We are very proud about every word on this page. And we want to thank all who did the effort to sit down after their journey to write. (Due to wishes from our guests names are shortened - so google cannot find them.)
We really appreciate
travelogues and every comment about our website:
We hope to get incitations,
critics, sugesstions, questions. We need your opinion to become perfect.
Aswan Individual is not a company. It is a website which provides contacts to locals who are so wonderful, friendly, honest that I built a platform to help tourists spend great days without hassle and bad surprises and to help these locals who dont jump at tourists. (More please see: "Why i made Aswan-Individual", right column)
WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Because Aswan-Individual is a non-profit- (or better: profit-for-locals-only-)-project, I can help the locals writing emails to guests or work on the website but I cannot invest money to pay for advertisement.
If you want this project to continue, please write after your trip. And please tell the world about us.
Without your help this project will fall asleep.
Warm regards, Petra
petra@aswan-individual.com
Alfred and Elena, Italy, February 4, 2012
Hallo Petra
Erstmals vielen Dank es hat alles besten funktioniert und wenn wir mal wieder etwas in Ägypten machen möchten werden wir gerne auf euch zurück kommen Sind jetzt im unserem Haus in Thailand (...) Alles Gute Elena und Alfred
English: thank you for all, everything went smoothly and when we will return to Egpt, we will contact you again (...)
Izabelle and Claude, Poland and France, January 29, 2012
Dear Petra, this short mail to thank you for the excellent service provided by Aswan Individual during our stay in Aswan.
All the people we met there were absolutely nice and helpful.
Thanks again to you, Waleed, Sero, Islam and the taxi drivers.
Aswan Individual performs indeed a very good job!!!
Izabela and Claude
Jack R., US, January 16, 2012
... Among my blessings was the opportunity to visit Egypt and to meet Waleed. He is a very special man with a caring heart that flows like the Nile itself. He treated my daughter and I as if we were part of his family and I shall never forget that. Egypt is such an amazing place and I think about my visit there almost daily. I wish Aswan -Individual, Waleed and you, the best of luck in 2012.
Sincerely, Jack R.
Agnes, Cairo, December 31, 2011
Dear Petra and Waleed,
We want to thank you for our fun-packed unforgettable holiday to Aswan and Luxor. I have to admit that we were a little bit skeptic to have a fun holiday in Egypt before, being newly set up our household in Cairo, but Aswan Individual really make it special!!
Thanks Petra for your advice of activities that will get the interest of our young children and thanks Waleed for getting the best deal for us on the cruise, felluca and hot air balloon. Also for arranging Islam to be our guide in the major temples, he really knows his subject very well!! It is a pity that he couldn't get in to the cruise to guide for us, but the ship had a distinguished scholar egyptologist onboard to be our guide so it was still a perfect cruise. And Waleed, you are right, the food in the Royal Lily cruise ship is excellent!!
Once again thank you all and i'll be certain to recommend you to any friend of us who wish for a perfect holiday in upper egypt.
Best regards,
Agnes, Deddy, Teresa, Zola, Mika (Moot, Nut and Bes...as Islam call them after Philae)
Sylvie, France, December 26, 2011
bonjour Petra
de retour en France, nous tenions à vous remercier pour l'organisation de notre programme de visites, tout s'est super bien passé,
nous sommes enchantés, le guide Abdour : très très sympa, gentil, bien francophone et notre chauffeur bien qu'un peu rapide, très sympa également
Waleed toujours présent au départ des visites pour la journée, vraiment une très bonne organisation
et vous Pétra toujours présente par mail, très efficace, rapide, un vrai plaisir
encore merci,nous n'hésiterons pas à vous recommander auprès de notre entourage
nous avons adoré notre séjour
à bientôt peut être
cordialement
sylvie
Hello Petra
back in France, we wanted to thank you for organizing our visit program, all was great,
we are delighted, the guide Abdur: very very nice, nice, good French and our driver - if a little fast - very nice also
Waleed was always present at the start of visits for the day, a really good organization
Petra and you were always present by email, very efficient, fast, a pleasure
thank you again, we will not hesitate to recommend you to our surroundings
We loved our stay
until soon - maybe
cordially
sylvie
V.W., UK, December 23, 2011
Dear Petra,
Just came back from Luxor. And may I say thank you for the wonder trip you and Waleed arranged for me. It was most enjoyable and most efficient.
The driver, Ahmed, was very good as well.
PS. The entrance fee for Abul Simblel is now 95LE. You may want to update your website and future email.
Merry Christmas.
The Johnson Family, USA, November 21, 2011
Dear Petra
The husband of Tamara give me nice book and he wrote this
All is ok, Waleed
Ian and Terry, UK and HongKong, November 20, 2011
Hi Petra,
Thanks for your email, and also for your help with organising our trip.
Everything went well. The only hiccup was the camel market - when we got there, there was no sign that it had been open. Our guide tried to make up for it by arranging for us to see the camels in the back yard of a camel trader - a nice gesture.
The guide, Islam, was very knowledgeable, and open to feedback from us.
The felucca was great, although it was too early to eat lunch, but no problem.
Also, the arrangement for Cairo was very good. Again, a very knowledgeable guide (I think he may have been a former director of the museum at Memphis).
I would happily recommend Aswan Individual to anyone going to Egypt.
Again, thanks for your help with the arrangement.
Regards,Ian
Richard and Julie, England, November 10, 2011
Hello Petra
We have just got back from Egypt and we had a great time thank you.
The service from Aswan Individual was very good. You were very helpful and from meeting Sero onwards the day was one of our favourites of the holiday.
We went to the tombs of the nobles, then a camel ride to St Simeons Monastery, a visit to Kitcheners island, a visit to a friend of Seros called Hobart who lives on an old floating hospital he is converting to a houseboat, lunch at Seros house and a visit to the first cataract. Quite a full day!
Again thanks to you for your help in organising all the contacts and keeping in touch. Also could you pass on my thanks to Sero and his family for making our day so enjoyable.
We didn't meet Waleed, only received a message on the morning of the trip so please pass on our thanks to him as well.
If you need any recommendations from us or anything else please let me know.
I hope the tourists come back in greater numbers soon.
Regards Richard
F. Liney and family, England, November 5, 2011
Dear Petra,
Thank you very much for your help. We had a super time and everything went perfectly.
We were looked after very well by Islam. It made a very happy and relaxed end to the best holiday we've had in years. With kind regards, Frank.
H. Grout, Australia, November 3, 2011
Petra,
Sorry it took me so long to get back to you, yes i am back home and back to work and i have been very busy!
The tours i had with Aswan Individual were really awsome and fun. Waleed was helpful in setting up my tours even when I booked them when i was already in Aswan.
All my tours i did with Ezlam and he was fantastic. His english was very good and he was very knowledgeable about all the tombs, temples and other sites we visited. Not only was Ezlam a great tour guide he was also a very nice and friendly guy and he made my visit to Egypt so much more plesent. I could not recommend Ezlam highly enough.
Also there is an honourable mention to Serro, an absolutely amazing felucca captain!!
So i would like to thank you all at Aswan Individual for making my trip in Egypt something I will always remember!!
Steve and Meg, England, October 31, 2011
Dear Petra
Firstly thank you for the minibus on the first day it added to what was a wonderful birthday, so thank you again and thank Waleed for the complimentary guiding.
The services were excellent. Fatima struck the right note immediately, Eslam was amazing, especially reading out loud the hieroglyphics in the temples. We had really good time with him and the driver Waleed, without whom we would never have found or gotten to the monastery we were looking for in Esna.
The guiding was excellent and as it should be. Unfortunately in the past it has often been what the guide wants and not what the visitor wants!
Thanks once again for making our trip really memorable and I will at a later time post on your site and on trip advisor.
Take Care and all my thanks and best wishes to everyone at Aswan Individual.
Steve
Liz Rowe, England, October 11, 2011
I do of course have wonderful memories, and in fact the best ones I have are of Aswan. It was so beautiful, chilled out and relaxed; I had an amazing time and want to go back! I felt really at home in Aswan, and if I can afford it next year will try and make another visit, but now I have to go back to work and to reality :(. All I can think of is the Movenpick Hotel with its incredible views of the Tombs of the Nobles - I could sit on my balcony every evening and see this, enjoying a glass of Omar Khayyam red wine.
I was blogging on my website - www.lizrowe.co.uk while I was away, so you can have a look and see what I said there - hopefully some of it will make you laugh.
You and Waleed were the perfect guides for my time in Aswan; I have forgotten about the bad tummy and the hot trip to Abu Simbel - they do not matter; what mattered is that you were always extremely well organised, very welcoming, and nothing was too much trouble. Without having you there to look after me I'm sure that my trip would not have been anywhere near as pleasant, exciting and fascinating.
Luxor and Cairo I am not so keen on - I could cope with never going there again - the hassle in Luxor was unbelievable and in fact I had to change hotels to avoid the terrible swarm of people trying to get something from you, but it was lovely to see the Giza Pryramids and Saqqara whilst I was in Cairo.
Thanks again for making my trip to Aswan so perfect - if I know anyone who is coming I will certainly recommend you to them.
Kind regards, Liz
Julia Kamlish, England, October 11, 2011
I wanted to say a huge thank you to you and Waleed for everything. We had a brilliant holiday and a lot of that is thanks to you both. Waleed was brilliant and sorted everything out perfectly. The boat was fantastic and so was our tour guide Eslam in Aswan - he was so lovely, and we had a perfect day with him, and with the man who took us on the Felucca trip - we both feel that was one of the highlights of the holiday.
I have already mentioned Waleed to other people and hopefully they will, when all the troubles subside! consider coming to Egypt and get in touch with you and Waleed.
Thanks again for making our holiday so perfect. With best regards, Julia
Graeme Bean, England, July 16, 2011
The whole trip was absolutely perfect, I couldn't have asked for more, the faluca trip and lunch was excellent and great suggest, we really couldn't have been happier with the whole way that everything was arranged and how friendly everyone was. Thank you again so much for your help.
I will be putting reviews up online on the various forums and passing your details on to the owner of the villa that we were staying in so that other guests can contact you if they wish to visit Aswan.
Once again you and your team have been incredible, thank you so much Petra and keep up the good work.
Kind regards, Graeme
L. Bellchambers, from Australia with two friends, July 5, 2011
Hi Petra
Thanks for the help
Waleed was actually waiting for us at the train station when we arrived which was great. The hotel said he had also been here looking for us....we were very impressed he had made such an effort to track us down. we have spent the last two days doing tours / being driven around by his team and he has certainly gone out of his way to make sure that everything has run smoothly, including sorting out any small glitches quickly and efficiently
Cheers, Lynda
Jack and Caitlin, USA, June 26, 2011:
Hello Waleed my friend,
Caitlin and I made it back to our home safely. (...) I have given your email address to a couple of family friends who are thinking about visiting Egypt on their next trip. I am also going to write a review on TripAdvisor about your services and how great you are at taking care of your clients. We met so many nice people in our visit to Egypt but you are on the top of our list as the best. I hope we can remain friends and meet again someday.
Sincerely,
Jack
2nd email (after I asked if it is okay to put the first email in the guestbook): "... We were so totally pleased with our tours that you and Waleed provided and the customer service was the best I've ever had with any company. Feel free to use all or part of my email for your guest book. We are telling as many people as we can about our trip and how they should go to Egypt themselves. Of course we tell them about your company and how great Waleed is at taking care of all the details and following up to make sure we were happy with everything. ..."
D. (post it without my/our names bec. of google)?, UK, June 24, 2011
Thank you very much! It was all perfect and brilliant to see Abu Simbel.
Many thanks for your help and organising this trip for us - much appreciated.
Best regards,d.
Richard, Juan and John, UK, June 2, 2011: Review in tripadvisor
I found Aswan Individual through the web, and emailed Petra, who is based in Germany, and is the first contact. We knew that we wanted to stay overnight in a local house in Aswan, visit a couple of sites and then spend a four days sailing on a felucca, back towards Luxor.
Petra organised everything - in detail, all exactly priced. All we needed to do was call her local contact, Waleed, a couple of days before we left to confirm we were going, and then again when we reached Luxor. We paid nothing until we arrived, which is very trusting of them, and then only for what was completed, as it happened.
We used EasyJet from London, stayed overnight at each end in Luxor and Petra did the rest.
They could have picked us up in a car from Luxor but one of the three of us wanted to use the train to Aswan; different to say the least as we met some interesting people, and it cost 41 Egyptian Pounds, about 5 EUR each.
We visited a temple, saw the unfinished obelisk, which to be honest was much the same as when I last saw it - not a lot happening. Their guide for the day was Islam, who is tremendously enthusiastic and very knowledgeable. (We have experienced local guides here in the past, many of whom just want to get you to the brothers shop rather than impart any information). So top marks there.
The owner/captain of the boat that Petra and Waleed organised is Sero, who lives on Elephantine Island, we stayed in a house nearby (basic) and had a couple of meals in his house, which were excellent.
The felucca was a laugh from beginning to end, Sero is a top cook, and made something different each day, including camel meat, white soup and other local dishes. Mido, Minshaweee and Hamadi looked after the boat under Captain Sero's steely gaze and made constant cups of tea.
We went to a camel market, which was hot and smelly but definitely worth a visit. Sero's family is from around there so he restocked in the local market - he seemed to know everybody, while we tried the local shops for tea and coffee.
Apart from that we had nothing to do on the boat except read books, swim off the side when the breeze failed and talk to the crew about everything and nothing then sleep out under the stars. Again top marks for a great time.
Four nights on a boat was exactly right for us, but our wives/partners did not come, and they might have struggled with the toilet arrangements, which are wash in the Nile, and look after everything else in the desert, which may not suit all tastes. I think that Petra said that it is possible to do any number of nights or have a day trip which might fit some people better.
Waleed arranged a car to pick us up and we drove back to Luxor.
Nothing more to say other than that Sero is an excellent singer, and that Hamadi can't dance, but he really thinks he can. Don't bring many clothes, you can wash as you go. You need some long sleeves and trousers and socks to cover up at night and stuff to swim in. I finished two books. There is a big ice box, and you can bring beers if you like, but it is too hot to have much more than a cold beer with dinner.
Anyway, and possibly most importantly, if you visit Aswan and book through Aswan Individual, profits are not skimmed off by middlemen, the local people get the money. It costs less than any tour company, and they certainly looked after us properly.
Sadly, tourism is not going that well in Egypt at the moment, but we had no concerns or worries, and while it is not so busy, you can see the temples in peace, all the more reason to do it now.
Visited May 2011
Peter Betros, London, April 28, 2011
Hi Petra and Waleed,
Thanks to you both for all your help with our trip on Lake Nasser and in Aswan.
Everything was brilliant and we had a great time. Special thanks for the last minute organisation of the transfer to Luxor and the sound and light show at Philae.
Regards, Peter
Review in tripadvisor (May 2011):
On a recent visit to Aswan, I used Aswan Individual for 2 seperate airport transfers, a private afternoon's sailing on a felucca, a visit to Philae temple for the Sound and Light Show and a private transfer from Aswan to Luxor.
All of these were organised at effectively the last minute (Philae a couple of hours beforehand and the transfer to Luxor the day before). Waleed and Petra were helpful and knowledgeable and the prices were all impossible to beat.
Thanks for making our time in Aswan so easy and fun.
Fernando Gomez Contreras, Spain, April 27, 2011
Dear Petra,
I only want to thank you for the efficient organization of our activities in Aswan. Waleed was always available for solving any problem that might arise. The felucca and motorboat captains and the minibus driver were very friendly and helpful and, even more, very honest. I think that Aswan Individual does a great job for any individual traveler or family going privately to Aswan but wanting to avoid the usual harrasment, and will recommend it to my friends when traveling to Egypt.
Best regards, Fernando Gomez Contreras
Wee Chiong, Singapore, April 25, 2011
Hi Petra,
Just wanted to drop a note to compliment the great service aswan individual have provided to me during my trip in Aswan and Luxor. Both the drivers in aswan and luxor were fantastic. Driving were safe and comfortable. Car was good and comfortable as well!
And also, I want to compliment Eslam as well. He’s been a great guide and friend during my tours. Always checking if I need anything or food. He’s so knowledgeable and explains in great details. Thumbs up for him.
Hope the service level will be kept up to such high standard! Thanks for the great service!!
Best Regards,Wee Chiong
Lesley Prosser, Australia, April 17, 2011
Dear Petra, I just want to let you know that the trip you organized for me from Luxor to Aswan on the 16th of April was just terrific. My guide Islam arrived with car and driver at my Luxor West Bank hotel well before the 6:30 pickup time, so we were well on our way by 6:30. I must compliment you on the driver, who was very competent and perhaps the least frightening driver I have encountered so far in Egypt.
My guide Islam was just fantastic. He obviously has a very good education in Egyptian history and religion, and was able to explain the nuances an complexities of the religious structure very well. He also had an intimate knowledge of the temples we visited (Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo) and was able to provide extensive information on the architecture and wall reliefs.
I especially enjoyed the trip across the Nile to visit Silsila. Islam had that bit of the trip very well organized, with the motor boat ready and waiting when we arrived.
Islam is a delightful guide. it's not just that he knows his stuff so well, but more that he conveys his information with such interest and enthusiasm. He obviously has a passion and a real love for what he does. All in all, the whole trip could not have been better or more professionally run.
I have put a review on Trip Adviser, under the name GoneTravelling_2011.
Thanks to you all for a wonderful day,
Best Regards, Lesley Prosser
Sheila, James and kids, Canada, March 31, 2011
My husband and I and our 3 kids have just returned from a spectacular trip to Egypt. My planning for this trip was done somewhat last minute as we were unsure about the travel situation in Egypt (which turns out to be wonderful by the way). I emailed Petra at Aswan-Individual as a result of comments I read on TA, as well as from looking at their website. Not only did Petra respond very quickly to my various emails, she sent me more information than I could’ve ever hoped for! I am very much a ‘details’ kind of person and have always been frustrated with email communication in trip planning…most replies tend to ignore the questions asked, or have such vague answers that you have to waste time emailing back for clarification. Not the case with Aswan-Individual. Petra
responded to each and every question with very clear details, adding information that I would not even have thought to ask. I was grateful for this as it made my planning so much easier. I asked Petra for opinions and was given various options with recommendations, which I decided to trust and was happy that I did. Each individual cost was broken down so I could make decisions about each aspect of our itinerary, although the costs were so reasonably that I had no trouble including each of Petra’s suggestions.
We were met at the airport in Aswan by a gentleman who greeted us so kindly, even though we were quite late getting through the airport as our luggage had not come through. I was upset about the luggage situation but he assured me that it would not be a problem and that he would come back with my husband later that day to pick it up (which he did). This gentleman gave us so much information about Aswan just on the drive to our hotel! Once we checked in at our hotel we met Sero and Minshawee for an afternoon of sailing on a felucca. This was the greatest afternoon! We had planned to stop to see various sights over the course of our afternoon but soon discovered that being on the felucca was too much fun and too relaxing to want to get off. Sero was more than happy to accommodate that. The best part of all was the lunch that Sero made for us to enjoy on the felucca….seriously the best lunch of our entire 3 week trip (even the kids agreed!), and all arranged with Petra ahead of time. The kids had the opportunity to jump from the felucca into the Nile for a swim, which was again such a highlight for them. Sero and Minshawee are 2 of the sweetest, nicest men we have ever met.
The next day we had arranged to go to Abu Simbel. Waleed met us at 3:30am as arranged to introduce us to the driver. We had a great drive in a comfortable, clean, airconditioned van (we all comfortably slept on the way there). We figured the 3 hour drive back would be tough for the kids, but we were thrilled when our driver turned on a movie for them to watch! We had the same driver take us to Luxor the next day…he drove safely at all times and was highly professional.
Petra called us a couple of times during our time in Aswan to make sure everything was ok. I could tell from speaking to her that she really, honestly cared that we were enjoying ourselves and that we were happy. I had an email address and phone number for Waleed and Petra in case there was anything we needed at any time. I would very highly recommend everyone at Aswan-Individual for their professionalism, their kindness, their knowledge, and attention to detail. Of all the planning I did for our 3 week family trip,
This was truly the easiest part to arrange and I had the most confidence in how it would turn out. A HUGE thank you to Petra, Waleed, Sero, Minshawee, and our drivers!!
Erik Hannemann, Norway, March 23, 2011
Dear Petra,
just to say I am back in Norway after some great days in Upper Egypt. Everything went smooth and we managed to see everything we wanted.
