the Pyramids of Giza (including camel and ATV rides around the pyramids). Our guide, Eman Shawky Mahmoud, was wonderful. She is pursuing her PhD in archaeology and knows everything about Egypt. Our 11-year-old had just completed ancient history and he asked so many questions and she answered them all. For three days we toured pyramids, museums, etc. We all enjoyed climbing into two pyramids. We also did a Bellies en Route walking food tour. It was wonderful to see and taste the city with the help of a local. We stayed in connecting rooms at the Four Seasons. The food, service and rooms were top-notch.

After 4 days we flew to Luxor and met with our second guide, Bishoy George. He has two children and knew how to accommodate our needs when the kids were tired. He too is an expert on the history and culture of Egypt. We stayed at the Winter Palace. It was beautiful. The kids woke up Christmas morning to stockings filled with candy and gifts from the hotel!

After two nights, we boarded the M/S Farah and cruised the Nile. This smaller boat (120 passengers) was perfect for our family. The pool was a nice distraction after a long day of touring. They offered to make special meals for the kids, but they weren’t needed because the kids loved all of the dishes served. The staff on the Farah were the best with their towel creations each night, ice cream every afternoon and very clean accommodations. George met us at each port and showed us around each city. He answered all of our questions about the history, culture, politics, and people of Egypt. On our last night of the cruise, we went sand surfing in Aswan. It was a blast!

The next day we flew to Abu Simbel, then to back to Cairo to enjoy two more days with Eman at the GEM and Islamic Cairo.

Jim addressed all of our safety concerns, but we trusted that he knew Egypt best and he did. We never felt unsafe. The Egyptians were kind and friendly and happy to share their beautiful country with us.

We are already booking our next trip with a WOW planner!

Sandy and Art Collins get a view of the pyramids of Giza all to themselves.

We just returned from a 15-day trip to Egypt that Arlene expertly planned. We started with Jim planning our itinerary in 2019 for 2020, but COVID came along. We then tried planning with Arlene for a second time in 2021/2022 but changed our plans as we thought the Grand Egyptian Museum would be open and wanted to see the GEM. My husband (Art) and I were ready to go for the third time when the Israeli/Gaza war broke out several weeks before our trip. We told Arlene we were thinking of cancelling, but after speaking with her decided to go and we are so glad we did! We felt perfectly safe in Egypt and well cared for.

Arlene has the patience of a saint since we changed the itinerary several times, which made the trip an A+.

Egypt had long been a place we wanted to visit and Arlene knocked it out of the park, along with every company rep, driver and guide. The VIP process once we stepped off the plane in Cairo was flawless. At the jetway our first rep had a sign with our name and whisked us through the airport to a lovely private lounge with food and refreshments. We gave him our passports and luggage claim checks and he told us he would deal with immigration and fetch our luggage. We loved this VIP process, since the airport was a madhouse when we landed at 5:30 AM and doing this ourselves would not have been fun. We really liked how Jim and Arlene have the process of having a rep, driver and guide meet you in each place you visit. Egypt can be chaotic and everything was seamless. We didn’t have to think about anything but enjoying ourselves.

Thirty minutes later we were driven by private car with our rep to the Four Seasons Nile Plaza, which is a beautiful hotel. We already had a Nile view room but somehow Arlene got us upgraded to a suite overlooking the Nile!! She also alerted every hotel and our cruise ship that it was our 35th anniversary and we had a small cake with our anniversary inscribed everywhere we visited—very thoughtful! We relaxed for the day, as we had a very early flight to Aswan and then onto Abu Simbel the following day.

The Abu Simbel tour was outstanding. Our Nubian guide was a fountain of information on the Great Temple of Ramses II and his favorite wife Nefertari. The site was incredible with both temples being moved/saved by the monumental efforts of UNESCO.

We then moved to the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract in Aswan. Arlene booked a beautiful Suite with a Nile view and we sat on the balcony looking at all the feluccas sailing by, which was so relaxing. The hotel is beautiful and has so much history where Agatha Christie wrote death on the Nile. We found out that the hotel gives a tour of “special rooms” each day and that was a real treat.

The next day we took a felucca (traditional Egyptian sailboat) from the Old Cataract with our guide for a 30-minute camel excursion to St. Simeons Monastery. What a great preserved Coptic Monastery founded in the 7th century. We were the only tourists in the site and had it all to ourselves. Our guide was great friends with the gentleman who has been working at the monastery for 10 years and we climbed to the top wall that overlooked the desert—it was stunning! We kept giving him dollar bills (thank you Arlene!), “baksheesh,” which is a must if you want good service in Egypt. Arlene told us to take 100 $1 bills between us. He took us to areas of the monastery where pilgrims who were traveling at the time stayed in a series of rooms and there are inscriptions in Persian, Arabic, Hebrew, etc. of their journeys when they stopped at the monastery. It was awesome! Since we gave this gentlemen so many dollar bills he told my guide in Nubian that he wanted my hand in marriage even though he was married! I told our guide that I was happily married and besides I don’t date younger men—hysterical!

We then continued to the Kalabasha Temple Complex. Very cool complex with Pharaonic and Greco Roman style dedicated to a Nubian God. We were so glad Arlene included these “road less traveled” by tourists and we trusted her that they would be special and they both were. We were the only tourists at the site.

The next morning we boarded a felucca with our guide on a sailing excursion around Elephantine and Kitchener Islands. We were dropped off at Elephantine Island and toured some of the sites and a small museum on the island. We thought we were heading back to the Old Cataract when our guide announced we were having lunch on the boat. We then pulled up in our felucca to a yacht with a crew which included a chef and we were gobsmacked that this was our WOW Moment! We enjoyed a beautifully prepared lunch and relaxed on our private yacht for the afternoon sailing down the Nile. Thank you so much Wendy for this special treat!!!

The next day we boarded our 4-night Nile cruise on the Oberoi Philae. It is a beautiful boat with outstanding food, service, spa and a wonderful guide. We upgraded ourselves to a suite with a balcony and whirlpool since the boat had some last-minute cancellations. Both Jim and Arlene picked the right cruise boat for us—one of the highlights of the trip. We are both foodies and their Indian fare was fantastic, along with other food choices. We could have stayed on that boat for a week.

We had shore excursions to Philae Temple and the Aswan high dam. Philae temple was wonderful and was the center for the Goddess Isis. The high dam was interesting but we were ready to get back to the boat.

We had shore excursions to Kom Ombo, the crocodile museum (Sobek was the crocodile God) and these mummified crocodiles were enormous. Bigger than the present-day crocodiles we saw in Sub Saharan Africa on another trip. The Nubian museum had a wonderful collection of artifacts. We also saw the Temple of Horus at Edfu which was the Falcon God. Incredibly well preserved. It was pretty hot in upper Egypt even for late Nov/Early December. The shore excursion to the West Bank of Luxor (Valley of the Kings) was fantastic. The tomb of Ramses VI was so vivid with color. The walls and ceiling of the tomb were amazing. King Tut’s tomb was modest in comparison to other tombs in Valley of the Kings.

Unfortunately Art had woken up with a sore throat and had not been feeling well that day. We thought he was dehydrated since it was hot. Back at the boat, I started feeling sick and started running a fever. The Oberoi called for a doctor and unfortunately he misdiagnosed us. We always pack COVID antigen tests, along with Paxlovid from our doctor just in case. We tested ourselves and we were positive and very sick. The ship did a PCR test to confirm, but in Egypt one has to wait 24 hours to get the results as the test is sent to Cairo. We immediately isolated and started taking Paxlovid. I also emailed Arlene and told her we may not be able to continue with our trip and called our trip insurer. The day we tested positive for COVID was our 35th anniversary. The chef on the Oberoi baked a beautiful anniversary cake and we were going to be surprised at dinner with the cake and the other passengers were all in on this. This is a 35th anniversary we will never forget, that we tested positive for COVID after three years and many trips. TIP: COVID is still around, so perhaps bringing antigen tests and maybe Paxlovid, (we are older adults) especially in countries that would not have this drug for COVID, which Egypt does not. We spent the next day in a clinic in Luxor getting treated and checked into the Luxor Hilton masked. Luckily, the drug worked in two days and we decided to continue our trip at a much slower pace. The Luxor Hilton was lovely and the staff could not do enough for us. We had a beautiful Nile room and Arlene managed to secure an extra night in the same room until we were feeing better. Unfortunately, we missed a day excursion to Dendara and Abydos. We did go to Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple, which was built in honor of the longest living female pharaoh and was out of this world. We also went on a special visit that Arlene arranged to Pharaoh Seti I tomb, which was beautiful. I think it is the deepest tomb, so we got quite a workout that day. Unfortunately, we never made it to the tombs of the Nobles, but it gives us an excuse to return to Egypt. We arranged to go to Nefertari’s tomb (Ramses II favorite wife) which was astounding. It was so well preserved and looked like the tomb was painted yesterday. The ceiling alone which represented the sky was unbelievable. We paid a lot of “baksheesh” to stay in the tomb for a long time and have every image explained to us. Unfortunately, our guides are not allowed in the tombs and you must rely on the caretakers in the tombs to show you around and explain the meaning of what the images represent. This tomb is a must-visit!

We almost felt back to normal and flew back from Luxor to Cairo, where we were met by the rep and driver. Our guide Rania was fantastic for the Cairo portion of the tour. Her knowledge was off the charts in Cairo and Giza. Unfortunately, we never made it to Sakkara as we were at a slower pace. Arlene’s suggestion of going to the Alabaster Mosque was spot-on in Islamic Cairo. We thought it more beautiful than the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. The Ben Ezra Synagogue just reopened and it was lovely, along with the hanging church in Coptic Cairo. Rania was part guide, fashionista and my personal iPhone photographer. She could do anything and everyone knew her! We stayed at the lovely Mena House with the view of the Pyramids for 4 nights, and what a view it was. While we loved the location to Giza and aesthetically, a very pretty hotel, the service and food was less than desirable. Somehow, once Rania met us for breakfast the first day, and we told her of the issues we were having, we had a fresh breakfast served to us and the service improved greatly. The Indian restaurant was the only standout at the Mena house. The Giza Plateau was phenomenal! Seeing the only standing ancient wonders of the world like the Sphinx and Great Pyramids of Giza (Khufu) (Khafre) and (Menkaure) were astounding and awe inspiring. We also had a wonderful lunch at 9 Pyramids with fantastic views. Rather than returning to Mena House I asked Raina if she knew a great jewelry and clothing store for Egyptian cotton pants. She was so helpful in picking out a scarab with an 18K gold collar and matching earrings for my anniversary present. She also gave me her opinion on all the amazing cotton pants I had to pick from. My husband even bought some Egyptian cotton shirts.

The next day we went to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, which also houses the Royal mummies. Fantastic museum and not to be missed. Our last stop on our trip was a sneak peak of the Grand Egyptian Museum, which we were so excited about. We were thrilled at this point to see the floating Obelisk and 30-foot statue of Ramses II, along with some other Pharaonic items in the main hallway. Rania surprised us as we entered the GEM and told us that the grand staircase up to the top of the GEM just opened several weeks ago and it was just fantastic! We spent so much time exploring all the Pharaonic items on the staircase. A perfect end to a wonderful trip, despite the COVID interruption.

Art and I loved working with Arlene and we intend to go back to Egypt once the GEM is fully open and also want to explore the White Desert, Siwa Oasis and Jordan.

Thank you Arlene and team for making this an extraordinary trip for us!

My husband and I had such a fabulous time in Egypt thanks to Jim’s and Arlene’s hard work and guidance. We chose Egypt as a milestone birthday trip for my husband, and the whole trip was truly special.

On our first day in Cairo, we saw the Sphinx, Pyramids at Giza, Saqqara, and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. Eman was our Egyptologist in Cairo, and she was simply wonderful. While we enjoyed all guides, Eman was so knowledgeable and naturally struck the right balance between providing us enough information/details and also being helpful with avoiding crowds and finding photo opportunities. Plus, she was just pleasant to be around — it felt like touring Cairo with a family friend. Our first day was so spectacular that I was a little worried no other days would live up to Day 1 (I was wrong).

The highlight of our second day in Cairo was the introduction to the GEM. We got to see the grand staircase which had only been open for maybe two days. It was Eman’s first time to see it, and she was beaming with pride as we went through it. Her excitement was truly contagious.

I loved our two nights in Aswan and REALLY loved the Old Cataract Hotel. For our WOW Moment, we had a sunset dinner on the Nile on a yacht. The experience and the surroundings in Aswan were just amazing. My only regret is that we didn’t have one full day to relax at the hotel, but we made the best use of our time. Abu Simbel completely blew me away. We appreciated Mena’s hospitality — he treated us to soft drinks and shisha at a coffee shop at the Aswan Bazaar.

The dahabiya was a great experience. The crew members who interacted with us were all friendly and welcoming. Hamdy was a knowledgeable guide. The crew and all other passengers sang “happy birthday” to my husband, and it was a lovely celebration. This experience was really special, and one I’ll be really talking up among our friend group.

