Osiris Tours Reviews 305

We just returned from a two-week, trip of a lifetime, to Egypt with Osiris Tours. We were introduced to Mahmoud Gebril and Osiris tours by Zicasso, com, which we’d used 5 years ago for a trip to Turkey. This trip exceeded any and all expectations we
(two couples) had and we have fallen love with a land we knew so little about.

Once we established our budget of time and money, and the desire to spend a week on the Nile River on a dahabiya…. the only way to really see the country…. Mahmoud did everything else. We tacked on an extra day of rest upon arriving in Cairo at the wonderful Four Seasons, having travelled eight time zones.

There are at least three areas in which this trip stood out:

First, the itinerary, with careful planning of the daily schedule was exceptional. Our trip was (roughly) 3 days in Luxor, 7 days on the lovely Sonesta Dahabiya Nile Amrit, including several days in Aswan, and two final days back in Cairo visiting The Egyptian Museum, the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza. We saw all the BIG sights and many even more interesting, lesser known treasures by being on the river. We four thought our seven days on the dahabiya to be the best single decision we made in planning our trip.

Second, our guide, Essam, (Sam) is the best guide we have ever met and we were astonished that he travelled with us for our full twelve days of touring. Once we met Sam in Luxor, he took care of EVERYTHING. Not only does he know Egypt backwards and forwards, he is a storyteller, almost a reenactor, who made 5000 years of history come alive.

Sam was able to shuffle the schedule after a late flight, get our van closer to several entrances to help one of us who had a sprained ankle, help with a minor medical issue at our next stop on the river, and shorten several days when we “mentally” done for the day and just wanted to relax at one of our beautiful hotels or the boat.

We had access to all of the “extra ticket” tomb and crypts and felt that we were travelling as friends, not just clients, because Sam is well known and well liked everywhere we went.

Nothing was more appreciated than that after Sam left us in Aswan, he took the overnight train, 12 hours, to Cairo (while we flew) and met us the next morning, always enthusiastic, excited and ready to go. We have always been used to meeting new guides in each new city and never really developing a strong relationship. When we left Sam for the last time, we all were tearful.

Third, as a former guide himself, Mahmoud has done things the right way. He has a large, full time staff in Egypt, who work just for him. From the greeters at the airport, the drivers and the wonderful hotels that we stayed in, it was all first class. They anticipate, and take care of everything. And when the unexpected happened, everyone did their best to accommodate our needs.

Mahmoud employs the best drivers, has new, well-maintained vehicles and you feel safe…. as safe as one can in the crazy Cairo traffic.

One of my misconceptions before the trip was that Egypt had been discovered and there was “nothing new” to see. Nothing could be farther from the truth. With teams of Egyptologists from all over the world both exploring for unearthed treasures and restoring those they know, Egypt is a 10,000 year old work in progress. In fact, we saw construction of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, set to open in 2020, adjacent to the Pyramids of Giza.

If one wants to see Egypt in all it’s splendor, in style and comfort, let Osiris Tours and Mahmoud Gebril be your guide.

My wife and I used Osiris Travel to recommend an itinerary for a trip to Egypt. They handled hotel accommodations, a guide, a driver and recommended an itinerary. Everything was great. Our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful with anything we needed. We were met punctually on arrival in Cairo and every day. If you are going to Egypt, I would strongly recommend using Osiris Travel to assist you with your trip.

Trip of a lifetime. Zero worries zero hassles. A perfect mix of history and adventures. We have already recommended Osiris to friends.

We very much enjoyed our trip to Egypt. The highlights were the pyramids, the sphinx, our unforgettable camel ride at sunset near the pyramids, the temples of Karnak and Luxor, Abu Simbel, Edfu, the tombs at the Valley of the Kings and the one of Nefertari and Cairo museum.

Our cruise on Sanctuary IV was very agreeable. The personnel was exceptionally nice and helpful and the food was excellent. We loved the Nubian show on the first night.

The hotels chosen Osiris Tours were all exceptional with great views, wonderful staff and high quality confort. Some of the best hotels were we have stayed.