Waleed did an excellent job arranging everything from hotel, car, big and small boats and clever guides. A very good experience, thanks a lot!
all the best, Erik
Thank you to the whole team at Aswan Individual for making my recent return trip to Aswan even better than the first time I visited this beautiful city. You can be rest assured that EVERYTHING was just perfect! After some excellent pre-trip correspondence with Petra my travel companion and I found Waleed charming and efficient and he catered for our every whim and need from checking on opening times at the Museum for us to flagging us down one day when he saw us walking along the corniche and offering us a lift to our final destination that day.
The new felucca captain Sero was an absolute 'gentle' gentleman and we thoroughly enjoyed our four hours of sailing with him - he competently sailed us all the way down to the Old Dam, around several islands, organised for a local man to meet and take us to the fascinating Pharaonic and Ptolemaic carvings on Sehel Island, took us through the best parts of the cataracts for bird watching and even let us have a go at steering his boat. Listening to him talk about his life in Aswan (he remembers life before the Great Dam) was just the icing on the cake!
Our drive from Aswan to Luxor was very comfortable (I think that the driver was called Romani? Whatever, his car and driving were faultless!) and our guide for the optional side-trip to Sil Sila, Mohamed, was very good indeed. He managed to answer all my questions about the site and allowed us to indulge in quite a long visit to the Temple of Horemheb there, as with all our trips there was never any rush and the itinerary was definitely in our control. Most of all, though, we enjoyed the company and excellent guiding of Fatma for our Temple of Philae and Kalabsha visit - what a joy to be with such a knowledgable, enthusiastic, radical/free-thinking and independent Muslim woman - HIGHLY recommended!
Thanks again,
Karl
Arjan van der Meer, Netherlands, March 19, 2011
Dear Petra, Waleed,
Thank you for our very pleasant holiday in Egypt. We enjoyed your hospitality and the tour organized by your organization very much.
I'd specifically would like to thank and compliment you on our guide, Eslam - who was very inspirational and deeply impressed us with his knowledge.
We are definitely telling our friends and family about our great trip to Egypt and will recommend all of them to use your services!
Kind Regards,Arjan
Madeleine Ebneth, Germany, February 7, 2011
Liebe Petra, Hallo Waleed und Minshawee,
gestern nun sind wir von unserer Ägyptenreise zurück gekommen und es ist uns erstes Anliegen, uns bei Euch zu bedanken.
Wir sind relativ erfahrene Ägypten-Urlauber, bewegen uns sehr viel abseits der Touristenpfade und versuchen deshalb immer, unsere geplanten Tripps von einheimischen Anbietern organisieren zu lassen.
Mit Euch haben wir ein Team gefunden, das uns begeistert hat.
Die Vorabplanung der Tripps mit Dir, Petra, lief so absolut reibungslos, obwohl ich im Vorfeld viele Fragen hatte, Dich bestimmt manchmal genervt habe.
Wir führten zu Anfang ein sehr angenehmes Telefonat, in denen wir bereits die groben Eckpunkte geklärt haben und die letztendliche problemlose Buchung war nur noch der unaufwändige Abschluss.
Vor Ort durften wir dann Dich, Waleed, kennen lernen und waren auf´s neue begeistert, wie kompetent und unglaublich nett Du Dich um uns gekümmert hast.
Die Fahrt nach Abu Simbel funktionierte dank der beiden zuverlässigen Fahrer ohne Probleme und wir wurden auch von den beiden Jungs sehr herzlich behandelt.
Minshawee, Du bist der grösste Felukka-Captain, mit dem wir je unterwegs waren, mit Dir haben sogar wir noch Plätze kennen gelernt, die wir noch nicht gesehen
haben. Die Stunden am Nil werden unvergesslich bleiben.
Was wir angesichts der aktuellen Situation in Eurem Heimatland besonders zu würdigen wissen, ist, dass Ihr alle trotz der angespannten Lage Euch gesorgt habt,
dass unsere Ausflüge schön sind. Es ist nicht selbstverständlich, da Eure Gedanken in dieser schwierigen Lage bestimmt viel lieber woanders wären als bei uns
Touristen. Wir denken jetzt, da wir wieder zuhause sind, sehr viel an Euch, hoffen, dass schnell wieder alles gut wird, dass schnell alles besser wird.
Shukran für tolle Stunden mit Aswan-Individual – wir werden uns sicherlich wieder sehen
Liebe Grüsse aus Deutschland
Madeleine & Jens mit Anhang
In English:
Dear Petra, hello Waleed and Minshawee ,
yesterday we came back from our trip to Egypt and our first concern is to thank you.
We are relatively experienced Egypt travelers, prefer to travel beside the tourist beaten tracks and therefore always try to get our trips organized from locals.
With you we have found a team that has impressed us.
The preliminary design of excursions with you, Petra, ran so very smoothly, although I had many questions in advance, you maybe were sometimes annoyed.
At the beginning we had a very pleasant phone conversation in which we have already clarified the rough outline and the final booking was so easy.
In Aswan we met you, Waleed, and were amazed again how competent and incredibly nice you cared about us.
The trip to Abu Simbel was great thanks to the two reliable drivers and we were treated very well by the two guys.
Minshawee, You are the greatest felucca captain, with whom we have ever been sailing, with you we even got to know places we have not seen when we were in Aswan before.
The hours on the Nile will be unforgettable.
Considering the current situation in your home country, we especially appreciate that you provided all this despite the tense situation for you and took care that our trips are nice. Which probably was not easy for you, because we think your thoughts were probably elsewhere in this difficult situation, but you didnt let us know or feel.
Now that we are back home we think very much about you, we hope all will be well again soon, that things will get better fast.
Shukran for great hours with Aswan-Individual - we will certainly see you again
Best regards from Germany
Madeleine & Jens with Annex
Helen Lewis, UK, February 6, 2011
Re: 3 hour Birdwatching Trip from Aswan
A rather belated but notheless heartfelt thank you for arranging our superb birdwatching trip on December 4th 2010. There are many glowing reviews on the Aswan Individual website, but surprisingly none that I could find for this trip so I wanted to record our experiences to encourage visitors in the future. It was the highlight of our week!
Mustafa came to meet us off our cruise boat, no mean feat as we'd had to change moorings, and within minutes we were gliding away in his motorboat across to the far bank of the Nile. Instantly we relaxed as we left the noise and crowds of the cruise boats behind and made our way upstream, captivated by the amber coloured sands rising high above the river. So began a perfect boat trip, one of peace and calm, full of wonderful sights and sounds. Mustafa skilfully steered the boat through the ever narrower channels of fast flowing water between the rocky islands of the first cataract. 'King fish' he cried out, as the ubiquitous pied kingfisher flew past. Slowing down we were delighted by close up views of many birds including little bittern, squacco heron, purple heron, purple gallinule and even an osprey - magical. The return route passed by a colourful Nubian village and local fishermen mending their nets, Mustafa singing and pointing out interesting sights. Although we had been very glad of the shade provided by the roof of the boat, the three of us couldn't resist climbing up to sit on the roof of the boat for the scenic ride past the Old Cataract Hotel and all the feluccas lined up on the shore of Elephantine island. A fabulous trip, one which we highly recommend.
Very best wishes,
Helen
Joanne Lee, England / Canada, February 3, 2011 (sms to Waleed)
Hello Waleed,
Thank you so much for taking care of Carol and I in Egypt.
I have arrived home safely and my family are all glad that I have evacuated.
It was very nice to meet you and hope you and your family well.
Best Regards,
Joanne
Anne Hamilton, USA, February 2, 2011
Hi Petra,
Rich and I arrived back in the USA yesterday. Despite the protests, we had a wonderful trip, and it was very exciting to be in Cairo as history was being made. I wanted to let you know that our two tours booked with Aswan-individual were just fantastic. The ASW->LUX day with Mr. Mohamed and Mr. Eslam was wonderful. Mr. Mohamed is a fantastic driver, and did everything to ensure our comfort. Mr. Eslam was so much fun! We really appreciated his depth of egyptological knowledge, and the passion with which he makes the history so accessible to the uninitiated. I had read a lot beforehand, and Eslam was great in adjusting his guidance to take our basic knowledge much further. It's a talented guide who can "read" his clients and provide them with the level of detail and information they'll best appreciate. Mr. Eslam has that down.
Our LUX->Aby->Dendera day was equally wonderful. The Luxor driver Mr. Eslam was very good and took good care of us. Having the other Mr. Eslam as a guide for another day was a real treat. We felt like old friends by then.
All up, I give high marks to Aswan-Individual for their responsiveness through the booking process, their accessibility in country via Mr. Waleed, and the quality of the drivers and guide. Thanks so much for a wonderful experience. Please thank the whole Aswan-Individual team for us for making our holiday so memorable and exciting.
Best,
Anne Hamilton
Gerard Somers, England, January 28, 2011
Hello Petra
I am just writing to thank you and your two drivers for the excellent service on our trip from Aswan to Abu Simbel.
It was particularly good to visit the two temples on our journey back as it is unlikely we would have seen them otherwise - Edfu was particularly
impressive but the whole journey was well worth it.
I trust your driver got back to Aswan OK - a long drive, especially at night.
Once again, many thanks.
Regards
Gerard and Christine Somers
Jason, New York, January 22, 2011
Hi Petra,
I had a terrific time! I have never been anywhere that matched my expectations exactly. Everything was just as amazing as I expected. One of the best vacations I have had. Probably in all of Egypt - the thing that I liked and was most surprised by were the people. They genuinely wanted to talk to you and help you and not ask for something in return. Yes, there were lots of touts, and in Aswan, everyone wanted to offer you a falucca ride or some souvenirs. However, if you were polite and just said "no thank you" or "la shokran", they smiled and did not bother you. It was not like India, China, Thailand or other places where people won't leave you alone no matter how many times you say "no." So, we were all very happy about that - we came expected and hearing about how terrible it is to be a tourist in Egypt, and we found the people to be wonderful!
With respect to Aswan, it was all great. It's hard to pick a favorite thing. Mustafa was awesome - he showed us all kinds of things in a non-touristy kind of way, and he brought us to his house to enjoy his mother's cooking. The whole time with him, we felt like visitors or guests - not tourists! He also brought us to this great little spot to have Nubian coffee during sunset. In Aswan, there was no particular high point - it's not like Cairo, where the best thing is the Pyramids and Museum, or Luxor, where the best thing is Karnak. In Aswan, we just enjoyed all of the sites (Tombs of Nobles, Monastery of St. Simeon, Nubian Musuem, islands, etc.) and after a very hectic trip, we just relaxed and had such a nice time (especially on the falucca). It was just what we needed!
The only thing I think that disappointed us a bit were the hotels and night life but that has nothing to do with you and isn't anyone's fault. I know what Aswan is a traditional, conservative place, so it there would not be discos or anything like that - in fact, when I travel, I don't like to drink and party, like a lot of people do. However, we just found that after dark, there really isn't anywhere to go. There's not a restaurant culture like in Cairo or any relaxing bars, so we usually just wandered in the souk and then went to bed very early - even on New Year's eve, we were alseep by 10pm! The other thing that Aswan needs is better hotels. They have some very expensive 5-star hotels like the Movenpick (which I heard is actually not that good), but all of the cheaper accomodations are loud, dirty and actually not very cheap! Our hotel, the Nile hotel, was in a great location, but it cost US$120 and was very loud and dirty. All of the other hotels in town seemed like that. We heard about some nicer and cheaper ones, but they were far outside of the town. There seem to be some new hotels coming up, so let's hope they can be built without destroying the peacefulness and authenticity of Aswan but also offer people a nice affordable place to stay.
Now that I have time, I want to write a review for you on Trip Advisor this weekend. I would highly recommend your services. Everything you arranged was organized, much more authentic than a typical tour agency and MUCH CHEAPER than what we would have paid elsewhere. I would also like to either write a separate review for Mustafa or include it in the review I write for Aswan Individual.
Sorry we didn't get a chance to meet, and thanks so much for all of your help. Other than writing the reviews online, I wish there was something I could do for you!
Happy new year.
Jason
Gianluigi and Matilda, Bologna, January 19, 2011
Hi Petra
Back home, I and my daughter Matilda would like to thank you, Waleed and all the Chantal's crew for the great time we had.
Everything was well organized and all the persons we came in contact with were very kind.
Sailing downstream the Nile was a very intense experience. The wind was just perfect for sailing, days were warm and nights cold but very dry, and watching the people's daily life on Nile's banks was a bit like setting the time clock back by thousands years.
Matilda loved the journey and had great fun climbing on the mast, playing cards with the crew or simply watching the landscape.
The Capitain (I am not sure i can spell his name right) was a real gentleman and made everything right to make us feeling comfortable. He and his mate Ahmada (hope I remember the name correctly) seem to know the Nile as they backyard and their ability in maneuvering the boat without an auxhiliary engine amazed me. I wish I could have just a small fraction of their sailing skills.
Please pass on to them all my warmest regards
All our trip to Egypt was great but the two days we spent on the river were definitely the highIight. I would recommend this experience as must-do to any indipendent traveller coming to Egypt !
I attach a few pictures All the Best !
Gianluigi and Matilda Bologna, Italy
Anne Oudinot, London, January 15, 2011
Hello Petra,
We are now back in London after a wonderful trip in Egypt.
I wanted to thank you for your services, it was perfect. The driver was really nice and such a good driver. He seems to be going to Abu Simbel a lot, he knows all the bumps and holes in the road! Thanks again, Anne
Megumi Ishikawa, Japan, January 10, 2011
Dear Petra,
Hello. I'm Megumi Ishikawa. I just wanted to thank you for organizing the Nile cruise!!
We enjoyed a lot and relaxed in the cozy room. It was perfect to finish our trip and we had a very good memory on the boat.
I appreciate all of your work and Waleed. Thank you so much! and nice to meeting you guys!!
Best regards,Megumi Ishikawa
Simos Bakas, January 9, 2011
Dear Petra,Just to say we had a wonderful time on the Felucca trip from Aswan to Kom Ombo. This was largely thanks to the tireless efforts of our captains Sero and Minshawi. They looked after us throughout our trip, sparing no effort to make our sail enjoyable and fun. A lovely touch was when they secretly decorated the boat for Christmas, complete with balloons, tinsel and Santa!
They were warm, friendly and yet discrete so it was easy to relax with them. It was a pleasure and a privilege to have met them. Also we appreciated the fact that both you and Waleed called us during our trip to see if everything was okay. Please pass on our thanks and best wishes to all.
We attach a few photos.
We will definitely recommend Aswan-Individual to our friends,
Kind Regards, Simos, Roz, Lily and Alex
Jake and Alison, January 8, 2011
Thank you again for a wonderful day in Aswan and on Elephantine Island! We have told all of our friends that this day was one of the highlights of our trip. I wanted to share some pictures with you. They are attached to this email. If you have any trouble receiving them please let me know.Ali and I wish you all the best.
-Jake
Tejas Doshi, USA, January 8, 2011
Petra,Happy New Year! I am back from Egypt. My family and I had a wonderful time there. The airport transfer and sightseeing arrangements at Luxor and Aswan were spotless. WIsh we could spend more time there. It was pleasure to meet both Walid (in Aswan) and Hassany (in Luxor). The tour guides and taxi drivers were very professional and helpful. All in all, we had fun. Thank you so much. You could use my name as referral for your prospective clients. I would be happy to spread good word around.
Thanks,
Tejas Doshi, USA
Helen (studies Egyptology in London), December 28, 2010
Dear Petra
We had a lovely week in Aswan.The hotel (Isis Island Hotel) was extremely nice with beautiful gardens, and excellent value for money. I have posted a full trip report on the TA website and a hotel review.
We both enjoyed the trip to Silsila very much indeed. It was a lot of fun.
I will certainly contact Aswan Individual again for my next trip and will happily recommend them to others.
The old museum was closed, as we had realised. I bought a copy of the guide to the excavations of Elephantine published by the German/Swiss team from the bookshop in the souk and very much enjoyed looking over the excavations.
Karin loved Aswan as well, and said she hopes to return! I hope you had a very good Christmas and wish you all the best for the New Year.
Helen
Maurilo, Brasil (December 17, 2010)
Dear Petra thank you so much for your cooperation, especially to Walled!
Everything was perfect and the team provided us all support to make this time a great experience in Egypt.
Thanks again e we hope see you in the next trip.
Maurilo Vilas Boas.
Manisha & Stephen, Canada (December 15, 2010)
Hi Petra,
I am a bit late with this, but wanted to thank you for organizing our day trip to Abu Simbel. Everything was perfect, in fact, better than we expected. The Kia 4x4 was a great vehicle and Hamada, our driver, was fantastic. Not only was he a great driver he was also very personable and we enjoyed speaking with him during the drive.
Thank you to you, Waleed and Hamada for everything!
Best wishes, Manisha
By email: Mrs Boettcher, Germany (December 11, 2010), translated by Google
Hi Petra!
Only a day back in Germany but I would love to return to Egypt-Aswan immediately! I once again want to thank you very much for your efforts, it was super nice. All we have planned with you ran very smoothly and was stress free but with a lot of fun.
Although I have been to Aswan several times, I was able to discover many new places and my husband was very impressed, despite initial skepticism he liked everything. The trips Walled organized were very good and we enjoyed it very much. The guide was very nice and spoke pretty good German, but also technically he was very good, ... We had to laugh a lot with him! But much praise for Mustafa !!!!! this man is a real guy! We are glad that we could get to know him.
The trip with him and his boat was incredibly beautiful and relaxing. The food his mother prepared was awesome !!!!!!!!!! After Christmas stress will be over I will send you some pictures via mail! I really hope we keep in touch!
My conclusion: It was a perfect vacation and we were able to experience things that we have not yet seen like that. And when I will visit Aswan in about 7 weeks I would like to again take advantage of your offer for other trips!
MANY MANY THANKS!
By email: Kristina Jacobs, USA (December 10, 2010)
Hi Petra,
Thank you again for the wonderful experience provided in Aswan. Waleed was an incredible help and Fatima, our guide to the Unfinished Obelisk, Aswan Dam, and Philae, was amazing. She was very friendly and knowledgeable - when we return to Aswan (not if!), we would very much like to have her as a guide again.
Our tour of Elephantine Island with Moustaffa was also a huge highlight of our trip. The Nubian people are warm and make the most beautiful scarves I have ever seen. It was very interesting to see the differences in art and architecture of the Nubian village and we would definitely like to spend more time exploring the island on our next trip. Abu Simbel is well worth the 3am departure - I will never forget watching the sunrise over the desert on the way to Abu Simbel. The temple is just enormous - we were awestruck by the size and beauty of the place.
After traveling to Luxor and Cairo, we agreed that Aswan & Abu Simbel were our favorite parts of our 2 weeks in Egypt. The people and atmosphere in Aswan is relaxed and friendly, everyone wants to ensure you have a wonderful time and enjoy all that Aswan has to offer. We really can't wait to come back and meet with Waleed and the rest of the Aswan Individual team again.
Thank you!
Kristina Jacobs & Sarah McGuire
By sms: Kristiana Jacobs, USA (November 25, 2010)
Hello waleed,
We are here and well! Please tell our driver from yesterday thank you again for putting up with us for 15 hours.
I cannot wait to come back to Aswan someday, we really loved the city and the people.
Thank you again for everything!
Kristina
Anthony Monaghan, Irland (November 25, 2010)
Hi Petra, I was very happy with Aswan-Individual. Very good service and very good cars.
The guides were all excellent and very professional. I was happy with each of them. I definitely will use Aswan-Individual when I return to Aswan again, but that will probaly be in one or two years from now.
(... private ...)
I liked the tombs at El-Kab, great colour. Also the Mudbrick walls are very well perserved. very suprised to see the walls, as I did not know they was there before I went.
Esna Temple is also very well perserved, glad I went there. Gebel Silsila was also very good. I enjoyed the drive from Aswan to Luxor. Again the guide and driver were top notch.
I have to give a special special mention to the driver, because I forgot my Camera and left it in the car in Luxor, but he came back to the hotel with it after he saw it in the back seat.
I was very happy to get it back!
Overall I was very happy with everthing, 5 stars for Aswan-Individual!
I will send on the Abydos photos now,
Thanks for all your help Petra,
Hugo Bastos, Portugal (November 22, 2010)
Hi Petra,
Thank you for the assistance in the planning of our Egypt trip. Overall it was a very positive experience.
The most typical nuisances that we came across were all from the expected sources, that is, they were either related with hassling, haggling and/or baksheesh. Regardless, we overcame them fairly well in general.
Everything went according to plan in Aswan and Abu Simbel, except getting to Abu Simbel, we bought plane tickets because the sleeping trains were booked full.
Waleed greeted us personally and took good care of us (even took us out for sheesha and tea). He was always aiming to make us happy with everything and trying to solve every little problem that might emerge. At Luxor we actually had some problems, because one of our two days in Luxor coincided with the Islamic festival so with was hard to get a guide, but after a number of calls Waleed actually managed to get us a guide, and even though we actually started the tour that day a bit late, we both loved that guide so everything worked out ok.