By the time we got to Luxor, I was worried I might be a little underwhelmed by remaining temples and tombs — that was the furthest from the truth. Queen Nefertari’s Tomb was just incredible — my favorite of all the tombs and temples we visited in the Luxor area. Again, I just wish we’d had one more night at the Winter Palace.

Jim, Arlene and Glenda planned a wonderful and memorable trip for my husband and me. They listened to what we wanted and responded with a well thought out trip that gave us what we hoped for. Our trip was planned long in advance and I made several requests in the interim which they happily accommodated (e.g. a Whirling Dervish performance in Cairo—highly recommended). They also promptly addressed all my concerns about traveling to Egypt, which was to begin shortly after the upsetting events in the Middle East began.

All of the hotels selected by Jim and his team were perfect, as we’ve come to expect from the travel specialists on Wendy’s WOW List. We particularly enjoyed the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan. The guides were excellent, although we would have liked some diversity in their backgrounds. The team was always up to speed on changes on the ground and they arranged for us to visit the Ben Ezra Synagogue, which had just opened after its extensive refurbishment, and a pre-opening visit at the new GEM, which was amazing. The hotel check-ins and airport transfers were flawless.

Best of all was our Nile cruise on the Dahabiya Zakrayaat in the panoramic suite. We chose the Zakrayaat, not because it’s the most luxurious (it’s not), but because we thought it would provide a relaxing, quiet cruise up the Nile, allowing us to fully appreciate the specialness of the river, and it sure did deliver. The cruise on this sail boat, without doubt, was the high point of our trip and my husband and I were very glad that that we chose this dahabiya. The boat has six rooms and only three were occupied. Memories were made and will not be forgotten.

The trip to Egypt was wonderful. All our expectations were met in relation to the guides and the places we visited. We really enjoyed going and seeing the temple of Ramesses at Abu Simbel. Something special about it being inside a mountain. Another highlight was actually entering deep into the pyramids and the tombs. Tip: Always go early to the sites: The lack of crowds enhances the magnificence of the pyramids, temples, statues, etc. against the backdrop of the desert. Tip 2: Bring more tipping money than you think you need… As an aside, we took every opportunity to stroll the city streets alone. Everyone was friendly and we did not feel anxious or alarmed that the current crisis in the neighboring region would affect us.

With the right strategy, you too can see the Pyramids without crowds marring your view. Photo: Traveler Beth Nury

Arlene on Jim’s staff meticulously planned a 17-day adventure for our family of four that began in Egypt. Egypt continues to be an international tourist hot spot, and since we started planning a bit late, few accommodations were available. However, she was able to use her contacts for stays at the Four Seasons/Cairo, where we took advantage of the strong USD and had two five-star dinners at one of its six restaurants, Riviera. Arlene took a calculated risk and recommended the Sonesta Sun Goddess Nile cruise ship, a recently refurbished ship. Her insight paid off — the ship was great! As we sailed down the Nile over four days, we happened to see that our ship was one of the only that had an outdoor balcony, which my husband and I used regularly. The staff was attentive and friendly and there was a good variety of food. Once back on land in Cairo, we really enjoyed our WOW Moment, a VIP/behind-the-scenes tour of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), not yet open to the public. Very few crowds. We then drove over to Giza, where our guide, Remunda, cleverly started our pyramid/sphinx tour backwards, avoiding long lines. Our photos were incredible! They look like we had a private tour of Giza since there are very few tourists in the background.

One of our favorite memories was the food tour in Cairo. Our tour guide, Amina, did a great job and took us to some authentic neighborhood spots that locals frequent, like a juice bar that used over 10 fruits indigenous to Egypt. Kudos to her for finding restaurants that were open early (prior to 8:00), during Ramadan!

Following Egypt, we moved on to Jordan for three nights. We specifically requested a stop in Amman so our 18-year-old daughter, who lived there in July 2022 while learning Arabic, could show us her neighborhood and school. We capped our Jordan adventure with a two-day visit to Petra. Petra is worth the hype and has definitely earned its Wonder of the World status. The archaeological park is over 2,500 acres and provides plenty of space and freedom to walk and explore the numerous rock-cut architectural masterpieces.

We finished our Middle East adventure by staying four nights in Israel. We toured Old City Jerusalem by entering through the Jaffa Gate and meandering through the four quarters to see the mix of architecture and learn more about how religious groups lived harmoniously despite different beliefs.

We will never forget the tour of the West Bank. Our tour guide, Daphna, drove us to an area very close to the Israeli military checkpoint where we nervously waited for her friend Iesaa. When he arrived, we quickly hopped into his car and drove away. Iessa gave us an inside tour of the West Bank, highlighted by a tour of Bethlehem/Church of the Nativity. While stuck in traffic, he pointed out some Bansky graffiti and drove us through a refugee camp. He explained the politics, his perspective on the ongoing Palestinian/Israeli conflict and his hope for the future.

Other trip highlights that we would recommend for any future Middle East travel include: day trip to Abu Simbel, Valley of the Kings and a caleche ride to see the Temple of Horus at Edfu.

For spring break this year in early April, my husband and I took our 8- and 9-year old children to Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel — and then did a spectacular Nile cruise for a few days on a small dahabiya, ending in Luxor. Thanks to Jim’s great team (and Arlene’s endless patience!) we were able to have the bucket-list family vacation of my dreams! We were taken care of every step of the way, met by kind guides and cool cars that helped up beat the heat while seeing loads of spectacular sites efficiently.

In Cairo, Max met us at the airport and sped us through security — he was a consummate gentleman. Iman, our guide, was deeply knowledgeable, and her ability to stay one step ahead of the crowds really made the difference when we visited the pyramids and Sphinx — where we had the Sphinx all to ourselves, silent in the morning! When our children faded early on our first day (a combination of much walking and the heat), Iman transitioned smoothly into dropping us off so the kids could rest. It was such a treat to be able to visit the Grand Egyptian Museum before it officially opened to the public — even though all of the spaces weren’t open to viewing, it was a tantalizing peek at a world-class institution.

We were grateful to have Max’s assistance navigating the Cairo airport for our domestic flight to Aswan — and when we arrived in Aswan, to stay at the Old Cataract was mind-blowing. We were in the newer tower of the hotel — it was slightly suboptimal to not have adjoining rooms, but they were on the same floor at least. The Philae temple and the quarry were astonishing. Our day trip down to Abu Simbel was a memory we will all cherish as well — the engineering feat that the Egyptian government & UNESCO accomplished by moving the temples to higher ground was truly an astonishing feat.

Our Nile cruise on a five-cabin dahabiya was beautiful and calm, and a lovely respite. I worried about bugs, but we didn’t have any problems, and the food was delicious — every meal was delicious! Our favorite temple was the Temple of Horus at Edfu; the Egyptologist on the boat was terrific and really picked up on our kids’ favorite gods and made a point of highlighting them when we’d tour sites, which really brought the temples to life for them.

We disembarked at Luxor and went straight to the temple there — the hypostyle hall full of columns is astonishing. From there, we went to the Valley of the Kings, where our guide recommended a set of tombs to visit. It was hottest in Luxor — fortunately the Al Moudira was a luxurious oasis!

After flying back to Cairo, we had an unexpected last day to fill due to an evening flight — so Max’s team stepped in and got us tickets to the mummies at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and King Tut at the Egyptian Museum.

We were a little trepidatious because it was Ramadan — but we had no problems finding food, nor were we ever in an uncomfortable position eating in front of our guides. We felt safe the whole time, and are eternally grateful for everyone’s kindness!

Jim Berkeley and Arlene Santos put together a wonderful last-minute trip to Cairo and Luxor for my family. The communication and responsiveness was just what we needed. The guides, drivers, itinerary and accommodations, as well as restaurant recommendations, were excellent. What a service it is to have a list of experienced and talented people for specific destinations. Thank you Wendy and all for arranging a wonderful trip for my family.

Unless you speak Arabic fluently, traveling in Egypt and Jordan is not at all like the US or Europe. Having a reliable network of guides and fixers made the trip frictionless and very enjoyable. Jim’s office put together a complex trip with multiple handoffs, internal flights that allowed us to see what we wanted to see, and do what we wanted to do. The local guides and drivers were all knowledgeable and totally focused on our enjoyment and safety. Word of advice— bring lots of small US bills (1 or 5 USD) for tips for locals, and bigger bills to tip the guides and drivers.

My daughter and I just came back from an amazing week in Egypt! This was one of those trips that we will truly never forget. Arlene (we did not communicate with James directly) did such a fantastic job of giving us a week filled with visits to all the major highlights of this fantastic country. The end of April was a great time to go as the weather was really lovely. It was Ramadan during our time there, but this really did not impact any parts of the trip (certain attractions closed earlier in the afternoon, but this really worked well for us as it gave us time to relax after a full morning/afternoon).

Someone asked what our favorite parts of the trip were and to be perfectly honest, it is impossible to pick one thing. The local trip leaders and guides were so friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Our guide, Abdullah, on our 4-night trip on the Nile was so passionate about hieroglyphics—we really got such a detailed instruction on how to “read” these stories within temples and tombs. The days on the dahabiya on the Nile were so relaxing. It was nice to only have 12 tourists on the boat (which was the maximal number); this allowed for nice conversations, particularly during meal time. The meals were pretty amazing, with plenty of options for any dietary limitation/restriction. Eman, with whom we spent 3 days in Cairo, was so informative. My daughter and I really bonded with her. We would love to have her again on another trip into Egypt!

This trip was really perfect from beginning to end. Arlene really made this trip successful from our arrival (very late) into Cairo until our departure (in the middle of the night) out of Cairo. We were so well taken care of by the drivers, trip leaders, and guides. We felt safe throughout. Definitely think of a trip to Egypt with Jim and Arlene as a “must-do”!

My trip to Jordan and Egypt over the holidays was fantastic! While there were a couple of times in planning that communication seemed a bit delayed, Jim and his colleague Arlene planned a great trip. All of our guides were absolutely top-notch and super knowledgeable, and everything was organized perfectly — we were met and escorted through airports, there were cars waiting with A/C and cold water, etc. Even though my friend and I are both experienced travelers, it was nice to be able to relax and not worry about where we were going next or how we were going to get there — for example, when we did the fly-in excursion from Aswan to Abu Simbel (which I highly recommend!), we were escorted past the rest of the people on our flight who were waiting for shuttle buses and directly to a private minivan, making us the first ones to the site with our guide). We felt like we were able to see all of the must-sees/highlights, but also, despite being there at a very crowded time of year, were able to get off the beaten path a bit to visit places with few if any other visitors. We only had a few days in Jordan, so our time going to/from Petra was a whirlwind, though we packed in as much as we could and our guide and driver were great about replanning our route and stops on the fly when some protests closed the main road. We didn’t love the Movenpick in Petra (we had rooms on opposite sides of the building but the dozens of barking dogs outside kept us both up all night, despite noise-canceling headphones), but understand there really aren’t any better options in the area and it was super-convenient to the site. All of our other hotels were wonderful. We absolutely loved the Old Cataract in Aswan, where we had great spa treatments and only wished we could’ve had a few more days to laze around on their terraces and explore the grounds. Our Nile cruise was very comfortable, and the Four Seasons in Cairo was lovely — our rooms were upgraded and mine had a balcony overlooking the Nile with views of the city (and even the pyramids!). Our day visiting Giza and Saqqara I think really perfectly illustrated the benefits of using a WOW list professional – our Egyptologist guide knew exactly when to get there, and where within the complex to start, the benefit being that we were able to experience the Sphinx and the side of the Great Pyramid with virtually no one else around. Similarly, in Saqqara we visited a few stunning tombs that had few, if any, visitors. And our lunch stop was for delicious, traditional Egyptian food served in a beautiful garden; it felt like eating at someone’s home. We also loved our food tour in Cairo. Egypt had been on my bucket list for years and I’m so glad to have finally made it. The only disappointment was that the Grand Egyptian Museum had not opened as planned by the time of our trip, which I suppose just means I’ll have to go back in a few years!

Jeannie Mullen enjoying her WOW Moment – a dinner cruise in Aswan with friends.

Two friends and I just returned from a private three-week trip to Egypt planned by Jim Berkeley and his staff. Jim started working with me over a year ago on the details and did a great job planning a very interesting, educational, diverse and fun trip for us, and Arlene and Glenda fine-tuned the details as we got closer to our departure date. The hotels, the Oberoi Philae cruise ship, the private guides and Egyptologists and drivers were all top-notch. The local reps they used were fastidious about details/logistics and kept in close contact with us at each location to ensure that they were meeting our expectations.

We started in Cairo on the Giza plateau with a private tour of the Sphinx, then moved on to the pyramids, temples and tombs that we all see in our dreams when we think of Egypt. On the first day of what turned out to be a very diverse 21-day tour…we had a lovely random encounter (and photo op) with Zawi Hawass, the very engaging, world-famous archeologist, who was exiting the Sphinx as we were entering. Other highlights in Cairo were the Egyptian Museum, a preview of the new GEM, a walking “bellies” food tour (which was fantastic and a great introduction to Egyptian cuisine in the trendy Heliopolis neighborhood) and Tahrir Square.

