Journey through Egypt and Jordan (Private Bespoke)

Customer Reviews

• MO

  Marilyn

  · December 15th, 2023
  Absolutely brilliant, we were looked after so well from the minute we disembarked in Cairo u till we were delivered to the airport in Jordan. Great drivers, guides and itinary, we always felt safe and saw so much. The drivers and guides were accommodating in small changes we asked as well. A trip we will never forget.
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  Odynovo commented on this review

  Dear Marilyn Ottoy, We are so glad to hear that you had a memorable journey to Egypt and Jordan! We are so proud to have been able to provide you with a hassle-free travel experience. Your recognition of our service is the power that moves us on!... Show more
  Trip date: March 2019
• TB

  Thomas

  · December 15th, 2023
  The tour was fabulous from beginning to end. The sights the pyramids of Gaza and the Valley of the Kings and Luxor were spectacular and created lasting memories, but the guides and drivers exceeded our expectations and made the entire experience so much better! We met at the airports by Odynovo staff and breezed through customs. We were escorted everywherer and felt completely safe throughout the journey! The Nile cruise only added to the fantastic trip we were on! Seeing Petra in Jordan was the icing on the cake!
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  Trip date: January 2022
• CD

  Cynthia

  · December 14th, 2023
  Our tour was a private, customized tour of Jordan, Egypt, Oman and the UAE. We are two couples who chose Odynovo for this trip because of a good experience some of us had with them for a trip in Southeast Asia, and because our trip was so complicated. We wanted a single point of contact rather than contracting with different companies in different countries/regions. We booked our own flights and hotels and we paid for meals; Odynovo provided airport assistance, guides, drivers and entrance fees for a total of 22 days. The total cost for 4 people was approx $14,000. The planning process took months and went very well (thank you Mia). We started with the tours offered by Odynovo, and then customized them to fit our interests. Note that you have to be explicit in describing each day's sites and activities, and you must review the itinerary each day with the assigned guide. There is little flexibility to add on to the itinerary once the trip starts. JORDAN: Pros: Airport transfers worked well. Vehicles were adequate for our group. Our guide in Amman (Issa) was very knowledgeable, but some in our group were bothered by his passion (although understandable) for discussing the political situation in the Middle East. Our driver (Hisham) was very good. Cons: One major disappointment was that we did not have an assigned guide in Petra, rather we had to take a guide who was sitting around the tourist office at the ticket booth and we learned very little from him. We booked two days in Petra with guide services for two hours each day. This turned out to be a mistake since it takes so long to get to the site itself from the guide office. We ended up with four hours of an inferior guide on one day, and transportation only on the second day. Recommendations: Jerash is a must see. We all enjoyed the Citadel, the automobile museum and The Jordan Museum in Amman. We should have spent more than one night at the Dead Sea. Our resort was enormous with beautiful pool facilities which we didn't have a chance to use. Suggest skipping most/all of the forts/castles (we saw Ajloun, Kerak, and Shobak) and thought they were all underwhelming. In Petra, unless you are very fit - get the golf cart to and from the Treasury, and the donkeys to and from the Monastery (but if you're heavy, skip it). Be sure to have some cash on hand to pay for other transportation in case you need it (the site is enormous). The Petra Museum is excellent and we all enjoyed seeing Little Petra. EGYPT - CAIRO: Pros: Airport reception went very well (thank you Amir R), and our guide in Cairo (Mohammed Abdallah) was excellent. The van was spacious and comfortable. Cons: Our driver in Cairo (Ahmed) was a smoker and the vehicle was always smoky when we returned from touring. The felucca was a disappointment (brief, and polluted water; we should have done this in Aswan or Luxor instead). Recommendations: Highlights not be missed: The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, the Serapeum in Saqqara, a long camel ride at the Pyramids, a belly dancing show (we went to Bab Al-Sharq but there are other options). Don't hold your breath for the Grand Egyptian Museum to open. We went on the limited tour and left feeling that it will be many months before this huge grandiose complex will be ready. NOTE that if you have a relatively uncomplicated itinerary, you should look into booking directly with Spring Tours (they provided all of our services in Egypt and did an excellent job). LUXOR: (note that we were on our own for a cruise from Aswan to Luxor - see my review of Farah -- then resumed Odynovo services in Luxor) Pros: Our guide (Mohamed Tarek Ahmed) was excellent. We enjoyed the balloon ride over the west bank. Recommendations: Be sure to see the Seti I and Nefertari tombs in the Valley of the Kings/Queens. The Sofitel Winter Palace hotel was tired and gloomy. OMAN: Pros: Our guide (once we found him; Mahmood) was excellent. We enjoyed our day of Muscat sightseeing (especially the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the National Museum of Amman, and the Bait Al Zubair museum). We then travelled to Nizwa to see the souk, fort (both ok, but not spectacular) and Jabreen Castle (which we all enjoyed). Cons: Our flight ran a little late and we were not met at the airport in Muscat, which caused some anxiety. We called the Oman tour coordinator without success. Our guide eventually came, and ended up being very good for the rest of our time in Oman. The vehicles in Oman were SUVs which were a bit snug for the 5 of us and all our luggage for the long drives. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM came at the end of our time in Oman when we were to change drivers at the UAE border for the journey to Dubai. Our driver demanded money from us ($1000 at one point), saying he hadn't been paid for his services or for our activities en route. He would disappear when we were touring sites which made our sunset dune buggy ride more of a pitch black ride, and drove erratically (either much too fast, or too slow). He didn't want to let us out of the car at our Dubai hotel and we were unable to reach anyone who could help us. It was very unpleasant. We received an apology from Odynovo. Recommendation: Try to stay in Nizwa on a Thursday night so you can see the livestock market that is on Friday morning. We tried to get there in time from Muscat and missed it. UAE: Dubai and Abu Dhabi Pros: The guide and driver were excellent, and the day tours of Dubai and Abu Dhabi were enjoyable. Cons: None. Recommendations: Be sure to include the Burj Khalifa ascent (not just a view of the outside and walking through the mall), and the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi. We enjoyed dinner at Bice Mare with it's view of the fountains and the Burj Khalifa. IN SUMMARY: Odynovo did a reasonable job, but there were some missteps that caused anxiety, which we felt shouldn't have happened at the price we paid. We may use them again, but only for parts of the world where it would be difficult for us to make arrangements, and where they have more of a presence (eg, China). Hope this is helpful. Happy travels!
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  Trip date: October 2023
• RV