I just feel sorry for Waleed and his family because he had to spend a good part of the festival day sorting out these kind of problems, when he should be just relaxing with his family and enjoying the holiday.
Concerning Mustafa, regretfully there was no wind on the suppose-to-be-fellucca-day. However, he took us on a motor boat, and although the sound of a motor ruins a bit the mood, it was perhaps the loveliest and most relaxing day of our trip. Using the motorboat allowed us to move around quite a bit, but we also lounged about in some of the places we stopped. Most noteworthy, were the Nubian coffee house and Mustafa's village on the Elephantine island. We also rode a camel for about 20-30 minutes, it was a dreadful experience, but hey, at least now we have a check mark on our things-done list :)
The nubian coffee is very tasty indeed, but not that strong in terms of caffeine as you (or the site) made me believe, which was a good thing because I actually like to slumber and sleep ;) The space itself was quite enjoyable, and I could imagine myself lounging about there often :) and then we have the Nubian village and Mustafa's house, the roof view is just delightful... and the lunch cooked by Mustafa's mother was quite tasty :D
I just needed to be more careful with low archways, because I bumped my head there (at Mustafa's mother house) :P
...but fortunately at the time I was wearing my sunglasses on top of my head and they absorbed the shock.
Mustafa himself is a simple and honest man but proud of his river life, and it was very enjoyable to have him as our River Captain/guide.
A little request, if you could provide, I would like to have his postal address so that we could send him prints of some of the pictures taken that day and perhaps something about Portugal.
Well I could go on and on about Waleed and Mustafa but there's no need to bother you with endless details, the comments left by the people before us, hold true to the men they are.
Well, from what I heard we just missed the chance to meet you for a few weeks or so. Perhaps next time, or if we ever go to Germany.
Regardless, I wish you a nice trip for next month :)
~Hugo
P.S. - I was shocked with the state of the horses there at Egypt (first at Edfu and then at Luxor). Most of them were all ribs showing and looking underfed and overworked. It broke my heart. Many people would dismiss my feelings for the poor horses, saying that people's suffering is more important, however the poor animals don't have any choice at all in the life they have :( I rode a horse carriage to reach the Edfu temple, but nevermore. At the end of the trip I would have given baksheesh for the horse, if the driver haven't tried to cheat us with the old piasters-for-pounds trick :( Regardless, I plan to contribute with a donation to the Brooke Animal Hospital in my next round of bill payments...
Bruce Wallace, Canada (November 15, 2010)
Hello Petra,
We had a marvellous day on the felucca with Mustafa. The bird life on the river is outstanding. Mustafa took us to a cafe under the trees on the west bank where we relaxed and enjoyed the company, and the coffee, of his friends. Seeing the Nubian village and enjoying Mustafa's hospitality was a highlight. I'll write something up on the website once I get home and have some free time. But it was a great day on the boat. Actually, with no wind, we opted for a motor cruise instead of a felucca, but it was not a disappointment. A wonderful day.
Bruce
sms to Waleed from Jacek Kallaur (November, 2010)
Thank you once again, Waleed and especially for your care today during our trip Abu Simbel to Luxor. Best regards, Jacek Kallaur
Natarajan and Nrithika, India (November 12, 2010)
Hi Waleed and Petra,
This is Natarajan and Nrithika from India. We had a great cruise in the Semiramis II last week (Nov 1-3 boarded from Aswan)
Thanks to both of you for helping us get a reservation and specially thanks to Waleed for getting us a great room on the cruise as well.
It was a great trip and memorable trip for us and would like to thank you again
Regards,
Natarajan & Nrithika
Virginia and Scott, Virginia / USA (October 31, thank you for the picture)
Please tell Waleed we were very satisfied with the way his organized tours turn out, and were pleased with our guide. Reminiscing it all, Scott and I can't believe to have seen all the major sites and temples from Luxor to Abu Simbel including Abydoss and Dendara -- all thanks to your thoroughness and patience in dealing with my questions and Waleed's hard work.
Virginia and Scott
in tripadvisor (November 19):
For those embarking for the first time on an independent tour--extensive or not--of Egypt beyond the pyramids of Cairo, Aswan Individual is the answer. We were first time visitors in Egypt, aiming to do an extensive tour in one visit (to see most of the ancient, colossal temples in Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel), and Aswan Individual helped us fulfill our trip of a lifetime.
Having read everything and researched about destinations in Egypt, I felt apprehensive at first on how to go about with our itinerary. It felt daunting booking trips with the unknowns (tours, agents), let alone embark on this trip and navigate Egypt on your own. From the moment I've read about Aswan Individual on TripAdvisor, I quickly visited their website. Convinced, I immediately emailed Petra. True enough, she promptly responds to emails and will let you know if she cannot. I presented her our customized tour itinerary, and she replied with the same quote as in their website. I had so many questions and each time she was quick and patient to answer them. Never did I have to anxiously wait so many days for her reply. Her prompt answers enabled me to quickly frame our Egypt itinerary. No deposits required, all were done in good faith. Final payment is collected when you meet Waleed. Any changes to itinerary/tours should be communicated in advance.
Note that I booked separately our accommodations. When a problem surfaced regarding a paid booking at Seti Hotel, I frantically emailed Petra for help, and her team in Aswan (Waleed) contacted the hotel for me. Although their site promotes Aswan, they can also help with tours in Luxor; even provided me with a link to desirable hotels in El Gouna for the Hurghada/Red Sea segment of our trip. She gives her honest opinion and knowledge of Egypt based on her experiences, and with her advice, it seems like I already have a trusted Egyptian friend. My apprehensions gone, nerves calmed.
With nearly three weeks in Egypt, we were able to see and do everything, including a day tour to Abydos and Dendara (impressive!), a 3-nt Nile River cruise (with visit to Edfu and Kom Ombo temples), and half-day felucca sailing (with visit to the Botanical/Kitchner Garden), and motorboat. The weather was perfect and we have the felucca all to ourselves, along with Mustafa and his assistant. Other tourists packed in crowded feluccas must have looked at us with envy. We just lounged there, enjoying the passing views as the wind carried our nice and spacious sailboat around the Elephantine Island. We would love to do it again someday. Mustafa is a humble Nubian with a genuine character. On our way to a delicious lunch (Nubian style) at his mom's place, he showed us his neighborhood on Elephantine Island. After lunch he invited us to his own rental place. Much to my surprise, I didn't expect my husband would be delighted with this brief Nubian immersion experience. We then boarded his motorboat up the cataracts. All these at a fraction of the price than most other tour companies, and with added peace of mind.
Aswan Individual price, quality, and service met our expectations. Their website presents fair price for both tourist and tour provider, and gives you an idea of the entrance fees to help estimate your budget. The 3-nt Nile River cruise that Waleed helped pick for us at the last minute was reasonable---a huge savings than booking in advance online. We were on Semiramis III, rated 5-star, presentable, and although a bit dated, our stateroom is adequate and nice, cleaned daily---not bad for the price. The ship was fully booked, and found ourselves among the company of Thomas Cook guests from Belgium and France; and an American family of five.
Aswan Individual team operates in a professional fashion and will make sure that you're not disappointed. Petra and Waleed would call you to check how you're doing to see if you're happy with the tour, guide, and driver. They welcome your feedback; are open to suggestions, and consider them seriously. In Luxor our guide was Eslam. He is young, always punctual, well-educated, enthusiastic and proud of his country's history, knowledgeable of ancient gods and goddesses, can decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs, speaks English well, and patiently answered our questions. We were already comfortable with him so we asked Waleed not to replace Eslam when we get to Aswan. We were extremely happy to have him all along. He didn't take us to any papyrus or perfume shops as we've indicated to him right from the start that we're not interested, thus we were able to maximize our time touring around.
Overall, we were very pleased with Waleed's personalized service...highly recommendable.
After enduring the scorching heat, thirst, and exhaustion touring all the temples along the Nile, we capped our Egypt tour by quenching in the refreshing, colorful waters of the Red Sea, and basked in the El Gouna sun and sands.
Edited: 4:17 am, November 19, 2010
Melissa, New York (October 8 in tripadvisor)
My husband and I recently came back from a two week trip to Egypt. It was fascinating but a bit overwhelming with so many vendors haggling you. The best part of my trip was in Aswan- a place that is often overlooked by many travelors. I should have stayed two full days there. I highly recommend Aswan Individual-they have a website with all the information and also provide helpful hints for travelers.
Mustafa, a nubian native and upmost gentleman, gave us the best tour of the nubian villages- haggle free- and a private fellucca ride down the nile river. Absolutely breathtaking and most of all peaceful. If I had more time, I would of loved to visit another village and ride a camel to the monastery. Mustafa knows the area inside out so you are in very safe hands. And he know how to treat his clients and knows exactly where to go.
I also visited the Nubiam Museum, High Dam and Philae Temple, all which I recommend as well.
As for hotel, the best there is the Movenpick- clean, hospitable and centrally located. You do have to take a lil ferry to get to it but is is very simple and short ride.
if you want to enjoy you trip haggle free and visit areas that many tourists overlook, or even more, avoid get jam packed icrowed in a boat with overpriced rate, do yourself a favor and just go to Aswan Individual website.I foudn them through my research on trip advisor b/f I booked my trip.
Monica Grabin (September 13, 2010)
At any rate, I wanted to thank you for a wonderful stay in upper Egypt. Waleed, Mustafa, and our guide, Islam, were all excellent. You were right about Abu Simbel, and our driver was so fast getting there that there were times when we were in both temples all alone. An incredible experience. We had similar good luck in the tombs and temples in Luxor. Mustafa's rides in his boats were a real highlight, and we saw wonderful birds.
When we get home, we'll take the time to write a real review and sign the guestbook. But for now, I just wanted you to know how much we appreciate what you offer and how well you met all expectations. I only wish similar services were offered elsewhere.
Xiaolin, Bejing (September 10)
I like the way Aswan Individual arranges the trip - people can pick up and put together 'modules' that they like with reasonable prices. The website is informative, one of the best that I came across searching on the internet for my Egypt trip. All of you whom I contacted were very helpful. Waleed is good at reassuring people when they have difficulties like when I ran into trouble in drawing cash. He is resourceful. Minshawee and Zero were enthusiastic showing me around - I was impressed with what I saw. Both of them and Waleed were considerate as well during the felucca trip - cooking various types of food to make sure I was comfortable and relaxed.
All the best, Xiaolin
Sian, Dirk-Jan, Sanne, Dylan and Finn, Netherlands (August 1, 2010)
“We’re so glad that we used Aswan Individual for the Aswan part of our trip to Egypt. It’s the perfect solution for independent travellers (and even people on an organised tour with some free time on their hands). You can organise as much or as little as you want during your stay. It’s comforting to know that you can always contact Petra or Waleed if you want help planning something or just need advice. Waleed is the perfect organiser and will never let you down. He felt more like a good friend. During the overnight felucca trip Mustafa and Minshawee looked after us well, were good company and cooked delicious meals. We would sail with them again - but next time not in the summer - 55?C and no wind is tough-going! With Aswan Individual we felt we were in good hands, came into contact with genuine and honest people and yet it was nice being able to make the decisions per day and take it easy when we felt like it, particularly important when travelling with children. We will recommend the team to anyone travelling to Aswan. Best regards”.
Sian, Dirk-Jan, Sanne, Dylan and Finn
Mohamad Ashmi, Singapore (July 7, 2010)
Hello Petra, we really enjoyed our stay in Egypt, particularly Aswan. It was breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful in Aswan compared to Cairo or Luxor.
Mr. Waleed greeted us when we were in Aswan and the services given were impeccable. Many thanks to you for arranging our tour in Aswan. It was well coordinated. Mr. Mostafa is superb. I have never met a more honourable man in Egypt than him.
Thank you again Petra. Hope to deal with you guys again. I will definitely spread the good service rendered by you guys to my friends who are planning to visit Aswan. Take care and do send my regards to Mr. Waleed and Mostafa.
Yours, Mohamad Ashmi, Singapore
Gary Timoshenko (July 5, 2010)
Hello Mr. Waleed,
Just a quick note to thank you for all the work you did for us. We made it safely in Luxor on the boat (which was very nice).
It was a pleasure to meet you, and we'll put a nice note on the Internet for you.
We are taking the overnight train tonight from Luxor to Cairo, and we'll be leaving Egypt on Wednesday. We had an amazing time in Egypt, and the people of Egypt is what will leave a mark on us.Thanks!
Gary and Elise and Alex
Jim & Christine from Australia (June 16, 2010)
Hi Petra,
We are writing to you from Dahab where I have finally got internet access again.
Just wanted to update and thank you (and Waleed) for organising everything so perfectly for us in Aswan.
Waleed was very professional and helpful from the beginning. He was there to greet & collect us at the airport, explained our itinerary (including the last minute changes that I asked for due to my wife's illness) and basically was just very reassuring for us to know that everything was taken cared of and we didnt have to stress about anything.
Aswan itself was beautiful, looking back I think it was the best part of our first week in Egypt (Cairo, Aswan, Luxor).
Day 1: Airport pickup at 10:30am. We were met by Waleed & driver in a very nice (new and smooth) air conditioned car. Check-in at hotel where we rested for 2 hours before taking Waleeds advice and visited the Philae temple/high dam. After Philae, we had a slight rest at the hotel before meeting Mustafa for our 2 hour falucca ride during sunset. Mustafa is a star and a gentleman and we loved his company. His knowledge of the area and its history and the nile was one of the highlights of our trip - enjoyed every moment of that falucca ride and the sunset was quite spectacular.
Day 2: Abu Simbel, second convoy. Again, the nice air conditioned car was used for this long jouney which made a big difference for my wife as she was starting to recover from her fatigue. In fact, she slept very comfortably in the car and did not feel any motion/travel sickness at all. Very courteous and professional driver too - I think he's name is Mohammed.
Day 3: Transfer to Luxor via Kom Ombo and Edfu: We are so glad that we had a chance to see the countryside and also these 2 towns.
Overall, we are extremely grateful for the quality of the services we received from Aswan Individuals. We found you from recommendations from friend and also from Tripadvisor and I must say that you have exceeded our expectations and made our 3 days in Aswan very enjoyable and stress-free. I just wished I could have employed your services for Cairo and other parts of Egypt too. I will not hesitate to recommend you to others on TA and look forward to returning to Egypt and seeing Waleed and Mustafa again.
Thanks Petra.
Jim & Christine
Ray and Sue Jones, June 4th 2010
I just wanted to say a big thank you to you, Waleed and Mustafa for making our Aswan time memorable. We really enjoyed the camel market, and like your own vists, we were the only foreigners. At times we felt transparent, as everyone virtually ignored us, which was just the way we loved it. I really can't understand why more people don't go - a great experience. And apart from the mobile phones and 'take your camel home' trucks it looks as if it is unchanged for hundreds of years.
We loved walking on Elephantine with Mustafa, again no-one disturbed us and we enjoyed visiting his Mum's and his own place. Sadly, we didn't have time for a Felucca ride.....maybe next time.
Just so you know, there was no problem at all with the dahabiyya about going with someone else. The only issue was that when we arrived on the dahabiyya very late at night, our on board guide wanted to make sure that we were being looked after properly the next morning and insisted on calling Waleed at about 11.30pm, which we felt was way too late to call.
Many thanks again, Sue
M. Dorota and Eric, May 12, 2010
Your website is fantastic! You take away many hustles and prevent many headaches for many independent travelers - thank you!!!
dorota
John and Annette Jordan, UK, posted in tripadvisor
May 12, 2010, 5:34 AM
We go to Luxor at least once each year to see our many friends, both expat and Egyptian, there. This year we added just a few days south in Aswan and happily we have made more new friends....Mustafa and Petra of Aswan Individual.
It was amazingly hot in Aswan, mid forties, so we just wanted to chill and do nothing too strenuous....Mustafa provided the perfect answer for two Nubian experiences. One morning there was no wind for felucca and we had asked to do the coffee making trip. Mustafa suggested that he take us for a slow cruise around the islands of the cateract in his small, and very clean and smart, motor boat; and then go to the coffee making. The trip more than met our expectations with beautiful scenes, abundant birdlife, wonderful freshly made traditional coffee, and a thousand photo opportunities.
On another evening we took advantage of the opportunity to have dinner, Nubian style, at his mothers house in Mustafas village. He collected us in his motor boat from our hotel and took us south along Elephantine Island to his village. He proudly showed us his own very nice house right near the waters edge then took us on a walking tour of his village before arriving at his mothers house where his sister had prepared dinner for us.
Everything was perfect.....Relaxed, friendly, and feeling welcome. The village is lovely with many painted buildings and fascinating antique front doors, so, many more photo opportunities.
We send a big Thank You to Mustafa and Petra and hope to use the services of Aswan-Individual when next in Aswan..inshahla
John and Annette...Canterbury...UK
John and Annette Jordan, UK, May 11, 2010:
Hi Petra
We just want to let you know how much we enjoyed spending some time with Mustafa last week.
On Thursday 6 May there was no wind but as we had asked to go on the coffee tour, Mustafa suggested that he take us around the islands of The Cateract in his small motor boat and then go to the coffee making before return to our hotel. We spent a very relaxed three hours cruising slowly around the islands seeing the wildlife then sitting under a shady awning while coffee was prepared for us in the traditional way with freshly roasted beans and added spices...very, very nice indeed.
On Saturday Mustafa collected us from the hotel in his motor boat in the early evening and took us along elephantine island to his village. He proudly showed us his very comfortable house with accommodation to let and made us tea. He then took us on a walking tour of his village which was very enjoyable. People were friendly and the houses are brightly painted, with lovely old antique front doors. At his mothers house his sister prepared a very tasty dinner for us served in a room set aside for such entertaining. He then returned us safely back in his boat. He must have x-ray eyes because it was quite dark and no boats on the water were using any lights.
Mustafa is a wonderful host and a really nice guy and we were very comfortable in his company and thank him most sincerely for showing us some aspects of Nubian life.
Please extend our thanks to him and we hope to meet again, inshahla
With best wishes to Aswan Individual
From Annette and John Jordan
Iris Montiel, USA, May 8, 2010 in tripadvisor:
We were in Aswan back in March 2010. I arranged a trip to Abu Simbel with this company. The whole time i dealt with Petra. I kept emailing with Petra back and forth regarding different concerns/questions about the trip. She responded to each one of my questions with an impressive professionalism and friendliness. In addition, once in Aswan, we had an amazing service as well. Our taxi driver was very professional and friendly just like Petra. Plus everything went according to plan. I would highly recomend Aswan Individual for any trips. Thanks Petra !!
Evan Elliot, USA, April 18, 2010
Hi Petra, (...) My father and I really enjoyed our trip to Aswan, and I would highly recommend you and Waleed to anyone we know who is going there. We really appreciated the personal attention we got from Waleed. It definitely made our first trip to Egypt go a lot more smoothly than it could have otherwise. 
For one thing, I think the falucca ride with Mustafa was a lot more pleasant than if we had set one up with one the captains who hang around the corniche. And we really enjoyed lunch at his house on Elephantine Island.
I've attached one picture that I took from Mustafa's boat when we were on our falucca trip, and another two that we took along the Nile while we were on the cruise that Waleed booked for us.
I hope all is well in Aswan. Please let me know if you or Waleed is ever traveling in the USA; hopefully we'll be able to return your hospitality.
Best, Evan Elliott
Odile and Lauence, Cairo, April 18, 2010
Hi Petra,
Just to thank you for your good services. We had a super time in Abu Simbel, and the temples for ourselves between 16:00 and 17:30pm. It is well worth spending the night in a crap hotel just to avoid the crowds and be able to appreciate the temples in peace and quiet, but honestly, Nefertari wasn't that bad, it is very run down, overpriced of course, very 60s, and old, and too quiet, the bed not too comfortable, but the pool was very clean! We had dinner at Escaleh, which was great. Escaleh is quite far from the temples (I would estimate 30 to 40 minute walk), so our choice of Nefertari paid up in the end.
I will certainly advise your site to other travellers in the future. Waleed was on time, very profissional, and the driver Meena did his best to please us.
Take care and hope business is good for you
Odile and Laurence from Cairo
Diethild and Winfried Mohr, Germany, April 14, 2010
Dear Mustafa!
We promised you to send greetings and a picture when we are back in Germany. Here it is!
It was a lovely afternoon with you looking pictures in your house and sailing with your boat on the Nile. 
Your flat looks really inviting and if we ever travel to Egypt again (what we really would like to, because all people we met there were very friendly and charming) we will contact you.
In the meantime we had a look to the web site and found so many good and helpfull informations!