From the hustle and bustle of Cairo (where driving rules are considered mere suggestions) we moved on to the tranquility and beauty of an eco lodge in Siwa, a desert oasis west of Cairo and about 250 miles from the Libyan border. What an unexpected treat. Adrere Almallal is a stunning lodge which offers guests an opportunity to unplug (no electricity and no wifi) and experience the life and pace that the desert affords. The tranquility, the staff, the FOOD, the candlelit rooms with wood-burning fireplaces and the night sky bursting with stars was such a gift. Highlights in Siwa were a trip into town to tour the Temple of the Oracle of Amun and the Spring of Juba (Cleopatra’s pool), a visit to an all-women’s workshop, shopping and sharing tea with the local Siwa merchants, and a 4×4 trip into the desert to ride the dunes, dune surf, hunt for fossils and watch a stunning sunset. The lodge also had a very nice gift shop where we all bought locally made table linens.

Leaving the tranquility of Siwa, we transferred to Luxor, where we were met by Michael Samir Shaker, a delightful and intelligent young man who has a terrific personality and gives a highly informative and interesting tour of the Valleys of the Kings, Queens and Nobles. He also gave us great insider advice about where to shop for jewelry and spices (wait ‘til Aswan).… Before getting on the Oberoi Philae for a four-night Nile cruise, we enjoyed a sunrise balloon ride over the same valleys that we had toured with Michael the day before.

The Nile cruise was a true delight. With just 22 cabins, the crew/passenger ratio on the Oberoi Philae was perfect for us and the service was impeccable. Between the three of us, we made use of the spa and the workout room when not out on an excursion. We were also pleased to be able to make arrangements for Michael to continue on with us for the daily excursions.

When we arrived in Aswan, Michael took us on a wonderful day tour of the High Dam, Philae Temple and the Nubian Museum, and at our request, took us on a shopping spree (jewelry, linens and spices) at the end of the day before returning us to the boat. The spice shop he suggested was quite an experience. In addition to spices which included Iranian saffron, we walked out with bags of dates, coffee and tea. Michael also left with a few bags of spices to take to his mother in Luxor. Our WOW Moment came in Aswan after we disembarked the next morning and checked into the famous Old Cataract Hotel on the Nile. Wendy arranged for a private sunset dinner cruise that night which was just stunning. The crew members were lovely and the scenery was fabulous!  Thank you again, Wendy!

From Aswan we flew over and back in the same day to Abu Simbel, to tour the two massive rock relief temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari located on the banks of Lake Nasser. Very much worth the effort as these temples, particularly Ramesses II, were very impressive.

The next morning we flew from Aswan to Sharm el Sheikh on the Sinai peninsula for the final four days of our trip. Highlights in Sharm included a day trip to St. Catherine’s Monastery (a day full of biblical history…the story of Moses, the burning bush and the 10 commandments…which was fascinating). On our last day, our local guide, Islam Wahba, chartered a boat for snorkeling in Ras Mohammed National Park, a stunning underwater coral reef. Islam arranged for a diving instructor to be on board, so in addition to snorkeling, we were treated to a personal diving lesson and our first “dive” to see the coral up close. Our dive instructor, Luca, was patient, encouraging and adventurous. It was an unexpected and exhilarating experience for each of us.

On our last night in Cairo before heading stateside, our very first guide, Ayman, met us one last time for dinner at our hotel and brought us each a box of “sweets.”

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that, among the many, many experiences we had, the thing that stood out to each of us the most was the warm and welcoming spirits of the Egyptian people…to a person they greeted us with a smile, volunteered to help us navigate the traffic in Cairo, gave us directions and generally chatted with us happily. This trip was made all the more special by the lovely Egyptians that we crossed paths with along the way. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience this beautiful country.

Egypt has a variety of police forces, all very visible, one of which is the Tourism Police. Travelers to Egypt who are going to Siwa (in the Libyan Desert) and to St. Catherine’s Monastery on the Sinai Peninsula, three hours north of Sharm el Sheikh, should not be surprised to be accompanied by either a police escort (as in the case of Siwa) or private security (as in the case of St. Catherine’s Monastery).

Jim’s office did a spectacular job with our Egyptian tour. Ahmed our Egyptologist, Helen our rep, and the other 8 travelers in our group made the trip memorable.

There were many highlights, but our 3 nights spent on the Nile on a dahabiya boat had to one of the best things. Being able to go in the GEM for a sneak peak. Spending nights at the Old Cataract Hotel in Luxor conjured up memories of Agatha Christie & Death On The Nile. Nefertiti’s tomb in Valley of the Queens and all the other temples and tombs we saw along with the Ahmed’s explanations to accompany them.

Our transportation was always very comfortable and our meals were tasty and we were able to sample a wide variety of the local cuisine.

We just returned from a terrific 2-week trip to Egypt that was planned with the help of Jim and Arlene Santos. Egypt has been on our bucket list for a decade, so with the pandemic winding down and the new Grand Egyptian Museum (“GEM”) set to open in November 2022, we figured early 2023 was a great time to go. Setting up a trip like this requires great planners that can provide expert guidance and adjust quickly as circumstances change, and Jim’s team worked with us interactively to plan the itinerary before we left and adjust it as things happened during it.

As one example, our plane to Cairo connecting through Europe left 7 hours late! That meant that we missed the last flight to Cairo from Frankfurt. We had engaged the flight advisor that Jim’s office recommended and were so glad that we did! She quickly responded to us on a Saturday night (!) and re-routed us Frankfurt-Munich-Cairo the same day. Jim’s office then had their Cairo team meet us at the plane with an electric cart (at 1:30 am), sped us through not only the airport but the immigrationeprocess, got us to our hotel and arranged for our next day to start a bit later. We woke up to see the Pyramids and Sphinx and visit the GEM that day as planned and didn’t miss a beat!

The story on visiting the GEM continued to morph for months as the opening was pushed back from 2022 to an indefinite 2023 date. Right before we left, Jim found a way for us to walk inside to see the fabulous architecture of this museum, which is spectacular! While we didn’t get to see it fully open with
its acclaimed exhibits, seeing the building up close with the enormous statue of Ramses II was terrific. Once it is open, it will be spectacular!

Our ambitious itinerary covered Cairo, Aswan and an Abu Simbel side trip, a Nile cruise and Luxor. The only way to see everything we did is through careful planning with people on the ground who know the intricacies of how to put it together. For example, we are not sure how anyone in one day can see the key tombs in Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens without the help of experts, given the landscape and the ticketing system. Jim’s team helped us to plan so we had the tickets to everything we wanted to see there and a guide and driver to get us to each. We are convinced that there is no way to see these major sites without proper guidance.

We also recommend taking a dahabiya boat to cruise the Nile rather than a large cruise boat, as you get the opportunity to stop at sites along the Nile where the bigger boats can’t dock. With only 4 couples on our boat, it truly was an intimate and interesting experience and the food was amazing! And lastly, the value of a team on the ground was proven once again when one of us got food poisoning. Jim’s team sent a doctor to the hotel at night with necessary medication. That allowed us to continue the tour as planned the next day.

We highly recommend seeing Egypt now, as it is not overwhelmed with visitors, and also highly recommend employing Jim’s office to help plan it. Some trips can be planned independently, but in a destination like this, a knowledgeable team with great connections both on the ground and for flights is invaluable, as our experience proves!

The plan put together for our trip by Arlene Santos (Jim was in the process of moving to Nashville, so he was not directly available) was ultimately just perfect. The accommodation choices were spot-on-amazing properties that, while luxurious, were also good value, and the service of the local team was great. All that said, it was the pace of the 2 weeks that really made the trip a pleasure. I’ve wanted to go to Egypt for about 20 years and between my schedule and their revolutions, it’s not worked out. Our trip was even better than I’d imagined or hoped for and worth the wait.

What we loved was the perfect mix of seeing “the sights” that you’ve read about and seen in photos and getting a sense of contemporary life in Egypt—both urban and rural. Our notable highlights included Sakkara, Luxor and environs (tombs), the Old Cataract Hotel Nile View suite and the amazing Abu Simbel temples.

But hands down, the most special part of our experience was our 4 days and 4 nights on the Dahabiya Orient. We are SO glad we did this rather than a larger standard river cruise boat. From the moment we boarded to the moment we stepped off, we felt well cared for by the crew, who treated us both like honored guests and close friends. We opted for the “Terrace Suite,” which was at the stern of the boat and had a large private deck at water level. Honestly, we did not use it much, since the main deck space was so large and lovely and the other couples on the cruise were delightful. That said, it was a treat to have a 180-degree view of the river from our room (as opposed to the other cabins with only a standard window looking either starboard OR port). And had the other guests been less compatible, it would have been a nice space to escape for privacy. The food was Egyptian and extraordinary, and we, as vegetarians, were seamlessly accommodated. We were amazed what the chef was able to create in the tiny on-board kitchen.

Our guide on the cruise, Dr. Abdulla, was much more than a guide. He was the boat host and the English (and other languages) interface between guests and crew. He was not only extremely knowledgeable, but a gifted storyteller, bringing to life the history, geology, stories—and the stories behind the stories. He seemed genuinely to enjoy sharing the perspective of the life along the Nile. All the shore stops were great, but our sunset walk through a farming village one evening was special and our visit to the huge camel/livestock market and local market in Daraw was an exciting, novel and sensory-overloaded experience. We saw all manner of 4-legged animal sales, including camels. We would have NEVER even known about that as an opportunity, much less ventured to something like that on our own. And it was clear that not many tourists ventured there, since we seemed to be quite interesting to locals, some of whom had traveled from far away in even more rural areas and we were asked to pose with them for THEIR travel photos!

Other observations: Coordination by the team on the ground was excellent, although sometimes it was not completely clear what the role some of the people we interfaced with played. Also, we would suggest guides ASK if clients in advance want to go on “factory tours.” In Cairo, this happened twice without notice/asking. For instance, we were dropped off in front of a papyrus vendor and guided inside, having not been even told in advance where we were headed, much less given the option to pass on it. Even when we told the guide on arrival (as the driver drove away) that David had actually been to that VERY store on a previous trip, we were shepherded in and then obliged to watch the demo and (unless we wanted to make a scene or seem ungracious) view the wares. In Luxor and Aswan the guides gave us options to skip these “tours,” which we appreciated.

I am very happy to be traveling again and the logistics went well. The trip went very well and it helped to have both a guide and logistics person helping with the details at each stop. When my handcarry had an issue with the zipper, appreciated the person in charge of logistics looking for a substitute. It was great that special visits to certain sites like Tomb of Wahtye and Grand Egyptian Museum could be arranged, and the trip planner was good at quickly moving the schedule when these special visits had specific time requirements that required the schedule to be amended.

I am very happy to be traveling again and the logistics went well. The trip went very well and it helped to have both a guide and logistics person helping with the details at each stop. When my handcarry had an issue with the zipper, appreciated the person in charge of logistics looking for a substitute. It was great that special visits to certain sites like the Tomb of Wahtye and Grand Egyptian Museum could be arranged, and the trip planner was good at quickly moving the schedule when these special visits had specific time requirements that required the schedule to be amended.

Jim did a wonderful job at helping my husband and me maximize our time in Cairo at the end of a business trip (and planned a lovely interlude for my husband while I was finishing meetings in Sharm el Shek). The team in Egypt were truly some of the most lovely people and went above and behind to ensure we had a wonderful trip — even stepping in to help fix some mishaps that occurred on the business portion of my trip. They gave me a sense of calm in an otherwise very stressful situation when they had no obligation to do so (as that portion of my travel was booked via my employer). From a private snorkeling and scuba excursion in Sharm, to being at the oldest pyramid near Cairo as the sun rose, to a lovely visit to a centuries-old perfumery, the time we spent in Egypt is one for the memory books!