We found the Egyptians so nice, helpful, polite and charming. We will not forget their hospitality and welcoming and their sense of humor.

The vegetables growing in Egypt are excellent! The cuisine staff prepared them very well - fresh, colorful and appetizing.

Our guides were knowledgeable and we learned a lot from them on this extraordinary civilization of Ancient Egypt. We particularly like Mahmoud Sultan, our guide in Cairo, with whom we had interesting conversations, and our driver Oshraph (not sure of the spelling) also in Cairo. We had a great time and good laughs with these two gentlemen.

We would like to thank Osiris Tours for organizing an interesting and unforgettable trip to this exotic country that is Egypt, for arranging punctual pickups at all times and for facilitating our arrival and departures at airports. All the people from Osiris Tours who helped us, guides, drivers, coordinators, etc. were all professional and charming.

We definitely recommend Osiris Tours to organize a trip to Egypt.

My wife and I knew in August 2018 that we wanted to travel to Egypt in February 2019 with a company that would provide us personnel attention and show us the history and sites of Egypt. Osiris Tours did just that. From the professional guides to the experienced drivers, our expectations were exceeded.

Thanks Mahmond for trip of a lifetime to Egypt. We hope to travel with you again in Turkey.

As experienced travelers who have visited all of the continents by means of private, group, or self-guided tours, our experience with Mahmoud Gebril of Osiris Tours resulted in one of our top trips of our lifetimes. In planning our trip to Jordan and Egypt, Mahmoud offered suggestions to make our itinerary the perfect one for our small group of five people. He was friendly and businesslike at all times, and a delight to work with. Our lodgings were clean and luxurious. We appreciated having one guide in each country to see us through our entire journey. Most of our time was spend in Egypt where Issam “Sam” was an outstanding and personable guide. He ensured that we always had fresh bottle water. In some cases he arranged visits to additional sites when some of our group did not participate in certain activities. We sincerely appreciated how he managed the budget. Sam’s sense of humor was not wasted on us. The vehicles were clean and comfortable, and the drivers were careful, kind, and courteous. Our request during planning for a wheelchair to be available resulted in provision of two wheelchairs; fortunately, only one was used on one occasion.

Of special note is the action that Mr. Gebril took when on a Friday, two days prior to our departure from the US, we requested that two new participants be included in place of two people who had to cancel. This involved obtaining visas as well as plane reservations for travel from Amman to Cairo as well as flights internal to Egypt. Thankfully, he was successful in his efforts.

The antiquities of Petra in Jordan, and all of the temples, tombs, pyramids, and museums in Egypt are not to be missed. We felt safe and secure during our entire Journey. I highly recommend using the services of Mahmoud Gebril and Osiris Tours to arrange an unforgettable visit.

This was a first time trip to Egypt for my wife and I and wanted to private tour to make it a great experience. Osiris Tours came through for us and we had a great experience that by ourselves would never have been possible. We worked with Mahmoud Gebril the owner and founder of Osiris to plan the itinerary and work through what we wanted to see, he provided great feedback and made great suggestions to our ideas to improve the trip experience for us. He was very fun and easy to work with and even was able to make several last minute changes we needed to make to the timing of the trip without a problem.

We spent our time in Egypt in Cairo and Luxor and our guide in Cairo Sayed Abed Al Razek was the best and a lot of fun to tour with. He was great getting us together in pictures and was a great photographer. He also always managed to find the best food and especially the Egyptian falafel for us for lunch. He had a great depth of knowledge and and was very proud showing off his country. Our guide in Luxor Ahmed Fathy was also amazing and very fun to travel with, his knowledge was extensive and he made sure we learned all we could. While out in the Valley of the Kings he introduced us to a great spot for lunch and had a terrific meal with both he and one of the shopkeepers we had made some great purchases from.

The guides and the drivers were always professional and always right on time even with the crazy Cairo traffic, we were taken care of the whole way from pick up at the airport and assistance through customs to check-in at the hotels. We did not have to worry about logistics, which allowed us to enjoy our time with no worries. I would again highly recommend Osiris Tours, they are a small company that can really cater to your wishes and for us was a great way to travel.