Very good to see fix prices as well, because germans are not used and untrained to bargain for anything and find a price which is fair for both sides.
We wish you all the best and good luck with your guests!
Shukran and ma as'salam,
Diethild and Winfried Mohr from Germany
Jessica Williams and husband, UK, April 14, 2010
Hi Petra, we just returned back from Egypt on Sunday. Our daily tours with Aswan Individual and with Mustafa were fantastic. We were very pleased with the vans for transfers, and with our guide Islam on the trip to Luxor. I am just busy catching up with
work that has piled up while I was away, but I will be sure to post reviews on Trip Advisor to let everyone know that I would highly recommend Aswan Individual to anyone visiting Aswan. Jessica
Iris Montiel and friends, USA, March 15, 2010
Hello Petra, I just wanted to Thank you for your excellent treatment. You were of amazing help for us. Thanks a lot. Also, our driver is amazing. He doesn't speak much English, but he does an excellent job at communicating with us. He is very nice, friendly, and kind. We will definitely reward him with the best tip we can. We are students so money is a little tight, but we will do our best. Please let him know his job is excellent. I will make sure when I go back home to write a review for you guys. Thanks again :)
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
Pipwright in tripadvisor, March 1, 2010
My husband and I have just returned from Egypt. We enjoyed our time in Aswan the most, partly due to Aswan Individual the team we used to book our excursions and accommodation on Elephantine Island. I really recommend them for anyone heading to Aswan and need a place to stay or help with day trips or felucca ride. I was probably the most annoying person in the world before we left, sending a million and one emails with questions and queries about Aswan but they were prompt to reply and full of very helpful information.
We stayed with on Elephantine Island and it was a great escape from the touts and husslers on the mainland always calling for Felucca rides etc. The sunsets were beautiful and the island such an interesting place to explore. Its an 2 minute easy trip over to the island (1 dollar each way on the ferry) so a good option to stay.
We went on a felucca ride with our host Mustafa and we had dinner cooked by his mother (delicious!). It was great staying with a local because we learnt so much and really felt like we were able to experience Nubian life. Aswan Individual also organised a last minute cruise for us to Luxor in addition to all the local sights (Abu Simbel and Philae etc). I would recommend this to anyone heading to Aswan.
More pictures Philippa sent to us (thank you so much for your posting and the pictures for us to use for our website).
Mary and Tony Newton, February 22, 2010
Dear Mustafa,
Just thought we would write a very quick note of Thanks to you for giving us such a great day out in both your family's village and the trip on your wonderful falucca. It was a pleasure to meet your mother also and to enjoy her home cooking, all of which was very good.
As Petra identified in setting up Aswan Individual it makes a huge difference to tourists if they can feel comfortable with their tour guide and not feel intimidated during their time on a trip. You accomplish these things and are a very honest man which puts your guests at ease from the first time they meet with you.
We were very fortunate to be your only guests for today and we spotted other tourists looking on with envey when saw the space we had on your very comfortable boat.
We wish you good health and continued success with your house rental and your Falucca tour business!
Kind Regards, Mary & Tony Newton
Anne Duquenne (Belgium) and Kare Annaniassen (Norway), February 22, 2010
Dear Petra, Mustafa, Minshawee and Waleed,
We had an absolutely amazing trip in Egypt and this is partially thanks to Aswan Individual! As my partner and I were planning to cruise the Nile we were scared of mass tourism settings, as we prefer to experience the more local life and culture instead of the fake traditional life presented on tours. In our quest of a more genuine travel we found your website and instantly knew this could match our aspirations. We daydreamed about the three-days felccuca trip and contacted Petra directly who very quickly and friendly answered all our questions. Though it is always hard to judge things on internet we decided we would go for it, which was our best decision after choosing Egypt!
We contacted Mustafa upon arrival in Aswan who picked us up at the train station and brought us to his house on Elephantine Island. We liked Mustafa directly! He is this friendly, easy-going man who makes you feel at home without ever being pushy or overwhelming. We stayed two days in Aswan before our felucca trip and had the opportunity to walk around the village with Mustafa and have dinner at his mother's place which is an absolute must do if you stay at his home because the food was wonderful!
About the felucca trip well it was just completely amazing! We didn't imagine it would be so nice and comfortable at all. The back of the boat was covered with planks with cushions on it where we could just lay down and admire the passing landscapes. It was pure comfort really! Aside Mustafa there were two other crew members helping with the sailing and the food and they were really friendly and professional as well. Mustafa is a very experienced captain and we felt very safe with him. At some point we had to go under a bridge which seemed quite tricky and we could see other feluccas were blocked but Mustafa and his crew managed to pass without trouble at once. I must say we were very proud to be on that boat! I don't know how they managed it but the food was really really delicious! It was fresh and variate for every meal. A pure delight!
We also had the opportunity to visit some friends of Mustafa in small villages which is of course a unique experience.
We also had the chance to benefit from Waleed's expertise twice. Once for going to Abu Simbel and once when in Luxor we wanted to go on a hot air balloon ride. The companies we contacted seemed to overprice the service so we called Waleed who immediately fixed us a contact in Luxor and we ended up having a very nice deal with someone as professional as him. Again we were very happy we knew about Aswan Individual! All in all we had a wonderful Aswan and Nile experience and would recommend it to all people enjoying unique experiences with local people.
Wish you all the best for the future!! Sincerely Anne&Kåre
More pictures, please click here
Andrew Quinn, USA, February 22, 2010
Petra: just got off the phone with my sister, who was absolutely rhapsodic about the guide you arranged for us in Luxor. the sights were of course great, but she couldn't have been more positive about the guide himself -- friendly, informed, adjusted to their speed (a seven year old girl), helpful in the markets as well as the tourist attractions. I told her to write up some brief message that we can send and you can add to your website.
I made it into Egypt this evening, am in Cairo, and will meet my sister and niece here tomorrow. So at least I'll get to see Cairo, and Giza. And my sister has told me we must all go back to Luxor ... so perhaps that's in my future as well.
Thanks again for everything. Drew
Philippa Wright, New Zealand, February 10, 2010
Hi Petra, Thanks so much for everything, and sorry for my little flip out! Cairo was a huge shock to our system. In Cairo we were taken to shops, pushed towards $800 camel rides and other various scams and the hotel really made me panic about Aswan!
We had the most wonderful time with Mustafa! I am already thinking that will be the highlight of our trip. We had such a good time, we are just wishing now we were able to stay for longer. Our uncle and aunty are heading to Egypt soon and we will definitely send them to Mustafas.
And Waleed was great, Fatima was an incredibly informative guide and we learnt a lot. We really appreciate everything and have already passed on recommendations to people we have met on our cruise.
Thanks again for all your help (and putting up with my millions of emails).
Kind regards, Philippa
Mitsuko in tripadvisor, January 30, 2010
and photos she sent to our email-adress
Absolutely impressed with Aswan-Individual from the beginning to the end. What luck to find them in this Forum!!! We stayed Mustafa’s brothers flat upstairs in Elephantine Island for three nights in November 09. The view from Mustafa’s flat is absolutely magnificent. One of the best photos of our holiday is from their roof top balcony. We sat and had breakfast, tea and coffee on balcony every day. We also loved the public ferry trip every day and we’ve got a discount fare on the third day as a local. That was really funny. My husband put Aswan as his most favourite place we visited during this trip. He was full of praise that I found the flat and Aswan individual. 
Felucca sailing with Mustafa was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable memory of the trip. I tombed and templed out my husband in Luxor and he couldn’t be tempted to visit another one except Abu Simbel (What a magnificent sight!) while we were in Aswan. So it was a perfect solution for us to just enjoy sailing and Mustafa was a perfect host for us. I’m so glad to take Petra’s advice to make the plan on the second day really flexible. Mustafa’s wonderful personality, relaxed, friendly and un-intrusive, contributed to our enjoyment. We laid down on deck with thick cushions soaking our feet in the refreshing water admiring the views Aswan offer for our last leg of 5 weeks holiday.
Their quick response to rectify the problems we caused twice was amasing, too. They communicated with us really well to make sure everything is OK. Petra even called us from Germany. What a dedication! Most of all I enjoyed the correspondence with Petra by Email in planning stage. Her quick email reply with thoughtful and sincere advises made my planning extremely easy. I wished there are Petra in all other cities. It would have made my trip planning much easier.
Their fixed price is more than fair for the service we received. They also hire really nice people to work for them. We had a wonderfully knowledgeable and gentle guide at Sil Sila and we talked to him not only about Egyptian history, temples and tombs, but world history and int’l politics. He even knew Australian Aboriginal history really well. We really enjoyed his company.
I also have to give praise for their driver who drove us to Abu Simbel. He moved us up to one of the earliest in convoy to arrive at Abu Simbel (He drove very safely). We were able to buy tickets without crowd and were able to have photos of Abu Simbel without too many people and it was nice to be able to move around inside with less crowd. And we had time to have a cup of tea at the end.
I must not forget mentioning about Mustafa’s mothers meals. They were much better than the meals we had in restaurants in Aswan. We wished we were more organised to order dinners in advance. Laundry service was god sent as there was none during Nile cruise and very expensive at the hotels.
We sincerely appreciate the effort of Petra, Waleed and Mustafa to make many travellers like us enjoy visiting Aswan. I recommend them whole heartedly. Mitsuko
Simon Monk, January 23, 2010
Hi Petra, just a word of thanks for a wonderful stay in Aswan: Mustafa's house made for a very special experience as did his Felucca. Now we are back home it seems more special than ever. I'll recommend anyone going there to your web site.
Regards and thanks again. Simon, Yuki, Riu and Kai
Christine Willis from Greece, January 21, 2010
When I asked my 3 kids what was the highlight of their visit to Egypt, by far the answer was the felucca trip with Mustafa around the Aswan area. We arrived at the Aswan train station at 9am and met Mustafa at the river crossing. After settling into his humble home on the Nile where the roof top view is breathtaking..better than any 5 star hotel in Aswan, we took a lovely tour of the small streets on the Elephantine Island. We had both lunch and dinner at his mothers house and a wonderful breakfast on the roof.
The next day we were treated like royalty..or rather Cleopatra..on The Love Boat, Mustafa's felucca. We stopped on a desert beach where the kids all rode a camel and I felt like I was in Lawrence of Arabia.
Mustafa's cooking was extraordinary what he managed to accomplish on a tiny 2 burner stove.
That night we pulled up to a remote beach and after dinner Mustafa's Nubian friends came by with their drums and tambourines and sang as we danced..to the light of the full moon.
One can choose to travel first class in the best hotels or travel as we did by meeting local people and sharing their food and lifestyle. I always prefer the second choice and look forward to returning to Aswan and having more time with Mustafa and his family. Thank you Mustafa and Petra for making it all possible! Christine Willis
Diane Boddie in tripadvisor, January 19, 2010
Aswan by Felucca: Far From the Maddening Crowd.
My sister and I decided to book a felucca ride with Mustafa through Aswan Individual based on wonderful comments left here on TripAdvisor and we were not disappointed. In fact, the time spent sailing lazily on the Nile on two separate days (12-13 Jan) was the most relaxing and tranquil highlight of our time in Egypt, which to that point had been spent dodging the throngs of salesmen in various temples, museums and markets from Cairo to Abu Simbel.
I contacted Petra to let her know that we had 1.5 days set aside at the very end of our two-week trip for something purely restful once we reached Aswan. She arranged for the most excellent Captain Mustafa and his assistant Minshawee to whisk us away from the crowds. The felucca was spotlessly clean, shaded, and had comfy seat cushions. More than once I felt rather sorry for the other feluccas loaded with 20 people or more – as my sister and I each claimed one entire side of the felucca and stretched our legs out on the cushions. I’m a landscape painter and so I can vouch for the pure beauty of the landscape that we passed for hours on end along the river. I did manage to get some exercise as I raced from one side of the boat to the other, snapping photos of the scenery on one bank only to notice something possibly more scenic on the other side before spotting something on the other side, and so on. Along the way we visited Mustafa’s village where his mother prepared a fantastic lunch for us. My sister had never been to this region and she was completely captivated by the Nubian village.
I never imagined I would enjoy the felucca ride so much, but I would have gladly stayed in Aswan longer simply to drift along the Nile and have Minshawee pour tea or juice for us and serve snacks and otherwise ensure that our time was perfect in every way. We were completely spoiled and carefree and that’s what a vacation should be about, even if for only a few hours or days. Diane
Diane Boddie, January 19, 2010
Hi Petra,
I wanted to let you know that we had a great time with Mustafa and he took very good care of us. It was definitely the most relaxing 1.5 days of the entire 2-week trip and I wish I could have spent more time on the felucca and less in any of the urban centers trying to press my way past the sellers. You have definitely lived up to your TripAdvisor forum reputation for making sure things went smoothly --despite my maddeningly vague initial overtures about what we might be able to book in our vague timetable. (...) But again I would like to thank you for your excellent oversight of our trip and for your continued contact with me throughout the process. Warm regards,Diane
Gauri Mohan (Familiy of 8 from India), January 2, 2010
Hi Petra Thanks for your help with organizing our Luxor to Aswan and Abu Simbel trips. We had an excellent time and Waleed was very helpful. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas vacation in Germany! Gauri
Lisa Andres, November 30, 2009
Thanks again for your help Petra. We had a wonderfull time in Aswan and Waleed and Mustafa were great. Lisa Andres
Lisa in tripadvisor - thank you so much Lisa:
I recently went on an a trip to Aswan with seven extended family members. We are independent travelers and didn't want to travel with a tour group. We did, however want to connect with local guides to experience the real Aswan. Luckily I found out about Aswan Individual (http://www.aswan-individual.com/) before the trip. It is a great group of local service providers who provide professional and wonderful individualized tours and transport for reasonable prices and no hassle. Waleed, arranged for transport and accompanied the driver in picking us up at the airport. It was all done very professionally and we felt very welcome. Waleed even gave us a welcome to Egypt call to make sure that our stay in Cairo was going well. We spent a lovely couple of hours exploring the Nile on Mustafa's felucca and visiting his Nubian village on Elephantine Island. We had a delicious lunch prepared by his mother and sister. Unfortunately we were unable to stay at Mustafa's flat as it was booked but we had a chance to take a look at it and we would recommend it. We took the train from Aswan to Luxor against Waleed's advice and I have to say we should have listened to him. It took a couple of hours longer because of delays and we were only able to buy our tickets on the train and not ahead of time. I think it’s better to go by mini-van or plane between Aswan and Luxor. One last note; we were easily able to arrange everything ahead of time through email through Petra. She was very reponsive to all emails and very helpful.
Martin and Linda Beavis, Bristol, UK, November 10, 2009
After a week cruising Lake Nasser on the Prince Abbas, we checked into the Movenpick early in October to enjoy Aswan at more leisure than our previous tour group visit a few years ago. Among other things archaeological, we particularly wanted to visit Sahel and see the ancient inscriptions on the rocks, but were disappointingly told that, despite a good breeze, we should do that upstream trip by motor boat. But, having seen your website and read about you on Trip Advisor, we phoned Mustafa to arrange a felucca instead -- no problem! He came early to the hotel, checked what we wished to see and do, and we had a great trip on his new ("only secondhand") felucca, tacking up the Nile, seeing lots of birdlife, alongside the sweeping desert sands and into the rocks and swirling waters of the First Cataract. That really is the best way to enjoy the Nile -- in your own felucca, at your own speed. We had not travelled all that way back to Aswan to be packed in like sardines singing ee-i-ee-i-ee-i-oh on a quick trip round Kitchener Island, especially not wearing the red lifejackets that one British tour operator insists on! (Been there, done that, got the photo -- not uploaded!)
Mustafa offered us the opportunity to stop at the beach or visit a small camel market, before stopping at a Nubian village and then sailing between the islands around to the other side of Sahel, to be closer to the rock inscriptions (more sailing, less walking!). Like the Tombs of the Nobles that we visited on another occasion (and well worth seeing) they are not much visited, so we woke up the guardians and set off up the hill. The most must-see stela is at the very highest point of the island, as are the fantastic views over the river to the north and the village to the south. Back on the felucca, hot and dusty from our ascent of Sahel, we enjoyed refreshing mint teas in the shade of the canopy as we sailed back to
Elephantine.
We moored below the ruins of Yabu and Mustafa walked us through the village and proudly showed us his house and holiday flat -- very spacious, attractive Nubian decor, with a great view from the roof, across the river to the Mausoleum and St Simeon's Monastery on the skyline, every bit as good as the much more expensive Nile view from the Movenpick. Would we recommend it to our son who likes his holidays unpackaged? Most certainly, yes! Mustafa then led us along the irrigation streams, through the narrow streets, the shady fruit trees and vegetable fields, and back to the Movenpick through the gap used by the village goats.
Many thanks to Mustafa for a fascinating and unforgettable day -- highly recommended!
Martin and Linda Beavis, Bristol, UK
Rita O., Germany, November 1, 2009
Liebe Petra, mit vielen wunderbaren Erinnerungen sind wir aus Ägypten zurück. Zuerst einmal möchten wir dir sehr herzlich für deine gute Organisation unserer Reise in Assuan danken. Es hat alles fantastisch geklappt. Dank deiner guten Tipps waren wir auf alles vorbereitet und konnten die Zeit ausgiebig genießen. Deine Kontakte zu Waleed und Mustafa haben uns unvergessliche
Erlebnisse ermöglicht und unser Herz berührt.
Da wir einen fast windstillen Aufenthalt in Ägypten hatten, holte Mustafa uns mit einem Motorboot zu einer Nilfahrt ab. Das leckere Essen seiner Mutter haben wir dann aber auf seiner Feluke zu uns genommen. Am nächsten Tag zeigte er uns voller Stolz sein neues Haus und ging mit uns zum wieder sehr guten Abendessen in das Haus seiner Mutter. Wir wurden mit viel Herzlichkeit und Wärme aufgenommen. Seine Nichte Mayra (s. Bild), du kennst sie, sagte uns Mustafa, hätten wir am liebsten mitgenommen. Obwohl der Motor des Bötchens auf der Rückfahrt ins Hotel des Öfteren aussetzte, schipperte uns Mustafa zu unserer Freude singend und die Ruhe selbst -inschallah- zurück. Mustafas Wissen und seine Sorge um den Nil haben uns sehr beeindruckt.
Die Treffen mit Waleed werden wir immer in Erinnerung behalten. Zuerst seine humorvolle, freundliche und absolut professionelle Art, Dinge zu regeln. Obwohl unsere Zeit in Assuan doch recht kurz war, haben wir Dank Waleed sehr viel gesehen. Alles war perfekt organisiert, Ausflüge ,Minibus, Fahrer und der Transfer ans Rote Meer etc. Auch abends haben wir mit Waleed die Zeit in Assuan genossen. Seine Aufrichtigkeit, seine Fürsorge um uns und sein freundschaftliches, familiäres Verhältnis zu uns werden wir nicht vergessen. Er ist für unsere Familie wie ein lieber Freund.
Liebe Petra, du siehst, dass wir eine unvergessliche Zeit hatten und wir sicherlich nach Assuan zurückkehren werden (mit mehr Zeit). Du und "aswan-individual" habt maßgeblichen Anteil an dieser schönen Reise gehabt. Nochmals vielen, vielen Dank. Damit du eine Vorstellung von uns hast, anbei ein Foto.
Mit sehr herzlichen Grüßen, Rita
Steven Bangs, New Zealand, October 24, 2009
(...) The Aswan section of our trip is the only time we've booked guides or used 'tour operators'. Normally I don't even like to deal with travel agents, as I despise package tours, especially ones that wrap you up in cotton wool and let you experience the culture and country from behind a tour bus window. If I wanted to do that, I could just watch the Discovery channel! However, the services that Waleed, Mustafa and yourself provide via the website are exactly what I'm looking for. Tailored for the individual with a personal way of going about things.(...) Not long to go now, we're getting pretty excited :)
Once again, thanks for all your help so far. You've been fantastic to deal with.
Deb (and John, Hayley-anne & Declan), Adelaide (Australia), July 29th 2009
Hello Petra,I have been meaning to write to you personally to thank you for providing
everything for us for our perfect visit to Aswan, and to let you know about
my Trip Advisor review. It is the least I can do to let other visitors to
Aswan know about your wonderful service. Of course you are welcome to use
my review on your website. I have attached a few photos that you also might
like to use.
It was lovely to meet Waleed and Mustafa and we hope to visit Aswan again -
for a longer period next time! I will be sure to let you know if we come to
Berlin, and we would love to see you if you should ever come to Adelaide!
Regards and best wishes, Deb (and John, Hayley-anne & Declan)
Deb (and John, Hayley-anne & Declan), Adelaide (Australia), July 29th 2009
in tripadvisor
My family of four have recently returned from our first trip to Egypt and I would like to share my experiences with, and express my gratitude to, Aswan-Individual for helping to make it a most memorable and enjoyable journey.