Long before Covid 19 stopped the world in its tracks, Jim planned a three+ week trip for us to Egypt and Jordan for October-November 2020. In November 2022, after several one-year delays caused by COVID, we finally completed an expanded five-week version of this trip. Throughout, Jim consistently looked out for us, patiently dealing with our questions and requests for modifications. However, the long delay made us vulnerable to certain unrelated factors. During the six months prior to the trip, I developed a back problem that required surgery as soon as possible after our return. As a practical matter, I couldn’t walk far or stand long without risking stabbing pains. If you’ve been to Egypt, you know that a trip there requires lots of walking and standing. As just one example, parking lots can be over a quarter- to half-mile from the site. Fortunately, Egypt has its own version of handicapped access. If your guide and driver are firm and persistent, the police/military barricades can be opened and you can drive right up to the entrance. In some places, electric golf carts are available. My new physical limitations also necessitated a lot of attention from Jim and his on-the-ground team to find ad hoc ways to accommodate my needs. In the end, Jim was successful in finding and implementing adjustments. We are extremely grateful to him and his team. What we ended up with was far more than expected. With their help, I not only got through the trip, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I had previously been to Egypt under highly unusual circumstances. Due to regional political issues, tourism was non-existent and I had the pleasure of seeing many of the “standard” tourist sites without a single other tourist present. But my husband, Jamie, had never visited Egypt. Jim did a superb job of planning a trip to meet Jamie’s needs but added things even in places I’d already visited that gave me a deeper understanding of Egypt’s past and today. He had us go far beyond the standard tourist circuit by adding multiple days at Siwa Oasis in western Egypt, near the Libyan border, and multiple days at Fayoum Oasis, three hours south of Cairo. What so impressed us is that Jim found ways to continually surprise and educate us, even in the usual places. While at Fayoum Oasis, we went way out in the desert to Wadi-Al-Hitan (Valley of the Whales)—a UNESCO World Heritage Site I’d never heard of that contains the world’s greatest number, concentration and quality of fossils that demonstrate how the whale evolved to an ocean-going mammal from its earlier life as a land-based mammal. The fossils here are of those mammals in the last stage of losing their hind legs and feet. Who knew? It was extraordinary. While at Fayoum, Jim’s team also linked us up with an excellent birding guide for an extraordinary bird walk that included many life birds. These two oases were just two of the places we visited that went far beyond what we’d expected of this trip. Similarly, besides going to Petra, as do most tourists to Jordan (and oh, is it worth it), our guide stopped off to visit his friend Abu Ali, a local “character” who lives in a cave below the Crusader-era Shawbuk Castle. He runs the world’s tiniest hotel (a VW bug). Abu Ali apparently took a shine to me, because he gave me a genuine and valuable Nabatean coin from the reign of Arestes IV. At Siwa Oasis in Egypt, we stayed at an eco-resort with no electricity lit only by candles and lanterns and built in traditional Egyptian mud and salt-brick style. We were the only guests for our four-night stay. We got to see the suite where Prince (now King) Charles had stayed for his visit. We also were treated to the best food and service of the entire trip.

We sailed up the Nile from Luxor to Aswan for five days on a traditional dahabiya that allowed us to see sites along the Upper Nile not available to those who take typical Nile cruises. We also had a relaxing interlude with only 18 other guests. It was a memorable week. Did you know you can swim in the Nile? We did. (Note: the crocodiles are all south of the Aswan dam.) It was amazing.

In addition to Petra in Jordan, we visited the amazing Roman ruins of the city of Jerash. I’ve been to lots of Roman ruins but these blew me away. Built on the edge of the Roman Empire, the city was massive and had surprising details both large and small. So, too, were the Roman mosaic floors that had been uncovered and were displayed on the walls of a simple but impressive church at Mount Nebo, reportedly near where Moses was buried. It is a pilgrimage site and I now understand why. Overall, Jordan was a far more interesting country to visit than we had expected.

Virtually any reputable travel agency can plan a nice trip to Egypt hitting the standard sites most tourists want to see. What you get with Jim is something different. Oh, you’ll see the Giza Pyramids, but if you give him the time, you’ll see how the pyramids evolved in Egypt’s Old Kingdom. Giza is only the most famous. At Saqqara we saw early attempts (including the “Bent” Pyramid, where the angle was wrong and had to be changed midway.) But we also visited some out-of-the-way pyramids with nary a tourist in sight – but lots of military and police in residence to stop looters. These included Meidum Pyramid outside Fayoum Oasis, a key interim step between the earliest (Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara) and the pinnacle (The Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza) that helps fill in the gaps of the evolution of Egypt’s pyramids. We also saw the 12th-dynasty Pyramid of Hawara to see how Romans and local inhabitants stripped the exterior limestone coating and reused its blocks for local projects.

Other highlights included seeing Abu Simbel from the air. Thanks to Jim and his team, we had seat assignments on the “right side” of the plane (that is the left side) to get good photos. Sometimes, it’s the little details that make huge differences. The art in Ramses II’s famous temple is superb, naturalistic and not to be missed. The neighboring temple to his wife Nefertari gets far less attention but is almost as impressive (if only for his recognition of his Great Wife’s importance). Discovering a just-completed Avenue of the Sphinxes linking the Temple of Karnak and the Temple of Luxor, lined with 1,200 sphinxes, was a delight for me. It had not existed on my previous trip. Gorgeously lit by night, it has reconnected the temples as they had been in antiquity. For me, the trip’s most moving moment was my tour of the Royal Mummies in the new Museum of Egyptian Civilization (not to be confused with the grand, yet-to-be-opened Egyptian Museum.) Seeing these 3,000-4,000 year-old New Kingdom royal mummies brought to life historical figures I’d read so much about and touched me by their individuality. Seeing the best-of-the best tombs in the Valley of the Kings, Queens and Nobles (especially Nefertari’s stunning tomb) was worth every extra penny. Jim’s recommendations were right-on. Tour bus groups do not include the extra-cost tombs, so we saw them with almost no other visitors.

If you are a thrill-seeker as I am, head to Siwa Oasis to surf the dunes of The Grand Sand Sea with a driver as enthralled as we were zooming up, over and down the steep dunes of the vast eastern edge of the Sahara in a 4-wheel-drive SUV. Then stop on what looks like a rocky cliff amidst this vast sea of sand to discover below you the evidence that this was once truly a marine sea and now is covered with millions of marine fossils. Thanks to Jim, his excellent logistics staffer Arlene Santos, our guides on the ground and excellent drivers, this was a trip worth the long wait.

Jordan and Egypt was a trip of a lifetime. Everything was planned well and we had a wonderful time. Probably the most fascinating finding of the trip was how massive all the pyramids, Petra, and Abu Simbel were. The food was good and we even found the only wine-tasting room in Jordan.

We stayed in five-star hotels throughout the entire trip. They were over the top.

Turkey, Jordan, and Egypt were always high on our priority list. With over 25 years of independent travel around the world, our expectations were high, and we were looking forward to working with Jim Berkeley and his staff. Our trip was fantastic, but exhausting. We have been sheltered in for so long due to Covid, we wanted to see and do everything. We were pleased with the final itinerary, but in hindsight, we could have eliminated a couple of excursions.

Arlene’s suggestion to bring walking sticks and shoes with good treads was very helpful. The advice on tipping and to bring tissues was also greatly appreciated. The Egypt packing list needs to be updated, however. For example, flashlights for use in the tombs are forbidden and binoculars created problems with Jordan’s airport security – we were detained and reached our destination hotel after 1:00am. We were grateful for the representative’s help in this matter. In another situation, we were thankful for our Turkish guide, who rebooked one of our flights after we missed a tight connection.

Aside from a few sites at the Topkapi Palace and inside Khufu’s pyramid, we were able to avoid major crowds. We were all boosted and wore masks when we encountered large crowds. The majority of the activities were outdoors.

The guides provided were outstanding and were key to making the trip memorable. We had one guide throughout our travels in Turkey and another in Jordan, which gave us the opportunity to bond and to form a friendship with each. Egypt, however, had a different guide and representative in each city, which became a bit confusing. All the drivers throughout the trip were professional, courteous, and personable. We appreciated the cold water that they provided.

Some of the trip highlights included:
1) Our wonderful Turkish guide, Berkay Vardioglu, arranged a private feast at a restaurant’s cave dining room, accompanied by an amazing saz musician.
2) Our equally wonderful Jordanian guide, Wajeeh Brezat, invited us to his home for tea. We met his family and loved learning about the Bedouin culture.
3) Experiencing Wadi Rum in a Bedouin camp and having the desert all to yourself on a camel.
4) Sailing the Nile on a dahabiya. Our terrific guide, Abdulla Yosef, added value to the experience. The chef fulfilled our request for fish and grilled a meal that was out of this world!
5) Ramy (do not recall last name), our enthusiastic Luxor guide, encouraged us to hike to the Tomb of the Nobles. It was totally worth it!
6) Last-minute decision to ride a hot-air balloon over Cappadocia. Thank you, Arlene, for strongly recommending this activity!

A few disappointments included:
1) We were emphatic about not being subjected to high-pressure sales at the carpet factory or any other shops, and were assured that it would not happen. Nevertheless, we encountered relentless staff at Sultanköy carpet and the Avanos pottery center in Turkey, and Thutmoses Perfumes in Aswan.
2) No acknowledgement of anniversaries, even though we were asked about special celebrations.
3) We had some difficulties with both Jim’s recommended travel insurance agency, Redpoint, and travel agent for our international flights, Liza with ProTravel, that required Arlene’s intervention. We spent more time dealing with the insurance and international flight than we normally would have as independent travelers.
4) For convenience and proximity to Cairo’s airport, we asked the Cairo representative to book a night stay at Le Meridien. We were assured the rooms were booked on Oct 26. On Nov 1, the rep informed us Le Meridien was fully booked and instead reserved us rooms at a hotel about 20 minutes from the airport. The rep confessed his colleague did not follow through with the booking for Le Meridien. Toward the end of the trip, the Cairo rep became less responsive and rather dismissive of our concerns.

This is the first time we used a trip planner and a travel agent for flights. While we felt using a trip planner added value to our trip, there were certain situations where we questioned our decision:
1) We decided to use a travel agent because we needed help to use AMEX points for our flights. We are still unclear of the full benefits in using a travel agent to book international flights. For example, we were unable to check in online 24 hours prior to departure due to an airline computer glitch. Therefore, we called the airline and asked them to check us in, but were told they could not because a third party booked the flights.
We were grateful, however, that Liza rebooked our cancelled return flight while we were abroad, although we do not understand why it took 12 days after the original flight was cancelled to do so. There was a lack of follow-through and communication from this agent that created a lot of stress for us. In the end, we did not use our AMEX points and paid for the full cost of the flights. Had we known early on this was to be the outcome, we would have booked our own flights.
2) Now that I am widowed, I notice rooms offered to couples are always superior to rooms with two double beds. In the past, whenever I personally booked and paid for several rooms, the hotel gave me an upgrade. But when a trip planner books the rooms that I pay for, I do not receive the upgrades. Two of the hotels (Yunak Evleri, Old Cataract) did not accommodate two double beds. For example, I paid for an upgrade to two suites at the Yunak Evleri Hotel. The couple’s room had a terrace on the 2nd floor with a view. My room had a single king bed and a narrow sofa in the living room converted to an uncomfortable bed. The sofa bed had no headboard or nightstand, and people using the stairs outside looked right into the bed. My room was below ground level with a view of the stairs, and two of the three windows did not lock. The hotel was fully booked that night, but luckily, the next night a rare room with a second bed in the living room was available, although we lost the living space. I do not know if it is an industry standard where the better rooms are designed for couples. Obviously, a trip planner has no control over how hotels design their floor plans for beds, but it would have been nice to be forewarned about the sofa-bed situation so that we could decide if we wanted an alternative hotel.

In a nutshell, we felt it was the right decision to use a trip planner for this particular itinerary. We are thrilled to finally resume traveling and have a number of new destinations planned for the next three years and beyond.

A trip to Egypt has been on our wish list for quite a few years. We finally decided that the right time and opportunity would be for a celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary, November 4, 2022. We usually travel independently, sometimes arranging the trip details ourselves or on other occasions relying on a travel consultant. Early in our planning for this trip, it became apparent to us that working with a knowledgeable trip planner would be vital to help us sort through all the possibilities that Egypt offers. At that point and as we have done before, we looked to Wendy Perrin’s list of Trusted Travel Experts and found Jim Berkeley and his team.

The planning process with Jim Berkeley was a model of collaboration. In our conversations, Jim learned about our interests, dreams, goals and limitations. He then applied his knowledge to suggest a complete trip of an appropriate length, with stopovers and accommodations that were right for us, and specific guided, private tours in each location. The trip plan that resulted focused on the Nile River. We began in Cairo and Giza. Then we flew to Luxor, where our touring included extraordinary temples and tombs. After Luxor, we boarded the Dahabiya Zekrayaat and sailed for four nights up the Nile to beautiful Aswan. Jim’s expertise resulted in some unforgettable experiences in our trip plan. While we intended to include a cruise on the Nile by some means, Jim’s recommendation that we sail up the Nile on a dahabiya in one of the two panoramic suites on board was perfect. Queen Nefertari’s tomb and Abu Simbel were magnificent. Our exclusive dinner cruise on the Nile on a private yacht sailing from Aswan on the night of our 50th anniversary was an extraordinary highlight and most memorable celebration of our lives together.

The documentary output from Jim and his team that resulted from the planning process was impressive: a comprehensive, detailed and descriptive itinerary; entry visas for Egypt; a packing and preparation checklist; contact information for everyone who would support us during our trip; and lots of useful guidance that would help us feel comfortable, confident and prepared to make the best use of our time during the trip.

The trip plan produced by Jim Berkeley and his office was executed virtually flawlessly by the staff and representatives in Egypt. The representatives in Cairo and Aswan were cordial, punctual and very effective in facilitating our interactions with hotels, airports and airlines, customs offices and any event venues. They coordinated schedules with our local drivers and guides. To the extent that any hitches arose, they resolved them. When adjustments to the schedule could enhance our experience, they suggested them and implemented them when we agreed. For example, our representative in Aswan suggested moving our attendance at the sound and light show at the Philae Temple to a different night when the primary audio presentation would be in English. Then he made all the contacts that were needed so that the remainder of our activities in Aswan were adjusted seamlessly to fit our time there.