We just completed a 2-week tour with Osiris Tours to Egypt and Jordan. Everything went off just as promised. Mahmoud with Osiris responded quickly to all of our questions--often in minutes. He would also call if there were things that needed clarifying. He provided a comprehensive itinerary and list of emergency numbers--though we never needed them:-)
From our pick- up at the airport--they moved us quickly through immigration. This was so appreciated as we don't speak Arabic. Our tour guides were with us from start to finish, Sultan in Cairo and Khalaf in southern Egypt. Both guides were highly knowledgeable and had excellent English. Their command of the language was comprehensive and very nuanced. They offered us much more than rote description, but really brought alive the history, architecture, people, and art. They adapted to our style of touring and made each visit seem special and pertinent to our interests.
The hotels selected were great==safe, nice rooms with excellent views, good food, and nice amenities. The Nile cruise ship was very comfortable and offered a unique way to see the country from a different perspective and at a bit slower pace.
We had the same drivers for most of the trip. The vehicles were very comfortable, and the drivers adhered to speed limits and made us feel safe and secure.
Our time in Jordan was short but operated in the same manner--great access to guide at Petra and in Amman as well as an excellent driver.
Security is very present in the country and we always felt safe. We were able to walk alone and, in the evenings, and did not face hassle or feel concern for our safety.
The pyramids (and sites leading up to the pyramid) were amazing. Loved the camel ride at sunset--had thought it would be hokey, but it was an excellent way to gain perspective on these amazing structures. We enjoyed the trip through the desert to Abu Simbel and thoroughly enjoyed our time sailing down the Nile. It takes time in Luxor to see everything--but it was worth it!

My husband and I were celebrating our anniversary and Osiris Tours planned the perfect trip for us!!! It was the best vacation we have ever had. The itinerary was absolutely perfect and had the right amount of busy time and free time to relax. We felt extremely safe. The guides. WOW, the guides. Absolutely incredible!!! We LOVED Sam and Saed (bazooka) so much. They were both so wonderful. They had such a good mix of knowledge, but were also funny and we just enjoyed our time with them! The hot air balloon ride was wonderful. The pilot did such a great job at landing, we didn't even have to hold on. Thank you for suggesting the extras too!!! We LOVED going inside Seti and Nephreteri. We would have missed out if we had not gone inside those. Worth every penny! One of my very favorite experiences was the camel ride. I was very nervous, but they did such a good job helping to calm my nerves and wow, was the view incredible. Doing it by ourselves at sunset overlooking the pyramids was so romantic. It was the absolute perfect way to end our trip. I loved that was the last thing we did. I also loved that we visited the museum after we had already seen all the tombs and temples. We were able to picture exactly where all the artifacts belonged and had a better picture of what it would have looked like. We LOVED the four seasons, hilton and the movenpick cruise. All the accommodations were fantastic!! If you are looking for someone who is an expert and will plan an incredible trip customized just for you, pick Osiris. You won't be disappointed!! I wish I could give them 10 stars!!!

We had an excellent 12 day tour of Egypt. Osiris asked us what we wanted to see & do and they offered a proposed itinerary. A few changes were made and that is what we got. Ours was a private tour. From the time we landed in Egypt until the time we left Osiris personnel were with us. They handled all documents, tickets, permits, transportation, drivers, accommodations and a number of meals. We only needed to be concerned with what to buy and taking photos. Our primary guide proved to be a good photographer.

We have been travel around the world often. We seek adventure and freedom during our travel. So far, our family of 3 always plan and manage the travel by ourself. We wanted to visit Egypt for many years and tried to find the best way to go. We know going on our own could be challenge, but we don’t want follow a tour without the freedom. That’s how we found the Osiris Tours - to have a private tour that can have the customized itinerary.

From day one when we initial the connect with Osiris Tours to the end after we got back to Canada, the owner of the company Mahmoud Gebril, worked with us through the whole journey. He personally took us through the planning process. He very well understood our expectations and provided us the recommendations with options.

We have nothing but only the nice comments toward the tour guides, airport representatives and drivers in Egypt.