We are independent travellers, always do our own bookings for flights and hotels, and use a guide book or private guide in preference to joining large tour groups. I was lucky to come across Aswan-Individual’s excellent website during my research and the information it contained gave me enough details to form a basic plan for the Aswan part of our trip. After checking all the positive reviews here on TA I made contact with Petra via email. Petra was very helpful and professional and answered all my emails very promptly and in a wonderfully personal and friendly manner. She suggested an itinerary that included all we wanted to see, and gave prices (the same as the website) so we knew exactly what we would have to pay – no surprises or haggling. We agreed on a plan and Petra made all the arrangements with Waleed and Mustafa in Egypt.
When Waleed sent us a text upon our arrival in Cairo we felt confident we were in safe hands, and when we were met by his smiling face in Aswan we felt we’d found a long lost friend! Waleed organised everything perfectly for us in Aswan (including an excellent guide, Abdulla) and for our drive up to Luxor via Daraw, Edfu and Kom Ombo. He happened to be staying a night in Luxor while we were there and made contact with us and took us to an Egyptian coffee house for shisha and coffee – his shout! This was above and beyond what we expect from a ‘tour organiser’ and we really enjoyed and appreciated the experience and the time he took to be with us. We felt we could call on Waleed for anything if the need arose, and we did in fact text him when we were back in Cairo and he responded promptly with some very useful advice.
Our afternoon trip on Mustafa’s felucca (just our family – not a big group like we saw on other feluccas) was the most relaxing time we spent in Egypt. We had a lovely lunch on the felucca (cooked by Mustafa’s mother), visited the botanic gardens, and enjoyed a refreshing swim in the Nile. Mustafa is a friendly and generous captain and took us wherever we wanted to go. Petra phoned while we were on the felucca and it was lovely to talk to her and let her know that all was well.
I would absolutely recommend Aswan-Individual to anyone travelling to Aswan. It is so nice to have everything organised and ready for your arrival, and in such a professional but relaxed way. More importantly though, they have shared with us their love of Aswan and given us a desire to return. I sincerely hope I will return, and if I do I will definitely spend more time there as two days is not nearly enough. Thank you Petra, Waleed and Mustafa!
Polly, London, July 15th 2009
Hi Petra (...) Thank you so much for your hospitality. We had the great time of our lifes. WALEED was excellent so kind and always on time. We made great friends and HOPE with you to. Thank you so much we are even thinking to set up as a tour operature in the uk hope maybe in future we can all work together. Kindest Regards, Polly.
David Holman, Toronto, July 6th 2009
Good Afternoon Petra, I hope this day finds you well.
I just wanted to thank-you for the wonderful service that you provided us while travelling in Luxor and Aswan. Waleed and Mustafa were incredible and are truly amazing tour operators. They both made our trip very successful and everything was perfectly arranged. The day on the Feluca was incredible and our day trips were always on-time and went off without a hitch. Again, it was a real pleasure to have this service available to us and I will recommend it to anyone I know that is travelling to Egypt – You should try to expand your service to Cairo as I am certain many people travelling there would appreciate a similar service as Cairo can be at times extremely challenging. We received much better service from your organization then we did from many of the hotels we stayed at. I will forward you some pictures when I have had an opportunity to go through them all.
Please give my regards and thanks to both Waleed and Mustafa for being such wonderful hosts. Kind Regards, David
LHolley, San Francisco, CA & Kakamega...
Posted on tripadvisor: 6:13 am, May 02, 2009
I just recently got back from a 10 day trip to Egypt and wanted to take the time to highly recommend Mustafa and Petra at Aswan-Individual to anyone planning a trip to Egypt. I especially want to recommend that anyone traveling to Egypt includes a felucca trip down the Nile from Aswan in their itinerary.
When we originally planned our time in Egypt, we only planned to visit Sinai, Luxor and Cairo. After meeting some other travelers in Sinai that had just come from Aswan and said their 2 night felucca trip down the Nile was the highlight of all of their time in Egypt, we decided to add Aswan to our itinerary at the last minute. Instead of flying from Sinai to Luxor, we decided to fly to Aswan and take a 1 night felucca trip down the Nile from Aswan, followed by a private mini-bus trip to Kom Ombo and Edfu on the way to Luxor.
We had a phone number of a felucca captain in Aswan from the friends we met in Sinai, so we didn't make any bookings before arriving in Aswan. After arriving in Aswan exhausted from all of the hassling we experienced in Egypt, we decided to go online and look for a felucca captain that had good reviews from previous travelers - we didn't want to be on a boat with a crew that was going to endlessly propose marriage or try to change the price for 20 hours. After seeing some great reviews of Mustafa and his team at Aswan-Individual, I called Waleed at 10am in the morning to see if we could book a felucca for that afternoon! Not only were Waleed and Petra incredibly responsive (Waleed met us at our hotel 15 minutes later!), they were able to put an incredible trip together for us with fresh food on the spot for a great price.
We left Aswan that afternoon, sailed down the Nile, read books, had a wonderful dinner, played cards with the crew and then slept on the boat. The next morning we sailed a bit more, had a great breakfast, took a swim in the Nile and then was met by our private mini-bus to go to Kom Ombo, Edfu and Luxor. We arrived in Luxor by 1pm and even had enough time to go to the Valley of Kings before dark.
The trip to Aswan was the best decision we made, as our felucca trip really was the highlight of the entire trip to Egypt for me. And, most importantly, the Aswan-Individual team on the ground was the most respectful, informational and kind group of people I met in all of my time in Egypt. My favorite part of traveling is always getting to know new people and talking about interesting local and global issues with people from the places I am traveling in, so this was a memorable part of the trip. I only wish I learned about Aswan-Individual sooner, so i could of planned some of the other parts of our trip with them and that I was able to visit Mustafa's home!
All in all, I highly recommend the team at Aswan-Individual when planning your trip to Egypt. Petra (the owner) is very responsive to email and can help you set everything up very easily and professionally, all at a great price.
Jerri, April 28 2009
Petra. I have finally caught up on everything and will send you some photos and a "report". Kathy is coming over tonight, but as I have a few minutes, will add something personal ... just from me...to you.
Without question, my highlight of Egypt was Aswan and staying on Elephantine Island wit Mustafa, visiting his family, exploring his village, and just hanging out with him. He is most gracious and his flat was great. We spent a day and a half on his felucca with incredibly good sailing and company. The food, weather, and views were excellent. I can hardly believe I was sailing on the Nile, around the islands, rocks, birds.
I'm sending you a picture from his roof terrace where we had breakfast one morning, that his mother prepared. The picture of the goats was taken from his front door. I would get up early and just wander around the island, visiting and enjoying. Everyone seemed to know him and were pleased that we were staying with him.
I would HIGHLY recommend this as a part of an Egyptian vacation.
Oh, and the special guides you and Waleed found for us were great. I probably could have spent the entire week just roaming around the island, but realized that I needed a bit of the ancient culture, as well as Nubian culture.
When I tell my friends what I did, I must admit they think of Egypt as rather unsafe and think I was daring. That is not true. I never once felt threatened. Isn't it a shame that sensational journalist tend to print only the negative. I would have stayed longer if I could have.
Thanks so much for making this experience possible. Jerri
fiona-bs, Coventry, United Kingdom
Posted on: 6:50 am, April 27, 2009
Aswan-individual.....excellent guide Mustafa.
I
was in Aswan last week as part of a Nile cruise. I had been in contact with this company before leaving the UK and had exchanged emails with Petra.
We arranged to meet with Mustafa on both the Saturday and Sunday. However, I fainted from the heat on the Saturday so didn't get to meet Mustafa that day. I contacted Petra and she in turn let Mustafa know what happened. He phoned to see how I was and wew arranged to meet the next day.
On the Sunday morning, Mustafa met us at the public ferry point with his felucca. However, there was very little wind and the felucca was "becalmed" so we swapped to a motor boat. Mustafa asked us what we would like to do or leave it to him. He took us down to the 1st cataract, where the river was quite choppy, across to the Aga Khan Mausoleum to take photos, then onto Elephantine Island, where he was born and still lived.
I had taken loads to little toys and pens/pencils for the children. We were taken to a local prep school where we had a long chat with the science teacher and were shown into some classrooms. Then on through a Nubian village, drink at Mustafa's house, handing out toys and finally holding baby crocodiles.
We had a great time and it was lovely to see "proper" Egypt rather than be herded around the usual sites and "hassled". I would not hesitate in contacting Mustafa again or using this website.
Reply to this post
Maryse et Jean Francois, France, 26-4-2009
Hi Petra, We are now back at home (here in Toulouse it is rather cool (even cold) and it rains!!) and we have re-started our activities without too much time to send you a feedback of our cruise on felucca with Mustafa
We had a great time there and as promised we will send you more about it with pictures as soon as we have selected some of them and written some "report" about our adventure (we plan to do that next WE)
Thanks also for your support,
We keep in touch,
Kind regards
Maryse J François and Lou
Laura Parker, England, 22-4-2009
Hi Petra, We are safely (if sadly!) home now, after a wonderful week in Luxor and Aswan.
As promised, I am putting a post up on Trip Advisor, and this is what I’ve said:
We were in Aswan last week, and I had been in email contact with Petra at Aswan Individual to organise a couple of trips prior to going to Egypt - one a boat trip down the Nile with a couple of stops to visit ancient sites, and the other to visit the temple complex at Kalabsha.
They were very helpful in all communications, and we had everything agreed before leaving the UK.
Unfortunately, on the morning of our first trip we were hit by 'Egyptian tummy' and so I called Waleed at 7a.m. to tell him that we couldn't possibly do the boat trip that day. I asked if we could forget Kalabsha and instead reorganise the boat trip for the following day.
Our last-minute cancellation posed no problem - in fact I had a text from Petra to enquire how we were feeling later in the morning, which I greatly appreciated - and they rearranged the following day as I'd asked, and confirmed this with me within hours.
Mustafa was our 'captain' for the boat trip, and it was all I had hoped it would be. In fact, as it was not my first time in Aswan, he was determined to find things to point out that I hadn't seen before, and to his delight he succeeded!
They are a very reliable and helpful company, and I would heartily recommend them to anyone wishing to go exploring Aswan and the surrounding area.
I really did appreciate all you did for us, and will be in touch next time I come to Aswan (which I hope will be at the end of the year, perhaps with Helen Style again!).
All the very best Laura
Helen Style, England, 21-4-2009
Dear Petra, I enjoyed Silsila tremendously. It was like an adventure and the tombs etc were very interesting as well. I think it would make a very good excursion from Aswan combined with Kom Ombo as they are a contrast with each other and could be done together before a late lunch. Or it would make a wonderful place for a picnic.
The guide Walid got for us was fine. I gathered he was usually based at Kom Ombo but he had done all his homework and was well able to explain the chapel of Horemheb and other tombs for us. He had borrowed a camera and took a large number of photos to add to the paperwork he carried round with him. He took the whole thing very seriously and I am sure next time the tourists will get an even more detailed explanation. You should not hesitate to use him again. He also brought a friend who was a sort of trainee guide. I am sure the people in Kom Ombo are aware that Silsila is an opportunity for them to expand their expertise. I wonder if there are other places as well? I get a UK magazine called Ancient Egypt which mentions a few places which are now accessible from Luxor now the convoy system has been abolished, and there may be some near Aswan as well. I might do some research on this. I also think people do not go much to Sehel, where there are hundreds of inscriptions, or to the old museum and excavations on Elephantine. You could easily design excursions round these. Who cares about the High Dam?
I agree, like you I was not able to find much on the internet about Silsila. I did go on a tour by Ancient World Tours which went there but on the day I did something else.
Anyway, I sent my friend Laura Parker and her husband to Walid. They return tomorrow and I will let you know what they thought. (...)
I'd be interested to know if AI can get cheap rates at the Movenpick Hotel as it is currently my favourite hotel.
Do tell me more about yourself. What is your work? How exactly do you work with Walid? I am a student of Egyptology at London University, and a member of the Egypt Exploration Society, as well as the Sudan Archaeological Research Society. I would like to go to the Sudan and see the hundreds of pyramids there. Walid might look at getting people down to the Sudan from Aswan, as there are regular queries on Tripadvisor about this. Again, it would be quite an adventure. I look forward to hearing from you, Helen
Rainer Gumpert, Netherlands, 20-4-2009
Dear Petra, (...) let me start by saying thank you for arranging what turned out to be the best and most interseting day of my whole vacation. The driver was very kind and the guide that was arranged was excelent. He knew so much and his information was so good, it made me look so much different at the hyroglyphs. He was able to read the storries for me at Sil-Silla which made it so special.
It wasn't easy to find, as you told me. We had to drive over some farmlands until we found the boat that took us across. There we where welcomed by the guard and some friends of his (who obviously also wanted a "baksjish") who opened the gates. They also saidd they do not get many tourists there and at the time I was there we where all alone, no other touristst at all, excelent.
The temple itself was gorgeous. Not to big but the fact that it was so quiet made it so special. And also to see the digsites was very interesting.
The rest of the day was also perfect by the way, Kom-Ombo and Edfu where beuatiful and Daraw was also so lovely. Especialsy again since there were no tourists at Daraw and the people are so much more friendly then in the big cities. I found the egyptians near the tourist attractions only to be nice because they were hoping to get some money from you. In the smaller places they are just friendly not for money but because that is how they are.
And at last the trip to Abu Simbel, long drive, prety hot but nice airco in the car and a very kind and fun driver. I also had a very nice and interseting talk with a police captain who came with us in the convoy. Captain Hamat Hassan, a very young captain and he spoke very well english. We talked a lot about politics and religion and it was the most interseting conversation I have had in Egypt. And Abu Simbel itself, well, do I need to say anything, it is so so gorgeous.
Anyway, I have some beautifull pictures which I will share soon. I have my own internet domain where I will upload them and send you a link.
I will also recommend you (Aswan Individual) on tripadvisor and to anyone who I meet and wants to travel to Egypt. The way that you can arrange that what the customer asks for is excelent. Also the prices that we agreed upon beforehand where more then reasonable. I will probalby use you myself again within 2 years as I didn't have enough time to see all I wanted in Egypt. In other words, I enjoyed it so much (thanks also to all of you at Aswan Individual) that I am most defenitly going back there soon. Kind regards, Rainer
PS: give my regards to Mr Waleed, he was so kind!
Fiona, England, 19-4-2009 (with sms)
What a fantastic morning!! Went to school on Elephantine, Mustafas house, held baby crocodile and round the islands. Am glad I found the website Petra. Thanks
From tripadvisor: Manusoaz, Spain
Posted on: 08:20 am, March 25, 2009 (posted in French, translated later for me in English)
We are two French people who like to travel on their own and open air. We’ve decided to go to Egypt from the 9th to the 23rd of March 2009.
Because we wanted to visit THE great monuments, we had no choice but to cross the same way as big groups travelling in buses ships. Before leaving, we’ve been looking and booking places to sleep as guest houses and small hotels that we’ve found in the Guide du Routard. Afterwards, we were looking for different sailing Nile cruises from North to South but, in the end, we decided to do it the other way, from Aswan to Edfu: it was the easiest way (with the run of the current) and most of the offers where going that way if you want to sail several days.
We had several steps in the Internet with European and local travel agencies and we were quite desesperate because the Nile tours were mainly offered for groups of 5 to 20 people or – for less people but double prices were required. For travel agencies, it seems not possible to offer a Nile cruise without cabins, bathrooms... (the only choice for sailing was felucca or dahabieh). Another option was to find a felucca tour once in Aswan but we were afraid to loose our time bargaining with the captain, how would be the communication during the trip, we felt uncertain about the quality - for example, about food - (4 days is long...) and we were not happy at all. Finally, we found the web page of Aswan INDIVIDUAL. We were convinced by their offer, their spirit and their guest book. We booked 4 days and 3 nights Felucca as well as 2 overnight stays in the holiday apartment of Mustafa on Elephantine + two drives with a private car.
Here is our journey: Arrival at Elephantine, meeting with Mustafa. Uups, one has been deceptive: a stranger stated, he would be Mustafa and put us aboard in the wrong Felucca! Fortunately, we had an Egyptian Sim card (vodafone, 20 EGP for the SIM card and 25 EGP conversation credits which was enough for 15 days of local calls) and „the real Mustafa" found us. The first contact was very warm. We went to his flat which is ideal if one likes to have it quiet: Right beside the Nile and opposite the mausoleum of Aga Khan.
First we started a small felucca tour to sail around the islands Kitchener, Sehel and Seluga. Mustafa is a good guide and a good sailer, the tour was very nice. In the evening a meal was prepared from his mother in her Nubian house, what could be more authentic?
The next day we went to Abu Simbel with the public bus at 8:00am (25 EGP), no convoy, very easy and no need to wake up too early. We stayed a night in Abu Simbel and came back with a rented car from Waleed. The driver, Nagui, is very nice. We stopped in Kalabsha (only few tourists, nice discovery) and Philae (the haggling around the boats is difficult, then we had joined some English people to make a group to the chagrin of the captains), more crowdy but the spot is spacious and wonderful. We spent the rest of the day in the Souk, a Nubian cafe in the restaurant Panorama (which we love!) and swept back to Elephantine for the night.
Then came our tour with the Felucca with Mustafa and Mishawi, and we all felt like a group of cheerful friends. The mattresses are with all comfort and many cushions, and this is the nicest ambience to the rhythm of the water.
We stopped at beaches for a walk along the plantations or purchased living fish which we had received from fishermen. We also visited the village from Mishawi, we met his family, a very nice moment. Beside this, the temples seemed rather pale. Especially when arriving at Komb Ombo, with two rows of dozens big Nile Cruise ships. Though we stopped there, we decided to look at the temple only from the outside: there were too many tourists! A big waste of time, this is my opinion. Quite different is Silsila: an old stone quarry with caves, graves and hieroglyphs, and the thin, fine desert sand. No big ship in view: a dream.
During these 3 and 1/2 days, Mustafa has conquered our hearts with different set meals, he has shown us charming places, listened to our desires, offered his friendship. He has made it very hard for us to leave. It was very sad when we had to say goodbye.
The return to Luxor was with stop in Edfu (very nice, but full of tourists) and Esna (the Souk is very authentic), without stop in Al Kab; the driver spoke no word English and was in a hurry to go back home, a pity, because we paid the same price like for the return from Abu Simbel, this seems to us a little expensive ... After all, we should have remained one day more on the Felucca!
To make things short, we are very happy about the quality of the service of Aswan Individual with organisation of Petra and we keep the memory of our evenings by candlelight with Mustafa and Mishawi. We will come again inch Allah! Emmanuel & Soazig
Colleen, Canada
Dear Petra. Thank you our trip was wonderful and Waleed was exceptional. He got us
the trip to Abu Simbel and it was the best part of the cruise. I was not very
please with the Marhaba Hotel. In my opinion it was dirty and noisy
and would not stay there again. But it was only for one night and we
were up at two o'clock so we were fine.
Thanks again for all your help, we really appreciated it. Best Regards,
Colleen
Dr. Herbert Lechner, Germany, 20-3-2009
Sehr geehrte Frau Dressler, unsere Ausflüge haben hervorragend geklappt. Wir können Ihre Agentur nur weiterempfehlen.
Nochmals vielen Dank, Dr. Herbert Lechner
From tripadvisor: LeanaV, Australia
Posted on: 11:48 am, March 18, 2009
My recommendation is this: If you come across Aswan-Individual and you don't give them a go, you are missing out on one of the best Egypt experiences you will ever have. Petra was thoroughly professional, quick to reply to all emails and fantastic with information about what and where we wanted to go. Waleed met us at the airport and helped arrange our trip to Abu Simbel, thankyou Waleed, the transportation was fantastic and without any hassles or problems. Mustafa - what can I say - renting his flat was the best thing we did (4days out of 29 in Egypt), completely personal, clean, and with million dollar views from the rooftop who could ask for more. Mustafa's mother and sister were amazing, the food was some of the best we had on our whole trip and everything done for a fair and reasonable price. I will be back for sure, no question about it, thank you Petra, Waleed, Mustafa, family and friends... us Aussies just love you all and Aswan too!
From tripadvisor: susannobody,
toronto
Joined: Aug 2008,
Forum posts: 73
Posted on: 12:38 pm, March 06, 2009
I supposed to write my trip review about Aswan and my tour guide of Aswan (and Luxor too)at least 2 weeks ago since we returned from Egypt (Cairo part has been done and posted in Cairo Forum). Anyway, after I saw this post, I had no reason not to response too.