Jim’s team arranged for the services of Egyptologists to guide us in Cairo, Luxor and Upper Egypt. Our guides in these locations – Reham in Cairo, Michael in Luxor and Amany in Upper Egypt – were outstanding. All were knowledgeable, fluent, flexible and interesting. They were adept at providing us with commentary about the sights in a conversational manner that was not pedantic. All were also effective in avoiding or overcoming obstacles that can come from crowded places, limited facilities, or other real-time complications. In just the first couple of hours on our first morning in Cairo, Reham and our local driver Mohamed felt like new friends that we had just met.

Jim Berkeley, his team and all of their representatives and associates in Egypt created an awesome 50th anniversary celebratory trip that exceeded our grand expectations.

Jim and his colleagues curated for us a wonderful trip to Egypt from October 23 to November 16, 2022. The itinerary was perfect, the in-Egypt personnel were excellent, and the lodgings outstanding.

The itinerary got us to all the places we wanted to go, and got us there in style. Further, the trip plan did a fantastic job of alternating busy and full days with days that were more relaxing. And it alternated busy and sometimes chaotic places with restful places: Cairo then Siwa; Luxor then the Nile cruise, with Aswan as the final cherry on top.

The folks in Egypt who helped us were top-notch. Just two examples. Farid, our representative in Cairo, is fantastic. He is on top of all details and misses nothing. He listened to us and took care of us. He was able to improvise and quickly and efficiently handled the few glitches that cropped up. Mina Atef is a top-notch guide. He fully understood our desire not just to see, photograph, and learn about the sites/sights, but also to experience them. He got us to the Valley of Kings well before the crowds (we had Ramses VII’s tomb to ourselves for almost 20 minutes) and we were the first folks to arrive at Dendera (having the whole site to ourselves for much of our time there).

As with all the trips we have taken with Wendy Perrin-identified travel curators, all lodgings were outstanding, and they were all different from one another. Just one example: The Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan. We were in room 2904. Without doubt this is THE BEST room in Aswan. We enjoyed the view from our terrace morning, noon, sunset, and late at night.

My husband and I went to Egypt and Jordan Oct 17-Nov 7, 2022, and we booked with Jim Berkeley and his team (Seema and Glenda). We really enjoyed building the itinerary with Jim—so knowledgable and all his advice and comments were spot-on. It seems small, but one of our greatest joys was having the full-on airport extra assistance—no thinking required—visas taken care of, customs, where to stand, where to go—we were sad they couldn’t help us find our seats on the plane LOL. But really, we felt well taken care of the entire trip, in both destinations—very skilled drivers, very informative guides and always visits from the local office member. Egypt is a country that can be intimidating (traffic, people, language, customs) and to be able to have an entire team just looking out for you and making sure you are happy is so wonderful! The hotels and room/suite suggestions were always on point, and in fact, always upgrades! In Egypt we did:

4 nights Cairo—we wanted extra time to acclimatize and we really liked Fairmont Nile City in a Gold floor suite
2 nights Luxor—so much to see here, Valley of the Kings etc, loved it
5 nights on a nile cruise—The Adelaide was my choice, probably 4 nights would have been better, but I would suggest seeing what Jim recommends
2 nights Aswan—we loved the Sofitel, if we had time, would have loved 3 nights—Jim was so right to include the day trip to Abu Simbel—so worth it
2 nights Alexandria—my husband really wanted this and he enjoyed the catacombs and library

As for Jordan, it’s a lot of driving. We went because we really wanted to see Petra and LOVED it! And then, once you are going to be there…. BUT we LOVED the desert camp in Wadi Rum that Jim suggested, and for us, we enjoyed walking Jerash and trying to “float” in the Dead Sea was fun—and the Kempinski (with an awesome upgrade) was really nice. Overall, we really felt that Jim and team had great resources in both destinations and that we were in great hands. Again, small item but so helpful—he told us to bring 50-100 $1USD bills for additional tipping—very important and so glad we had!

My husband and I just returned from 17 days in Jordan and Egypt planned by Arlene Santos in Jim’s office. This trip was very special for us, as we were celebrating our 25th anniversary and Arlene really delivered on our many requests. Of course, we got to see mind-blowing ancient sites, like Petra and the pyramids, but the quieter moments also really delivered. Viewing the night sky in Wadi Rum, cruising around the small islands of Aswan at sunset and snorkeling in the Red Sea are things we’ll always remember.

Although travel is immensely rewarding, it can often be stressful. Arlene’s on-the-ground team took almost all of this stress away, whisking us across borders and through airports. We felt safe and well cared for throughout the trip. And the planning process was really fun as well. Arlene is the rare mix of knowledgeable, capable, personable and caring. It was a pleasure to work with Arlene and if you’re considering travel to this area of the world I can’t recommend working with them enough.

We haven’t even unpacked our bags from our Honeymoon tour of Egypt and we are already planning to return for another one! Arlene, Jim, and everyone on the ground in Egypt did a spectacular job making us feel cared for, and the trip went off without a hitch, even in these uncertain times. Our Egyptologists (Reham and Bassem) were so knowledgeable and on top of their game that we would often have temples to ourselves, avoiding all other crowds. Our only regret is that we didn’t extend our trip for another extra week. If you’re considering taking this tour to Egypt, just book it. You will not regret it. (And don’t forget to add a hot-air balloon ride over Luxor. I promise it will be magical!)

Jim Berkeley and his team check all the boxes.

Excellent guides, check!
Well curated—not days so full, I forgot what I saw—check!
Customized for me, check!
Flawless execution, check!
A high-quality, on-the-ground team, check!
Comfortable vehicles, check!
Flexibility with start time and itinerary, check!
Private experiences, check!
Behind-the-scenes opportunities, check!

Here are some stories to provide a flavor of what made this trip a WOW experience.

In Cairo, my hotel room wasn’t what I was expecting. Jim’s logistics person, who met me at the airport and took me to my hotel, was determined to change that. He wouldn’t leave the hotel until he spoke to the manager, and then shortly after that, despite the hotel being full, I was moved to the room I wanted.

Not only was my Cairo guide well-educated and knowledgeable, I felt as though she was matched to me. We had so much in common; we felt like friends by the end of our time together.

Jim provided a comprehensive itinerary and assured me it was flexible, and it was. The on-the-ground team was terrific about flexibility. I felt like they were my “genies in a bottle.” Whatever I wished for, they went out of their way to make it happen, even on the same day! When I thanked my guide for this, her response was, “You don’t come to Egypt every day, we want you to have the best experience.”

I could share many examples of what made this trip a WOW experience; here’s my favorite.

I wanted to see Jewish history in Cairo, in particular, to meet the “leader” of the few remaining Jews and visit the Jewish cemetery. Jim’s team tried hard to arrange these two requests in advance but was unsuccessful. The leader was out of town, and the government said no to visiting the cemetery. Unbeknownst to me, they were not giving up. Both my guide and the driver (who was also Wow, btw) were determined to make it happen, and they did. The driver drove down a road that didn’t seem drivable, stopped in front of a gate, and tested it. It was open, and in we went. It turned out this was an old Muslim cemetery. My guide spoke to some men she found. They knew about the Jewish one, called someone, I gave them some baksheesh (she told me how much), and off we went to the Jewish one, where someone was waiting to let us in for a bit more baksheesh. It was a wonderful experience seeing a centuries-old resting place of my ancestors, but what made it a lasting memory was the effort of the guide and the driver to make it happen.

I could go on and on with examples. Jim took me on rather last-minute because I was in a bind. The planner I had started working with had dropped the ball, and I was anxious because I was traveling alone. I had just learned about Wendy Perrin and contacted her, hoping to rescue my trip. Jim said yes despite being busy and in the middle of a move. From beginning to end, he and everyone on his team continued to say yes, and the process was flawless.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Our family just returned from an outstanding 12-day trip in Egypt…finally…third time is definitely a charm!

To start, I can’t say enough about Jim and his team. We had been planning this trip for some time and with slight trepidation due to Covid but complete assurances from Jim that we would be “kept whole” should there be any Covid related issues. We booked the trip with an anticipated travel date in December 2021. As our departure date approached, Canada decided to prohibit travel to Egypt. Jim was a man of his word and without much fuss moved our trip to the first week of May 2022. One week before our May trip, our whole family came down with Covid. Again, Jim and (the spectacular) Seema moved our trip to begin in mid-May.

The DAI team was truly meticulous with their communication, planning and execution. In each city, we were met by the local representative and guide. They provided everything we needed, answered all of our questions and tailored our time to best meet our needs.

We toured Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and cruised the Nile on a Dahabiya. Each city was completely unique from the next – its own culture and vibe.

Highlights:
We all loved the dahabiya. The small sailboat had the ability to sneak in and out of smaller ports (beaches). That gave us the opportunity to visit small villages and interact with those who lived there. We even had a short soccer game with some children at their village schoolyard. A huge bonus was travelling for three days with 8 other travellers from various corners of the world. The food was great and the company was even better.

Food Tour with Bellies En Route in Cairo. Mariam, a young millennial, spent 3.5 hours with us walking and eating our way through the streets of Cairo. Most of these restaurants/kiosks were family-owned. The owners were super friendly and the food was beyond delicious. Not a joke when I say that it was the best food that we had eaten during our time in Egypt! I would highly recommend having Bellies En Route consult with you prior to visiting Cairo to help choose your dining options.

Over the years, our family has travelled with many of Wendy’s WOW advisors. We were lucky enough to have a surprise WOW Moment while in Aswan – a private dinner cruise! We were treated like royalty and enjoyed delicious food and a beautiful sunset. Thank you Wendy!

View of Elephantine Island from the Old Cataract Hotel, Aswan, Egypt. Photo: Anne Hall

PANDEMIC TRAVEL My sister and I just returned from an extraordinary five days in Jordan and 17 days in Egypt. We worked with Jim Berkeley to design a February 2022 trip that included our top requests (Petra, sailing on a dahabiya), and thoughtful and inspired suggestions from Jim. The trip could not have been more marvelous thanks to Glenda, from Jim’s team, and the group of representatives, guides, drivers, and Egyptologists we worked with, all of whom were the best of the best.

The first and last thing we want to say about our trip is that we felt safe the entire time. Our guides, or the dahabiya staff, were with us the entire time. Even if they hadn’t been, there wasn’t a hint of concern in either country. Our guides asked us to spread the word that Egypt and Jordan are safe, and we are glad to pass this message along. Further, we felt that the team and our guides and drivers took Covid seriously, wore masks, were vaccinated, and were cautious about staying away from crowds.

We arrived in Amman, Jordan then traveled with our beloved guide Ahmad, and driver, Mohammed, to Mt. Nebo, Petra, and Wadi Rum. It was a pleasure to work with these gentlemen and we shed a tear or two when we had to say goodbye. Thank you Ahmad and Mohammed. Petra is extraordinary. We spent a day there, including hiking up all 850 steps to the Monastery, and could have spent more time. The civilization that created the Treasury must have been extraordinary. Further south we drove through the Wadi Rum, the desert where Lawrence of Arabia staged the attack on Acaba. Ahmad had us stand up (in the back of our 4 x 4) and listen to the desert. The quiet will stay with us forever. What a memorable experience. Then we glamped camped at the Discovery Bedu camp where our tent was charming, the food was fantastic, and the welcome and care from the owner and staff could not be beat. Our recommendation is that you stay at least two days at this camp.

In Cairo we were met by Farid, whom we call the Miracle Worker. Farid is funny and kind and was wonderful to work with. He convinced Air France to check our bags all the way from Cairo to Seattle, and provide boarding passes for all flights, even though we changed airlines that weren’t partners with each other. Thank you for everything, Farid.

Our three days in Cairo included the amazing pyramids at Giza, the downtown mosques, and a day in Sakkara. We were treated here, and in other places along our trip, to local food in ‘mom and pop’ type restaurants, all of which were excellent. The only female guide of our trip, Reham, was in charge of our tour in Cairo. She is amazing, and so much fun to talk with. Thank you, Reham, for all you do to protect the animals of the pyramid and for all you did for us. In Luxor, Bassem provided a comprehensive background to the Valley of the Kings and the Tombs of the Nobles. As others have noted, the tomb of Nefertari was expectedly memorable. Thank you Bassen. In Aswan, we toured the modern wonders of the dams of Aswan and were impressed by the Philae Temple with Ashraf. The felucca sail around Elephantine and Kitchener Islands was terrific. Seeing Abu Simbel, looking out over the blue water of the Nile, was a highlight of the trip. Thank you, Ashraf.

We’d like to mention that many of our guides knew Jim Berkeley and all of them smiled when they talked about him. One of our guides volunteered that Jim’s was considered the best travel company operating in Egypt. We can concur that the planning and organization of our trip was flawless. Everything we expected to happen happened – guides were at the hotel to pick us up and always on time, the comprehensive knowledge of the guides was humbling, the drivers were careful, and every care was taken. Again, we were safe in Jordan and Egypt.

We need to mention the trip on the dahabiya. Our boat, the Adelaide of the Nour El Nil line, was a flat-bottomed boat with two sails. We sailed up the Nile with four other families or couples, for five days. If sailing on a dahabiya is the only thing you do in Egypt, your trip will have been well worth it. The boat sailed slowly with no motion at all, docked at least once a day to tour a temple or to take a walk, or to play soccer and swim in the Nile. The rest of the time we lay on the couches of the upper deck and read or watched Egypt glide by. The food, made up of local Egyptian specialities, was wonderful. The staff made the trip unique with their kindness, laughter, and joy. We can’t recommend this adventure highly enough.