It was a great feeling to see the Osiris representative Mahmoud at the Cairo airport. He took care the visa and custom, and checked us in the hotel. We didn’t have to worry about anything.

Both tour guides Sultan in Cairo and Hotep in Luxor are great. They are knowledgable and professional.

Hotep from Luxor is exceptional with his passion to the ancient Egyptian history and the Egyptian culture. 8 days started from Aswan on a Nile Cruise to the visit of almost all the major sites in Upper Egypt, Hotep took care us nicely. He explained everything like stories, made us to learn about what we see more interesting and more meaningful. We learnt not only the ancient Egypt Kings , queens, Gods and Goddess, also the egyptian culture and people. He built the connection with us at more personal level. We had a lot of interesting conversations. He is flexible and takes care all the little details. That makes us feel safe and special. We are very much appreciated.

Our drivers are very nice and so skillful, especially when navigating the extreme busy streets of Cairo and Alexandria.

Adding some must-see Inside of tombs , like King Ramesses VI and Queen Nefertari in the itinerary is worth it. They are the most beautiful and well preserved tombs. The tomb of King Tutankhamum is not big, but seeing the mummy of King Tut is very special. The excursion to visit the Temple of Abydos and Dendera was a extraordinary experience, not only the temples themselves, also the ride through the villages, where we can see the life of the people in the country side.

There is not only the magnificent temples and tombs to see in Egypt. In between, we also did the Camel ride by the Pyramid, Sun Rise Hot Air Ballon Ride Over the West Bank of Luxor. Those were the most exciting moment of our trip.

We had the fantastic time in Egypt. The whole trip went supper smooth and we didn’t have a moment felt unsafe, thanks to all the tour guides, drivers and representatives from Osiris.

We are strongly recommend Osiris Tours USA if you want to fully enjoy the marvel of Egypt. We will certainly call Mr. Gebril when we will plan to go to Morocco, Jordon or any destinations covered by Osiris Tours USA.

Thank you!

Our vacation to Egypt was amazing! We saw Cairo, Abu Simbel, Aswan where we took a beautiful relaxing cruise on the Nile to Luxor, we made a day trip to the MUST SEE Abydos and Dendara then back to Cairo. Our Egyptologist Sam was top notch, he was very knowledgeable and we learned so much. We felt like family by the end of the trip. I wanted to add that we felt very safe and taken care of. The hot air balloon ride over Luxor was breathtaking, at first I was hesitant but I’m so glad I chose to go. The Nubian village was nice and in hindsight I wish I took the camel ride through. Mahmoud is terrific and if you need anything or have any questions he responds almost instantly! Osiris Tours made sure we were organized and prepared for each destination and went out of their way to make our experience unforgettable. We saw so much, I couldn’t possibly include everything but everyone should go see Egypt in their lifetime for the ancient history alone. I highly recommend Osiris Tours, we will definitely use them again on a future trip to Morocco!

We visited Cairo and Luxor area for 10 days holiday in December 2018 and January 2019. Osiris Tours and Mahmoud Gebril did an exceptional job in organizing our first trip to Egypt. After explaining him our general interests and desires, he created a perfect itinerary that combined guided tours of main archaeological attractions, but also local culture hot spots. We had a perfect guided tour / free time ratio for informative, immersive, yet pleasant and relaxing experience. Accommodation was great and everything was very well organized. We highly recommend Osiris Tours to anyone wishing to visit Egypt and the region in the future.

From my first inquiry, until the follow-up call I received from Mahmoud after returning, I was treated to a level of care, attention, and thoughtfulness that I have never encountered when traveling -from everyone involved.

Egypt is a country that I felt I needed help with...there is so much territory to cover, sites to see, language and social challenges to navigate, that I felt that if I wanted to take this trip, I’d need to find a skilled tour company. I’m happy to say that I chose the best!

Based on a couple preliminary phone calls, Mahmoud paired us with the perfect guide! I’ve thought a number of times since, just how skilled he was at matching our personalities and interests to our guide. Without that level of expertise, this could have been a very different trip.

Our guide for the 12 days was Khalaf. He was exceptional; incredibly knowledgeable, fun to be with, and very aware of our daily abilities to take in information. He wove the 12 day tour together beautifully! I would highly recommend requesting Khalaf for your trip.