We visited Egypt in Feb and just returned 2 weeks ago. We had Aswan Individual arranging our private tour at Aswan, Abu Simbel and Luxor. From the first email that I sent to Petra of Aswan Individual, I got lots of information and suggestions from Petra, but without any pressure to use Aswan Individual's service. We chose AI because we felt good about it. To be honest, AI's price is not the lowest, but my husband and I believed quality goes with the price.
Waleed greeted and picked us up from the airport, took us to the Movenpick Hotel and helped us to check in there. Honestly, he has no obligation to do it because we booked our own hotel. Then he offered to take us to a sunset tea which was totally unexpected (complimentary). We had the best time there. We had Egyptian coffee and watching the sunset at an Egyptian coffee house located at the top of a hill by the Nile River. The scene was gorgeous. Since it was the prayer time too, we could hear the prayer bouncing between the hills along the Nile River. This was really nice and cultural.
We had a private van going to Abu Simbel at 4:00 am on the following day. Waleed was there, introducing us to the driver and then left. What a man....I think he must be very sleepy and going back to his bed immediatly. We did not think Waleed needed to do it, but we apprecaited a lot for his above and beyond expectation service. It took us almost 3 hours to Abu Simbel, but it was worth it. We returned around noon.
We had our free time in the afternoon. We had our rest by the pool and then went to see Nubian Museum.
Then Waleed came to see us again in the same evening, took us to a complimentary carriage ride in Aswan. It was also unexpected too!! We saw the old town and waved to many children in narrow streets. We saw smily faces of many old Egyptians. The driver of the carriages even took us to try the sugar cane juice mixing with banana. What a strange combination, but it was delicious!!!
On the 3rd day, before boarding the boat, we had our private tour to the Unfinished Obelisk, Philea Island and High Dam. Our guide was good and knowledgeable. She was a quiet woman but she gave very detailed information and history of all sites to us. After the tour, the van took us directly to the dock of the boat, Waleed was standing there waiting for us to check into the cruise. Then another unexpectation, he gave us a basket of Egyptian spices as gift, and also a small gift to my daughter. We felt we made a friend rather than an travel co-ordinator. We really appreciated his warm hospitality which add lots of colour to our Egypt trip.
By the way, Waleed was able to book us to a cruise (Royal Lily) at a very good last minute discount price. We picked the boat after a lot of research and reading many reviews from home (one choice only and no flexibility), and then we asked Waleed to get it for us. He also got us a free upgrade to a suite at the boat. My whole family was very happy with his service and absolutely agreed that his service was great.
Waleed also arranged a private guide and van for us at Luxor, through another Luxor agent. Unfortunately, it turned out not to our satisfaction, I meant the guide that we had. I think AI could provide very good service if it is in Aswan, because it was under Waleed and Petra's control; however, if it is out of Aswan, I do not think AI could really do much, and it strictly depends on our luck. But one credit goes to AI, as soon as Petra heard my complaints of the Luxor guide, both Petra and Waleed took it very seriously and conveyed it to the Luxor agent. I think and hope my bad experience in Luxor would not happen on other TA memebers.
As a conclusion, we felt we made a good choice on Aswan Individaul for Aswan. Both Petra and Waleed had provided above and beyond service to us. We could feel both of them were doing their job with a whole heart.
Keep going, Petra and Waleed.......your great service is noted and a mouth of words are important in this business.
Posted on tripadvisor: 10:02 pm, 04-02-09: marilynswar
west covina, Joined: Sep 2008, Forum posts: 4
Just have the urge to write about the wonderful experience I had with aswan-individual. I contacted the website sometime last year because I wanted to see Abu-Simbel and immediately I got a response from Petra of aswan-individual.com. She made all the arrangement for me and my group (Total of 5). Waleed picked us from the airport and delivered us to the hotel. Waleed even took the time to find out the itinerary in Aswan of the Nile cruise we were using so that there is no duplication of sights to see. Mustafa then took us to the felucca ride. He had dates and strawberries prepared for us. We stopped and rode the camel to see the ruins of St. Simeon Monastery. After that Mustafa invited us to tea and then we visited the Nubian Village. In the morning, Waleed introduced us to the driver who will take us to the 3:45 am convoy to Abu-Simbel. Anyone who is in the Aswan area should not miss Abu-Simbel.It is a sight to see. Am glad I get to know aswan-individual.com website from Tripadvisor.com. It made my travel to Aswan memorable and really thankful that everything went without a hitch. Travel can be downright difficult and excruciating when you do not know who you are dealing with but I heard a lot of good things about Petra, Waleed and Mustafa of aswan-individual and I felt I can not go wrong dealing with them. I am truly pleased with the service they provided. They tell you exactly what is at stake and they did not even demand any deposit and mind you, the price is very very reasonable. They operate their business based on mutual trust and common decency. Madeleine
04-03-2009, Tsang and 9 friends from HongKong
Hi Petra, Mustafa and Waleed,
We returned safely to HK last week despite that we were no more than 500 metres from the bomb in Al Azar, Cairo the other day. Thank god!
We had a wonderful unforgetable time in Egypt. We still miss the beautiful scenaries, the impressive historic architectures and stories, the delicious Aswan Moon Guava juice, the cutie desert fox in White desert ............................
We are so glad to have your assistance and information during our planning and when we're in Aswan. You guys are so nice. Please accept our hearty thanks once again.
Masasalam,
Tsang
02-03-2009, Madeleine (Los Angeles)
Hello Petra,
Yes, we are back to reality again. Our vacation was almost perfect except for the occasional rain in the Jerusalem area and Tel Aviv but our vacation in Egypt was marvelous., just the right time to be there, not so cold.
I would like to thank you for the kind assistance you have given us for our trip to Aswan to visit Abu-Simbel, experienced a felucca ride to see the Elephantine Island and a visit to a Nubian village, a camel ride to St. Simeon Monastery, at a very reasonable expense. By the way, I got your name and website info from Trip Advisor website.
As soon as I saw Waleed at the Aswan airport to meet us, I was relieved and felt safe along with my husband, sister, aunt and cousin (Five of us). Waleed dropped us at our hotel. Waleed took the trouble of inquiring the sights that Radamis Nile Cruise will take us in Aswan so that there is no duplication of the places to see especially that we have a very limited time over there.
As agreed with Waleed, Mustafa was there at 3:00 pm to take us to the felucca ride. Mustafa offered us fresh dates and strawberries during the ride. That was our first time to eat fresh dates and since then we were buying/eating dates every chance we got because they were so good in every part of Egypt that we visited.. Just being in the felucca is so relaxing; the air clean, the water clear and the sights just fascinating. We passed the Elephantine Island, the Botanical Garden but when we got closed to where the St. Simeon Monastery, we opted to stop to see its ruins. We took the camel ride to the ruins. We were quite late and the guards were closing the entrance already but we begged to see the ruins so the guards let us in. After that, Mustafa took us to his colorful house and offered us tea.The view from the roof-top balcony is so beautiful. As it was a holiday that day, a parade of boats glided by with; music and cheers you could hear. Mustafa must be proud of his house, very good location and the view of the Nile River and surrounding area and Elephantine-like Area unobstructed. Mustafa explained to us the culture of the Nubians and later took us to the Nubian village. We met his mother, sister etc. We were wondering why he is not married yet when he has so much to offer. We supposed that he was so attached to his famility. Before we parted with Mustafa, he gave each of us a box of tea which we had a chance to taste at his house.
The next morning at 3:00 am., Waleed was at the hotel to introduce us to the drivers who will take us to 3:45 convon to Abu-Simbel. I was worried that the round trip (540 km) will be too much for us but it turned out ok. Nobody complained. The drivers were polite and very careful and alert which was very important to us. I could hear that Walee was always in contact with the driver to check how everything was going. The sight of Abu-Simbel temples exhilirated us. I am glad aswan_individual could offer it. Our driver took us to our ship to start our Nile cruise.
Knowing I can count on your assistance, I will gladly go there again. Waleed and Mustafa are very reliable people to deal with and I salute you Petra for making our visit to Aswan very memorable. If anyone wishes to contact me, feel free to give my e-mail address. I did not mention to you that we are originally from the Philippines and we live in the Los Angeles area.
Thank you so much! My warmest regards to Waleed and Mustafa. Madeleine
Chen (Australia) 25-02-2009
Hi Petra! I'm currently in China visiting my relatives - will be back to Australia next week.I have also posted on tripadvisor about our experience:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294204-i9480-k2152099-l16201766-Aswan_Individual-Aswan_Nile_River_Valley.html
I would like to thank you on behalf of our group - the Aswan to Luxor leg was the highlight of our trip. The Felucca river cruise was so
beautiful, I wish we had the luxury to take an afternoon nap on the
boat... 2 hrs was not enough! Nubian lunch was great too - the onion
soup was superb! But I had forgotten to take pictures of the food....
we must have been too hungry.... hehe sorry...
Like I said in my post in tripadvisor, I felt very assured about our arrangements with you. This is my first time planning an overseas trip for a rather big group, and i felt a lot of responsibility which even became a little stressful - couldn't even sleep very well the first few nights in Egypt - but I never had to worry about Aswan, Waleed (and Mustafa) has called me as soon as I emailed you my number, and letting me know everything has been taken care of. It was a great feeling.
If I have to pick on something, that would be the cruise boat we were
on had very few foreign tourists, and we were too shy to approach any
local families, so didn't have much interaction with other passengers.
But I understand it was probably all like that due to Egyptian school
holidays. The cruise boat was very good in facility and services, and
provided us a very important opportunity to relax (recover for me),
I'm glad we've chosen to book the cruise with you. :) I hope Waleed
went OK in his exam.
In the end I loved Egypt, and pretty sure I'll go back again (didn't
get "ancient egypt overload" at all and already felt like crying in
the last few days there), next time I will know where to go and will
certainly spend more time in Aswan...
Again thank you for the help from all of you - wish you all the best
in the future! Please send my regards to Waleed and Mustafa! Regards,
Chen
Cameron and Kristi, 23-02-2009, copied from tripadvisor:
There really are no more superlatives to use when talking about the services od Aswan individual. Turly a professional service with authentic people who truly want to show off the best that Egypt and its people have to offer. We have no hesitation reccomending their services and would use them again with out question next time we came to Egypt. Do not waste your time with other services, your expectations will continually be exceeded
sms from Alistair, 20-02-2009
Hi Petra, we had a great trip to Abu Simbel followed by the most amazing afternoon with Mustafa. We have had a wonderful day! I will drop you an email when we get back. Regards, Alistar
copied from tripadvisor, feb 11 2009
atmktravel, USA, Joined: Sep 2008
I cannot think of any superlatives that would adequately describe Petra and what she did for us. She responded promptly to all the numerous e-mails I sent her and answered each and every question I had regarding the trip with great care and warmth.
She arranged our tour (Jan. 28-31, 2009) for Philae, Obelisk, High Dam, Abu Simbel and then on to Luxor with stops in between for Edfu and Komombo.
We met Waleed at the Aswan airport. Waleed is a fabulous man with a frank smile. He is one of the most pleasant individuals one can meet. He looked after us with great care and, with Petra, even arranged for us very nice accommodations in Aswan when we were having a bit of a problem.
Although we missed meeting Petra because she was in Germany at the time, she was in continuous touch with Waleed to know how we were doing.
Our memory of Aswan and Luxor is much more memorable because of Petra and Waleed. We may perhaps see her on our next visit.
feb 10: Ajit and nephew from Washington and India
Dear Petra & Waleed:
I have just returned home last night from my trip abroad.
It is very good to hear from you and I promise I will write about my trip as soon as I get over the jet lag.
It was simply wonderful the way you had arranged the trip; there is no other way to phrase it and it couldn't have been done better.
Thank you very very much and I will be in touch.
Warm regards, Ajit
28-01-2009, Andrew Smith, UK
Whilst travelling around Egypt in January I enjoyed a 5 day stay on the fascinating and beautiful island of Elephantine situated on the River Nile close to Aswan.
My congenial host was a Nubian gentleman by the name of Mostafa who provided basic, but very clean accommodation in his own home on the edge of one of the 2 fascinating Nubian villages on the island. The facilities and excellent breakfasts provided were very good value. Mostafa and his family always took great care and pride in the preparation of local cuisine for their guests and were able to supply comprehensive and delicious evening meals as and when required.
The property included an amazing upstairs terrace with uninterrupted and romantic views of the river and the passing feluccas, pleasure and working boats.
St Simeon s Monastery and the Tombs of the Nobles on the west bank could also be clearly viewed.
A felucca would be on hand for pre-planned or ad-hoc river trips whether for one hour or a full day s excursion with picnic. All trips are tailored to client s specific needs.
Mostafa was always there to answer any enquiries and to offer localised knowledge and friendly help and suggestions with regard to excursions both in and around Aswan.
All in all a highly enjoyable and memorable stay in this unique, beautiful and tranquil location. Thoroughly recommended. Andrew Smith, UK
18-01-2009: Andy, South Wales
Dear Petra.
Many, many thanks to Moustafa and yourself for making possible some magical experiences in and around fascinating and exotic Aswan.
You showed me their region, not as a tourist might see it, but as an idependent traveller wanting to experience and fully appreciate the beautiful landscapes of the Nile, the incredible antiquities and, of course, the unique culture and lifestyle of the Nubian and I can only look forward, with impatience, to my return visit in the autumn.
My grateful thanks and best wishes until we meet again, yours sincerely, Andy (South Wales)
14-01-2009
Dear Petra, A very happy new year to you and Waleed. Our trip went off perfectly all through - thanks again to you and Waleed for the Luxor/Aswan/Abu Simbel sector. You can have a look at pictures here (...) Regards, Swapnesh.
12-01-2009, Eric
We did enjoy the felucca cruise very much and appreciated the help Waleed gave us in getting my friend to the German hospital. It turned out that he had appendicitis so was flown back to Cairo that night for surgery.
The cruise was great and Mustafa a congenial host and good cook. We were disappointed that so little actual sailing was involved but you had intimated that winds could be a problem and shorten the distance covered. You might make this caution clearer when you redo your website. An initial briefing by Mustafa on sailing conditions and expected progress would have been useful in putting us completely in the picture.
As it turned out, the withdrawal of one couple from the trip was beneficial overall as six people sleeping on the felucca would have been a bit crowded.
So overall we enjoyed the trip, appreciated your communications, were well looked-after by Waleed and Mustafa, and would recommend you to our friends.
Best wishes, Eric
08-01-2009, Fei Xue, HongKong
Hi Petra, We just got back last night. The tour of Abu Simbel was spectacular and Waleed was there right on time to pick us up as expected. The car we got was very comfortable for the ride and our driver on time both to and from. We are very happy with the trip and your sevices. Many thank you's! No pictures yet as we haven't had a chance to download and sort through them....will do so once we get to them.
Happy holidays to you as well! Fei Xue
08-01-2009
Hi Petra, ... We had a fanstatic time in Egypt. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I spent half our time in Aswan in bed, but once I felt better we really enjoy Aswan. Mustafa was a great guide. He was very nice and patient. Our train was a couple hours late and then it was only a couple of hours before I felt too sick to continue, but he never seemed upset and was very understanding. He was very kind, very knowledable, and really good at helping you enjoy your time in Aswan. He made it very clear that all we had to do was ask and he would make it happen. I only wish I hadn't gotten sick, because I really wanted to finish our day with him especially to try his mother's cooking. I did get a chance to try Nubian food later, but I think a home cooked meal would have been very special. If I'm ever back in Aswan, I will definately look forward to spending the day with him...
Again, please let Mustafa know what a wonderful host he was and extend my apologies for having to cut our day short. Thanks,
Robin
07-01-2009: Ora from Israel
dear petra,... thank you for everything. we had a wonderful time in Aswan and mostafa and waleed were so great.
mostafa was wondeful and the felluca and his house and his mother. we thought to come back to eat there but we were so tired when we came back from abu simbel. I am pretty sure we will be back there soon. I want to be there again and again
also I am going to give his phone to everybody I know who want to travel to egypt. since I am travel agent I am going to spread their name to all whom I know.
I want to start arraging trips for people to egypt so he is on top of my list.
i have beautiful photos and I am trying to send them to you. hope you get them I am not sure how to do it in the best way
if you do not get them or can open them let me know.
send mostafa my best regards and I believe that the way they are working with tourists will lead them to success.
yours in friendship
ora
i will like to hear from you more and if you need me to write something on mostafa and waleed on the web let me know becuase really it was so nice
(please see photos)
05-01-2009, Pittsburgh, USA
Dear Petra, Waleed and Mustafa!
You made our Aswan visit a real delight. We are very grateful to you guys to make our stay so nice.
Petra you got us going with the very useful and accurate information. The short afternoon with Mustafa was a real treat. His Mom's cooking was definitely the best food we had in Egypt apart from the sweets in Waleed's favorite pastry shop.
What can we say about Waleed? He is an incredible guy and he treated us as family or lifelong friends throughout our Aswan stay and beyond. We have been in many places and continents before making many friends along the way but we never met someone like Waleed. We will miss him, never forget and we already passed his phone number to some of our friends.
Thank you again friends! You are wonderful. Attached are few pictures. They speak for themselves.The very best to all of you, Csaba, Hermina, Andras and Sara
05-01-2009
Dear Petra: Thanks for your help on our visit to Aswan. You did a wonderful job as did Waleed. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Egypt and hope to return soon. Thanks again and take care. Nick Strozza
05-01-2009, USA
Mustafa
Thank you so much for yesterday and showing me your culture and home. I consider you a friend, my first local friend in Egypt. I hope to visit you again soon and will spread word of your small hostel. Keep in touch, Ryan Batterman
05-01-2009
Dear Petra: Wish You A Happy, Healthy & A Prosperous New Year.
I wish the Cairo guide I am trying to work with was as pleasant and organized as you are. It's a struggle. Warm Regards & Thank you again. Ajit
03-01-2009 (posted in tripadvisor)
We just spent a wonderful week at Aswan, thanks to Petra and Mustafa.
We don't like "packaged" holidays, we always try to find an alternative way of traveling that suits our style. Its not always easy to achieve that, especially when traveling abroad. In this case we were lucky to run into the aswan individual website, and realize that it was compiled by somebody who truly loved and respected Nubians and their culture. We contacted Mustafa and booked his lovely house, with the wonderful view and unique location. After living there for a week, we feel we spent time with a long known friend. Simos Saltiel and family
05-12-2008: Greece
Hello Mrs Petra,
We had a fantastic time - great experience - in Egypt and would like to thank
you for everything you had arrange for me and my family. Everything was on
time and very well organised! Abu Simbel was unforgetable in deed. I still
look at my pictures and can not believe we were there... talking to you on
the phone when I was still in Aswan was another nice surprise. Many thanks
once more from all of us,
Maria
01-12-2008: Agnes from UK
We had the most fantastic time in Aswan.
Once I had found Aswan-Individuals on the Internet, I knew I had found the
right organisation to help me with my travel preparations and I was anxious
in case it was not as good as it sounded on the web.
In fact, I need not have been afraid, because it was every bit as good as
promised. Not only was the planning made easy with Petra's good advice and
ample experience, but Mustafa's hospitality and kind, relaxed personality
surpassed every expectation. We stayed in Mustafa's house on Elephantine Island,
which was not only very good value, but also very authentic. We felt privileged
to gain insight into the daily life of a Nubian Village and it s inhabitants.
We were served the most wonderful meals by Mustafa's mum Sahara and his sister
Fattimah, and later on by Mustafa himself on the Felucca. Highlights of the
trip were the outings with Mustafa and Mushawi on the felucca- we felt like
princesses being taken on these private trips- everything was done to make
sure we enjoyed ourselves - all that for a very acceptable and honest price!
Overnight stay on the felucca was out of this world- we moored just underneath
the floodlit Tomb of the Nobles. However, do bring cream to keep the muzzis
at bay- we were nearly eaten alive!
I very much appreciated the honesty and transparency of a "price list"
where we knew exactly what to expect to pay -just wonderful if one considers
the hassle one has otherwise in negotiating anything in Egypt! Well done everybody
who was involved to make this trip so memorable and enjoyable!
Tip: if you have time, do visit the Museum of Nubian Life in Aswan- it was
shortlisted for an award and is extremely well presented and informative.
A high quality experience if your interest has been stirred after staying
in a Nubian village like us. Agnes Temper, UK
17-11-2008
Hi Petra -
Mike and I did have a wonderful time in Egypt, especially in Aswan, and the
two things I mentioned did not affect our wonderful memories, or the high
regard we have for you, Waleed, Mustafa and the excellent service provided
by all of you. We don't blame Waleed for the cruise experience, and, as I
mentioned in my email, we are not frequent cruisers, so it's possible we set
our expectations too high. We had just finished a terrific stay at the Movenpick,
and perhaps we'd been spoiled by all that luxury! : )
Waleed was always courteous, professional and well-organized, and we will
recommend Aswan Individual without hesitation to anyone travelling to Egypt.