Finally, we should mention the hotels. As Agatha Christie fans, we’ve always wanted to stay at the Winter Palace in Luxor, and the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan. They were fabulous. We woke in Luxor to hot air balloons over the Nile, and the river traffic and the ruins on Elephantine Island in Aswan. Part of the pleasure of the trip was spending time in our rooms watching life go by on the Nile.

Thanks to Jim and Glenda, and the rest of Jim’s staff, and to Wendy Perrin and The WOW List that brought us such a memorable adventure.

Sunset in Wadi Rum, Jordan. Photo: Marylou Voytko

PANDEMIC TRAVEL I contacted Jim Berkeley to work with me to design a long awaited trip to Egypt and Jordan for my husband and I for three weeks. We were to have gone on this trip last November but due to Covid, we postponed the trip until this past November. I had a pretty good idea of where I wanted to go and the sights of interest to us but Jim filled in the blanks and after working on a couple of drafts of our itinerary together he crafted a mind blowing, fabulous, once-in-a-lifetime journey for us! Jim and his team, especially Arlene Santos, were fantastic in handling all of the details and logistics of our trip, of which there were many. We had 6 domestic flights, plus our international flight to Jordan and a Nile cruise. Several flight cancellations prior to our US departure kept us busy finding alternative flights to fit our itinerary, but any itinerary adjustments were handled smoothly by Jim’s team.

The actualization of our itinerary was everything we dreamed of for this long awaited trip. From start to finish, Jim has a magnificent group of local agencies working with his clients on-site. Most everyone was extremely helpful, fun to interact with and made everything we did seamless, especially at the airports and with our Covid PCR tests (which by the way were so inexpensive compared to what we had to pay in the US!). Our PCR Covid testing experiences went very smoothly. Everything was so easy and convenient, and thus worry free. Arrangements were made for doctors to come to our hotel and administer the tests and we received the paperwork of results the next day. The only thing we feared was having a positive test that would prevent us from entering Jordan or coming back to the US. Fortunately, everything went well as we wore masks most of the time for that reason. It was also comforting to learn, once we were there, that everyone in the travel/hospitality business in both Egypt and Jordan had to be vaccinated.

Traveling international now is way more involved compared to our international trips taken before the pandemic. Both Egypt and Jordan required several different entry forms, including health forms, vaccination certificates, and PCR tests no greater than 72 hours (Jordanian and Egyptian time) prior to arrival in each country. The timing of our initial PCR testing proved to be a bit complicated because our flight from the US to Cairo had us transiting through Amman, Jordan. This meant that we had to fill out all entry forms for both countries and time our PCR test for both countries for just this aspect of our trip. To fit within the 72 hour PCR timeframe, we needed to find a PCR testing site that had an hour turnaround time because we were flying to Chicago the night before our international departure. Although there were no such sites in our city or the surrounding cities, I fortunately found a site down in Charlotte, North Carolina that was only an hour and a half from our house. We then had to repeat the entire process (PCR test and entry forms) when we finished our touring in Egypt and flew to Jordan for our week there.

Before I get into more of my review, Wendy, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for arranging with Jim our very special WOW Moment. It was truly incredible and caught us totally off guard, thanks to Michael, our local representative who met us at the Aswan airport. Michael told us that we had a boat ride that night at sunset. We knew that a felucca experience was on our itinerary and expected that to be our boat ride. Imagine our faces when instead we were taken to a motorized yacht for a private sunset cruise on the Nile all around Elephantine and other islands. We were in a total daze of utter amazement! Sunset was magical as the colors of the sky, Nile waters, and surrounding land changed from yellow to golden to pink and then deep purple, followed by the twinkling lights of Aswan as night fell. This glorious sunset experience was followed by a 5 course fine dining experience in the salon of the boat with a private chef and staff! The ensuing gourmet seafood feast of courses was delicious, well executed, and imaginatively presented. We felt like Egyptian royalty sailing on our own private yacht on the Nile! Despite us not feeling entirely well (traveler’s distress), we thoroughly enjoyed our time and experience. It was definitely an unforgettable WOW Moment!

We are seasoned international travelers, but we have never experienced such ground service as we did on this trip. Jim arranged for an airport representative from his local travel agency groups to meet us almost as soon as we got off any of our flights. We felt cossetted as the airport representatives guided us through the entry or departure process seamlessly as soon as we entered the airport, be they international or domestic flights. We had never experienced such service on any of our previous international trips and now we are spoiled! Besides an airport representative, each city we visited had a local representative who met us each morning and was in electronic contact frequently to make certain that our experiences went smoothly during our stay. Farid, our representative in Cairo, in particular was amazing and by far the most outstanding local representative throughout our entire trip. He met us at the airport with a lovely welcome bouquet of flowers for me and later in the trip he sent us a bottle of Egyptian white wine as a gift from Jim and himself! He was truly our guardian angel everywhere we traveled in Egypt. He was always in contact with us, even after we left Cairo. He checked in with us frequently to make sure everything was going well, even checking in with us during our transit through Cairo for Sharm el Sheikh and upon our arrival into Sharm! He was indispensable in assisting us with all of our Covid and entry paperwork for Jordan, especially after the last minute change in our flight from Cairo to Jordan on the day before our departure from the US. I had redone all the paperwork later that night and swore I put it in my folder, but then could only find the old paperwork once we were in Cairo! Farid worked his magic and produced the correct paperwork when he took us to the airport for our Jordan flight later in our trip. We could count on Farid for anything, anytime even at late hours, anywhere we were in Egypt. He was the absolute best! It’s this kind of detailed attention to guests and their traveling experiences that make Jim an absolutely outstanding WOW Specialist!

I knew that in Egypt we wanted to visit Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Luxor, and Sharm el Sheikh, and in Jordan we only wanted to spend time in Petra. However, Jim insisted that in Jordan we should also spend the time to visit the Wadi Rum area that is just south of Petra. Not being a big Lawrence of Arabia fan, I never considered visiting this region, but Jim was very persuasive in convincing me to add a night in Wadi Rum and staying at a Bedouin camp. Well Jim was right and Wadi Rum is a Do-Not-Miss experience that we are truly grateful that he insisted we have. It was a magical place that has to be experienced to really know and appreciate the moonscape atmosphere and beauty of the desert. My husband still dreams about the dead silence he experienced on his walk in the early morning around the camp. Silence like he had never heard before, and likely never again. The Bedouin camp and its staff was magnificent and our tent reminded us of our safari in Kenya at a tent camp. The Bedouin dinner of Zarb was so delicious, I wish we could’ve taken leftovers!

Our guides throughout our trip were fantastic and so knowledgeable. Surprisingly we only had three guides through our entire journey because two of them accompanied us for 6 days each. Having the same guide for such a length of time was unique for us but we thoroughly enjoyed being able to spend so much time getting to know these individuals and their insights into the ancient sites and into their own culture. We had Tarek, an Egyptologist, for our time in Cairo, who was indispensable in guiding us through the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities which can be overwhelming. He was also invaluable in retrieving items that I had inadvertently left in a shop where I had purchased a cartouche. However, our next Egyptologist guide, Sam, joined us in Aswan and then travelled with us to Abu Simbel, on the Nile cruise and during our entire time in Luxor! When we went to Jordan, our guide, Mohannad, and our driver, Mamoot, picked us up from the airport and then accompanied us throughout our destinations in Jordan until they dropped us off at the airport for our departure back to the US! Mohannad in particular had a wonderful sense of humor in keeping with what I had read of the Jordanian people in general. Interestingly, Mohannad does not usually work with couples but I think we showed him how fun and adventurous we could be. He grew up in Petra and so was the perfect guide for our time there. He seemed to know everyone and everything about the city. We love to hike and when we told him that we wanted to hike the steps to see the Monastery versus taking the donkeys, he was delighted to oblige as he is an avid hiker as well (more mountain goat I think!). Not only did we do that hike, but the next day he took us on another major hike up the mountain so that we could see the Treasury from above and across the canyon! Unbelievable sight it was! We really felt like we got to know Petra well just by walking and hiking with Mohannad, despite the fact that we only scratched the surface of this city. To spend a week with Mohannad and Mamoot was a wonderful experience.

The other great aspect of our tour guides is that they were exceptional in taking us to places for lunch where we could experience authentic local dishes. We are adventurous eaters and love eating all types of food. We especially enjoy trying different dishes in foreign countries as a way to learn more about the culture. I still dream about some of the dishes we ate, especially the camel koftas and meatballs with Tarek in Old Cairo! Unbelievably, I recently found ground camel at a store in a city about an hour from us and bought it to make at home!

Our itinerary and all the sights we saw were fantastic and amazing at every turn.

Some of the highlights in Cairo was not only of course the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities (unfortunately the GEM was not ready at the time of our trip), but also the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. We primarily went here because they had moved the Royal Mummies here from the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, but we found that the exhibits in the museum were so informative about the evolution of Egyptian civilization through the millennia. The galleries built for display of the Royal Mummies were very special in that the rooms were all black with focused lighting on each mummy. The bodies were displayed with such reverence and respect that visitors quietly and slowly shuffled through the multiple rooms without a word. It was a very humbling experience to walk through the galleries and a fitting homage to such noble Pharaohs and their queens. I would recommend this museum to anyone visiting Cairo. Besides these two museums, we very much enjoyed our day in the Old Cairo town, walking along the narrow shop lined streets and then the even narrower alleys of the Khan al Khalili. We gained a true appreciation and feeling of what the city was like in ancient times.
In Aswan, our favorite site was the Philae Temple Complex. To spend time there in both daylight and then again for their stunning Sound and Light Show gave us such an appreciation for the beauty and history of this magnificent site. We thought the Sound and Light show here was far better than the one we saw at Karnak. While in Aswan, both the Nubian Museum and the Nubian Village were delightful to see. Both were very informative about a part of Egyptian culture you hear little about and we appreciated being able to speak with a local in the Nubian Village and visit his home. It would be a shame for travelers not to experience either or both of these sites.
Seeing Abu Simbel was definitely a highlight of our trip and worth the effort to get there. Anyone who passes on seeing this site is missing two of the most magnificent structures and amazing pictographs in Egypt.
We loved our Nile cruise on the Farrah. It was a beautiful ship with terrific staff. The meals were delicious and we really enjoyed the Egyptian food they offered. The other wonderful unexpected experience was that we had a total of only 25 passengers on the entire ship for our cruise. Most of these individuals were Americans! Having only 25 people on a ship that can hold 120 made our cruising experience extra special and very safe from a Covid perspective. With such a small number of passengers on board, combined with the breathtaking design of the upper open air deck, we felt like we were on a dahabiya cruise rather than our ship!
Luxor had so many jaw dropping sites that every day there was outstanding. The Valley of the Kings tombs were amazing but the most magnificent tomb of all was that of Nefertari where we were the only people in the tomb besides the local tomb guide, who was very gracious in allowing us extra time there so that I could take photos of everything! Seeing Luxor Temple at night was breathtaking and I had long awaited to see Karnak and it didn’t disappoint. Four days in Luxor seemed like it should have been plenty, but frankly I could’ve stayed even longer for all the sites it contains.
In Jordan, there is nothing that we can say about seeing Petra that hasn’t been uttered by thousands before, but it truly was one of the best highlights of our entire trip! While seeing the many sites that we did was astonishing, it was truly having Mohannad as our guide that made seeing Petra extra special. Mohannad also worked his connections to gain us access to the Petra by Night experience an hour before it officially opened to the public! Walking through the candlelit Siq alone and coming upon the candlelit Treasury was mind blowing. We were awe struck.

The majority of the hotels we stayed in were absolutely wonderful and 5 star top notch. They had superb staff with excellent English speaking skills, good Covid protocols and who wore masks properly and continuously. In Cairo, the Four Seasons Nile Plaza, was really fantastic & we loved the balcony overlooking the Nile & the city. This hotel out of all we stayed in on this trip, had the highest standards of Covid protocols. Each seat at every restaurant had a small container of hand sanitizer & our room was given small tubes of hand sanitizer along with masks each day. We had some amazing meals at their restaurants, especially 8 which was Chinese and Zitouni’s which was Egyptian. What can one say about the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan, but wow! We had the most beautiful and spacious suite we could ever imagine! The enormous bathroom and the 4 closet dressing room areas alone I could have lived in for a few days! But the real gem of that room was the huge balcony overlooking the gardens, hotel and Nile where we could view Elephantine Island and its ruins. The hotel had excellent staff at our every encounter. The dinner we experienced at the 1902 restaurant here was fabulous in all regards. It was exciting to dine in the room which was used as the ballroom in a scene from the 1978 movie, “Death On The Nile.” It was a shame that we had so few nights at the Old Cataract. The room we had at the Old Winter Palace in Luxor was similarly wonderful and nicely spacious. We enjoyed the 2 very comfortable chairs and coffee table in the room itself, but we just loved sitting on the small balcony that overlooked the Nile but even more so, gave us a commanding view of the Valley of the Kings, especially at night when it was all lit. The hotel’s 1886 restaurant was divine and we enjoyed dining there so much that we ate there several times! In Jordan, the Movenpick was perfectly located directly across from the entrance to Petra and was a beautifully designed small hotel with a gorgeous central inner courtyard and lovely Arabesque architecture. Our room was very nice but the best feature of the Movenpick was its a la carte restaurant, Al Iwan. What fabulous meals we had here and the staff were so friendly. We enjoyed the food so much that we ate here each of our nights! Jim had us stay at the Fairmont Hotel in Amman and it was beautiful. We were blown away by the very spacious and lovely room there! What a fabulous hotel and room for our last few nights.