  Ray

  · December 14th, 2023
  We customized our tour to add a couple of locations we wanted, like spending a night in a "Martian Dome" in Wadi Rum. It is great how our agent helped with the customization. Tour went perfectly. The quality of the guides and drivers was very good and added a lot to the enjoyment of the trip. The reps that meet us at airports also very useful. Our rep in Jordan helped clear up an issue with bringing binoculars into the country up for us. The accommodations booked for us by Odynovo were good and as expected. Our agent also kept in touch during the tour, as did the local company reps just to make sure things were going well. This was particularly helpful as the war in Gaza was ongoing and having contact with Odynovo during the tour should we have needed to change our plans quickly, gave us peace of mind so we could focus on enjoying the tour.
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  Trip date: October 2023
• FM

  Frances

  · November 29th, 2023
  The greatest trip operator is Odynovo. They paired me with the most excellent people; in Cairo, I had the pleasure of traveling with Ahmed Samir and Sherif, who were my tour guide and a driver, and both were kind and helpful. In addition, I traveled to Jordan with Yousef Taba'a, who not only gave me a tour of the country but also demonstrated the stunning natural scenery. With his twenty years of expertise, Taba'a is both an expert in his field and an exceptionally careful driver. When I return to Jordan, I will most certainly ask for him again. Despite my brief stay in Jordan, he treated me like family and I am grateful that he was my driver. Meeting new acquaintances on this tour has brought me so much joy. My gratitude, Odynovo!
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  Odynovo commented on this review

  Dear Frances Mendoza, Thanks for your kind feedback and your recognition of the guides Ahmed Sami and Yousef Taba'a and the driver Sherif! We are so glad to know that you had a memorable trip to Egypt and Jordan, and were satisfied with our private... Show more
  Trip date: November 2023
• CC

  Carol

  · November 25th, 2023
  Odynovo is our go-to travel company. We’ve booked private tours with them to South East Asia and most recently to Egypt and Jordan this November. The experience was top-notch from the first contact to the end of the tour. Queenie Yang, our senior travel consultant, was extremely responsive to our emails, always pleasant, and gave knowledgeable advice to shape our tour. My husband travels with a wheelchair and walker, and she advised on what was possible for us to see and experience. The hotels, in-country flights, and Nile cruise were arranged seamlessly. A Odynovo rep met us at each airport and whisked us through the visa process and immigration. This made for a pleasant and easy start to each city. Our wonderful reps were Mohamed Abdel Kader in Cairo, Mohamed El Sisi in Luxor, Yhia Soliman in Aswan, and Alaa Alaa Abunemreh in Amman. The drivers and guides were excellent – always on time, knowledgeable, and extremely helpful, making sure we were well-cared for. Our guide Ossama El-Amari arranged for extra assistance on the cruise and at sites that were not totally wheelchair accessible. The personal service was outstanding. Our driver Yousef Al Tabaa took great care of us in Amman and Petra always attentive and helpful. We look forward to our next trip with Odynovo.
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  Odynovo commented on this review

  Dear Carol Chulew, Thanks for your kind feedback and your recognition of Queenie Yang and the guides Mohamed Abdel Kader, Mohamed El Sisi, Yhia Soliman and Alaa Alaa Abunemreh! We are so glad to know that you had a memorable trip to Egypt and Jordan,... Show more
  Trip date: November 2023