I haven't had a chance to put a review on Trip Advisor yet, but I will get
that done by next weekend. I will also send the pictures by next weekend,
and you're welcome to put them on your website if you'd like. Thanks again
for your help in making our Egypt trip one to remember for a lifetime!
Best regards, Samantha : )
27-10-2008
We had a wonderful time. We sailed around in the felluca for some time which
was fantastically relaxing and scenic. Mustafa negotiated a camelride for
us to the Monestary of St. Simeon and then to the Tomb of the Nobles where
Mustafa picked us up again. Afterwards, we visited the Nubian Village where
he lives, enjoyed a wonderful meal that Mustafa's
mom prepared, walked around the island and visted the new house that Mustafa
is building. Spending the day with Mustafa was certainly one of the highlights
of our trip and would highly recommend it to anyone.
Thanks for your wonderful service and for making this part of our trip so
enjoyable. Please thank Mustafa again for us the next time you speak with
him.
Best Regards, Alan and Dolores (my wife, shown in some of the photos)
05-10-2008
I am sorry its taken so long to write back! We have been back now for a few
weeks.....
We had an amazing time in Aswan! Waleed was fantastic in organising our tours
for us, picking is up from the airport and showing us around Aswan. The driver
he organised to transport us to our tours and to Luxor from Aswan was lovely
and very friendly, we enjoyed his company.
Mustafa
was a fabulous captain! So lovely, gentle and friendly. The felluca cruise
along the nile was relaxing and the sightseeing just perfect. Visiting the
Nubian Village was truly amazing. It was such a privilege to eat lunch at
his mother's house, she is a wonderful cook.
Thank you again Petra for organising such a wonderful and unique experience
with Aswan Individual. We would not hesitate in recommending Aswan Individual
to our friends and family. Thank so much....Shakra!!
I will try and send photos soon. Regards, Despina and Christian
01-10-2008
In early summer I was in Aswan with three friends and we stayed in the house
of Mustafa. Fantastically looked after by his mother and sister. They have
cooked for us excellently, and served, and washed our laundry. We were enthusiastic
about the care from Mustafa, his mother, sister, his brothers and his friends
- we have been absorbed in the family. The trips with the felucca ort he motorboat
had been beautiful. Our vacation was outright successful, and aswan-indivudal.com
is highly recommended! Ursula Steinborn
28-07-2008
Hi Petra & Waleed
Just to say thankyou to you & Waleed for all your help in organising and
looking after Rebecca & Sam so well. They are now safely on the train
heading back to Luxor.
Waleed was wonderful. Thank you so so much.
I will be recommending your services on tripadvisor. Thank you once again.
Nicki (see below:)
Posted
on trip advisor: 10:18 am, July 31, 2008 Wow, Wow, Wow. So impressed with
everthing Aswan-Individual organised for my daughter & her boyfriend.
Every request was dealt with in a professional manner and everything worked
to plan.
Would whole-heartedly 100% recommend them to anyone.
This is off their website - Aswan-Individual:
Services are described in detail and with a fixed price. There is no haggling
nor hassle. Aswan Individual is a network founded by a tourist, who - after
years of experiences in Aswan - put together trustworthy people: to honour
their hospitality and honesty by publishing their services: with low prices
for visitors, but which are also fair for the Egyptians.
Their website is pretty amazing too.
Petra who dealt with the administration was amazing. (She is in Berlin. She
organised with Waleed that Rebecca & Sam were picked up and taken to Abu
Simble from their hotel in Aswan. The following day Waleed had booked &
collected their tickets for their train back to Luxor and he dropped them
off at the station. Waleed was wonderful and looked after them really well.
Nothing was too much trouble. Petra was in constant email contact with myself.
Absolute first class service. Bex
23rd
June 2008
Hi
Petra,
how wonderful, we had the big chance to have you as a guide and organizer
for our beautiful trip to Egypt. We want to thank you very much for your strong
commitment. You have made a lot possible and shown us so much beauty.
It started in Luxor with the dreamlike balloon ride near the Valley of the
Kings, while the sun was rising above the Nile, the tour with the carriage
and the very nice carriage driver (Ragib) you had ordered, driving us through
the bazaar and we still remember his invitation for (Assir Assab), the refreshing
juice made from sugar cane. During this heat in May – delicious!
The reception in the house of Mustafa from him, his familiy and especially
his mother, was very very warm. His mother has coddled us with fantastic meals
in different variations, with the result that we have felt wonderful. We have
been affiliated with the family and learned a lot about traditions of Nubian
life on the island Elephantine.
There is so much to see in Aswan, one vacation is not enough, and I am sure
we will be back some time.
A real highlight were the flight and stay in Abu Simbel. We stood at Lake
Nasser and have been overwhelmed by the size of the lake. In the evening we
saw the Sound-and-Light Show at the temples from Ramses II. One cannot imagine,
that the temples have been sawed and moved, to save them from the water. (We
are astonished: 17 (!) temples have been moved – what a big effort by
the Unesco and the State of Egypt.). On the way back we marveled at the great
Highdam and understand now very well, that the Egyptians are worried about
attacks from foreign forces.
Big big praise to Mustafa for his skill to sail us up and down the Nile, he
has shown us his home country admirably. He was tireless there for us, and
we also want to thank his sister (Fatima), his brothers (Ahmed Cico, Ashraf,
Mumin) and – of course – his mother.
It was a beautiful holiday, individual and very different, and so beautiful!
Much obliged, dear Petra, your Brigitte, Ursel and Guenter from Stuttgart
(May 21 to May 30, 2008)
5th June
2008
Hi all,_Having not long got back from our most recent trip to Luxor &
Aswan we would like to thank all at Aswan-Individual for their help in making
the Aswan part of our holiday run so smoothly._From the transfer between Luxor
and Aswan and the return from Edfu to Luxor to the nice walk through Mustafa’s
home village on Elephantine Island and tea at his lovely house while the Sun
set._But most of all we would like to thank Mustafa and Nasser for making
the 3 day felucca trip so memorable.
From the excellent crewing of the boat, the lovely food, the spotless state
that Mustafa kept his boat in, to the visit of Nasser’s home near Edfu.
Possibly the highlight for us though was mooring up over night at Sil Sila
and the early morning visit of the quarries and tombs. We have seen Sil Sila
many times from passing cruise boats, but have never been able to actually
visit the sight. It was great! Allan
and Kathy Morris (UK) please
see photos
(And
as notice to the captain Mustafa after the trip:) We have found the trip extremely
enjoyable. Both Mustafa and Nasser were very helpful and attentive. The food
was very very good and a surprise at the variation with the meals dished up.
The boat was kept immaculately clean at all times. The handleling of the felucca
was excellent. They both made us feel very welcome.
Allan and Kathy Morris (UK)
29th
May 2008
We had a fantastic time - 5 of us on the boat – were treated like family
- guests of the captain. The whole crew went out of their way to help us,
the experience was great, food excellent, lots of laughs. We all highly recommend
to anyone looking for a life experience to put your trust in Mustafa, Cico
and Misso. Cameron Merer, Australia
25th May 2008
Hi Petra, we just arrived home from Egypt a couple of days ago.
If you could please pass along our thanks to Mustapha and Waleed for their
services in Aswan. Both Gosia and I greatly enjoyed the portion of our trip
in Aswan the most. Gosia loved the Ramses II temple in Abu Simbel and I especially
enjoyed our time on the felucca with Mustapha. We would not hesitate to recommend
both of their services to fellow travelers (as both went the extra mile for
us). I have included a few pictures from these parts of our trip for your
website. (The one of the felucca sail is a view of Mustapha sailing around
the botanical garden island to pick us up at the other end - he didn't know
we took this one =) ).
...
Anyways, we'd like to thank you as well for your coordination efforts and
once again please pass along our thanks to Mustapha and Waleed. Hopefully
these comments are helpful. Thanks, Michael and Gosia (please
see photos)
04-05-2008
Dear Petra -
I feel so lucky to have found Aswan-Individual while planning our recent family
trip to Egypt in March, 2008. We (myself, husband and two teenagers) wanted
to travel independantly, have unique experiences where we could connect with
the real people of Egypt yet still have some assistance with making our plans.
And you, and your local people in Egypt - Waleed and Mustafa - really made
the Aswan part of our trip one we will forever treasure. We got to see a slice
of Egyptian life and culture that I know we would never would have experienced
if we had been on a big group tour or on a nile cruise boat and we felt like
we made some new Egyptian friends in the process. Mustafa ("the Nubian
Eddie Murphy") and his friends and family were so warm and invitiing
in both the Elephantine Island and Westbank Nubian Villages. He was the perfect
laid-back but highly skilled felluca captain and we loved our time on the
Nile. Waleed (the "man with the plan") was so dedicated and so totally
attentive to our needs, the changes we made to our schedule were easily handled
and he made sure all was well during our entire stay. Whatever we needed -
a place to find change for small EP bills for baksheesh, a place to get my
broken glasses fixed - he was genuinely happy to help. Both Waleed and Mustafa
made us feel like family and we are happy and grateful to have had the chance
to meet them in this beautiful part of Egypt.
And of course, you, Petra, made all this possible because of Aswan-Individual
and your interest in having others experience the real Aswan that you clearly
know and love. Making these kinds of plans over the internet at first seemed
intimidating, but you were always so prompt with your follow up to any questions
and were so eager to make sure we had a great time, I just knew that I could
trust your advice and your guidance. Thanks again to all of you at Aswan-Individual
for making our trip to southern Egypt a fantastic one - its only been a month
since our visit and I am already longing to return. Carol Waller, Idaho, USA (please see photos)
(If anyone wants to contact me directly for any recommendations and/or information,
Petra can provide you with my email)
Posted
on tripadvisor: May 03, 2008 from Marty49
During our recent vist to Aswan (my third) we availed ourselves of the services
of
www.aswan-individual.com/html/luxor.html
We used them for airport pickup, a trip to Abu Simbel and for land transportation
to Luxor. The prices were fair and the vehicles were very comfortable. Highly
recomended. Moshe Bar Zev (photo on the right)
21-03-2008
Dear Petra, ... the Aswan trip was one of the best in my entire Egypt experience...
it's great to hear your business is growing and by the fact that someone asked
about your company means you are getting well known. So keep up the good work
and reputation! (I am sure you are already doing this really well)
...Vincent.
PS I didn't go anywhere interesting since my trip to Egypt last year, will
let you know if I have good photos!
PPS I can see you have been working hard on the website, now that people are
attracted by words of mouth, so as long as your website looks professional
and have good contents, it should be ok to give them the confidence. Good
Luck!
Please, see Vince photos: http://www.fotop.net/vipro/EgyptFelucca
20-03-2008
Thank you Petra for helping us arrange our trip around Aswan, you were incredibly
helpfull. It was also nice meeting you in Aswan. Waleed arranged everything
we'd asked for in Aswan, and our two days & two nights aboard Captain
Mustafa's felucca were amazingly relaxing. Mustafa keeps a very clean boat,
and is also an excellent cook; the food we ate on his boat was delicious,
part of our Top 3 for Egypt !! Thank you Mustafa, and Menchaoui also.Pierre-Olivier
Duval, Montreal City, Canada (please,
dont miss his photos!)
18-03-2008:
Just wanted to let you know we are here in beautiful aswan and to thank you
so much for hooking us up with Waleed and Mustafa, it has been great so far,
one more day to enjoy, will write more later. Carol Waller and her family,
USA
23-02-2008
We travelled on a convoy on 14th Feb 2008 arranged by Waleed and was met by
the driver at our hotel on time. The bus was clean and comfortable and
the driver knowledgable, courteous and friendly. Petra had given us
some extremely useful advice on trips to take when making our booking and
we used this information to best use while we were out in Aswan, contacting
Waleed directly. We found the trips (to Sight and Sound; Higher Dam
and Feluccia) all very good value for money, but the Feluccia did take some
beating! Mustafa was able to take us for a wonderful 4 hour trip on teh Nile
which was just magical. He also took us to visit his family and his
home where we enjoyed amazing views and had tea and bread and at his mothers
house. Petra contacted Mustafa while we were on the boat, to make sure
that all was well and it most certainly was!
Waleeds main aim while we were there was for us to be happy and he did this
with such professionalism and genuine care. He helped us find alternative
accommodation when we had a problem with our booking (not done through Aswan-Individual
I hasten to add), but just because he wanted us to enjoy Aswan as much as
he, Petra and Mustafa do.
I would not hesitate in recommending their services and would like to thank
them all for making our trip a truly relaxing and memorable experience.
Linda Milton, Essex (beautiful
photos, which Linda has sent to us)
19-02-2008
Hallo Petra You have never dealt with me through email but I am Linda's sister
and visited Aswan with Linda, her husband and my husband. Its my first day
back at work today but I thought I would use my lunch hour to thank you so
much for introducing us to Waleed and Mustafa in Aswan. We arrived in Aswan
after travelling in the convoy from Luxor which was organised by your company.
The car was punctual picking us up, comfortable with a knowledgeable and able
driver. We had a very comfortable and interesting trip to Aswan, arriving
spot on the time we were scheduled to arrive. Waleed was there to greet us
and helped us transfer to our hotel. When we arrived at our hotel we realised
there had been a problem with the booking and we were booked in a sister hotel
of far inferior quality and we rang Waleed as we couldn't make anyone understand
what had happened. He was very kind, taking us to an internet cafe so we could
look up the number of the tour company, then he helped us to organise another
hotel. We arranged all our trips through Waleed and every trip the cars were
punctual picking us up, were well maintained and comfortable and all the drivers
were very polite and helpful. We had a lovely trip to the light and sound
show at Philae and also to the Unfinished Obelisk and the High Dam. Then came
the highlight of our time in Aswan, a trip on a felucca with Mustafa. Mustafa's
English was superb and at no time did we have any problems understanding him.
The trip was wonderful, all the time Mustafa was giving us options of things
to do and let us tailor the trip to our tastes with his guidance. Our trip
to his home, his mother's home and his village was very interesting and everyone
gave us a very warm welcome. It was a shame we did not have any longer as
we could have had a much longer trip on the felucca. Also we could have eaten
with Mustafa's mother, but we met him on our last day and our time was limited.
The food smelt wonderful, shame we had no more time to partake of it. We have
lots of options in mind for another trip to Aswan! We ended the trip with
another convoy trip arranged by Waleed back to Luxor, with a very good driver
and a very comfortable car.
Overall we were very impressed with your company and I would have no hesitation
in recommending you to anyone visiting Aswan. The prices were very reasonable,
everyone was punctual and polite and Waleed couldn't have been more helpful
to us. We have some photos of the trip with Mustafa that we would like to
send him. Could we send the photos through you?
Thanks again and please convey our thanks to Waleed, Mustafa and everyone
concerned for making our trip to Aswan perfect.
Sue Medlycott, Swindon, England.
Posted on trip advisor:
8:45 pm, February 19, 2007 from pottypolly, London, United Kingdom
I have just returned from Aswan and used Waleed via Aswan -individual to organise
our transfers between Luxor and Aswan and can highly recommend them. The Bus
arrived punctually at our hotel in Luxor and then joined the convoy for the
direct route there. Yesterday we returned with the early morning convoy and
had the two stops. Again the driver was punctual and very courteous and knowledgable.
Waleed was just so helpful during out time at Aswan helping us with any query
at any time as he just wanted us to be happy in Aswan, which we were. WE also
went on some trips organised by Waleed and these were excellent value for
money and extremely reliable. The felucca ride with Mustafa is not to be missed!
I have had a wonderful week in Egypt and our 4 days in Aswan were all the
better for Waleeds help.
I would highly recommend it!
Wed, 13 Feb
2008
The last days in Luxor were nice, but not as nice as the time spent on the
felucca !! I guess after 3 weeks of visiting tombs and temples, we had seen
enough !! Now, we're back in the snow back at work, ... and we only have good
memories from our trip.
I was wondering if it's possible to send mail to Mustapha ? I wanted to send
him a few little things (like a proper Bob Marley tape, the one he has is
WAYYYY to old and bad sounding !!), but I only have his phone number... not
very useful !!
Talk to you soon !! Pierre-Olivier, Canada
21-01-2008
Petra, Happy Monday
morning here from LA. Me and my brother arrived back safely, and still fondly
remember our time in Egypt. Mustafa and his felucca, is one of memories we
most cherish. Please express to him our greetings for the new year. I must
say that Mustafa and his warm personality made our trip. I only wish we could
have spent more time on his boat, enjoying his superb meals. I have many pictures from the trip that I'd be happy to send to you. ... Hope all is well with
you.
Shouvik Biswas
Posted on trip advisor:
3:36 pm, December 07, 2007 from dipban, London
Hi, We got back from our holiday in October.
The cruise ship we ended up on was called MS Renaissance. We paid $300USD
for 3 nights (min stay) and booked through the wonderful Waleed (from aswan
individual).
Comment on Waleed: Absolutely fantastic and very honest (which is quite a
rare thing in Egypt).
The cruise ship was very nice, the food was ok (we are vegetarian) and the
staff were excellent (except one guy in reception who was - lets just say
- not a very nice person to put it politely).
Mon, 8 Oct 2007
(Group of 24 people)
Hello Petra, thank you for everything you arranged it was perfect. I will
soon get back to you with the pics etc.
22-07-2007
This is Vince ... thank you again for providing the felucca trip and Mustafa
really provided an excellent service and I certainly had a great time. Thank
you! Unlike most other Egyptain service providers who believed in earning
quick money, Mustafa truly believed in good service and reputation, and he
managed that really well, so please pass my gratitude to him next time when
you see him. I am sure who I will be recommending next time my friend goes
to Aswan.
Anyway here are photos of my trip, please have a look at them if you are interested:
http://www.fotop.net/vipro/Egypt
and for the felucca trip
http://www.fotop.net/vipro/EgyptFelucca
Vince Poon (Hong Kong)
25-06-2007
... we couldn't enjoy the trip as much as we did without your help. i'll definitely
ask my friends to contact you if any of them decide to go to egypt!!
Joyce Li (Hong Kong)
Mai 2007
Danke, Danke - mehr ist nicht zu sagen..., abgesehen davon, daß die
Reise von Petra super organisiert war, wir Waleed und Mustafa ebenso wie das
Land fest in unser Herz geschlossen haben. Danke.
.. so wünschen wir allen Ägyptenfans das Glück die Reise mit
Unterstützung von Petra antreten zu dürfen.
Andreas (bei Interesse könnt Ihr gerne bei Petra nach meiner Mailadresse
fragen)
please
see wonderful pictures
23-03-2006
I had a wonderful time in Aswan but I just wished I had longer there ...
I will definitely recommend to any one else I know who goes to Egypt to get
in touch with Mustafa. I also have mentioned
him to someone I know who works for a travel company that specializes in small
group travel and who like to make sure they support local people, in case
they need any more contacts to organize things for their groups – as
obviously this would be more regular work. Obviously if I ever get back
to Aswan I will definitely make sure I get in touch with him and maybe stay
on the island.
... I didn’t have any photographs of me in Aswan, hence the camel shot so he (and you) can put a face to a name!
...
I hope you get back to Egypt soon – it is a fantastic country!
Best wishes, Lyse (United Kingdom)
01-10-2006
Leider ist unser Aegyptenurlaub seit gestern Vergangenheit.
Der Ausflug nach Abu Simpel war ein super Erlebnis.
Dazu hat auch die Fahrt im Microbus beigetragen.
Es war perfekt, wie alles geklappt hat. Herr Talat war am Vortag bei uns auf
der MS Carmen und hat uns gesagt, wann wir bereit sein sollen, am frühen
Morgen, war Herr Talat persönlich anwesend und nahm das Geld entgegen.
Der Fahrer war sehr zu vorkommend und es stöhrte uns nicht, dass er einen
Kollege auf der Rückfahrt mitnahm, denn der neue Fahrgast schlief bis
Assuan.
Ich danke Ihnen für Ihre Bemühungen und kann Sie an Aegyptenreisende
weiter empfehlen.
Mit freundlichen Grüssen, Peter Kolp (Schweiz)
29-10-2006
Relaxed, welcoming and pressure-free. An evening sail
up the Nile turned into a 2 day felucca trip with Mustafa and his friend Minshawi
to Kom Ombo, where we saw the delights of the Nile, ate delicious home-cooked
food and slept on the felucca under the stars. We have fond memories of this
rich experience. Away from the haggling, you truly get a taste of the Nubian
life style. Mustafa and Minshawi were great company and very informative.
Good times! Thankyou.