The only hotel of our entire trip that disappointed us entirely was the Savoy in Sharm el Sheikh. We were originally to stay at the Marriott Sharm Resort but Jim had just been there a few weeks ahead of our trip and found that the resort was not following the proper level of covid protocols and thus he changed us to the Savoy. Many of the Savoy restaurant and bar staff had limited English speaking skills and thus there was a lot of miscommunication. Moreover, many employees wore their masks improperly and few if any guests wore masks at all. The hotel has no resort layout signage nor were we given a map upon check in, which made it difficult to locate where everything was as most of the restaurants and bars are scattered across the large resort. The beach was unspeakably small and so wall-to-wall packed with loungers that it was nearly impossible to just walk on the beach! In addition to these points, the resort had an absurd and abysmal restaurant system in which every restaurant (other than the buffet) required advanced reservations that could only be made the morning of the day you wanted to dine! Reservations were taken at 7am when breakfast was served and my husband was continually shut out of any reservations despite being there at 7am! Most of the a la carte restaurants were closed so that left basically only 2-3 available. Since most of these restaurants were very limited in their capacity, it’s no wonder that obtaining reservations was not attainable in such a large resort. I could not recommend this hotel to anyone, ever!

Other than our stay in Sharm el Sheikh, Jim and Arlene did such a fantastic job for us that I can see why he’s on your WOW List. Thank you so much Wendy for giving us this List, as the specialists on it indeed are invaluable in making memorable and smooth international trips of a lifetime come true! And thank you once again for a fantastic WOW MOMENT to remember!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL We had an epic family trip to Egypt over Christmas and NYEve break! Arlene & Jim set up this trip perfectly – and with very little input since we were too busy. We entrusted them to prioritize and plan our limited time in Egypt, and they did it quickly and brilliantly. The tool they use to share itinerary drafts and the final documents and suggestions were fantastic! When we faced some issues or had changes, they were quick to support us. When we had to cancel one of our group due to Covid, they tried to get as much $ back as possible. Scuba diving the Red Sea was a bucket list item for me and we pulled that off as well (even though it was a little cold). Tour leaders and Egyptologists were all awesome – helpful, knowledgeable, friendly and organized. St Regis in Cairo, Sonesta Star Nile cruise, and Savoy Sharm el Sheikh were all great choices too – especially NYEve party!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Imagine standing inches away from King Tutankhamun’s funerary mask…or in front of a 4,500 year old Sphinx…or in a tomb with hieroglyphics dating back 3,200 years…or in front of a 2,300 year old Monastery carved in a mountain…with next to no one around you. Can you imagine it?? With the help of Wendy’s Trusted Travel Expert Jim Berkeley, we did more than imagine it…we experienced it during a fabulous trip to Jordan and Egypt. Thanks to Jim’s expertise, our trip was the perfect blend of history, culture, touring, relaxation, city, desert and river….all without the pre-pandemic crowds.

The Jordanians were so welcoming and gracious, repeatedly thanking us for visiting their country. Our guide in Jordan was just fantastic. Beyond teaching us about each site, he shared fascinating antecdotes and historical perspectives. He patiently answered our questions so that we could gain a better understanding of the Muslim faith and political climate in the Middle East. He helped bring Petra to life in a way I couldn’t have ever imagined. I was truly humbled as we gazed at numerous structures, still standing thousands of years after they were carved.

Our Egyptologist in Cairo was key to navigating the major sites. Upon entering the Egyptian Museum, he guided us to the second floor, bypassing the traditional route taken by all other museum visitors. Thanks to him, we stood in awe, marveling at the beauty of King Tutankhamun’s bejeweled, solid gold funerary mask, with nobody else in the room. We weren’t jostling other tourists, fighting for prime view. We saw the mask in all its glory for a good 5 minutes before other tourists reached the room. It was an invaluable, priceless opportunity. In Giza, he took us directly to the Sphinx, before proceeding to the pyramids, so that we had an unobstructed view well before other tourists arrived.

Had it not been for Jim’s suggestion, we would have missed out on the most beautiful tomb in Egypt. Found in the Valley of the Queens, Queen Nefartari’s tomb was absolutely exquisite, with hieroglyphics that looked as though they were painted yesterday. Standing in awe, mesmerized by the vibrant colors and the beauty of the artistry, I was struck by the fact that no one else was in the tomb but us. Another absolutely priceless opportunity.

After exploring Jordan, Cairo and Luxor, we set sail up the Nile in a dahabiya. What a fabulous experience…the perfect combination of touring and relaxing. Each morning, we explored a temple, quarry or village, and each afternoon we relaxed on deck, lazily watching farmers tend their fields and villagers cut down sugar cane as we slowly sailed passed.

Our final destination, Aswan, was just beautiful. Perfectly positioned along the first cataract of the Nile, it offered gorgeous views across the river to the desert and magnificent sunsets. Riding camels up to St. Simeon’s monastery was a definite highlight, as was the felucca sailing around Elephantine & Kitchener Islands.

From a Covid perspective, we were very comfortable with the protocols in place at each of our hotels and on the dahabiya. Shortly before departing the US, Jim notified us of a hotel change, as his team was not comfortable with the Covid protocols at our original hotel. We appreciated his proactive approach and efforts to minimize our health risk.

Prior to the trip, I had inquired about entering the Great Pyramid. Due to Covid, Jim advised against it, in light of the low ventilation and close proximity to other tourists as you navigate your way through the pyramid to the burial chamber. We greatly appreciated his guidance and have no regrets about choosing not to enter it. From the safety of the outdoors, we marveled at its creation and were mesmerized by its majesty.

PCR Testing in Jordan and Egypt went as smoothly & easily as possible, with Jim’s team having arranged onsite testing at our hotels. Both tests were quick and didn’t interfere with our plans for the rest of the day.

Yet another way in which Jim added value was the planning and coordination of our transportation, including timely transfers, dedicated drivers with private vehicles, and internal flights. When EgyptAir cancelled our flight to Abu Simbel, Jim‘s team in Aswan leapt into action. Without their help, I would have spent precious vacation time trying to rearrange travel plans. I was so grateful that Jim‘s team handled everything seamlessly, so that I could continue relaxing on the Nile instead of trying to coordinate new arrangements.

Traveling these days presents such wonderful opportunities to explore sites that are usually inundated with tourists. We are so grateful that Jim and his team facilitated our safe travels through Jordan and Egypt before the pre-pandemic levels resume. To be up close and personal with ancient creations and works of art was extraordinary and humbling. It was beyond special.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Jim and his team were amazing, both pre-pandemic when we planned to go in 2020, and later as we had to reschedule three times. They provided guidance and support throughout, and were always flexible and understanding of our concerns. Although throughout Egypt masks were worn, especially in the tourist sites, it was particularly apparent with our contacts, guides, and the hotels/cruise Jim and his team selected – they were very diligent and we always felt safe. The itinerary itself was packed with everything we wanted to see and then some! They were able to make it work somehow within the timeframe we had, but yet we never felt exhausted or “toured out”. I wouldn’t hesitate to work with this team again, and have actually already been on the site looking for our next destination!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  •How did this trip differ from one you might have taken before the pandemic?
We’ve not taken a trip so well coordinated and planned as what we did with Jim and his team in Egypt. We felt zero impact from the pandemic during our travel, other than seeing plenty of people wearing masks. We got to do everything we wanted and planned for when we originally booked the trip in 2019.

•Did the trip planner suggest experiences, accommodations, dining options, travel logistics, etc., that felt Covid-appropriate to you?
Jim Berkeley asked us to “trust” him when he put together our itinerary. We did and were very glad about it. Everything, done to the smallest detail was taken care of by the local staff. The only covid related item was arranging for our pre-departure covid test, which they did and made is very easy.

•Did he/she solve particular challenges or destination-related problems?
We had a few minor issues at the airports during the internal air travel portion of the trip. The local agents intervened for us and solved these minor problems quickly and made it easy for us to focus on enjoying our trip

•What did the trip planner do, or not do, to minimize your health risk or financial risk?
We were not worried about health-related issues of our trip. Jim’s team did coordinate our pre-departure required covid test and they answered all of our covid related questions prior to the trip. In regard to the financial issues, again Jim answered all of our questions. We were originally scheduled to take this trip in 2020, but had to cancel just weeks before we were supposed to leave. Jim Berkeley was gracious enough to return our final payment at that time and promised that the cost would not change when we rescheduled for 2021 travel (excepting changes in vendor prices, which did not happen)

•Did the trip planner add value to your trip? If so, how
Jim and his team were absolutely AMAZING! They took care of every detail and made it possible for us to focus on enjoying ourselves without having to worry about any of the logistics of travel. They picked out five star accommodations (with our approval) and planned an excellent itinerary that allowed us to see what we most wanted without being exhausted. It’s impossible to outline everything that they did that added value to our trip. I can’t imagine a better, more enjoyable trip to Egypt than the one coordinated by Jim. Use Jim and his team!

Egypt Sept 19-30, 2021

My husband and I traveled to Egypt and Jordan – just barely ahead of the corona virus! We were in Egypt for three weeks and in Jordan for one week. Being in our seventies, we don’t like to pack and unpack often nor do we like to have too many days in a row of activities. Jim did an excellent job of scheduling our trip to accommodate our needs. We had personable, knowledgeable guides who let us choose how much to see and do.

Not only did the guides have encyclopedic knowledge about the ancient sites but they also knew the patterns of the masses of tourists. Often, they got us to places before or after the crowds. We saw too many amazing places to list here. We learned something new (often a lot) every day.

Our accommodations were excellent with one exception. The Nile cruise was very nice and the activities, food and staff were very good. The rooms were acceptable but our bathroom was in serious need of repair.

Overall Jim created a fantastic, well planned month of touring for us.

Jim Berkeley and Arlene Santos put together a wonderful highlights of Cairo trip for my husband and me. We were well taken care every step of the way of from our Greeter who escorted us to and from the airport to our driver who’s driving skill was as epic as the Pyramids in the chaotic Cairo Traffic. But our local guide/ Egyptologist “ Riko” was the one who made our experience exceptional. She was knowledgeable, patient, kind and passionate about her city, country’s history and culture. Hands down the best guide in all our world travels. She avoided the crowds not only at the Pyramids and major sites but literally unlocked and gave us private access to tombs not available to the public. What an experience to stand alone in an Egyptian tomb 4 thousand years old ! The accommodations Jim and Arlene selected at the Four Seasons was a luxury oasis from the desert heat while still giving us a beautiful sunset view of the Nile and a call to prayer from our balcony each evening. Thanks for fantastic trip and a bucket list item checked !

Jim Berkeley and his company planned a month long trip to Egypt, Jordan, and Israel for my husband and me and another couple. Because of health reasons we had to put the trip off twice. I spoke to Jim about safety concerns in all of these countries and he quickly put my fears to rest. Finally after putting him on hold for a year we were able to take the trip. We stayed in varied, interesting hotels, had different guides in all three countries, took several in country flights, crossed from Jordan to Israel all without incident nor fears for our safety. His suggestions were invaluable and his assistant Arlene was always quick answering emails before our trip. Our in-country guides helped us understand their culture, politics, and history in ways we could never have discovered on our own. We rode camels, took river boats, rode in horse drawn buggies, wandered in crowded markets. We always felt safe. All four of us learned so much and enjoyed all the planned activities. In Petra our driver and guide took our companion to the hospital. He was dehydrated and after an IV came to dinner that evening. Their attention, understanding, and care was invaluable. A trip to the Middle East is a must. I couldn’t recommend the agency and their staff more highly.

We had specific places of interest we wanted to include in our vacation to Egypt, Jordan and Israel and Jim was very creative in providing an itinerary that meet our needs. The guides and drivers at each destination were very responsible and courteous. They helped us avoid the crowds and see many amazing things up close and personal.