At all times, I felt that our guide was watching out for our safety and any concerns we had in regard to that.

From beginning to end, the trip was flawless (I mean that sincerely!). All I had to do was show up each day, knowing that I could relax and be completely present in the journey vs. navigating the many challenges of taking such an expansive trip.

There is no need to look elsewhere! If you feel a trip to Egypt is in your future, chose Osiris Tours! -they crafted an incredibly successful tour that has left me with nothing but good memories (many!) of my journey. I mean that sincerely. Go now! Call Mahmoud! Egypt is waiting!

This was a 'bucket list' trip for both of us and it exceeded any expectations that we had. We are both experienced travellers and have visited over 40 countries each, so feel well positioned to comment on your operations:
We can't thank you enough for everything you organised for us. From the moment we stepped off the plane until we sadly left Egypt, we felt safe, respected and looked after. Everyone we engaged with were friendly, helpful and professional. Our two guides really brought Egypt and it's past and recent history to life for us - with their warmth, enthusiasm and rich story telling. Mahmoud Sultan and Sam were fantastic in pitching the information exactly to our level and had the ability to sense when we had taken in enough. We felt our attention never waned and didn't feel bored for a moment. We were also grateful to be able to engage in stimulating discussions, trying to learn somewhat about daily life in Egypt at present. Visiting a local cafe and eating and drinking local food with our guides/drivers were absolute highlights for us! We have already made our own version of Kushari and it will no doubt be a regular part of our diet, prompting us to always think of our friends in Egypt.
The shopping opportunities were greatly appreciated and we felt the establishments we were taken to delivered a friendly, authentic experience at reasonable prices. We will treasure our Cairo papyrus featuring the last judgement by Osiris (again making us think of your team), our Aswan essences (who has Frankensense, myrrh, lotus and papyrus in their homes in Australia?) and a charming alabaster figurine of Horus from Luxor. We also felt that your guides did very well ensuring these proprietors were not excessively pushy and reputable businesses.
The Nile cruise on the Farah was incredible. The facilities and staff on the boat were excellent. The chef and his team provided a fantastic offering at every meal and we loved experiencing Egyptian food and being on a boat with a mixture of passengers, both Egyptian and foreign.
We have our photos, treasures and memories and will never forget our time in Egypt and would have no hesitation recommending you and your team to anyone who wants to full fill their dream of visiting Egypt. Thanks you sincerely and we'd be thrilled if you could give this feedback to everyone who helped make our trip so fabulous.
We will no doubt be back in touch in the future to seek your help with other holidays in other locations that you offer. If you have any mailing lists we'd love to be included on it.
Thank you Mahmoud,

November 2018. We recently completed a 14 day trip to Egypt and Jordan provided by Osiris Tours. The owner of Osiris’s Tours, Mahmoud Gebril, is based just outside of Baltimore, Maryland. Mahmoud was always available to answer our many tour questions. We were concerned about the safety of our group and Mahmoud assured us that this was not a problem. Our tour was completely private with a designated tour guide who stayed with us throughout. We had a private vehicle for all transportation. Our group consisted of ten individuals and we had planned this trip more than one and half years in advance. We researched the many options for a tour of Egypt and Jordan and decided on Osiris Tours. We could not have made a better decision. Throughout our trip, we had no reason to be concerned with our personal safety.

Osiris Tours provided us with a complete tour of the major sites in Egypt and Jordan. Our tour guide Essam (Sam) Elisallah was truly outstanding. He was a very experienced guide who explained Egyptian history in great detail and was extremely knowledgeable of the pharaohs and hieroglyphics. Sam’s extra efforts to avoid crowds and his personal interaction with each of us made this tour even more enjoyable.

We would highly recommend Osiris Tours for the trip of a lifetime to Egypt. The tour was much more than we expected. Ask for Sam and you will receive a memorable vacation. Be prepared to walk many miles – there is a lot to see in Egypt and Jordan.