Its good to hear that you are going back to Aswan soon and that Musafa and
Minshawi will be able to see the pictures.
The visit to Daraw was one of the highlights of our trip and it would be great
if they received a copy.
Derrin and Hannah (Bristol, U.K)
06-11-2006
Dear Mr. Waleed, we wish to thank you for the organisation
of our Nile Cruise trip from Aswan to Luxor and the tours in these areas during
the last seven days.
During this period we experienced very well-conducted tours and excellent
service. You and your business associate in Luxor, Mr. Mohamed Ali, provided
at customised service according to our expressed interests and wishes.
We are exceedingly pleased that we have seen all the major cultural and historical
sites of these two areas, in a fairly relaxed and enjoyable fashion. The tour
guides - Mr. Rubie El Ammary on the Nile Cruise, and Mr. Mahmoud Hassan of
Luxor, were particularly knowledgeable Egyptologists.
You and Mr. Ali did your utmost to ensure that the daily hour trips ran accordingly
to the program, and you checked daily with us that all was well. Your travel
service is highly professional and efficient, and also flexible when we decided
to visit other sites in Luxor.
We appreciate that you both quickly organised tours on a moments notice and
that you ensured comfortable and spacious vehicles for the longer and the
short trips. (...)
Sandi and Akksandra Ceterin, Melbourne, Australia
27-11-2006
Dear Waleed, lieber Waleed, wir haben bestens mit Ihnen
verhandelt und haben es besser vorgefunden, als wir es je erwartet hätten.
Wir wollen uns auf diesem Wege ganz herzlich für Ihre Geduld und die
viele Mühe, die Sie mit uns hatten, bedanken. Wir werden Sie weiter empfehlen.
Auf Wiedersehen - inshallah - Rita und Bernd Raick, Deutschland
Dear Waleed, we thank you very, very much for all the work and trouble
you had with us. It was even better than we did expect. We will recommend
your name to other tourists. They will be happy with for your service. We
hope to come again - inshallah! Rita and Bernd Raick, Germany
Trip Advisor is a wonderful website, but there are people who delete comments "as advertisement" in the forum when members praise the "wrong" company.
Please safe your comment on your computer when you are posting. To be able to post it again without effort if it is deleted.
It is a shame that trip advisor is being instrumentalized from a few who use the "report inappropriate content" button to ruin freedom of expression and even dare to badmouth at members who dont stick to their "rules".
It is up to you not to let them have their way and post anyway.
Petra
Guests stated after their posts have been deleted:
... "I just think Tripadvisor's behavior is totally incomprehensible. Why would they take down perfectly legitimate posts but leave behind insults?! It makes no sense!"
... "he is obviously very upset about me writing about Aswan
Individual saying that I am in breach of tripadvisor rules and I
shouldnt be writing when I am clearly just doing what the site is there for and reviewing my trip! ..."
... Well I will try and write something again. I should have the right to call
them up and specifically ask what is wrong with it if they take it
down a second time!? ...
... Ok, I am officially very confused.
I replied to the thread again, and Tripadvisor took the post down because it was "inappropriate." Then, I wrote a review, which they have also not posted.
I can't understand it - I am writing about a positive experience I had with Aswan Individual...I am not insulting anyone, advertizing or saying anything inappropriate.
Are they crazy? ...
Good luck! ...
From tripadvisor when deleting comments about Aswan Individual was not "the rule"
March 2008
Davao, france
(Joined: Jan 2007, Forum posts: 52)
Posted on: 10:43 am, March 11, 2008
I've visited the website
of Aswan Individual and they offer interesting excursions in Aswan but i would
like to have some insights from travellers who already had a personal experience
with their services.
Thanks in advance! Davao
Pottypolly, London,
United Kingdom (Joined: Feb 2006, Forum posts: 82)
Posted on: 8:34 am, March 20, 2008
We were in Egypt in February
2008 and they arranged our transfers to Aswan from Luxor as well as trips
to the Dam, sight and sound and a majical day on the feluccia wtih Mustafa.
We found them to be very attentive to detail both pre, during and post visit
and I would not go anywhere else.
They were also helpful when our accommodation booked caused problems and we
hadnt even booked with them. Waleed took us to see other accommodation and
sorted out our booking even though he was due to take his wife out for a meal!
Having someone who knows the area, cares about their clients interests and
is pround of the area makes all the difference.
Have no worries you wont be disappointed!
QuebecVFR, Montreal (Joined: Mar 2008, Forum posts: 1)
Posted on: 9:25 am, March 20, 2008
Hi,
A colleague at work who sometimes looks at TripAdvisor forums told me somebody
was asking about Aswasn Individual. Since I just came back from Egypt (January.
'08) and arranged my trip around Aswan with Petra, Waleed and Mustafa, I though
I'd let you guys know about my experience with them.
Petra was incredibly helpfull in preparing my trip around Aswan, answering
every email quickly and thouroughly. Yes, you can probably get the same trips
Aswan Individual offers for a bit cheaper (not a lot), but then you have to
haggle and sometimes won't get "exactly" what you paid for (this
is Egypt after all...). Waleed arranged our trips to Abu Simbel, Light &
Sound show at Philae Temple and got us a good price at the Marhaba Palace
Hotel in Aswan. Everything was as we'd agreed, and on time.
We also did a 3 days/2 nights felucca tour with Mustafa. Very relaxing, the
food was excellent (some of the best we've had in Egypt), and Mustafa is very
friendly and a gerat captain. We actually rented the boat for ourselves only
(my spouse and I), and since we were sleeping on the boat it was MUCH appreciated
(there is ONE big mattress on the boat... so everyone sleeps on it, except
the captain who has a small cabin). Very clean boat also, and we did a few
nice stops in Nubian villages.
I just sent a few pictures and comments from our trip to Petra so she can
add them to her website. I guess they should be posted there pretty soon.
I definitively recommend Aswan Individual if you'd like to arrange your trip
around Aswan and are not too tight on your budget. It's a big load off your
shoulders not having to haggle with the many felucca captains, taxis and "supposedly"
official tour guides. And Petra is really a nice person (we even got to meet
her in Aswan !!)
If you have other questions, feel free to ask, I'll be coming back for the
next few days, just in case sombody needs more info.
Cheers, Pierre-Olivier Duval
Montreal City, Canada
Vince_HK, Hong Kong,
China (Joined: Mar 2007, Forum posts: 32)
Posted on: 1:49 pm, March 20, 2008
Just to share you some
experiences: I went to Egypt around this time last year and I have tried various
local tours, and "Aswan Individual" was one of them. I got some
good recommendations of AI from fellows of this forum before and decided to
try it out. Because of time constraints I only booked a felucca nile cruise
+ fishing + supper with Aswan Individual.
Ok, I got the whole felucca for myself because I travelled alone. Mustafa
was a good captain and a good guide. His english was surprising good (trust
me, I couldn't understand the english of most local guides in Egypt) so I
wasn't bored even with just chatting to him during the whole journey.
Then he offered to show me his home and the Nubian village, I also had some
authentic Nubian dinner on the boat while I enjoyed the sunset and the mosquitoes
soon afterwards. The dinner was sure local because it tasted very differently.
But it sure was an experience. But I must say Mustafa wasn't a great fisherman
but at least we "tried" fishing in the Nile. As of today I still
wonder if there are really fishes in the Nile. (I hope Mustafa has really
improved his fishing skill by now)
Yes, the price for booking through Aswan Individual is not cheap compared
to those locals who offer you a felucca cruise on the streets of Aswan. But
I had spent over 10+ hours to travel from HK to Egypt and I wanted to have
a good time there... I have heard of many stories before where the captain
will stop the felucca in the middle of the Nile and raised his fee or wasted
your time and spoiled your mood..
Enough said, u can check out my pics in http://www.fotop.net/vipro/EgyptFelucca
and see for yourself if you like the style.
Lalsey, UK (Joined:
Dec 2006, Forum posts: 4)
Posted on: 7:02 pm, March 19, 2008
Hi! Yes I spent a morning/afternoon
with Mustafa from Aswan Indivdual. Unfortunatly I didn't have enough time
to do any of his excursions but I am sure he can sort out pretty much anything
you're interested in doing!
For me I'd rather support local 'small' outfits like Aswan Individual than
big companies.
Have a great time in Aswan! Lyse
Davao, france
(Joined: Jan 2007, Forum posts: 57)
Posted on: 4:38 pm, March 24, 2008Hello Quebec and Vince HK!
Thanks for sharing your experiences with AI...i'm assured now! I've been corresponding
with Petra and i've got responses right away. I will surely use their services...I
can't wait for our in Egypt! Davao
heather_1m
Edinburgh, U.K
(Joined: Oct 2006, Forum posts: 4)
Posted on: 5:21 am, April 03, 2008
Hi Davao,
Our experience of Aswan Individual was good. We spent about 6 hours with Mustafa
sailing on the felucca, visiting sites and going to his home in the Nubian
village. We asked him to drop us off at the Temples of the Nobles and the
botanical gardens, both worth visiting. We also sailed to the First Cataract.
His brother and cousin also joined us for the trip.
You could probably get a felucca trip for a little less than they charge,
but it was worth travelling with Mustafa as he is so keen to show you his
family home and Nubian life, which was very interesting.
Unfortunately both me and my boyfriend fell ill the next day. We cannot say
for definite what caused our illness, but we did drink some tea on the felucca.
We don't know where the water came from, but if it was from the Nile this
could have caused our illness. According to our guide book the water should
be boiled for 10 minutes to prevent illness. However, we're not pointing pointing
the finger of blame at the tea as our stomach upset could just have easily
stemmed from the meal we had that night at the Panorama restaurant, we simply
don't know.
We met Waleed two days later as he organised a last minute cruise for us.
This worked out extremely well. The cruise boat was managed by Thomas Cook
so it was of a high standard and the cost was very low. He managed to find
us the cruise during the Easter weekend so I feel Waleed can be relied on
and have no hesitiation in promoting him! Also, the manager of Thomas Cook,
Egypt, spoke to us and sang Waleed's praise saying what a good man he is,
etc.
Have a good trip and if you have any further questions don't hesitate to contact
me.
Mustafa wants to emphasize, that the water which is used for cooking or making tea is never from the Nile!
And many more
since then in the forum
of tripadvisor:
... the captains Sero, Minshawee and more
... we met Sero and Minshawee for an afternoon of sailing on a felucca. This was the greatest afternoon! We had planned to stop to see various sights over the course of our afternoon but soon discovered that being on the felucca was too much fun and too relaxing to want to get off. Sero was more than happy to accommodate that. The best part of all was the lunch that Sero made for us to enjoy on the felucca….seriously the best lunch of our entire 3 week trip (even the kids agreed!), and all arranged with Petra ahead of time. The kids had the opportunity to jump from the
felucca into the Nile for a swim, which was again such a highlight for them. Sero and
Minshawee are 2 of the sweetest, nicest men we have ever met.
... The new felucca captain Sero was an absolute 'gentle' gentleman and we thoroughly enjoyed our four hours of sailing with him - he competently sailed us all the way down to the Old Dam, around several islands, organised for a local man to meet and take us to the fascinating Pharaonic and Ptolemaic carvings on Sehel Island, took us through the best parts of the cataracts for bird watching and even let us have a go at steering his boat. Listening to him talk about his life in Aswan (he remembers life before the Great Dam) was just the icing on the cake!
... Minshawee is fun, chatty and sociable. Finn, our youngest, really liked him. Mustafa and Minshawee balanced each other and we thought they were a good team, so choosing one or the other would be difficult...
(Sian, Netherlands, July 2010)
... Minshawee and Zero were enthusiastic showing me around - I was impressed with what I saw. Both of them and Waleed were considerate as well during the felucca trip - cooking various types of food to make sure I was comfortable and relaxed. (Xiaoin Wang, China, July 2010)
Minshawee, You are the greatest felucca captain, with whom we have ever been sailing, with you we even got to know places we have not seen when we were in Aswan before.
The hours on the Nile will be unforgettable. (Madeleine, Germany, January 2011)
... The felucca was a laugh from beginning to end, Sero is a top cook, and made something different each day, including camel meat, white soup and other local dishes. Mido, Minshaweee and Hamadi looked after the boat under Captain Sero's steely gaze and made constant cups of tea.
... Nothing more to say other than that Sero is an excellent singer, and that Hamadi can't dance, but he really thinks he can. ... (Richard, June 2011)
... the guide Fatima
... Waleed was an incredible help and Fatima, our guide to the Unfinished Obelisk, Aswan Dam, and Philae, was amazing. She was very friendly and knowledgeable - when we return to Aswan (not if!), we would very much like to have her as a guide again. (Kristina Soriano-Jacobs, Dec 25, 2010)
... Fatima was a wonderful guide and we were extremely happy with her (Amanda Slayton-Joslin, November 25, 2010)
... Fatima was an incredibly informative guide and we learnt a lot (February 10, 2009)
... Fatima impressed us as much as the sights she explained to us (May 2008, Brigitte Löschner, Germany. Thank you for the picture!)
The services were excellent. Fatima struck the right note immediately,(October 31, Steve)
... the guide Abdullah
It was a lovely day, made so much more interesting by my Nubian guide Abdullah, ... (, Liz in October 2011) please see her full comment on our website about Philae or in her blog)
Könntest Du uns auch nochmal die Adresse von dem Archäologen schicken der uns damals Kalabsha gezeigt hat. Der war ausgezeichnet, mein Vater würde sich gerne nochmals mit Ihm treffen.
Could you please tell us the name again and send the address of the archaeologists has shown us time Kalabsha. He was excellent, my father would like to meet with him again.
(Katharina, Geneve, 2011)
... the guide Abdur
the guide Abdur: very very nice, nice, good French (Sylvie, 2011 Dec 26)
... the guide Eslam
Pls thank Waleed for assigning Eslam today as our tour guide again (as I have requested). Being new in his profession, he seems enthusiastic and knowledgeble of Egyptian history, even patient with our questions. He speaks English well to our understanding...no problem at all. He acts in a professional way, and punctual. We've been comfortable having him all along. It would be a disappointment if it were a different guide. Virginia (September 2010)
... Mr. Eslam was so much fun! We really appreciated his depth of egyptological knowledge, and the passion with which he makes the history so accessible to the uninitiated. I had read a lot beforehand, and Eslam was great in adjusting his guidance to take our basic knowledge much further. It's a talented guide who can "read" his clients and provide them with the level of detail and information they'll best appreciate. Mr. Eslam has that down. Anne (February 2011)
... Islam is a great and knowledgeable guide who really makes the things come to life!
We look forward to continue the trip tomorrow. (March 12, 2011, Arjan from Netherlands)
... I'd specifically would like to thank and compliment you on our guide, Eslam - who was very inspirational and deeply impressed us with his knowledge. ((March 19, 2011, Arjan from Netherlands)
... My guide Islam was just fantastic. He obviously has a very good education in Egyptian history and religion, and was able to explain the nuances an complexities of the religious structure very well. He also had an intimate knowledge of the temples we visited (Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo) and was able to provide extensive information on the architecture and wall reliefs.
I especially enjoyed the trip across the Nile to visit Silsila. Islam had that bit of the trip very well organized, with the motor boat ready and waiting when we arrived.
Islam is a delightful guide. it's not just that he knows his stuff so well, but more that he conveys his information with such interest and enthusiasm. He obviously has a passion and a real love for what he does. All in all, the whole trip could not have been better or more professionally run. (April 17, 2011, Lesley from Australia)
... And also, I want to compliment Eslam as well. He’s been a great guide and friend during my tours. Always checking if I need anything or food. He’s so knowledgeable and explains in great details. Thumbs up for him. ... (April 25, Wee Chiong from Singapore)
... Their guide for the day was Islam, who is tremendously enthusiastic and very knowledgeable. (We have experienced local guides here in the past, many of whom just want to get you to the brothers shop rather than impart any information). So top marks there (Richard, June 2).
... Our tour guide Eslam in Aswan - he was so lovely, and we had a perfect day with him (Julia, October 11),
All my tours i did with Ezlam and he was fantastic. His english was very good and he was very knowledgeable about all the tombs, temples and other sites we visited. Not only was Ezlam a great tour guide he was also a very nice and friendly guy and he made my visit to Egypt so much more plesent. I could not recommend Ezlam highly enough. (Hayley, Nov 3)
Eslam was amazing, especially reading out loud the hieroglyphics in the temples. We had really good time with him (Steve, Oct 31)
thanks Waleed for getting the best deal for us on the cruise, felluca and hot air balloon. Also for arranging Islam to be our guide in the major temples, he really knows his subject very well!! (Agnes, 2011 Dec 31)
Diaries are most appreciated but rare.
info@aswan-individual.com
Please read:
Henree and Jeff in Egypt
(the most poetic travelogue I ever received)
GieOct07 writing in tripadvisor (November 20, 2010)
For those embarking for the first time on an independent tour--extensive or not--of Egypt beyond the pyramids of Cairo, Aswan Individual is the answer. We were first time visitors in Egypt, aiming to do an extensive tour in one visit (to see most of the ancient, colossal temples in Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel), and Aswan Individual helped us fulfill our trip of a lifetime.
Having read everything and researched about destinations in Egypt, I felt apprehensive at first on how to go about with our itinerary. It felt daunting booking trips with the unknowns (tours, agents), let alone embark on this trip and navigate Egypt on your own. From the moment I've read about Aswan Individual on TripAdvisor, I quickly visited their website. Convinced, I immediately emailed Petra. True enough, she promptly responds to emails and will let you know if she cannot. I presented her our customized tour itinerary, and she replied with the same quote as in their website. I had so many questions and each time she was quick and patient to answer them. Never did I have to anxiously wait so many days for her reply. Her prompt answers enabled me to quickly frame our Egypt itinerary. No deposits required, all were done in good faith. Final payment is collected when you meet Waleed. Any changes to itinerary/tours should be communicated in advance.
Note that I booked separately our accommodations. When a problem surfaced regarding a paid booking at Seti Hotel, I frantically emailed Petra for help, and her team in Aswan (Waleed) contacted the hotel for me. Although their site promotes Aswan, they can also help with tours in Luxor; even provided me with a link to desirable hotels in El Gouna for the Hurghada/Red Sea segment of our trip. She gives her honest opinion and knowledge of Egypt based on her experiences, and with her advice, it seems like I already have a trusted Egyptian friend. My apprehensions gone, nerves calmed.
With nearly three weeks in Egypt, we were able to see and do everything, including a day tour to Abydos and Dendara (impressive!), a 3-nt Nile River cruise (with visit to Edfu and Kom Ombo temples), and half-day felucca sailing (with visit to the Botanical/Kitchner Garden), and motorboat. The weather was perfect and we have the felucca all to ourselves, along with Mustafa and his assistant. Other tourists packed in crowded feluccas must have looked at us with envy. We just lounged there, enjoying the passing views as the wind carried our nice and spacious sailboat around the Elephantine Island. We would love to do it again someday. Mustafa is a humble Nubian with a genuine character. On our way to a delicious lunch (Nubian style) at his mom's place, he showed us his neighborhood on Elephantine Island. After lunch he invited us to his own rental place. Much to my surprise, I didn't expect my husband would be delighted with this brief Nubian immersion experience. We then boarded his motorboat up the cataracts. All these at a fraction of the price than most other tour companies, and with added peace of mind.
Aswan Individual price, quality, and service met our expectations. Their website presents fair price for both tourist and tour provider, and gives you an idea of the entrance fees to help estimate your budget. The 3-nt Nile River cruise that Waleed helped pick for us at the last minute was reasonable---a huge savings than booking in advance online. We were on Semiramis III, rated 5-star, presentable, and although a bit dated, our stateroom is adequate and nice, cleaned daily---not bad for the price. The ship was fully booked, and found ourselves among the company of Thomas Cook guests from Belgium and France; and an American family of five.
Aswan Individual team operates in a professional fashion and will make sure that you're not disappointed. Petra and Waleed would call you to check how you're doing to see if you're happy with the tour, guide, and driver. They welcome your feedback; are open to suggestions, and consider them seriously. In Luxor our guide was Eslam. He is young, always punctual, well-educated, enthusiastic and proud of his country's history, knowledgeable of ancient gods and goddesses, can decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs, speaks English well, and patiently answered our questions. We were already comfortable with him so we asked Waleed not to replace Eslam when we get to Aswan. We were extremely happy to have him all along. He didn't take us to any papyrus or perfume shops as we've indicated to him right from the start that we're not interested, thus we were able to maximize our time touring around.
Overall, we were very pleased with Waleed's personalized service...highly recommendable.
After enduring the scorching heat, thirst, and exhaustion touring all the temples along the Nile, we capped our Egypt tour by quenching in the refreshing, colorful waters of the Red Sea, and basked in the El Gouna sun and sands.