Jim Berkeley and Arlene Santos — WOW! What a fabulous Egyptian adventure they arranged for the four of us. From the very moment we stepped off the plane in Cairo, when our VIP greeter whisked us speedily through the airport, we knew we were in great hands! Jim and Arlene did everything to make us feel safe and well cared for. At every location — Cairo, Aswan, and Luxor — we were greeted not only by our local Egyptologist (each an incredibly well educated and personable guide!) and driver, but by a local representative who shared his contact information, answered our initial questions, and simply made us feel right at home. Our private Egyptologists, especially in Cairo, were exceptional — filling us with as much history and cultural information as we could absorb. They knew how to avoid the crowds and zero in on the most important sites to see. Our drivers were always there, ready for us the moment we finished visiting a site — and ensured our complete comfort in the van. The hotels Jim and Arlene selected for us were the tops in Egypt, each with its own fabulous view of the Nile — and in the case of Cairo — we could even see the pyramids 14 km away on a clear day! We loved the flexibility of our Egyptologists, giving us glimpses of local life, from meandering through a rural market that tourists don’t visit near Valley of the Kings to enjoying a great pizza lunch (Maison Thomas) and our guides’ favorite shopping haunts in Zamalek (Gezira Island). And so glad Jim urged us to visit Abu Simbel — worth the short flight from Aswan and back to spend time exploring two massive rock temples near Egypt’s southern border with Sudan. While every day was a highlight, the most memorable for us would have to be the pyramids, sphinx, Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel, and our magical 4-day Nile River cruise on the Oberoi Philae. Truly I could write a book about how thousands of years of history came to life for us during our 12 days in Egypt! And, yes, we did feel safe throughout our journey as security is excellent throughout the country. Egypt rates high as one of the best, most memorable vacations we’ve enjoyed! Don’t miss Egypt!

Jim really listened to what we had in mind for our trip to Egypt. He talked to us twice in the planning stage and had the foresight to say that he thought we were good candidates for a trip down the Nile on a dahabiya and he was certainly right! We loved every second of that 5 day experience. He also booked us in at the most delightful hotels in Luxor and Aswan with gorgeous views and fantastic service. We had flawless pickups, guide services and transfers and always felt we were in good hands. Although Egypt can be hectic, crowded and noisy, our guides knew how to navigate the sites and always found a quiet pocket of calm so we could enjoy our time with the antiquities. All told, this was another great experience with a Wendy Perrin travel specialist. And to top it all off, we were treated to an evening sail in Cairo on a felucca as a WOW moment. Thank you Wendy!

Egypt and Jordan.
One of the favorite phrases we learned on our trip was mi’a mi’a, which translates roughly as “the best”. We got to use it often on the three-week trip Jim Berkeley and his team put together for my wife and me plus our daughter.

We often book small group tours but were unable to find any single tour that covered everything we wanted during our visit to Egypt and Jordan. After consulting Wendy’s list of travel experts, we decided on Jim. He listened carefully to our desires and then put together a trip plan that met our needs. But Jim didn’t stop there. Based on his understanding of our interests, he suggested several additions: Jerash, an ancient Roman city nearly as impressive as Ephesus; a stay in a Bedouin camp at Wadi Rum where we found the best scenery of our trip; the Temple of Philae, one of the single nicest temples we saw in Egypt; and the Tombs of the Artists, which provide a perspective on Pharaonic Egypt not available in the better-known Valleys of the Kings and Queens.

In addition, Jim suggested adjustments to our requests. We asked to include a one-week cruise down the Nile. Jim suggested that we would be better served by taking a three-night cruise instead, and then spending the extra days on land in Aswan and Luxor. His advice was spot on. We also told Jim that although we wanted first-class lodgings, we weren’t interested in paying for luxurious hotels that cater to the jet-set crowd. Jim encouraged us to allow him to make one exception during our visit, and as a result, we found ourselves in premium suites at the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan. Each oversized suite featured 26 foot wide balconies with a spectacular panoramic view of the Nile and Elephantine Island. Our three-night stay there was a highlight of our trip.

The logistics for our trip were complex. We had 5 interior flights, a cruise on the Nile, lengthy rides in the desert including on a 4×4, two camel rides, a carriage ride, a thrilling burro ride to the Monastery in Petra, and probably 20 visits to sites that required tickets. Everything was flawless. We did not have a single hiccup during our trip.

Jim’s deep roots in the area paid off in several ways. He was able to secure upgrades at our hotels. He got us top-deck suites on the Sonesta Star Goddess cruise ship. His long relationship with the owner of the Sakkara Carpet school landed us an especially good price for an Egyptian rug after only a little haggling.

Finally, Jim was able to secure the best guides for us. Our guides were uniformly excellent. Each was knowledgeable about all aspects of the areas we were visiting. For example, our Egyptologists could read hieroglyphics. Our guides worked hard to get us to locations either before or after the cruise ship crowds arrived. For example, when we visited Tutankhamun’s tomb, we were the only people there.

When we decided at the last minute to add a hot air balloon ride, our Luxor guide made special arrangements with the operator to ensure personal attention, including securing the best spot in the balloon basket for viewing the monuments as we glided by. When the ride took longer than expected, our guide worked with the ship captain to make sure we still had a hot breakfast awaiting our return onboard after everyone else had already departed. And as a bonus, our guides suggested superb local restaurants, such as Makka in Aswan and Taboulah in Cairo.

And then there was our WOW moment. I am guessing that Wendy had some input from Jim on what would make a good WOW moment for us because it was inspired. Our planned trip included almost everything a visitor might hope for, with one exception. We had not included a visit to the tomb of Nefertari, generally considered to be the nicest tomb in all of Egypt. That turned out to be our WOW moment, and it was perfect. The tomb has restricted access, with a vault door at the entrance to enable better climate control than at the other tombs. Signs everywhere note that stays are limited to 10 minutes. Not only were we able to stay for 15 minutes, but we were the only people there. It was a magical moment, a perfect capstone to our trip.

All of this added up to a trip that was mi’a mi’a. We would recommend Jim to anyone planning a trip to the area.

Jim was extremely knowledgeable about Egypt and recommended we also visit Jordan and Petra, a truly worthwhile diversion. We had no idea he had lived in Egypt for years until a guide informed us. We made a change during the trip and his staff was very helpful n that regard, too.

We had a wonderful trip. Guides were very good. Wonderful hotel choices. Egypt is a must visit; just incredible sites that are hard to believe even when you are seeing them.

WOW Trip Review #2
Cairo & vicinity in 2.5 days. This was a stopover-of-convenience between two business trips and not something I would recommend for the average person.
Never having been to Egypt before plus a limited time window caused me to seek out professional assistance. I told Jim and his team that I wanted to accomplish the following:
* see the pyramids
* ride on a felucca (small sailing boat on the Nile)
* get pictures of a sunset/night view of Cairo
* as much as possible, avoid the constant harassment by people trying to sell me things I didn’t want
Everything else I saw would be frosting on the cake.
The pre-arrival documentation was detailed & very informative.
Upon arrival at the Cairo airport, I opted for the VIP treatment. It was a super cool experience and consisted of being met at the stairs of the aircraft, taken by private car to a nice lounge with food&drink while they took care of getting my visa.
I was then connected with a highly qualified Egyptologist (an academic who actually participated in excavations of antiquities) & driver for my tour. They did a pretty good job of adapting to my really brief stay.
Additionally, she shared a lot about Muslim culture, Egyptian politics and other subjects that I was curious about… no question seemed to be “off limits”.
Accommodations were at the Kempinski and the room had a great view of the Nile.
But there were a few misses:
* the felucca ride was supposed to be at sunset and include “with local beer and light Oriental Mezze.”. Unfortunately, the local rep showed up late and we just missed the sunset. Also, the Mezze never appeared. No mention of what happened and no apology. It was a small miss but I was pretty hungry by that time and was counting on the food to keep me fueled.
* we made a stop (not on the original itinerary) at the “Papyrus Institute” presumably to see how papyrus was made and see why it’s such an awesome, durable material; that part was very informative… However, I was not warned about the showroom and the slightly pushy sales pitch as a part of the “Institute”. I probably should have known better but when I’m paying for a private tour, I expect the guide to alert me to these situations. Also, this extra stop had a cascade effect on our schedule for the rest of the day and we only caught the final few minutes of the sunset over Cairo which was one of the stated goals.
Bottom line: super high-quality guide, good support & documentation but the unwelcome surprises slightly tarnished what was otherwise an excellent trip.
Still, I would absolutely use Jim and his team again.

From the outset, Jim established his credentials for planning our trip to Egypt for October 2018 for four adults. As the former chief of the Cairo office of a leading upscale travel company, he knows the area and the providers extremely well. He assigned excellent Egyptologists to accompany us, which meant that we explored some tombs off the beaten path…once even involving finding a guard to get a key for access. Our days were occasionally scheduled in reverse order from the crowds, meaning that we experienced spaces to ourselves. He advised where it was worth splurging, like the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan, and where it was not. Great advice.

Positive: Terrific, knowledgeable, guides, great service at airports, picking up etc.

Negative: Hotel Kempinski was just terrible- used moisturizer, and shampoo, dirty carpet, rusted shower head and more- I think I received the single worst room in a hostel and it was less than 50% occupied and much more-
One hotel in Aswan and internet access just in the lobby – I run a business with clients in 72 countries and it’s my lifeline- but wasn’t told this! After making a big fuss they brought me up a router and it was fine- but a cardinal sin not to tell me upfront.

All in all a terrific trip.

My husband and I recently returned from Morocco. We have a particular style of travel that does not suit most and tried to be very clear about that when planning with our agent. As well, we have worked with other travel agencies over the years, but this was the first time we used Wendy Perrins services. None of our friends were familiar with the agency, so, even with the positive reviews and conversations prior to our trip, we were definitely apprehensive.

Well, there was absolutely no reason for our concerns. Helen Wilson, on Jim Berkeley’s team, was our agent and she did an amazing job. She paid attention to the information we provided her, made adjustments accordingly as plans progressed, and masterfully planned and executed every aspect of our trip!

We will absolutely employ Wendy Perrins agency again. Our only regret will be that we will be assigned a new agent, but if Helen is any indication of the quality of agents available, we will look forward to it.

Our trip to Jerusalem, Petra and Egypt was one of the best trips in a lifetime of travel. Jim Berkeley zeroed in on our interests, addressed our security concerns and worked with his extensive local contacts to organize an amazing 18-day itinerary. Thanks to Jim, the three of us had the freedom to avoid the crowds and travel comfortably with a series of personal guides who were knowledgeable, friendly and confident talking about their countries from ancient to current times. We especially enjoyed exploring The Valley of the Nobles and Deir el-Medina outside Luxor. These tombs were in excellent condition, incredibly beautiful AND there was virtually no one else there! Secondly, while all the hotels were excellent, the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan is an experience in itself!

We loved the trip. It was especially meaningful for our friends who had this on their bucket list for 20 years but had been afraid to go. When we jumped in and told them we had a fantastic travel specialist that we found through Wendy, they were ready to go. I am truly grateful that for them it was so special as my girlfriend is picky! We were upgraded on more than one occasion and stayed in a true historical suite which was fantastic. We went to Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan in February. It is a great time of year to go and you want guides at all of these places. My biggest tip to you take lots of $1 bills and use this travel planner. Tell them exactly what you want so they can do what it takes to get it for you! Lauren Mescon

Jim Berkeley planned a well organized trip for us in Jordan and Egypt for our family of 4.  He did a great job of getting us around to a few chosen locations and to hit the highlights in each locale.  We came home feeling like we had really seen and experienced the culture of Jordan and we would love to return and see more!  In Egypt, we saw the highlights and every day were somewhat awestruck with what we were seeing!   Amazing!

Jim prepared an excellent trip to Egypt for us. The guides were generally quite good (the one in Luxor was fantastic!) and got us into all the places we wanted to see without the crowds and the pressure of mass tour groups. We’d definitely use him again for future trips.

Unbelievable experiences we had on our trip to Egypt. We booked Jim Berkeley and worked with him and his company Destinations and Adventures to plan our two week vacation. Our trip was fantastic. We learned so much about Egypt. Our guides were so informative and made our excursions to the temples, pyramids, and museums really enjoyable. The Egyptian museum was incredible – our guide maneuvered us first to the best rooms where we had time to ourselves before the crowds appeared. Each guide was SO informative and responsive. They truly got to know us and personalized our visit in each location. Our travel connections all along the way were seamless and we really felt that we were in excellent hands. Jim was able to book us for specific tombs that other agencies couldn’t offer. Our concerns about safety were never an issue. Accommodations were perfect. We did have one issue with a hotel and Jims immediate attention resolved it perfectly. I would highly encourage using Jim and his team for your travel plans. The wealth of knowledge, awesome guides, and the extras cannot be beat.

Jim was a pleasure to work with and he put together an incredible trip. My husband and I often tell others that our trip to Egypt was the trip of a lifetime (we are well traveled).

All of the highlights described above are really beyond description!
One of the egyptologists who guided us (he had also worked with the BBC and National Geographic) was encyclopedic about ancient Egypt. Because the ancient Egyptians documented everything, their culture becomes palpable – I remember being read (hieroglyphs) an IOU written on a stone from one neighbor who had borrowed wheat from another promising to pay it back!

I don’t know what it’s like to be in Egypt now, but I trust Jim not only to deliver a unique adventure in one of the world’s most fascinating places but also a safe one.

My husband and I traveled to Egypt and Jordan (including Petra) on a trip choreographed by Jim Berkeley in December 2009. The trip was flawless and now, six years later, our memories remain striking and vivid. Amazing history, landscapes, culture. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world and am thinking of going back.