REVIEW OF OUR WONDERFUL TRIP TO EGYPT AND JORDAN

From October 9 – 21, we had the time of our life on a trip to the Middle East. Our tour was arranged by Mahmoud Gebril of Osiris Tours. From start to finish every detail was taken care of.

We were met at the Cairo airport and ushered through Passport Control and Customs. Our private van with driver and guide were waiting for us. The first day we were treated to the pyramids and the Sphinx just outside the city.

For our period in Egypt we were perfectly cared for by a driver and guide. As we moved from Aswan to Luxor we were treated to ancient sites and ruins along with the beauty and thrill of a four-day cruise on the Nile, which was perhaps the best part of the trip. The highlight for me was sitting on the top deck of the ship at twilight as the lights of the villages on either side of the river came on. At seven o’clock we heard the Call to Prayer coming from both sides of the river.

In Luxor my trip was enhanced by the use of a wheel chair which our guide willingly maneuvered over the rough terrain as we visited the two famous ancient temples.

Upon our return from Luxor to Cairo my traveling companion made a side trip to Alexandria. He was thrilled to see the famous old library as well as the Catacombs. Again we saw the pyramids from the top of our camels as they carried us closer. Out guide served us tea as evening approached.

From Cairo we travelled to Amman, Jordan, and journeyed to the ancient city of Petra. The site was unbelievable as we reached the Treasury riding in a horse drawn carriage.

Enough cannot be said about our guides and the arrangement of all the details of our trip by Mr. Gebril.. We had a very happy trip.

Bruce and Jorge

I’ve always wanted to visit Egypt, so this was my dream trip. I brought along my 24 year old son. Osiris Tours proved to be a perfect tour operator. We were met on arrival at the airport and driven to our hotel, the Mena House in Cairo, which was stunning. Our guide was an Egyptologist and described in detail everything we saw. He accompanied us whenever we left the hotel and was very informative on the sights and Egyptian culture. We also flew to Luxor where we had an equally knowledgeable guide. All airport transfers were handled flawlessly.

Egypt is such an exotic country and the amount of historical structures is mind blowing. To be able to gaze at these monuments and not have to worry about logistics really adds another level to the experience. I would not hesitate to do this again and I would use Osiris Tours. It’s fun, adventurous, magical, and safe. A trip of a lifetime!

recently returned from an 8 day private tour to Egypt with 5 other seniors arranged by Osiris Travel. I have nothing but praise for the itinerary, quality of the accommodations, the attention to every detail to ensure our safety and comfort and the knowledge and professionalism of the Osiris team, both in the US and on site. Mahmoud is the co founder of the company who works from their Maryland office. He guided us through the planning process, recommending a thorough but doable private tour for 6 seniors with visits to sites in Cairo, Aswan, along the Nile and in Luxor. He was responsive to all our questions and checked in before, during and after our visit. Our accommodations were excellent and as promised. From the moment we landed we were accompanied by an Osiris representative. The drivers and airport representatives all went out of their way to help us. Most important to the success of our trip was our Guide and Egyptologist Sayed, who was with us from day one throughout our stay. As expected, he was incredibly knowledgable about the history. But his enthusiasm and genuine pride in this history made it come to life for all of us. He had good humor and accommodated any and all of our needs. We were sad to leave our new friend. I would strongly recommend using Osiris for your trip to Egypt. I give them a ten out of ten. You will not be disappointed.

Highly recommend a trip to Egypt and Petra and recommend using Osiris Tours to make your trip spectacular. We have told all our friends and family that we loved our trip to Egypt and Petra but our private tour was a big reason why. Osiris set up a great itinerary that met our needs and preferences. It included the common tourist attractions as well as travel to some of the more remote areas. Our guide Sam was outstanding. His knowledge of the history of Egypt and the sites we were visiting was excellent. He didn't just recite facts. He showed enthusiasm about the information and at times even had us "act out" some of the family trees to help us make sense of all of the information being provided. Sam never rushed us at any venue. His goal was for us to have a great experience and see what we wanted to see. Goal accomplished! All of our travel arrangements were smooth. We felt incredibly safe and well taken care throughout our trip. We added a side trip to Petra wish Osiris Tours was able to arrange with another excellent guide and easy transportation.